Flare by Ophelia Sexton

Runaway bride. Protective bear shifter. Slow-burn small-town romance with claws.

She thought she’d found Prince Charming—but her fiancé turned out to be a possessive bear shifter hiding criminal secrets.
On the run from danger, Emily Clarke flees back to the safety of Bearpaw Ridge. But even here in her old hometown, she’s not safe. Her ex is hunting her… and he’ll never let her go.
Edward “Ward” Swanson has spent years fixing up old homes—and hiding his heart. When his high school crush Emily returns to town in desperate need of protection, his inner bear roars to life. She’s his fated mate… but there’s a catch. She’s already been claimed by another shifter.

Torn between the laws of his kind and the needs of his heart, Ward risks everything to shelter Emily. As her stalker closes in and their bond deepens, one question remains—can love triumph over fear in this small-town paranormal romance?