The Shifter's Gift

by Haley Weir

  "No, you don't have to stop. I'm..." She looked down at his broad chest, needing a moment to think. "I think I know what you mean. I've never fallen for someone as immediately as I fell for you." She took another step toward him. “I’m sorry for how things ended last night. I barely slept, thinking about what happened.” She thought of what she really wanted in that moment. “Do you think I can meet your bear? Maybe that would help make everything clearer for me.” What was she doing? She’d rejected him when he merely had different colored eyes last night, and now she was asking him to reveal himself and his bear entirely. Would he trust her enough to take this leap of faith?

  Will placed his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t apologize. Both of us could’ve, should’ve, would’ve, handled last night differently.” He went quiet for a moment to consider her request. “If I introduce you to him, you have to promise me that you’ll remain calm. Like I said before, my control isn’t what it should be right now. The last thing I’d want to do is hurt you.”

  Sophie gulped, and felt panic rise up inside of her. She knew his control was out of whack because of her, and now she was asking him if he could unleash his bear. That sounded like a mistake, but his voice was deep and soothing. He did not seem afraid. "I promise I'll try to keep my cool."

  He raised an eyebrow at her and a smile quirked the edge of his lips. "That's not quite the promise I was hoping for, but I suppose it'll have to do." He brushed his palm over her cheek. "I'll have to undress to do this. Do you want to turn around?"

  She wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and hug her to him, but now wasn't the time for that. "Okay, I can do that." She didn't want to look away, even if it wasn't exactly appropriate for her to stare, but it might make him feel uncomfortable if she ogled him while he changed forms.

  She faced the wall with her television on it before realizing what she'd done. Her eyes were transfixed on his reflection as he stripped off his shirt and set it on her coffee table. The sideways profile of the rippling muscles of his abdomen made her bite her lip hard to keep from reacting. When his hands went to his belt, she gulped and looked down at the floor. The sound of his belt jingling drew her attention back to the television, and a gasp caught in her throat. She licked her lips and his eyes met hers in the reflection for a moment before he lowered himself to his hands and knees.

  She turned around now, unable to stop herself as he closed his eyes. His face twisted with intense concentration as she heard the sound of popping and crunching fill the room. He groaned and his knuckles turned white as his fingertips dug into the floor. His body twisted and reshaped itself as he changed from man to bear. The visuals and sounds of his body ripping itself apart only to reform in front of her would forever be etched in her memory. She placed her hands over her mouth.

  When the few intense moments were over, the biggest bear she'd ever seen seen, on television and otherwise, stood on all four legs in her living room. He let out a huff and looked at the furniture blocking his path to her. Those intelligent eyes looked ready to knock things over to get to her, but she wanted to avoid buying all new belongings if possible.

  Carefully, she lowered her hands from her mouth and held them gently toward him as she slowly stepped closer to him. She wouldn't show her fear; she'd remain calm and in control. This would all be okay if she didn't make any sudden movements.

  "Hi there," she cooed, placing her hand near his nose as if he was an oversized dog. God, she was probably making a fool of herself. The bear's large tongue licked her hand, then let it loll out of his mouth as if he were laughing at her. Her mouth dropped open, and she rubbed her moist hand over the surprisingly soft fur of his neck. "Ew. I think your bear needs to learn some manners." She smirked at him to show that she was joking. In fact, the sensation of his tongue sliding over her skin stirred up some surprisingly erotic feelings inside of her.

  The bear nuzzled Sophie’s hand before rubbing his head over her stomach and chest. He continued to sniff her as if he wanted to memorize her scent. It brought about emotions in her that she’d never experienced before. She was in awe of this man and his bear, and she could hardly believe that either of them cared so deeply about her.

  She dropped to her knees in front of him, no longer fearful. He was no monster...he and his bear were truly magical gifts. She’d been so wrong, and vowed to always trust her heart rather than let fear get in her way. Sophie wrapped her arms around the bear's massive neck, burying her face and her fingers into his thick, soft fur. She breathed him in and felt a rumble within his chest that almost sounded like a purr. The moment stretched between them, and she pulled back to look into his eyes.

  "Thank you for letting me see you. This has been amazing. More magical than I could have imagined." She kissed the tip of his bear's big black nose. His tongue swept out and swiped up her face from her chin to her forehead.

  She swiftly moved back as a giggle bubbled up within her chest. "I can't believe you did that." Her leg bumped into the coffee table, and she tumbled back onto the floor. The bear towered over her on all fours. He walked forward, nudging her with his nose to make sure she was okay. For a brief moment, being on her back underneath him sparked a momentary panic inside of her, but she swallowed the fear. She was safe with him even if he was intimidating in this moment.

  "I'm okay," she said breathily. Her chest rose and fell. She wished he was on top of her in human form. The image of his muscular naked body reflected in the television screen played unwittingly through her mind, and she licked her suddenly dry lips.

  The bear's muzzle moved from nuzzling her neck toward her stomach and bumped against her thigh, causing her to press her lips together as a moan tried to escape. The rumbling in his chest sounded again, a little stronger this time, and he backed a couple steps away from her.

