the exit!”
Her words gave Steven new strength, and a moment later, he found himself standing next to Cleo in what looked like a natural antechamber in the rock.
And in front of them, there was a door in the wall.
A real door, made from sturdy wood.
“Oh my God!” Cleo breathed as she reached out for the handle. “We made it! This has to lead outside…!”
When she pulled on the door, nothing happened. She tried again, this time using more strength, but after a moment had to give up.
“It’s locked.” Cleo juggled the handle again. “Damn! I can’t believe this!”
Steven stepped forward. “Let me try.”
He couldn’t see a keyhole—but even so, the door didn’t give even an inch, no matter how he pushed or pulled.
“I don’t think it’s locked,” he finally said. “I think it’s blocked from the outside.” He pressed his ear against the wood of the door, then used his hand to knock hard.
It sounded hollow. He released a sigh of relief.
“Someone bolted it shut, but there’s a room behind it. Or another tunnel, maybe.”
Cleo gave the door an anxious look. “We’ve got to get through somehow! This is the closest we’ve come to anything that looks like an exit! Maybe we can batter it down if we use a rock?”
I can help, the voice of Steven’s bear rumbled. You know I can.
Wait, Steven thought back, running his hands over the wood.
Dust had settled into small imperfections. It must have been years since it had last been used. Unfortunately, the wood still seemed sturdy. Steven couldn’t find any weaknesses.
When he ran his fingers along the underside of the door, he thought he felt a draft.
Air from the outside, his bear said eagerly. Let me take a sniff…
I can’t, Steven replied silently.
Then the light flickered again, and he clenched his jaw.
Cleo had paled. She was staring at the tiny gadget in her hand with dread. Steven could feel her fear—the same sense that told him that she was his mate now told him that his mate was afraid. It was a tugging at his heart, a sense of urgency he couldn’t ignore. He had to protect his mate, no matter the cost!
Damn it, he cursed silently. What if she panics if I shift? What if she runs?
She’s our mate, his bear grumbled in reassurance. She won’t hate you.
Steven took a deep breath. Then he stood, taking a step back from the door.
“Cleo, I need you to listen now.” He took her hands in his. “This is going to sound strange, but—I don’t even know how to explain this.”
Cleo gave him a questioning look. Despite her growing fear, her eyes were a deep, verdant green—it was not the brightness of a gemstone, but something more precious: the green of the secret places of the forest that had always belonged to him.
Steven felt himself grow calmer as he looked into her eyes and felt that aching tug in his chest turn into a warm contentment.
“I am a bear shifter.” There, he had said it. “That means I can turn into a bear.”
“Turn into… what?” Cleo’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t pull back, but she suddenly looked more guarded. “This really isn’t the time for jokes. Let’s just get through that door first.”
Steven gave her a wry smile. “That’s what I’m trying to do. We can’t open it, but that door’s not sturdy enough to hold back a grown bear. I know this sounds crazy! I know you don’t believe me! But I need you to remember this: There is no need to be afraid. It’s me. I would never hurt you.”
“Steven…” Cleo swallowed and took a step back, her hand slipping from his.
She clearly didn’t believe a single word he’d said, but there was no time now for long discussions. Steven could only hope that she trusted him enough to remember what he’d said.
“Watch,” he said softly as he quickly stripped out of his clothes. Then he inhaled, concentrating on the sound of his heartbeat.
A shiver ran through him, his senses expanding as he shifted as easily as that. The strength of the
Her words gave Steven new strength, and a moment later, he found himself standing next to Cleo in what looked like a natural antechamber in the rock.
And in front of them, there was a door in the wall.
A real door, made from sturdy wood.
“Oh my God!” Cleo breathed as she reached out for the handle. “We made it! This has to lead outside…!”
When she pulled on the door, nothing happened. She tried again, this time using more strength, but after a moment had to give up.
“It’s locked.” Cleo juggled the handle again. “Damn! I can’t believe this!”
Steven stepped forward. “Let me try.”
He couldn’t see a keyhole—but even so, the door didn’t give even an inch, no matter how he pushed or pulled.
“I don’t think it’s locked,” he finally said. “I think it’s blocked from the outside.” He pressed his ear against the wood of the door, then used his hand to knock hard.
It sounded hollow. He released a sigh of relief.
“Someone bolted it shut, but there’s a room behind it. Or another tunnel, maybe.”
Cleo gave the door an anxious look. “We’ve got to get through somehow! This is the closest we’ve come to anything that looks like an exit! Maybe we can batter it down if we use a rock?”
I can help, the voice of Steven’s bear rumbled. You know I can.
Wait, Steven thought back, running his hands over the wood.
Dust had settled into small imperfections. It must have been years since it had last been used. Unfortunately, the wood still seemed sturdy. Steven couldn’t find any weaknesses.
When he ran his fingers along the underside of the door, he thought he felt a draft.
Air from the outside, his bear said eagerly. Let me take a sniff…
I can’t, Steven replied silently.
Then the light flickered again, and he clenched his jaw.
Cleo had paled. She was staring at the tiny gadget in her hand with dread. Steven could feel her fear—the same sense that told him that she was his mate now told him that his mate was afraid. It was a tugging at his heart, a sense of urgency he couldn’t ignore. He had to protect his mate, no matter the cost!
Damn it, he cursed silently. What if she panics if I shift? What if she runs?
She’s our mate, his bear grumbled in reassurance. She won’t hate you.
Steven took a deep breath. Then he stood, taking a step back from the door.
“Cleo, I need you to listen now.” He took her hands in his. “This is going to sound strange, but—I don’t even know how to explain this.”
Cleo gave him a questioning look. Despite her growing fear, her eyes were a deep, verdant green—it was not the brightness of a gemstone, but something more precious: the green of the secret places of the forest that had always belonged to him.
Steven felt himself grow calmer as he looked into her eyes and felt that aching tug in his chest turn into a warm contentment.
“I am a bear shifter.” There, he had said it. “That means I can turn into a bear.”
“Turn into… what?” Cleo’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t pull back, but she suddenly looked more guarded. “This really isn’t the time for jokes. Let’s just get through that door first.”
Steven gave her a wry smile. “That’s what I’m trying to do. We can’t open it, but that door’s not sturdy enough to hold back a grown bear. I know this sounds crazy! I know you don’t believe me! But I need you to remember this: There is no need to be afraid. It’s me. I would never hurt you.”
“Steven…” Cleo swallowed and took a step back, her hand slipping from his.
She clearly didn’t believe a single word he’d said, but there was no time now for long discussions. Steven could only hope that she trusted him enough to remember what he’d said.
“Watch,” he said softly as he quickly stripped out of his clothes. Then he inhaled, concentrating on the sound of his heartbeat.
A shiver ran through him, his senses expanding as he shifted as easily as that. The strength of the
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