Cozy Bear Autumn, Part Three

* * * Please Note: This is Part Three of the Cozy Bear Autumn Story. If you're looking for Part One, CLICK HERE. If you're looking for Part Two, CLICK HERE!

After spending the night in Lola’s hotel room with her, Dane headed back to his own room in the morning to shower and dress for the day. He asked Lola if she wanted to spend the morning with him, and to his delight she said yes.

He wanted to spend every minute of the rest of his vacation in Wood Canyon with Lola, but explaining that to Andy was going to be complicated.

He also wanted to spend every minute of the rest of his life with Lola, but that was going to be even more complicated. Not only did they live in different cities, quite far apart, but there was also the fact that she had no idea he was a bear shifter.

Minor details, he thought wryly to himself.

He’d decided that he could not let the morning go by without explaining the situation to her. He owed her that much. He knew that neither of them had made any commitments to each other, but the night before had been so much more than a one-night stand for him, and he suspected Lola felt the same way. 

He hoped she felt the same way, at least. But he could be wrong about that. And even if he wasn’t, would she still want more than one night after he revealed his inner beast? 

Dane told himself to relax. Either she’d be cool with it or she wouldn’t. It was largely out of his control.

But all his admonishments to himself to relax went out the window as soon as he walked into the hotel lobby and saw Lola there, already waiting for him.

Damn, she looked beautiful. Her long blonde hair hung in soft waves around her perfect face, to which it looked like she’d applied the tiniest bit of makeup. She wore a cozy-looking, oversized sweater over black leggings and comfy fall boots. He loved the way the outfit looked, and at the same time wanted to tear it off of her. 

Patience, he told himself. This morning wasn’t about dragging her back to her hotel room, as much as he would have liked to. It was about showing her himself.

He smiled warmly and walked toward her, offering her his arm, which she took. 

“Hey, beautiful,” he said. “Long time no see.”

She giggled. “It’s been an hour, tops.” 

“Feels like forever,” he insisted, leaning down to kiss her nose. “And now, how long can I steal you for?”

“Until 4ish. Julia won’t be done with the donut shop until then, so I’ve been spending the mornings exploring on my own. What about you? Is Andy busy with the kayak store?”

Dane nodded. “I’ve been helping him out a bit, but he doesn’t mind if I take the morning off.” 

Dane could have explained further that Andy was still trying to get him to move to Wood Canyon, but Dane was staunchly refusing. He’d told Andy that nothing would change his mind, although he realized in that moment that this was no longer true.

If Lola asked him to move to Wood Canyon, and said that she would as well, Dane would move in a heartbeat. He would go anywhere for her. She was his home now.

But he couldn’t tell her that. Not yet. Not until she knew who he really was. What he really was.

He’d always been proud to be a shifter. Even when full humans feared him, and threatened his survival, he’d never regretted being a bear. He loved the strength and power that being a shifter gave him. He loved the heightened senses his bear side allowed him.

And he loved the fact that being a shifter meant he had a lifemate, a beautiful woman for whom he was destined. If only she would feel the same way. 

He had only one way to find out. He turned toward Lola with what he hoped was a confident smile.

“Shall we head out?” he asked.

She grinned. “Absolutely. Where are we going?”

He winked. “You’ll see.”

She trustingly slipped her hand into his as they walked toward the truck he was renting, and he felt like his heart might explode with love for her. He wanted her to always trust him this way, to always slip her hand so willingly into his. Could he convince her that he was right for her, even if he surprised her with his bear side?

He drove mostly in silence, heading into Wood Canyon’s old town. There, he parked and hopped out quickly, rushing around to open Lola’s door for her. She rewarded him with another one of her brilliant grins.

“What a gentleman,” she said.

He gave a small bow. “I aim to please. And I hope this next stop will please you.”

He took her hand and led her past several quaint storefronts, selling everything from antiques to homemade jewelry to boutique-style clothing. Lola looked into the storefronts with great interest, but it was too early still for most of them to be open. Dane made a mental note to bring her back later in the day so she could browse. 

