Mating Season Read Online Free PDF Page A

picked the perfect mate.
    By nightfall Shila was a very satisfied woman. Koll was a vigorous lover, and after several rounds in bed, he'd heated a bath and made love to her in there. She'd especially enjoyed the experience since she adored the water as both woman and bear. Thanks to her people's quick healing, she was only a little sore, and the tenderness between her legs made her feel smug and well-serviced.
    She was ready to go outside, though. Too much time cooped up made her restless, and she was anxious to examine her surroundings. The moment she stepped outdoors, she sniffed the air to see if there were any signs of Tartok and Cikuq. Although the brothers were wily, they'd have a hard time beating her nose. They definitely weren't anywhere near Koll's home, which gave her hope that maybe she'd shaken them for good.
    "Show me the whole village,” she told Koll.
    He stood beside her, looking delightfully furry with his coat on.
    Shila expected him to protest since most males liked to keep their mates to themselves, but he actually looked pleased.
    "This way.” He took her hand and kept hold of it as he led her forward.
    Behind them, Koll's sled hound, whom he'd introduced as Greyfell, followed at a respectful distance. The canine had barked and growled when Koll had first let him out, but Shila had quickly established the hierarchy. Her bear could eat a hound like him for dinner, not that she'd put him on the menu. She clearly outranked him.
    "Are you warm enough?” Koll kept her close as they fought their way through the snow past the nearest houses.
    Shila nodded. She rarely got cold, and at the moment, her hand was throwing off more heat than his was. Maybe he was chilly? Shaking loose of his grip, she put her arm around him and pulled him in tightly enough they bumped thighs when they walked. She didn't mind sharing her body heat and was pleased to feel his stride fall into sync with hers.
    "Better?” she asked.
    He returned a smile—one of the full ones he'd started to give her after their first round of sex. “Much."
    Still alert for the brothers stalking her, Shila sniffed every corner of the village while Koll told her the names of everyone who lived in each home they passed. Relief flooded her when she was certain there was no sign of her pursuers. Then she realized she was being herded into a squat building filled with villagers.
    "What's this?"
    Koll answered with his usual succinctness. “Tavern."
    She might have guessed as much from the odor of alcohol permeating the place. The clawless people had a perplexing habit of poisoning their liver in small doses to addle their senses. When she was younger, she used to watch the villagers stumbling out of such places from afar. Their tipsy antics were always good for entertainment.
    There were a lot of people here tonight, like bears gathering at an especially good hunting spot. So many voices should have formed a cacophony. Instead, there was a steady murmur. Even that died the moment they caught sight of her and Koll. Several men and women gaped, although they didn't bare their teeth. Shila didn't care for their intense eye contact, but since they smelled of surprise and curiosity, she didn't take it as a threat.
    A man near the back, one who appeared especially drunk, chortled. “Will you look at that?” He hiccupped. “She's nearly as big as he is!"
    Shila felt Koll tense a second before he stepped forward and pinned the fellow with a lethal glare. “Careful."
    It was a warning, clear and serious. Without fully understanding what the challenge was about, she still recognized there was one.
    Even drunk, the other man must have possessed some survival instincts. He wilted under Koll's stare and glanced away, which meant Koll won. She was proud of her new mate.
    "Well, bring her in,” another fellow said.
    The voice came from a little villager who hurried forward to greet her. He was light and fast on his feet, and she felt the wave of playfulness and