Heath locked the bedroom door and turned on the radio. He walked over to the bed with a smile and said, “She’ll have to find her own shifter when she grows up.”
Rosa burst out laughing again when he said that. Heath pulled his shirt off over his head and threw it on the floor. He growled down at Rosa and began tearing off her clothes much to her fascinated amusement.
She growled and mewled as she helped him take off her bra. He pulled her panties down over her feet. She unbuckled his belt and he slid out of his shoes. Finally, he pushed his pants and boxers down to the floor.
They were both naked and kissing in the heat of their amusement and desire. The radio played songs that made him feel alive and filled his heart with love and desire for his mate. She was so beautiful and perfect. Holding her was like a blessing from above. As his tongue slid over her breast and he felt himself grow hard with need, he knew that the connection between them was the most important thing that he would ever need to sustain in his life.
14
Rosa arched her back and gasped as Heath’s tongue slid over her nipple. She ran her fingers through his cropped hair and groaned. His lips on her skin lit a trail of hot desire down her torso.
In that moment, Rosa was so grateful and so full of love for Heath she could barely contain her need for him. He kissed her stomach and slowly moved his tongue over her hip and onto her inner thigh. He lapped up her slit, pushing into her aching core.
“Heath,” she whimpered, feeling the power of his muscled body moving over her.
She was on the brink of utter surrender to his masculine force. It intoxicated her with its pure strength and she was overcome. The tip of his slick tongue flicked over her swollen clit, sending a shock of electric desire throughout her body.
He pressed against her clit, making her wetter with each pass of his tongue. Her body gushed for him, and he ate it up with the pleasure of the ultimate lover. He loved her. He loved her taste. The smell of her. He loved who she was inside, deep in her soul.
She could feel the connection between them, unbreakable in its fragile beauty. The currents of symbiotic attachment pulsed between their hearts. Together they were stronger as if they were two halves of the same coin.
Rosa was alive in her divine feminine space, her head a halo of brilliant light, pulsing rosy pink in all directions. He gripped her hip as he slid his soaked fingers into her core, gliding over the pleasure zones inside her. She groaned and grasped at his taut shoulders. The feel of his smooth skin and hard muscles sent her into ecstasy as she came.
The force of erupting desire, shook her to the core of her being and she was barely able to stay conscious. Heath kissed her cheek and her lips, bringing her back to reality. He reached for a condom in his dresser and ripped the package with his teeth.
“No,” Rosa whispered. “I want your seed inside me.”
“You do?” he asked.
“I want it all, Heath. I want it now.”
She looked into his eyes, and she could see and feel the depth of emotion radiating from those green pools. She knew he could make her like him, a bear. She felt his questioning plea. He needed to know.
“I want you to put your baby inside me,” she said. “And I want you to put a bear inside me too.”
Heath growled as he held himself above her. Leaning into her neck, he took a deep draw of her scent through his nose. He slid between her legs and licked along her jaw and up to her earlobe. Rosa shuddered, wanting to feel him inside her.
The tip of his cock pressed against her slick opening, sliding inside her effortlessly. Heath kissed her, slowly tilting forward as he sank deeper into his lover. Rosa ran her hands up and down his back, encouraging his movements. Their tongues danced and she groaned. His cock pressed deeper with each passing second, stretching her wider around his girth.
She groaned deeply into his mouth, feeling the whole of him inside her core. He buried himself in her and they became one. Radiant sensations pulsed through her from him and she was lost in the oneness of their bodies.
“I’ve waited my whole life for this,” Heath whispered into her ear as he pulled back.
He thrust again, gently but harder than before. It sparked a slew of sensations, making her nipples prick and her flesh pucker.
“Oh God, Heath,” she groaned, gripping his hips.
He licked her neck and nibbled her ear as he pulled back and thrust again, this time harder. Sharp pleasure pitched her need higher, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, holding on to her mate.
Heath growled into her neck, increasing the intensity of his love making. With each thrust, he drove her to a new level of pleasure. Her body exploded and didn’t come down. The sound of music playing overpowered the sound of her constant mewls and moans as pleasure soared between them.
Heath’s teeth poked against her neck, the very same spot where he’d bit her to claim her. This time he would change her forever. She would become like him, something she wanted more than anything.
His sharp teeth bit into her neck as his thrusts grew in strength. Her mind, body and soul reeled with pleasure and connection. She felt wrapped in a bubble of his love as his teeth clamped onto her neck.
Heath’s hot seed erupted deep inside her, making her come again as his teeth bit hard on her flesh. She felt the molecules of venom flowing into her blood from Heath’s bite. It only took seconds for the venom to pulse through her entire body.
Her eyes opened wide as her senses sharpened. Heath slowly pulled away from her neck, licking her wound until it was clean and healed. He removed himself from her body, holding himself over her as he tended the bite on her neck.
When he was done, he rolled onto his back, panting softly. He pulled her into an embrace and they held each other in his big bed. Rosa could barely believe the changes already taking place inside her. Her senses were going crazy with new awareness. She knew that his seed would find her egg and implant itself there.
