Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44044 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Sienna audibly gasped, or some semblance of such a noise, and she took a step back. A normal reaction for her first time seeing two large bears enter her space. She knew of their existence and had even envisioned one of them twice now, but seeing them in real life was always shocking.
Everyone crowded in closer, making a U-shape in front of the porch.
Jayce remained crouched, hoping to provide emotional support for his mate. “This is Sienna. She’s just had her first shift. She’s not prepared to shift back in front of everyone.” They would all know what he meant.
Everyone nodded.
Surge extended a slight bow. “Welcome, Little one. We’ve been expecting you.”
His words were jarring. What did he know?
Jayce looked toward his mate. “Did you recognize either of the bears before they shifted?”
She nodded toward Surge. That answered that question.
Surge frowned. “Recognized me from what? A vision?”
“Yes.” Jayce stood. “As some of you know, Sienna has had odd visions for weeks leading up to today’s claiming ceremony. They were innocuous. She described them as though she were a forced voyeur in everyone’s lives. They mostly happened in the early morning or evening. She would be thrust into everyone’s homes and watch them eating dinner or getting ready for the day. Normal activities that occurred in real time.”
“But…” Thorn encouraged.
“She’s had two visions since we got home. Both were of her somewhere in the forest. The only other being present was Surge.”
Surge gasped. “Me? In bear form?”
“Yes. No words were exchanged. You chased her. You seemed to be encouraging my mate to speed things up as though she were needed. She felt compelled to go through consummation and then transitioned to her first shift with unprecedented speed.”
“It’s not even nightfall,” Gavin commented.
Molly gripped his hand. “Khloe saw her shift. At the same time, she sensed Surge and Thorn deciding to head this way. That’s why we all sprang into action. I could hear your urgency.”
“I could scent your confusion,” Rylee added as Hayes pulled her in front of him.
“I could see the two of you racing to get here,” Amber confirmed as Isaac frowned next to her. This was very unnerving for all of them.
Surge rubbed his chin. “I’ll admit, we don’t know why we’re here.”
Jayce was taken aback. “What do you mean?”
They all looked at him.
Surge shrugged. “We felt compelled. We were hoping you would enlighten us when we arrived.”
There was a lengthy silence.
Finally, Jayce spoke again, “Perhaps everyone needed to meet my mate, or she needed to confirm the bear in her visions was one of you.”
Surge’s brow was deeply furrowed. “I’ve never seen your mate before now. I’ve certainly never chased her through the forest.”
Jayce shook his head. “We know that. We have no idea what the visions mean, but there must be a reason we’re all gathered here.” He looked around as if he might spot something in the trees or farther in the distance.
Suddenly the hairs on his arms stood on end, and he gripped the fur on the back of his mate’s neck firmly, feeling the need to remind her not to move. It bothered him that she’d had two visions of being in the forest without him. If the visions were futuristic in nature, would he have the power to stop them from happening by forbidding her from stepping even one foot away from him? But the visions could not be from the future if the reason for them was to compel Sienna to transition. She’d already done so now.
Sienna stepped closer to the edge of the porch, tipped her head back, and howled louder than the previous two times. It was a distressed howl that every animal for a great distance would hear.
The trees seemed to blow back and forth as if being whipped around in a wind tunnel. As if the branches also knew something and commiserated with Sienna.
Did she, though? Know something?
She jerked her head back and forth as though scanning the area. Her ears stood up.
Everyone else looked around, too.
“I don’t see anything out of the ordinary,” Amber said.
“I don’t hear anything,” Molly agreed.
“And I don’t scent anything.” Rylee sighed as though she joined the others in feeling frustrated that none of them could sense whatever had Sienna’s hackles up. Danger?
Sienna bared her teeth, growling, the tone unnerving. Could she see or sense something? She wasn’t looking at the bears, so it didn’t seem she found them to be a threat.
Jayce stroked her head. “Let’s go inside so you can shift back, get dressed, and then tell us what you know.”
She tipped her snout back and looked at him before jerking her attention to the mountains around them. After scanning the area, she howled again. So loud. Filled with warning and distress. But for what reason? They were all standing here. Did she sense some sort of danger?