by Ruby Shae
Okay, it was a huge deal, he knew that.
With any luck, she would accept him anyway.
Chapter Six
Sierra looked around Graham’s living room, and thought about what the space would look like with some of her stuff mixed in. She liked the minimal look, but his idea of decorating consisted of just the basics. There was a TV mounted on the wall, a couch, a chair, a coffee table and two end tables, and something he referred to as an entertainment center.
In reality, it was a TV stand that held two gaming systems, a speaker for his phone, and some other gadget he used to access apps on the television. Of course, all of his devices were top-of-the-line, or at least they looked it to her untrained eyes, but luckily, everything was easy to use.
The room remained silent, though, because she wasn’t in the mood to use anything. She was too nervous.
The past week with Graham had been perfect, and she wasn’t ready for their relationship to end.
After he’d tracked her down in Sal’s, she’d continued acting as his girlfriend, and the subject of their fake relationship hadn’t come up again. For her part, she’d decided to roll with it, have fun, and enjoy the time they did have together.
The week had been filled with lots of sex, and lots of dates. In fact, she’d spent so much time in his home, she often forgot that she didn’t live there permanently.
Their dates had consisted of everything from an ice cream cone and a simple walk down Main Street, to a dress up dinner that needed reservations. They’d also stayed in for movie nights, and spent more time with his family over brunch and another barbeque.
At first, the closeness of their homes, and the seclusion from the outside world had seemed weird, but the unease about the situation disappeared almost instantly, and the more she learned about his closeness with the guys, and Tegan, the more the set up made sense.
She sighed and looked out the window into the nearby forest.
The truth was, she liked him. Really liked him.
She’d liked him when he’d chased her down the street, when she’d agreed to be his fake girlfriend, after he’d taken her virginity, and in every moment after. She no longer felt like a pathetic, crazy loser who stupidly fell in love with the first person she’d had sex with, in fact, those feelings had disappeared the moment Graham had tracked her down in Sal’s.
Now, she was just a woman in love. Period.
She and Graham were perfectly matched in every way, and she didn’t want their relationship to end. Unfortunately, that didn’t matter.
I have something to tell you.
The words lingered in the air, even after he’d left the room, and their true meaning weighed heavy on her heart. They had the equivalent effect of “we need to talk,” and everyone knows that it is them in the “it’s not you, it’s me” scenario.
She glanced at the clock and sighed. She’d known for thirty minutes, and the idea of just getting in her car and driving was beginning to sound better and better. She could be in Maple Bear Falls in less than two hours, but there was nothing waiting for her there anymore.
After Jasper Locke called and rescinded his job offer, she’d cancelled the contract on her new apartment as well. Luckily, her current landlord wasn’t a fan of her parents, and he’d been happy to let her stay and not have to go through the process of finding a new tenant.
Her stuff was still packed, though, and she knew the reason why.
She’d been hoping for something that was never going to happen.
I wish I could have sex with him one last time.
She stood up, and crossed to the other side of the room.
Graham had said his meeting with Tristian would last about thirty minutes, and she looked out the window to see if she could see him walking across the clearing.
He was jogging down the steps of the grand home, and she was amazed that something so simple turned her on. He was perfect in every way, and her pussy throbbed at the thought of him filling her.
They had a lunch date, but she had a feeling it would be cancelled after their talk, so she decided to alter the plan. If she attacked him as soon as he walked in the door, they could talk later, and she’d get to explode one last time in his arms.
As she waited by the door, his cell rang, and she glanced down at the lit-up screen. The name Jasper wasn’t a common one, and it was the only reason she snooped further.
The incoming call was from Jasper Locke.
What the hell?
He obviously knew the man, because his name was programmed in the phone.
Was Graham the reason she’d lost the job in Maple Bear Falls? He knew about her parents, and about their control issues. Was he trying to do the same thing? If so, why? Why would he sabotage her new job if he’d planned on breaking up with her all along?
None of it made any sense.
Graham walked through the door, and smiled.
“Sorry about that,” he said. “Tristian had more info to share than usual.”
She nodded, and spoke her mind.
“Why is Jasper Locke calling your phone? How do you know him?”
He glanced at his phone sitting on the little table next to the door, and took a deep breath. A twinge of guilt tried to take root for violating his privacy, but she squashed it.
She wanted answers, and she refused to apologize.
“Okay,” he said, holding his hands up to placate her. “I have two things to tell you. Jasper Locke is a friend, which is why he’s calling my phone. Let me start with what I had planned to tell you first, and then the reason he’s calling will make more sense. Deal?”
“Fine,” she huffed. “Deal.”
She stomped into the living room, and purposely sat in the chair so he couldn’t sit beside her. She didn’t understand why him breaking up with her could explain Jasper’s call in a positive light, but she wanted answers, so she’d give him a chance.
***
Fuck!
