Beary Overdue (Polar Bliss 1) by Ruby Shae

and then he collapsed and allowed his animal to take over.
    Shifter magic allowed him to shift with his clothes on, and he liked that he didn’t have to worry about his wallet or keys. His personal effects would stay with him during the change, and when he was ready to go home, he would be fully dressed.
    Once the change was complete, his bear had roared in victory and immediately covered himself in snow. The playful rolling, burrowing, and overall joy was hard to ignore, and the full effect of his neglect had slammed into him full force. He’d not only been a shit to his mate, family and employees, but he’d been a dick to his bear, the very best part of him.
    His bear ran with abandon, and Reid didn’t try to stop him. His large paws ate up miles of the snow covered terrain, and he realized the animal had been right all along. The change had brought him peace.
    He’d missed his animal and the desire to shift back into his human form fled the longer he’d stayed a bear. Unfortunately, he couldn’t have one without the other, and the animal forced him to roam back home.
    As civilization neared, so did clarity and understanding.
    It was too late to change the past, but the future stretched out in front of him. A few changes, and he’d gain back most of what he’d lost.
    Only then could he try and win back his mate.
    He made sure he was hidden, shifted back into his human form, and walked across the street to The Dirty Bear . A gust of wind hollered through the parking lot, and he realized his hair and beard had grown longer. He would take care of them soon, but there was something more important he had to do first.
    He opened the metal door to his bar and stepped inside the building. Voices were coming from the storage room, and he listened a minute before crossing the room to find his employees.
    “Hayden, I know you feel indebted to him, but this is too much,” Hayley said. “What if he never comes back? This isn’t our responsibility.”
    “Look, I understand your concern,” Hayden said, “but he’ll be back. Until then, Ryker knows what’s going on, and all of the bills are getting paid. I don’t feel right about giving up on him. Not yet.”
    “You’re too giving,” Hayley said. “He wouldn’t do the same for you.”
    “No I wouldn’t,” Reid chimed in.
    “Reid!” They both said his name in unison.
    “Where have you been?” Hayley asked.
    “You look like shit, man,” Hayden chimed in.
    “I’ll explain everything, soon,” Reid said, “but not right now. Hayden, if you don’t mind running things for one more night, I’d like to meet with you tomorrow to discuss some changes I’d like to implement.”
    “Sure,” Hayden said. “What time?”
    “Be here at one,” Reid said. “I’ll bring lunch.”
    His next stop was his apartment, and then the barber.
    A few hours later, he stood on the steps of his family home holding a bouquet of pink carnations tied with a matching ribbon. When Ryker opened the door, he swallowed hard and prepared to grovel.
    “Hi, can I come in?” he asked.
    Ryker nodded once, stepped back and pulled the door open.
    He walked into the dining room and found Riley, Ridge and Jane sitting at the dinner table. Ridge stood, but his sister and Jane stayed seated.
    “I’m not here to cause trouble,” Reid said. “I’m here to apologize. To all of you, but especially Riley.”
    He held the flowers out to his sister.
    “I’m sorry,” he said, stepping further inside the room. Ryker joined them in the doorway behind him. “For everything, but mostly for what I did to you in Polar Bliss . I know I hurt you, and I promise it will never happen again.”
    “Where have you been?” Ryker asked. “Jillian told us you went to her motel room in the middle of the night, and then you were gone. You missed Fred’s viewing.”
    “I know,” he said simply, “but I doubt she wanted me there anyway. She told me exactly what she thought of me, and though it was ugly, it