His piercing eyes, devoid of any mirth, bore into my soul with a chilling intensity. When Teddy spoke, his words resonated with an unwavering certainty, leaving no room for doubt or interpretation.
But it was not just his words that command attention; his physicality was a force to be reckoned with. The sheer size of his body was awe-inspiring, muscles rippling under his thick fur. His imposing stature, reminiscent of a mountain in its strength and solidity, left no doubt that he was a formidable adversary.
And then there were his teeth, sharp as knives, gleaming in the dim light. With a single snap, he could tear through flesh and bone, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake. His claws, like razor-sharp daggers, capable of slicing through anything that dared to challenge him. His paws, massive and powerful, ready to deliver a crushing blow at a moment’s notice.
Teddy, the name that once evoked images of a soft and cuddly companion, was just a name for how I saw him. To others, he embodied the essence of a grizzly, the epitome of raw power and dominance, a living testament to the indomitable spirit of the wilderness.
I wasn’t scared of him.
My very soul rejected the idea. From the first moment he picked me up from that cot to this single moment where he said he would protect me with every fiber of his being, I felt utterly protected by him, cherished even.
I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his thick neck. Teddy pulled me closer, and the rumbling of his chest vibrated around me.
Witnessing death over and over again to the people I loved had hardened me to the harsh reality of the world. I didn’t want it to happen to me, to Bear, Teddy, Anaki, Delilah, or anyone at the Iron Fang who had been through so much already in their lives.
If it meant Bear and Teddy had to get a little bloody to protect those he cared about, so be it.
“You don’t scare me, Teddy.” I pulled away and played with his ears. “You’re my big Teddy Bear, and I’ll always be right here for the both of you.” He huffed out a breath, his eyes searching mine until we continued our stroll through the woods.
It was a comfortable silence as we strolled until we came up on a roaring stream with fish.
I sat on a nearby rock while watching Teddy fish and pawing at the water to sling fish onto the embankment. It was strange to see that Bear was really two different beings. Like he had schizophrenia, but not. There really was an animal inside him, but he was also human.
The animal had feelings like a human, talked, and had complicated thoughts and concerns. Bear, his human side, had animalistic traits of claiming, protecting, and having a cave.
Teddy, once satisfied with his catch, came on shore and grabbed a fish. He gazed at me, offering a raw fish. I shook my head and waved my hand for him to eat. I had plenty to eat before we left, anyway.
I watched in awe how he devoured each one and let my mind wander while watching these animal qualities. How fun it would be to roam a forest, swim, play, and not have a worry in the world. A place to escape.
I smiled as he went to eat another. He wouldn’t really hurt one of his own, would he? Anaki? Bear had such powerful feelings, a brother bond to Anaki. Would Teddy really hurt Anaki if he felt threatened? What about the rest of the Iron Fang?
I pursed my lips at that thought. I believed every word Teddy said. He would kill to protect me, but what if he was in a rage like he was earlier? I had to pull him back to protect the one other person I’d really made friends with here.
Teddy turned back to the stream and put his face into the water, cleaning his snout and paws from the remnants of his lunch.
I jumped down from the boulder and yawned. Teddy was right there beside me and rubbed his body up against me.“Climb on my back, and I’ll tell you a story.”
“Is it a happy story?” I joked as I climbed on.
His fur was soft and fluffy. I thought it would feel uncomfortable when I straddled him because I would feel his spine, but it was the opposite. I think I could fall asleep on the giant ball of fluff. I laid my body down and wrapped my arms around him.
“Afraid not, but you get to find out what Bear’s true name is.”
“You mean, it isn’t really Bear?” I giggled.
Teddy let out a chortle.“If you thought it was, then you aren’t as smart as I thought you were.”
I rolled my eyes and gripped his fur tighter.
“No, Bear had to pick his name for the club. The Iron Fang all pick alternative names because they leave their old lives behind when they come into a club full of rogues. They want to forget their old lives because their families and friends want to forget about them. Bear’s background is different. Bear shifters, well, Atticus’ sleuth is different. They wanted to help him when he became a rogue.”
I picked up my head from Teddy’s back. “Why is that?”
“Bears are a different breed in this realm. They help each other. Even though bears are more of a solitary animal, they still have strong family values,”Teddy explained.
“Wait, different realms?”
“Ah, right. Getting ahead of myself. There is the Earth realm, and there is the Elysian realm. Elysian holds most of the supernaturals. Supernaturals can go between the two. Humans cannot. Humans are forbidden to go there. Supernaturals must hide their true form from humans. If humans find out about supernaturals, both the supernatural and the human would be put to death.”
