Page 60 of Sweet Heart for the Bear

Horace stiffens in front of me, unmoving. A behemoth of a roadblock.

I poke him.Hard.

Right in the middle of his very solid back.

He grunts but doesn’t budge.

“Oh my God, let him in!” I huff, exasperated.

Finally, Horace steps aside—reluctantly, I might add—to allow the man inside, but as soon as the door clicks shut, he whirls on me.

Before I can even ask what the hell he’s doing, he snatches his coat from the rack and drapes it over my shoulders.

I blink up at him, stunned. “What are you doing?” I hiss.

“Do not mind him, dear,” the older man—Uncle Uzzi?—interjects smoothly. “His beast won’t settle until he is satisfied that you are properly covered, especially in front of an unmated male.”

I gape at him. “Beast? Unmated male? Oh, no. Please do not tell me you’re actually going along with this jerk’s idiotic lies!”

I stomp my foot.

Yes, I am that mature.

Uncle Uzzi sighs, giving Horace a pointed look. “You fool! Are you telling me, Horace Vanderbilt, that you did not explain things to Miss Coppola before you bit her?”

I watch in amazement as blue sparks flicker across his palm—and zap Horace right on his perfect ass.

“Ouch!” Horace yelps, jerking upright.

My jaw drops.

“W-what was that?” I croak, trying to process whatever the hell I just saw.

“Oh, that?” Uzzi waves a hand, unconcerned. “Nothing to worry about, dear. Hopefully, I zapped a little sense into this Neanderthal.”

“Youzappedhim.”

“That’s right.” He smooths his coat, looking entirely unbothered. “Now, I was originally here to discuss Horace’s progress on my Date to Mate app?—”

I blink. What?

“—but I think you two need my help a bit more than that.” He clasps his hands together. “So, what exactly has he told you?”

Horace groans, rubbing a hand down his face. “Uncle Uzzi, I was just about to explain everything when you rang the bell.”

Uzzi narrows his eyes. “You mean you were going to tell her about Shifters and fated matesafteryou already claimed her with your bite?”

Horace winces.

“This is not how it works, Horace. You know better!” Uzzi scolds.

“I know.” Horace exhales heavily, his gaze flicking to me, pleading. “I messed up. But, Uncle Uzzi, please—she’s the one. My fated mate. My Bear knows it. I know it.”

He turns to me, stepping closer. “Carina, I swear to you, everything I’m saying is true.”

Uzzi tilts his head. “Perhaps if you show her?”

“Wait, what?—”

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