Page 47 of Bred By the Beast

“A few weeks ago, my bear was caught in a trap. I couldn’t get out, and trust me, I tried. After days I was weak from dehydration. I thought it was the end of me, which seemed fitting to be taken out by a human trap after everything they’d already done to me. Then she came by.”

“Who?” Poppy asked.

“A hiker, I guess. I’m not sure. She wasn’t afraid of a grizzly bear, only concerned with getting the bear trap off my foot. Any other human would be terrified or want to turn me into a carpet. Not her. She tended the wounds and brought me berries and water from the creek. Once the trap was off, I was able to heal quickly. I got my strength back, but instead of ripping her to bloody shreds, I walked away.”

“Great story.” She tried not to roll her eyes. This guy was no Prince Charming by a long shot.

“Don’t you get it? I didn’t want to hurt her,” he said.

“Alder, what’s your point? I’m not following.”

He ran a hand through his hair, nearly growling with frustration. “I’m just saying I could see the temptation Wilder faced. It made me curious about the mixed mating thing, so I did some research.”

“Okay, I get it. You judged Wilder and every other shifter with eyes for a human, but once you fell for one, the rules changed. Very noble of you.”

“I haven’t fallen for a fucking human, I could just see there might be a little good in some of them. It’s not something I ever considered before.”

All Poppy wanted was the information he supposedly possessed about keeping her child from ripping her apart before being born. She couldn’t care less about his hard-on for a human hiker.

“Okay, so can you tell me what you found out?”

“First, you tell me what human females want in a male.”

“I thought you didn’t like her,” she said.

He smashed a fist on the coffee table. “It’s for research!”

“Okay, whatever. Human females like flowers and romance. They also like good manners and self-control.”

He grunted at the last comment, appearing like he was getting ready to leave.

“And what about my pregnancy?”

“It’s complicated. There are a lot of forest plants involved. You wouldn’t understand. I’ll have to talk with Wilder.”

“Well, as a matter of fact, I’ve studied almost every plant in the forest.” Her random knowledge of herbs and plants was really starting to pay off, living off the grid. Now, it may even save her life.

“Well, this recipe must be made two weeks before the baby is ready. You take it every evening. It will sedate it enough that it will not be able to shift. But it won’t harm it.”

Her heart leapt with joy knowing there may be a way to ensure a positive outcome. Should she trust him, though? Maybe this was all an elaborate plan to kill her half-breed baby. To keep his race pure.

****

Wilder had all the supplies in the back of the truck. He’d even stopped by a local artisan on the highway and bought a wooden baby cradle. Everything was a mix of emotions within him, excitement and fear, love and hate, hope and despair.

He began the long drive home in the dark. Poppy was probably getting worried. Maybe he’d talk to her, prepare her. Maybe not. It was a huge burden holding onto this kind of information and not being able to share it.

As soon as he’d parked his old truck under the arch of trees he kept it hidden under, he knew something was off. Then he scented Alder, and his hackles went up. Had he kept his promise to destroy his mate? His child? He’d warned that bear to stay away from his home and land, so this time he’d make him live to regret it. Was he too late?

Wilder rushed toward the house, wrenching the door open. He found Poppy sitting at the small kitchen island and Alder standing across from her. They were looking at something on the table.

“What are you doing here?” Wilder said. “I warned you to stay away.”

“Wilder...” Poppy turned around to see him charging inside the house. He planned to fuck up that grizzly once and for all.

“It’s not what you think.”

Poppy reached out and grabbed his arm. “He can help us, Wilder. He can help our baby.”