Page 10 of My Forever Bear

Stepping up to her, I grip her shoulders. Bending to kiss her neck, I whisper, “Alright Wren, you win this round.”

A shiver visibly races down her spine. I smile against the soft skin of her neck, knowing how much she's affected by my presence.

“Get some rest and I'll take you to your car in the morning.” I place one final, soft kiss on her forehead before turning my back and heading to my room.

If I don't get out of her orbit, I'll do something stupid like fuck her right there on the couch.

Kiernan’s hulking form disappears down the hallway, and I listen to every step until they fade away. When his bedroom door clicks softly in the distance, a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding whooshes from my chest. I can still feel the brush of his lips on my forehead, my skin tingling with awareness. Every gentle caress had my skin on fire and my lady bits throbbing. Ugh, I’m crushing hard. How is that possible after just meeting?

I collapse onto the couch, the supple gray fabric surrounding my tired body like a friendly hug. Somehow, the evening turned somber when Kiernan told me about Finn. He’s lost so much at such a young age. Being a shifter has caused him to lose his family and essentially his freedom. Yet, he’s still here, pushing through each day. I admire his strength.

I haven’t experienced the same amount of loss as Kiernan. I can’t help but think the emotional abuse I suffered from Chris has brought us closer. We’ve both been through trauma, but maybe we can heal together. Kiernan already makes me feel safe.

And I’ve seen the way he looks at me. Those beautiful whiskey eyes heating with every glance. He’s not unaffected by this pull, whatever it is, between us. Would he ask me to stay?

Besides Sydney, I don’t have a reason to go back home. No job, an ex I’d prefer to avoid; maybe Kiernan finding me in the woods was fate.

“He hasn’t even asked you to stay,” I whisper into the quiet of the living room. “You’re getting ahead of yourself, girl.”

Shaking my head, I pull myself out of my thoughts. I'd felt my phone vibrate with an incoming text message several times during dinner. Pulling it from my pocket, I stare at the screen as my lids start to droop.

Two new text messages and one missed call.

Sydney:Don’t forget to call me in the morning or I will send a search party ;)

She thinks she's so hilarious. I shoot back a quick goodnight text before clicking on the other text notification.

Unknown:You can’t ignore me, Wren. We’re made for each other.

Great. Chris must have texted me from someone else’s phone. Such a freaking snake. He belittled me about my body and weight throughout our entire relationship. Hell will have to freeze over before I'd even consider taking him back.

The missed call is from the same unknown number. I block it without another thought before setting my phone down on the coffee table. With a deep breath, my body relaxes, and the low glow of the flames dancing in the fireplace lulls me to sleep.

Adeep shout in the distance startles me awake.

“Kiernan?” I whisper into the muted air of the living room. The same shout sounds again, and my heart picks up pace. I quietly rise from the couch and tiptoe down the hallway toward Kiernan’s closed bedroom door.

Pressing my ear to his door, I lightly rap my knuckles and wait for a response. A pained groan fills the air. “Kiernan? Are you okay?” I whisper as I crack the door open; my breathing picks up pace and my legs shake with nerves.

A beam of moonlight streams through the window, illuminating Kiernan’s impressive form filling the bed. He lets out another loud groan, his limbs thrashing and tangling in the sheets. Is he still asleep? As I press closer to the bed, another distressed moan fills the air, and my breath catches.Shit.

I climb gently onto the bed in front of him. “Kier,” I whisper as I shake his shoulder lightly. “Wake up. Please, you’re scaring me.”

My forehead bunches in worry. Does he have these night terrors often? The pinched expression on his face tells me he’s in pain and I’m helpless to make it better.

He whimpers, the sound like a wounded animal. His eyes move rapidly beneath his closed lids. “Kier,” I whisper a little louder. I stroke my fingers over his forehead, into his cropped hair. His eyes spring open, glazed with fury. Baring his teeth, he releases a snarl, chilling me to the bone.

“Kiernan, it’s me. It’s Wren,” I say hurriedly, holding my hands up in surrender.

He blinks a few times, his anger slowly fading to reveal those deep whiskey-brown eyes I’m becoming so familiar with. “Wren,” he croaks out.

I nod. “Yeah, it’s me, Kier.” He hums at the nickname. Grabbing my hand, he places it over his rapidly beating heart. “Are you okay? I heard you screaming from the couch.”

He scrubs a hand down his face. “Shit, yeah, sorry. I’m fine.” A large gust of breath leaves him, but I’m not sure if it’s one of frustration or relief. The pounding beneath my palm slows to a steady rhythm, which eases my worry.

“Kiernan, don’t lie to me. You were screaming and thrashing all over the bed. What’s going on?”

He looks down at the bed sheets twisted around his legs. “I-I have nightmares sometimes. They started after Finn died.”

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