Graham didn’t blame her for being angry, but the conversation they were about to have was hard enough, and he could have done without the extra bump in the road.
The past week with Sierra had been perfect, and he hoped she thought so, too. They’d spent almost every night and day together, and yet, he knew she still thought of their relationship as temporary, something he’d hoped to fix today.
The early meeting he’d just come from hadn’t only been with Tristian. The entire clan had filled his alpha’s office as he’d informed them that today would be the day he claimed his mate.
Of course, he had to tell her about his bear first, and that’s where the possible trouble came in. Telling someone about their kind was always risky, and everyone needed to be on alert in case their family was threatened.
Until she accepted his mark, Sierra was a wild card.
He smiled as she threw herself into the chair. She was willing to listen to him, but on her terms, and he was once again reminded of her bravery. The courage she routinely displayed, despite the obstacles she faced, made him love her even more.
“Okay,” he started, still standing.
He didn’t want her to feel trapped, but he couldn’t sit down for the big reveal, so he moved closer to the couch, and propped himself on the arm furthest away from her.
“Okay,” he started again.
She watched him anxiously, and his bear growled beneath the surface. He was losing her, he could see it on her face. She was prepared for the worst.
Shit!
He cleared his throat, and forced the words he desperately needed to say.
“I’m a bear,” he blurted. “I mean, I can shift into a black bear. We all can, well, all the guys. Tegan is the only girl who can change.”
“You can change into a bear?”
Her disbelief was palpable.
“Yes, and you’re my mate, the one woman put on this earth specifically for me. It’s why we feel so connected.” She didn’t ask questions, so he continued. “That connection will get
stronger once I mark you as mine. You won’t change into a bear, but everyone—well, every shifter—will know exactly who you belong to.”
“Besides tech stuff, I’m also really good at finding information. Like, really good. After we met, I needed to know more about you, so I used my skills to find out about your job in Maple Bear Falls. I’d just found you, and I knew I couldn’t let you go, so I called in a favor. Jasper Locke is a longtime friend, and even though he was really impressed with you, he understood my position, and helped me out.”
“So, you took my opportunity away without even asking me. Even after I told you about my parents, and how much they’ve hurt me, you did the exact same thing.”
“Yes, but this is different.”
Damn!
He hadn’t expected her to focus on Jasper, or the fact that he’d taken one of her choices away. He’d expected her to care more about the fact that he could turn into a bear.
“Right,” she said, standing. “It’s different because you can turn into a bear. So, you’re crazy, and manipulative. Awesome! Thanks for a great couple of weeks. This has been fun.”
As if she were afraid he would stop her, she rushed passed him toward the door, but he didn’t move. There was probably more to say, but he wouldn’t force her to listen. He glanced at her empty seat, and noticed her phone on the coffee table.
He wouldn’t force her, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t compel her to return. Or at least try. Yes, it was a bit scheming, but given more time, she might understand his motives.
He took his phone out of his pocket, and ran outside.
Sierra was already backing out when he ran up to her driver’s side window. He tapped on the glass, and flashed her the phone.
“You forgot your phone!”
She rolled down the window a crack, and he slid the device through the tiny opening. She grabbed it, and sped off.
Luck had been on his side, at least in that moment, because even though they had the same phone, and the same color case, his didn’t have a picture on the back like hers did. Hopefully, she wouldn’t notice that difference until she calmed down.
Otherwise, he might be getting a new phone.
His bear growled and paced beneath the surface, urging him to go after her, but he knew he couldn’t. If he chased after her now, she’d run further, and she might run all the way to Maple Bear Falls and beg Jasper Locke for her job back. The man would give it to her, too. He was a great friend, but he was also a kind and rational business man, and Sierra would be a great asset to his company. If she really didn’t want to be his mate, Jasper would welcome her with open arms.
Fuck!
Graham couldn’t think about the possibilities of losing Sierra right now. He had to have faith in not only fate, but also his mate and his plan. He’d known messing with her future held risks, but once she had time to think about his reasons, hopefully their relationship would be enough to make her return.
In the meantime, he needed to connect with his bear, and burn off some steam.
He went back inside the house, grabbed Sierra’s phone, and exited through the back door. He made a beeline for his favorite place to enter the forest, got undressed, folded his clothes, and placed her phone and his glasses on top of the semi-neat pile.
The change into his bear form was instant, and less than a minute later, after one final look at his home, he was running through the forest at top speed.
Sierra would return, she had to…even if it was only to retrieve her phone.
Chapter Seven
Sierra threw the phone on the seat, and raced home. A myriad of emotions filled her head as, for the second time in a week, she ignored most of the posted speed limits.
She’d known Graham had planned on delivering the break-up speech today, but she hadn’t expected such an insane, elaborate story. In fact, it was so crazy, so out of character, that she almost believed him.
Except for the fact that shifters didn’t exist. Did they?
Hell!
