Page 18 of Claimed By Her Bear

She paused. Didn’t Pola work for the alpha of her clan?

The bear shifter had been on her mind since she had left her place. Shekita had never had this feeling for someone before. Even with Bobbie, she’d never felt a sadness or longing in her heart when she wasn’t around her.

What was this?

Shekita wanted to see Pola again. She had asked for time. She wanted to take it slow, but now that she wasn’t with her, she wanted to be back with her. Was she going mad? She just couldn’t make sense of what was going on with her. It was obvious Pola’s bear was wanting her. She had even eluded to the wordmate.

Could they be mates?

Mating between shifters was serious, and it was forever. There was no such thing as divorce amongst them. At least not that Shekita had ever heard.

“What’s got your attention, dear?” Jolinda’s warm hand rested on Shekita’s, breaking her out of her thoughts. Her mother’s curious eyes were on her.

“Oh, nothing.” Shekita smiled.

“Are you sure?” Jolinda raised an eyebrow at her. It was apparent her mother didn’t believe her. Jolinda Harper knew her children and was always able to sense when things were wrong. “You haven’t had contact with Bobbie, have you?”

“What? God, no.” Shekita shook her head. Thankfully, her parents didn’t know how bad the relationship with Bobbie had progressed. She’d hid as much from them as she could. If they would have known, it would have broken their hearts.

“I saw her at the grocery store last week. She asked about you,” Jolinda said. She squeezed Shekita’s hand slightly and offered her a smile. “She said she would love to catch up with you.”

“I don’t ever want to see her or speak with her again. Next time you see her, you ignore her,” Shekita snapped, pulling her hand back.

“What?” Jolinda gasped.

Shekita pushed back from her chair abruptly. Her vision blurred with unshed tears. She rushed from the dining table and went into the kitchen. She escaped the house through the double patio doors. She walked over to the edge of the porch and leaned against the railing. She blinked, a warm trail of tears skating down her cheeks.

She would never give Bobbie a moment of her time again. She’d taken enough from Shekita.

How dare she speak to her mother? Shekita angrily wiped at her cheeks. The woman should not have approached Jolinda, but Shekita recognized the game she was trying to play. And she wasn’t going to fall for it. Bobbie no longer had a hold on her.

The sliding of the door snagged her attention. She glanced over her shoulder, relieved when she saw it was Troy stepping out of the house. He shut the door and turned to her. Concern was evident in his eyes.

“They probably think I’m crazy.” A dry chuckle escaped her. She turned back to gaze upon the backyard.

“No, not crazy. A little concerned.” Her brother came to stand next to her.

She blew out a deep breath and rested her head on his shoulder. They watched the scenery in silence. She owed them all an explanation. She couldn’t keep hiding what she’d been through from them. Once she got this off her chest, then she would no longer think of Bobbie.

Maybe then she could move on with her life. Thinking of Pola and exploring what was between them was what she wanted.

“I’m thinking there was more to your breakup with Bobbie,” her brother murmured.

“You don’t even know the half of it.” She sniffed. Another trail of tears fell. She wiped her face with the back of her hand. She had never been one to cry, and she grew even angrier that Bobbie was wringing this type of response from her and she wasn’t even present. “But it’s all behind me now.”

“Is it?” he asked.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He was so much bigger than her that her head barely topped the center of his chest. Troy had always been protective of her. He was so easy to talk to and he never judged. Her parents were the same. Maybe that was why she hadn’t wanted to tell them about the decline in her relationship with Bobbie. She didn’t want to see them disappointed.

“I am,” she whispered. She wiped her face again and glanced up at him. She didn’t want this to turn into a pity party. It was time to move on, and the big man upstairs had ensured she would. Meeting Pola was meant to be. She was beginning to believe that. “I met someone the other night when we went out.”

“I knew it.” Troy laughed. His dark eyes twinkled when he glanced down at her. He gave her a squeeze, turning around and leaning back on the railing. His face lit up with excitement. He looked just like their father. Tall, broad-shouldered, warm brown skin, perfect teeth, and he kept his hair cut close to his head. He was a woman magnet, and it was rare her brother was alone on the weekend. “So, tell me about her.”

A smile found its way to her lips when the image of Pola came to her mind. Maybe what she needed was someone like Pola.

“We met at the bar. She’s Saffron’s best friend.”

ChapterEight

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