He looked down at her, his eyes narrowing. Had there been a shift in her breathing? Had her eyes twitched? With Carl distracting him, he couldn’t watch her with his regular focus.
“You need to get some real sleep,” Carl said. “In a bed.”
“I just need some?—”
“Coffee.”
Mark and Carl froze at the rasping voice. Had that been Julie? He almost couldn’t bring himself to believe. But he hadn’t said it. And from Carl’s face, it hadn’t been the alpha, either.
Mark lifted her hand to his lips and squeezed her fingers. “I promise to get you a triple mocha if you’ll just open your eyes. Come on, Jules. Extra whip with a drizzle of caramel.” After hitting research mode with her a few days back, he knew exactly how she liked her caffeine and sugar.
Her eyelids fluttered, and she frowned. Carl moved to the side table and brought her a glass of water, pressing the straw against her lips. Young shifters were always dehydrated when they woke. Mark’s bear dug at him, reminding him that no other man should serve his mate. It was true, but Mark was too busy gently chafing Julie’s hand to handle the water.
“Come on, baby. Open those pretty brown eyes for me.”
She didn’t. But she did open her mouth enough for Carl to put the straw inside. And then she drank. She really drank the water, which was the best sign of approaching consciousness that he’d had from her. But the very next was even better.
She spit out the straw. “You promised me a mocha latte.”
Then she opened her eyes. Relief flooded his system when their gazes connected. He could see everything in them. Groggy recognition and signs of temper. Every shifter on the planet came out of their first change with the exact same cranky pants attitude. Not to mention a killer hangover. But they could deal with that as long as she was awake. As long as she was alive.
Then her eyes slipped closed again.
“Wake up, baby,” he said. “I’ve got news.” If coffee couldn’t lure her into awareness, then information would. He was sure of it.
And just like magic, her expression tightened into a frown. “I turned into a bear.”
She’d turned partly into a bear. She hadn’t the DNA for a full shift, but it had been enough for his grizzly to recognize her. For his bear to claim her and the mating bond to lock into place. But he would explain those details later. Right now, she had to accept that she was part shifter.
“Yes, you did,” he said, keeping his voice carefully neutral. Not everyone wanted to be burdened with a strong animal side. For many, the costs far outweighed the benefits. If she hated what she’d become?—
“Cool.”
“What? Are you hot? Do you need?—”
She opened her eyes to glare at him. “No, silly. It was cool. Will I be able to do it again?”
Now there was Julie, aware and demanding answers. He’d never seen a more beautiful sight. “Don’t know. How about you get stronger and we’ll try it again?”
“Maybe,” Carl interrupted. “If you feel up to it. But don’t push it and don’t go trying anything without talking to us first.”
Julie rolled her eyes. “Mother Hen,” she drawled, making Mark laugh. Carl, too, though he tried to hide it.
“I’m your alpha now, Julie. You’re going to have to listen to me.”
Her eyes focused on him. “No one else does. Why do I have to?”
Carl growled at her, a sound that was half affection and half exasperation. “Mark is so not doing your orientation. He’s a bad influence. And everyone does listen?—”
“How’s Alan?” she interrupted, the concern in her voice effectively deflating Carl’s annoyance.
“Better. Stronger. And alive, thanks to you.”
She shook her head. “I couldn’t bond with him. I don’t think he wanted it.”
“But you kept him together until we could get there. I can’t thank you enough for that.”
She exhaled slowly, her eyes drifting shut. “I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.” She cracked an eye to stare at Mark. “Or a really big grizzly.”
