“Thank you,” I say, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders.
“I think you know that,” Ebony says, eyeing me carefully. “So let’s get to what’s really troubling you.”
I take a deep breath. “I know what everyone is saying and I get it—‘You’ll feel the urge to claim him, stop rushing it.’ But here’s the thing: I want to claim my man. I want everything with Jabari.”
Jewel finishes her water with one last gulp and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. “Why don’t you just run from your bear? That will definitely get you going.”
I look at her in confusion, my brow furrowing. “I thought we aren’t supposed to run from our bear.”
Ebony bites her lip, exchanging a glance with Jewel.
“It’s just a warning you’ll get from Kade,” Ebony says carefully.
“I ran from Silas’s bear,” Jewel admits. “And Ebony ran from her bear.”
“So what happened—they hurt you or something?” I ask, concern lacing my voice.
Ebony suddenly clenches her legs together, a flush spreading across her cheeks. “Sort of.”
“If you run from Jabari’s bear,” Jewel explains, her voice dropping to an almost conspiratorial whisper, “he’ll activate full force, and you’ll find out just how much Jabari is holding back on you. In other words, he’ll fuck you right through the mattress.”
“And you won’t be able to walk for days,” Ebony adds, her eyes glazing over slightly at what I assume are memories.
“It doesn’t work while you’re pregnant though,” Jewel continues. “Our bears get real docile with sex while we’re pregnant. It’s because of the high-risk pregnancy.”
“You don’t want his bear to chase you all the time,” Ebony warns. “You’ll end up getting the bear more than your actual man.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Jewel counters with a smirk. “Look, I enjoy getting fucked right through the mattress, okay? I like my brain scattered for a few days and not knowing my left from right.” Her expression softens. “And I love the aftercare after getting folded like a pretzel. The way Silas took care of me after, it was like I was some precious ruby.”
“Yes... the memories,” Ebony murmurs, going quiet as if lost in thought. After a moment, she shakes her head slightly. “I’ve only ran from Tristian’s bear a few times. Kind of stopped after Elena and the school—there’s not time for all of that right now. I’ve got a bigger mission: to make sure these orphaned shifters make it out okay while raising my own. Those children lost their villages, their people. So we have to be the village they need if they’re going to survive.”
I nod, impressed by her dedication. “I appreciate the sacrifice you’re making.”
My gaze shifts to Jewel, who’s rubbing her belly and trying to stifle a yawn. “Looks like it’s time to get you home. I don’t know why you insisted on staying my entire shift, like I couldn’t handle it.”
Jewel shrugs, smirking. “It was my opportunity to get out of the village. I’m not going to do it every day, of course, but I might slip out here and there. Silas is driving me insane being a worried father. He wants to make sure me and the baby are safe at all times. Sometimes I have to pop him to get him to calm down.”
Ebony and Jewel laugh at the image, their laughter contagious enough that I join in.
I start cleaning up my station, organizing my tools. “Well, I’ll be back in a couple of days for my next appointment. Won’t hurt to just leave this here instead of carrying it home all the time.”
I pause in front of the mirror, fluffing out my hair with my fingers before grabbing a brush and running it through my curls. “The best thing about this job is I get to do my own weekly maintenance,” I say, winking at Jewel and Ebony.
Ebony walks out with us, and as soon as we step outside the spa, we all burst into laughter. Waiting right there, just as expected, are Jabari, Silas, and Tristian—our personal security detail.
Ebony goes straight into Tristian’s arms, who stares at her like she’s descended from heaven itself. “Do you like my hair?” she asks, suddenly seeming nervous as she fluffs her short curls.
Tristian doesn’t speak at first, just takes her in with a gaze so intense it makes my cheeks warm. Finally, he tells her she couldn’t be more beautiful than she is now, and kisses her in a way that makes Jewel and me blush and look away.
Our embarrassment is short-lived when Silas scoops up Jewel mid-protest. “I’ve waited long enough—time to go home,” he declares.
“Put me down, you big bear!” Jewel fusses, but she catches my eye and winks as Silas carries her off.
I approach Jabari, who’s looking at me with that eager, puppy-like expression that never fails to melt my heart.
“How was your day?” he asks, his deep voice washing over me.
“Enlightening,” I reply, thinking of the conversation I’ve just had.
