“I love you, Zach. So much,” she moaned.
Zach pulled back and thrust again, making her gasp with desire and longing. She would explode if he increased his rhythm, but he continued to move into her in infuriatingly slow waves. She pulled him toward her and their tongues danced.
It was only them in that moment, together, perfect. She gazed up into his eyes as he moved slowly inside her. His ice blue irises shone with love and desire. She tilted her head and arched her back as he licked her neck.
Zach increased his pace, thrusting decisively and firmly as he held her close. His sharp canine teeth descended, pressing hard against the pulse point on her neck.
“Yes,” she breathed, so close to release.
His teeth sank deeper, breaking the skin. She screamed, but no sound came out. The pleasure and pain of his bite shot through her.
Maisie’s body exploded, her orgasm pulsing from head to toe with ecstatic release. Zach bit down hard, his own orgasm shooting deep inside her womb.
He held her close, their bodies bound together. She could feel the venom from his bite enter her blood. Not only had she been bonded to him as his mate, he was sending out the fluid that would turn her. She would be forever changed into a bear like him.
Slowly, with a trembling breath, Zach retracted his teeth and licked her wound clean. She would always bear this mark as a symbol of their devotion.
She ran her fingertips over the bite marks, letting out a quivering breath. Zach rolled over beside her and took her in his arms, holding her close.
“It’s done,” he said, his voice solemn.
“Don’t sound so serious,” she said, lifting up on an elbow to look him in the eye.
He cupped her cheek in his hand, his eyes smiling.
“The connection is growing stronger.”
“Yes.” She could feel it too.
“What do you feel, mate?” he asked her.
“I feel your love. Your desire. Your pride. It’s magnificent.”
“Yes.”
“When will I change?” she asked him.
“When you are ready. The bear will develop inside before she can come out. Can you feel her there?”
“I feel something. It is growing. Something wild and wise and innocent. It’s like discovering a whole other side of myself.”
“Your bear might take a few days to be ready to come out. Until then, you should rest.”
“Speaking of rest, I’m exhausted.”
She snuggled in close to Zach and they slumbered together under the warm, luxurious comforter in the lodge’s nicest suite.
In the morning, Maisie felt like a new woman. The day before had been terribly frightening, but today she felt at peace.
She could feel the fledgling polar bear growling at the back of her mind. The strength of the animal pulsed through her veins.
Chapter 17
Zach happily chewed his bacon and washed it down with freshly squeezed orange juice. Every minute with Maisie was like a little slice of heaven. He wanted her so badly he’d been terrified of screwing things up by moving too fast.
When she’d asked him if he would mark her and change her while they made love for the first time, it set off all the alarms in his head. But she’d asked so honestly, he couldn’t resist her. He wanted to give her everything she wanted. That didn’t stop him from being just as scared the next morning.
But with their bond radiating back and forth between their hearts, he knew she wouldn’t leave.
“I want to show you our house,” he told her, just as his phone rang.
It was Levi. With everything going on in his own life, Zach had completely forgotten about Levi and Juliet’s baby. He answered the phone.
“Hi, Levi. How is Juliet?”
“She’s doing well. And so is the baby. We’re having a quick gathering at the hospital this morning. We want everyone to come see our daughter.”
“Sounds great. We’ll be there.”
“Is everything all right?” she asked.
“The baby was born. Want to go meet her?”
“I’d love to.”
They finished getting ready and stopped off on Main Street to buy gifts for Juliet and the baby. Maisie picked a pink and black striped onesie and a fancy pacifier. Zach picked out a bunch of balloons. They were for every occasions from over the hill birthdays to congratulations for graduating high school. He also got a bouquet of flowers for Juliet.
When they arrived, it seemed like more of a party than a hospital room. They pushed through the crew to see Juliet holding her baby in the bed with Levi right here beside her.
Zach handed her the balloons and flowers with a big grin on his face.
“These are great.” Juliet laughed.
“I brought you this,” Maisie said.
“You’re Maisie, right?” Juliet asked, opening the gift. “You opened the bakery on Main Street. I loved the macaroons. Thank you so much.”
“Thank you,” Maisie said.
“You’re Zach’s mate?” Juliet asked.
“Yes. It’s now official,” Maisie said, sliding her shirt away from her neck to show the mark.
Everyone in the room gasped, stopped cooing at the baby, and stared at Maisie’s neck.
“Congratulations to you,” Angus said, slapping Zach hard on the back.
“What are you going to name the cub?” Zach asked, changing the subject.
“We’ve settled on Sunshine,” Levi said.
“Seriously?” Drew asked.
“I knew that was the perfect name!” Zach said.
“Sunshine Blackthorn just has a nice ring to it,” Juliet said, rocking her baby girl in her arms.
The child was so adorable and pink that it made Zach’s heart swell thinking that he and Maisie could have one of their own after last night.
As they left the hospital, he could feel Maisie’s awe inside his chest. She was as affected by the cub as he had been. Their mutual connection was allowing them to feed off of each other’s emotions. He loved the way that worked between them, bringing them to new heights of feeling they’d never experienced before.
