Page 12 of Her Former Bear Mate

"Too old," Aditi said for the first woman.She continued swiping, not in any way, shape, or form interested or intrigued by the steady stream of selfies."Too young.Too perky.Too macho.Too tall.Too short."

Alix rolled her eyes."Come on, you're not giving anyone a chance.You're the one who wanted to try online dating."

"But none of them do it for me," Aditi complained, still swiping without even bothering to look.This had been a terrible mistake.None of these women were Lena.

"Stop!"Alix almost slapped the phone out of Aditi's hand."Fuck, that's Veronica."

Aditi sat up, instantly distracted from her own woes."Oooh!Hello, hot step-sister."

Not to her surprise, Alix gave Aditi's head a swat."Don't call her that!"

Aditi flicked through the various pictures of Veronica, far more invested in this than her own love life.So this was the woman that Alix almost hooked up with last week?It was so unlike her friend to just go out and sleep with a stranger so of course, Aditi was intrigued.

This Veronica looked classy.Expensive bags, designer clothes, just a vibe that only people with money had.Not stupid generational money, but flashy cash.

"She's cute.Not my type, though," she added quickly, so her friend wouldn't think she was interested.

"Thank the Goddess for that," Alix muttered.It sounded like a joke but knowing her, it was likely genuine relief.For some reason, Alix seemed to believe that Aditi was far more attractive than her.

Aditi disagreed.While she didn't think of herself as ugly, she did have eyes and mirrors, she also knew that some people would always dismiss her because of her heritage.She didn't mind, she never minded because her own preferences were specific too.Tall women, smart women, sweet women with a heart of gold.All those boxes had been ticked in Lena.

A picture of Veronica in a red bikini appeared and Alix fanned herself."Told you.Smoking hot."

Aditi felt herself smile."You should make yourself a dating profile and match with her."Maybe that would distract her friend from trying to match her up with all these random women.

"No!Were you not listening to the whole story?I need to stay the heck away from her," Alix protested.

"Why?She's not your real step-sister.Your mum and her dad happen to be dating each other.Big deal," Aditi said, eagerly jumping on the change in topic.

Alix looked comically mortified."And I have to go to dinner with them and Veronica, the woman who I almost hooked up with.No, that makes it sound hot and steamy when I fell asleep in the middle of our hook-up.How embarrassing!"

"I've had that happen to me.I've totally fallen asleep in the middle of sex when I had a super long shift."

"Yes, but with Lena.With your long-term partner, your best friend, the love of your li—" Alix paused mid-sentence."Sorry."

Aditi's stomach turned and she could suddenly feel all the margaritas at once.She pressed her hands over her mouth but she still felt horrible.

Alix patted her back."You okay?"

"Mhmm," she hummed before shaking her head."Hmhm."

"Need some water?Fresh air?A bag?"

"No, I'm fine."Aditi slid her hands up until her fingers reached her temples."Why couldn't I just say yes when Lena asked me to move with her?What does it matter if we're fated mates?"

Alix didn't answer.

"I'm such a coward," Aditi continued, her head heavy with regret and despair."I should never have asked her to go to the lake with me."

"It's alright to want a fated mate, though.It's in your blood.You're a shifter, a bear shifter at that.Wanting a fated mate is in your DNA," Alix said.

Aditi cringed at the statement."I hate that so much.I've always hated the idea of fate dictating my choices, my love life.I wanted to love someone freely, simply because I love them.Not because of any Moon Goddess' will or the universe’s plan or something like that."

"And that's beautiful too.But now you want more."

"I don't even know if I do!I just panicked.Like moving to the country is a big deal.Leaving my mum behind, leaving you behind.For someone who could leave me at any moment?"Aditi knew how pathetic and insecure she sounded.She could hear it in her own voice and she hated herself for it.She shouldn't have felt like that after a four-year relationship.And she certainly shouldn't have dealt with it this way, demanding something that they both previously agreed to not doing.

But then the moment Lena refused to go into the lake with her, all those insecurities had multiplied.Why didn't Lena want to find out if they were fated?Would Lena rather break-up then do this?Did Lena think they weren't fated mates?

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