Page 19 of Bearly Ever After (Bear Creek Forever #5)

This is it, Klein’s bear said.

This is it, Klein agreed. Although he hated breaking this moment. A moment he never wanted to end; at last, he held his mate in his arms.

Where she belongs, his bear said happily.

And then there was the kiss… What a kiss!

The first of many.

But first, he had to tell her…no, show her who he was.

To reveal his other side, his true nature, and hope she would understand and accept him.

And love him.

She will, his bear assured him.

But Klein couldn’t deny he was scared. Really scared.

Maybe for the first time in his life.

Except that time when his mom got sick, and they thought she was not going to make it. Klein had been seven at the time and the idea of not having her around was…unimaginable.

Just as it was impossible to imagine his life without Nicole and Mila now that he had met them.

Nicole pulled back slightly, her brows knitting together in concern at the serious tone of Klein’s voice. “What is it?” she asked uneasily, searching his face.

Klein took a deep breath, his heart hammering against his ribs. He reached for her hands, holding them gently in his larger ones. “Nicole, there’s something about me—about my family— that you need to know.” He paused, struggling to find the right words. “We’re not like other people.”

Nicole’s lips curved into a wry smile. “I think I have figured that out for myself, Klein. You’re special. All of you. You’re good people.”

He shook his head. “That’s not what I mean.” He glanced around before pushing out his senses, needing to ensure they were alone.

We are, his bear said confidently.

“Then what do you mean?” she asked.

Klein raised his eyes to hers. “We’re different in ways that might be hard for you to understand at first.”

Nicole’s expression turned curious. But she was not afraid.

Not yet. He closed his eyes as he tried to push that thought away. For centuries, shifters had revealed their true selves to their mates. And were accepted. If not, shifters would have died out long, long ago.

“Klein.” She squeezed his hands encouragingly. “Whatever it is, you can tell me. I promise I’ll listen with an open mind and an open heart.”

Klein felt a rush of emotion at her words, at the trust there in her eyes. He knew, deep in his soul, that she meant it. That she would understand.

Or maybe he was being delusional. But he had to take this chance.

“So, tell me,” she said.

“It might be easier if I show you,” Klein said, not sure how he would find the words to explain everything.

Nicole nodded, a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes as she said, “Okay, show me then.”

Klein took a step back, his hands slipping from hers.

The loss was instant, but he needed to do this. It was the only way forward.

So, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let go of the world around him. The air around him crackled and popped with static electricity before he disappeared. For a split second, he was gone and so was his sense of his mate.

Then he returned, as a massive grizzly bear.

Nicole gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, eyes wide with shock. She stared at the bear, then slowly lowered her hand. “Klein?” she whispered hesitantly.

Klein’s bear dipped his huge head in a nod.

“You can turn into a bear?” Nicole stammered, trying to process what she’d just witnessed. “How? I don’t understand...”

He stood still before Nicole, towering over her, hardly daring to breathe as he waited for her to process what she’d seen. His dark brown fur gleamed in the dappled light filtering through the trees above while his amber eyes were fixed on her .

Excitement grew inside him. And he sucked in a deep breath as he inhaled her scent, letting it wash over him, sweeter and more tantalizing than wild honey.

He watched her—watched as Nicole slowly took a step forward. She wasn’t afraid. Not even in the slightest.

Her fingers reached out cautiously, the tips grazing the thick fur on his shoulder. A shiver ran through his body at the contact, his bear purring in delight as the sensation of her touch flowed through him.

“You’re...a bear,” she murmured again.

But there was no fear in her voice, just curiosity, wonder, and the faintest trace of disbelief. She gently stroked the fur of his shoulder, her hand moving slowly, as though she was trying to understand, to memorize the feel of him in this new form.

Just as he longed to trace the curves of her body and memorize every detail.

Klein’s bear basked in the touch, the connection between them undeniable. His chest rumbled. Not a growl but a sound of contentment, a low, satisfied hum that resonated in the air between them.

It was a sound Klein had never heard from his bear before. But then his bear had never stood in the presence of their mate before.

And he was so thankful she hadn’t pulled away. Instead, she seemed to embrace the reality of who and what he was.

He could feel the bond between them shifting, deepening, and it was as if every fiber of his being was woven tighter into hers, a bond that nothing in the world could break.

The thought of her accepting him— all of him, including his animal side—sent a thrill through him. This wasn’t just acceptance, it was something far more profound.

She was his , and she had just taken the first step toward embracing their fated connection.

He turned and nuzzled her hand. Nicole didn’t pull away. Instead, she spoke softly, as if sorting through her thoughts, trying to piece together the complexities of what had just happened. “I thought... I knew you were different… But I never imagined this.” Her hand moved to his back, her fingers running gently through the thick fur. “You’re a bear...but you’re still Klein, aren’t you?”

Her words cut through the whirlwind of emotions inside him. She wasn’t afraid. She wasn’t recoiling from him. Instead, she was accepting him. Klein stood stock-still, overwhelmed by the tenderness in her touch, the softness in her voice. He lowered his head slightly, his massive body still not wanting to overwhelm her.

When she dropped to her knees in front of him, her gaze never left his. Something in him shifted again.

The way she gazed at him stirred something deep inside.