“I can’t believe what’s happening,” she said, looking at her hand. The detail she saw in the dim light of the bedside lamp astonished her. “Am I supposed to be changing already?”
“It’s different for everyone in my understanding. But to shift for the first time. You just go somewhere that’s got plenty of room and then will the change to take place.”
“What will I feel when I change?”
“It might hurt a little the first time. But after that, it’s not painful. Once you shift, you’ll feel something most humans never get the chance to experience.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“The best way to describe it is that you will feel your connection to nature much more deeply than ever before. It’s too hard to explain in words. You’ll just have to experience it for yourself,” he said, smiling before he kissed her forehead.
Rosa was filled with a new vigor and lust for life that she’d never felt before. It was already coursing through her veins. There was a knock at the door, and Maria’s voice came from the other side.
“Are you guys doing it in there? That’s so gross!”
Rosa and Heath started to giggle, and they laughed until both their bodies were shaking.
“It’s not funny,” Maria demanded from the other side of the door. Her groan grew fainter as she walked down the hall.
“We should probably make sure she’s okay,” Heath said.
They got up and dressed quickly before going out to meet Maria in the living room. Rosa felt guilty for leaving her sister alone to make love with her mate. But Maria was going to have to come to terms with the situation, no matter how traumatized she’d been. Rosa and Heath would do everything in their power to help Maria, but she had to let them.
“I’ve got a spare bedroom,” Heath said. “It can be yours now.”
“So are we staying here?” Maria demanded. “Is that what’s happening?”
“Maria, you know Heath and I are mates.”
“That doesn’t mean I have to like it. No one
asked me. I just got kidnapped. I could have died. And you guys are off doing it in the other room!”
Guilt rained down over Rosa in a torrent and she felt as if she’d been slapped in the face. Was she being selfish? Should she have been paying more attention. She’d been so swept up in her desire for her mate, she’d forgotten her sister.
Heath’s strong arm gripped Rosa’s shoulder as she was about to descend into a puddle of guilt on the floor.
“I will do whatever is best for this family,” Heath said. “I’m here for your sister and that means I’m here for you too, Maria. Neither of us are trying to alienate you or ruin your life. We only want to help you, but you have to tell us what you need.”
“I want to go home to LA,” Maria demanded.
“We can all come to an agreement,” Rosa interjected. “An agreement that will benefit all of us.”
“I just want things to go back to normal,” Maria said, suddenly erupting into tears.
Rosa felt her sister’s despair and ran to her as Maria collapsed on the floor. Rosa went down with her, holding her sister in her arms as they fell. Maria began to sob uncontrollably and Heath sat beside them, holding them both in his strong arms.
Rosa let Maria wail out all her tears, all her sorrow, all her fear and terror. Heath held them, lending the women his strength and support to help cleanse Maria’s tangled emotions.
After what seemed like forever, after they were all soaked in tears, Maria began to pant softly against her sister’s shoulder. Rosa held her, stroking her back.
“Can I go to that bed now?” Maria asked, looking into Rosa’s eyes.
“Of course,” Heath said, helping them both up.
Rosa and Heath helped Maria into bed, their love for her and for each other helping her finally rest. They turned off the light after she was tucked in and closed the door behind them.
“She’s going to be okay,” Heath said. “She’s a strong girl. Like her sister.”
15
The next morning, Heath woke up and prepared the girls a breakfast and waited for them at the table until they emerged from their rooms. He intended to facilitate the family agreement that they all needed to come to.
It was important for everyone’s future that they figure it out now. He didn’t want to wait a moment longer. The night before, Maria had come through many of the deep emotions she bore from the trauma she had suffered at the hands of her kidnappers. He knew that it would take much longer for her to fully heal, but he also knew that with all of them working together for her healing they had done something important last night.
Rosa was the first to sit down, grabbing a cup of coffee and taking a long sip before she set it back on the table. Maria came out later, her hair still wet from the shower. She sat down in her chair with a huff and grabbed a piece of toast, lathering it with jelly.
“Nice spread,” Maria said to Heath.
“I thought it was important for us to have a family meeting now,” he started.
“I guess if you want to call this a family,” Maria said.
“I thought we got somewhere last night,” Rosa said, disappointment in her tone.
“Well, I cried a lot,” Maria said, rolling her eyes.
“Maria, you need to understand that we are here to help you. Neither of us is trying to hurt you. We’re both on your side.”
“I should be grateful that you saved me from my kidnappers. And I am. But I just met you, Heath. I don’t even know you, and now you are somehow in my family.”
“Can’t you understand that Heath is part of me now?” Rosa pleaded.
“It’s kind of like someone just came in and stole my sister and replaced her with someone else.”
“I can’t believe you just said that, Maria,” Rosa said. Heath could feel Rosa’s pain.
“I think we can both understand why you would say that. I’m sure it’s shocking to find your sister suddenly deeply in love with a man you never met.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” Maria said.
“Aren’t you happy for me?” Rosa asked. “I’ve just met the love of my life. I’m very happy. Don’t you want that for me?”
