by Anna Edwards
“Are you real?” she asked.
“Yes,” he replied and stepped even closer to her. She swallowed deeply.
“You can’t be.”
“I am. I’m real, and I’m standing in front of you.”
She placed her hand over her mouth to stifle the sob that had formed in her throat. She’d dreamed for years of the moment that she’d see him again. It was never as intense as this; her whole body shook with the emotion coursing through it.
“Why now?”
He looked down at the ground and didn’t answer.
“Zain, you walked out of my life five years ago. I haven’t heard anything from you since then, bar one letter. Now, you’re here in front of me, and you can’t give me an explanation. You owe me that much at least.”
The sobs came this time. There was no holding them in any longer.
“I’m sorry,” he spoke and took another step closer to her. He seemed to check himself and took two back.
“I met your brother the other day.”
“What?” she spat out. “He didn’t tell me.”
“I asked him not to. I thought it best I talk to you myself.”
“Ok.”
Zain seemed really nervous to her. He didn’t have any of the confident air that he used to have when he was around her. He appeared to be in direct conflict with himself. His body leaned toward her when he spoke, but he kept himself rigid and away from her in another instant. It was as though, when he spoke, he couldn’t concentrate on staying away from her, but the second he listened, his mind took over and he withdrew from her.
“Why did you go? Was it because of your parents?”
“Partly. I realized something when they died.” He looked past her when he spoke. It was subtle, but she picked up on it. “I was no longer in love with you. I should never have slept with you for that reason, and I’m sorry. You gave me a great gift with your virginity, and I selfishly took it. I should’ve left before then.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He was in love with her when they’d slept together. She’d felt it in every move that he’d made. Had she been dreaming it? Had the reality of that day become clouded over the years with her fantasies of what it meant? No, he loved her.
“I’ve moved on.”
“You’ve met someone else,” she painfully uttered.
“Yes.” He took his time over the words.
“Liar,” she spoke in a tone laced with anger, this time. He was a coward and weaving stories. Zain’s eyes darkened.
“I don’t care if you think I’m lying or not. I came here, out of respect for what we once had, to tell you to move on and stop wasting your life like a love-struck teenager. I fucked you. It passed the time, and I’ve moved on and found a real woman now. Grow up and go back in there and fuck Ian or whatever his name is. I’m never coming back for you, so stop dreaming.” His voice broke on the last few words. He was trying to be strong, but she saw through him in an instant. Why was he doing this? Why was he trying to hurt her this way when his entire body was struggling to stay away from her? He was still in love with her, she knew it. Anyone who looked at him would know it. It was fucking obvious. Oh god! It hit her like a ton of bricks. She’d been stupid over the years. It was obvious why he’d left her. Why hadn’t she seen it before? Zain turned to disappear back into the woods. He wasn’t going to get away this time, though.
“I know what you are!” she called out. He froze.
“I’m the man you thought you loved but were wrong for. I’m nothing but a bastard.” He turned back to face her with his schooled features glistening in the moonlight, which shone on him.
“No. You’re what my father fears.”
A flash of panic crossed his face but was quickly locked away. She was right. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her chest heaved with the emotion coursing through her.
“Your father fears to lose his job. I don’t see how that’s relevant.”
“He’s scared of losing his job because everyone thinks he’s gone insane.” She was walking closer to Zain, now. He didn’t move; he was rooted to the spot by her determination. She stood up tall and looked him directly in the eyes. “The truth is shifters exist. You and I both know it because I’ve seen you change into a bear.”
CHAPTER SIX
They were the words he’d dreaded hearing, however, they gave him more comfort than he’d ever imagined they could. Isobel knew what he was; she knew he was a bear shifter.
“How?”
“Shortly after we slept together, you had a bad day and went running to release the stress. I decided to go for a walk. I went down through the edge of the forest near my home and sat by the river. I saw you run up to the banks, but you didn’t see me. I was hidden and too far away. I remember you sniffing at the air and looking around everywhere. I wondered why at first, and then when you removed all your clothes, I thought you were going to swim.” She blushed. “I... couldn’t stop looking. Even when you started to change.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” He knew the day she was talking about. He’d felt something. It’s why he checked the air frequently before he’d shifted. He never imagined it could have been Isobel.
“I was confused, at first. I mean, my father spoke about shifters even back then and seeing the man I was in love behave like one left me shocked. I sat in silence and watched you. You jumped in the water and caught fish. I’d never been close to a wild animal before. I thought I’d be scared, but you were majestic, and I wasn’t at all.”
“You should be scared.” He was prowling closer to her again, like a wild animal stalking its prey.
“Why? You wouldn’t hurt me.”
“How do you know? I’m a bear.”
She shook her head.
“That’s one part of who you are. The main part is you, though, my Zain.”
He reeled back. She should be disgusted at what he could do. After all, it was ingrained into her by her father; he was a fierce animal waiting to rip her limbs from her body and eat them for his dinner. How could she be calm?
