Shewasawake.
Why was she awake? She was supposed to be sleeping. At least that was what I thought would happen.
“Mate,” I panted, licking away the blood from my lips.
She cocked her head to the side, her eyebrows furrowing.
“Did you feel it too?” Her lips grew into a smile, but I couldn’t concentrate on what she was saying.
My body thrummed, my heart racing, and my soul was connected to hers. I could feel it, but she shouldn’t stare at me wide-eyed and awake like this.
Humans couldn’t handle stress. Their bodies became weak after a bite, and the bond overtook their bodies, weakened their minds, shut down, and made them sleep.
Why was she awake?
I glanced back down at her neck. The bite I inflicted into her skin was deep; blood still seeped from her skin, but I could already tell it was healing. I knew it was normal after Grim and Hawke explained it to the rest of us. They fell asleep, a few minutes to hours.
Maybe the bite wasn’t deep enough.
“Bear?”
My mate’s voice was full of doubt when I looked into her eyes, and that it should be because I stared right through her.
I brought my thumb to her face and smiled, stroking her cheek. “Yes, little bee, I feel it. It will only get stronger over the next few days.”
The bond would hit her like a ton of bricks if she had passed out and woke up. Now the bond was just a dull humming between us.
“Are you not… tired?” I asked exhaustedly. “Did I not pleasure my mate enough?” I tried to joke.
My heart raced with a feeling of dread as I realized I might have done something wrong.
Unless Anaki’s suspicions may be true. That her human parents weren’t really her blood after all. Worse yet, she may not be completely human.
No human could stay awake after a bite. The only species that could were supernaturals.
My mate’s cheeks reddened, and she shook her head. “N-no, I am worn out enough. I am tired, but that bite and then this warm feeling all over my body… it surprised me. You didn’t tell me it was going to feel that way.” She smiled softly, her fingers running up my chest and cupping my beard.
I kissed her wrist, nuzzling into her hand.
“I’m going to be honest, little bee, you should be sleeping. Most mates would be by now.”
She blinked for several moments. “Well, I can go to sleep if you want…” she trailed off and turned her head away.
I chuckled and shook my head, kissing her uninjured neck. “No, that isn’t what I meant. It’s just that, the other human females, they passed out while their bodies changed, and you haven’t.”
I pulled my cock from my mate. She winced as I did so, but I kept my body close to hers and pulled her to my chest. “I was expecting you to be asleep. It is my job to take care of you while your body changes. Our bond will grow, your body will also change. You are to become like me. Stronger in body as well, you will no longer be human.”
Her eyes widened. “I’ll be a shifter too? A bear shifter?”
I nodded.
“Uh, probably should have told me that.” She pressed her lips together into a pout. “You’re lucky I think that’s awesome.”
I let out a burst of laughter and lightly stroked her back.
There was a loud knock, excessive knocking on the other side of the door. “Bear! I just got a text from Journey! Congratulations!”
I rolled my eyes and growled. It vibrated my entire body including my cock that was nestled between my mate’s delicate folds. My mate arched her back, her mouth opening letting out a sweet little moan.
