Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 81208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Robert’s tutorial on the porridge-making process is easy to follow. I made a creamy batch, which is so good and heavy that it makes me sleepy.
I ask them some of my questions, and they’re open with the answers. They won’t let me see them shift because they worry it’ll blur the line between their forms in my mind. They communicate through their minds when they’re bears, but they can’t do it as men, at least not until they’ve claimed their mate. The most exciting part is learning that I’ll be part of that inner communication loop when they’ve claimed me.
The triplets laugh at my wide-eyed expression when they were all around me as bears.
“Were you surprised I was overwhelmed?” I ask.
“No…. I was surprised at how giddy you were,” Evan admits.
“You’re bears,” I say exasperatedly.
“We’re still us,” Robert says.
“Just bigger and furrier,” Evan laughs.
“Seriously, though. How did you feel?” Hunter wants to find out, and I think I know why. I’m mid-cycle today, and I’m pretty sure I’m ovulating. The familiar sharp pain I get at this time of the month happened this morning. Maybe he smells it with his bear super-senses. Maybe he has taken my step to experience them in bear form as I hoped he would.
“It was awesome.” My smile spreads around the room, with each of the Bjorn triplets grinning back.
“It is awesome,” Hunter says. “The best feeling in the world.”
“Well, not the best feeling.” Evan wiggles his eyebrows, and his eyes sparkle with intent.
“Glad to hear it,” I say.
This isn’t the perfect moment to get into my list of demands, but I bite the bullet and tell them everything.
“You’ll have to keep what we are a secret,” Hunter says when I tell him I want to keep in contact with my family and friends. “That’s non-negotiable for all of our safety.”
“That’s okay. Really.”
“And you’ll need to be okay with instilling the need for secrecy into our children. That can be hard because you’ll want them to be proud of themselves, but hiding our abilities is key to our protection. Outsiders won’t understand. They’d put us in cages like in the past.”
“I understand,” I say.
“You must understand that your protection is our main priority,” Robert says. “Having your business is fine, but if it puts you in harm’s way, it won’t be okay. We have enough money to never need another income, but it’s your passion. We get that.”
“The insurance company has called with the final damage value. I want to pay you back.”
“You don’t have to, but we understand if that’s what you want to do,” Hunter says, sighing.
This is the moment between the present and the future. Right now, we’re separate, but that’s about to change.
The silence hangs between us, laced with intent but trepidation, too. They don’t want to overstep for fear of making me bolt. I don’t want to have to tell them it’s okay if we go up to their sex room and take off all our clothes. They need to be in control so we’re at an impasse.
Robert sits beside me, his thigh pressed against mine, even though there’s plenty of space for him to sit further away. I take my hand and rest it on his knee, sliding it up slowly until it’s at the top of his thigh, just a fraction away from the bulge of his cock. He looks down at my hand, then back at me. His hand, resting on my chair, grips my nape. “Goldie.” My name is a rumble in his throat, so close to a bear’s growl that I shiver.
They may not see the world exactly as I do, but they care about me and how I feel. We’re connected beyond anything I ever thought possible. It’s more than enough. It’s everything.
“Let’s go upstairs,” I say.
And that’s all it takes.
35
GOLDIE
It’s not just Robert who makes the journey up toward the first-floor room that contains every prop from my fantasies. His brothers come, too. My legs are so weak with anticipation that I struggle to keep myself vertical, resting against Robert as we ascend the imposing staircase. His muscular arm around me is reassuring, the masculine power promising dominance in just a few more paces.
It’s been over a month since I was in that room, a month since I had sex with Robert and Evan. So much has changed since then. My feelings about them and their feelings towards me, our understanding of each other, and our unified hopes for our future.
I’m buzzing with anticipation because I’m unsure what will happen next.
Will they take me to the room of our fantasies, or do they have something else in mind?
Maybe they talked about how this day would go when it eventually came around. Maybe there’s a tradition to the claiming that I’m unaware of, but instead of going into the room I spent time in with Robert, Hunter opens a different door.