Bear Protector - Bella Love-Wins Page 0,36

fight,” he continued in a gentler tone. “In your own way. You can tell every Chosen witch the truth about the ceremony, and stand against Minassus. But it is not my place to put such a burden on you, or to force you. I would be no different from him if I did.”

“I do not want to spend another minute of my seven days arguing with you.”

“You are missing the point about the seven days, Kiera, but I agree. Let’s not argue.”

“Thank you.”

He returned to his seat and picked up the cutlery again. “Would you like to take a walk after supper?”

“What about your curfew?”

“I have my ways to get around the village when I need to.”

“How about something else? I was going to ask you…”

“Go on.”

“I wondered what you look like after you shift.”

“Is that a trick question? I look like a Kodiak bear.”

“No, what I mean is, I wanted to see you transform…so I can observe the magic as you go through the process, and for sure, see your animal too.”

He grinned, helped her to stand, and took slow steps back to his bed, pulling her with him. “There are easier ways to see me naked, Kiera. All you have to do is ask.”

Kiera turned away, cheeks blazing hot from embarrassment. “That is, um…I did not mean it that way.”

“I know, woman. It was a joke…though there is no way to avoid seeing me naked while I turn.” He began pulling the homespun sweater over his head.

“You mean, right here?”

He threw the sweater on the bed and unbuttoned his shirt. “Yes here and now, Miss seven days.”

The sight of his pants dropping to the floor made her pulse race so fast, she could die. With a coy expression on his face, Xander lowered his stretchy boxers down his legs, kicking them off his feet. He was completely bare, and the man was a chiseled, beautiful God. Heat sparked in her core, spreading throughout her body at the sight of his manhood. It was massive, not that she had seen others to know the difference. She could not wait to touch him…everywhere. Except that was not the reason she had asked him to remove all his clothes.

A second later, his skin appeared to shimmer. His body grew outward in all directions. A coat of sleek, bristly, white fur replaced his bare skin. Claws, legs and paws replacing his nails, hands and feet. His torso bent forward until he was on all fours. His face and skull elongated until Xander was a thousand pounds of Kodiak bear.

Kiera bit down hard on her lip to contain the scream that threatened to break free, not from fear, but in awe of the powerful magic it had taken to produce this beautiful creature. Her heart was in her throat for some time, until Xander’s bear let out a foreign, deep grunting sound.

For just a moment, he stood on his hind legs, towering over her. He was magnificent. Pure white fur, large, razor-sharp claws. His eyes were the same ice blue as they were when he was a man. She looked up into them, wondering if he still thought as a man, or if he ran purely on instinct. Either way, she was in awe. She had never felt so small and helpless, yet buzzing with excitement. He could do anything he wanted. He could rip her to shreds right there. The knowledge that she was at his mercy took her breath away.

He snorted, then roared with his head thrown back before lowering to balance his weight on all four paws again, breathing slowly. Kiera did not say a word as they faced each other. Slowly, she reached one hand to him and he stilled. She ran her fingers through his soft, smooth fur, and looked down into his eyes.

“You are just…perfect.”

As though understanding her words, he stood upright again and gradually returned to his human form. “Thank you,” he said, not making a move to get dressed.

“You are welcome.”

“I want you, Kiera,” he said. “Right now.”

She smiled, undoing the buttons at the tops of her shoulders. She let her simple, loose shift dress to fall to her feet, revealing only panties underneath.

“You will be my first.”

11

Kiera

Kiera’s lips met Xander’s and her entire body ignited. She leaned forward, standing on her tiptoes and threading the fingers of her free hand through his long, thick hair. He returned voraciously hungry kisses, leaving no doubt in her mind that what was happening between them was more