Billionaire Bear’s Human Mate by Alicia Banks

Chapter 18

Shane

When Vivica fainted in his arms, he felt guilty about all of it. It was just too much for her. It was too much for any human and that was why shifters didn't reveal themselves to anyone. He had revealed himself to someone before and it had turned out horribly. Shane had followed the rules of staying away from humans after that. He’d lived among the humans for so long, that Shane knew that he had to keep himself under wraps. He had done such a good job of it, but with her, she had slipped through his blinders. He really hadn't seen her coming.

Shane thought that she would come to after a few minutes. He put her in his truck, just because he didn't know what else to do with her. She didn’t even act like she was going to faint, and after about 10 minutes, he decided that he would take her home.

He’d meant everything that he said about her being his mate. It wasn't like she didn't have a choice, she did. But he didn't. He was mated to her forever and he could pick no one else now. That was his way. What she chose to do with it, a decision that she was going to have to make, there wasn’t much that he could do about that. All he could do was wait and wonder what her decision was going to be.

They were almost to his place before she finally opened her eyes. She looked around for a moment, jerked upright, and asked where they were going. No doubt, she had many ideas of what would happen there and by the expression on her face, none of them were going to be any good. Shane tried to calm her down, but she just kept asking the same questions over and over again. Where were they going? What was he going to do with her?

Shane was dismayed by her questions and her obvious lack of trust, and he wasn’t sure how to answer. He was hurt that she feared him. Shane knew the reason and it made sense, but to see his mate with fear in her eyes was more than Shane wanted to ever see. It hurt him to see her like that just as much.

“Listen, Vivica, we're not going to be able to have a real conversation if you don't calm the hell down. You’re going to make yourself faint again!”

“Tell me why you have brought me here?!”

“Because this is where you live. I don't know if you heard the rest of it before, but you are my mate now. You’re mine for life. There's no way that I'm going to let you stay in that sleazy hotel again. Surely you can't think that’s possible.”

“I was doing just fine before you.”

“You were almost raped a few minutes before I met you. I don't know if that would be considered doing fine, Vivica. You don’t have to worry about any of that now. You’re mine and I will keep you safe.”

“Stop saying that I’m yours. You don’t own me. I don't need you.”

“Of course, you don't, but you want me, don't you? I want you too. I'm sorry that I scared you before. I didn’t think any of that would happen. Maybe it would be easier if you saw what I am, you know, when we are not in the middle of getting it on. I would have never been with you like that, if I would have known…”

“What are you talking about? What do I need to see?”

“You know, the bear.”

“Oh.”

“Maybe it would be easier for you to deal with all of this if you saw it for yourself. You’ll see that it’s not that bad.”

Vivica was shaking her head no, while her mouth was forming the answer yes. “Look, I don’t know if this is going to help, but I want it to. You look like you are about to come out of your skin.”

Shane wished that he could make it easier for her. He wasn't sure if letting her see him in all his glory was going to help or hinder, but he had to try something. He was desperate for her to accept him, because she was his mate. He needed her to accept him. If Vivica chose not to be with him, that was her prerogative, but he would never feel anything for another. That was a lot of pressure, and it was a lot of current indecision that she was feeling, based on information that she didn't even know. It was incomplete at best. Shane hoped that the full picture would help her see that she could and would be happy as his mate.

“Why don't we do it in the backyard, so someone from the house won’t see us?”

“What about neighbors?”

“I wouldn’t worry about them. We’re up on a hill, but the fence keeps every looky-loo away from here.”

Vivica looked into the darkened area, and he could tell that she was thinking about what would happen if she did it. Vivica was nervous, and Shane could see why, of course, but he didn't really have to like it. He would rather she fall into his arms from attraction and trust him. Shane already had other things on his mind.

They walked to the backyard slowly and Shane kept her close, half-expecting her to run off. He didn’t want to have to chase her down, even though he would win. He was far faster than she would ever be, but that wasn't the point. He didn't want her to run away. He wanted to trust her and to believe that she wanted to be with him. Vivica was his mate now, and Shane couldn't imagine a life where he couldn't have a mate. He’d never wanted one before, it had never even sounded good, but now with Vivica, things were different. He wanted all of the things that he had turned his nose up about before. Then, they sounded like just what he needed in his life. There was no question. He needed Vivica; it was just that simple.

She stopped at the small gate that led to the back. She was dragging her feet and Shane tried not to read into it too much.

“You don't have to show me this. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to.”

“How can I keep this from you? You are my life mate. That is forever, so we won’t have any lies or secrets between us.”

“You keep saying forever.”

“Because that's what it means. I can never be with another woman for the rest of my life. You are it for me, Vivica. That is forever.”

“Your kind doesn’t have like a divorce kind of situation or something?”

Shane smiled and shook his head. “Not in my world. In my world, it doesn't happen very often that a mate is chosen in that way, so when it does happen, it's a special thing. It's supposed to be fate.”

“How can it be fate if I’m human and you're what you are?”

Shane sighed and didn't know how to answer. She couldn't even say what he was out loud. That definitely wasn’t a good sign. How was she going to come to grips with it, if she couldn’t even say it out loud?

“I don't know, Vivica. Let's get this over with first, see if you're going to faint again, and then we can try to figure out what comes next. This is all new to me. I never thought this would happen and definitely not with a human.”

Shane saw her steel herself for what came next. He was nervous too, the desire to be accepted so strong he could taste it.

“Are you ready?”

Vivica nodded her head slowly, definitely unsure. Her face looked ashen, like she was going to faint again.

“I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be.”

Shane could see by the expression on her face that she was telling the truth. At least she was willing to give it a try. He was going to focus on the positive. What else could he do?