Chapter 6 - The Wild Pack
The transition left me disoriented, my human mind swimming in a haze of raw, primal instincts that I didn't know how to navigate. Every sound was magnified a hundred times—the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hall sounded like a drum, and the scent of fear radiating from Mia was sharp and metallic.
The massive black bear—Rowan—stepped forward slowly, making no sudden movements. He lowered his massive head, letting out a low, rumbling vibration that resonated directly in my chest.
Safe, the sound seemed to say. You are safe.
I backed away on all fours, my heavy paws clumsy against the splintered glass, panic clawing at the edges of my consciousness. I didn't want to be a bear. I wanted my art studio, my charcoal pencils, my boring, predictable human life in Boulder.
Rowan took another step, closing the distance, and gently nudged my shoulder with his massive muzzle. The contact sent a wave of grounding warmth through my overloaded nervous system, anchoring the chaotic storm of animal instinct to the deep, steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
From the corner of the kitchen, a small, choked sound came from Mia. She had managed to drag herself upright, her back pressed flat against the pantry door.
“I am hallucinating,” Mia whispered to the ceiling. “This is a nervous breakdown. I am eating too many edible gummies in my sleep.”
Rowan shifted his weight, turning his massive head toward her, letting out a soft huff of breath that smelled of pine sap. Then, with an impossible grace, the black bear began to shift backward. Bones cracked, skin stretched, and within moments, Rowan stood there naked among the shattered glass, his tall, muscular human frame completely unbothered by the cold or the absurdity of the situation.
He grabbed a spare wool blanket draped over the arm of a nearby chair, wrapped it loosely around his waist, and then knelt down slowly in front of me.
“Chloe,” he said softly, his voice rich and steady. “Look at me.”
I fought the terrifying urge to bolt through the French doors into the yard. I forced my massive bear head to lower, locking my dark eyes onto his green ones.
“I know,” Rowan murmured, reaching out to rest his warm, calloused palm against the thick fur of my snout. “I know it’s too much. I tried to keep you away. I knew what you were carrying—what we both carry. The bloodline doesn't always take on the first generation, but with you... it was instantaneous.”
My bear form shuddered, a long, mournful whine escaping my throat.
“She’s... she’s a bear?” Mia squeaked from the corner, finally finding her voice. “My best friend is currently a grizzly bear who is also pregnant with a lumberjack’s cub? Is that the summary here?”
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Rowan didn't take his eyes off me. “She’s a shape-shifter, Mia. Just like my father. Just like me. And yes... there’s a cub.”
“I need,” Mia said, sliding back down the pantry door and sitting flat on the floor, “a very long nap.”