When they got out to the truck, he turned the key in the ignition and looked over at Maisie.
“I really want to show you the house now,” he said.
He had a surprise for her that he’d been waiting to give her since before they’d met. It had been hidden in his glove compartment for months, waiting for this day.
“I’d love to see the house,” she said.
They drove back down the street and turned off into the neighborhood where his house was. They parked in front and he opened her door of the car. He slid his hand into the glove compartment and grabbed his secret surprise.
When they made it inside, Maisie’s jaw dropped. The living room was full of light and the kitchen was a baker’s dream. She gushed over each amenity and the high-end finishes.
All Zach could do was smile at her reaction. He’d known from the moment he’d seen the place that this was it. This was their house where they would raise their family and grow together. The forest beyond the backyard was park land that would never be developed. Their family could play together as bears there. It would be perfect.
Zach and Maisie walked upstairs to the master bedroom and Maisie pushed open the French doors out onto the balcony. She looked out at the snowy yard and the view of the forest beyond.
“This place is so beautiful,” she said, her breath puffing out before her in the cold air.
“I knew it was perfect as soon as I saw it. This is our place, Maisie. Our home.”
“Are you asking me to move in with you?” she teased.
“That’s not all I’m asking.”
Zach reached into his pocket and sank down on one knee. He pulled the tiny box out in front of him and opened it up. Maisie stared down at the contents, pressing her hands over her mouth. She made an excited squeal.
“Maisie Green, will you be my wife?”
“Yes. A thousand times yes,” she said as he pushed the ring onto her finger.
It fit just right and looked perfect. Fate certainly did play a role in the lives and loves of shifters on Fate Mountain. She pulled him up off his knees and threw her arms around his neck.
“I’ve been waiting for you a long time, Maisie Green. This is better than I ever expected.”
“Zach,” she swooned, looking at her ring as she extended her arm.
“I want this for the rest of my time here on Earth. I want us to share pleasure that fills us both with bliss and happiness every day of our lives together.”
He kissed her full on the lips, savoring the taste of her breath and the feeling of her curves under his hands.
“I want to shift now. I don’t want to wait.”
“So do I,” he agreed.
Zach always liked doing things sooner rather than later. His whirlwind relationship with Maisie was just the tip of the iceberg for this polar bear.
Chapter 18
Maisie led Zach down to the back porch of their house. Their soon-to-be house. Part of her felt so naughty to be doing this. She’d been so focused on work and success for so long that she’d forgotten how to have fun. She’d forgotten her own wild side.
Now Maisie could feel it coming on full force. She heard the bear inside her, crying out to be born. The bear’s vital power spiraled up from deep inside her, filling her every cell with its strength. Her vision already felt sharper, more focused.
When she stepped outside, the scent of the forest called her inner beast. Zach stood beside her, looking deliciously cute and ready for whatever she had in mind. She peeled out of her coat, smiling up into his twinkling eyes as it hit the snow. He raised his eyebrows and began to take off his clothes too.
Soon they were naked, standing in the snow barefoot. Maisie shivered at the cold, but not as much as she would have expected.
“Well, we’re standing here naked in the snow in a house that isn’t even officially yours yet. How do I do this shifting thing?” she said, giggling as she hugged herself from the cold.
“Listen to your inner bear. Let her know it’s time to come out. If she’s ready, you will change.”
“I can hear her, but I don’t know how to talk to her.”
“Talk to her in your mind. Or say it aloud. Feel it. Let it happen.”
Maisie took a deep breath, beginning to feel a little ridiculous. She could feel her inner bear but she didn’t know how to let it out. She focused on the sound of her bear’s growling and clawing. It wanted to be born, she could feel that inside her.
It was as if the animal and she were becoming one. It was a deeper part of herself, a more primal, more basic part. She’d had glimpses of it before. It had always been there, but as the seed of a thought. Now that idea had grown into something physical, something real.
Maisie heard the bear growling. She was innocent like a cub but full grown and full of animal strength. As she focused on the feeling of her bear, she saw Zach change beside her out of the corner of her eye.
She snapped her eyes wide and gasped at the sight of it. She’d seen videos on YouTube, but nothing had prepared her for seeing it happen in front of her. It would happen to her soon. A coil of panic sprang inside her and she backed away.
“Holy shit,” she said, feeling colder by the second.
But she could feel Zach inside her. Their connection linked their hearts and minds in a constant flow. His encouraging energy helped her calm down. The bear inside her was too close to be ignored. She had to let it out soon. There was no going back now.
She stepped forward, nodding her head to Zach.
“Okay. Here goes nothing. Bear girl. Come out now!” she said with a giggle.
Her laugh turned to a roar as the beast unfolded from within. She exploded with the full force of a tidal wave. Her paws crashed down on the ground as she roared with primal vigor.
Zach roared in approval, turning to nip her gently on the ear. She rubbed his face as she started by him, beginning to trot toward the open forest.
They galloped down the length of the property and into the vast tracks of park land beyond. The snow felt good under her paws as the wilderness embraced her in its web of scents and sounds. She dove into her senses headlong.