Maria let out a long sigh, a tear forming in the corner of her red rimmed eyes. It dropped down her cheek. She wiped it away, her expression still defiant. She sighed and her face fell.
“Of course I’m happy for you, Rosa. I just don’t know what to think about anything anymore. I don’t even know who I am. When they took me, it’s like they erased me from the face of the Earth. And now I’m back and everything is different.”
“We want to help you adjust to all these changes,” Heath said.
“I guess I could get used to living on Fate Mountain.” Maria said. “It’s not that bad.”
16
Maria slid her fingers into the straps of her backpack and looked up at the glass walls of the Bright Institute for shifters and sighed. Heath watched Rosa pat Maria’s shoulder, smiling down at her little sister.
“Are you ready?” Rosa asked.
“Yeah.”
“You’ve got everything you need?” Heath asked her.
Heath knew that Maria would get an excellent education at the Bright Institute, having gone there himself just a year ago. Heath knew Maria would get everything she needed from the school.
“I’m ready, guys, you don’t have to worry about me,” Maria said, turning to look up the stairs.
Maria took a step up the stairs and turned to give Rosa one more hug.
“Bye,” Maria said.
“I’ll be here to pick you up after school,” Rosa said.
“Okay.”
Maria trotted up the stairs and through the front door of the institute. She disappeared inside and Rosa turned to throw her arms around Heath’s waist. He rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. Her soft hair brushed over his lips and cheek, making his bear purr softly inside his mind.
Ever since they’d brought Maria home and figured out what would be best for everyone, Heath had entered one of the sweetest periods of his life. Now that Maria had started school, there was something important that had to be done. Today was the day Rosa would let her bear come out for the first time.
They walked to the parking lot hand-in-hand and drove out onto the highway. They headed east into the mountain and parked at a secluded trailhead deep in the forest. When they got out, Heath grabbed Rosa’s hand and walked with her into the forest. They came to a spot near a creek and veered off the trail, following the water.
Once they were in the dense cover of the underbrush, Heath started to take off his clothes. Rosa looked up at him, biting her lip, her eyes wide and wondering.
“It’s going to be all right,” he said, placing his hand on her shoulder. “It will only hurt for a minute and then you will be introduced to a whole new world of possibilities.”
“I trust you to guide me through this,” Rosa said.
She pulled off her shirt and dropped out of her pants and shoes. She was standing on the damp ground in her bare feet in her bra and panties. Heath couldn’t help becoming aroused at the sight of her as she slid out of her panties and then dropped her bra into the pile of her clothes on the ground.
Her petite, curvy body was so beautiful in the dappled sunlight against her golden skin. He looked her in the eye and slid his hands down her arms until they were holding each other’s hands.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“I guess this is it,” she said.
“There’s no turning back now, babe,” he said. “I’m here for you.”
“I just focus on the bear inside me?” she asked.
“That’s right.”
“Ever since you bit me and injected the venom into my blood, I’ve been feeling her awakening. She comes closer every day. I hear her voice and feel her desires deep inside me. They mingle with my own more and more as time goes by. Sometimes, I don’t know the difference between her thoughts and my own.”
“Tha
t’s exactly as it should be. I’ve awakened another part of you. It was always buried deep inside but the venom allowed it to awaken. Now the animal inside is coming forth. All of your instincts. All of your primal power. You now have access to it all.”
“That sounds pretty good,” Rosa said, closing her eyes.
Heath could feel her focusing on the presence of her bear inside her mind. He could feel it coming closer and closer. Rosa withdrew her hands and stepped backwards one pace.
She gasped and then all of a sudden the sound of her groan mingled with the sound of her bear growling. Heath stood in strong support of his mate as her body reformed itself in front of him. She screamed but the sound was transformed into an animalistic roar.
She grew in height and fur emerged from her skin as her limbs transformed. She fell onto her massive paws in front of him, a strangled roar coming from her throat as she stood in the underbrush, a fully formed grizzly bear.
He stepped forward and ran his hand over the top of her head and petted her cheeks affectionately. He held his mate’s face in his hands and touched his forehead to hers, sending the signal of love from his heart and his mind into hers.
He could feel it radiating back to him. The momentary pain of shifting for the first time had passed and now Rosa was experiencing the transformative quality of living inside the skin of a shifter.
He kissed her forehead and stepped back several paces, starting his own transformation process. He roared as his body grew and shifted into the massive grizzly that had been in him since before he was born.
He paced toward her, sniffing the air before he nuzzled her cheek. Rose’s grizzly growled and rubbed him back. He could feel her excitement in his heart. His bear’s mind wanted nothing more than to frolic in the fresh clean forest with his mate.
Rosa turned quickly away and headed into the clearing beyond the creek. He followed her, feeling the joy and enthusiasm pouring off his mate as she trotted through the sorrel and ferns.
As they ran under the tall trees of the old-growth forest, Heath felt his heart doubling and tripling with the immensity of joy he now experienced being with his mate in his animal form. All the bear had ever wanted was his mate and a home.