Fairly Bear

Six – The talk

Ulrich

“I know she’s gorgeous naked; but she just screamed. I think that’s human for ‘get out’.” Unger commented drily, while he seemed to have lost the use of his brain, staring at her in all her naked glory.

But it was glorious! He’d be happier once all the bandages were off and it was just her pure creamy skin that made him want to lick it to see if she’d taste as good.

“Move, human!” Unger roared in his head, reminding him that he was blatantly fantasizing while staring at his mate, who looked about ready to attempt crawling down the drain to get away from his gaze.

He managed to convince his taut body to move and slammed the door behind him. f**k! How was he going to give her time and space when he was already ready to go back in there and ravish her the way he dreamed of whenever he fell asleep these days?

It took him a while to think of really disgusting things to finally get his body under control and only just in time before Miranda showed up with an expression of triumph and worry. He looked at her questioningly, while she put the tray with items down on the bed; from the look of it, she was going to bandage his Tessa’s wounds.

“I have good news and bad news…” She said in a low voice, just enough for him to hear.

He tilted his head slightly, indicating for her to go on.

“Her tests came back and we have some answers, but also some questions. Her blood revealed that she’s now a bear shifter, so if she hasn’t started showing enhanced senses and hearing a voice, she should soon…but, it also showed another element that we haven’t been able to identify. She’s definitely not human anymore, so we should probably tell her to keep her from freaking out. I’ve mind-linked Rupert to come over to help with that; he’s the best at breaking the tension.”

He nodded understanding. It worried him that they didn’t know what else was in her blood, but she would tell him if she had any more information. At least they knew she was a bear now; what luck that his mate would be turned into a bear for him. But he also knew the pain she went through to transform and would go through to shift the first time and he hated that. Having a mate was confusing…

When she came out of the bathroom, she seemed embarrassed when their eyes met and he was amused to see her face turn the color of a tomato when she met his gaze. She didn’t hold the gaze long and from her expression, he realized that his hunger for her must have shown in his expression. He was usually more stoical but he couldn’t seem to tame his…well, anything really – around her.

“You’re fine! She’s our mate; we’re not supposed to be anything but ourselves around her. She needs to know we want to lick her like the icing inside those cookies you like to eat at night before bedtime.”

“She does not need to know that yet; she is going through a lot right now.”

“It’ll be much less if you lick her…”

“Licking her will not fix everything, Unger!”

“You don’t know that! We should try it, to be sure…for science!”

“Licking does not fix what she’s going through right now!”

“It’ll help with her wounds,” Unger retorted.

“Which are about to be treated again by Miranda.”

“It’ll be better if we do it. She’ll heal quicker with us touching her.”

“Unger…”

“I’m just saying…”

“How do you feel after the shower?” Miranda asked with a welcoming smile, while his mate sat down on the bed.

“Better thank you.” She answered with a nervous smile.

“Your test results came back if you’re up to talking.” Miranda smiled as she started to remove the first plaster on her shoulder.

Ulrich tried really hard not to salivate at the sight of her in the strappy shirt Miranda had given her. She looked really sexy, even if the shorts were a little too small for other males to see her.

“Wow, the labs usually take days or weeks…” Tessa answered in surprise.

Miranda grinned. “We have our own labs here; and I’m proud to say it might be the best out there.”

Tessa gave a faint smile of amusement at Miranda’s pride. “So we know what I’m allergic to?”

Miranda gave a faint frown and glanced at him when she managed to remove the first plaster. She didn’t use a disinfectant or anything on that area, but instead moved on to another plaster, which meant that she had already healed up on those cuts. That had to mean that her bear abilities were already kicking in with fast healing.

“Well, you’re not allergic to anything.” She answered thoughtfully as she glanced under that plaster with interest.

“So what was the rash then?” Tessa frowned with confusion, obviously not even paying attention to what Miranda was doing.

“Well, I’m going to have to tell you something before I can answer that. “You know those old stories about witches and vampires…”

“And werewolves, yes?” Tessa asked with a frown of confusion.

“Well, those aren’t just stories.” Miranda answered while she completely removed the next plaster as well.

He was almost giddy, knowing his mate was so much better. He wondered how her feet looked now. If she was healed and now that they knew what she was, maybe she could go home with him.

“Yes, I know…I designed some of the covers for those romance novels about a variety of shifter animals; the genre seems quite popular.”

“Yeah, it’s also true.”

“What?”

