Turning away to keep my grin from showing, “Sure, that sounds great. If you want, I can give you a tour through some of Kodiak's most beautiful areas. I moved here years ago from Anchorage, no way could I live there again. My spirit is free here, like no other place in the world.”
Leaning over so only Danika could hear, “my bear wants to run and play with the cutest little red fox he has ever seen in his life.”
Oh, snap, he figured out I am the fox. I really was going to tell him we just haven’t had the chance yet. I can hear the engines from the floatplane approaching the lake. “We need to hurry and get these two outside, the plane will be landing any minute now.”
Once we were outside, I dumped Cooper on his ass. Jax was holding onto the captain. In less than three minutes, the plane had made a round of the lake, spotted us and landed. Once the state trooper got off of the flight, we explained everything to him. The medic was taking care of the captain as the state trooper placed Cooper under arrest. “Ranger Walker and Mr. Richardson, thank you both for all you have done today. I have both of your contact information so we can let you know when the trial will be taking place. Are you riding back with us?”
We thanked the state trooper and medic for everything but told them we weren’t going back with them. I personally can’t wait for them to get out of here. I’m ducking back into that cave again so I can strip and shift. My fox is bitching at me in my head, wanting out. She wants to play with her mate. Wait a minute, mate? We don’t even know Jax. How can he be our mate? It looks like we have some time on our hands to find out. I wonder if his bear talks to him? Does his bear think that I am his mate? Oh my god, is that why he tore into the captain the way he did? No way am I asking. If Jax feels it, I am sure he will let me know.
Once they leave, I radio Jill again. “Walker to base.”
“Base, go ahead.”
“Jill, they just left with the captain and Cooper. Call the National Park Superintendent, you are going to have to explain what happened here. Tell him that we need a replacement for the captain and for Cooper as soon as possible. Tell Jenkins he is the highest-ranking ranger, so he is in charge until we get alternatives. I have two weeks’ vacation due so I won’t be back to work. After what happened, I am a wreck and need the time to re-cooperate. Walker out,” no way am I giving her time to talk me out of it. As soon as I am finished, I turn my radio off, throwing it into my pack that Jax brought back with him from our campsite.
Looking at Jax, “I hope you know that I planned on telling you that I am the fox who brought you the berries. I just had to make sure it was safe to tell you first. I have heard some horror stories about some shifters who are worse than the two humans that we just sent to jail. My scent and the foxes blended together for you to trail me once you shifted into your bear, didn’t it?”
Now he is the one giving me the sideways glance and grin. Damn, that grin would melt the deepest snowdrift on the coldest day. “Actually, I figured it out before I left camp. I remember the fox before I shifted. I couldn’t get it through my head why a fox would help a bear because they usually are enemies. Then I remembered how nonchalant you were about learning I was a shifter. I put two and two together and my shift hit me like a hurricane. I knew you had to be in trouble. Then I caught Cooper’s scent. Can I just say my bear was on the warpath when he found that guys scent again? He saw red when we realized the jerk who shot me had drugged you, then carried you off in the middle of the night. Danika, I am so sorry. I should have been more alert to what was going on.”
Walking over to Jax, I laid my hand on his arm then looked up at him smiling. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I dosed that last drink of water that I gave you. I knew you were still in pain yet would refuse any more medication. I am the one who is sorry. I should have been paying better attention. Then again, I never even suspected the captain. I worked for him for years. You know what makes this so bad? He is the one who hired and trained me. How did I not see this before? Was I blinded by my respect for the man, or was he just that good of a liar?”
“Danika, don’t be so hard on yourself. That man has worked for the rangers for over twenty-five years. I don’t think he was always a bad man. You know he probably got scared the closer he got to retirement. Pensions aren’t the best for many, I can’t speak for rangers, but the fire department it all depends on where you work and the risks you take. My team is hotshots. We travel all over fighting fires on the front line. If they get past us, then people lose their homes, towns, everything.”
“Wow, your job is definitely more dangerous than mine. Of course, being a shifter helps with mine. The animals sense it, so I don’t have a problem with them. It’s the two-legged fools I have a problem with.”
“I agree on the two-legged idiots. Most fires are started by people. A small amount comes from lightning, hitting a dry patch of trees and undergrowth. Being a shifter, especially a Kodiak Bear, helps a lot with my job. It gives me the extra strength and stamina that I need for long hours out in the field.”
“I don’t know about you, but my fox won’t shut up. She is snarling at me, wanting to run and play. She is used to being let out a lot more than I was able to the last couple of days. What do you say we stash our things in the very back of the cave, shift, then go exploring together?”
“I say the last one to change into their animal spirit is a rotten egg.” With that, he took off running for the back of the cave. I couldn’t help but stand there and laugh. Partially because of his silliness, the rest from being nervous. What if he is our mate? How can we be together when we live in two separate worlds? I can’t go back to city life after living out here in the wilderness for so long. Oh well, guess I won’t find out standing here, biting my bottom lip. Grabbing my pack, I follow Jax into the cave.
Chapter Seven
Jax and I spent the next two weeks together. During the day, we would shift into our spirit animals. At night, when we were back in human form, we spent time around a cozy fire getting to know each other better. Both of our vacations are nearly over, yet neither of us has mentioned being the others mate. My fox knows he is ours; it’s me, Danika, the woman who is too shy to say anything about it.
“I can’t believe our time together is almost over. These last two weeks have been incredible. I almost hate having to go back to reality tomorrow. What time will you be leaving to go back to Anchorage?”
“Danika, I have been wanting to talk to you about that. To be honest, I don’t want to leave. The more time we have spent together, well my bear and I are positive on one thing. I just wonder if you and your fox agree. My bear has known that we are meant to be mates since that first shift after meeting you. I know we don’t know each other as people that well yet, but I would like to give us a chance. What do you think?”
Finally, the words I longed to hear. Yet, they also hurt because we will be in two different places. “Jax, I can’t deny it either. My fox agrees we are mates. I have known since the cave.” Looking up with tears in my eyes. “How would we make this work? I can’t go back to the city; my fox would go crazy there. She always hated it and to be honest, so do I. Your fire crew needs you. Like you said, you guys are hotshots who travel all over for your job. I don’t see how this can work.”