Page 13 of Bigfoot's Bride

"Figure of speech," he explains. "It's more of a vibration. I assume it might be similar for humans, just without the physical indication. Maybe it's more of an internal feeling?" His brows raise questioningly and he looks genuinely hopeful.

I think about all the rom-coms I've binged over the years. "Maybe."

"As I said," Gruffydd continues, his voice taking on a more serious tone, "it's rare. Most of us never get the chance to experience it or to find our true soul mates. Since we have a significant imbalance in our male-to-female ratio. For every female Sasquatch born, there are about twenty-two males."

My eyes widen. "Twenty-two to one? Yikes. Talk about a sausage fest."

He looks confused for a moment, then throws his head back and laughs heartily. He’s still chuckling when he repeats, “Sausage fest,” shaking his head.

And just like that, it clicks. "Wait, so that's why you brought us here? Me and the other women? It must be. Because there aren’t enough Sasquatch women."

“Yes. That's why we decided to explore the possibility of human-Sasquatch pairings. It wasn't an easy decision, believe me. Some of our kind are strongly opposed…" his words trail off.

I remember the commotion from earlier. "Yes, I gathered that. We were all set to go on a tour after dinner until there was a ruckus outside our dorm that caused it to be postponed. It sounded like some kind of anti-human protest going on."

Gruffydd's face darkens, a low growl rumbling in his chest.

"Are we in any danger?"

He shakes his head emphatically. "Absolutely not. No Sasquatch would ever harm a human female, I promise you that."

"But they're not exactly rolling out the welcome wagon either, huh?"

Gruffydd sighs, running a hand through his damp fur. "The protesters are just...a vocal minority. For our entire existence, we've had to hide from humans, to protect ourselves and our way of life. It's not easy for some to accept this change."

I nod slowly. "I can understand that. Change is scary, especially when it involves trusting those you've always seen as a threat."

"Exactly," he says, looking relieved that I get it. "But please, don't let them worry you. They're more of a nuisance than anything. If they bother you at all, just let me know."

There's a protective edge to his voice that sends a little thrill through me. "Thanks." I offer a grateful smile. "I appreciate that."

We sit in comfortable silence for a moment, the only sound the gentle lapping of water against the pool's edge. It's peaceful, and I find myself relaxing more than I have in months. Maybe years.

"You know," I say, breaking the quiet, "Frank told us we could leave at any time if we wanted to."

Gruffydd's body tenses slightly, and I see a flash of worry in his eyes. "Yes, that's true. You're not prisoners here."

"But there's a catch, right? The whole memory wipe thing?"

He nods, looking a bit uncomfortable. "It's a necessary precaution. We can erase memories and implant alternate ones, but only for events that occurred within the last thirty days or so. Any longer than that and the outcome is iffy."

I whistle low. "That's some serious sci-fi stuff right there. So if we leave, we won't remember any of this?"

"That's correct," he confirms. "But if you choose to stay...well, that's a permanent decision. You'd have to commit to living in Grotto and give up the human world entirely."

The weight of his words hits me like a ton of bricks. Give up the human world entirely? Never leave Grotto? It sounds claustrophobic, terrifying even. But then again, what exactly do I have to go back to at the moment? A life on the run, always looking over my shoulder?

I must look conflicted because Gruffydd quickly adds, "But that's not a decision you need to make now. You have time to explore, to get to know us and our way of life."

I nod, grateful for the reassurance. "Right. Thirty days to figure out if I want to become a permanent cave dweller. No pressure or anything."

He chuckles at my sarcasm. "When you put it that way, it does sound a bit daunting."

"Just a bit," I agree with a wry smile. "But hey, at least the company's not bad."

His eyes light up at that, and I feel a warmth in my chest that has nothing to do with the hot spring.

"Well," Gruffydd says, his voice taking on an eager tone, "since your tour was postponed, would you like me to give you a tour of Grotto? I'd love to show you around."

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