She had to admit that her experience with the supernatural was limited to romance novels, and for all she knew, the idea was based on truth. Had some lucky author unintentionally uncovered the world of shifters and created the ultimate fantasy idea based on reality?
Damnit!
Why was she even entertaining his delusions?
She knew why, but she wasn’t ready to admit it yet.
The initial jolt of fear she’d felt when hearing his words had dissipated almost as soon as she’d reached her car, as did the hurt of his betrayal and the anger that had quickly followed.
His break-up speech had been good, except for one very obvious flaw. It hadn’t felt like a break-up speech at all. He’d said she was his mate, admitted that they were meant to be together forever, and asked her to say.
Those weren’t the words of someone who wanted her gone.
In truth, he was different, and she did feel connected to him in ways she didn’t understand, but he’d also lied and cost her a job. He’d done the same thing her parents had been doing for the past two years, maybe longer, but yet… If he was telling the truth, then it was different, and she could understand his reasons.
Could his story be true? Did he really have the ability to shift into a bear?
Aw hell!
She already knew the answer.
She pulled into her apartment’s assigned parking space, and grabbed her cell off the passenger seat. She pressed the home button and entered her password, but the box of words shook on the screen, indicating she’d entered the wrong information. She tried again, and then really looked at the phone. Flipping the device over confirmed her suspicions.
Graham had given her the wrong phone on purpose, and now she had no choice but to go back. It didn’t matter, though, because she wanted—no needed—to see him as soon as possible.
She backed out of the parking space, but before completing the return trip, she made a stop at Delilah’s. A dozen yummy cinnamon rolls would go a long way toward easing her return. Despite having a seemingly good reason, she’d run out on him again, after promising not to, and she knew she’d hurt him.
A few minutes later, she pulled into the clearing, and immediately noticed the entire clan assembled on Tegan and Ethan’s porch. The group of men and women might look harmless, but she’d instinctively known the men were deadly before Graham had shared his secret, and their faux-causal gathering didn’t fool her.
What surprised her though, was the fact that she didn’t care.
She knew that Graham sometimes felt isolated from the group, and though his importance to them was obvious in her eyes, he often failed to see it. She loved the fact that they had his back no matter what, even if they were falsely protecting him from her.
She grabbed the handles of the brown paper bag, exited her vehicle, and headed for the steps of Graham’s house.
It’s your house, too, now.
The assertion seemed arrogant, and premature, but she didn’t care. She was finally home, and she’d be moving in by the end of the week.
“Hey, guys,” she smiled, tossing a wave to the group.
Everyone but Aiden visibly relaxed, but she wasn’t surprised. The severe bear rarely eased his stern disposition, and along with Zach, he was responsible for their security. After Graham, the group was her new family, and she already saw them all differently than she had the day before.
“Welcome back, Sierra.” Tristian said. “It’s good to see you again.”
“He’s in the forest,” Tegan called. “Just walk straight back, and he’ll find you.”
“Thank you, both,” she smiled. “It’s good to be here.”
“Are those cinnamon rolls for us?” Zach asked, standing.
“Nope.”
She yelled the word over her shoulder matter-of-factly, and smiled to herself, amazed at how comfortable she felt with the group. Before the door closed, she heard Zach swearing at her blatant lie, and his mock-anger made her laugh.
She moved through the house quickly, dropped the bag of pastries and her purse on the kitchen counter, and left through the back door. Following Tegan’s advice, she walked straight back, toward the space in the trees he’d pointed out as his favorite, and stepped into the forest.
The first thing she noticed was a pile of clothes stacked neatly on a large root protruding through the earth at the base of a tree. The neat stack of clothes was topped with her phone and Graham’s glasses.
The fact that he was naked intrigued her, and she realized she had a lot to learn about the process of shifting. Did it hurt? Would he know her in his bear form? She had no idea. She also had no more time, because she wasn’t alone.
The sound of an animal huffing out a puff of air filled the silence, and she looked up to find a big black bear standing less than five feet away from her. Being so close to the deadly animal caused a moment of panic, but his rare violet eyes immediately doused her concerns.
She’d believed him, and yet, seeing his other form was simply astounding.
“You really can change into a bear,” she said, more to herself than him. “You were telling the truth.”
The change in forms was instant. One second the bear stood before her, and the next his naked, human form had taken the animal’s place.
***
Graham changed back into his human form, and motioned toward the pile of clothes next to Sierra.
“I need to get my glasses.”
She nodded, but she didn’t move, and he took it as a good sign. She’d come for her phone, as expected, but she wasn’t running away screaming, or treating him like he had the plague, so he remained positive.
Hopefully, she would give them a chance.
“You don’t need glasses in your bear form?”
“No,” he said, donning the frames. “I have perfect vision in my bear form. That’s why I can’t wear contacts. It’s too hard to remove them before a shift, and trying to put them back in after is a nightmare.”