Provided, of course, she was still speaking to him.

He swallowed back the nervousness that rose up at that thought, and gently tugged Lola’s hand, leading her farther down the street. 

“Come on. There’s one place that is open that you’re going to love.”

He led her to Wood Canyon Coffee, an unimaginatively named but adorable coffee shop at the very end of Old Town’s main street. The café had a beautiful, hand-painted wooden sign hanging above its door, and several outdoor tables for those who might want to enjoy their coffee outside, despite the brisk fall morning.

Inside, things were even cozier, with décor that reminded Dane of a winter lodge. And the smell! The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mixed with sugary muffins hit his nose as soon as he entered the café. He had expected this, since he’d been frequenting the café every morning since he arrived in Wood Canyon. But he didn’t think Lola had been there yet, since he hadn’t seen her. He thought she was missing out by not getting to try the place, and the enraptured look on her face told him that he’d been right to think she would like it. 

“This place looks amazing!” she said. “And oh my god! The coffee smell is divine!”

“It tastes as good as it smells,” Dane said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “What do you want?”

Lola ordered a large latte, and Dane went with his usual: strong, black coffee. Once their drinks were in hand, Lola asked if he wanted to sit in one of the big, comfy armchairs. But Dane shook his head.

“Not today. I thought we might go for a walk on a trail I found that’s absolutely gorgeous.”

Lola looked a little panicked. “As long as you’re not going to make fun of my lack of athleticism.”

Dane shook his head, and gripped her chin with one of his strong palms. “First of all, this is a casual walk, not a workout. Second of all, you’re not as un-athletic as you think. I saw you kayaking, and you held your own just fine.”

Lola tried to look down. “You’re just saying that to be nice.”

Dane felt a rush of anger. He had a suspicion that someone at some point had been unkind to Lola, filling her head with all sorts of insults. If he ever met that person, he’d happily give them a piece of his mind. But he forced himself to remain calm as he turned Lola’s face back toward him.

“I’m not just being nice. You’re stronger than you think. Now come on. Let’s go. I really want to show you this trail.”

Lola looked like she might protest again, but then shrugged and nodded.

Dean held her hand tightly as they walked away from Wood Canyon’s old town. He tried not to let on how nervous he was, and thought belatedly that coffee might not have been the best idea. His nerves really didn’t need to be any jumpier than they already were.

Lola seemed oblivious to his tense emotions, happily sipping her latte as they walked farther and farther away from town. She exclaimed over the beautiful fall colors, and Dane found himself smiling despite his other worries. She was always beautiful, but even more so when something had made her excited. He loved the way her face lit up and her eyes shone as she gazed happily up at the trees.

The winding path went higher and higher, up one of the largest hills in Wood Canyon. Dane had hiked this path a few times already, so he knew what was coming. He watched Lola’s face carefully as they rounded a bend and the forest suddenly opened up, revealing a panoramic view from the top of the hill of the river and tree-filled valley below.

“Wow,” Lola breathed, her eyes widening more than Dane would have even thought possible. “This is unbelievably beautiful.”

Dane stepped behind her and placed his hand protectively on the small of her back. “Isn’t it?”

Lola nodded. “I can see more and more every day why Julia chose to live here. I honestly didn’t get it at first, but there’s so much beauty in Wood Canyon. It’s not the boring, bland small town that I thought it would be. Don’t tell her I said this, but she’s actually getting close to convincing me to move here.”

Dane turned to look at her, his own eyes widening slightly with surprise. “You’re looking to move?”

Lola shrugged. “Maybe? I’m not sure. I wasn’t a week ago. But…this place grows on you. I could use a change in my life, but I also don’t want to make any big decisions without thinking them through.”

“Of course,” Dane said mildly, although his heart had started thumping wildly. Would she be open to making a big decision about moving to be with him? About committing her life to a bear shifter?

