Bear Prince: Shifter Paranormal Romance (Royal Bears Book 1) by Emma Alisyn, Danae Ashe Read Free Book Online Page B

man, to feel his touch… but those thoughts were fleeting and quickly pushed into the deepest recesses of her heart.
    Now, they were front and center. These feelings were raw and deep, and they were causing her heart to pound against her ribcage. Her stomach lurched, and the world began to sway. She stumbled backward and flopped onto her bed, rolling over and burying her face in her pillow, tears pricking.
    Five minutes, she thought. I’ll allow myself five minutes, and then I’m getting up and going about my day as if nothing happened.
    Because nothing could happen. He might want her, might even like her- a lot. But that didn’t mean he was willing to make a commitment. And a commitment for marriage was the only relationship she would accept- ever. So for five minutes, she allowed herself to sorrow for what might have been. Rail against her own ingrained values that held her back from just letting loose and enjoying something other women took so for granted.  And once that time had passed, she wiped her eyes and headed to the bathroom to wash her face.
    Still sniffling, she found him making breakfast. He’d learned how much she loved strawberries, and he’d made fresh pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream.
    “Are you alright?” he asked.
    He didn’t sound upset. His back was to her. Hannah studied his movements. She was a dancer- she saw no tension. She relaxed. “I’m fine. I’m sorry.”
    He turned. Hannah sucked in a breath. Glowing, half- lidded eyes met hers. She’d been way wrong. All the tension was on his face.
    “Your eyes are glowing,” she said, each word distinct. “Why are your eyes glowing?”
    There was only one reason she could think of- and she didn’t want to think of it. She’d seen hints before, but he’d always managed to veil himself so she might think she was imagining things. But now he didn’t bother. He stared at her full in the face with eyes that couldn’t in any way belong to a human man. Silently daring her to back away, or to deny him.
    “Don’t worry about it, Hannah,” he replied, voice gentle. Lashes lowered and the something… moved… under the bones of his face, making him look savage. Dangerous.
    Predatory.
    But the he lifted his lashes again, and his eyes were normal.
    “You didn’t do anything wrong,” he continued, setting out plates. “I told you I would wait.”
    And that was the problem. Wait for what? Sex? An incredible night or two of sex and then he would leave? That wasn’t anything to wait for.
    She sat down at the place he’d set for her with her favorite coffee cup and he filled it with fresh coffee and passed her the sugar bowl. Before her, he set a place of pancakes heaped with fresh macerated strawberries and whipped cream. He got himself a massive portion and sat next to her.
    “Where are you from?” she asked, stuffing a bite of the fruity pancakes into her mouth. What are you from?
    He didn’t answer right away, watching her thoughtfully. “I travel often.” The unspoken question received an unspoken response. What do you think I’m from?
    “That’s- that’s nice. And… do you have family?” Was she allowed to ask these questions? What were the rules? And weren’t the rules a little obsolete by now, considering they’d been living together? They’d talked about art, about life, about music. Places around the world, the people they watched walking by when they just took walks together. Talked so much, but never about their personal lives.
    “Yes, I have family.” He smiled. “Not a mate.”
    He’d said mate, not wife. “I have to run soon,” Hannah said. “Class starts in less than an hour.”
    “Would you like me to escort you?”
    “No.”
    “Leave it,” he said as she attempted to pick up her plate.
    She set it back on the table and said, “Thank you.”
    As she passed him to go get ready for class, her hand brushed along his shoulder, and she nearly stumbled at the surge of electricity that pulsed