Page 12 of Bear to be Wild (Moonlight Siren #5)

ROAN

A strange heat pulsed through my chest, sharp and sudden, like my blood had been set to simmer. My bear surged up, alert, claws flexing inside me. I braced my hands on my knees, breathing hard.

But then it faded.

I straightened slowly, unsettled by the unexpected experience. My bear huffed, restless, as confused as I was.

The glass door of the fitness studio opened. Maribelle stepped inside wearing her spa uniform, her silvery-lavender curls flowing over her shoulders. The scent of vanilla and bergamot drifted in with her, filling me with comforting warmth.

And longing.

My bear moaned in contentment.

Her lips curved into a tight smile. “We did it!”

The hesitation in her eyes and the way she avoided my gaze didn’t match the enthusiasm in her tone.

“Did what?” I asked with wariness.

“Charlotte and I broke the binding spell.” Maribelle gestured between us, back and forth, then made a sharp cutting motion with her hand. “We’re no longer connected.”

Yes, we are , my bear whispered fiercely.

“We’re free!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands out to the sides.

I stared at her while emotions collided inside me—more confusion and dread rather than relief. “That’s great,” I gritted out, my voice tight with strain.

“Isn’t it?” She waved vaguely toward the wall connected to the gym.

“Now you can go wherever you like without having to consider the distance and coordinate your schedule with me. We don’t have to drag each other around like anchors anymore.

” A wry smile touched her mouth, but when her pale blue eyes finally lifted to mine, that smile faltered and slipped away.

A hollowness spread inside me. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her all morning. After the night we’d shared, how could I? It had never been like that for me before. Never so right. Being with her hadn’t just been pleasure—it had been home.

Or so I thought.

Because for her, it was all a mistake. Just like our first kiss.

“Thank you for being such a good sport about this,” Maribelle said quickly. “And for not ratting me out. I appreciate everything you’ve done, being so accommodating.”

“No problem,” I managed weakly.

“You’re off the hook. Just think—you finally get to sleep in your own bed tonight,” she added. But again, the brightness in her voice didn’t match the unease in her eyes.

Sleep apart. The thought burned like acid in my chest. I’d looked forward to dinner with her again later, and then we’d spend the night sharing her bed. If only for one more chance to show her how right we were together.

But now?

That opportunity was gone. And she didn’t seem upset by it.

I swallowed hard. “Maribelle, can I ask you something?”

Her lips pressed tight, then she nodded. “Of course. Go ahead.”

“Last night…for me, it wasn’t a mistake. And I thought… For you…” My heart was twisting, chest was aching, and I couldn’t seem to get the words out. “Do you really think it was so wrong?”

She met my gaze for a heartbeat, and I saw the vulnerability, the longing, before she turned away. “You know my rules, Roan. I’ve screwed up and been burned. I should know better by now. Not to repeat the same pattern.”

“But have I—did I—” I struggled to find words. “Have I ever said or done anything to make you think this was just a fling? A game? Because for me, it is real. It’s always been.”

Her eyes widened, and her lower lip trembled. “Maybe it’s just a lingering effect of the spell.”

I stepped closer, my hand half-raised before I let it fall again. My bear growled in my chest. Tell her .

“Maribelle, I swear I know it’s not,” I said gently, firmly. “Because my bear knew—from the first moment we met—that you, and only you…

Say it! My bear insisted.

Right. I had to put it all on the line before I lost her.

“Maribelle.” I placed my hand on my heart. “You are my mate.”

Her eyes widened like full moons, and her head snapped back like I’d doused her in cold water. She swayed, and instinct had me rushing forward, steadying her against my chest.

“Are you okay?” I murmured.

She nodded faintly, breathless. “That can’t be, Roan…”

“Why not?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” she stammered. “It must be…something else.” Her voice lowered to a near-whisper. “We’re just confused.”

“That’s not it,” I insisted, my voice raw with emotion. “I’m telling you how I truly feel, Maribelle. What I’ve known since the beginning.”

“It can’t be,” she repeated in a breathy voice, sounding incredulous. She stepped away from me and pressed her back against the mirrored wall, as if bracing herself. “It must be the magic confusing us.” She waved her hand before her in a circular motion.

Us. She’d said us . So it wasn’t just me feeling these things. “Why do you say that?” I asked, hope flickering despite her words. “Do you feel something for me too?”

“Roan…” Maribelle swallowed hard. “We need space. Something we haven’t had much of. With a little time and space, what you feel for me will fade.”

She slipped out the door, leaving me staring at the empty doorway as her scent remained.

An ache twisted deep inside me.

“Never,” I vowed in the empty room.

But if she wanted space, I had to give it to her.