Free Heart Of The Bear (Appalachian Shifters #1) by Alanis Knight Page A

but quickly closed again against a flickering orange light that hurt my eyes.
    “Keep your voice down!” hissed a male voice. “She’s in bad shape. She needs her rest.”
    “She’ll get us all killed,” the female argued back. “She doesn’t belong here. She’s human.”
    Human? What the hell was she talking about?
    “She’s a living creature, Anna,” the male whispered. “And she’s injured. I couldn’t just leave her there.”
    “Well, if we get discovered because of her, it’s on you,” the woman growled.
    “As Alpha, I take full responsibility,” the male voice said. “And if you were anyone else, your attitude would have you in real trouble right now.”
    “I’m not afraid of you, Caleb Grainger. You just remember that.”
    I heard a door slam, and my heart jumped.
    “You’re awake,” the male said.
    I didn’t know how he knew that, but I cautiously opened my eyes. My breath hitched in my throat at the sight of the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen in my life. Granted, I couldn’t see him perfectly in the dim light in the room. But I could see him well enough to know he was absolutely stunning. His eyes were wide and brimming with charm. His hair was slightly tousled and a single strand fell awkwardly across his forehead as he peered down at me. His jaw was so perfectly chiseled it couldn’t be real. This had to be a dream.
    “How are you feeling?” he asked.
    “I… I feel…”
    “Your heart rate is high,” he said, concern etched across every line of his face. “I’m not going to hurt you. You’re safe here.”
    How could I explain how I was feeling? I was a muddled mass of confusion. I had no idea where I was, what had happened, or how I’d gotten here. And now I was confronted with the epitome of Adonis, and my whole body sparked to life in ways I’d forgotten it even could.
    “I’m… I’m fine,” I stammered.
    “Do you know where you are?” he asked gently, pulling a stool beside the bed I was lying on and sliding onto it.
    “N-no.”
    “You were in a plane crash,” he said. “You’re in eastern Tennessee. I’m Caleb. Do you know your name?”
    I actually had to think for a moment, but I finally responded, “Penny.”
    “You’ve been hurt pretty badly, Penny,” Caleb said. “You’re going to be here for a long time while your body heals. Is there anyone I need to call for you? A husband, maybe?”
    Heat spread across my cheeks at the implication. Was he asking because he was curious about my relationship status? I quickly pushed the thought from my mind. My brain must have been addled from the crash.
    “My mother,” I said weakly.
    He nodded.
    “Is her number in your phone?” he asked.
    “Yeah,” I answered. “Betty Henderson.”
    I noticed he already had my phone, but I wasn’t about to question him about how he got it. He scrolled through it and found my mother’s number. Then he put the phone to his ear.
    “Ms. Henderson? My name is Caleb Grainger. I’m a park ranger in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I have your daughter Penny here,” he said into the phone.
    He paused for a moment, and I could hear my mother’s voice sounding frantic on the other line.
    “Yes, ma’am, her plane went down,” Caleb said, but he quickly added, “but she’s fine. Luckily I came across the crash and I was able to pull her out of the wreckage. She has some pretty serious injuries, but she’ll be fine in a few weeks.”
    He pushed the phone toward my ear, and I pressed my head against it.
    “Mom?”
    “Penny! Are you alright? Where are you?” my mother demanded.
    “I’m in Tennessee,” I answered. “Calm down, I’m fine.”
    “Are you in a hospital?” she asked.
    “No… I just woke up,” I told her. Hell, I didn’t even know what day it was.
    “Why in the hell are you not in a hospital? Who is this Caleb person? What the hell is going on, Penny?” Mom ranted.
    “Mom, chill, please,” I said. “I really don’t feel like playing twenty questions