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Six.

Walking up to the next enclosure area, Shane followed Sammy quietly into the hut as requested.

He couldn't help but quirk his eyebrows when she pulled out a chopping board, and placed it onto the counter top.

Next she opened a small fridge, and began pulling out several different packets of fruits.

"Can you tip these out into that dish please," she ask, handing the berries over to Shane.

He did as she asked, turning to see her slicing a large portion of salmon into slivers. When she was finished, she placed these into another large dish, and grabbed some apples. After quickly halfing them, she added them to the food prepared, and pushed the preparation tools into a small sink.

Flicking a switch, she turned on the hot water heater, and turned to Shane, "Let's go see my big teddy bear then."

"I cant believe you're calling a grizzly that," Shane stated shaking his head, while trying to hide his alarm for Sammy's lack of self preservation instincts.

"Now now, you shouldn't judge anyone, animal or human, till you get to know them," she responded, tartly.

There was a twinkle in Shane's eye as he looked back at her. It was too good an opportunity to pass up, a chance to bring up his Beta, and her interactions with him.

"Yeah, and what about, Daniel?" He asked, "Does he qualify as someone you're going to get to know? Because you seemed to judge him pretty quick last night."

Sammy froze momentarily, she would be lying if she said she hadn't given him a second thought. Since she sent him off with Tom, she couldn't help but wonder what he was doing, if he was enjoying himself, because for some reason she wanted him to be having fun. But, most prominently, she was wondering if he was thinking about her?

She couldn't hide her skin from blushing, but she could at least verbally hide her inner turmoil.

"I don't think any sane person would blame me for my reactions last night.

I was told I was going to a haunted house, which to my experience is a tour through a set up of staged rooms. I was kidnapped, threatened, then found out something potentially shady, that needed to be kept quiet. Then he was basically naked in my car, refusing to leave, and leaning closer and closer. So, yeah, I reacted, it's called self preservation." She argued her point.

"Ha, from the woman who calls a grizzly a teddy bear," Shane retorted with extra sarcasm.

"You're a bit of an asshole, you know that right?" She stated, with a raised eyebrow, challenging him intentionally.

Shane could feel his wolf bristle, and had to continually remind his wolf that Sammy was human, she doesn't realise she is challenging him, also she is Daniel's mate, he would lose his best friend if he retaliated.

At his silence, Sammy rolled her eyes and turned away, "Come on, Gomez is waiting."

"Your mate is pushing it, Daniel." He mindlinked his Beta.

He could hear Daniel sniggering, "Of course she is, she's mine. Now stop complaining, the normally quiet skunks are riled up because I'm here, and it fucking stinks."

Shane snickered at this, and then lengthened his strides to catch up with Sammy.

At the door to the enclosure, Shane watched as Sammy unlocked the door, and walked straight inside.

Shane pursed his lips, and walked in after her. The scent of bear was everywhere, and it was putting his last nerves on edge.

Sammy closed the door behind them, and smirked at Shane, "Come on, don't be a scaredy-cat."

He growled before he could stop himself.

Sammy just raised an eyebrow at him and laughed unaffected, a response which only seemed to unsettle his wolf further.

"Gomez! Come on," Sammy called out, as she walked to the centre of the enclosure.

Shane followed, through the trees, his whole body alert. There was a giant slab of rock, in a clearing of trees, that they were approaching. Beside it was a small stream, and that's where Sammy stopped. Placing the bucket of berries on the slab, and throwing the salmon chunks around.

Quickly she rinsed her hands in the water, and stood again, "Gomez!" She called in a louder, and somewhat harsher voice, like a mother scolding an absentee child.

Shane heard movement to the left and turned to face it, his body was coiled to fight, ready to defend the female beside him, even if she wasnt his, and was proving to already be a pain in his ass.

But, Sammy stepped in front of him giving him a gentle slap to the chest.

"Calm down, Mr. Andrews," we are perfectly safe.

"We are in an enclosed space with a grizzly, that is not my definition of safe. We could..." he was cut off,.as Gomez made his appearance.

Gomez came bounding through the undergrowth, and straight up to Sammy with a familiar yowl.

Shane watched, as the bear skidded to a halt in front of her, rising to his back legs.

"Gomez, behave yourself," Sammy chided her hands on her hips, "Down, now."

Shane watched as the young bear sunk back down, and rubbed his head against her stomach.

"I thought you didn't believe in trained wild animals," he asked irate.

"I don't," Sammy threw back at him annoyed. "And, I didnt train him. Gomez is about eight months old, weighs about one hundred pounds. So, he isn't the size he should be. And that, is because he was taken from his mother's den, as a blind infant, and raised in captivity, before being sold into the illegal exotic pet trade," Sammy said all this while scratching the bears ears, "He arrived here a month ago, because surprisingly enough, a grizzly bear doesn't make a good pet, he had killed the family dog. The owners freaked, not surprisingly since they also had a freaking toddler. Then, eventually we were contacted."