Maisie was along for the ride inside the beast of her polar bear. The animal ran alongside her animal mate. But they were all there, running through their link. The humans and the animals communed with the forest in a primal bond with nature and life.
In the weeks that followed, life became busy with planning and preparation for everything that was to come. When the house sale finalized, she and Zach picked out furniture and moved in.
Before she knew it, it was their wedding day.
Maisie stood in the entrance alcove to the atrium at Fate Mountain Lodge.
She’d had a dress flown in from France, and it had arrived just in time for the wedding. Peeking around the corner, she could see Zach standing at the altar with the minister. Zach had asked the Rescue Bears to all be his groomsmen, but Levi had agreed to give her away since her dad had died.
The Rescue Bears walked down the aisle, arm-in-arm with their mates who were serving as bridesmaids, everyone dressed in their best outfits. Levi held out an arm for her to hold.
“You and Zach make a perfect pair, you know,” Levi said.
Maisie smiled up at Levi, knowing that he got it. That special connection between her and Zach was everything. Fated mates were better together.
The wedding march started, and they walked down the aisle. Zach watched her, wearing his blue frilly tux. She giggled behind her flowers when she approached him. She loved that Zach took chances. He lived with the most joie de vivre of anyone she’d ever met, and she loved that more than anything.
He took her hand, and she stepped onto the altar with Zach and the minister. Lily, Shane’s mate, took her bouquet, and she and Zach held hands as they gazed into each other’s eyes. She could barely hear the minister speak as he conducted the ceremony. All she could focus on was the feeling of love flowing back and forth between her and her beloved ski bear.
When he pronounced them husband and wife, Zach swooped in and kissed her passionately, dipping her backwards in front of everyone. When he popped her back up again, she was laughing and smiling as everyone cheered. Life with Zach would never be dull.
Zach and Maisie walked hand-in-hand to the main dining room for the reception. They had a delicious meal served, and Drew stood up to give his speech.
“The day I met my mate and the mother of my cub, Zach was stripping at a bachelorette party hosted by Levi’s mate Juliet. Let’s just say, you aren’t the only Rescue Bear mate who’s seen Zach in his G-string.”
“Zach. I didn’t know you were an exotic dancer.” Maisie giggled.
She loved that about Zach. He was full of surprises. The rest of the guys gave speeches, telling stories of Zach’s escapades. Maisie had to laugh at each tale. They seemed epic and legendary. She was lucky to have him.
He leaned toward her and took her hand, kissing her on the cheek as if he knew her thoughts.
“When are you going to get yourself a mate?” Zach asked Corey.
The computer programmer looked up from his phone and glared at Zach.
“You know I’m not interested in finding a mate,” Corey said. “Just because you and Maisie only had a minor amount of drama doesn’t mean that’s the norm. Look at the rest of these couples. Each and every one has a story that would scare a bear away from mating forever. And those aren’t the only ones I’ve heard.”
“But once you find a way to make it work, it’s better than anything,” Maisie said.
“The drama is guaranteed. The happily ever after, not so much.”
“We’re all happy,” Levi said, looking up from Juliet’s baby bundle.
“You all found happiness with mates you found on Mate.com. That doesn’t mean all fated mates are happy. That doesn’t mean I
have to use my app like all of you.”
Drew whispered something in Angus’s ear and Angus started to chuckle in a husky, low voice.
“What?” Corey said.
Maisie could tell he was getting irritated. These guys were up to something.
“Angus just told me he got a shipment of black cherry wood today,” Drew said.
“Yeah right,” Corey said. “Mark my words. I will never mate. That’s final.”
“Okay, Corey. We believe you,” Shane said, winking at Lily.
Corey shook his head and rolled his eyes with a grunt.
“You are all unbelievable. Why don’t you focus on some other shifter? You can’t swing a stick without finding a guy on Fate Mountain who’s waiting for his mate to show up on Mate.com.”
“You’ve done the community a great service,” Levi said.
“Thank you,” Corey said, standing up. “I need more cake.”
The rest of the bears chuckled behind his back, and Levi told them to leave him alone. Geek Bear was a little different than the other men. Less hot-blooded and more cerebral. Maisie felt bad for him and wondered what had happened to him that made him want to swear off mating forever.
Her mom stood up and clinked her spoon to her champagne glass.
“I have something I want to say,” Kelly Green said.
Everyone lifted their glasses. The Rescue Bears loved Kelly; she’d been working for Levi at the lodge since day one.
No one would have expected her daughter to end up with one of the crew.
“Maisie, I thought having you come home was the greatest gift you could have given me. But now that you’ve found Zach, I feel like our family is complete. I love you both.”
“Ah, Mom,” Maisie said, putting her hand to her heart.
Kelly walked around to kiss Maisie and hug Zach. After the speeches and dinner, they opened presents that were all perfect for their new home.
The wedding and reception were perfect, but Maisie couldn’t wait for their honeymoon. She couldn’t wait to show Zach the City of Lights.
Chapter 19