Bear Prince: Shifter Paranormal Romance (Royal Bears Book 1) by Emma Alisyn, Danae Ashe Page A

stay, would speak, say something that indicated he wanted more than just a physical relationship. Wanted something she could give him and still keep her values. But he’d just left. And something inside her twisted, withered. A glowing thread of connection between them flickering, going dim. And as it died, something in her began to flicker and dim as well.
    She pillowed her head on her arms and cried.
     
    ***
    Two days dragged by. Hannah made herself go to classes. Made herself eat, even though food left her nauseous. Her whole body trembled, her heart bitter ashes in her chest. She thought about going to a classmate’s place and watching television. Anything to fill the hole, the emptiness. The loneliness. Andrew had managed to wedge his way into her life, show her possibilities of pleasure and connection outside of dance. And now she had to go back to the way it was before.
    A knock on the door. She jerked, sending a glass of water tumbling. Hannah cussed, the expletive falling from her lips with a new ease. A bad habit she’d picked up from Andrew. He’d cuss over his pans when he thought she wasn’t paying attention . The knock again and she hurried to the door, peering out of the peephole. And stilled.
    “I know you’re there, Hannah,” Andrew said. “I can hear you breathing.” He paused. “You know I can hear you. Can we talk?”
    She opened the door. They stared at each other. Hannah didn’t know who moved first, only that his beautiful eyes flared, brightened until they were brilliant summer sky jewels, and his arms were around her, face buried in her neck.
    “I tried to stay away,” he said, voice tight. “But why should I? You’re mine.” Strong fingers dug into her curls at the nape, pulling her head back. “Do you understand? Mine, Hannah. My mate. I wanted to spare you the life I lead- I know it’s not what you want, but I don’t care. I want you with me.”
    Her heart stopped a split second, then sped up. He’d called her mate.
    “You mean… you want a real relationship? You want marriage?”
    He sighed. “Sweet, what I want is so much more permanent than marriage. You will never be able to leave me. Even if you wanted to, you couldn’t. You would wither and become ill and…” he stopped, jaw clenching. Face pale, skin taut over sharp bones as the something feral moved under the surface again. “I’m selfish to do it to you. You’re human. You have no idea…”
    “I want to be with you,” she said. Placing a hand flat on his chest, certainty welled in her mind, in her heart. “I want to be your… mate.” She bit her lip. “As long as that means there’s a ring and a certificate, too.”
    Andrew laughed. A strained laugh. “You can have any ring you want and a certificate in every country in which I have influence. Starting with this one.”
    She leaned into him. “Kiss me. ” Her hands gripped the cloth at his back, nails digging into skin and muscle. She’d never been so close to a man before.
    “Mine,” he growled, backing her into the apartment and shutting the door. And captured her lips.
    His tongue licked along the curve of her lips, and another surge of heat raced between her legs. She gasped, lips parted, allowing his tongue to explore her mouth. This sensation unlike anything she’d ever felt. She wanted more.
    His hands cupped her face, drawing her more deeply into this kiss. He was tender, delicate. Raw strength flexed underneath her touch, yet he was as gentle as a feather tickling her nose.
    “Andrew…”
    “I know.” He said the words through gritted teeth, then swore, grabbing her hand. “Let’s go out. Somewhere… with no bed. And lots of people. We can make plans.”
    “Touch me,” she whispered.
    “What?”
    Hannah would have laughed from the half frustrated, half aggrieved expression on his face. She took his hands and placed them over her breasts. Eyes widening slightly, he paused for a moment as if waiting for her to change her mind.