Page 24 of Coveted By The Bear

“We’re not supposed to tell anyone,” she whispered her explanation.

“Well, I guess that’s fine, then. Don’t tell me. But you know, this is all really hard to wrap my head around. Is everyone in Barvale a Shifter except me?”

“No, not everyone,” she said, but she still looked guilty.

“You know, I was just starting to think I was going to be okay after the hard time I had, pulling myself together when I left Bruce. But my whole world just shifted on its whole damn axis. I don’t know what to think or who to trust.”

“I’m sorry you had to find out this way, Hope, but we are still friends. None of that is a lie,” she pleaded with me to understand.

“I know, I’m sorry. I am freaking out,” I whispered.

It was true. Betty was not wrong for keeping her secret. Deep down, I understood that. I just felt a little salty about it.

“It’s understandable. Look, did Miles hurt you? Did he bite you or scratch you?” she asked.

I saw a flash of anger wash across her face, but it was nothing compared to the anguish I felt at being kept in the dark.

Wait. What did she say?

“No! Miles would never hurt me! That is about the only damn thing I am sure of in all this,” I said.

“What do you mean? Come on, Hope. Talk to me.”

“I saw grown men turn into Bears, or vice versa. These men were apparently trying to hurt me as some sort of payback for something Miles did. But he never hurt me. He saved me.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt the truth of them down to my bones.

He’d said something to me before all these people arrived. Something about being mates.

I might only be a human, but I was an avid reader of romance novels, especially the paranormal kind. If what Miles had said was true, then I needed to see him.

Now. Right now.

“Look, I want to talk to Miles,” I said, tired of waiting.

“You can’t—” Betty started.

But I was over being told what to do.

I walked up to where Arthur Lance, Crush Martinez, and Mr. Bodyguard were standing, and I pointed at each of them.

“Take me to Miles.”

“Uh, Miss, I really can’t?—”

“I said, take me to my mate right now.”

A round of fucks left their mouths, but I ignored them and crossed my arms.

“Hope, did Miles say?—”

“I want to see my mate, and I will not speak to anyone else until I do.”

Chapter Eleven-Miles

“Name.”

“Miles Orson. I told you this already.”

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