Chapter Seven: Clint

Chapter Seven – Clint

It was no good. He couldn’t stay here.

The moment Martha had driven away from Bear Creek Lodge, taking a piece of his heart with her, it felt like his insides had been ripped apart, like his chest was a broken piñata and all that remained was a hollow emptiness.

He had chores to do. Chores he performed day in and day out to ensure the lodge ran smoothly. But the moment he’d seen her, the one he was unmistakably connected to, he’d realized his chores were his way of coping without someone to share his days, a way of avoiding his loneliness.

Now that he’d met Martha, they seemed insignificant.

Everything seems insignificant compared to being with our mate,his bear complained.

But we have responsibilities, Clint reminded his bear.

Responsibilities that can be ignored for one day,his bear replied. The lodge and everything we have worked for aren’t going to fall apart just because we don’t clean the windows for one day.

His bear was right. Clint had already done the most important chores. And it’s not as if he was leaving the lodge unattended. Both Kay and Curtis were here.

Clint could not argue with his bear’s reasoning, or his bear’s insistent need to track down their mate.

He grabbed his keys and ran out to his truck, feeling younger and more athletic than he had in decades. It was as if his mate was peeling away the years, as if he was shedding his skin, and a new and improved Clint was appearing.

As if he’d been lying dormant, waiting for this day.

As Clint drove down the winding mountain road, the crisp scent of pine and snow filled his nose, reminding him of the freedom and wildness of his bear form. He rolled down the window, feeling the chilly air on his skin and the wind whipping through his hair. In the distance, the town came into view, buildings and roads sprawled out before him like a miniature model.

It was all so familiar, and yet so new.

As he parked his truck in front of the grocery store, he scanned the faces of the passersby, his senses on high alert, searching for the one person he longed for.

Martha.It was as if his whole body was on edge, waiting for the moment when he would finally be reunited with his mate.

Clint’s senses went on high alert as he caught a whiff of his mate’s scent in the air blowing through the open window. It was a heady mix of lavender and vanilla, with a hint of something wild and untamed. His bear stirred within him, restless and eager to meet their mate.

This is not the time or the place, Clint told his bear.

I know, but the temptation to shift is almost unbearable. His bear moaned in reply.

Fighting his other side, Clint got out of the truck and headed along the sidewalk, his footsteps echoing off the pavement as he scoured the streets for Martha.

He passed people in the street, friends and acquaintances he’d known for years, their faces lit up with smiles and a ‘hello.’ He nodded back politely but kept moving, not stopping for his usual chats, as his focus remained solely on finding his mate.

The scent of her was getting stronger and his shifter senses, the part of him that was connected to her, told him she was close.

Clint crossed the street, weaving between cars in the same way his bear wove between the trees as he ran through the forest. He could feel the predator within him stirring and growing more restless with each step closer he got to her. His heart beat faster and a thrill ran through his body as he finally spotted her in the distance.

Clint struggled to contain his inner beast and fought to keep his animal instincts under control, not wanting to scare her off.

His nostrils flared and the air around him shimmered as Martha disappeared from view and entered a nearby realtor’s office. Clint paused, his body tense as he waged a war inside his own head. The battle was fierce, threatening to pull him in two different directions, but Clint refused to surrender. He leaned against a storefront window as he fought and won the battle raging between his two sides.

At last, his bear grudgingly surrendered, and settled into a corner of Clint’s mind, pacing and growling, but no longer fighting for control.

Clint took a moment to compose himself despite his bear’s demands that he dash into the realtor’s office and take her in his arms. At last, when he was certain he was in complete control, he headed to the door and pushed it open.

Martha slowly turned around, and as their eyes met, she smiled warmly. The air between them shifted, and he knew at that moment that she felt the same electricity as he did.

The room was silent as they gazed at each other, their eyes searching for a sign of a connection, a sign that they were meant to be together. Time seemed to stand still as they searched each other’s faces.

“Clint.” Sammy, the receptionist who Clint had known for years, looked at him with some confusion.

Clint could feel his bear urging him closer to Martha, wanting desperately for their mating bond to be sealed with a kiss.

Not here,Clint reminded him.

“I came to see if Martha needed any help.” He stepped forward tentatively.

“Oh,” Sammy said. “I did not know you two knew each other.”

“I’m staying in one of the cabins at Bear Creek Lodge.” Martha seemed to recover herself and turned away from Clint to focus on Sammy. “I arrived this morning and told Clint I was looking for a property, in case he knew of any for sale.”

“I see.” Sammy stared at Clint for a long moment, as if trying to figure out if there was more going on here than met the eye.

Which there was. But if Sammy sensed anything odd in Clint arriving unannounced, she let it go.

“Well, I don’t have any cabins for sale right now,” Sammy said, picking up on the conversation she’d already started with Martha before Clint arrived. “But I don’t know if I have any properties that will fit your needs. Are you looking for something remote or close to town?”

