Chapter Fourteen

"I need to talk to you about something before we shift," I said, making my tone as serious as possible.

"Is something wrong?" the sweet omega asked me. He had opened up and been vulnerable to me and he deserved the same in turn.

"There's nothing wrong," I said, standing, offering him my hand. He got up, and I tugged him so that our bodies were flush against each other. "If we shift tonight…if we turn into our animals and run together, I assure you that they will bond. So, I have to know, Lennon. Is that something you want? Do you want my bear to bond with your wolf?"

"Yes," he answered.

"Once my bear bonds with your wolf, baby, I'm not going to be able to let you go." I reached for his hips and rocked my own against him. "This will change our lives."

"I'm all in, alpha."

I leaned forward and kissed his nose. "Good."

I walked back a few steps and took off my clothes. There was no one else around and the omega, my omega, had already seen my body. No reason to be shy. Not that shifters were ever as shy as humans. Once I was undressed, I allowed my bear to come forward. He wanted our mate's fingers in his fur. Wanted to rub our animal body against his human skin, branding him with our scent.

It would be enough, until he allowed me to mate him.

"Wow, alpha. Look at you." He showed fear. My bear lay on his belly, bowing his head and baring his neck to his mate. "I've never seen a bear or a bear shifter before. Can I touch you?"

Touch me all damned day for the rest of our lives.

Please.

My bear chuffed in response, and thank the gods my omega took that as an invitation. He proceeded slowly and, once he reached us, I expected him to pet our fur or stroke our head, but instead, he lay his entire body over our back, inhaling deeply.

"Oh, alpha, you're gorgeous. Bear and man. I've been a bit shy about expressing something, but somehow it's easier with you like this. A big teddy bear."

My bear let out a low rumble, reminding him that we were not soft and cuddly. Okay, we were, for him.

"I knew the first time I laid eyes on you that you were mine. So, I'm going to shift and let our animals bond all they like. And I'm holding you to your promise. You'd better not ever let me go."

Lennon shifted into his wolf and, as much as he praised me, he was a stunning creature all on his own. We ran together. Of course, the journey through the woods was much easier as our animals, and we made better time. Franklin had a beautiful home, and I wasn't sure if we'd wandered over the property lines or not, but we'd gone long and hard, running everywhere. We'd played and chased each other. My bear could feel the surge of the bond increase—pulse inside me—and I knew, through him.

By the time we exhausted ourselves and were near the inn, the stars and the moon were the only lights in the sky.

I returned to my human body and stroked my omega's fur. His hair as a human was dark brown, but his wolf, his fur had tinges of red in it, along with some wheat colors. I'd never seen anything more beautiful in my life.

"Shift back for me, little wolf. I want to admire my mate." The tingling of his shifter magic flowed through me as he phased from four legs to two. "There you are." We both dressed quickly and stood near one another.

Thus far, I'd been the instigator of physical touch, but this time it was Lennon, who reached for the back of my head and pulled me down to meet his lips with mine. My hunger for him took over and I deepened the kiss with a low moan.

"Alpha, I can't resist you," he said, breaking the kiss for a second, longer than I wanted him to.

"Are you trying?" I asked, moving back a bit so I could see the truth in his eyes and feel it as he spoke to me.

"Not really. I… We've only known each other a day. Presumptuous of me to think you would want to take me to bed, an omega you just met. I know our animals bonded, but…"

He was second-guessing this—second guessing us. Normal but unneeded.

"If you don't want me to take you to my bed tonight, you'd better say it now, omega. But if you have assumed that I have some thoughts about not wanting you because of the little time I've known you, well, you couldn't be more wrong. I want you more than I've wanted anyone in my entire life."

And, though I didn't dare mutter the words, that included Colt. We had a different kind of love, and I would always hold that memory close to my heart, but Lennon? He ignited something in me that no one ever had.

Lennon searched my eyes and then sighed. "Am I too heavy to carry? Because my legs are shaking, I need you so badly."

I picked him up without a problem. "Light as a feather."