She placed her forehead against his. Her breath, warm and steady, ghosted over his snout, and Klein closed his eyes, the simple touch nearly bringing him to his knees in return.

For a long moment, neither of them moved. The world around them was quiet, save for the soft rustle of leaves and the faint sound of the wind moving through the trees. It was as if time had stopped altogether. In that stillness, Klein felt the bond between them solidify further. She was here. She was with him . She understood.

Her voice, almost reverent, broke the silence. “You’re real. And you’re mine. And I’m not...scared of you. If that’s what you are afraid of.” The words hung in the air, as powerful as any declaration of love.

Klein’s bear responded immediately, a powerful surge of affection flooding him. His massive body shuddered in response to her words, and he lowered his head, gently nuzzling her with his nose.

Klein closed his eyes, a deep rumbling sound of contentment vibrating through his chest.

This is it, his bear said. She is ours. The certainty in that thought was unwavering, and the joy it brought was indescribable.

Slowly, Nicole lifted her head and stared into his eyes.

I think it’s time we swapped places, Klein’s bear said even though it was obvious by his tone this was the last thing he wanted.

Are you sure? Klein asked. There’s no rush.

No, she needs to know everything, his bear replied, know what she means to us.

I get the feeling she already knows, Klein told his bear, and no words I can say can do justice to the mating bond and the feelings it invokes.

His bear sighed and rubbed his head against Nicole’s arm one last time before he stepped away, breaking contact with her. It is time.

With one last lingering look at his mate, the bear let go of the world and disappeared.

An instant later, Klein stood in his place in his human form, ready to face Nicole and any questions she needed to ask.

“Klein,” she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Klein swallowed hard, his heart racing as he tried to find the right words. “Nicole, I... I know this is a lot to take in. I understand if you need time to process everything.”

But Nicole was already shaking her head, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “No, Klein. I don’t need time. I just need you to explain it to me. All of it.”

She reached for his hand, her fingers lacing with his, and the simple touch sent a jolt of electricity through him. “I want to understand,” she said. “I want to know everything about you, about your family, about what this means for us.”

Us. The word hung in the air between them, heavy with promise and possibility.

A surge of emotion, a mix of relief, joy, and an overwhelming sense of rightness washed over him. He gently squeezed her hand, marveling at how perfectly it fit in his own. “Let’s sit,” he suggested, guiding her back to the picnic blanket.

“My family, the Thornbergs, we’re bear shifters,” Klein began, his voice steady despite the knot of nerves in his stomach. “It’s been this way for generations. We have the ability to transform into bears at will.”

Nicole nodded, her eyes wide with fascination. “And you’ve always been able to do this? Even as a child?”

“No,” Klein replied. “It’s always a part of who we are from the moment we are born., but we don’t make our first shift until puberty.”

“That explains why there isn’t a crowd of little bear cubs running around the streets of Bear Creek.”

“Yeah, they would struggle to control themselves, because, believe me, being a bear…” He paused. How could he put into words what it meant to run free over the mountains, on four paws?

“It must be incredible,” Nicole whispered.

“It is. It’s a part of who we are, as natural as breathing.” He shrugged. “But we keep it hidden from the world, for our own safety and to protect our way of life.”

“I understand,” Nicole said. “It must be a heavy secret to carry.”

Klein felt a wave of relief wash over him at her empathy. “It can be,” he admitted.

“But it’s also a gift.” She reached out and touched his cheek. “An incredible gift.”

He nodded, his throat constricted. He’d never thought too deeply about what his bear meant to him. Perhaps because he’d never really thought of them as two separate entities before.

We are one, his bear replied.

“Our bear forms are deeply connected to our human selves,” Klein explained. “They’re not separate entities, but an integral part of who we are. Our bears shape our instincts, our emotions, and even our relationships.”

At this, Nicole’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Relationships? What do you mean?”

Klein took a deep breath. This was the part he’d been both expecting and dreading. “For shifters, there’s a concept called a mate bond. It’s a profound, unbreakable connection that forms between two individuals who are destined to be together. When a shifter finds their mate, it’s like...like two halves of a whole finally coming together.”

“Go on,” she urged.

“Nicole, from the moment I met you, I felt that bond beginning to form. We recognized you as our mate, as the one we’re meant to be with. Forever.”

Nicole’s breath caught, her eyes widening. “You’re saying... I’m your mate? That we’re destined to be together?”

Klein nodded. “I know it’s a lot to take in. But yes, that’s what I’m saying. You’re my mate, Nicole. My bear recognized you the moment we met. It’s why I felt so drawn to you, why being around you feels so right.”

Nicole was quiet for a moment, processing his words. Then, slowly, a smile spread across her face. “Klein, I... I felt it, too. From the very beginning. Like there was this invisible force pulling me toward you.” She laughed softly, shaking her head. “I thought I was going crazy, feeling so strongly about someone I’d just met. But now it all makes sense.”

Relief flooded through Klein, followed by a surge of pure, unadulterated joy. His bear rumbled in satisfaction, elated that their mate had not only accepted them but felt the bond as well. “You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that,” he said, his voice rough with emotion.

Nicole shifted closer, their thighs now pressing together. “So what does this mean for us? Being mates?”

Klein reached up and cupped her face in his hand. “It means everything.”

Then he lowered his head and kissed her.