“No, just Connor and Logan. Roman is a tiger and Magnus is a lion,” Kristin said.
“I don’t believe it. You must be playing a joke on me. Andrea, have you been telling everyone that I’m really gullible?” she demanded. Andrea burst out laughing.
“No, that’s just between us,” she said with a wink. “Would you like to see a demonstration?”
“Uh huh.” Lori nodded.
“Magnus,” Andrea called in a sweet voice. “Can you come and show us your lion, please?”
“O-k!” he called back, elongating the word like a bored teen.
There was a silence, while Lori waited with her hands folded in her lap. Then there was a scrabbling of claws on wooden stairs and along the bare boards of the corridor, and, at last, a magnificent male lion strode into the living room. It was huge, with a luxuriant mane and glinting golden eyes. Lori gasped and jumped up on the couch.
“Oh my god!” she exclaimed.
“Shh, it’s ok,” Andrea said. She held out her hand and Magnus walked over to her and gave a soft purr. She stroked his mane and tickled him behind his ears, and he put his head back and closed his eyes in ecstasy. “Touch him. It’s fine, I promise.” Lori climbed down from her hunched position and looked the lion in the eye. His eyes were unmistakably Magnus’s. He gave her a lazy smirk, running his pink tongue along his gleaming white incisors. She stretched out a trembling hand and touched his mane, before snatching it back again. “Go on,” Andrea urged. “He likes it when you rub his nose.” She reached out again and touched the animal’s long nose. He purred again, more loudly this time, and his tongue came all the way out and licked her hand. Lori shrieked.
“Argh! It feels like a giant cat!” she exclaimed. Magnus jerked away from her and gave a snarling roar. Lori jumped and made a whimpering noise, but Andrea laughed. “You hurt his feelings. He didn’t mean to be aggressive. It’s just that all these shifters are more in touch with their instincts when they’re in their animal form, so they can be very direct at times. Thanks for your help, hun, you can go now if you want,” she said to Magnus. He shook his mane regally and stalked away.
“This is – this is too much to take in,” Lori said. She’d tucked her feet up under her and her arms were wrapped around her body.
“I know it seems crazy,” Kristin said. “All of us completely freaked when we first heard about the shifter secret. But when we came to terms with it, we were so glad we did. It’s brought us more happiness than we could’ve imagined.”
“So Roman does the same thing? Turns into a tiger right in front of you?”
“Yep, when I’m lucky,” Kristin said with pride. “In fact, I saw him in his tiger form before I ever spoke to him as a man. He was stalking me in the forest and I caught sight of him, up a tree!” Lori frowned.
“But isn’t it dangerous to be with these guys? Isn’t there a chance that their animal side will attack you?” Everyone laughed.
“Noo!” Lauren said. “Shape shifters give you the best of their animal side. You get endless devotion and protection. Shifters mate for life, and their mate is their number one priority. You become the center of their world, and they’d fight for you to the end.”
“That sounds kind of cool,” Lori said, and she paused, thinking things over. “So, Bruno is a bear, right?”
“Yes. Like all of the clan,” her sister said.
“Oh.”
“Why? You look worried. Or confused.”
“I don’t know. We were dancing together last night. It’s like, every time he touches me, I get this really weird sensation, like I accidentally touched an electric fence.” She laughed nervously. “I feel drawn to him, but like I want to run away at the same time.” The other women exchanged quick glances.
“I think you like him!” Lauren said, in a sing-song voice.
“Of course I like him; he’s a nice guy. But this reaction is something physical. It’s nothing like liking. I guess I can most compare it to wanting something that you know is bad for you.”
“Or very good for you – you just don’t realize it yet!” Melissa said, uncharacteristically cheekily.
“Shifters have this thing called fated mates,” Lauren said. “A force in the universe ordains that they are supposed to be with a certain woman, and they spend their lives trying to find their mate. They’re not always successful, but for them, it’s like the Holy Grail. This could be the experience you’re describing – that some crazy force is pulling you together.” Lori shook her head.