  "N-no. Don't leave me, please." She grabbed the edge of the coffee table, pushing into a sitting position. She wasn't sure why he was pulling away, but she didn't want him to go anywhere.

  He huffed and shook his head, but she didn't understand. She opened her mouth to say more, but the crackling of bones and ripping of muscles and tendons echoed through the living room once more. She placed her hands over her mouth to keep from making any loud noises, even if her heart ached from witnessing what had to be a traumatic, painful experience for him.

  When Will became human again, he dropped to the floor, laying there as he gasped and held himself still. "I... I'm not leaving, Sophie. I want to be with you as a man, not just as a beast." He looked up at her. His eyes were still honey brown, the same color as his bear. But they didn't make her feel quite so scared now. They made her think of him slobbering on her hand and her face, and sharing a literal bear hug with him.

  She crawled to his side, stroking her hand over his muscular back. "I want that too. I'm grateful you shared your bear form with me, though." His muscles rippled under her skin. She'd forgotten for a moment that he was naked. Her gaze dipped to take his body in before she could stop herself. "Should I get you a blanket from the couch? Are you okay?"

  A grin tugged at the edge of his lips as he laid there on the floor. "Shifting from my bear form and back to human in such a short span of time is exhausting. Usually when I shift, I go hunting and foraging with my family for a few hours at a time. This is more strenuous. I'll be okay." His eyes met hers. "A blanket would be nice, but I can smell how much you're enjoying the sight of me naked like this. Your arousal is intoxicating." He moved his head to rest against her legs. "But...we should probably wait a while before we have sex. Look at what happened the last time we went for it."

  The idea of waiting to make love to him saddened her, but Will was probably right. Besides, after shifting forms twice, Will looked as ready for bed as she felt. If they consummated their relationship now, it might be rushed and not as perfect as either of them wanted. With a sigh, she nodded. “You’re right. We’ll wait. For now, at least.” She ran her hand through his hair and looked him over again. “Do you think you’ll
be able to make it to the bedroom, to sleep of course, or am I going to have to carry you?”

  “Carry me? You must be stronger than you look to pull off a feat like that. Are you sure you’re not a shapeshifter, too?” He slowly pushed to his feet, and she followed him up, letting him lean against her. “I think I have enough energy to get there with your help. I’m looking forward to sleeping beside you.”

  They made it into the bedroom. Sophie crawled into bed beside him, not bothering to change into her pajamas. She was too tired to worry about anything but being beside him.

  Chapter Fourteen

  A couple weeks passed as Sophie and Will went on more dates, getting to know each other better. They spent more time at Sophie's place, and she finally cleared up more space in her work schedule to be less of a workaholic. She finally had more of a social life, and one that included spending time with her own Mr. Right.

  The two of them kept to their pact of not having sex until the time was right, which was seriously difficult at times. Being pressed close against Will as they watched a new series on Netflix, feeling the heat of his body as his hand brushed against her shoulder made her want to strip off her pants and climb into his lap. But she resisted... just barely.

  When Sophie reached out to Isabella the next day, things had been tense. Her friend was rightfully hurt by Sophie's words, and it took a few days and lots of chocolate to smooth things over. Isabella confided in her about being unsure that Prince Dating Agency was the best place for her to work. She wondered if something had happened there during the mess Sophie had caused, or if it was unrelated. Regardless, she encouraged her friend to follow her dreams no matter what direction they took her in.

  The bear pack met a few days into their relationship, and Will invited her along to meet everyone. Her introduction to everyone, and getting the chance to see Olivia and meet Ava, was more amazing than she could've imagined.

  But then, when he led her in front of everyone and got down on one knee, she'd felt like her jaw was about to hit the ground. Words stuck in her throat, and she stared at him for a few moments when he asked her to marry him. The cheers helped kick start her mouth, and she said, "yes."

  The two of them were still looking for a house. They'd briefly discussed him moving into her apartment, but it was pretty small. Besides, if they were going to be spending their lives together, it was better to have room to grow their family. But for now, Will spent almost all of his time at her place since his other option was his parents' house. She used to make fun of an old boyfriend who lived with his parents, but it was apparently their pack tradition for the children to live at home until they found mates.

  Sophie stared down at the engagement ring on her finger. Over the past year, she'd been the bridesmaid and soon-to-be maid of honor in a few weddings. The fact that she was going to plan her own wedding excited her beyond belief. She was going to be a bride, and she knew exactly who she'd ask to help her figure things out. Olivia was already deep in wedding research mode, so maybe her best friend could give her some pointers.

  She hopped up from her computer chair when she heard keys jingle in the doorknob. It was about time for Will to get home. She had a surprise for him under the satin robe she was wearing. While they'd agreed to wait, she felt so much more comfortable with him and his bear. They were engaged, after all.

  When Will opened the door with his backpack in his hands, he froze in the doorway and checked her out. He shook his head, jerking his gaze up to her eyes. He walked inside and closed the door behind him. "Wow, am I at the right apartment?" he said, pressing a kiss against her lips.

  "I hope you are. Maybe you should come back to the bedroom and double check." She took his backpack from him and set it on the ground beside the front door.

