Page 34 of Bite for Sore Eyes

The genuine concern in his voice made her chest tighten with unexpected emotion. These two incredible men had known her for barely two days, yet the depth of their worry was written across every line of their bodies.

"I feel great." Despite everything that had happened, she did feel remarkably energized. "And I would like to go exploring, if that's okay."

Torren moved closer, his blue eyes dark with protective instincts. "I don't want you to overdo it. Maybe we should go home so you can rest."

Home.

The word sent warmth flooding through her chest. When had she started thinking of their castle as home? When had these two Alphas become the center of her world so completely that being away from them for an hour felt like deprivation?

"I know you both are worried, but I'm fine. Really." She looked between them, taking in Rath's clenched fists and Torren's rigid posture. "It was just a little bump."

Rath's expression softened slightly, though his protective stance remained unchanged. "Well, if you feel good, then I see no reason why we can't take you exploring. But if you start feeling anything at all—any episode coming on or feeling sick—you need to let us know immediately."

"I promise," she said, meeting both their gazes steadily. "From now on, I won't hide my episodes. I'll let you know exactly how I'm feeling."

Relief flickered across both men's faces, and some of the tension finally began to ease from their powerful frames. Without discussion, each man reached for one of her hands, their fingers intertwining with hers in the natural formation that was becoming as familiar as breathing.

Together, they moved through the medical facility's corridors, past treatment rooms and consultation offices that reminded Lana too much of the countless hospitals she'd endured over the past two years. When they finally pushed through the front doors and stepped into Nova Aurora's afternoon air, she drew in a deep breath that seemed to cleanse her lungs.

So much better than the sterile smell of hospitals, she thought, though she knew hoping to never step foot in another medical facility again was probably unrealistic. Still, for today, she was free.

They walked down the familiar stone pathway that led back toward the bustling center of Varkesh Hollow, but Lana found herself glancing toward the wilderness that bordered the city. Purple trees swayed in the gentle breeze, their alien beauty calling to something wild in her soul.

"So where do you want to go exploring?" Torren asked, his thumb stroking across her knuckles in a gesture that sent heat spiraling through her body.

"Somewhere where I can finally see your bears." Lana's pulse quickened with anticipation.

Both men stopped walking so abruptly that she nearly stumbled. Rath's green eyes widened with surprise, while Torren's expression shifted from concern to something that looked almost like wonder.

"You want to see our bears?" Rath's voice carried a note of disbelief.

"Of course I do." The answer came without hesitation. "I want to know every part of you."

Something shifted in both men's expressions—a primal satisfaction that made the air around them crackle with energy.

Torren's blue eyes darkened. "Well then, I think I know the perfect spot."

They changed direction, leading her away from the stone pathways of the city and toward the edge of the wilderness. The transition from civilization to wild forest happened gradually, the carefully maintained walkways giving way to natural trails that wound between towering purple trees. With each step deeper into the woods, Lana felt something inside her chest loosening.

The forest smelled of earth and growing things, with an underlying sweetness that was purely Nova Aurora. Sunlight filtered through the purple canopy in dappled patterns that painted the forest floor in shades of lavender and gold. Birds she couldn't identify called from the branches above, their songs more melodic than anything she'd heard on Earth.

They walked for perhaps twenty minutes before reaching a natural clearing where the trees formed a perfect circle around a space carpeted with soft grass. The twin suns filtered through the opening in the canopy, warming the air and creating an almost sacred atmosphere.

"Alright." Torren released her hand and stepped back, his movements fluid and purposeful.

"Are you ready to meet our bears?" Rath asked, dropping her other hand and moving to stand beside his best friend.

"Yes," she breathed, her heart hammering. "More than ready."

Both men moved further away from her, putting several yards of distance between them and her position at the edge of the clearing. They faced each other for a moment, some silent communication passing between them, before turning back to her.

Then the impossible happened.

The air around both men began to shimmer, as if heat waves were rising from their bodies despite the comfortable temperature. Lana watched in fascination as their human forms began to blur and shift, bones cracking and reforming with sounds that should have been terrifying but somehow felt natural. Then their muscles expanded, their frames growing larger and more massive with each passing second. The transformation was slightly terrifying, mostly impossible, but unmistakably breathtaking and beautiful.

Where two powerful men had stood moments before, two magnificent bears now dominated the clearing. Lana's breath caught in her throat as she took in their incredible forms—creatures that belonged in legends and dreams rather than standing before her in living, breathing reality.

Rath's bear was massive and imposing, his dark fur gleaming in the filtered sunlight. But it was his eyes that held her captive—those same brilliant green eyes that had looked at her with such intensity in human form, now gazing at her from a bear's face.