“I just don’t think so. He hasn’t been flirting with me or anything.”
“Bears can be shy,” Dina said. “They’re these really big, tough guys, with big hearts. But they can be rather introverted. It’s hard for them to make the first move.”
“Bruno must be on the app, right?” Lauren asked.
“What app?”
“The little dating app where we all met our mates. It’s run by a charming English lady called Tamika, and it’s called Shiftr – spelled without the E. It’s for shape-shifting men, and curvy girls only, as shifters prefer voluptuous women. Tamika lives in Hope Valley, and a lot of shifters come to live here too, hoping to meet their mate. It’s a pity she wasn’t at the party yesterday so I could have introduced you, but she’s overseas at the moment, looking at international opportunities for her business.”
“So any curvy woman can sign up to it?” Lori asked.
“No, she has to be pre-approved by Tamika, and has to promise that she won’t discuss the app with anyone who’s not already on it, apart from one person of her choosing, once she’s found her mate,” Andrea explained.
“And you’re telling me as your one person?” Andrea nodded, and Lori broke into a grin. “But, do you think Tamika will approve me?”
“Already done!”
“But how?”
“We just sent her your photo, and told her a little about you. It didn’t hurt that you were my sister either, of course!” Lori gazed at each of them in turn.
“I don’t know what to say, ladies. I’m really touched. But I’m just not sure that I’m ready to be dating yet. I mean, I’m still breastfeeding Nancy a little bit. Although I guess I should probably stop.”
“There’s no rush. You might not be ready to meet someone yet, but I think it’s healthy to look around, to remind yourself that there are great guys out there for when you are ready,” Andrea said. “Now, give me your phone.” Lori automatically slipped into obedient little-sister mode and handed it over.
“We set a profile up for you already to make things easier for you, but you can change anything you don’t like. You also need to answer the app’s questions, which help it to match you to your ideal mate.”
Andrea installed the app and handed the phone back to her sister, with the feed showing on the screen. “Now, take a look at these delicious specimens!”
The women watched with pleasure as Lori scrolled up and down. Andrea shuffled closer to her.
“Tap on the thumbnail if you want to see the entire profile,” she said, tapping a photo of a very muscular, black-haired guy with a goatee. The image enlarged, and she scrolled down to reveal his personal details.
“He’s gorgeous,” Lori breathed.
“And, if you want to see his animal side, swipe to the left, like this.” A photo of a black wolf appeared, lithe and unsettling, on a dark forest track. Lori shivered.
“That kind of gives me the creeps.”
“That’s important to recognize,” Lauren said. “You have to engage with their animal, as well as their person, or it will be a very incomplete match. So if you don’t like the look of the animal, it’s a sign that you’re probably not suited.”
“Just one thing,” Dina said. “Don’t swipe right, or they’ll disappear from your feed completely. I did that by accident when I found Logan on the app, and I almost lost him forever!”
“Ok,” Lori muttered, scrolling up and down, and swiping left and back again. From time to tim
e, she muttered “bear”, “wolf” or “tiger”.
“Are you matching them up?” Melissa said, coming to sit on Lori’s other side.
“Yeah. It’s weird, but my guesses have been pretty accurate so far.”
“Shifters aren’t just half of one thing and half of another. The man is the animal and the animal is the man,” Lauren said. “That’s why, when you know what you’re looking for, their animals aren’t hard to spot.”
“I’m starting to see that. Like, Roman is obviously not a bear. But I think I could guess he’s not a lion either. There’s very definitely something tiger about him.”
“Uh huh,” Kristin said with a grin.
“What is your type, Lori?” Melissa asked. Lori stared into space.
“Looks-wise, tall, dark. Not too slim. I like guys who look like they could sweep you up in their arms and keep you there forever. So men with some meat on their bones, I guess.”
“Brown eyes or blue?”
“Either! I don’t have a preference. I guess I really like unusual eyes. You know, ones that make you look twice when you see a guy in the street.”
