Chapter 6
BEXLEY
Rowan sat in front of me on the rug, the firelight brushing her cheeks with warmth. Every instinct I had screamed to close the distance again. Her lips were still parted from our kiss, swollen and pink. Her breath came in soft, uneven pulls that punched straight through my control.
Instead, I forced myself to sit back before I lost the thin thread of restraint I had left.
Rowan blinked at me, confusion clouding her hazel eyes. “What could be so important that you’d stop kissing me to talk?”
The hurt was clear in her voice.
I exhaled shakily and lowered my gaze for a second, because one more look at her kiss-bruised mouth and I was going to give in. “I didn’t stop because of you.”
She scooted the tiniest bit closer, just an inch, but it was enough that my bear nearly ripped free of my skin.
Confusion shone in her eyes, and her warm scent wrapped around my senses, making it nearly impossible to breathe. My bear was practically frothing at the mouth.
I dragged a hand through my hair and forced myself to meet her gaze. “I want you too much.”
She licked her lips, her gaze flicking to my mouth and back up again. “Then stopping makes even less sense.”
She had no idea how close she was to being pinned beneath me on this rug. Or what that kiss had ignited inside me. I had to tell her the truth before my control snapped completely and my polar did something we couldn’t take back.
I drew in a slow breath, steadying myself. If I took one wrong step, I could scare her off.
“Did you notice anything unusual between us?”
“Yeah.” Her lashes lowered, then lifted again, and she nodded. “I wouldn’t have kissed you otherwise. I’ve never felt anything like this before.”
Soon, she would understand why I was the only man who would ever spark desire in her.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks pink. “Is that why you stopped? Because the connection felt too intense?”
“In a way.” I raked my fingers through my hair. “Relationships start differently here in Timber Ridge. Things move quickly.”
Rowan let out a startled laugh. “I mean, yeah. I can definitely see that. I met you less than twenty-four hours ago, and we’ve already spent the night together and kissed. That’s pretty fast, Bexley.”
“Even faster than that.”
Her eyes widened as she whispered, “Really?”
I took another breath, choosing each word like it might determine my survival. Because it did. “My people have rare, unbreakable bonds we recognize when we finally meet the right person.”
The curious gleam in her eyes hadn’t been replaced by disbelief yet, so I continued, “You’re my fated mate. The one I was born for.”
Rowan’s lips parted, and her brows drew together as she tried to process everything I’d just told her. “I don’t understand. That sounds like something out of a fairy tale. Or a line a guy would say in one of my reality shows.”
My polar gave an irritated huff in my head, demanding I show her the truth so she’d stop doubting me and start seeing who she really was to us.
I steadied my breathing, keeping my voice low. “This is going to sound like fiction, but it’s real. I swear.”
Her pulse fluttered beneath the delicate skin of her throat. “What is?”
There was no going back now.
I lifted one hand between us, letting the shift come only halfway.
Just enough for Rowan to see the truth. My claws pushed out first with a muted crack, long and sharp where human nails had been seconds before.
A deep ache rippled through my jaw as my canines lengthened.
The world sharpened as my eyes flashed gold, the bear pushing forward, hungry to show her everything.
A low growl vibrated from my chest, impossible to hold back.
Rowan flinched, but she didn’t pull away. She surprised me by leaning in, her gaze locked on my hand as though she was seeing magic come to life in front of her. With a slow, trembling inhale, she reached out and brushed her fingertips against my altered knuckles.
The shift snapped back so fast it felt like my skin ignited. I was back to being fully human again. Her gentle touch sent my bear to his knees in gratitude as devotion and need crashed through me.
Rowan’s eyes went even wider. “Did I really see that? What are you?”
I swallowed, forcing my voice to stay steady even as my heart hammered in my chest. “I’m a polar bear shifter.”
Silence spread between us, filled with something new and fragile. But she didn’t run.
My bear pressed against my ribs, awed that she was still here. I had to remind him that we still needed to go at her pace.
Rowan didn’t speak for several heartbeats. The fire crackled softly next to us, and snow continued to fall outside.
Then she whispered, “A polar bear shifter.”
Her voice held an edge of wonder.
“Yes.”
Her gaze lifted to mine, steady despite the tremor in her hands. “When you shift, is your fur actually white? Like a real polar bear?”
I nodded once. “Yeah, white as snow.”
She blinked, absorbing that. “And how big are you?”
I hesitated, not because I didn’t want to tell her, but humans tended to underestimate just how massive a polar could be. “Around a thousand pounds, and I’m just over nine feet tall standing.”
“Wow,” she breathed.
For the first time since revealing the truth, some of the pressure in my chest eased. My little mate seemed fascinated by what I was sharing with her, and the tightness in my chest finally loosened.
Her voice softened even more. “Are you still you when you shift? Or is it like something else takes over?”
It was a valid question. And one that mattered more than she knew.
“I’m always me. My bear has always been a part of me. Loud, stubborn, and protective.”
She nodded slowly, a flush creeping up her neck. “So when you said you wanted me too much, was it because of him?”
“He doesn’t make it any easier, that’s for damn sure,” I rasped. “Both of us want you. More than anything.”
Her breath hitched, and my bear shoved at my skin again, desperate to get closer.
Her lashes fluttered, her courage gathering itself. “Do you ever show people? Shift for them, I mean?”
“You’re not just people, Rowan. You’re my fated mate.” I didn’t even need to think about it. “If you want to see my polar, he’d love to shift for you.”
She licked her lips, visibly conflicted. “I think I’d like that. If it’s safe.”
Everything inside me stilled. “You never have anything to fear from my polar. Protecting you is the only thing he cares about.”
Her eyes widened again. “Then I’d love to see him, please.”
My bear roared his approval.
“It can’t be in here.” I glanced around the living room. “The cottage is too small. I’d wreck half the place by accident.”
“Oh right.” She giggled. “That makes sense.”
“You’ll need more layers,” I added gently. “It’s freezing out there, and I don’t want you getting cold.”
She nodded, pushing to her feet. “Okay. I’ll go bundle up.”
As she disappeared down the hallway, my bear pressed to the surface, nearly vibrating with anticipation.
She wanted to see us, and for my bear, that meant everything.