Free Her Bear In Mind by Maria Amor Page A

in a deep voice. He slammed his hand into the truck just next to Eric’s face. The metal screeched and stretched from the blow, leaving behind a dent about the same size as Eric’s head. Eric flinched. He was clearly really scared now.
     
    “Eric Gunther,” Joe began, “You disobeyed a direct order from your Alpha, shifted in a public place, used your strength against a human who was not threatening you, and generally put this town in danger. Do you have any miserable excuse to say in your defense?”
     
    Eric looked around wildly, frantically searching the crowd for a friendly face or an ally. There were none to be found.
     
    Joe grabbed Eric by the shoulders and threw him to the ground, mud splashing around him.
     
    The children were leaving now, their parents escorting them or shooing them away. Brenda protested loudly.
     
    Joe began to take his clothes off, readying himself to shift. He cast the clothes uncaring into the mud and stood naked in the rain.
     
    Eric, truly desperate now, turned to Sierra.
     
    “Please don’t let him kill me,” he begged her. “I’m sorry. I won’t bother you ever again. I’ll leave forever, but I don’t want to die yet. Please!”
     
    With a human sound of disgust mixed with an animal’s roar Joe swiped at Eric with a still half formed paw. The blow raked his face. Rivulets of bright red blood mixed with rainwater and ran down to the ground, turning the water in the puddle a faint shade of pink.
     
    Joe had shifted completely now. He approached Eric with a low growl.
     
    “Wait.” Sierra said.
     
    Joe stopped, looking up at her.
     
    “Is there any other way?” she asked. “Does he have to die?”
     
    “Thank you,” Eric said piteously.
     
    “Shut up. Don’t fucking talk to me.”
     
    She wasn’t doing this for him. Never for him. She just didn’t think anyone should die here today. There’d been enough violence already.
     
    Joe just stared at her. Sierra supposed she hadn’t logically been expecting him to answer.
     
    “We could banish him.” someone offered.
     
    “Forever?” she asked.
     
    “Forever.” They concurred. “He wouldn’t be allowed in Sleuth ever again, or anywhere in the state of Washington. He’d get three days to get out, and after that we kill him on sight.”
     
    Sierra approached Joe. She tentatively reached one hand up to his muzzle and ran her fingers through his thick, black fur. It was softer than she had expected it to be.
     
    “Joe?” she asked. “I don’t want you to kill him.”
     
    Joe looked at her for a moment and then, in an oddly human gesture, nodded at Eric. Eric did not wait around for another sign. Without saying a word, he scrambled to his feet and jumped back into the truck. After one, brief, backwards glance at Sierra he sped away into the night.
     
    Joe shifted back into human form.
     
    “Are you sure that’s what you wanted?” he asked her.
     
    Sierra shook her head.
     
    “No,” she said. “But I think it was the right thing to do.”
     
    He kissed her forehead lightly.
     
    “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you out of those wet clothes.”
     
    *
    They made love that night in the shower, the hot water pouring over their entwined bodies. After the chaotic events of the past 48 hours, Sierra reveled in the tension relief from the steam and the feel of Joe’s body.
     
    When she woke the next morning the sun was high in the sky, streaming brightly through the window. Joe came into the room carrying a tray of grilled cheese sandwiches and juice.
     
    “Good morning.” he said to her brightly. “I was planning on making you breakfast, but since you slept straight though that it’s going to be lunch instead.”
     
    Sierra looked at the clock. She had slept for thirteen hours, and felt like she could sleep for at least thirteen more. As she had predicted, her body ached everywhere. She stretched languorously and gratefully accepted a grilled cheese, groaning as she sat