Page 14 of Ruby's Strength

Nine

Rett

Isigh and sit down beside her. “Baby, of course, I’m not going to say anything, but you have to tell me what the hell is going on. You’ve said a lot tonight, and I need your help putting it together.”

Ruby pulls my hand up to her mouth and kisses it before placing it back in her lap. She traces over my knuckles for a minute like she’s lost in thought. “Bear shifters are destined to have one true mate in this world. One soul that is the perfect match to their own. Most of the time, like my parents, shifters will be mated to another shifter. Sometimes though, a shifter will find their mate in a human. It’s not common, but it happens. As it turns out Cole’s, Slate’s, and my mate have all been human.”

“Tell me I’m your fucking mate because if I’m not, we’re going to have problems.”

She smiles. “Yeah Everett, you’re my mate.”

“And that’s why you bit me?”

“Yes, except there’s more to it than that. When I bit you, I didn’t just claim you, I changed you.”

“Changed me into a bear?”

She nods but refuses to look at me as a single tear rolls down her cheek. “I’m sorry Rett. My bear just took over. I think she was scared I wouldn’t claim you. I didn’t realize I did it until it was already done. I shouldn’t have taken that choice away from you, and I will be sorry about that forever.”

“It’s okay baby.”

“You’re not mad?” She asks, finally turning to look at me.

I wipe the tears that have fallen away. “Once I watched you run off in your bear form I kind of put things together. While I was waiting for you to come back, I had time to think. I figured me changing could be one of the reasons you were so upset. Would I have liked you to talk to me about it first, of course? Now that it’s done, I can’t say that I regret it.”

She lunges for me and wraps her arms around my neck, peppering my face with kisses. “Thank you, Rett. I was so worried that you’d never forgive me. My biggest fear would have come true, and it would have been my own fault. How was I supposed to live without you?”

I pull her onto my lap, so her legs are hanging over mine, and her ass is snug against me. “You’ll never have to Ruby.”

She smiles at me, and I swear she knows something she shouldn’t. “Guess we never got that date huh?”

“We had a date, it just went differently than what people typically do on a first date. We’ll have many more to get it right.”

“Yeah, we will. Everett, I have to tell you one more thing since we’re laying everything out on the table. I want to be completely honest about who I am and what you’re getting yourself into.”

I rub her back and place my other hand on her thigh, needing to touch her. “Whatever it is Ruby, I’m in.”

Ruby takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve had visions of the future. Sometimes it's the future that is many years from now. Other times it’s the very near future. There are instances when I only get feelings about things. I’ve never been wrong Everett, every single time I have one what I’ve seen has come true.”

“You’ve been given a gift Ruby, that isn’t a bad thing.”

“It doesn’t feel like one when I have no power over when the visions come. Anyway, my whole family knows about it. I haven’t gotten one in a few days which is strange, so I’m sure I’ll be having one soon.”

“Are you okay after you have one?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you get sick or pass out? Is there something I can do to help you through them?”

“I don’t understand how you are so accepting of me and my life.”

I stand with her in my arms and walk us back to her bedroom.

“I can walk you know.”

“Why walk when you have someone willing to carry you?”

Ruby kisses me slowly, but I’m in no mood for slow. Once we’re in her bedroom, I place her on the bed and start undressing. Ruby watches me intently, her tongue peeking out and licking her lips when she spots my dick that is in need of some relief. “Baby I need you,” I tell her stroking my hard dick.

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