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BEAR

Bear felt horrible for hurting his new bride’s feelings…but he knew he would feel even worse if he changed the color of her eyes as she had asked him to. The negotiations were moving much faster than he had expected they would and he would be leaving soon—maybe even within the week.

Since female virginity was an integral part of marriage and Joining here, he knew he couldn’t take Aleena’s from her without lowering her value in the opinion of the men around her. If he took what made her worthwhile and virtuous in the eyes of her society, he would be ruining her life. He wouldn’t do that just for a few hours of pleasure. And besides, he would be breaking his vow which he absolutely could not do.

But he hated to feel so isolated from Aleena—he wanted to hold her in his arms and love her.

“Baby, please—come here,” he murmured, putting a hand on her back.

Aleena flinched away.

“Why? So you can reject me again?”

“I’m not rejecting you!” Bear felt a surge of frustration. “I’m protecting you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’m not afraid of you!” She turned over to look at him. Her eyes were luminous in the light of the double moons, spilling through the window shades. “I’m not afraid of anything you might do to me, Bear. I just want to know that you want me.”

“I do want you. So much! I’m just not ready to change the color of your eyes. You’re too small…too fragile.” He pulled her into his arms and this time she came willingly.

“But you swear that you care for me?” she asked softly. “My mother said that if a Joining isn’t consummated it’s much easier for a woman to be disavowed.”

Bear felt like she’d reached into his chest and was holding his beating heart in her soft little hand. For a moment he wanted to admit everything—to tell her about his vow and how he’d never meant to let things get this far. Theirs was meant to be a Joining of convenience—he’d never expected to actually fall in love with her!

Wait…do I love her? Is that what I’m feeling or is it just lust because she’s the first woman I’ve noticed since Zelia died?

He had no answers. He only knew that he wanted to hold her in his arms and keep her safe…and right now the only way he felt he could do that was to keep their eventual ending from her. If he told her he was going to eventually disavow her, it would only bring her pain. He wanted to avoid that as long as possible.

I’ll tell her when the time is right, he promised himself as he cuddled her close and assured her that he cared for her. I’ll be sure to let her know I’m going to provide for her, even after I leave, so she can find another husband if she wants to.

But the idea of Aleena with another man made him feel the stirrings of Rage—a red-eyed possessive jealousy that brought a growl to his lips. Well, at least she and her mother would be able to live comfortably together, he comforted himself as he tried to push the emotion aside.

Bear held Aleena close as she drifted off to sleep, planning how exactly he would explain the situation to her and tell her he was leaving when the time came.

He had no idea that the decision of how and when to tell his bride he was leaving her was about to be taken out of his hands completely …