He swallowed hard, telling himself that the longer he waited to explain things to Lola, the harder it was going to be. He cleared his throat and turned to face her.

“Look, Lola, I didn’t just bring you here to see the view, as amazing as it is. I brought you here because I have something to tell you, and I wanted to do it somewhere relatively private.”

Lola snapped her gaze toward him at those words, instantly looking suspicious. “That sounds pretty serious.”

“It is serious,” Dane said in a careful tone. He didn’t like the way she’d instantly stiffened at his words. His suspicions became even greater that someone had hurt her, badly. She looked ready to bolt. “It’s not bad,” he insisted. “But it is something that’s a very, uh, big part of who I am. Before we go any further with whatever this is between us, I want to be totally honest with you.”

She narrowed her eyes, and clutched her paper coffee cup so tightly that her knuckles turned white. He didn’t know how she wasn’t completely crushing the thing.

He regretted now more than ever not telling her about his shifter side before. He didn’t like the way she was looking at him like he’d betrayed her. Even though he hadn’t technically done anything wrong, he had a feeling she wasn’t going to be pleased that he hadn’t bothered to mention such a huge part of himself.

Dane sighed again. “Look, maybe I should have told you this last night, but, uh, I didn’t realize things were going to go quite as far as they did. I’ve never been exactly the smoothest when it comes to women, so I hope you’ll forgive me if I blunder things a bit now and then.”

“Just spit it out,” Lola said, her voice surprisingly cold. “What are you hiding from me?”

Dane felt his stomach clench. Time to see whether Lola could truly be his lifemate, or whether destiny had made a mistake. He had no idea how to explain things best, so he decided to just dive right in.

“The thing is, I’m a bear shifter.”

Lola’s angry look faded for a moment into a look of confusion. “A what?”

“A bear shifter,” Dane said, and then started talking in a rush, trying to explain things before Lola completely tuned him out. “It means I have a bear form. I can change from human to bear and back again at will.”

Lola took a step back and eyed him warily. “Is this your idea of a joke? Are you insane?”

Dane shook his head, suddenly feeling desperate. “No! I would never make a joke like that. I’m serious. Look, I know most humans have never heard of bear shifters, at least not outside of fantasy novels. But it’s a real thing. There are people in this world who carry shifting as a genetic trait, and can shift back and forth at will.”

Lola glared at him. “You seriously expect me to believe that? I’m not some dumb, gullible girl who you can trick into believing any ridiculous thing you say.”

Dane, against his better judgment, felt his own anger welling up. He was so tired of being judged for who he was. He was tired of having to hide himself. He was angry that he had to worry about moving away from his home just because some humans thought, wrongly, that he was a danger to society just because he happened to have a bear side. And now, he was angry that the woman he loved, the woman he wanted to protect and care for, and spend the rest of his life with, thought he was making fun of her when he was only trying to tell her the truth of who he was.

“I do expect you to believe it,” he roared. He lifted his hand up, putting it right in front of her face, and then, he let his bear side take over that hand. It morphed from his strong, human hand into the larger, fur-covered paw of a grizzly. Long, razor-sharp claws extended from it, their points ending mere inches from Lola’s face.

Her mouth fell open in shock. For several tense moments, she just stared at his claws. Then, finally, she clamped her mouth shut and shook her head furiously, anger flashing in her eyes.

“You should have told me,” she said, tears starting to form in her eyes. “You should have been honest with me and told me.”

And then, she turned and ran away from him, back down the path toward Wood Canyon’s old town.

Dane stood, feeling shocked himself. He had known that he needed to be prepared for the possibility that she would be upset. That’s why he’d been so nervous, after all. But deep down, he’d truly thought that she would accept his bear side. After all, how could destiny possibly have made them lifemates if she wasn’t going to be open to the fact that he was a bear?

Anguish filled his soul as he tried to decide whether to chase after her or let her go. Every instinct deep within him told him to go get his girl. But he knew that was his wild side, his inner bear, trying to convince him. He could not allow it to influence him now. He would only scare Lola worse.

