“The bear,” I say slowly. “That was you.”
Something flickers across his face. Pain, maybe? Or guilt.
“Yes.”
27
BODHI
Emma stares at me with those wide, green eyes, and I can see her processing. Not shock, exactly, since she knew something was different about me. Felt it somehow. But seeing it, knowing it, and looking at the consequences of what I can become, is completely different from a vague suspicion.
“You’re… a bear?” She repeats, swallowing hard, her voice barely more than a whisper. “How is that even possible?”
I want to explain everything to her, but not like this. All I can do is stand here, naked and covered in blood, and watch the woman I love try to reconcile the man she trusted with this monster.
“Emma.” I take a step toward her, wiping my still wet hands on my chest, but she flinches back slightly, her eyes roaming over the red slick covering my skin.
That small movement is enough to stop me in my tracks. She’s been through so much. I can’t add to her fear, as much as I want to hold her. Instead, I bury my hands in my hair.
“I know this is a lot to take in.”
Not sure she’s listening, I follow her gaze to the grimy windows.
“Are there others?” Her voice is steadier now, but I can hear the tremor underneath. “Are there more like you?”
“Out there now? No.” Her eyes dart past me, toward the forest, the cars, the way out. “But in general, yes.”
I can hear her heart pounding as her body processes the fear and adrenaline racing through her, and her mind tries to accept what she knows is true.
“We’re called shifters.” The words barely come. I can’t focus on anything but her nervous expression. “My brothers. My whole family. Small towns of us are dotted all over the country. There are more than you’d imagine.”
She nods slowly, filing it away like this is perfectly reasonable information. As if learning that there are towns full of supernatural beings living amongst humans is just another piece of trivia and not utterly terrifying.
“Are they all... are they dangerous?”
Like me.
My gut twists when I see the quiver in her bottom lip and hear the tremble in her voice. She’s holding it together remarkably well. All I can do is answer her questions and comfort her as best I can.
“We’re not dangerous, Emma. Not to good, decent people.” I take a breath. “But we protect our own. Fiercely.”
She nods again, but her features are frozen, eyes fixed on the trail of blood that’s leading to the front door where I dragged Kozlov across the floor.
I should have been more measured, shifted back to human form instead of creating this bloodbath, but I wasn’t in my right mind. My bear had too much control, and rage. That’s my fault for spending so long in animal form before coming here. My family warned me, but I refused to listen.
Even now my bear is still too close to the surface, still riding the high of protecting our mate. But seeing the careful way she’s wrapping her arms around her waist and curling in on herself, the burns on her wrists and red mark on her cheek, is quickly bringing me back to reality.
What kind of future could we have now? What human woman could accept a man,trusta man, who can do this? Deep down, would she always fear me?
“Let me see.” I move closer, keeping my movements slow and non-threatening. She doesn’t pull away this time when I gently take her hands to examine the raw marks where the rope cut into her skin.
“Bodhi.” Her voice stops me. When I look up, her eyes are wide as they search my face. “Are they…? Did you…?”
The question I’ve been dreading. I can still taste their blood, still feel the satisfaction of my claws tearing through their flesh.
“Yes. You don’t have to worry about them ever again.” My voice comes out flat. Emotionless.
“So, they’re dead?”
