Page 35 of Aries Mated

KAI

Ididn’t know if I liked this. It was terribly unnerving. Helping to move Atlas, so carefully that he didn’t shake or twitch, was terrifying. I felt like every step I took was too much for him. Atlas might have been trying to stifle his cries of agony, but I sensed them anyway. And now it was about to get a whole lot worse, because he had to fully shift into his bear form, when it was going to be terribly hard for him to do so, and he had to try to heal himself. It was a huge risk. There was so much riding on this, no one could understand how much this moment meant to all of us. It was damn near overwhelming. The happily ever after we all wanted was just in reach, but we couldn’t quite grab it yet. We had one more step for us all to overcome.

It’s a nice area, I thought to myself almost pointlessly as the doctor told us to stop. It was a massive open area surrounded by trees and a big pond. With a bit of luck, this was going to work. It would be the perfect place for Atlas to heal himself.

“The first thing that we need to do is try to get Atlas up on his feet so he can use this space to shift,” the doctor commanded.

Atlas groaned a little again. I knew he wasn’t going to like that; hell, I didn’t like it for him. But we were here, and we would help him through absolutely everything that came his way. I immediately tucked one hand underneath his arm on one side, while Matt did the same on the other. TJ moved Maeve and the medical people away to give Atlas all the space he might need. We were all on edge, but that was probably what helped. We were all going through this together, we were all on the same journey, all understanding one another.

“Okay, buddy,” I whispered once we had Atlas on his feet. He was so weak, this wasn’t like him at all. It really fucking pissed me off that Drew had caused this… But I couldn’t get all caught up in anger right now. I wouldn’t. “Come on, we can do this.”

Atlas moaned, but nodded. “Yeah,” he said breathlessly. “But I think I need some more room. Could you move back just a little bit. I’ll be fine, trust me. I just need…a second…”

I didn’t like letting go of Atlas, and I could tell that Matt didn’t either, but we had to respect his wishes. I just didn’t want to go too far in case the strength left him in an instant and he fell once more. Especially with his internal bleeding, the last thing he needed was for him to fall. Fucking Drew. I couldn’t believe he had caused all of this. I wanted to wring his scrawny little neck.

“Hey, you know…” Matt suddenly said. “I have heard that being surrounded by other bears can help speed up the healing process. Would you like us to try it?”

I didn’t know if Matt was just saying this to help Atlas feel better, or if it was true, but Atlas looked pleased to have some help. Hell, if we could help, then I would do anything in the world. We waited for Atlas to shift first because it was important to see how he was doing. Black tufts of fur began to sprout from his skin as he ever so slowly transformed himself. It looked painful, and I hated seeing Atlas in agony like that, but this was the only way he could really heal. I glanced back at Maeve, to check that she was okay. She had a bit of a nervous edge to her. As TJ and Matt shifted into their very light brown bears, and Matt into his practically white bear, I took a couple of steps back to reassure Maeve that she was going to be okay. Often times, even when humans were used to being around shifted bears, it could cause panic.

“We won’t hurt you,” I whispered to her. “You don’t have to worry about us, even when we’re fully shifted. We are going to take care of you. You know that, right?”

Surprisingly, she grabbed my cheeks and kissed me passionately. Not only was she not worried at all, but she was more than happy to fully embrace me, to kiss me. I could feel the love and passion burning through her. This was exactly why this woman was the perfect woman for us, because she brought out a lightness within us that we didn’t know we needed. This was exactly why I didn’t mind leaving the competition, even if I let down my clan. I would have some explaining to do, but I was pretty sure anyonewould understand what was going on. If anyone had ever been in love before, they would know why I couldn’t give up Maeve. She was absolutely everything to me.

There was an intense look in Maeve’s eyes as we pulled apart. She rested her forehead on mine, her eyes dancing with love and lust. There was a real promise there in her gaze, not for now, because we didn’t know how long it would take for Atlas to be fully recovered, but for the future. The future that we were now working toward together, all of us. It was confirmed as well, we had finally talked, which was just fantastic.

“We won’t be long,” I said quietly as I finally stepped away. It was hard for me to turn away, but finally I did it. I shifted fully, letting my golden bear burst free.

