Chapter 3
Russo
This can’t be happening.
How is this happening?
How does a shifter not know they’re a shifter? And how am I going to explain all this to Ever. She doesn’t seem to know anything about the customs, the traditions, the rules. None of it.
Where do I even begin? At the beginning, I guess.
“I’m a bear shifter.”
She gives me a look of quiet disbelief. “Bear… shifter…”
“A shifter is someone who can change between human and animal form.”
“So, you can turn into a bear?”
“Yes, and you can too. Or you should be able to.”
“I promise you I would know if I was a bear, and I’ve never shifted in my life. I’ve never heard about any of this.”
“Your parents never mentioned it?”
“I mean, I was adopted, so maybe they didn’t know? Even if they did, I doubt they would have told me. They didn’t talk to me like that.”
“Right. I hate your parents.”
I sigh. “Yeah, they’re not my favorite people either.”
I move closer to where she’s perched on the bed. “There are other animal shifters too. Wolves, birds, fish—all of them.”
“Can you pick your animal?”
“No, it’s hereditary.”
“So, my parents—my real birth parents—were bear shifters?”
“At least one of them was. You don’t know anything about them?”
Ever’s fingers twist nervously in the sheets. “No, I was punished if I ever asked about them.”
My jaw clenches. She hates any sign of anger. She shrinks in on herself and becomes still and quiet. I know she learned to do that after years of her family hurting her, and I hate it. I wish I’d found her sooner. I wish I could have prevented all of it.
“Shifters usually grow up in packs. There’s one here in Night Grove Falls. We have four Alphas, actually, one for each quadrant of the land since we’re so spread out.”
“Okay…”
“Alphas are the leaders.”
“Are you an Alpha?”
I snort. “No, I don’t enjoy being around people all that much. I would hate to have to solve everyone’s problems all day long.”
She sighs. “Me too.”
I smile. “Okay, so you know about shifters now. I’m sure you have a million questions, so if you need me to stop or slow down, let me know.”
She nods, and I want to go to her and wrap her in my arms. My bear is shouting at me to bite and mark her.
He wants to call Ansel and see if there’s any news.
He wants to find her family and slaughter all of them.
I want that too. I want them to feel even a fraction of the fear they’ve made my mate feel over the years, but I can’t do any of that right now.
Ever needs us. She has to be so confused by all of this, I remind my bear.
Tell her about us, he orders.
“Shifters don’t date. They don’t need to,” I blurt. “We only have one person, our fated mate. That’s the only person we’ll ever love or be attracted to.”
“How do you choose that?” Ever asks, her brow wrinkling adorably.
“You don’t. Fate, the universe, or whatever—they choose it for you. You’re mine, Ever.”
“How can you be sure?”
“I can smell you. That’s how we know. As soon as I smelled you, my bear knew.”
“What do I smell like?” she asks, looking slightly horrified.
“Like peaches and cream. Like heaven. It’s amazing.”
“Couldn’t that just be my soap or something? What if you smell someone who uses the same products, and—”
“It’s not that. It’s you. No one else will ever smell like you to me,” I promise her.
She nods, looking slightly skeptical, slightly lost. When her stomach growls, I know it’s time to take a break and let her process everything.
“I’ll go grab you something to eat. Be right back.”
I take the stairs down to the kitchen, pulling out my phone and dialing Ansel as I open the fridge and root around for something to make for my mate.
“Hey, how’s your mate?” Ansel asks, answering on the second ring.
“Good. Awake. Confused.”
“She doesn’t know what happened?”
“She does. It was her adoptive parents. They’ve been abusing her for years. Maybe her whole life.”
“Motherfuckers,” he snarls.
“Couldn’t agree more. She’s got so many bruises and old scars, man.”
“Well, they’re not chasing her. Not yet, anyway. There’s been no sign or scent of anyone new around town. We followed your mate’s trail back as far as we could, but it disappeared a few miles south of the Night Grove Falls land.”
“Good. Keep an eye out, will you?”
“Of course,” he agrees. “The whole pack knows. If anyone sketchy steps foot in this town, you’ll know.”
“Thanks, brother.”
“Always. You guys need anything else?”