  "The bedroom?" He chuckled. "Sounds like a fair way of finding out if I'm in the right place." He let her guide him back.

  She could tell by the bulge in his pants that he wasn't complaining. Maybe he wouldn't say this wasn't the right time. Then again, neither of them brought the subject up after he said they should probably wait for sex. Instead, they'd both used the time to get to know one another and build a deeper connection.

  She positioned him so his back was facing the bed, and she began working her way down his button-up shirt. Once she'd finished with that, she went for his belt, unbuckling it. Then, she slowly slid his zipper down. Will balled his hands into fists at his sides as he watched her work. She pressed kisses against his chest, moving down to follow the path leading toward his belly button and lower. Her thumbs hooked into his pants, and she slid them down his hips and onto the floor.

  He relaxed his hands and moved them along her shoulders, brushing the robe off each one so that it pooled at her waist, momentarily caught by the belt. Nothing covered her chest, and was naked beneath the robe. He slid his palm over her chest, between her breasts, and tugged gently at the belt, causing the robe to flutter to the ground and reveal her entirely to him.

  Her breath caught in her throat at the feeling of standing there before him, completely exposed. His firm erection jutted out from his body, making her wonder for a moment how she would fit him inside of her. It was a challenge she heartily accepted nonetheless.

  "Make love to me, Will. It's time. I'm more than ready for you," Sophie whispered, standing on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck.

  He lifted her into his arms, trapping his cock between their bodies. "I'm ready for you, too." He gently laid her on the center of the bed as if she were made of glass. He stripped off his button-up shirt and tossed it on a chair in the corner before bending down to remove his shoes and pants. When he was done, he remained crouched and turned his gaze to her. His looked from the tips of her toes to the top of her eyes and back down, lingering on her thighs.

  His warm hands parted her legs, and he trailed kisses from her ankle to her knee and up to her thigh. His tongue swiped over her and his thumbs parted her lower lips, giving himself full access to her core. She moaned, sinking her hands into the sheets, unable to stop herself. "Will, that feels so good. Oh god."

  He slid his tongue over her clit in slow circular strokes before flicking it over the sensitive nub. Pleasure built within her quicker than she imagined possible. His tongue stroked lower. When he pushed it inside of her, she groaned loudly.

  She spread her legs even wider, savoring this and wanting even more. Her gaze slid down her body until she saw him staring straight at her, hungrily watching her every reaction with honey brown eyes. She gasped, surprised to see his eyes that color again. She was so aroused by what he was doing with his tongue that it barely affected her. Her body clenched around him, and she let her head fall back against the pillow as she arched into his touch.

  "Will, please. I need you."

  His tongue speared her a few more times before he caressed it over her clit. He pressed kisses up from between her legs toward her belly button, then gave both of her breasts adequate attention before he kissed her on the lips, letting her taste herself on his tongue. It only enhanced her already burning arousal.

  "I'll take care of you. I promise," he said against her lips. He pressed his cock against her entrance, and then leaned back in, ravishing her mouth as passionately as he'd kissed her core moments before as he slid into her inch by inch.

  She hooked a leg around his waist, trying to pull him closer as he filled her completely. She'd never felt this full. She wrapped her arms around his neck and dug her fingers into his back as he continued to bury himself inside of her. Once he was all the way in, he slowly moved back until he was almost all the way out. It didn't matter how much she tried to force his body to move faster; he went at his own pace. His speed was both incredibly delicious and increasingly infuriating.

  The strain of him holding back was obvious. His body was trembling against her. She moaned into his mouth, but she finally broke the kiss. "I won't break. Give me what you need. Don't hold back." Will stared down into her eyes, going completely st
ill. He didn't appear convinced, but dark desire shadowed his honey brown eyes. Was he contemplating doing as she asked? Could she take what he wanted to give her? She bit her lower lip and arched up into him, pressing her breasts against his chest. "Please, Will. You feel so good."

  A half-smile climbed the corner of his lips, and he leaned down, pressing another kiss to her mouth. His lips brushed against hers, and he began moving within her again. At first, he continued his slower, measured thrusts. Gradually, he picked up his pace. He didn't kiss her now. His gaze seemed to be glued to her face as if looking for any signs that he might be hurting her.

  All he received from her were moans of pleasure as his cock rocked into her, taking her and making her his. She touched the engagement ring with her thumb, feeling it there. Soon they would be married and their union would be recognized by the world as a whole; but right now, having him inside her, she knew they were mates.

  His body inside hers felt so good. Desire built within her, and she arched in time with his thrusts, wanting all of him. She moaned, savoring the way he made her body feel so alive.

  "That feels so good. Oh my god. Don't stop." She bit her lower lip as she kept her gaze on his eyes, wanting to share this moment with him and loving the intensity in his eyes. "I'm... oh. I'm close." Her body clenched around him again, and she wrapped her other leg around his waist, pulling him as close to her as she could. She was holding on as tightly as she could in case she might float away in ecstasy. He was her anchor.

  "I don't plan on stopping until you do." He groaned, the gravelly sound rumbled in his chest reminding her so much of his bear.