“And personality-wise?” Lori gave a dry laugh.
“The direct opposite of my ex-husband. I like guys who are protective and manly, but kind and caring. No, but I also want someone who gives me my independence and doesn’t try to control me. Is that too much to ask from one person?”
“No, not at all,” Lauren said. “And you’ve pretty much described bears. They’re naturally really protective, but they’re very good-hearted and understanding, and not macho at all. It’s like they know they’re big and strong, and they don’t need to put on a front.”
“I like the sound of that a lot,” Lori said. “Now let me try to find some bears here.” She went back to scrolling up and down her feed.
“You can filter by animal if you want?” Lauren suggested. “Right here.”
“Ok, just bears,” Lori said, ticking the relevant box. “Oh, he’s ridiculously hot,” she muttered. The girls all crowded around the screen as it filled with a deeply tanned guy with a broad torso. He had short black hair and deep brown eyes, with an expression of kindness in them.
“Woo-hoo,” Lauren said. “He is a hottie. Not that I’m looking, of course.”
“Mmm, it says that he’s a solitary type, looking for a mate to share his lair, deep in the forest. And he doesn’t want to have kids. That’s not someone I could be with. If I ever meet anyone, it’ll be really important that they love and accept Nancy. But how likely is that?”
“I think you’d be surprised,” Lauren said. “Shifters don’t have silly human preconceptions. They’re very nurturing. I think most of them would want to have cubs with their mate, but they’d also be very happy to welcome existing children into the family.”
“Sounds almost too good to be true,” Lori murmured, as she continued scrolling. “What’s it like being with a shifter in bed?” she asked suddenly, pausing on a photo of a very sexy bear, with honey-colored hair and sparkling amber eyes.
“It gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘animal sex’,” Kristin said solemnly, and everyone burst out laughing.
“Joking apart, having sex with your mate is the most intense, wild, incredible thing you can imagine,” Lauren said. “They have incredible stamina. But, most importantly, they put your pleasure first. Their animal side makes them very intuitive to your needs, and it’s a matter of pride for them that you’re always satisfied.”
“I’ve never been satisfied before,” Lori said. Everyone gaped at her. “I mean, not when I’m with a man.”
“Are you saying you never, um, climaxed with Rob?” Andrea said. Lori shook her head.
“Nope. Not even when the little one was conceived. How sad is that?” Four faces turned into masks of pity. Lauren recovered first.
“Girl, we need to finish signing you up to Shiftr right now! Things are going to change very soon! Let me show you how to switch on your messaging capability and fill out your personal questions.”
“Ok, please show me how. But I don’t think I’m ready to do it just yet. I’ve had a lot to take in today, and I just need a little time to process things before I launch myself out there.”
“Of course, sis,” Andrea said, stroking her shoulder.
“I still find it hard to believe that these guys could be interested in me. But I trust you ladies. And it has given me confidence that you’ve all found amazing guys for yourselves.”
“Your perfect match isn’t far away, believe me,” Lauren said. “You’re an awesome chick and really beautiful. The Shiftr guys will be fighting over you!”
“I don’t know about that,” Lori said shyly. But she allowed herself a small, secret smile. Is it really possible that there could be someone out there for me, who would love and protect me, and undo all the hurt that my ex-husband has caused me? she wondered.
At that moment, Magnus sauntered into the room. He locked eyes with Lori and grinned.
“Sorry for scaring you. My lion’s a naughty beast sometimes,” he said.
“That’s ok,” she replied, returning his grin. There was something endearing about his lion’s cockiness. She could absolutely see why he and Andrea were perfect for each other. And she was also very glad that she could choose to be with a bear shifter, instead of a lion.
“I think you should make it up to Lori, and to all of us, by going and getting us takeout from that new Italian place,” Andrea said sternly. Magnus yawned, hmmphed and padded to the kitchen and came back with the menu. Andrea winked at Lori and they both giggled.