So instead, he roared, and stripped his clothes off. Then, he let his inner bear take over completely, letting the shift he had started with his arm spread to the rest of his body. That body grew impossibly large, and his skin thickened and became covered with thick fur.

In less than a minute’s time, he stood there in full bear form. He threw back his giant grizzly head and let out a long, mournful roar, throwing every ounce of his energy into the noise. In bear form, the urge to go after Lola grew even stronger. He wanted more than anything to chase her down, to claim her as his, and to show her how incredible a life with a bear would be.

But even in bear form, he knew he could not let his wild side take over. Lola had made her decision. She’d seen him for who he was, and she had run away. He would have to accept that.

Dane gave one more long, anguished roar, and then he took off running into the thick forest that surrounded Wood Canyon.

* * *

Lola paced her hotel room like a caged animal, wringing her hands and feeling like she was going to throw up.

How could she have been so stupid? She’d trusted Dane, even though she hadn’t known him. Even though she’d so recently been through a horrible breakup, where a man had lied to her and stomped all over her heart, she’d made the decision to try again at love. 

How foolish.

She’d known this would happen. She’d known. Even though things with Dane seemed so perfect, even though she felt undeniably drawn to him…she’d been fooling herself. He was just like every other man she’d dated. He’d kept secrets from her, big secrets. That was the one thing Lola found unforgivable.

And yet, even as upset as she was, she couldn’t quite shake the desire to run back to him.

What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she get him out her head? How was her heart already so tangled up in his? 

She paced for several more hours, thinking that with a little more time, she’d shake the insane desire she felt to go find Dane. But the urge only got stronger.

Finally, she decided that she would just give in. She told herself it would be good to go chew him out, anyway. She needed closure. That’s what this was about: closure.

It definitely wasn’t about the fact that her heart couldn’t stand the thought of never seeing Dane again.

She texted Julia to tell her something had come up and she’d need to meet up with her later than planned that afternoon. She knew Julia would have questions, and she honestly didn’t know how she would answer those questions. How was she supposed to explain to her best friend that Dane had lied to her about being a bear? 

Lola had no idea, but what she’d worry about that later.

With new determination, Lola pulled on a warm hoodie, and headed out of her hotel room. She would go find Dane, and have it out with him. That was the only way for her to find peace.

Without really thinking about where she was going, Lola drove back toward Wood Canyon’s Old Town, and started walking down the same trail Dane had led her on earlier. It had been hours, so he could have been anywhere else by then. It didn’t make logical sense that he would still be wandering around in the forest. She should have checked his hotel room first, or gone down to the river to see if he’d gone to see Andy.

But Lola wasn’t thinking through things logically. She was following her heart, and her heart told her to find Dane where she’d left him.

The afternoon shadows were growing long by the time she made it back to the spot where he’d shown her how he could change into a bear. His clothes were there, in a pile, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Lola walked in small circles, trying to decide what to do. And then, she spotted a set of bear tracks in the mud. They had to be from him. Lola followed the tracks, breaking into a run as she did, her heart pounding with nervous anticipation. She’d never had a confrontation with a man quite like this before.

Unfortunately, the mud soon gave way to drier ground, and Lola could no longer see any paw prints in the forest floor. But she kept walking, anyway, hoping that she was going in the right direction. The deeper into the forest she got, the more she wondered if she was doing the right thing. Was she just going to get lost here, in the cold, autumn woods?

But her persistence was rewarded when she came around the corner and saw the outline of a giant bear curled up in a large patch of grass near a giant oak tree. The bear had appeared to be sleeping, but instantly raised its head when she approached.

At any other time, Lola probably would have been terrified to come across a bear in the middle of the woods. But right then, she wasn’t afraid. She knew the bear was Dane. She could see it in his eyes. Even though the body in front of her looked fully bear, it had the same eyes as Dane. And whatever anger she felt toward him, she at least knew he wouldn’t hurt her. He wasn’t the type of man who would tear a woman to shreds like a wild animal, even if he did have an animal side.

