Chapter 3

DILLON

My inner bear rears his head and roars "mine," as the most stunning human woman I've ever seen stares at me as I sit on a huge rock on the edge of the small river running through the Glacier Pass National Park. She's a goddamn goddess.

This morning, I woke up restless and decided to come out to the river and get a little sun. Since this deserted part of the forest backs to my property and very rarely has any visitors, I didn't bother to dress in human clothes. I shifted into my polar bear form and got in a good run before crawling up onto the cool rock to take a mid-afternoon nap.

What the fuck is she doing out here alone? I wonder as I sit up and stare at my mate. Fuck me with a stick. My mate?

The urge to get my ass the hell out of here before my entire existence changes detonates in my mind, but my polar bear isn't budging. He's too goddamn busy naming our future cubs.

Across the distance, I stare into her bright aqua eyes and see the indecision written all over her gorgeous heart-shaped face.

She's wearing tight black yoga pants that hug her generous curves perfectly, highlighting the natural grace and femininity of her luscious body. Her golden blonde hair flows gracefully over her shoulders and down her back, complementing her big, vibrant blue eyes that exude a sense of warmth and energy. Delicate freckles flow over her peaches and cream cheeks, adding a touch of playfulness to her radiant complexion. Her heart-shaped face is beautifully defined, with a soft chin and a small dimple on her left cheek.

Before I realize what the fuck I'm doing, I hop off the rock and slowly prowl toward her. A vein frantically pounds at the base of her luscious neck while her breathing accelerates. Her stunned eyes roam all over my body, causing my inner bear to whimper from the pleasure coursing through me. When I notice fear flash across her beautiful face, the pleasure comes to an abrupt halt. I want to kick my own ass for causing my mate distress.

Great. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Literally. My mate is terrified of my polar bear, but I'll really shock her if I shift back to my human form. Naked fucking human form.

When I step close, my nose perks up, smelling her sweet, delicate fragrance mixed with fear. Fuck it.

Before I'm able to change my mind, I take a deep breath and watch as the world shifts around me, and I see her for the first time through my human eyes.

My mate gasps and swallows as I stand before her in all my glory. Her pupils dilate and my cock hardens instantly against my abdomen while my polar bear urges me to grab her and make a run for it.

"What the hell are you doing out here by yourself?" My inner polar bear takes over and roars before my human side is able to stop him.

My mate's eyes narrow adorably as she slams her hands down on her curvy hips. "What's it to you?"

My human side recognizes how much trouble I'm in and automatically starts to backpedal. "What I meant to ask is are you okay?" I barely recognize my own fucking voice. Standing this close to her has a crazy effect on my heart.

"I'm… uh… fine." Her gorgeous eyes wander everywhere but toward me as she fidgets. "Actually, I'm a little lost, but I'm sure I'll be fine."

"How did you get out here by yourself?" I need to know what I'm working with. If some asshole dropped her out here and abandoned her, I'll kill the motherfucker. In the space of a few seconds, this little human just became the most important thing in the world to me.

"I'm new to town," she admits, looking over my shoulder, and I'm not surprised. I've lived in this town my entire life and have never run into my mate. "I decided to take a hike and explore, but I got turned around when I stopped to take a little break."

Thank God she stumbled upon me before something bad happened. The thought of something harming my mate sends chills down my spine.

"And you're unharmed?" It's my main concern. Her eyes meet mine for a brief second, and she starts fidgeting and looking around again.

"Yes." A blush moves across her delicate skin. "I'm just not used to being questioned by a naked penis," my mate blurts out, causing my eyes to widen. "I mean…" She gives her head a shake and starts again. "A naked man. Can you please put on some clothes before we discuss my situation?"

"I didn't expect to run into anyone out here, so I didn't bring any clothes with me." Shifters don't have the same hang-ups about nudity that humans do.

"Oh. Makes sense." She nibbles on her juicy bottom lip and looks up over my head. "Can you point me in the direction of the parking area at the park entrance? That's where my rental car is, and I'll get out of your way."

"The parking lot is about a hundred yards over that ridge." As I point in the direction of the parking lot, I realize my mistake. I should be finding a way to keep my mate close, not showing her how to get away.

"I can't freaking believe I was that close," my mate mutters under her breath before turning to rush off in the direction I pointed. "Well, thanks so much for your help," she calls over her shoulder and hightails it down the trail like her ass is on fire.

As she disappears from view, my polar bear gives me an internal slap to the side of the head. I snap out of my frozen state, realizing I just let my soulmate walk away. And I didn't even find out her fucking name.

Meeting my little goddess must've fried my brain circuits. It's the only excuse I can come up with for my own stupidity in letting my mate escape while I stand here like a naked bump on a log. Fuck me. I follow her delicate, floral scent all the way to the parking lot until I find the spot where the smell completely disappears. Fuck.

After shifting back to my bear, I make my way home in a stupor. I spend the rest of the night kicking my own ass for letting my mate slip through my fingers. The next morning, I wake up exhausted but with a new purpose. Sometime during the night, I realized my human soulmate will stick out like a sore thumb in this tiny, mostly shifter town. How hard can it be to track down a gorgeous human visitor in Glacier Pass?

Turns out luck is on my side, and finding my girl isn't difficult at all.