Chapter Eight

Tatum

“This is a very important one to remember,” Daddy told me as he crouched down and pointed at a green plant.

We were taking a hike together through the woods. After we woke up and Daddy made me a yummy pancake breakfast, he told me that he had to do some work outside, and wanted me to join him. Excited to see what his job entailed, I jumped at the chance. I played in my nursery while he got some things gathered up, and then we headed outside.

Along our path, he was pointing out plants and trees, showing me which ones were poisonous and should be avoided. He said he never wanted me in the woods alone, but it was still good information to know.

“See these three leaves?” Daddy asked, motioning to each pointed blade. “That’s how you can tell it’s poison ivy. If you touch it, it will make you very itchy. Remember this rhyme; if it has leaves of three, let it be.”

I repeated the saying with a nod. I liked having something to help me remember. He’d taught me about so many plants, I didn’t know how he kept them all straight in his head. “You’re so smart. How did you learn about all of this stuff?”

“My dad taught me a lot about the land, and the rest, I’ve picked up over the years. I’ve been around for a very long time.” I knew Daddy was an old bear, but I didn’t see him that way. I only saw him as perfect. I didn’t care how old he was. “Come over here, Taterbug; I’ll show you something I think you’ll like.”

He took my hand and led me to a tall pile of twisted vines, pointing out roots covering my path so I didn’t trip. “This is a wild blackberry bush. The fruit is gone for the fall, but during the summer, the berries grow as big as the tip of my thumb. I harvest many of them every year.”

My mouth watered at the thought. “I can’t wait to try some next summer.”

“You won’t have to wait that long; I’ve got a couple of bags of them in the freezer. We can thaw some out to eat. If you want, we can even make a pie together.”

“Oh, that sounds like fun! I love pie! I-” my words trailed off when I noticed movement within the bush. I leaned in to get a closer look, and shrieked when I saw a snake winding around a branch. I leapt at Daddy, who easily caught me in his arms. “Watch out, Daddy! A snake! Run!”

But he didn’t run; he stayed still and caressed his hand up and down my back. “It’s okay; this little guy won’t hurt you.”

I lifted my head, unburying my face from his chest, to look back at the slithering critter. “Is it a shifter?” I would now wonder about any animal I came in contact with.

Daddy chuckled and eased me down onto my own feet. “No, he’s a regular snake; a garter snake, to be exact. They aren’t venomous, and harmless to humans. Actually, people like having these little guys in their gardens because they eat the pests that destroy plants.”

“I didn’t know there were helpful snakes.” I thought they were all bitey and gross.

“There sure are. There are also snakes that can be harmful, so it’s always smart to be respectful of the creatures. But even if a snake is venomous, they typically won’t bother you unless you bother them.”

I leaned in a little closer - but not too close - to the critter. “I’m sorry I was scared of you, Mr. Snake. Thanks for helping the blackberries.”

Daddy chuckled again and kissed the side of my head before removing the backpack he carried. He placed it on the ground and took out a camera, which he pointed at the snake.

“You’re taking its picture? I guess it is…kind of cute.”

“Keeping track of animals and their behavior patterns is part of my job,” he explained as he snapped a few photos. “It’s a little late in the year for this breed of snake to be active; around this time, they typically go into brumation, which means they get sluggish and hide away from the cold. Since he’s still slithering around, it could signal a temperature change in the climate. I’ll document it, and compare it to photos from years past and then in the future.” My jaw dropped. I was in total awe of Daddy’s big brain.

He replaced his camera and asked, “Are you getting hungry? I packed some snacks for us.”

I nodded. We’d been walking a long time, and my pancakes had worn off. He pulled a small, folded blanket from his bag and spread it out over the ground. He thought of everything.

Daddy helped me sit down onto the blanket, but as soon as he sat next to me, I climbed onto his lap. It was my favorite seat in the world. He pulled out a baggie full of trail mix, a bottle of water, and a string cheese.

When he opened the bag of trail mix, I didn’t reach for any; I just dropped my jaw open. Daddy gave me a knowing smile before feeding me the yummy mix of nuts, raisins, and chocolate candies. I loved when he fed me, because he was taking care of my most basic needs. And because I felt spoiled and special.

When it came to the string cheese, I took care of that myself. It was fun to pull it apart, trying to make the strings as tiny as possible to make the snack last. Daddy laughed when I draped some cheese over my upper lip, creating a dangling mustache. No matter what I did, I knew he would never laugh at me; he was just happy that I was happy, though the way he made me feel was so much deeper than that.

“Did you get enough to eat?” he asked once the snacks were gone. “I know it wasn’t a full meal, but I was hoping to take you out to dinner tonight. I have to collect some samples from the forest which I have to drop off in town, and I wanted to treat you to a nice meal.”

My stomach flip-flopped at the idea of a date with Daddy. Being little and playing in the cabin was wonderful, but I wanted to explore everything our relationship had to offer. Weldon wasn’t just my Daddy; he was my lover and partner, too.

“That sounds perfect,” I sighed. “I can’t believe this is my life now; going on dates with my sexy Daddy bear, playing together, and doing fun science stuff in the woods. And now that we’ve bonded, I get to do this forever!” I clapped my hands together, but stopped when Daddy gave me a confused look.