His eyes widened and he rose quickly to his feet, eyeing her warily as though she were the fearsome beast in the scenario.

Lola cleared her throat, much of the fire in her suddenly gone at the mere sight of him. She loved him so much her heart ached. Why did things have to turn out this way? Why couldn’t he have just told her the truth from the beginning. 

“You lied to me,” she said, finally finding her voice. “You spent all this time with me, even slept with me, and never told me who you truly were.”

A pained expression crossed his eyes, but he didn’t speak. Lola wondered if he even could speak while in bear form. And then, before she could wonder too long, a rush of powerful wind hit her, and Dane was letting out a large roar, his body morphing back into human form. She watched, fascinated, as his fur disappeared and the shape of his body transformed from bear to man. His head was the last thing to change, his rounded bear ears settling back into human shape and his sharp teeth going down to a more normal size.

When he stood in front of her as a human again, she realized with a start that he was fully naked. It made sense, of course. He’d left his clothes behind because they would never have fit his bear form. But still, Lola hadn’t been anticipating this development, and she found herself acting awkward and way too obvious as she desperately tried to keep from looking between his legs.

For his part, Dane seemed unaware, or at least completely unfazed, by the fact that he wasn’t wearing a stitch of clothing. He looked at Lola with pained eyes and shook his head violently. “I didn’t lie to you. I just hadn’t found a way to tell you yet that I’m a bear shifter. And can you blame me? Look how you’re reacting. It’s how almost everyone reacts. They think I’m a monster, just because I happen to have the ability to change between bear and human form.”

Lola stared at him for a moment, dumbfounded. “That’s what you think this is about? The fact that you’re part bear?”

Dane’s angry expression changed into one of confusion. “Isn’t it? What else would it be about?” 

Lola threw her hands in the air. “I’m not angry about the fact that you’re part bear. To be honest, it’s kind of cool, when I really stop to think about it.”

Dane faltered. “If not that, then what is making you so mad?”

“I’m mad that you weren’t open with me from the start! You hid yourself from me. And if you’d hide such a big thing, how do I know you won’t hide other things? I told you how my ex betrayed me, so you should know that I’m not okay with a man who lies.”

Dane was starting to look truly distraught. He ran over to her and grabbed her hands in his, before Lola could react or run away. Her jaw dropped at the jolt of pure electricity that ran through her at his touch, and at the proximity of his naked dick.

“I wasn’t lying,” Dane said, his voice the most earnest thing she’d ever heard. “I’m sorry that I made you feel that way. But please, Lola, stop and think about this. I’ve dealt with humans all my life who treated me like Frankenstein’s monster because I can shift from human to bear form. I couldn’t stand the thought of you thinking the same thing, and so I hesitated to tell you—not because I didn’t want to tell you the truth but because I was trying to find the right words, the right way to tell you, so you would understand I’m not a monster.”

Lola looked at him, her heart feeling a strange sense of hope. What Dane was saying made a certain amount of sense. She still didn’t think he’d handled the situation very well, but it was true that he hadn’t actually lied to her.

Did she dare give him, give them, another chance? 

She looked down at his hands, which still held hers. Her heart pounded, and she wanted more than anything to forget her anger and let herself fall into his arms. He seemed to sense her softening toward him, because he reached to cup her chin with his hand, gently lifting it so her face was tilted toward his. She met his eyes, and the concern and love she saw there nearly undid her. 

“In the interest of making sure I’m not holding anything else back from you,” he said gently, “I have one more thing to tell you.”

Her eyes widened. What else could he possibly have to say that would be anywhere even close to as shocking as the fact that he was part bear? She had no clue, but he was already speaking, so she focused her attention on him.

“Shifters believe in something called lifemates,” he was saying. “It’s similar to the human concept of a soulmate, but even more serious. We believe that each shifter has someone they are fated to be with from the moment of birth, and that the first time we make love with the person we’re destined for, the lifemate bond forms.”

