Total pages in book: 20
Estimated words: 18899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 94(@200wpm)___ 76(@250wpm)___ 63(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 94(@200wpm)___ 76(@250wpm)___ 63(@300wpm)
“Do you hibernate for months at a time?” I realize I know very little about bear shifters, or any other shifters for that matter.
“Have a seat and I’ll explain everything you want to know.” Thorne sits next to me on the u-shaped brown leather sofa. “First of all, while I have an inner bear, I don’t have all the same characteristics as bears. My inner bear likes to take long naps in the wintertime, around twelve to fourteen hours at a time.” That’s not too bad. I freaking love my sleep. Anything less than ten hours leaves me feeling sleep-deprived.
“Do you shift with the full moon or something?” I need to make sure I’m not going to end up with a house full of bears every time there’s a change in the moon cycle.
“I shift on demand.” Thorne smiles at me. “I have full control of my bear and he listens to my commands. He doesn’t always agree with me, but he knows I’m the boss.” I snuggle against his side, mentally filing this all away.
“I read online that bears are solitary creatures.” So, I’ve been doing some research on bears and bear shifters. While Google has all the information on bears, their shifter cousins are another thing altogether. Some sites claim they’re an abomination created to bring about the apocalypse while other sites describe shifters of all types as just another species on earth.
“Bear shifters are a combination of bear and human genes. We have the tendency to avoid large crowds and gatherings, but most shifters live in a community of their own kind. We blend well with humans and, most times, humans can’t even tell when shifters are around.”
Oh, man. Each time he answers one question, a ton more pop up. I don’t even know what to ask next. “Is it normal for shifters to mate with humans?” I choose the most important one.
“It’s fairly common.” Thorne runs his nose along my cheek, causing my mind to go blank. I have to concentrate hard to understand the rest. “When shifters mate, the bite secures their bond. Whether our mate is human or shifter, we combine our destinies with a bite. The tiny mark at the base of your throat shows the entire world that you’re taken. It also connects our life forces so we will leave this world and move on to the next life together.”
“So, you aren’t immortal?” There are so many different answers to this question online.
“Not at all. We’re stronger than humans, and our inner animals protect us from harm so we tend to have a little longer lifetime than humans, but we will die one day.”
“Together.” I want to be clear on where my life is headed. My heart already belongs to the bear shifter. Now, I need some idea of what to expect.
“And we could have children? Will they be shifters?” Questions continue to pop up in my mind.
“Our children will be human during their infancy and toddler years. The first change usually comes around age five or six. Don’t worry, I remember it happening with my brothers, and I’ll make sure you’re prepared when the time comes.”
“When did you realize I’m your mate?” I have one last question.
“The second I walked into Honey Buns. Your honey sweet scent hit my nose, and my bear woke up and shouted mine. Then I saw you and thanked the universe for giving me the perfect mate.”
“Do we have a wedding ceremony, too?” I’m running out of questions.
“If you’d like.” Thorne smiles down at me. “Once I seal our bond, you’re my eternal mate, but we can have a human ceremony, too, if you want one. My parents actually had one when they got drunk in Vegas a few months before I was born.”
That’s definitely a story I want to hear one day. “And your parents won’t be upset with you mating a human?”
“My parents are going to love you. I’m pretty sure my mother already does.” He hugs me close to his body, and hunger cuts through me, making it hard to concentrate on his explanation. “But you need to realize that they won’t be around as much once we’re mated. While our family is close, bears like to keep things within their family unit.”
I’m confused, to say the least. “Huh?”
“My parents won’t stick their noses in our business like human in-laws do. We’re taught to be independent from an early age. While my family is way closer than most bear shifter families, they won’t interfere as much now that I’ve found my mate.” It’s shocking to hear this because I’ve noticed how close Thorne is to his family.
“They’re going to stop coming around because of me?” I hope our relationship isn’t placing a wedge between Thorne and his family.
“Not at all,” he reassures me. “They just want us to have time together before they interfere.”