“I’m thrilled you love our life together, but baby bear, we haven’t bonded yet.”

“We haven’t?” Now I was confused. “But you…” I lowered my voice to a whisper, even though there wasn’t anyone to hear me finish, “Rubbed your stuff on me.”

A flash of heat passed behind his eyes. “I did,” he agreed in a gravelly voice. “And though I love having my scent on you, it didn’t bind us together. I’m sorry, Tatum; I should have explained it better. To secure our link, I must give you my mating bite, right here.” He tapped his fingers to the side of my throat.

“With pack animals, their mates receive a special mark that shows they are a member of the pack, as well as a shifter’s mate. But since it is just the two of us, your mark will be a sign to all shifters that you belong to me.”

I swallowed hard. I wanted to belong to him more than I’d ever wanted anything. I wanted his bite. But it wasn’t up to me. I couldn’t deny the anxiety in my stomach when I asked, “Is there a reason you haven’t given it to me?”

“No,” he answered firmly. “I wanted to claim you the moment we met. But it’s a big commitment; our lives will be intertwined forever, and I need you to be ready.”

I was ready. I was more than ready, but I did have one question brewing in the back of my mind. “Does it hurt, Daddy?” It wouldn’t curb my desire, but I wanted to be prepared.

He gave me an understanding smile as he combed his fingers through my curly hair. “No, sweetheart; it doesn’t hurt. I’ve heard that receiving a mating bite is a pleasurable, and often erotic experience.”

“Oh my,” I replied, and his smile widened. “In that case, maybe it’s best we don’t do it out here in front of Mr. Snake and all the other creatures.” Daddy let out a chuckle as he nodded. Trying my best to be seductive, I walked my fingers up his arm while giving my best ‘come hither’ look. “But…maybe when we get home?”

The look worked, judging by the fire burning in his gaze once more. “Just say the word.” He lifted my hand and kissed my fingertips.

Part of me wanted to say screw it and give Mr. Snake the best show of his life, but I also wanted the comfort of our home and our bed if the bite (hopefully) led to sexy time.

It was difficult to peel myself off of Daddy’s lap, but I also wanted to get his work done and get home as quickly as possible. Luckily, the work ended up being a lot of fun. We took more pictures of animals and the tracks they left on the ground to document where they traveled.

We also dug up soil samples and put them in little jars. Those were the items Daddy had to drop off at the ranger’s station later. He said the rangers would test the soil for chemicals to see if it had been contaminated. The results would help them know how to educate the public on how to take care of the land. Contamination could hurt the plant and animal life in the forest. Daddy’s job was very important.

Once we packed the last jars away in his bag, Daddy squinted at something in the distance. “There’s something over there that shouldn’t be.”

“What is it? An animal? Is it hurt?” He shook his head and I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew Daddy would help any animal in need, but I hated the thought of one being injured. “What is it?” I couldn’t see anything, as my eyesight wasn’t as keen as his.

“I’ll have to get closer. It definitely wasn’t there a few days ago. It’s yellow and kind of looks like…” He turned to give me a sad smile as realization hit him. “A tent.”

“ My tent,” I surmised. I wasn’t sure exactly where I had placed it. I had wandered through the woods until I was too scared to walk any further, and that’s where I set up camp. I went looking for food, found the holly berries, and the rest was history.

We walked hand in hand until we reached the tent, looking just as I’d left it. I stood there staring at the yellow nylon, unsure what to say. The sight brought up a mix of emotions in my stomach; sadness and anger at my father for rejecting me, but also gratitude for finding Weldon.

“We should take it down,” Daddy finally suggested quietly. “If someone happens to find it, they may think a hiker is lost.” I nodded and watched as he disassembled the tent and stored it in the bag it came in. I offered to help, but Daddy politely declined. And honestly, it was also healing to see him do it; he was cleaning up the mess my father made in more ways than one.

“We’ll take this camping one day,” he promised, patting the carrying bag, “But it will just be for fun.” I nodded with a smile, imagining how fun that trip would be. “For now, I have another idea; would you like a ride home?”

I clapped my hands excitedly. “Yes, please!”

I assumed he meant a piggyback ride, or even a seat on his shoulders, but I realized that wasn’t quite what Daddy had in mind when he stripped off his shirt. I watched in lustful shock as it shucked the rest of his clothing and stuffed them inside his backpack.

When his body morphed and reshaped, I didn’t worry about the loud cracks coming from him this time, knowing they didn’t hurt him. I smiled when thick, brown fur sprouted all over him, and he stood before me completely shifted into his beautiful animal form. “There’s my Daddy Bear.”

He lowered his body to the ground to allow me to climb onto his back. My legs were spread wide across his large frame. To keep my balance, I gripped onto the fur on the back of his neck, making sure not to pull.

Daddy scooped up both the backpack and tent bag in his strong jaws and began the trek home. I not only saw his strength in what he carried, but I felt it in his body beneath me. His muscles bunched and flexed with effortless power. With him by my side, I had nothing to fear. He knew about the world, and would keep me safe from everything within it. I had a protector forever.