Bear Again (Second Chance Shifters 3) by Meredith Clarke, Ally Summers

tricked me. You claimed me. I let you bite me,” she seethed. The tears streamed over her cheeks. “And all so there could be more of you? More little bears? Didn’t you think I had a right to know? Didn’t I get a say in it?”
    He ran his hands through his hair. He had fucked up. “I should have said something, but you needed more time. I was trying to give you time.”
    “Until now.” Her eyes startled him. “You expect me to swear a blood oath to you in front of the elders and then give you my body again?”
    “It’s only a formality. You know that. We’re already bonded, Soph.”
    Her eyes narrowed to thin slits. “I know what we are.”
    “Will you do it, then?” He didn’t want to ask. More than anything, he was afraid of her answer. But he was desperate to glue everything back together.
    She blotted her cheeks with her palms. “I can’t think straight. I can’t think about anything with you here.”
    “Do you want me to go? I can come back. We can talk more.”
    The sun was starting to come up, and he knew she had a busy day ahead of her. God, he wanted to do something. He wanted to help. He wanted to erase his idiotic decision to keep the truth from her.
    “Just get out.”
    “Soph, this isn’t as big a deal as…” He stopped. He was only making it worse. “Okay. I’ll go, but I’ll be back later.”
    He scooped up his keys and walked to the back door.

21

Sophia
    I t didn’t matter what had just happened. She had birthday cakes to make and an anniversary sheet cake to design. There were no muffins or croissants, and her cookie supply was low.
    She pulled her hair on top of her head. For now, Liam Grayson didn’t exist. Bears didn’t live in Bear Lake. She wasn’t the she-alpha. And she hadn’t been claimed by God’s gift to women upstairs only an hour ago.
    She tied the apron behind her back and began to work. She had a few quick recipes that would satisfy even her most demanding customers.
    Two hours later, Sophia opened the front door to a line that had formed to the next store.
    “Good morning.” She smiled at the regular customers. This was good. Busy was good.
    Until Noah’s mother walked in.
    “Janet?” Sophia walked around from the counter. She hadn’t seen her almost mother-in-law in months. “What are you doing here?”
    “Hi, sweetheart.” The woman folded her into a giant hug. “Thought you could use a friendly face today.”
    “Today?” Sophia looked around, but the other patrons were eating pastries and drinking coffee. They didn’t seem to notice the conversation.
    “Yes.” Janet smiled. “Your blood oath is tonight, isn’t it?”
    Sophia felt a sharp stab under her ribs. “You know about that?”
    “Of course.”
    Sophia took her soft hand in hers and led her to the kitchen, keeping an eye on the customers through the window.
    “I had no idea. Really, I didn’t.”
    Janet’s eyes softened. “You didn’t think Noah’s father and I expected you to be a nun the rest of your life, did you? You’re the she-alpha. Our family needs you.”
    Sophia felt the tears stinging the corners of her eyes. “Liam wasn’t honest about it. About us.”
    “Apparently, Noah wasn’t either. You should have known the extent of the pledge you made to him and the clan.”
    “I don’t think I can go through with the ceremony. I’m sorry, Janet.”
    The older woman patted the sides of her silver bun. She was a stunning woman. Noah had had her eyes. “You can go through with it.”
    “It’s too soon. All of it has been too soon.”
    “I thought that’s what you would say. Have you thought about Caroline?”
    “What does Caroline have to do with this?” She hadn’t seen Noah’s sister in six months. It was easier to keep her distance from everyone.
    “She and Daniel are together. She wants to start a family.”
    “Oh.” Sophia realized what that meant. They wanted their own brood of bear shifters. “And if I don’t give my oath, no cubs?”
    Janet