Immediately energy from all the other bears flooded me, but I zoned in on Atlas’s to focus on how he was feeling. He was struggling, that much was immediately clear, but he was enjoying the playfulness from TJ and Matt. Since that was obviously helping him, I did the same thing. I rubbed my nose up against Atlas and tried to coax him from his sadness and pain. Us being shifted was really lifting Atlas’s mood. But it wasn’t until Maeve got involved that his mood really spiked. I couldn’t believe how incredible she was. There was no fear in her at all. I didn’t need to warn her. She was nestling into each and every one of us, playing with us, teasing us like we were her pets or something. But in a really sweet way.

“Hey, doc!” Maeve called over to the doctor. “I don’t think we need you anymore. It seems to me like Atlas is doing much better. I’m sure there are many other people who need you more than us. We have each another.”

The doctor parted his lips as if he was going to say something, but he seemed to think better of it at the last minute. He snapped his jaw closed and nodded firmly just the once. He saw that we were good, that we were here to look after each other, and accepted that. If we did need the medical staff again, we would find them. I hoped we would be able to heal Atlas all by ourselves.

Once the doctor left and was out of sight, the playfulness took on a whole new edge. I was loving the gentle and tender way she was stroking me, and I couldn’t help but lean into it. I leaned into it even more when the playfulness turned into something akin to foreplay. Soon, Atlas was on his hind legs, his nostrils flaring. The scent of Maeve’s arousal had worked wonders, had brought him up to another level, which was wonderful to see. She had given him strength, she had given him power, and I could feel it too. That scent was intoxicating and it was something I was going to get to live with forever. I freaking loved that. I loved that Maeve was going to be a part of my happily ever after. A happy warmth spread through the group as we all crowded around Maeve like a protective barrier, saving her from the world.

“You know, this is what I want forever,” Maeve moaned, almost as if she could sense my thoughts. She didn’t have the bear telecommunication ability, but something had let her know what we were all feeling. “You have all made me feel alive, reminded me of life. I haven’t felt anything like this before. I’m finally feeling like myself again.” She took her time to nestle us all in turn. “And I want you all to know that I have spoken to Sol about potentially building a future with you all. As you know, he has to be my number one priority no matter what. But you have all been so lovely to him, so loving. He was ecstatic when I told him. He would love for you all to be in our lives.”

To my shock, Atlas shifted back first. He still looked a little weak, and very pale, but much better than before. He wasn’t fully recovered, but definitely on the way, which was amazing. His eyes swam as he took Maeve’s hands in his to express the feelings that had been locked away inside him for a very long time. I sat back on my hind legs to hear him out, as did Matt and TJ. “Maeve, you have no idea how much you have changed my life, how incredible I think you are.” He was all choked up and emotional, but happy too. “Meeting you was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I honestly don’t even know how I lived a life without you.” He cocked his head to one side and smiled. “You know, I really think Pi brought us together. I think he wants us all to be happy, and he’s looking down on us now, smiling.”

Now it was Maeve’s turn to get a little misty-eyed. “Oh my God, that’s what I think as well. That would be so typical of Pi. He really did want everyone around him to always be happy.”

They kissed, sweetly, romantically, but passionately too. It was enough to shake Matt out of his bear form to stride toward them. “I love you, Maeve,” he declared. “You have made me see myself in a brand new way. In a much more positive way. You have no idea how much I appreciate that.”

TJ was next. I could tell that he could hardly contain himself, which was amusing. When I first met TJ, I thought he was sleek and put together because of the way he presented himself. I thought he was completely opposite of me. If it hadn’t been for the Astro Games, I wasn’t sure I ever would have talked to him, never mind befriended him. Now he was one of the most important people in my life. I thought he was really special.

“Maeve, I didn’t even know who I was before I met you. Truthfully. I think I have always been seeking something and I didn’t find it until you came along. You have completed me, all of you,” TJ said.

I had tried to remain in my bear form for as long as I could so I could reel my emotions in, but I couldn’t resist any longer. They were all holding hands and I wanted to be a part of that too. I wanted to finish that circle, to hold on to that love. I needed it. So I shifted and joined the group.

“Maeve, I hope I have let you know how much I love you too,” I said. “Because you areeverythingto me.”

As our fingers linked with one another, something really powerful washed over me. This was definitely the start of something incredible, something new, my happily ever after. I smiled at everyone in turn, really feeling complete, probably for the first time in my life. I was truly thrilled to find out what was going to come next.

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