Lola’s heart pounded even harder. Was he saying what she thought he was?

“I don’t understand,” she said, not daring to ask the question she actually wanted to ask: was he saying that she was his lifemate?

She didn’t have to ask. He was already speaking again. “I know it might sound overwhelming to a full human who hasn’t grown up with this concept. But for me the idea of having a lifemate is as normal as breathing. And I believe you are my lifemate.”

“Y-you do?”

He smiled, and nodded. “I do. In fact, I know you are. I’ve suspected it since the moment I met you, but I’ve known for sure since the moment we made love. I felt the lifemate bond forming. It feels like a deep, unbelievable heat in your core. I’m not sure if you could feel it, too, as a human, but—”

“I could!” Lola yelped, astounded. “I didn’t realize that the heat was this…this lifemate bond you’re speaking of. But I do remember thinking I’d never been quite so hot while making love before. I figured I must just be very turned on, but now you’re saying it was actually some sort of shifter bond.”

To Lola’s shock, Dane’s eyes looked like they were filling with tears. But he didn’t look embarrassed or try to wipe them away. He just smiled at her and nodded.

“Yes, that’s the lifemate bond. I can hardly believe you felt it, too.”

“And it means we’re tied together for life? I’m still not sure I understand.” 

Dane nodded, reaching to tenderly caress the side of her cheek. “It means we’re bonded together. We’ll be sensitive to each other’s moods, and, if you’re in danger, I’ll know. I’ll have a sense that something is wrong. And I’ll never be truly happy unless we’re together. Even if you decide you never want to see me again, I’ll never be with another woman. There will never be anyone else for me. My heart won’t be able to take it, now that I know who my fated lifemate is.”

Lola’s eyes widened. “That’s why you seemed so upset that I ran off.”

Dane nodded. “I’m upset because I can’t live without you. I don’t want to live without you. I’m so sorry for not telling you sooner that I’m a shifter. Like I said, I wasn’t trying to hide anything or lie. It’s just that sometimes I’m a bumbling fool who can’t figure out the right way to communicate. I can’t promise I’ll never bumble again in the future, but I can promise you this: I’ll never lie to you, and I’ll always do my very best to protect you and care for you.”

Lola felt tears filling her own eyes. “What more could I ask for?”

That seemed to be all the invitation Dane needed. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. Lola moaned, and let herself melt into his kiss. They had a lot more they needed to discuss, she knew. They would have to figure out how to possibly make this work between them, with both of them living in different cities. And Lola had a thousand more questions about lifemates and shifting in general. But for the moment, she knew that Dane hadn’t lied to her, and that was enough.

His tongue slipped past her lips, and she closed her eyes to relish the incredible feeling. She could feel his hard erection pressing against her as he held her, and a thrill went through her. Would he make love to her right here, right now, in the middle of the forest? She normally wasn’t so adventurous, but with Dane, she felt more impatient than she ever had. She couldn’t wait to go all the way back to the hotel. She needed him now.

Her lifemate.

The word rolled around in her mind, filling her with warmth and happiness. She was his, he’d said, for the rest of his life. There would never be anyone else for him, and the happiness that filled her at that thought made her tremble with excitement. 

He felt her trembling and pulled back for a moment, looking at her with concern. “Are you alright? Is it too cold for you here?”

She shook her head. “I’m only shaking because I can’t stand another minute without you inside me.”

It took a moment for him to register what she’d said, and then, a look of pure joy and relief crossed his face. “Oh, thank god,” he said, reaching to tear at her clothes. She giggled as he fumbled with the buttons on her sweater, then reached to help him before he got too impatient and ripped the buttons off.

Within moments, they were both completely naked, and he pulled back to look at her once again. 

His eyes went positively dark with desire. “My god,” he said hoarsely. “You’re beautiful.”

