Finding His Mate (Bare Bites #3) - Mila Crawford Page 0,26
because he loved me. That was the nature of the bear—to protect their loved ones at any cost—but what my father didn’t understand was that his protection felt like a noose around my neck.
Leaving home for college wasn’t the worst thing in the world. I wanted to be in a bigger city. I needed to see things beyond these vast mountains.
My father had trained me well. I was perfectly in control. It wasn’t like I was going to just shift out of the blue, exposing our kind to the outside world.
I wasn’t a moron and would never dream of risking the way of life for others like us.
I kept running, soft earth beneath my feet as I put the drama of my family—my clan—behind me. Being a shifter had ruined my entire life. I hated being shackled to my biology with no way of releasing myself. The one thing I loved about being a shifter was that I could run for hours without getting tired. Running was the only freedom I’d ever known.
I was lost in a runner’s trance and not paying attention to my surroundings, something my father would have chastised me for. I always needed to stay alert, he relentlessly warned. Even though this area was Bare Clan territory, we also bordered with a wolf pack and a mountain lion pride, both of which could gravely injure a bear on its own.
When the scent first reached me, I should have been scared. I should have turned around and run the other way, but there was something holding me there—grounded and immobile.
Wolves.
This smell wasn’t the normal scent that they gave off though. Usually something rancid wafted in the air when a wolf was near, so putrid it caused a burning sensation in my throat. The only wolf that had ever smelled sweet to my senses was my mother, but that was normal for a cub to experience with their parents. My father’s scent was the same for me. They were the scent of safety, comfort, and love.
This time, the scents were mixed together, a hint of sour dancing in the notes of chocolate and sugar.
Out from the forest’s trees came three wolves, eyes hard on mine as they stalked me slowly, every movement methodical.
They were beautiful, graceful and, above all else, deadly.
Two bared their teeth at me, growling savagely with their ears pinned back. They were letting me know that I was inferior. I could smell their need for my submission. I should have been scared, I should have turned and run, but the third wolf, the largest of the three, was calling to me. His scent was soothing, warm, and I could feel my bear wanting to go to him, needing to go to him for my very survival.
In a flash, so quickly that if a normal human blinked, they would have missed it completely, the third wolf turned on his pack mates. He growled at them, a fierce, frightening sound that made the other two kneel in submission, their tails between their legs and their bodies bent in a deep bow.
The giant wolf sent a series of fierce warning barks into the air, causing the other two to scurry off into the forest, leaving me alone, staring into the amber golden eyes of what I knew, without a shred of doubt, was my mate.
Instinctually, I fell to my knees, offering him my hand. He didn’t hesitate, coming over to let me touch his luxurious, thick white fur.
“Would you like to shift?” I asked. “I have clothing in that burrow over there. My dad keeps clothing hidden around the property—he’s a huge man, I’m sure it would fit.”
At my request, I could feel his bones begin to constrict and shift. Where a wolf once nuzzled against me, the most beautiful man I’d ever seen now gazed back.
Dark, jet black hair bracketed deep, ocean blue eyes, his chiseled jaw and full lips calling for my fingers to touch. His shoulders were huge, the muscles rippled slabs of brute strength that I could only imagine wrapping around my small frame.
He rose slowly, allowing me to get a full view. He was tall, taller than most of the bears I’d ever seen, around six-foot-seven-inches of pure mass, his physique intimidating, arms the size of two of my thighs put together.
My eyes were trying to divert from noticing the other massive part of him. His erection was thick and at full salute. My mouth watered, fingertips tingling as I imagined taking his girth in my hands for the first time. I’d never felt anything so deeply primal, so raw and desperate. My desire to be his was strong, my need to submit to him stronger.
I’d always dreamed of the moment I would imprint on my mate, but never could I have dreamed of the sheer force of him.
To keep myself busy, I ran to the burrow and grabbed the sweats my father kept there, dark black jogging pants, a white T-shirt, and a gray hoodie.
“We already belong to each other. There’s no need for you to turn away.” His deep baritone voice traveled down my body, causing me to react in ways I’d never felt before.
“I can smell your arousal. You smell sweet.” He tipped his chin into the air, scenting the wind. “It’s making my mouth water.” His words caused another flood of my panties, making him chuckle.
“This is a really intense feeling. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do,” I whispered, casting my eyes down.
He stepped toward me, turning me to look at him, wrapping my pony tail around in his fist.
“I’m going to kiss you. That should fix the problem.”
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