“I can’t ever be the Zain you want me to be. Now, do you understand why I left? Because I’m a shifter.”
“Because of my father’s beliefs,” she interrupted him.
“Does he know?”
Isobel reeled back from him. “Seriously?” she bit out. “You think I’d tell him? I love you, Zain. You may have shown that you can’t give a fuck about me, but I’d never want to see you hurt.” She turned her back to him and started to stomp back up the garden.
“I’m sorry,” he called out. Isobel turned back to him and, at a rapid pace, sped back toward him; her face darkened with anger.
“Five years. You broke my heart. I could have told the world what you were, but I didn’t because I love you.” She balled her tiny fist up and smacked him in the center of his chest. It didn’t hurt. “Why didn’t you trust me enough to tell me? Why did you choose to walk out on me instead?”
He sank back into himself. The pain he’d caused her was evident in her violent release from five years of pent-up frustration.
“I thought I was doing the right thing. I know how close you are to your father. I didn’t want you to have to make a choice, if it came to it.”
“So you took the decision out of my hands?”
“I lost my family. I didn’t want you to lose yours.”
The words came from nowhere, and the instant they left his mouth, he regretted them, even if they were the truth. She balled her fist up again and brought it to rest on his chest before relaxing her hand, so it splayed out.
“It was my decision to make; you shouldn’t have taken it away from me.”
“I thought it was the right thing to do.”
“I know you did.” A tear slipped down her cheek. “Change for me.”
“What?” He stepped back in shock.
“I want to see you. The real you.”
“No.”
“Please,” she begged
of him.
“I can’t ruin your life. You have to walk away and move on. We can never be together.” It was his turn to plead, now. He knew he should run the other way. Just the feel of her touching him again was sending him crazy. Her scent was all around him, and he was bathing in it.
“Shifters believe in soul mates, don’t they?” she questioned, and he nodded an affirmation. “Then, you know why I’ll never be out of your life.” She moved her hand across his chest until it reached his heart. “I’m in here.” She placed her other hand on the side of his head. “And in here. I’m never going to leave even if I do have to make the decisions that you say. I’m yours. I haven’t lived for five years. I’ve barely breathed until the moment when I saw you coming out of the shadows tonight. Don’t walk away from me again. Please. Be who you are, and we can work through it, together, as a partnership.”
“I’ve messed up badly and wasted time without you, haven’t I?”
“Show me, Zain.”
She dropped her hands from him, and he felt the warmth of her slide away until she grabbed his hand. She was allowing him to lead her. She looked over to the woodland. The sounds of the party grew louder in the house. She wasn’t going to risk him being seen. He pushed off, and they headed toward the trees. It was dark, but he could see perfectly. He knew Isobel would be blind to the pitfalls that could cause her to lose her footing. He led her deeper into the wood to an area where he knew there was a small clearing.
“Wait here. I need to check first,” he whispered into her ear and walked away. This was a test; he had to do it. He stopped where she couldn’t see him, but he could still sense her. She was nervous, and he smelled the fear coming from her. It probably scared him more than the panic she was experiencing. He lowered his jeans and pants to the floor and kicked his shoes off. His t-shirt came over his head and left him naked. He didn’t have a change of clothes close by and needed to be careful not to ruin them. Getting back to the Glacial Park would be difficult without them, and he didn’t fancy calling Kas to bail him out for streaking.
He shut his eyes and allowed the change to take over his body. His legs shortened, and he fell down on all fours. His hands and feet shifted to paws, and long talon claws grew in place of nails. Thick black fur sprouted from his skin, and his mouth developed into a muzzle full of teeth sharp enough to rip flesh. He shook his head and stamped his paws. It was his way of cementing his place in his bear body. The shifter within him rejoiced at being free. A rabbit scattered from beneath a bush, and he felt the overwhelming urge to give chase, but he knew he had more important prey to reel in. The savage animal in him rejoiced at this. He padded, as lightly as a three-hundred-pound bear could, through the trees back to the clearing.
He stepped out of the shadows, and Isobel gasped. He could sense the fear coming from her. He could see her hands shaking as he walked nearer to her. She was terrified. He stopped. He couldn’t do this to her. He lowered his head to the right and started to turn to leave.
“No!” she shouted. “Don’t go.”
He looked up at her. His dark brown eyes focusing on the anxiety in her wide ones. He wished he could talk to her and reassure her he wasn’t going to hurt her. Only fellow shifters could communicate via the telepathic link that they shared. He wondered if Jessica, a witch in his pack, knew of any spells that she’d be able to cast, which would allow Isobel to hear him and speak to him. He’d ask her when he got back. Damn it, he was getting ahead of himself. At the moment, the woman in front of him was terrified of him. This was likely to be the last time he saw her, ever.
He took another couple of steps toward her. She swallowed deeply when he stood in front of her.
“Zain?” she whispered, and he nodded his head slowly because he didn’t want to scare her even more.
“It’s so different. You look nothing like a human. How is it possible? I’ve numerous questions? Can you talk?”
He shook his head this time.
