It was so insane, so crazy that I felt this way about a virtual stranger.
But I knew enough about being mated to a shifter to know that this was unavoidable, undeniable. I couldn’t fight it. Because if I did it would just get stronger, my need fiercer. I had to accept this, although that was no hardship.
Walking away from Maddix wasn’t an option I wanted to take.
Humans were taught about shifters in school. Everything had been explained to us so we accepted it, knew that this was the world. And my species was fine with that. We lived together in harmony. Although shifters were stronger, faster, and healed quicker in their human forms than my species did, they weren’t violent, didn’t take advantage.
In fact, most shifters preferred solitude, wanted to live away from everyone and everything.
I thought about that day in school all those years ago when we’d learned about the mating of shifters and humans. I had to assume it was this intense whether it was two shifters, or two different species. But maybe it was even more intense, more consuming.
Maybe it was different for each person.
My body lit up again as I thought about how we’d talked about the need, the desire. How it was something that would only get stronger the more time we spent away from our mate.
God, no truer words had ever been spoken.
Here I was, thinking about high school at the age of twenty-three because I was standing in front of my mate, because I was trying desperately to control myself and find a distraction for the way Maddix watched me.
My bear shifting mate.
“I can see you’re thinking pretty hard there, Ali.” He moved closer, his head slightly downcast as he watched me, stalked me.
And that was exactly what he was doing right now as he moved closer. Once he was a foot from me he stopped, didn’t speak, and just stared right in my eyes. I don’t know how much time passed, but the air grew considerably thicker, the heat increasing. I felt beads of sweat lining the valley between my breasts, felt my panties become even more saturated.
“The door is fixed,” he said huskily.
I nodded. “Thank you,” I whispered, although I didn’t know why I was thanking him seeing as he broke the damn thing.
He smirked, as if he’d read my mind.
“Well, I guess that wraps this all up then?” I hadn’t meant to phrase it like a question, but it came out that way, as if I was fishing for him to spend more time with me.
Because this mating is unavoidable.
“No, Ali. This is far from wrapped up.” He was as still as stone, as hard as it too. “Have dinner with me, let me cook for you.”
Inside I was screaming yes, already thinking of all the dirty things we could do together once we were done with the meal. But outside I was trying to be collected and calm, not show how interested I actually was.
And in
just a short twenty-four hours, I had been trying to come to grips with the fact I was indeed mated to a bear shifter. I was surprised at how easily I accepted it, but it also helped the fact that it was as if my body knew Maddix, as if we were drawn together and it was undeniably real.
I felt like I had known him my entire life, like he could look right in my eyes and see my needs and wants. So, I licked my lips, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.
“Dinner?” My voice came out breathy, a little bit lust-filled. He nodded, and I saw this flash of something behind his eyes, as if his bear had sensed my acceptance already. He was trying to break free.
God, how intense that would be, to have him deep inside of me and see his bear rise to the surface? I shivered, feeling goosebumps move along my skin.
“Ali, baby, it’s real hard to keep my control when I know how aroused you are.” His voice was so deep, so gruff. The way he had given me the nickname shouldn’t have turned me on as much as it did.
But God it really did.
“It’s just dinner, Ali.” He took a step toward me, and as I stared into his blue eyes I knew it wasn’t just dinner. I knew tonight would define exactly what it meant to be mated.
“Okay. Just dinner.” And as I said those words I knew they had just set in motion the direction of the rest of my life.
Chapter Eight