Page 39 of Goldie and Her Bears (Dirty Paranormal Fairytale Haremlan 3)

“Did you think it was Kai?” I asked.

She shrugged. “I guess it would have made more sense for it to have been him.”

I chuckled. “Nope. It was yours truly.”

“What was that like?” she asked me. “Did you live in a secret community of shifters? Did you come out looking like a cub or a human?”

I shrugged. “I suppose it was pretty typical. I was born looking like a normal, bouncing, human baby boy. We didn’t attend shifter boarding schools or live in shifter neighborhoods. We had the typical American Dream. My mom and dad held normal human jobs. I went to traditional human education. All in all, we led normal lives. We had to keep our shifting nature a secret though. Other than that, nothing was all that different from when you grew up… minus a few details.”

“Normal for a shifter or normal in general?” she asked.

I smiled. I appreciated her curiosity. It was refreshing. Like so much else about her. “Definitely general.”

“So, what landed you out here?” she asked. “With Kai and Jasper? What possessed you to stick with him even though he treated you like crap?”

I let out a soft sigh. “I suppose it was just what felt right to me. I met Kai a long time ago. He saved my life once. I was indebted to him. But getting him to let me in was a nightmare.”

“How did he save your life?” she asked. She turned toward me. I moved my arm so that she could twist in her seat.

“People don’t like things that are different,” I said. “And I’m about as different as they came. What people don’t understand, they fear. And their fear was manifested as hate.”

“I don’t understand,” she said.

I smiled. “You’re not the first girl who was terrified of me.”

“Oh…” she said. Her eyes widened as she made the connection. “Oh. Oh, no.”

I nodded. “Let me say I almost died via a human hunting party. Kai was simply in the right place at the right time. He stepped in and did his grizzly thing. Ever since then, I had been trying to find a way to repay him.”

“I’m so sorry, Chase,” she said, voice soft and full of sorrow.

I shrugged. “We’re not meant to live alone. Not shifters. We’re stronger when we form packs. I hadn’t met any other shifters outside of my family. I had grown up and moved away, eager to taste what the world had to offer... But ever since that night, I felt called to him. Sort of like we were meant to be brothers. ”

“Interesting,” she said.

“He would never admit it, but he needs us more than he lets on,” I added.

She laughed. “So, Kai warmed up to you, huh?”

“In a manner of speaking. He’s guarded. He is also very picky about who he lets into his world, which is why there are only three of us.”

She nodded and fell silent for several moments. Eventually, she said, “Wow, that’s so crazy.”

“Which part?” I asked.

“Kai saving your life. I just don’t believe it. At least not from what I have learned of him.” She shook her head as her eyes became unfocused and her lips curved downward. “Yeah, I can’t make that connection with my experience. And Jasper already told me he was the one that carried me here. And that makes less sense than Kai saving your life.”

“If you stick around long enough, he’ll come around. I promise. He’s got a bad habit of believing everyone is out to get him,” I said and patted her arm.

She didn’t recoil, which was a great sign.

“He seems so… abrasive,” she said, meeting my gaze. “Not to mention convinced I’m evil.”

I nodded. “Well, I think he’s kept himself so closed off that he’s not even sure what the deal is. I’m not sure he understands how to show love or affection appropriately. But there are more things I still don’t know about him, and I doubt I ever will. It’s just best to accept him for who he is and respond accordingly.”

She softly hummed. “What about Jasper?”

“What about him?” I asked.

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