Page 19 of The Right to Bear Claws (Hollow Oak Mates #6)

ELIAS

E lias stood outside Kaia's door at dawn, listening to the soft sounds of her waking up and trying to work up the courage to knock. He'd spent the entire night in the chair downstairs, alternating between dozing fitfully and staring at the ceiling while his bear paced.

Three days until Halloween and to convince the woman he loved to trust him with the most intimate bond two souls could share.

"No pressure," he muttered to himself, then finally raised his hand to tap gently on the door. "Kaia? You awake?"

"Unfortunately." Her voice sounded tired, strained. "Come in."

He found her sitting on the edge of her bed, still in her nightgown with her platinum hair tangled from sleep. But it was the expression on her face that made his bear surge—exhausted, haunted, like she'd been fighting battles all night that had left her drained.

"Rough dreams again?"

"You could say that." She managed a weak smile. "Tobias is getting stronger. More persistent. And I think..." She hesitated, then looked up at him with violet eyes full of fear. "I think his influence is starting to bleed into my waking hours."

"What do you mean?"

"I can still feel him, even now. Like he's sitting in the back of my mind, whispering doubts and fears. Making me question everything I thought I knew about the people here, about you."

Elias's jaw clenched with helpless rage. Bad enough that this creature was stalking her dreams, now it was poisoning her thoughts while awake too.

"We need to talk," he said. "Tonight. There are things about our situation, about what we might be able to do to protect you, that I should have explained sooner."

"What kind of things?"

"The kind that are better discussed somewhere private, without walls listening in." He gestured toward the window, where the first pale light of morning was creeping across the mountains. "Can you meet me at the lake tonight? Around sunset?"

Kaia's expression grew wary. "The lake where you found me? Where I've been sleepwalking to every night?"

"I know it's not ideal, but it's also the most protected spot in Hollow Oak. The wards there are stronger than anywhere else, and if we're going to discuss supernatural bonds..." He trailed off, realizing he was getting ahead of himself. "Just trust me, okay? I'll explain everything tonight."

"Supernatural bonds?"

"Tonight," he repeated firmly. "I promise, no more secrets after today. But I want to do this right, and that means having a proper conversation in a place where we won't be interrupted."

She studied his face for a long moment, and he could see her weighing his words against whatever poison Tobias had been whispering in her dreams.

"Okay," she said finally. "Tonight at sunset. But Elias? If you're planning to tell me something that changes everything between us, I need you to promise me you'll be honest. Completely honest, even if you think the truth might scare me away."

"I promise. Complete honesty, even if it's terrifying."

The rest of the day passed with agonizing slowness.

Elias threw himself into construction work with single-minded intensity, but even the familiar rhythm of hammer and saw couldn't quiet his churning thoughts.

How did you explain to someone that they were your destined mate without sounding like a possessive lunatic?

How did you ask someone to consider a claiming bond that would bind their souls together forever without making it sound like an ultimatum disguised as a choice?

"You're brooding again," Finn observed during their lunch break, settling beside him on a stack of lumber. "Want to talk about it?"

"I'm telling Kaia about the claiming bond tonight."

"Ah." His youngest brother was quiet for a moment, processing the implications. "How do you think she'll take it?"

"Honestly? I have no idea. She's been through so much, learned so much about the supernatural world in such a short time. Adding mate bonds and claiming rituals to the mix..." Elias grabbed the back of his neck trying to focus. "What if it's too much? What if she thinks I'm trying to trap her?"

"Are you?"

The blunt question made Elias look up sharply. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, are you offering her the claiming bond because you think it's her only chance at survival, or because you genuinely want to spend the rest of your life with her regardless of supernatural threats?"

"Both," Elias said honestly. "I can't separate the two anymore. I love her, Finn. Can't imagine my future without her in it. But I also can't stand the thought of losing her to something I can't fight."

"Then tell her that. All of it. The love, the fear, the desperate need to protect her, and the choice that's entirely hers to make.

" Finn's expression grew serious. "But make sure she understands that you want her, claiming bond or no claiming bond.

That your feelings aren't conditional on her accepting the mate connection. "

"What if she says no?"

"Then you respect her choice and find another way to fight Tobias." Finn clapped him on the shoulder. "But she won't say no, brother. Anyone with eyes can see how much she cares about you."

That evening, Elias arrived at the lake shore early, setting out a simple picnic on a blanket beside the water.

