Hidden, Clan of the Werebear Read Online Free PDF Page A

If you had truly wanted to hurt them, you could have.”
    “It wasn’t my intention to shift. I just couldn’t control it. I haven’t been in the situation that I was tempted before. My protector, Samson, discouraged me from shifting.”
    “Samson is a fool. It’s bad enough that he took in a werebear cub. If we had found you as a cub, you would have been killed by the pack. There has to be some reason he found you near the north ridge.”
    Elaina swallowed hard. “I can’t remember anything from that day.”
    “It doesn’t matter now. Liam has made his feelings known. That’s the reason you were spared the night we found you. He’ll make a good alpha one day if he loses that soft heart of his. Right now, he’s so easily led by a pretty face. One day, when he finds his mate, that will change.”
    Elaina nodded. “If only we were of the same kind. But I was glad to call him friend for a time. I know when I leave this den, I’ll never see him again.”
    “Those are the rules he needs to live by. He’s not mated with you, has he?”
    “No. It’s forbidden.”
    “I know, but I can see that staying away from you was hard for him, especially since the fever is upon you.”
    “How can you tell?” Elaina asked shyly.
    “I have a nose, don’t I? And were I not all wolf, I’d have tried to mount you myself.” He laughed. “I’m old, not dead.”
    Elaina stood and was shown the way outside by Nala. The children waited outside and ran around in excitement. One boy stopped and said, “I’ve never met a bear before.”
    “I’ve never met a wolf your age before, either,” Elaina said.
    “Aren’t bears killers?”
    “I’m not.”
    Nala shooed the children away. “Sorry,” she said. “One of the wolves was telling them stories the other night about the Clan of the Werebear.”
    “Oh, I see. I’ve heard those same stories, but I never knew if they were true or not. Samson always insisted that the clan was searching for me.”
    “Why did he think that?”
    “He found me wandering near the north ridge. He just assumed that the clan might be looking for me. I have always wondered if that was true or not, and what really happened to my parents, but I guess I’ll never know for certain since I can’t even remember them.”
    “Maybe it’s for the best. Be careful, Elaina. It’s a dangerous place out in the wilderness. Don’t take too long to find yourself a mate, even if it’s not the best of choices. You need the protection.”
    Liam came over and gave Elaina a hug. “Be careful,” he said. “I couldn’t live if I thought you’d come to harm. Maybe I should escort you to the edge of our territory.”
    Elaina shook her head. “Not a chance. Go back and enjoy yourself. There’re plenty of comely wolves around here, but when you get tired of rutting all the time, find yourself a true mate. Don’t settle for anything less.”
    Elaina walked away with a bag of deer jerky and a bottle of water. When she made it to the fork in the trail, she thought of heading back to the pub and the protection of Samson, but she couldn’t. All she could expect there was locked rooms. Was Samson right? Should she fear the clan? He should have known that for Elaina to truly become a woman, she’d need a mate. From what she recalled, some shifters mated for life with a human, but the clan forbade it. Even among the werewolves, it was frowned upon.
    Elaina gazed in wonder at the tall pine trees that loomed over her. She breathed in the musty smell. Her inside bear told her that in the distance was a river.  Her mouth watered at the thought of fresh fish. She could do a little fishing and take a bath while she was at it. As she quickened her pace, a deer crossed her path, and leapt away when it took a whiff of her inner bear. Wildlife were just as sensitive as she was. Some of them had better nasal cavities than others, thankfully. Elaina couldn’t image trying to hunt on her own, but it sure sounded fun to