Shane relaxed, he even went so far as to apologise, "Sammy, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have presumed."

"It's fine," she responded with a gentle smile, "Gomez won't survive in the wild now, but thanks to him plenty of other grizzly bears will. The owners, revealed the whole ring of black market dealers. There were wolves, coyotes, bears, mountain lions and bobcats, all taken from their mothers when they were supposed to be nursing. It was horrific trade, and this ring at least, has been stopped." She explained, "So, Gomez has more than earned his keep. Haven't you boy?" She asked, moving to scratch his chin.

After a moment Shane watched as Sammy led him over to the food, handing him some salmon.

Gomez took over, after that and Sammy sat down on a fallen tree.

Shane joined her, watching the young bear.

"He should still be with his Mom right?" He asked.

"Yeah, he should. They would stay together for at least a year and a half." Sammy responded with a sad smile. "And what's worse, although litter sizes can range from one to four depending on the health and condition of the mother, most are born as twins. So, chances are there is another like him out there. If it's even still alive."

Shane could feel the sadness emanating from Sammy, and all of a sudden he got just why she was as angry as she was last night. His pack members in their wolf form made them look as bad as these traffickers, and to be fair he would be pretty pissed as well.

He placed his hand gently on her shoulder, "You're all doing an amazing job. These animals are lucky to have you," he offered up as a way to comfort her.

"Thanks," she said. "Its always nice to chat to someone who gets it."

"Daniel would get it too you know?" He added with a grin.

Her laughter garnered the attention of Gomez, who decided to plod over to investigate. Before Shane could stop him the bear had stuck his wet nose into his face and inhaled deeply.

The result was the Alpha of the Blue Valley Pack, had just been used as a snot rag by a young bear, and although Sammy was not aware of his position, she still found it hilarious. Especially when Gomez proceeded to barge inbetween the two while Shane was trying to clean his face, deciding to sit on them both, his large behind dumped onto Shane's outstretched legs, while his head rested happily on Sammy's legs, pressed against her stomach.

"Aw, he likes you," Sammy cooed, between giggles.

"Great," Shane replied sarcastically, thanking whoever was listening he had the kind of strength that meant a bear cub of this size could sit on him, without crippling his legs in the process.

"It is, actually," Sammy responded, "Gomez gets lonely, he needs other bears at this age, but that's not exactly a feasible thing to arrange. He doesn't deal well with Tom, I think he's too exuberant. Gomez likes the calm. Susan he puts up with. But, with me, he is exactly as I said, a giant teddy bear." She stated, her fondness of the animal seeping through her voice.

Sammy and Shane sat in silence for another half an hour while Gomez slept, and Sammy gently petted his big head, before the bear finally freed them, heading off to investigate the rest of his food, popping down by the berries in the dish.

"Are your legs alright?" She asked Shane, aware of Gomez's weight.

"Yeah, fine I'm stronger than I look," he laughed, as they headed out of the enclosure. "So, now what?" He asked her.

"Now, you get to wash the dishes in the hut, while I go and do inventory in the surgery till lunch," Sammy smiled.

"Seriously?" He asked.

"Yup," Sammy smiled, popping the "p". She closed the enclosure behind them. "Dont worry about locking up, I'll have to come back to feed him again before lunch. He is my growing boy after all."

Shane nodded as Sammy walked away, before mind linking Daniel with glee.

"Congratulations Daniel!" He opened with, his mindlink filled with an over enthusiastic type of joy!

"On what?" His beta replied with suspicion.

"On fatherhood of course." Shane laughed through the link.

"What?" Daniel came back with panic and confusion.

"It just so happens there is a grizzly cub here, who thinks Sammy is his mother." Shane all but snorted at his friend's expense.

"Fuck off." Came the only response.

Shane laughed as he wandered back into the hut, thankful that there wasn't too much to clean up. He normally only did menial labour if his mate asked.

Once he was finished cleaning up, he decided he would checked in on his mate, who upon hearing about his morning was desperate to come and see the place herself. Especially as they were discussing the type of financial support he wanted to offer the place. As always his perfect Abigail was fully on board with his ideas

He wasn't surprised that by the time he made it back for lunch, Abigail's jeep was already in the parking lot. She had brought enough food to feed an army, as well as a large cheque that she was currently pestering Susan to take.

Worryingly for Shane, her only stipulation was that she got to meet Gomez. The thought of an orphaned cub and her pregnancy hormones were driving her mad.

Almost as much as the thought of his pregnant mate, in a bear enclosure, was driving him mad.

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