Nothing fancy, just sandwiches from the deli, a thermos of hot coffee, and the kind of chocolate chip cookies Kaia had mentioned loving during one of their conversations.

But he'd also brought candles for light and warmth, creating an intimate atmosphere that felt appropriate for the conversation they needed to have.

When Kaia appeared on the path at exactly sunset, Elias felt his need grow.

She'd dressed carefully for the occasion—a flowing dress in deep blue that brought out her eyes, her hair loose around her shoulders, the anchor stone pendant catching the last light of day.

Beautiful and ethereal and absolutely perfect.

"This is lovely," she said, settling onto the blanket beside him. "Very romantic for such a serious conversation."

"I wanted it to be special. Whatever we decide tonight, I want you to remember this moment as something good."

"That sounds ominous."

"Not ominous. Important." He poured from the thermos, buying time while he organized his thoughts. "I need to tell you about claiming bonds. What they are, what they mean, and why they might be our best option for protecting you from Tobias."

Kaia accepted the steaming mug gratefully. "I've been wondering when you'd get around to explaining that. Lucien mentioned something about it at the bookstore, but he got all evasive when I asked for details."

"Because it wasn't his place to explain. This is something that should come from me, as your..." He hesitated, then decided on complete honesty. "As your mate."

"Right. You mentioned that before, but you didn't go into much detail about what it actually means, besides the life-long infatuation."

"A claiming bond is the formal completion of a mate connection.

It involves a ritual that marks both partners permanently, creating spiritual and emotional ties that can't be broken by death or distance.

" Elias watched her face carefully, looking for signs of fear or rejection.

"It's the deepest form of commitment possible between supernatural beings. "

"Permanent marks?"

"Physical scars that tell other supernaturals you're claimed.

They're placed here," he touched the curve of her neck, "and here sometimes.

" His fingers brushed against her hip through the fabric of her dress.

"The marking itself is... intense. Passionate but also painful, since it involves my claws in shifted form. "

Kaia shivered, but again, not with fear. "And this would protect me from Tobias how?"

"A completed mate bond creates spiritual armor around your consciousness.

It anchors you so firmly to the physical world that dream entities can't pull you into their realm or use you as a gateway to ours.

" He set down his coffee cup, turning to face her fully.

"But Kaia, I need you to understand something crucial.

I'm not offering this bond just because it might save your life. "

"No?"

"I'm offering it because I love you. Because I want to build a life with you that has nothing to do with supernatural threats or protective magic." His voice grew fierce with conviction. "I've been yours since the moment I pulled you from this lake. The claiming bond would just make it official."

"And if I'm not ready? If the idea of permanent marks and spiritual binding is too much too fast?"

"Then we find another way to fight Tobias.

We keep looking for alternatives until we find something that works.

" He reached for her hands, covering her cold fingers with his warm ones.

"The choice is entirely yours, Kaia. I'll respect whatever you decide, even if my bear is pawing to claim you right now and worry about the consequences later. "

"Your bear wants to claim me?"

"My bear has wanted to claim you since day one.

He recognizes you as our mate on the most primal level, and every day that passes without making it official is torture for him.

" Elias managed a rueful smile. "But the human part of me knows you need time to process everything.

To decide if a life bound to a grizzly bear shifter is really what you want. "

Kaia was quiet for several minutes, staring out at the lake where moonlight danced on the still surface. When she finally spoke, her voice was thoughtful rather than frightened.

"The night you found me here, I was running from something I didn't understand. Terrified of my own abilities, convinced I was dangerous to everyone around me." She turned to meet his eyes. "But you saw something worth saving. Worth protecting. Worth loving, even when I couldn't see it myself."

"Because it was there. Because you're extraordinary, Kaia. Beautiful and brave and stronger than you know."

"And you knew I was your mate immediately?"

"The moment our skin touched. It was like every missing piece of my life suddenly clicked into place." He squeezed her hands gently. "I've been trying to court you properly, give you time to fall for me naturally instead of overwhelming you with supernatural concepts you weren't ready for."

"Well, it worked. I did fall for you, supernatural bond or not." Her smile was soft and wondering. "I love you too, Elias. More than I thought possible."

"So what do you think? About the claiming bond, about making this permanent?"

Kaia looked out at the lake again, then back at him with an expression he couldn't quite read. "I think," she said slowly, "that I need to understand exactly what I'd be agreeing to. Every detail, every consequence, every way it would change both our lives."

"Of course. What do you want to know?"

"Everything.”