Free Fated To Her Bear by Harmony Raines Page A

palm of her hand, snuffling contentedly as she stroked him.
    Running her fingers through his coat made him squirm. He wondered if she wanted to scratch his back right where he needed it but decided he would look too much like a dog. He would find a tree later. Puffing himself up, he tried to look as impressive as possible while he allowed her to explore his body with her fingers. Even like this, her touch was magical.
    Then she moved away. He could sense the shift in the air, and she shimmered out of existence for one moment before returning as the black mare he had seen earlier. She snorted at him, blowing air in his face, and then she turned and took off, out of the trees, heading up the side of the mountain.
    He knew he could never catch her, but he wasn’t going to let her go. Not ever, so he followed all the same. Maybe that bear stamina she had mentioned might be needed elsewhere than in the bedroom.
     

Chapter Nineteen – Ciara
    The thrill of the chase. In any other place, she would be the prey trying to outrun a predator. Horse against bear. This was different; she didn’t want to lose him, she wanted to run with him, wild and free on the mountain.
    The higher she climbed, the more alive she felt. The wind swept over the mountain, making her mane fly in the wind. She tossed her head and snorted, pausing for a moment while he caught up with her. Rearing up on her hind legs, she neighed her joy to the world before she took off again, the scents of the meadows filling her nostrils. How long it had been since her horse had munched on fresh grass and rolled in the mud!
    Wild and free she ran, the weight of her human life so much less now she had found her mate. When she reached the high meadow she galloped headlong away, only to wheel around and charge back to where the big bear was entering the meadow. She stopped, only two feet in front of him, sliding, stones flicking up, only to turn on a dime and gallop away.
    Back and away, she ran, until he eventually sat down and watched her. If a bear could smile, she was sure he was smiling, his short snout on the air, sniffing it, enjoying the mountain breeze. When at last her legs began to tire, she went to him. But before she sat down, she changed back to her human form, wanting to share this moment with him on another level.
    Ryan changed too, pulling her into his arms as soon as they had changed from being bear legs. “You are something else to watch,” he said.
    “You’re not so bad yourself. I should compliment you on your thick coat.”
    “The secret is mud. Lots of it, worked down into the roots and then washed off in the river.”
    “That I would like to see. And do.”
    “Tomorrow. We’ll come up here when you finish work and I’ll show you all my favourite places.”
    “I can’t wait,” she said, tilting her head and resting it on his shoulder.
    They sat together, looking down over the twinkling lights of Bear Bluff, while above them the stars shone brightly. The moon moved across the sky, its mysterious glow lighting the meadow, giving them moonlight shadows. No words were needed. All that mattered was that they were here, the two of them together. Until at last he stood and offered her his hand.
    “Come on, it’s late and I guess you have to work tomorrow. Let’s go and get some sleep.”
    As he pulled her up, she went into his arms and he kissed her. Her insides turned to liquid fire. She wanted him, wanted to make love to him here in the meadow, but that would have to wait for another day. He was right; she had work, she had an early call in the morning. The practice would let her off being late one day, but two in a row might cause trouble she didn’t need, and that the practice didn’t deserve.
    So they both changed, and made their way more sedately down the mountain, Ryan leading the way. Her exhilaration now passed, replaced by contentment and being here with him. The dark night was all around them, cocooning them in their own world. They