Page 31 of Ash

She didn't want to faint. There was no way she wanted to miss a minute of this new world that she'd entered.

"This is so amazing."

She was still reeling from James' revelation that she almost forgot that there were other people in the room. She turned to Hetty. "What about... Oh, is it okay to ask?"

Hetty gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Outside of this room, it might be best to give folks some time to get to know you before you ask. Some will just tell you if they've a mind to share, but then there are those that you might be able to 'feel' after a time. I, myself, am not a shapeshifter."

Hetty sounded almost disappointed at her situation. With a smile and a wink she told Suzannah. "If I was, I'd love to be something gorgeous and lush like a... a hedgehog, or a guinea pig. something adorable and impossible not to adore and love."

Suzannah smiled at her words, her mind drifting as she sought her own answer to the question. And yet hoping that she wouldn't be asked, because she knew what her instinctual answer would be.

"What about you, Suzannah?"

She fought back the broad smile that she felt inside of her at James' question.

Looking at the fox shifter, she relaxed.

She couldn't help but feel as if there was a long dormant joy welling up inside of her.

Hesitating, she looked back at Hetty and decided to open up and really turn a new leaf in her life.

"I'd want to be a bear."

Ash nearly lost control when she answered the question.

She wanted to be a bear.

Every inch of his skin tingled. His heart was pounding in his chest.

His bear was nearly losing his mind with joy.

A bear. Did you hear that, human? She wants to be a bear!

Yes.

"What?" Suzannah turned her head, looking from Hetty to James, and back again. "Did I say something wrong?"

James looked at him as if he was waiting for Ash to speak up, but Ash was worried that if he opened his mouth he might shout for joy.

James gestured at him. "This is perfect. Our Ash here, is a bear."

Suzannah looked up at him and his breath caught in his throat.

She'd been happy to know that James was a fox because foxes weren't known to be scary to humans.

Even Hetty's wish to be a hedgehog or guinea pig were cute.

Ash had no idea what kind of reaction she might have.

It would kill him if she was suddenly afraid of him.

"A bear."

Within him, Ash's bear was desperate to get a better look at their mate, but Ash wasn't quite ready to show that much of bear. At least not until he knew how she was going to react.

He nodded.

He watched as the tip of her tongue traced across her bottom lip, wetting her perfect flesh.

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