Bearly Beloved (Love Sync Mates Season Two)

Chapter One

Liam

The crunchy leaves rustled to the right of me, but I pretended not to notice. My hunter was not as sly as he believed himself to be, but I would trick him into believing I fell for his attempts at stealth. A tiny ball of black fur zoomed out of the nearby bushes and pummeled me, bouncing right off my solid form and temporarily stunning itself. I stumbled back several feet, tottering side to side like a drunk on a barhop, and finally ending in the overly dramatic groan and falling to the forest floor.

It was all an act, of course.

Growl.

An adorable face popped up into my line of vision, trying so hard to pass itself off as a fierce beast I needed to fear. Although I wanted to just snuggle the creature with huge round eyes and wild frizzy hair sprouting in every direction, I played my role. “Oh no. Please. Mr. Bear, don’t eat me.”

The tiny head tilted to the left and the features strained. He had to think about his next moves carefully. Would he let the defenseless human go, or would he maul me to death?

Oh, the tough questions of imagination play these wee cubs have.

Growl.

A small paw reached up and tapped my face twice, and then the small body climbed off me and ran behind a tree.

Sweet giggles alerted me to the three other cubs looking for their own turn to play Hunt the Human with me. They hadn’t gotten me the World’s Bestest Uncle coffee mug last Christmas for no reason. My sister was going to owe me some cookies for dessert tonight. I loved these kids, but having to fake fall so many times was starting to make me want to nap while on the ground.

“Okay, you balls of fluff. Who's going to come at me next?” I put on my meanest character voice and overly emphasized looking around myself, peering at the trees in search of any hint of my stalkers. “Oh well, I guess I’m alone.”

I began to unpack my picnic basket when four little balls of furry fury came barreling at me. Yup, my sister owed me some cookies tonight, at the very least.

Once the littles were worn out from their antics, they begged me for cuddle time with my own bear and I obliged. I could take a nap. My bear could use the freedom to roam a bit afterward. While the cubs washed up for dinner with their mother, I would go for a quick jaunt around the forest and stretch my legs. My animal rumbled in contented agreement at the thought.

“Kids. You need to come finish your chores before dinner. And do your reading.” My sister Nicola waddled out of her cabin, belly heavy with her fifth child. I was glad she couldn’t read my thoughts when I imagined her as a waddling penguin shifter instead of a fierce mama bear and hid my chuckle behind my sandwich. “I know you love Uncle Liam but that doesn’t excuse you from the things you need to get done.”

“Ah, Mom.” Her oldest son Billy shifted into his human skin and pouted, his lips sticking farther out than I had thought possible for a young boy. “Uncle Liam promised us he would shift into his bear form and let us cuddle him.”

“I think Uncle Liam will be happy to do cuddle time with you after dinner instead, since he knows the importance of young cubs getting in their daily hour of reading time.” Nicola stood firm on her front steps, fisted hand on one hip and a half-eaten chicken wing in the other. Since getting pregnant, I didn’t think I’d seen her without food in her hand.

Are all pregnant omegas like that? Or just bear shifters on their fifth kid? Or is it because this baby was a girl?

“Go on and listen to your mom, boys.” I ruffled the hair of all four of my nephews. “I promise to shift again after dinner tonight and let you cuddle before bedtime, okay?”

After agreeing to be good for their mom and finish all their homework, the kids ran off into the cabin and Nicola mouthed “thank you” before heading back inside herself.

It was time for me to shift and let my bear roam free.

Oh, what a wonderful life. How much better could it be?

Closing my eyes, I imagined myself becoming my beast. I felt the familiar stretch and pull as my features changed, elongating in places and gaining bulk in others. Fur sprouted from my skin, and I stretched to ease the tension the shift left in my body. Luckily, shifting didn’t hurt us and felt just as natural as any other basic function.

Wind blew through my fur, tickling me in the most fantastic way only a furry shifter could know. I shook out the stiffness of my body, and started my jaunt through the woods, knowing I’d have to be back here in about an hour to help my sister prepare dinner and entertain the kids until their father came home and we could eat. But even a few minutes in this form was amazing.

Colors were more vibrant, scents more intense, and I could hear the most subtle of sounds. My senses were alive and letting me experience the world in a way my human form just could not.

After my bear had his chance to run and frolic in the chilly air, I headed back to my sister’s house and shifted.

I had some cubs to cuddle with. And that was even better than shifting.