Page 34 of Next Door Midlife Alpha
“I don’t know.” She studied the long line of houses that marched down the beach, each one of them home to someone like Dylan. “I’m a little lost on that. The old version of me would’ve written out a bunch of questions and taken notes to try to understand it all. I’m trying to think with my heart more than my head, but I still need some practice.”
“Maybe I can help.” He stopped, turning to face her. “So far, you’ve only seen a shifter in animal form from a distance.”
“Right.” She’d seen it with her own eyes, but was this man standing in front of her really the same creature who’d been on that boat? “I don’t think I’ve completely convinced myself that it’s not all just some fever dream.”
He’d already been smiling, and now it grew into a grin. “Good. Then what I have in mind is exactly what you need. We can make it more of a reality, something more concrete for that logical part of your brain to play with. Are you ready?”
Her mouth opened and closed without any words slipping through. Did he really mean what she thought he meant? “I’m not sure.”
“Just know that everything is all right,” he said, sliding his warm hand down her arm. “You’re perfectly safe with me. I promise.”
Dylan took two steps back. He inhaled deeply, and as he exhaled, he was no longer Dylan—or at least not the version she knew. His already wide shoulders grew bigger, and shiny black fur sprouted thickly all over his body. His face rearranged into a long muzzle, and his ears were two fuzzy little arcs near the top of his head. His heavy paws sank into the damp sand, the claws leaving neat little puncture holes behind when he shifted his weight.
It all happened so quickly that she barely had any time to process it. Stacey gasped, shocked not only by the change but also by the speed. It was unimaginable, yet it was right there in front of her. She fought for air as her lungs refused to work. Her vision darkened at the edges as her brain tried to process what it’d just seen.
But as she looked, she saw she had nothing to fear. “That’s really you,” she breathed, studying his eyes. They were different, of course, as they watched her from that furry face, but somehow, she still knew they were his.
She ought to be terrified. Even at a zoo, she’d never been this close to a bear of any kind. But the rush of adrenaline that moved through her body was one of intrigue instead of terror. He’d said he would make it more real, and he’d been right. Staceycouldn’t question herself now. She couldn’t wonder if he was pulling her leg or if she was hallucinating when he was right there. Stacey lifted her hand uncertainly. “Can I—Can I touch you?”
Dylan took two lumbering steps forward. He scooped his long nose under her palm, forcing her hand down onto his fur. Her body buzzed at the sensation as she smoothed her hand up over his forehead and between his ears, the fur so thick and luscious. He was warm and soft, and as she moved slightly to the side, she touched his shoulder, the muscles beneath his fur strong and hard.
How could she be so comfortable standing on the beach petting a bear? It stretched her mind to its limits but filled her heart with a deep sense of tranquility.
No, that wasn’t true. There was one other time she’d felt that serenity. It’d been strong enough that she hadn’t wanted it to end, and Stacey hadn’t thought she’d ever find a feeling quite that deep again. The idea took her breath away.
The bear gave her a long look, and then it was gone. Dylan stood in its place, and her hand was now on his arm. Neither of them made any move to change positions. “What do you think?”
Stacey marveled at him. She couldn’t even beginto imagine where all that fur had gone or how the insides of his body would’ve had to change back and forth. Her gaze traveled along his body and eventually dropped down into the sand. He stood with his foot directly inside the much wider footprint that’d been left behind by what he’d been a moment ago. Bear and man, all in one. It was what she felt that truly riveted her. He kept revealing the deeper mysteries within him, but now she knew it was her turn, no matter how odd it sounded. “Dylan, do you remember me telling you about having a near-death experience?”
His brows quirked together as they slowly resumed their walk, closing in on the base of the lighthouse. He obviously didn’t expect that response from her. “Sure. That was why you moved out here.”
“Yes.” She focused on the way her feet sank into the sand and the breeze felt on her skin. It kept her grounded while she relived that unbelievable moment in her mind. “I saw my father, and he told me there were still people here who needed me. He also showed me a little bear statue. It was beautiful on its own, but the truly amazing part is that it’s the very same bear statue that’s on the mantel in your living room.”
“Wait, the one Lila made?” Dylan asked.
Stacey nodded. If they hadn’t already discussed so many odd things between them, she would’ve worried all over again that she sounded crazy. She was starting to realize that almost nothing could be crazy at this point. “The very same. I didn’t know what to think about it at first. That can’t just be a coincidence.”
He rubbed his lips together and squinted into the night ahead of them. “No, I wouldn’t think so.”
“When my mom explained to me about fated mates?—”
“Wait.” He stopped, grabbing her hand in his. “You know about that?”
She smiled and shrugged. “Only a bit. My mom dated a shifter in her day, apparently. Dylan, I don’t know much about what’s going on here. I don’t understand how things work for you, but I’m starting to wonder if some bigger force has been pushing us together.”
“Stacey.” Now, he took both of her hands in each of his. They stood not far from the lighthouse, in a little cove where the beach was little more than a strip of sand, and the trees reached out over the water. “I wondered about that, too. I wasn’t sure if that could happen between a shifter and a human, but I know for sure now. The way I feel about youisn’t like anything I’ve ever experienced before. I love you so much that I can hardly stand being away from you. When you’re nearby, I can sense your presence even before I lay my eyes on you. You’re my mate, and as such, I will always protect you and your family as my own. If you’ll have me.”
“Of course I will,” she breathed, feeling her heart reaching out for him even though he was only inches from her. The whole ocean seemed to pulse in her veins. “I don’t understand everything about who you are or how things will work between us, but isn’t that how it is between any two people?”
“You’re probably right.” He pulled her closer, one hand letting go of hers so he could wrap it around her waist. “I’m sure you understand why I had to before, but I want you to know that there won’t be any more secrets between us.”
“Then I suppose I have one I need to tell you.” Her whole body was alive as he held her in his arms. It’d taken so long to find him, but she knew he was worth it. “I love you, too.”
She rose on her toes to kiss him, her body immediately remembering how good it felt to be with him before. That was before they’d known so much about each other, before she’d had any clue that shifters existed or that two people could be fated toeach other. She knew it now, though, and believed it because she could feel it in her bones.
Dylan kissed her in return, his tongue gliding confidently between her parted lips. It was hot and greedy against her own, igniting sparks all over her skin. She slipped against his tongue and his lips, feeling his love and need for her. His heart pounded in his chest, and she curled her fingers there as though she could capture it and keep it forever.
But now she knew she could.
