Bear Protector - Bella Love-Wins Page 0,19

gripped Reena’s hands. “The man is a dream! I don’t believe I’ve ever felt what I did for anyone else…ever.”

“Not that you’ve had the chance, with the Chancellor expecting you and the rest of the Chosen to remain chaste.”

“Are you going to go off on another rant about the Chancellor, or will you let me tell you everything like you asked?”

“You know what I mean, Kiera, but okay. Forget the Chancellor and his ridiculous rules. Tell me about the Commander.”

“Are you sure?”

Reena gripped Kiera’s shoulders dramatically. “Yes! I need to know!” she joked, eyes wide and eyebrows raised high on her forehead. “Seriously, hun. You can tell me anything, but maybe skip to the juicy bits, just in case anyone comes looking for me.”

“Well, nothing happened. I just found him so…captivating. He has this power, an energy I have never seen in anyone. I could barely take my eyes off him, even when I wanted to smack him across the face for being so rude and annoying.”

“How did you feel? All fluttery inside? Or were sparks flying?”

Kiera nodded, her eyes wide. “Both. And… I am so glad he left when he did, or I might have said yes to anything he wanted.”

“Damn, girl. You’re such a scandalous whore,” she teased. She cleared her throat and shouted out, “I can see it now! Hear ye, hear ye. Now announcing Kiera, the region’s Chosen witch, virgin-whore and newest shifter fraternizer!”

Kiera doubled over, utterly overcome by laughter. “I kind of like the sounds of virgin-whore, Reena. It rolls off the tongue with ease.”

“You know my mantra. Better to live as a whore than die a virgin.” As soon as she said that, her eyes narrowed. “How hot is he up close?”

“Hmmm. Well, enough for my heart to race, my ears to start ringing, my palms to start sweating, and in all likelihood, an embarrassing beet-red flush on my face. But seriously, you cannot let me fall for him, all right? If you see me getting all starry-eyed over him, slap it out of me. Got it?”

“Sorry, darling. I cannot.”

“Cannot or will not?”

She smiled and raised her eyebrows. “Both. So… want to know what I was working on in the lab today?”

Kiera was not that interested, but indulged her friend. “Yes. I definitely want to know.”

She gave a fake scowl. “Liar. Anyway, what if I told you it was top-secret? I mean, ultra-top-secret? So hush-hush that if anyone in the fortress knew, it would be pure chaos. Not just chaos, frenzy and mayhem to the point where you and Xander could probably do the nasty in the hallway and not a soul would notice…except for me, of course.”

“Oh, stop it and just tell me.”

“Sorry love. I cannot.”

“What? After all that fanfare and pre-frame?”

“That is correct. You will know when the time is right.”

Kiera wrinkled her nose. “You should not put out such lures for the strongest witch on the island to bite.”

Reena grumbled. “Don’t let Minassus hear you admit that. He may know it to be true, and he may tell you and others that it is true, but never let him see you as a threat.”

“I think I was enjoying this conversation more when Xander was the topic.”

“As was I.” Reena smirked, her head tilted to the side. “Sorry. I forgot, we all have to kiss your Chosen arse now.”

“I never said that!”

Reena’s hazel eyes narrowed behind her glasses. “No, and you would not. But resentment comes with the territory.”

“Thanks for always having my back,” Kiera mumbled, not without a little bitterness.

“You should know I do. I am your biggest supporter. That will never change. Just watch your back for Minassus.”

“I will.”

“Excellent. So, getting back to Xander… what’s the plan?”

“Well, I will meet him a few more times before the transformation ceremony.”

“And will you take my advice and live a little?”

Kiera nodded. “Perhaps I will.”

“Are you joking? He’s… a shifter!” Reena whined, this time in a tone dripping with sarcasm.

She was probably the only woman in the fortress who had openly voiced her opinion against the Chancellor’s treatment of Xander and his men. The only reason she did not face punishment for her views was because of her extraordinary gifts as a botanist, which made her an asset the Chancellor could not replace.

Well, that was the main reason. The other explanation was that Reena’s late father had the 236-k gene, and thus had been turned with the first batch of shifters. He was killed in action that first year, so fortress residents extended