Free Burden by Lila Felix Page A

paws and jumped when a gator thrashed in the water beside her. I took joy in seeing her discover everything for the first time—things I’d taken for granted in my own backyard. We ran for tens of miles, finally collapsing together under the moss curtain of a hundred year old Cypress. As she lay down, she whined— pain, she hurts —my animal spoke to me.
    Sh e rolled over and there it was—the sight of her trouble, a lone crawfish clamped onto her fur underneath her neck. I bit it and pulled it from her, relieving her pain.
    We nuzzled and played enjoying the gestures that didn’t translate into human contact until she yawned one too many times for my bear to ignore. And then we fell asleep under that tree, until dawn woke us early the next morning. Running together we approached the house and I smelled River already present in my home. I stepped in front of her and shifted, foregoing the modesty factor for more important matters.
    There was an unmated male in my house , and if she shifted, she would be naked.
    “I’m going inside to get you some clothes. Do not shift until I get back. River is in the house.”
    She nodded and I sprinted for her room, grabbing anything that would suitably cover her form temporarily and then throwing on a pair of shorts to cover myself, as well. I returned to her as quickly as possible, and brought her out to the tool shed, closing her in so she could shift back and change. She knocked on the door and I was satisfied, my mate was covered again.
    Opening the door, she was already blushing. I thought it was because just minutes before she’d been stark naked behind a frail piece of plywood. But I felt a twinge of something else—and then as soon as I recognized the sense, it slammed into me full force—desire.
    “Echo—you are beautiful, both of you. I felt complete out there, just you and me.”
    “I did too.”
    “Why the blush?” I knew why but needed to hear it.
    “You shifted back right in front of me.”
    “Ahhh—I caused that? I have been told I have a nice butt.”
    She swatted at my arm, “Don’t get smug. I’ve just never seen a male, you know, naked.”
    I reached for her hand, “I hope to always make you blush, my heart. Now, one of my Betas is up way too early. Let’s go see what he needs.”
    She squeezed my hand in agreement. Through the house to the office, I found River.
    “You’re up early, Beta.”
    “Yes, Alpha, Chloe wo ke me up very early with backstabby, gossipy whining about Echo.”
    “What about her?”
    “She says she does not believe she should have to obey a female Alpha who has not been marked. She’s really kicking up a stink. She’s refusing to come to any future meetings. And then Mom threw me out for waking her up at what she called an ungodly hour, talking too loudly on the phone to said annoying beta female.”
    Echo looked at me and nodded, and I took it as permission. The marking would be completed soon.
    “It will be taken care of before she knows it. I don’t know why she’s so damned concerned.”
    “Thank you, Alpha. I’m going home to call Chloe, tell her to shut her big mouth, relieve her of her position and then crawl back into my bed. Y’all have a good sleep.”
    “We will.”
    He left and shut the door behind him.
    “I need a shower, bad. I smell like swamp.”
    I bent to pull her hands up to my mouth, kissing each one, “You smell like a black bear female whose been traipsing through the swamp with her mate. And trust me, nothing about that is bad. But if you must, go take your shower and I’ll take mine next. Are you hungry?”
    “No, but I’m still tired.”
    “So am I. Shower and sleep. Good morning, Echo.”
    She left me to shower and I went to my own bathroom and showered at the same time. It was almost excruciating to know she was a mere twenty feet away, completely stripped and I couldn’t jo in her. I washed the swamp away and dried off, throwing on a pair of boxers and a pair of shorts and