Chapter Seven
Bruno and Tad were out the back of their cabin with Niall, all working at the barbecue. Soon, the smell of roasting rabbit and deer filled the air. When the meat was ready, they carried it inside on platters and ate at the kitchen table, accompanied by beer for the guys, and soda for Tad.
“Can I go, dad?” Tad demanded, the moment he was finished eating.
“When you’ve put the plates in the washer,” Bruno said with a laugh. Tad let out a dramatic sigh, but completed his chore, whistling all the time.
Bruno and Niall went through to the living room and threw themselves onto the couches.
“Dude, have you figured out how to set up that dating site yet?” Niall asked.
“As a matter of fact I have,” Bruno said, pulling his phone out of his pocket and showing him the little orange paw print app.
“You installed it for yourself?”
“For research purposes only!”
“Uh huh. I believe you, bro,” Niall said. Bruno reached out with his foot and kicked him.
“Give me your phone, and I’ll set it up for you. Did you find a photo of your animal and a shirtless one as well?” Niall nodded, embarrassed. “It’s gotta be done. We bears have got some serious competition out there,” Bruno said with a shrug. He was silent while he filled in the various categories. “Where are these photos?” Niall showed him. “Ok, we’re done, except for the part where you answer questions about yourself, to help you find the best possible match. I’ll leave that to you though. “There you go, bro.” He handed the phone over and showed Niall how to tap on the app and scroll through the feed. Niall’s eyes got big as he stared at one beautiful curvy girl after another.
“These women are goddesses,” he said. “I’d go for all of them.” Bruno laughed.
“But only one of them will be your perfect match, and it’s up to you to locate her.”
Tad drifted into the room.
“What are you doing, dad?” he said, jumping onto the other end of the couch Bruno was sitting on. He picked up Bruno’s phone and looked at the app.
“Niall has decided it’s time he found his mate, so we’re signing him up to a dating app.”
“Cool. Shiftr? So it’s just for shape shifters, I guess?”
“That’s right, squirt,” Bruno said.
“And you’re starting to date too?” Tad demanded, fixing his
father with his clear green eyes. He looked so serious that Bruno wanted to pull him into his arms and hug him. The scattering of freckles on his nose seemed more pronounced than ever. They always reminded Bruno of Karen. She’d hated them when they’d first met, and always tried to cover them with make-up, but he thought they were totally adorable, and, over time, he’d persuaded her to let them show through. He recalled her standing in front of the mirror, gazing at her reflection with eyes that were so much like Tad’s, powder puff in hand, deliberating whether to put a dollop of make-up on her nose. His stomach clenched as it always did at memories of her. But then he smiled. He was coming closer to the point that memories of her brought pleasure more often than pain.
“No, I’m just helping Niall. You know what he’s like with technology. And I don’t exactly have my finger on the pulse. So I just had to figure out how it works for myself first.”
“I don’t mind if you start dating, dad,” Tad said. Bruno looked at his son sideways. He was focusing on the app intently.
“But you said that you wanted it just to be the two of us,” Bruno said gently. Tad looked up.
“I guess I did. But I was just being immature,” he said, in an offhand tone. Bruno let out a bark of laughter.
“What? Where did you get that from?” he said.
“School. We had a class all about how we should treat others as we want to be treated ourselves. Miss Robinson was saying that putting you own needs ahead of others, even if it hurts them, is immature. And taking other people’s feelings into consideration is mature. I’m a big kid now, so I want to be mature.” Bruno smiled.
“That sounds like a good lesson. But it’s important not to hide your own feeling too. Especially when they relate to something that’s really important.” Tad screwed his eyes up tight and was silent for a moment.
“But I was honest about my feelings, dad. I’d be happy if you started dating,” he said at last. Bruno sat up on the couch and took Tad’s hands in his.
“Tad, no-one would ever replace your mom. I need you to understand that. And even if I started dating somebody, they wouldn’t become your new mom.”
Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love (Lori) BBW Bear Shifter Romance (Hope Valley BBW Dating App Romance Book 5) Page 7
