Read Online A Blaze To Bear (Fire Bear Shifters Book 1) by Sloane Meyers - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sloane Meyers
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Paranormal, Adult, firefighter, Secret, Erotic, Alpha, Shifter, werebear, hiding, bear, Mate, female, smokejumper, Crew Chief, Exterior, New Recruit, Nosy
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went for a run not long after breakfast. Said she needed to clear her head,” Trevor answered.
“Alright then, let’s have a quick meeting. My office, now,” Ian said.
“A meeting? Without Charlotte?” Luke asked.
“The meeting’s about Charlotte, dumbass,” Zach said, his scowl deepening. “This better be quick. I have a lot to do.”
Ian let Zach’s attitude slide for the moment. He just wanted to get his men upstairs and have a chance to talk to them before Charlotte came back from her run. After everyone had crowded into Ian’s office, Ian took a deep breath and looked around the small room.
“Alright, guys. As you all obviously know by now, Charlotte and I mated last night. We bonded, although she doesn’t know yet that I’m a shifter. Or that any of us are shifters. I realize that this has the potential to affect all of us. I have to admit that Zach makes a good point—if Charlotte gets angry when she discovers I’m a shifter, she could end up making things really difficult for all of us. If she tells Boise and they get mad, we might lose our status as smokejumpers. There might not be a lot the U.S. Forest Service could do to protect us.”
Ian paused and made eye contact with each of his men, except for Zach who was staring angrily at the floor.
“I’m sorry if this situation has put you all in an awkward position. I’ve been very drawn to Charlotte since the moment she arrived at our base, and last night I let my feelings get the better of me. I have to find a way to eventually tell her that I’m a shifter, but I don’t want to put your jobs in jeopardy. So, if the possibility of her outing us makes you uncomfortable, just say the word and I’ll resign. No hard feelings, I promise. Zach is completely capable of taking over for me, and Charlotte never has to know that any of you are bear shifters.”
Zach’s eyes flew up in shock at Ian’s words. Alphas almost never offered to step aside, so Zach definitely hadn’t been expecting this. The other crew members, predictably, swore their allegiance to Ian.
“No way, Boss. You’re not going anywhere,” Luke said. “Zach is awesome, but you’re our alpha.”
“I agree,” Trevor said. “You deserve to be happy. We all do, after everything we’ve been through. And the only way we can all find happiness is if we stick together.”
Hunter nodded his agreement, and Zach sullenly let out a sigh.
“I don’t want you to leave, Ian. I just think this has the potential to end very badly,” Zach said.
“Most of what we do has the potential to end very badly,” Ian said gently. “And usually it doesn’t. I’m just asking you to have a little faith in me, and in Charlotte. If it makes you feel better, we can wait a bit longer on letting her know we’re shifters. Give her some time to get to know you guys as people first.”
Zach shrugged. “Fine. I guess I feel better about that than about just blasting out our secret.
“Alright, we’ll keep it a secret through the next mission. Which could be any day now, by the way. The heat is ramping up, and we’re bound to be getting a call soon. I’ll let you guys get back to your repairs. Thanks for supporting Charlotte and me. It means a lot.”
“Sure thing, Boss,” Luke said. Trevor and Hunter made similar comments, but Zach left the room in a silent huff. Ian knew his second in command was going to take a while to come around, but, surely, he would eventually get to know Charlotte better and trust her a little more. Ian had a sinking feeling in his stomach when he thought about how he had just promised Zach that he wouldn’t reveal himself as a shifter until after the next mission. Now that he had slept with Charlotte, he knew the longer he waited to tell her the truth, the angrier she was likely to be when she found out. But he had to balance the wishes of his men with his obligations to Charlotte. He could only hope that she would understand when the time finally came to tell
“Alright then, let’s have a quick meeting. My office, now,” Ian said.
“A meeting? Without Charlotte?” Luke asked.
“The meeting’s about Charlotte, dumbass,” Zach said, his scowl deepening. “This better be quick. I have a lot to do.”
Ian let Zach’s attitude slide for the moment. He just wanted to get his men upstairs and have a chance to talk to them before Charlotte came back from her run. After everyone had crowded into Ian’s office, Ian took a deep breath and looked around the small room.
“Alright, guys. As you all obviously know by now, Charlotte and I mated last night. We bonded, although she doesn’t know yet that I’m a shifter. Or that any of us are shifters. I realize that this has the potential to affect all of us. I have to admit that Zach makes a good point—if Charlotte gets angry when she discovers I’m a shifter, she could end up making things really difficult for all of us. If she tells Boise and they get mad, we might lose our status as smokejumpers. There might not be a lot the U.S. Forest Service could do to protect us.”
Ian paused and made eye contact with each of his men, except for Zach who was staring angrily at the floor.
“I’m sorry if this situation has put you all in an awkward position. I’ve been very drawn to Charlotte since the moment she arrived at our base, and last night I let my feelings get the better of me. I have to find a way to eventually tell her that I’m a shifter, but I don’t want to put your jobs in jeopardy. So, if the possibility of her outing us makes you uncomfortable, just say the word and I’ll resign. No hard feelings, I promise. Zach is completely capable of taking over for me, and Charlotte never has to know that any of you are bear shifters.”
Zach’s eyes flew up in shock at Ian’s words. Alphas almost never offered to step aside, so Zach definitely hadn’t been expecting this. The other crew members, predictably, swore their allegiance to Ian.
“No way, Boss. You’re not going anywhere,” Luke said. “Zach is awesome, but you’re our alpha.”
“I agree,” Trevor said. “You deserve to be happy. We all do, after everything we’ve been through. And the only way we can all find happiness is if we stick together.”
Hunter nodded his agreement, and Zach sullenly let out a sigh.
“I don’t want you to leave, Ian. I just think this has the potential to end very badly,” Zach said.
“Most of what we do has the potential to end very badly,” Ian said gently. “And usually it doesn’t. I’m just asking you to have a little faith in me, and in Charlotte. If it makes you feel better, we can wait a bit longer on letting her know we’re shifters. Give her some time to get to know you guys as people first.”
Zach shrugged. “Fine. I guess I feel better about that than about just blasting out our secret.
“Alright, we’ll keep it a secret through the next mission. Which could be any day now, by the way. The heat is ramping up, and we’re bound to be getting a call soon. I’ll let you guys get back to your repairs. Thanks for supporting Charlotte and me. It means a lot.”
“Sure thing, Boss,” Luke said. Trevor and Hunter made similar comments, but Zach left the room in a silent huff. Ian knew his second in command was going to take a while to come around, but, surely, he would eventually get to know Charlotte better and trust her a little more. Ian had a sinking feeling in his stomach when he thought about how he had just promised Zach that he wouldn’t reveal himself as a shifter until after the next mission. Now that he had slept with Charlotte, he knew the longer he waited to tell her the truth, the angrier she was likely to be when she found out. But he had to balance the wishes of his men with his obligations to Charlotte. He could only hope that she would understand when the time finally came to tell
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