“Ok.” She was controlling every breath she made. “I want to touch you, may I?”
He lifted his left paw up for her to take. She reached out tentatively and stroked it; electricity flooded through his body at her tender ministration.
“Furry, “she giggled.
He wanted to laugh as well but was scared to open his mouth in case any noise he made would worry her. As a black bear, he wasn’t as big as the grizzly bear shifters, or even Kas, the polar bear, but he was still pretty massive in comparison to an average human male. Isobel was slight; he’d always thought of her as a delicate flower.
She slowly lowered to her knees, all signs of fear fading away. He brought his head down to be level with hers. She reached out and stroked up his muzzle and around his ear.
“You’re beautiful. My bear.”
He brought his head closer and rubbed his nose against her cheek. She kissed him. They both froze.
“I love you, no matter what,” she whispered.
He shifted back to a human.
“I love you,” he repeated and brought his mouth down to meet hers. He pushed her gently back against a mossy bank. “I need you.” He lowered his kiss from her perfect lips, over her jawline, and down her neck to the swell of her breasts covered by her t-shirt. “Please.” His voice was full of urgent need.
“Forever yours.” Isobel showed him that she was ready for him when she brought her hand to his cock and stroked up and down his length. He loved this benefit to shifting back, which had left him naked. It was a lot better than being arrested for streaking. She let go and pulled away from him. In no time at all, her t-shirt was whipped over her head, dropped to the earth, and her bra swiftly followed suit. He placed his hand over the zipper of her jeans before she could remove them.
“Mine to do,” he growled. This time, not afraid to allow the animal in him to speak. He lowered her jeans and panties in one quick movement.
There was something freeing about them reconnecting for the first time in the wild. The cold ground heightened the sensitivity of their skins, and yes, leaves would probably get stuck where they didn’t want them, but it was natural. It was his home.
He sat back and pulled Isobel onto his lap. He sniffed the air; she was fully aroused. Her scent filled his nostrils, and when he placed his erection at her entrance, she was soaked and ready for him. Their eyes met, and he lowered her onto his length. They stilled. She was as tight as he remembered…no, she was tighter. His dreams had done her no justice. She groaned in pained pleasure.
“Are you ok?”
“Been a long time.”
“Too long.”
“You’ve not been with anyone?” she asked with surprise.
“No.” He chuckled. “One of these days, I’ll be able to take you without worrying I’m going to come after one thrust like a schoolboy.”
“You did ok, last time.” She leaned forward and kissed his nose.
He brought her up his length then lowered her. It was a delicious feeling. She was enveloping the most sensitive part of his body within her warmth. Damn, how could he have thought that he’d be able to live without this? He dropped his head to her perky tits. The nipples were stiff peaks. He brought one into his mouth and sucked. His teeth nipped at the edges. Isobel moved above him on her own. He held her steady, allowing her to find a rhythm that suited her needs. She found it, and his head fell back as he enjoyed the sensation flooding through him. She was riding him like a cowgirl, expertly taming a wild horse. Her breath quickened with her pace, growing faster and faster. His balls drew up. He’d come soon.
“I’m coming,” Isobel called out just before she exploded around his cock. Her pussy clenched hard against his length with the pleasure rippling upward. His own release erupted from his balls and traveled down his length, flooding into her body in spurt after spurt of his hot seed.
He groaned long and loud. Her name left his lips with deep affection. Isobel stilled on his dick even though it was still pulsating inside her.
“We didn
’t use a condom,” she panicked.
He nuzzled his head against her breast. His tongue poking out and circling it.
“Perk to being a shifter.”
She brushed him away from her breast, and he brought his head up to look at her.
“You don’t seem as concerned as I am about this. I’m not on the pill. I need to get it sorted. I don’t want children just yet.”
“It’ll be fine. Shifters can tell when their partner is fertile. You’re not.”
“You can?”
He nodded.
“You know those questions I had? I think I’m going to start a list. It seems there’s a lot I need to learn.”
He laughed and reluctantly pulled himself out of her. He brought her into his arms and used his body heat to keep her warm.
“What happens now?” she asked.
“Now.” He paused. What did happen now? He wasn’t going to leave her again that was for sure. He’d been an idiot for five years. He should’ve given her the chance to make decisions for herself. They were together now. No matter what life threw at them. Then it hit him: what had to happen next. It was the only thing they could do.
“You come meet my pack. That’s what happens next.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Ethern Lennox, the councilman, hated this place. The dungeon of the Shifter Council building, in the Reichstag, Berlin, held those shifters who were, by their very nature, more savage animal than human.
The stench was overpowering, and the sounds animalistic. Filled with the growls and whimpers of suffering animals who shouldn’t be kept alive. If he’d had his way, several would have been put down years ago just to stop their distress. This was no way to live: forever caged because they couldn’t be trusted not to kill humans. He’d watched too many down here deteriorate even further after their imprisonment. There had to be some other way. This was inhuman, but for now it was out of his control. The Council had voted as a collective, and this was the result.