Page 16 of His Determined Mate

“Fair enough,” he replied and stepped back.

A swirling mist seemed to come up from the floor without warning. It was like a contained, localized kind of maelstrom complete with thunder, lightning and shards of color all spinning around him, completely engulfing him. When the mist dispersed just as quickly as it had appeared, she was left looking at a very large black bear.

The bear took two steps toward her and she retreated two steps. It made a soft, chuffing noise which was surprisingly soothing before advancing again. This time she held her ground and the bear nuzzled her affectionately.

“Rick?” she whispered, and the bear nuzzled her again before stepping away from her.

Once again, the cloud of color, sound and electricity surrounded what she was quickly having to accept was Rick. When it fell away this time, where the bear had once stood was now a very naked Rick, with a very hard cock.

Looking down, he grinned. “Byproduct of the shift: your clothes are gone and normally, especially if you’re a guy, you’re very aroused.”

Hannah wrung her hands together. Shock rippled through her, a myriad of emotions swirling within her. Confusion, disbelief, and a strange sense of intrigue. She searched his face for any sense of humor, there was none. “You can just shift from one to the other?”

He nodded, his expression earnest. “Yes. I didn’t want to tell you like this, but with everything happening, you need to understand…”

“You can just shift into a bear? Does it hurt? Do you have any control over it?”

He smiled. “Yes. No. Most of the time. Don’t worry, the only thing I’ll be wanting to eat is your pussy, and yours is the only honey I’ll ever want again. We’re fated mates, Hannah. You need to understand that. It’s part of the reason I’m so protective of you.”

Hannah’s mind raced, memories of their time together flashing through her mind. His uncanny strength, the way he always seemed to sense danger before it happened, his deep connection to the wilderness. It all started to make a bizarre kind of sense. “So, all this time...”

“I’ve been trying to keep you safe,” Rick finished for her. “I care about you, Hannah. No. Scratch that. I love you, Hannah, more than I can put into words. And being a shifter, it makes me more protective, more... attuned to danger.”

She looked into his eyes, seeing the raw honesty there. The shock began to ebb, replaced by a profound understanding. Rick had always been there for her, always looking out for her. Now she knew why.

“This is a lot to take in,” she said softly, her voice trembling. “But... it explains so much.”

Rick reached out, his hand warm and reassuring as it took hers into his. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I was afraid of how you’d react. But you needed to know, especially now.”

Hannah took a deep breath, trying to steady her thoughts. Despite the strangeness of his revelation, she couldn’t deny the sense of belonging that settled over her. It was as if a missing piece of the puzzle had finally fallen into place.

“I... I don’t know what to say,” she admitted. “But I do know that I’ve always felt safe with you, Rick. And now I understand why.”

He pulled her into his embrace, his strength enveloping her like a protective shield. “That’s all I wanted. For you to feel safe. To know you’re not alone. To know we belong together.”

As the storm raged on outside, Hannah rested her head against Rick’s chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat grounding her in this new reality. She had a million questions, countless uncertainties, but for now, she let herself be held by the man who had always been her protector.

In the warmth of the cabin, with the storm a distant fury outside, Hannah began to accept the extraordinary truth about Rick. And with that acceptance came a deep, unspoken bond that neither of them needed to put into words, so she said the only thing she could think of to say.

“I love you, too, Rick.”

Rick had carried her back to bed and made sweet, romantic love to her, nuzzling her neck and whispering words of love and sex as he’d thrust in and out of her. She’d brought her legs up to wrap around his waist, and he made her come over and over again.

By morning, the storm had calmed, leaving a pristine, snow-covered landscape bathed in the soft glow of the rising sun. Hannah stood at the cabin window, dressed in her jeans, sweater and mukluks, marveling at the beauty outside. The previous night’s revelations still swirled in her mind, but there was a strange tranquility in accepting Rick’s true nature.

Rick approached her, his expression serious but warm. “Hannah, there’s something I want to show you. Something I think you’ll find incredible.”

She turned to him, curiosity piqued. “What is it?”

“Come with me,” he said, holding out his hand.

Rick was still naked as he led her outside onto the porch, leaving her there as he stepped into the deep snow that covered the landscape. The morning air was crisp and cold, and the snow crunched beneath his bare feet. Rick stopped a few yards from the cabin. “I’m going to shift. Don’t be afraid, okay? Just remember, no matter what happens, I’m still me.”

She nodded, trying to steady her racing thoughts. “I trust you, Rick.”

He gave her a small, reassuring smile before stepping back. He took a deep breath, his gaze lifting to the stormy sky. The air grew colder, and a low rumble of thunder echoed in the distance. Hannah watched, her breath catching in her throat, as a swirling mist began to envelop him, thickening and rising like a spectral curtain. Rick’s form blurred, the lines between man and beast beginning to merge. Lightning flashed within the mist, although the sky overhead remained clear.

Hannah’s eyes widened as she saw his muscles ripple and shift beneath his skin. She wondered if she’d ever get used to seeing this. His limbs elongated and thickened, his fingers curling into powerful claws. It didn’t look painful, and Rick seemed calm and at peace with what was happening. The mist whirled faster, wrapping around him like a cocoon, obscuring him from view. Another crack of thunder split the air, vibrating through the ground beneath her feet.

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