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The bond between them felt stronger than ever, sealed with their physical union in a way that transcended anything he’d ever experienced. He could feel her heartbeat, her breath, her very essence in a way that went beyond the physical.

“Elsbeth,” he murmured against her skin, his voice rough with emotion. “My mate.”

She sighed contentedly, her fingers entwining with his, where they rested against her stomach. “I never knew it could be like this,” she whispered.

“Like what?” he asked, pressing a gentle kiss to her shoulder.

“So…complete.” She turned her head to look at him, her expression so tender it made his heart ache. “Does it feel this way for all shifters when they find their mates?”

“I don’t know,” Philip admitted. “I only know how it feels for me. For us.” He brushed his finger lightly across her cheek, and she shivered. “My parents have been together for decades, and they still look at each other the way they did last night at dinner.”

“With that silent conversation passing between them,” Elsbeth murmured. “I saw it.”

Philip nodded. “The bond deepens with every shared experience.”

“Like planting roses,” she said softly.

“Like planting roses,” he agreed, his voice rough with emotion. “Like building irrigation systems and making love in the afternoon sun.”

She blushed, the pink flush spreading delightfully across her cheeks and down her neck to her chest. Philip couldn’t resist leaning forward to press his lips to the hollow of her throat, feeling her pulse flutter beneath his touch.

“I have so many questions,” Elsbeth said, her fingers combing through his hair as he continued to explore her neck with gentle kisses.

“Ask me anything,” he murmured against her skin, reluctant to stop tasting her but willing to give her the answers she needed.

“Your bear...is he always with you? Even now?”

Philip lifted his head, meeting her curious gaze. “Yes. He’s part of me, not separate. More like another facet of who I am. We share thoughts, feelings.” He traced the curve of her shoulder with his fingertips. “Right now, he’s incredibly content.”

“What does he think of me?” she asked, a touch of vulnerability in her voice.

Philip smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “He adores you. Though he’s been impatient with me for not telling you sooner about what we are.”

Her fingers traced patterns on his chest. “Are there others in Bear Creek? Other shifters?”

“Many,” Philip nodded. “The town was founded by shifter families. Though there are plenty of humans, too.”

“Like me,” she murmured.

“Yes,” he agreed, lifting her hand to his lips. “Like you. The perfect mate for a bear shifter who’s been waiting his whole life to find you.”

Her cheeks flushed again. “Is that why your family was so welcoming? Because they knew I was your mate?”

“They would like you whether you were my mate or not,” Philip assured her. “And they were thrilled another of their sons has found his mate.”

“Another? So, Kris and Cassia...” She shook her head. “Of course, the way they look at each other…”

“Yes, they’re mates, too. And hopefully the others will find theirs, too, someday soon.”

They should all feel what we feel,his bear said.

Elsbeth snuggled closer, her body fitting perfectly against his. “So, you just have to wait for it to happen?”

“Yes.” He pressed his lips to her shoulder. “You could spend a lifetime searching for your mate and then find them right where you started.”

“Because of fate.” She shook her head. “Isn’t that kind of sad?”

“The reward is worth the wait,” Philip said.