"And you're one of them."
"Yes."
"Can all of you turn into bears, or are there other animals?"
The question catches me off guard. It's practical, curious, the same tone she used when asking about my blacksmithing. Like she's collecting information, not freaking out.
"Different animals," I hear myself answer. "Bears, wolves, big cats. Others."
"Are there a lot of you?"
"More than humans know about. Fewer than there used to be."
"Why are you telling me this? If it's such a secret?"
Because you're my mate. Because the bond won't let me lie to you. Because some part of me wants you to know everything, even the parts that should stay hidden.
"Because you already know the biggest secret," I say instead. "Might as well have context."
She nods slowly, processing. "The others like you. Do they live alone too? Or is that just your damage?"
"Most live integrated in human society. Have jobs, families, normal lives. The isolation thing is just me."
"Because of what happened."
"Yes."
"How long ago was it?"
"Five years."
"And you've been alone up here the whole time."
"Yes."
She's quiet for a long moment, and I can see her working through it. Piecing together the puzzle of me.
"That's so sad," she finally says, and the sympathy in her voice is worse than fear would have been.
"It's necessary."
"Why? If you haven't lost control in five years—"
"Because I haven't let the bear out in five years," I interrupt. "I've kept it locked down, repressed. Tonight was the first time I've fully shifted since… Since that night."
"Why tonight?"
Because you asked. Because the bear demanded it. Because the mate bond made it impossible to refuse.
"To prove a point," I say roughly. "To make you understand why you need to stay away from me."
"Seems like it backfired."
"How do you figure?"
She meets my eyes steadily. "Because I'm not running. And I don't think I'm going to."
The bear surges forward, triumphant and possessive. *Mate stays. Mate accepts us.*
