Page 33 of Two Wrong Turns

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as if to block me out. I smiled at the way he restrained himself.

When he looked at me again, the hunger was still there, but it had dulled.

“You need to get home, my mate. Get some rest, and then later, I will show you what my favorite homemade meal is.”

I shivered again, unable to hide how his words affected me.

He was sin and temptation, all rolled into a glorious package.

“I want to cuddle after,” I told him.

His grin was cute.

Then I added, “With the bear.”

He shook his head. “You and that beast. Your bond is something else. I don't know of any other shifters whose mates want to do that.”

“That's a lie! I know for a fact that some of these shifters shift and go on runs together. Some even get busy in shifted form.” I whispered the last part, making sure no one else could overhear.

Then again, everyone else in town had shifter hearing. They probably heard me all the way over at the diner. I grimaced thinking of how that conversation would go if I ran into anyone else.

Nolan ran his hands up and down my arms. It was a soothing motion that relaxed me more.

“I wasn't intentionally lying. What I meant is that I've never heard of a human mate and a shifter being like we are. My beast loves to spend time with you. And I'm not complaining because the human part of me gets to be there too. It's just funny that you don't mind being near this big dangerous animal.”

I pouted. “He's not big and dangerous. He's mine. I love him just like I love you. I know he would protect me from any danger in the world and that's why I feel safe cuddling in his arms.”

Nolan's entire body went rigid. His eyes flickered, and I could feel the bear in him come to the surface.

I ran my fingers along his jaw, bringing his face down until our foreheads touched.

“I’m telling the truth, my bear. My mate. I love you both, and I know you will protect me through everything. Me and our cub and all our future cubs.”

My words broke the tension that had built between us. His mouth slanted over mine. He kissed me as if he couldn't spend another second without being connected to me.

Our connection filled with relief, joy, and excitement. There were flashes of images that flew through my mind of the future with us, him and his bear form, and our little cubs running around as well.

I smiled into the kiss, grateful that Fate brought us together.

Chapter 14

Nolan

"You need to breathe, sweetheart."I told my mate for the fifth time in as many minutes.

He was damn near hyperventilating with his worry. I understood where his frustration was coming from.

Not only was he in the last few weeks of pregnancy, but I had just dropped the bomb on him that my parents were coming for a visit. And mind you, we made it this far without them coming, so I personally felt like it was overdue for them to show up.

They’d been all up in my business since the moment they picked me up from the hospital after I was born and they signed the adoption papers.

When Mom texted me earlier, I contemplated keeping the secret to myself and pretending like I had no idea they were coming.

But knowing my mother and father, they would make it abundantly clear if there was any confusion that we had spoken, and she had warned me.

I didn't want to lie to my mate either. He deserved to know the truth, always. I expected honesty from him, and it was only fair that I did the same in return.

Only I was regretting it deeply at this moment because the big fat tears rolling down his face broke my heart. I wanted to comfort him and tell him everything would be okay. It seemed the more that I did so, the more distraught he was.

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