Bearing It Read Online Free

known my moves or choices for years.” He was matter of fact about it, but there was a visible pain in his eyes. “Does your family support this?”
    She was able to grin with relief. “Yes. My cousin recently returned with a mate that makes the rest of the family look at each other with envy.”
    “She made a good match?”
    “ He did. His wife is a great woman and a better owl.” She didn’t explain that the pair had been given full equality for shifting. It wasn’t common knowledge that such a thing could be achieved.
    “Your family reacted favourably?”
    “They did. They were just happy that there was a woman out there ready to accept Buzz.”
    He smiled. “He was lucky.”
    “I am fairly sure that as you work your way through the women here, you will find the one for you.” She kept her voice non-committal as the music halted and couples parted.
    He inclined his head to her and smiled. “Until later, Fred. Save me a dance.”
    There was a wobble in her step and her inner bear roared in frustration, but she made it back to the bar. “ Berry Special please, Chuck.”
    He nodded and started to make her drink. “He wasn’t your type?”
    She cocked her head. “It isn’t supposed to be the first person you meet, is it? I mean he only asked me to dance because we are both staying at the Open Heart.”
    “Did he? If that was his only interest, he could have spoken to you over breakfast tomorrow. He chose to introduce himself in this open environment. That shows interest; now, the key is, do you reciprocate?”
    He slid the drink in front of her, and she turned on the barstool to watch as Hektor asked an elegant blonde with a sparkly dress to take a turn on the dance floor. A low rumble became audible to her, and she realised she was growling.
    With deliberate control, she turned away from the couple as the woman plastered herself to Hektor’s chest.
    “I don’t know what I am thinking and feeling. I think I will ask the cocktail.” She nodded and sipped at the berries and honey.
    “Don’t ask too many cocktails before you ask yourself, Fred. Your inner beast knows what it wants, and it will go get it if you don’t act.” Chuck wiped the bar down and then moved off to attend to his other patrons.
    Her inner bear was pacing. It wanted to get closer to Hektor and to breathe deeply and memorize his scent. Fred rubbed at her forehead and frowned at the pain of restricting her inner animal.
    A feminine voice spoke from a few feet away. “Perhaps you need some fresh air. I would be happy to go out with you for a walk if you like.”
    Fred looked up, and a woman with the marks of a golden lioness with dark hair stood next to her. Her silver bangle marked her as mated staff of the Crossroads.
    “Do I look that rough?”
    “You are giving off waves of power, and I think you need to calm down. I can distract you and get a nice meal at the same time.” The woman smiled. “I promise that everyone will still be here after you get a snack.”
    Knowing that the woman seemed to have the voice of experience, Fred stood up and her knees buckled. The woman calmly took her arm and linked hers, appearing girly while she actually supported much of Fred’s weight as they left the bar.
    Time for a little sustenance before she shifted out of her new dress and hauled Hektor out of the bar to have her way with him.
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    The first bite of the cheeseburger was heavenly. “Okay, so you might have been right, Lee.”
    Lee laughed. “I usually am when it comes to matters of health. Seriously, you were furring out and back so fast, I could barely see it, and the other women were getting dangerously close to the claws that were appearing and disappearing.”
    “Ouch. I am so embarrassed.”
    “I know. I thought that it would be nice to extricate you before someone was injured.”
    There was something in her eyes that Fred could see. “Chuck called you, didn’t he?”
    She snorted. “He did. He is