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“We don’t want you to feel any kind of uncomfortable.” Edward stroked my hair. “We need to be more careful with our mate.”
“It’s nice to use the word, isn’t it?” Ansel kissed my cheek. “Mate.”
“Mmm.” I moved to sit up and then fell back. “It does sound nice. But beyond the expected soreness, I feel weird. Is that how it’s supposed to be?”
“Weird?” Ansel caught Edward’s eye across my prone body. “I’m not sure. I don’t feel weird. But I am hungry. Maybe you need some food and probably some coffee and water because you might be a little dehydrated.”
“Could be it.” I yawned. “I’ll go put the coffee on.” I moved to sit up again.
“Oh no you don’t.” Edward tugged me back to lie down. “This is our mating morning, and we are going to spoil you. You don’t move a muscle until we get back.”
“I am not arguing. I could drink coffee for sure and water. Really thirsty, now that you mention it.”
They were both on their feet, ready to wait on me, and while I wasn’t going to let them always do that, I wanted to spoil them back, for now I’d take it. It wasn’t just hunger or thirst or soreness…something was off, and I was a little scared. But I didn’t want to ruin this morning for them by overreacting.
Each one bent to kiss me before they darted off to take care of breakfast, which apparently was going to be in bed. Worked for me. After they were gone, I got up and used the restroom then returned to snuggle in the covers and wait for my mates to come back. I drifted into a doze, and a dream.
I was a bear too but smaller than the grizzlies, and I bounded off the bed and circled the room a few times on all fours. It was a whole different existence. A whole different set of muscles and body parts to move around. Or maybe not different parts but arranged differently. I rarely remembered my dreams unless they were nightmares, so this was an unusual pleasure. I attributed it to being mated to bear shifters and to being so happy.
Unable to stay in one room, I darted into the hallway, taking in everything from my new perspective. I could see colors, brighter and maybe more colors. And my hearing was strong. Ansel and Edward were in the kitchen making breakfast, and their conversation came in on the upstairs landing. I’d have been unsure if there was a difference as that was all I heard, but every rattle of a plate or clunk of a mug, tap of a knife was not louder so much as clearer. Almost as if there’d been a filter before. When I woke up, I’d have to ask the guys if that was how they felt. Maybe shifters had stronger senses than other animals, or maybe this was how all smallish bears experienced the world.
Outside. I needed to get out and into nature. Smell the trees and flowers and animals and…I started down the stairs, but it was a whole different experience on all fours, and I tumbled head over heels to land in a heap at the bottom.
“Did you hear that?” Edward asked.
“Sounded like something fell.” The two of them came into the living room to find me in a heap on the floor. Bear me. This dream was very detailed. “It’s a bear.”
They stood by me, staring down, and I stared up. “A sun bear,” Edward said. “And if I’m not mistaken, it’s a shifter female.”
Interesting how I could understand everything they said as a bear. How much of what my subconscious was putting together was right? If I remembered, I’d ask them when I woke up.
“Edward, sniff her.” Ansel bent and drew in a breath. “It’s our female. How…”
“I have a lot of questions, but she really believes she’s human. Well, probably believed. Isn’t she the cutest thing? I don’t know how she ended up in that family, but it explains why she never felt like she fit in.”
I wanted to say “Don’t talk about me like I’m not in the room,” but while this bear might understand speech, she didn’t have the anatomy to reply.
Shift back and talk to them. We can play later.
Are you my bear?
I prefer to say you’re my person.
Holy shit, could I dream!
And you’re not dreaming. Just the kind of thing a dream bear would say.
Where have you been all my life? Why now?
It wasn’t time before. You had a hard enough time with the people who raised you.
“Monroe?” Edward waved a hand in front of my muzzle. “Can you shift back so we can talk to you. You can bring your fur anytime now that you’ve done it once.”
Shift back? I had no idea how to do it. I also had no idea how to become the bear, but I’d managed it. Squeezing my eyes closed, I pictured myself as my human self and, for good measure, wished to change back.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Edward