She blushed, feeling a fresh thrill at his words. Then, he was spreading her clothes out to make a blanket of sorts on top of the thick layer of autumn leaves surrounding them. He pushed her gently down onto the “blanket,” never taking his eyes off her. She felt herself growing hotter and wetter, the anticipation of what was to come sending a thrill through her.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked, hovering above her. “Are you sure we are okay? I don’t want to push you into anything you’re not ready for.”

“We’re okay. We’re better than okay. We’re lifemates. Now make love to me like I’m your lifemate.”

Just the thought of being fated to him turned Lola on, and apparently Dane felt the same. He growled, and then shoved into her with a swiftness that took her by surprise even though she’d been expecting him.

She squeezed her eyes shut, but colors seemed to explode behind her eyelids anyway. A searing, delicious heat spread through her body, and the tension in her core instantly rose.

He moved in her, desperate and hungry, the impossible width of him pushing against her slick inner walls. He rubbed against every sensitive cell as he slid back and forth, back and forth, causing greater heat and tension with every movement. She tried to hold back as long as she could, wanting to draw out the moment forever. But finally, she could not contain the ecstasy any longer.

She let out a long moan, then found her release. Her inner muscles clenched around him over and over, the waves of pleasure and heat spreading across her body in rapid succession.

He came moments after her, throwing his head back and roaring as he pulsed into her. She clung to him as together their bodies reveled in the pleasure of being together.

When finally the waves of pleasure ebbed, Dane flopped down beside her on the blanket and took her into his arms. He kissed her forehead, and then, whispered in her ear.

“I love you, lifemate.” 

She felt a thrill at his words. Her rational brain tried to tell her it was too soon for them to be saying such things, but her heart knew better. She might not be a shifter, but she understood that what she had with Dane was special. She understood that this whole “lifemate” thing was real.

“I love you, too, lifemate.”

He held her tighter, and she relished the feeling of his arms around her. Then, she pulled back to give him a worried look.

“We don’t even live in the same city. How is this going to work?”

“We’ll make it work,” he promised her. “I’ll move to wherever you are, if I have to. But I wanted to ask…would you be willing to move here?”

“To Wood Canyon?” 

He nodded. “You can take some time to think about it, if you need to. But Andy offered to let me work with him. He’s a shifter, too, in case that wasn’t obvious.”

Lola laughed. “I’m starting to put two and two together. Julia is going to have a lot of explaining to do.”

Dane laughed, too. “Hopefully you’re not as mad at her as you were at me. In any case, I’m sure you can find work here in Wood Canyon, too. I know Julia said they need nurses at the local hospital. She also said you were against small town life, but I was, too, until this week. Maybe Wood Canyon has impressed you as much as it’s impressed me?”

Lola smiled. “As a matter of fact, it has. It’s been a lot more fun than I thought, and I could really get used to the warmth of the people here. Plus, living so close to my best friend again would be amazing.”

“Agreed,” Dane said, a wide smile spreading across his own face. “So that’s a yes, you’ll consider moving here?”

Lola felt a thrill of happiness. “Yes. I’d move anywhere with you, to be honest. But Wood Canyon seems like a good place to start.”

“Indeed it does,” Dane said. “Wait until we explain all of this to Andy and Julia. They’re not going to believe it.” 

Lola laughed. “They’re not. But then they’ll be thrilled. I have a feeling the best years of our lives are just getting started.”

“I think you’re right, lifemate,” Dane said, kissing the tip of her nose. Then, he moved to kiss her lips, and to push his tongue into her mouth again.

That was all it took for them to be off again, exploring each other’s bodies with wild abandon. Lola knew they had a lot of details to work out about their new lives in Wood Canyon, but she would worry about those details later.

For now, she would revel in the fact that she’d found a bear of a man she could truly trust to take care of her heart. What a wonderful autumn vacation this had turned out to be!

*** Thank you for reading! For the next Wood Canyon shifter short story adventure click here: Wild Bear Winter, Part One! ***