“I… I’m trying to explain shifters to her,” I whisper, staring up at the ceiling.
“Explain shifters? Why?”
“She doesn’t know she’s a bear shifter.”
“How is that possible?”
“She was adopted. She’s never shifted. I don’t know.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah.”
“How’s that talk going?”
“Good. I think?” I sigh. “It’s got to be a lot.”
“Yeah, I’m sure. Well, just tell her the important parts. You have forever to fill in all the little details.”
“That’s true.”
“So, tell her about shifters, fated mates, the mating heat, marking. Shift for her, if you don’t think that will scare the shit out of her. Then let her think it over and come to you with questions.”
“Yeah, that’s a good plan.”
“I’m here if you guys need anything, Russo.”
“Thanks, Ansel. I’ll talk to you later.”
“I’ll be around. I’m on patrol for your place tonight.”
“Got it. Talk to you later.”
“Night.”
“Night.”
We hang up, and I make Ever some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I add a bag of chips and another of pretzels to the mix and grab one more water bottle before I head upstairs.
Ever is still sitting on the bed, and I let out a breath of relief that she didn’t try to leave or get up again.
“Help yourself,” I say, spreading all the food out on the mattress before her.
“Thanks.”
She grabs a sandwich and takes a bite. Pride shoots through me, knowing I’m caring for my mate.
“So, we’re fated mates,” she says after she swallows. “What does that mean exactly?”
“It means that we’re meant to be. We’re soulmates. I’ll never love or want anyone but you. In a few days, on the night of the full moon, the mating heat will press down on us. That’s when our attraction will be at its highest, though I mean, look at you—I’ll always be attracted to you.”
Ever blushes, and I worry that I’ve come on too strong, but she looks pleased by my words.
“I’m too fat,” she whispers.
I growl so loudly that it scares both of us. “Don’t talk like that. You’re not fat. You’re fucking perfect. God, Ever, you’re a dream. My dream.”
Her cheeks flame a brighter red, and she stuffs another bite of sandwich into her mouth.
“Do you have any other questions right now?” I ask as she polishes off the first sandwich and reaches for the second.
“I don’t know. I feel like my head is racing. I’m not sure where to start.”
“Just ask away. We can bounce around.”
She mulls over her words for a second as she sips her water, then clears her throat. “How do you shift?”
“It’s a bit of a process. I mean, the actual shifting happens quickly now, in a matter of seconds.
But when I first was learning, it took a bit of practice.
You have to let your animal push forward.
You have to give them control. Then it’s natural, but it can be hard to give over control of yourself, you know? You have to get used to it.”
“So, I should be able to shift?”
“Yeah. We can work on it and practice once you’re feeling better.”
She nods slowly, and I decide not to push the subject any further.
“You can communicate with your bear then?” she asks.
“Yeah, I can hear him in my head. I can feel what he wants, what he senses.”
“Is that weird?”
I laugh. “I guess, but I’m so used to it. He’s like my subconscious. Just… louder sometimes.”
“What is he saying right now?”
“Bite her. Mark her. Over and over again.”
“Bite me?” She looks worried.
I hold out my hands. “On the night of the full moon, shifters bite each other. Right here.” I point to the base of my neck. “We mark our mates. It’s a symbol of our commitment and bond. It’s like a wedding ring for shifters.”
“Sounds painful.”
“I’m told it’s actually quite pleasurable.”
“Huh,” she muses.
I notice her eyes growing heavy and take the plate from her. “Still hungry?”
She shakes her head.
I gather the chips and pretzels and carry everything downstairs.
When I get back up to the bedroom, Ever is fast asleep, still leaning against the pillows.
I smile as I move quietly around the side of the bed to adjust her, tucking the blankets around her shoulders.
My heart breaks for her and everything she’s been through.
The chair scrapes lightly across the floor as I drag it closer to the bed and take a seat. I watch my mate as she sleeps, my thoughts racing with things to tell her about our world, with ways to help her shift or wake up her bear.
My bear paces inside me, a caged beast. I know I need to do something to soothe his urgency, so I grab my laptop as our mate dreams.
As the sun sinks behind the trees, I dig into her adoptive family.