Bearing the Frostbite (Ice Bear Shifters Book 6) by Sloane Meyers Read Free Book Online Page B

almost too weak to her lift her hand when the doctor was here earlier, but now she had somehow managed to drag herself out of bed and to the hallway.
    A woman who wants to see her granddaughter find love has no limitations, Alexis thought with a mixture of admiration and resignation.
    Just as Alexis had predicted, her grandmother knew the moment she saw James that he was a shifter.
    “I see,” Grams said, as she looked James up and down. Then she started hobbling back toward the bedroom, calling over her shoulder, “Bring him in.”
    James gave Alexia another questioning look, and Alexis sighed and nodded, then opened the front door wider.
    “Come on in,” she said. “I’m just warning you that my grandmother is not going to be a fan of my dating a shifter. She doesn’t hate shifters, but she clings very strongly to the belief that shifting is a supernatural power. She thinks a full human dating a shifter is a bad idea. Something about the natural and supernatural not mixing well.”
    James set the soup and flowers down on a small table in the entryway, then reached over and squeezed Alexis’ hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll do my best to put your grandmother at ease. If she’s adamant that we not be in a relationship, then maybe she’ll at least let us be friends. I think if she gets to know me a little better, she’ll see that there’s nothing about my special abilities that prevents me from being a good boyfriend.”
    Alexis felt a surge of warmth go through her at James’ touch. She smiled weakly at his words. “Thanks,” she said, barely above a whisper. “I just don’t want to upset her right now, you know? She’s already so frail.”
    James squeezed her hand again. “Don’t worry,” he repeated. “Everything is going to be fine.”
    Alexis led James to her grandmother’s bedroom, where the old woman was back in bed, but sitting up against the headboard with an expectant look in her eye. Alexis couldn’t believe that her grandmother had found the energy to get out of bed and now was sitting up. Where had this sudden burst of strength come from? James sat on a chair next to the bed and Alexis sat on the foot of the bed, and they both waited patiently for the old woman to speak.
    “He’s a handsome one,” Grams said, looking James up and down.
    “Grams!” Alexis said, her cheeks turning pink with embarrassment.
    The old woman shrugged. “I just call it like I see it,” she said, and then extended her hand to James. “I’m Alexis’ grandmother. You can call me Grams.”
    “I’m James,” he said, and gently shook her hand. Alexis sat on her hands and waited with bated breath, wondering what her grandmother was going to say to him about shifting. She knew there was no way Grams would just act like she didn’t know. She was far too direct for that.
    “So, what clan are you with?” Grams asked, not even bothering to go through the formality of asking James whether he was a shifter, or saying that she knew he was one. James didn’t miss a beat.
    “I grew up in the Frozen Claws Clan,” he said. “But all except three of my clan members were killed in a fight with a rival clan, the Blizzards. The alpha of the Northern Lights Clan offered to take me and my other two clan members in, so now I’m part of their clan. They’ve been very good to me.”
    Grams shook her head sadly. “It’s such a travesty, all of the fighting that goes on amongst the clans. You all have such wonderful abilities. You should use them to keep the region safe and secure. You should help people live in peace instead of stirring up bloodshed.”
    Alexis cringed. She hoped James wouldn’t take offense at her grandmother’s words. After all, it’s not like he was responsible for the actions of the entire shifter community. To her relief, James smiled and nodded slowly.
    “I hated the bloodshed. As long as I live, I’ll do everything I can to ensure that the ice bear clans of the Arctic live in peace.
    Grams