Dare to Bear (Book 1 Trail Guardians Series) (22 page)

His spirit soared. “You chose to be with me, here?”

She nodded. “I decided to take a job offer I couldn’t refuse, thanks to Dr. Tyce.”

Over her shoulder, through the gap in the doorway, he noticed Tyce standing on the other side, watching them. He gave Mason a smile and thumbs-up signal, before closing the door to offer them complete privacy.

He didn’t know what Tyce had said to clinch the deal for her, but his mate would now be with him. His completely. No long distance. No sacrifice—other than his life’s devotion to her and anything she needed.

Talk about waking up to heaven
.

Mason smiled at the ceiling, and at the Ancestors beyond. He had his mate. Nothing else mattered.

He tucked a lock of sexy red hair behind her ear. “Thanks for sticking it out with me. I mean, the bear thing had to be problematic, at first.”

“At first?” Smiling, she nudged him playfully. “It’s strange, and different, and too much to grasp all at once. But you’re mine.” She kissed his forehead, his cheeks, his lips. “And I accept you exactly as you are. The way you accepted me. You set me free.”

He urged her mouth to his for a long, lingering kiss. “I love you, Steph. I’ve loved you, and I knew you belonged to me, the minute I met you.”

She sniffed back emotion and nodded. “Thanks for letting me come to my own understanding.” She caressed his jaw. “While I may never understand completely, I love you. That’s all that matters to me.”

“That’s all that matters,” he echoed, hugging her tight. “You’re my soul mate. My life. Soon, you’ll be my wife.”

As he held his one true mate in his arms, he swore he heard the delicate rap of wings against his window pane. He glanced up.

Somehow, I should’ve known.

With a private smile, he watched the silhouette of an owl fly away into the light of the full moon.

The End

Thank you for reading Stephanie and Mason’s love story, in
Dare to Bear
. Look for Ashley and Midas’s love story in the next installment of the Trail Guardians Series,
Hard to Bear
, coming soon! If you’d like to receive email notifications of new releases, please email me at
[email protected]
.

Other books by Christine Julian include:

Dark Vow (paranormal romance - werewolf)

The Atlantis Series: Atlantis Unchained - Part I, Atlantis Unbound - Part II, Atlantis Unbroken - Part III (erotic romance fantasy)