Chapter Twelve
Leon was in awe as he watched George shift into a full-grown bear. Huge bear. Bigger than a bear. Thick fur in cascading shades of brown covered a bear that had to be bigger than any he'd ever seen in a magazine or on TV.
Damn, he was big.
Leon closed the door and walked slowly, cautiously, around the front of the car. He knew he needed to be careful when approaching a shifted bear, but his awe at the creature before him was overriding his common sense.
"Leon," Ford warned, "give him a minute. Let him acclimate to his surroundings before you—shit! George!"
Leon grunted as he was grabbed and snuggled close to a blanket of soft fur. His heart rate skyrocketed when a wet nose was shoved against his neck and the bear started sniffing him.
Getting licked was new.
"Hey, George." Leon let out a nervous laugh. "Let's put the human down, okay?"
Ford snorted. "Yeah, that isn't going to happen anytime soon. You're his mate, dude, and this is the first time his bear has had a chance to be with you. He isn't going anywhere and neither are you, not until his bear gets his fill."
Leon slumped. Fucking peachy.
"Is this normal for bears?" he asked.
"For newly mated bears, yes."
The amusement Leon could hear in Ford's voice made him want to strangle the man. "Tell me about being mated to a bear." George hadn't been that forthcoming with information. He had just sort of clammed up. "What's it mean to be George's mate?"
"I imagine mating is a bit different with every individual, but the basics are the same."
Jesus! It was like pulling teeth.
"So, what are the basics?"
"Well." Ford walked over to lean against the side of the car, crossing his arms over his chest. "When a shifter finds their mate, they bite him or her. It cements the bond between them."
Leon grimaced as the bear's big tongue swiped over the bite mark George had given him. He had known at the time it was something monumental. He just hadn't known what.
"And this bond, Leon, it's for all eternity."
"Don't I get any say in this?"
"Oh yes. You're human, so the rules are different for you. George, being a bear shifter, will want no other than you for the rest of his life, whether you are there or not. He won't even get hard for another man." Ford shrugged. "Or woman."
Leon growled, not wanting to hear about George getting hard for anyone.
"Of course, being human, you can walk away at any time and go on to live your life however you want. You might feel a little depressed for a while after leaving your mate, but you'll eventually get over it. George, on the other hand, will pine for you for the rest of his life."
Well, no guilt trip there.
"If you stay and agree to be his mate, he'll be totally devoted to you. Your happiness and wellbeing will be his top priority. Keeping you safe, making you happy, and ensuring you want for nothing is a mated bear's greatest desire, his ultimate goal in life. He will never be unfaithful, he will never leave you, and he will never let you go without if he can provide it for you. That's what it means to be mated to a bear."
That actually sounded pretty good, especially when George was involved. He liked George more and more with everything he was learning about the man. There were just a few problems. "Ford, I don't know if I'm ready to settle down right now."
Ford grimaced and glanced away. "Then George will be waiting here for you when you are."
"And if I never am?"
Ford inhaled a slow, deep breath. "Then he'll keep waiting."
That guilt trip was getting really heavy.