“Well, there really is such a thing as vampires, witches and shifters.” Miranda answered as she moved on to her other arm and started removing those plasters as well, revealing Tessa’s smooth creamy skin again. She didn’t even have tiny scars at the moment.

His Tessa looked dubiously at Miranda. “What kind of joke is this?”

“It’s not a joke. Those creatures are all real; which is one of the reasons we cannot let you go back to your old life. Because…well, you’re one now, too.”

“One what?” Tessa blinked in confusion.

“A shifter…”

“Funny…” Tessa answered drily.

“Tessa, I promise you this isn’t a joke, there really are shifters in this world and –“

Suddenly, the door was flung open and Rupert strolled in. “O, pick me, pick me….I want to show her!” He giddily called out, all but hopping up and down in his excitement.

It was hard to believe he was an alpha. Weren’t they supposed to be stately and serious…?

Without waiting for a reply, he instantly shifted into his large black wolf, who seemed just as excited about it all and was also hopping around like an excited pup with his tongue lolling out to the side. Well, maybe she won’t be intimidated by this change. Who could take him seriously?

Maybe he was mistakenly swapped in the hospital. Alpha wolves were supposed to be dominant, strong, possessive and serious wolves. Oh wait! He flung his stare at his mate, who was staring at the change with complete shock, her mouth working soundlessly, like a fish out of water. Her eyes were wide as saucers.

He was getting himself ready to leap out of his chair and catch her if she fainted, or move her behind him and hide her if she freaked out about the change. Rupert should have considered that she was not used to shifters just changing in front of her. It had to be a terrifying experience for her. And then the impossible happened.

She squealed in delight like she had just seen the cutest puppy and flung herself forward, burying her hands in his long fur. “This is so cool! He’s so fluffy!” She looked like a kid at Christmas, burying her face in his fur and giggling. “I always wanted a puppy!”

“This is ludicrous and a sacrilege! I am just as fluffy, and I’m cuddly! I’m a bear; you get teddy bears for a reason…you don’t get teddy wolves…And then there are bear hugs. We coined them all!”

“Stop pouting! You’re supposed to be a vicious brown bear.”

“I’m also supposed to be cuddled by my mate….but she’s nearly burying her whole tiny self in a wolf’s fur.”

Unger’s words made him growl lowly in the back of his throat. He was right. Why was his mate snuggling up to his friend and not him? She should be doing that with him! The jealousy burning in him was enough to make him want to shift and attack his friend. They were in the hospital, so he’d be close to getting help…

Rupert’s wolf, Rudi, was looking at him with his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth, as if taunting him about the fact that his mate still had her hands buried in the fur on his ribs. He was about to get up and shift himself, but his attention was turned back to his mate.

“This is so awesome! You get to turn into a wolf at will? Just – Poof! – you turn into a wolf and get to run free; why would you ever turn back into a human?”

Miranda was grinning at her with amusement and gently returned her to bed, obviously guessing at his intent to maim her brother. “Well, there’s more to it than that. But yes, we get to turn into wolves. Ulrich over there is a bear.”

Tessa looked at him thoughtfully. “I can kind of see that….he’s all growly…”

Miranda chuckled and Rudi made a sound that could be considered a huff of amusement. “Come on; let’s have a look at your other wounds. If you’re all healed up, you can get out of here and not have to stay in the hospital. Ulrich has a spare room he offered.”

Bless Miranda! At least she was on his side to win his mate over. Rudi was still looking at him with that stupid expression and his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. He should kick his ass and teach him a lesson about letting his mate do something so personal to him!

He can forgive Tessa, because she obviously doesn’t know better, but he cannot forgive Rupert. He should kick his ass. Yes, he’ll kick his ass. He came to his feet and started stalking towards Rudi. Rudi went into a playful pose before he started bouncing again.

“So help me, if you mess up my hospital, I will skin both of you and use you as rugs in my office!” Miranda growled at them dangerously.

He didn’t doubt that for a second. He was sure Miranda would skin them alive…she was really good with a scalpel…and a knife…also, she had the drugs to keep them still while she did it. And she was also an alpha wolf.

Rudi seemed to agree and bolted out of the room, followed closely by him. His friend needed his ass kicked for getting so much attention off of his mate. It should have been him. He stalked after him; he’d meet him on the training field. There was no way he would run. Rudi could outsprint him at any time, but he had the strength and Rudi was about to experience that in his long-overdue ass kicking.