Professional nature photographer Shayne Law has made a few mistakes in his life, like any other middle-aged gay man. One of those mistakes occurred eight months before on a photography shoot: breaking sexy and alluring Timber Skenandoa's heart, a bear shifter living among the Skenandoa Clan.<br><br>When Shayne is given a photography job in Skenandoa Deep again, near Lake Erie, he may have a second chance at love with the Iroquois Indian, Timber. As Halloween nears, the two men learn each other's ins and outs, and the specifics of why Shayne broke Timber's heart the previous winter. Also, Shayne sees Timber as the Alpha bear shifter he is, and the proud and strong bear leader of his Skenandoa Clan.<br><br>Will Timber take Shayne back as his human lover, coveting Shayne's heart and soul? Or will the man and bear be enemies, at each other's throats, for the rest of their lives?

Timber

Timber had found me almost instantly, forgiven me for breaking his heart just as quickly, and admitted that he had fallen in love with me. We had dated, made love, and attended one of his family’s annual functions together. And, shocking me, I had learned that he was of purple blood, royalty in his shifting family, different than his other bears and community.


I slept long and hard throughout the remainder of that night. Maybe with a smile on my face. Maybe not. How could I truly know? I know that I didn’t get up until almost ten o’clock the next morning with a black bear hovering outside the bedroom’s only window; a certain someone I knew as Pihu Skenandoa, waiting for me to wake up.


I thought of calling Timber, but didn’t want to cause any conflict between him and his sister. Instead, I climbed out of bed, slipped a robe on, started a pot of coffee, and decided to welcome Pihu inside the cabin to speak her mind.


Chapter 18