Page 39 of Paw or Less


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“Yes, I do, actually. I come out here once a week to let my bear out. It can be frustrating being stuck in human form all the time,” Mars admitted.

He turned to her quickly, flashing his bright smile.

Rhiannon shivered, though it wasn’t from the cold. Warring emotions were twisting and roiling inside her right then.

On the one hand, she was drowning in butterflies that surged to and fro in her chest. On the other hand, she was imagining a future with a shifter. And it was a future that was hard to imagine.

She couldn’t see the winding trail of imagined memories that Rhiannon usually conjured when she thought of the future. All she saw was Mars turning into a giant black bear.

“Are you okay?” The question from Mars was quick, the concern in his voice obvious. He began to pull off the road, but Rhiannon reassured him quickly.

She decided to be entirely honest with him. “I’m anxious, I think.” Her voice was brittle and low. She took several deep breaths, clearing her throat. “I get anxious every time I think about the shifter thing. And every time I remember that I’m supposed to be your fated mate.”

“I can’t imagine what you’re going through.” Mars's voice was soothing, and he opened her window with a light tap at the steering wheel.

The cool nighttime air was a balm against her hot, sweaty cheeks.

Mars continued. “I will never pressure you to do anything you’re not one hundred percent ready for. I want you to feel safe with me.”

Rhiannon exhaled. The tightness in her chest eased slightly. She was conscious then of how sweaty she was. Her thin dress stuck to her skin as it had in her dreams about Mars. She cleared her throat again.

Rhiannon ran a hand through her hair, watching the darkening road ahead of them. The road widened, then became narrow, and blinking lights flashed on around them.

Oklahoma City’s nightlife was coming alive.

Mars kept driving, and Rhiannon realized that they were quickly leaving the central business district of the city. After about thirty minutes of driving, Mars pulled off the highway onto a side road.

They were in a more suburban area, but that didn’t last very long because then Mars edged onto a dirt road.

Everything will be okay,Rhiannon told herself firmly as her heart started racing. She didn’t miss the way Mars glanced at her.

It was pretty clear that he could hear her slightly erratic heartbeat. Did it scare him? That his fated mate seemed terrified of the prospect of him?

After another ten minutes, they came to a stop in front of two large steel gates. Mars pressed a button on a remote that he pulled from the glove compartment, and she watched as the gates swung open.

Lights that seemed to float in thin air flickered on around them. They drove about five miles down a dirt road before coming to a stop.

Rhiannon hopped out of the SUV easily and walked to the front of the vehicle where Mars stood. He smiled again, and her uneasiness dissolved. His smile was bright, warm, and comforting.

And Mars must have known exactly what she needed because he pulled her into his embrace. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead. Rhiannon pulled away and reached up to cup his face with her hand.

Mars leaned down, and their lips met in the silent darkness, and the night became warmer as Rhiannon fell into the kiss.

Mars's lips were soft and full, and quickly, the kiss became more desperate. His hands went to her waist, and Rhiannon clung to him by his shoulders.

“Okay, if we don’t stop now, you’re never going to see me in my shifted form.” Mars laughed unsteadily after pulling away.

Rhiannon was equally unsteady, and now her breathing was erratic for a very different reason.

Mars pulled away and kicked his shoes off. He pulled his shirt off next, so his upper body was entirely on display. He turned away from her as he pulled off the rest of his clothes, and she stayed quiet as she surveyed his spectacular body.

Rhiannon swallowed, her mouth going dry as she looked at him.

And then the shifting process began. It was fascinating to see Mars shift from human to bear. It was like watching an evolutionary process … but sped up. His face changed first. It hardened slightly, his jaw becoming wider. He exhaled in a growl as dark fur burst from his skin.

He fell to his knees as his hands and feet became claws, the tips razor-sharp. Mars's back lengthened, his spine curving, and Rhiannon noticed his body thickened.

It was clear that his muscles were expanding, and his body became heavier.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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