“Willow’s right,” Mal said. “But I also get what it’s like to have a headstrong and stubborn mate, so if we need to provide security without Cece being aware, we will.”
“Hey,” Willow said. “I am a delight.”
Mal grinned at her. “A stubborn delight.”
She just wrinkled her nose at him, and he took her hand before stepping out into the cold. “We’ll touch base later today.”
“Okay. Thanks again,” Briggs said. He shut the door and leaned against it in relief. His mate would be safe even after they returned from Alaska.
If she goes with you.
He wanted to ignore his inner voice, but there was a possibility that she wouldn’t go with him. Meeting all of his family at once could be overwhelming for her, especially given how new their relationship was.
Tell her she’ll see a polar bear if she goes.
He grimaced. He wouldn’t bribe Cece to go to Alaska. Either she wanted to go, or she didn’t, and if she didn’t, well… he would figure out a way to stop his bear from freaking the fuck out at being so far from their mate. And if he only went to Alaska for two or three days, his family would understand.
But it did remind him of something he’d been meaning to do all damn week. Cece wanted to see a polar bear more than anything, and he would do whatever he could to make her happy. His polar bear growled with excitement. It had been a while since he shifted, and his bear was impatient to show their mate how powerful he was and how well he would protect her and their cubs.
A small grin on his face, Briggs stripped off his clothes and called for his bear.
Cece finished putting the mugs into the dishwasher before studying the plants on the counter. She filled a small watering can and watered the plants, then tucked it back under the sink.
Her stomach was tense, and it had nothing to do with her family trying to kill her. She was anxious and bordering on crying like a damn baby because Briggs was leaving her. He’d be gone for nearly two weeks, and the thought of going that long without him made her feel sick. It wasn’t even the thought of losing the magic she was just getting used to having. Nope, this had everything to do with being separated from the man she loved for two whole weeks.
“Keep it together, Cece,” she muttered when the tears threatened again. “It’s only two weeks. You can go two weeks without him. He’ll probably be willing to video chat a few times.”
Would he? He would be busy with his family and the anniversary party. And she wouldn’t be that girlfriend who tried to take up all of his time. He’d hinted that his ex, Lucille, hadn’t liked it when he made his family a priority, and Cece refused to do the same to him. His family was important to him, and she loved that he had such a good relationship with them. She wouldn’t be a big crybaby and make it all about her, just because she suddenly didn’t know how to live without him.
She heard Briggs come into the kitchen, and she plastered a smile on her face and turned around. “So, I was thinking… oh my god.”
All the air rushed out of her lungs in a harsh whoosh, and she groped behind her for the counter, propping herself up against it before her suddenly shaking legs collapsed.
She stared wide-eyed at the polar bear in her kitchen, her lungs burning before she finally remembered to suck in a great whoop of air.
“Briggs,” she whispered.
He chuffed to her before staring steadily at her. She couldn’t get over the sheer size of him. She figured he had to weigh at least twelve hundred pounds, and she guessed he was around eight feet long. His dark eyes were full of warmth, and she felt no fear even as she studied the thick dark claws on his feet. They clicked on the floor as he walked toward her.
He stopped in front of her, and she reached out her hand before hesitating. “Can I touch you?”
He chuffed and butted his head against her thighs, making her squeak in surprise and nearly fall over. With a burst of nervous laughter, she reached for him, not surprised to see how badly her hand trembled. She ran a tentative hand over his head, and when he lowered his head and pressed his forehead against her thighs, she brushed her hand over his thick neck. His fur was long and wiry, almost plastic feeling, but when she dug her fingers into it, she could feel a plush undercoat that was unbelievably soft.
He pushed his head harder into her thighs, chuffing again, and she buried both hands in his fur and scratched his thick neck. He practically melted under her touch, and she laughed before running her hands down his back and along his ribs. Tears slid down her cheeks, and when Briggs raised his head, she bent until they were face to face. He inhaled deeply before brushing his nose against her face.
Still crying, she cupped his face and kissed his nose and then his forehead. “Thank you, honey. Thank you so much.”
He chuffed a final time before backing away. Cece watched in fascination as he shifted back to his human form, her entire body filled with a deep joy. When he was human again, she ran forward and threw her arms around him, kissing him hard as the intoxicating magic flooded her body.
He wrapped her in his embrace, holding her tight as half crying and half laughing, she said, “That was the most incredible moment of my life. Thank you, honey.”
“You’re welcome, baby.” He kissed her again before brushing away her tears with his thumbs. “You should know that now that I’ve shifted in front of you, my polar bear will want me to do it a lot more.”
“You know I won’t mind at all,” she said.
He rubbed her back. “You might when he tries to sit on the furniture.”
She laughed. “Oh God, you know I’ll take pictures of that, right?”
