Page 16 of Claimed By Her Bear

“Then time you shall have.”

ChapterSeven

“So where did you disappear to the other night?” Saffron asked.

Her friend’s eyebrows were raised high as she watched Pola. It was Sunday afternoon, and they were over at the Prime family home for their monthly dinner. Pola and Saffron were seated on the back porch. Dasha and their mother, Theola, were in the kitchen cooking dinner. The oversized rocking chairs were comfortable and perfect for gazing upon nature.

The Prime men had shifted and gone out in the woods hours ago. Pola was sure by the time her brother and father returned, their appetites would be ravenous. They would do their manly bonding things while out there. Pola would have loved to shift and stretch her bear’s legs, but she didn’t have the heart to leave Saffron alone. Theola and Dasha were not allowing anyone in the kitchen while they cooked. Too many people in Theola’s domain made her mother one grouchy bear. Pola would probably talk her and Dasha into shifting after their meal.

Pola picked up her glass of lemonade and wasn’t sure if she wanted to tell her best friend everything, but then again, Saffron knew everything there was about her. She couldn’t keep a secret like this from her. Even though Saffron had held back a big one of her own.

Her relationship with Dasha had been unknown to everyone. When Pola had found out, she confessed she was a little hurt by their secret, but she’d got over it quickly. Pola recognized that Saffron and Dasha were made for each other. She couldn’t have picked out better mates for them. The two were madly in love with each other.

“I’m sure you weren’t even looking for me. You and Dasha haven’t been able to take your eyes or hands off each other since you got together.”

“Don’t try to change the subject on me.” Saffron wagged a finger at her. She leaned on her armrest toward Pola. “Answer me. Where did you disappear to? And with whom?”

“All right, if you must know, I hooked up with someone,” Pola admitted.

Saffron howled with laughter. She clapped and did a little dance in her chair. Pola couldn’t help but laugh at her friend’s antics.

“I want to know all the slutty details and who you burned up the sheets with.” Saffron took a sip of her drink but didn’t take her wide eyes off Pola. “And don’t leave nothing out.”

“Excuse me? There are some things we just can’t share anymore now that you are mated to my sister.” Pola laughed.

Saffron’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“Are you still going to stick with that?” Saffron flopped back in her chair and pouted.

“I seriously don’t want to know about your sexscapades with my sister.” Pola shuddered. She loved her sister dearly but she didn’t need to hear about the intimate details of their sex life. There were just some things she did not need to be briefed on.

“Well, fine, but just know that your sister is really good—”

“Ah… I don’t want to hear.” Pola covered her ears with her hands.

Saffron stuck her tongue out at her. Pola returned the gesture and laughed.

She was going to put Saffron out of her misery. “If you must know, I took Shekita home with me.”

“Shekita, as in my contractor who is overseeing the renovation of my shop?” Saffron squealed.

“Yes, the one and the same.” Pola sighed. Just thinking of her mate awoke her bear. If she closed her eyes, she could still taste Shekita on her tongue and hear her soft moans when Pola suckled her breasts.

Pola faced a challenge. There was something keeping Shekita from readily accepting the fact that Pola’s bear identified her as Pola’s mate. Pola didn’t think it was ignorance of the shifter way of life. It was something else. There was fear in her eyes that was obvious to Pola. She didn’t know who or what had put it there, but Pola was going to succeed at claiming her. She would ease any doubts and prove that she would be a good mate.

“What’s wrong?” Saffron asked. Her hand settled on Pola’s arm.

Her best friend could always sense when something was wrong. If Pola didn’t know any better, she would assume Saffron was part empath.

Pola stared off into the yard that was surrounded by lush trees and greenery. The thick forest that backed their property was beautiful, but it didn’t bring joy and happiness as it usually did.

“She’s my mate.” Just saying those words brought a sense of relief to Pola. She hadn’t said them aloud before, and doing so gave her the determination to figure out how she could convince Shekita of the same thing.

“That’s wonderful news, but why do you look so sad?”

Pola hesitated before answering. How did she explain to her human friend that she was disappointed Shekita didn’t share in her excitement that fate had revealed they belonged together? All shifters put their trust and faith in the belief of fated mates. From the moment she had been born, it was already decided who would be the perfect person for her.

Shekita Harper.

---