Martha thought for a moment before answering. “I want something not too remote,” she began slowly. “Somewhere with plenty of space and the potential to start a business.” She looked out the window at the street beyond, her gaze distant, as if picturing the perfect place in her head.

“Okay.” Sammy tapped her keyboard as she entered the information onto the computer.

“Something rustic, but with modern amenities,” Martha continued. “I think location is the most important factor. I don’t mind if the place needs some work. I’d like to put my own stamp on my new home.”

“Okay.” Sammy looked up with a sigh. “I’ll be honest, Martha, you might have to look a little farther out in terms of distance from Bear Creek unless you want to wait for spring. As Clint will tell you, winters here can be harsh, and most people choose to stay put in the cold months.”

“I don’t blame them.” Martha hugged herself, her arms forming a protective barrier against the world. “I think we should all hibernate in this weather.”

Sammy’s eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to speak, but Clint stepped forward and said, “Do you have any properties Martha could view?”

Martha lifted her chin and spoke with conviction. “I’m not one to shy away from a challenge. A property that needed a bit of work wouldn’t deter me.” Her spine was as straight as a ruler, as if to demonstrate her determination to succeed.

“Well...in that case.” Sammy’s eyes narrowed and she tapped the keyboard again. “There’s a small...” Sammy glanced up at them. “I’m not going to lie. It’s a shack...with potential.”

“You’re talking about the old Rodriguez place?” Clint wouldn’t even call the place a shack, but it was in an ideal location.

And Ryan did say that if we can’t find the right house for Martha, then we could build one,his bear answered, now back to his normal self.

Martha looked from Clint to Sammy, her eyebrows raised in question. “Can I get more details?”

“It’s on the edge of a forest with a couple of acres and an orchard,” Sammy said. “The land is beautiful, and it’s close enough to Bear Creek for convenience but far enough away that you’ll have privacy.”

“It sounds perfect,” Martha said with a smile.

Clint shook his head. “It’s not perfect,” he said. “It’s dilapidated, barely has four walls, and hasn’t been lived in for a decade or more.”

“It needs a lot of work,” Sammy admitted. “But it’s the only place I can think of that might fit your criteria. Unless you want to wait.”

Martha nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful as she considered her next move.

“I’d still like to take a look,” she finally said. “I’m sure there is potential there.”

Clint nodded his head. “The old Rodriguez does have some possibilities.” Although he was not convinced.

That’s because you would rather Martha waited until spring to find a property, so she has to stay at the lodge. His bear chuckled.

And you wouldn’t like that, too? Clint asked. But even though they would rather Martha stayed at the lodge, so that she was close to them, they both wanted her happiness more. And Martha’s happiness rested in her starting a new life here in a home of her own.

So she says, his bear reminded him. But Martha doesn’t know the alternative.

You mean us? Clint asked. You think she might change her mind if she knew we were mates?

We won’t know unless we tell her,his bear murmured, and then added, with a sudden determination, and since we’re taking Martha to a remote spot...

Who said we were taking her?Clint asked. She might want to go alone.

She’ll ask us,his bear answered confidently.

How can you be sure?Clint asked.

Because I trust in fate, his bear answered.

“It’s your choice.” Sammy tapped the keyboard, and the printer behind her started whirring, spitting out a printout “And if you decide it isn’t right for you, then we can always look at other options later on down the line.”

“Great.” Martha nervously watched as Sammy got up from her desk and went to the printer to collect the printout. She held it out to Martha, who accepted it with trembling hands.

Martha opened the printout and studied the photos of the property, her eyes widening as she took in the details. But Clint could not decide whether or not she was impressed.

“Well?” Clint asked after a few moments of silence. “What do you think?”

Martha looked up at him, her expression thoughtful as she weighed up her options. “I think,” Martha said slowly, “that I’d like to take a look.”

“You would?” Sammy sounded surprised. “I could drive you out there tomorrow.” She sat down at her desk and clicked her mouse. “I have a slot open in my schedule.”

“Tomorrow?” Martha took the printout and studied it, her eyes moving over the details. She then looked up at Clint and asked, “Would you be willing to take me out there? I’d love to see it for myself today.”

Clint smiled warmly. “Of course,” he said. “I’d be happy to show you around.”

“If that’s okay, Sammy?” Martha asked hopefully.

Sammy quirked her lips in a seductive smile, her eyes sparkling with barely suppressed amusement. She gave a slow nod and replied, “That’s great! At least if Clint goes with you, you won’t get lost.” Her gaze swept across the room before landing back on Clint, the corners of her eyes crinkling with a mischievous glimmer. “And I know Clint will keep you safe.”

“Safe?” Martha asked warily.

“The weather,” Clint replied quickly, before Sammy could say ‘bear.’

Even though being with this bear is the safest place in the world for Martha. His bear settled down for a nap, content that they had made great progress with their mate.