Page 26 of Bear With Me

Bjorn growled low at that, and Dennis decided it was time to interject. He stepped down from the truck and stuck out a hand toward the nearest human. “Hi. I’m Dennis Garza. We’re here because your alpha said Bjorn’s grandma is sick. Can we see her?”

The man hummed. “Eventually. First you gotta talk to Alpha, though.”

“Well, where is he?”

The man who’d been laughing at them sobered. “He’ll be here when he’s ready. Why are you with Bjorn? Like, why didn’t he just hop a plane? We were expecting to get a call to pick him up at the airport.”

Bjorn, still in bear form, growled again and shook himself demonstratively, as if to say Um, duh? The man looked over at him, winced, and nodded. “Oh, damn, is this not a one-time thing just because you’re upset?” His expression stilled suddenly. “Wait did you meet…?” He grinned and reached out to pat Bjorn on his furry shoulder. “Damn, you got lucky.” He looked at Dennis then, his expression now friendly instead of mocking. “Are you the mate?”

“Uh.” How exactly was Dennis meant to answer that? Bjorn certainly thought he was, and it was undeniable that the uncontrollable shifting thing had happened after they met for the first time, but hell if Dennis was going to come out and say he was Bjorn’s mate. “It’s a long story,” he finally offered.

“We’ve got fucking time,” boomed a new voice. A man in dusty jeans and a plaid flannel shirt strode into the clearing like he owned it. “I have a feeling we’re gonna want to hear this story. Hello, Bjorn.” He crossed to where Bjorn was standing.

Bjorn grunted.

The man offered a hand to Dennis. “Escalus Prior. I’m the alpha here. Welcome.”

Dennis took his hand and shook it. “Dennis Garza. I’m a…friend of Bjorn’s. We’d like to see his grandma as soon as possible.” Since Bjorn couldn’t currently talk, it fell to Dennis to advocate for him, so advocate he would.

“Hmm.” Escalus cocked his head to the side and studied Dennis, then Bjorn. “Your parents would like to see you first.”

Why was everyone acting like this was a casual visit? “You told Bjorn she was sick,” Dennis protested. “So he’s worried. He’d really like to see her quickly.”

Escalus shook his head. “She’ll keep. Bjorn hasn’t seen his parents in years, as far as I know. They appealed to me for a visit.”

Bjorn made that subvocal growling sound again, and Dennis, unable to stop himself, crossed to the bear and set a hand on his haunch soothingly. Bjorn sighed and deflated a little. “Then please tell them we’re here,” Dennis said, deciding he wasn’t going to win this fight. “Let’s get this over with.”

The alpha studied him for a long moment, then shrugged and moved his eyes to Bjorn. “Bjorn, shift.”

“He can’t -” Dennis began to explain, then stopped short when Bjorn’s furry body transformed into a hairy, human one and he stood up. “What the fuck?”

“Alpha can compel shifts,” one of the other men explained in a bored tone that implied Dennis should have known this already. Fuck him. Just because Dennis didn’t hang out with shifters all the time didn’t mean he was dumb. Ok, so maybe he'd been deliberately ignorant, just a little, but he wasn't dumb.

“Thanks, Alpha,” Bjorn said, running a hand through his hair. “The shifting thing is…getting really annoying.”

Escalus gestured to the first man who had approached him, who produced a pair of sweatpants and tossed them at Bjorn. “Get dressed,” he ordered.

Obediently, Bjorn shimmied into the sweats, which were a little small on him and clung to his hips. “Thanks. Can you tell me how Gran is while we walk to my parents, at least?”

“She’s holding her own,” said Escalus, turning toward a path that led into the forest. “She knows you’re coming and was pretty excited about it last time I checked in on her.”

Bjorn followed the alpha, so Dennis followed him. The various other men and bears fell into line behind them, making a weird little procession that marched into the woods. “Do you know why my parents want to talk to me?” Bjorn asked as they walked.

Escalus shrugged. “They’re your parents.”

“Yeah, but we…” Dennis saw Bjorn’s shoulders rise and fall in either a shrug or a sigh. “You know we don’t get along.”

“You’ll be fine,” Escalus said with a shrug as they approached a cozy-looking little cottage nestled in a small clearing among the trees. “I’m sure they miss you.”

Bjorn snorted quietly, but didn’t reply to that. Instead, he straightened his shoulders and marched up to the cottage’s front door, rapping it confidently with his fist.

“You’ve got this,” Dennis couldn’t help muttering quietly to himself, trying to morally support his…friend? Sure, friend. Trying to morally support his friend without making him look weak. Unfortunately, apparently shifters had good hearing, because all six of his companions turned to look at him, Escalus with amusement, the random guys with confusion, and Bjorn with a dopey look on his face. “Uh…” Dennis stumbled, feeling his face heat.

Bjorn threw him a smile, then turned back swiftly toward the door when it rattled open. “Hi, Mom,” he said, voice subdued.

“Bjorn,” greeted the slender woman who’d opened the door to them. Her hair was the same shade of chestnut as her son’s, but her eyes were sharp, much sharper than Bjorn’s had ever looked to Dennis, and she had the beginnings of a sneer on her face. “Good of you to stop by.” Was that sarcasm, or just a weird formality? Dennis wasn’t sure, and he didn’t think Bjorn was either, judging by the look on his face.

“Yeah, well.” Bjorn palmed the back of his head and rubbed his hair. “Alpha said you wanted to see me.”