Page 7 of Trusting Her Bear

“I made it,” I repeat, the words holding a whole different meaning between us.

“We did,” he says softly.

He looks so different than when we were trapped in cages. We had to run for our lives daily, running from humans who thought it was a game to torture shifters. He gained all the weight that he lost. The constant humiliation he wore on his face and in his frame is healed.

“I’m happy for you,” I say through chattering teeth. I can’t get warm anymore. Shifters love being in nature and the elements and we rarely get cold, but I'm never warm ever since I was forced to live outside. Especially when I am stressed or stuck in the past.

“You said you were doing well?” He frowns.

I shrug. “I am.” This is me being well.

“Sure,” he mumbles.

“Logan,” I whisper, shocked when he bends, sliding his arm under my legs and behind my back, lifting me easily. I desperately grab his neck. “You don’t have to do this.” When a shifter is mated, especially so soon after, touching someone who isn’t their mate is painful. Casual touches are fine, but this much contact has to be uncomfortable for him.

“Breeane, get the door,” he says as he crosses the sidewalk. She hurries to do as he asks.

“Logan—” I start.

“Don’t argue. I’m fine.” He looks down at my upturned face. “We all need a little help sometimes.”

I close my eyes. “I need to be stronger.” The words slip out before I can stop them.

“That’s ridiculous,” Breeane growls. She pulls out a chair, and Logan sets me gently on it. “You are the strongest woman I know.”

“I don’t feel like it,” I admit.

“Breeane, stay close to her. I will get some blankets and her things from her car.” He moves away quickly.

“Fuck, I’m so embarrassed,” I moan, covering my face.

“Fuck that,” she says, pulling a chair in front of mine and reaching over to grab my hands. “Do not hide from me. I will never judge you. It was difficult to make the trip. You have nothing to be ashamed of. I can’t imagine the guts it took for you to come here.”

“I’ll get better,” I say. “I will adjust.” I take a deep breath.

“You take all the time you need.” She squeezes my hands. Logan returns to the room and covers my shoulders with a soft blanket.

“I approve,” I say, and he tilts his head. “I told her I would have to approve; you passed.” He grins, and I smile slightly in return.

“I’m grateful.” He pats my head and leaves the building.

“What about Lucas and Las?”

“They pass by default,” I say.

She giggles. “Thanks.”

Now that the panic is fading, I notice my surroundings. “Holy shit.”

“Do you like it?”

The room is bright. I am sitting in the eating area, with ten other round tables around the room. The tables are white with a gold stripe down the middle, with matching chairs pulled around them. The walls are white with decorative gold molding at the top. Two long display cases under the counter separate the room, and the countertops are different shades of white, along with the shelves behind them. There is a door that must lead to the kitchen.

“It’s amazing.”

“I wanted it to be bright. It’s going to be a bitch to clean every day, but the effect is worth the effort.”

“How did you get this all done?”

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