Page 12 of A Bunny for the Bear
“I’m not sure he’s going to understand you. Something's wrong,” Souli said, her voice wobbling.
“Something set him off. You probably need to shift to show your dominance.” That suggestion came from Maklihn.
As the oldest bear shifter of the group, he held a certain level of knowledge the rest of us couldn’t. Had he seen something like this happen before?
Nolan grumbled for a minute. “Fuck. Alright, nobody get too excited.”
I turned to Barrett, who wore a smirk that didn’t seem fitting for the situation at all. When he realized I was waiting for him to explain, he said, “He’s going to strip to his underwear before he shifts. The man hates to ruin perfectly good clothing.”
A few people around us managed to laugh at the words. It broke a bit of the tension, despite the large, riled-up bear facing us down.
Once Nolan was down to his underwear, he stood tall and let the shift come over him. It was amazing to watch the control he held. Where there’d once been only one bear, there were now two.
I whimpered as memories came to me unbidden. While neither of these men were focused on hurting me, terror still sat deep in my gut. I’d seen the evil of the shifter world. I couldn’t bear it if Collier Cover turned out like them.
A rumble came from the Hutton bear a second before Nolan let out a growl so loud it had me dropping to the grass. His Alpha power was unmistakable. Everyone around us had donethe same, either falling to one knee or sitting on their ass completely.
Time stood still as the two bears came to a standoff. The power crackling around them was stronger than I’d ever felt. Even the strongest Alpha in my old pack didn’t have this level of authority.
Nolan’s jaw widened, and he let out another intense roar. Hutton’s bear couldn’t withstand it. At least, that’s what I think happened. In a flash, the human version of him returned, though his bear was still on the surface if the glow in his eyes was any indication.
“Oh, shit,” Kris called out. “Um, I might know his issue.”
Several of us turned to look at him. He took a moment to clear his throat before pointing to his crotch and then to Hutton.
The connection was rather obvious now that he said something. Hutton’s cock was erect and leaking. Even his knot pulsed. Everyone knew this type of thing only happened when someone met their?—
“MATE!”Hutton’s deep voice said the word we were all thinking.
“Everyone here is already mated,” Judy said softly.
Greenly huffed. “Not everyone.”
All eyes turned to me. In that single moment, my life shattered and reformed. I hadn’t realized anything was different aside from my joy about meeting this group. There was no dramatic moment of understanding based on a scent exchange or a single touch.
I’d been too scared of the bear’s appearance to notice anything else. And yet now that it was being pointed out, I immediately knew Greenly was right. I was the only unmated shifter close by. For Hutton to have this reaction, it had to be me.
I was his mate.
Oh, no.
I couldn’t be. Fate wouldn’t put me in this predicament. Not so soon after escaping the life I’d been stuck in.
Was I ready to be someone’s Omega? And could I submit to a bear who didn’t have control of his shift?
This was a recipe for disaster. A mess in the making.
“No,” I said.
Souli’s eyes went wide. She rushed over to me. Dropping her voice, she asked, “Are you rejecting him? We might have to contain him if you do. I don’t know how his bear will react.”
I appreciated the evenness of her voice. Despite this being her family, she would be willing to let me make my own decision. She wasn’t going to force me to accept a mating bond like the people of my past might have.
“I’m not… it’s just a lot. Too soon after it all.” I waved my hand to fill in the blanks of what I hadn’t said.
She understood instantly. “Let me handle him then. Why don’t you let Maklihn and Clynt drive you home? Get some rest, and I’ll call you tomorrow, yes?”
“But I don’t have your number,” I replied instantly.
