Page 2 of The Bear’s Darling

Jamie didn’t say anything as I rose from the table, he simply went to stand himself and together we took our plates and placed them on the trolleys for cleaning. Jamie went to the left while I was guided by my light to the right.

I ended up in Niels’ class, my least favorite one. After he’d been so hard on Damon, who was now family, I seemed to like it even less.

“So, in theory,” Niels continued, pacing in front of his chalkboard. “Your mate form could look different than your mate’s. But I highly doubt it’s possible.” He’d been going on and on about how we get the same shifted form as our fated mates, and how that bond needs solidifying. Often you feel the need to shift immediately, but that’s most common if you mate with a wizard or fae. They’ll need to shift into the form you gifted them because they haven’t been able to shift before.

Nym held up his hand. I already knew what he was about to say.

“Yes, Nym?” Niels said, waiting patiently for my cousin to speak.

“My father Luka, is only a perfect match to one of his mates. The others only match in form, but not color.”

Niels blinked and I wasn’t sure if he was about to scoff and laugh at what he obviously believed to be a lie, or if he would be the bigger man and—

Niels laughed.

Jamie stood. “King Luka of Dule shouldn’t be laughed at, Niels.”

I’d never heard Jamie sound so cold. This was the voice of a ruler's son, and Niels had just pissed off two of Luka’s sons.

Niels gathered himself, blinking. “You’re the sons of King Luka?”

They both nodded.

I rose too, simply because I wanted to show them my support. “I’ve seen his shifted forms myself, Niels. His forms are all white, no matter what color his mates’ forms are. Only one of his mates’ forms is white.” I wasn’t about to explain that Luka had four mates. Niels would just need to catch up on all the rulers around the world if he needed that much information to believe us.

“Actually, Xavi has two forms,” Nym added.

“Both white,” Jamie nodded.

Niels just looked between us before sighing. “Well, I guess that means it truly is possible. I just can’t seem to grasp why.”

We weren’t about to tell him it was because of Luka’s mating bond with Xavi having been half formed before he mated with his other mates. Niels deserved to ponder over this for many years to come. Luka was still the only one we’d ever heard of who wasn’t a perfect match to all the mate forms. I guessed he could be the only one alive like that.

Niels ended the class shortly after, complaining about a headache. I held my tongue, pleased to be given a longer break before the last class of the day. It wasn’t something that happened often, and my bear needed to come out for a bit. Whenever I felt overwhelmed or scared, it helped to shift and allow the comfort of my shifted form to take over for an hour or two. I sadly only had one hour, but it would have to do.

Tonight I would meet my mate, and I needed all the soothing and calmness I could get.

Chapter Two

The one hour I spent in my bear form had proven useless. The calm I’d felt while walking around the lush forest ended as soon as I was back inside the academy walls. I couldn’t even recall what my last class of the day had been, too inside my own head to notice my surroundings.

I did notice them now though.

“I can’t wait to sleep in your arms tonight,” Harpy sighed, leaning into Nym’s side. Nym placed his arm around his mate and pecked his temple, murmuring something that had to be only for Harpy to hear. The blush that formed on Harpy’s cheeks told me I really didn’t want to know.

“No more early breakfast,” Ryn declared, grinning at Damon. “I plan to stay in bed with this handsome man for as long as possible each morning.” Damon blushed at his mate’s words, but smiled happily.

It was heartwarming to see how happy my family was, but man if it didn’t hurt as well. That insecure feeling was still there, niggling at me that my mate might not want me. I’d tried to look at every student I passed or in classes, trying to see if something would tingle in my mind. Nothing.

“Are you going straight to your rooms after this?” Casey asked. They all nodded at that, smirking knowingly between them.

“What about you, Nazuss?” Jamie asked. “Do you want to shift a little first?”

I had considered it, but in the end, I just needed to get this done with. “No, I shifted a little before the last class. I think it’s best that I just see my room and wait for my mate to join me.”

“Do you think your room holds only one bed?” Ryn asked.

“It sounds like all rooms will only have that from now on,” Myve said.