Once his arm was bandaged by Conner, who assured him it was barely a flesh wound and he was a big sissy for bleeding so much, they both took off back to their own homes.
Before they left his brothers each gave him a manly hug. Wyatt gave him a look that told him to go slow and Cage nodded. Message received.
Chapter 22
Standing outside the guest room door, Cage took a deep breath. He listened and didn’t hear anything. So he knocked quietly. “Sophie, honey, can I come in?”
There was no answer, so he knocked again. Still quiet, he tried the handle and found it unlocked. Pushing open the door, he scanned the room looking for her. The lamps were off and the only light was from the bright moon shining into the room.
“Sophie?” Walking to the end of the bed, his eyes caught on a huddled figure squeezed between the wall and the nightstand. Sophie with her legs drawn up and her head on her knees, she appeared so tiny.
“Oh, baby,” he whispered and approached her slowly.
Sophie’s head came up and he could see the tracks the tears had left down her face. Kneeling in front of her, not wanting to frighten her, he held out his hand.
Sophie stared at it blankly for a moment, then looked up to Cage. Soft blue eyes looked back at her with so much love and concern the side of Sophie that wasn’t freaked out about her man being a bear pushed the scared part back and launched herself at Cage.
Strong arms wrapped around her as he fell back on his ass, leaning against the wall to brace himself. Sophie straddled his legs and wrapped her arms around his neck. She buried her head in his neck and let wracking sobs pour out of her.
“Baby, shhhh,” he said rubbing her back, trying to absorb her pain.
“I didn’t know how to tell you, I didn’t want to freak you out. We are so new and I’ve waited so long for you,” he tried to explain.
“You...you...lied to me,” she sniffled against his shirt.
“No, honey, I didn’t lie. I just hadn’t gotten around to telling you. And I was going to, believe me. I just hadn’t figured out how. I certainly wasn’t going to show you my bear and end up naked and bleeding in front of you.”
“I don’t understand, how you are a bear? Are all Americans bears? Is this a national secret the world doesn’t know about,” she hiccupped.
“No, darlin’ not all Americans are bears,” he laughed.
Taking a deep breath and placing a kiss on her head he started, “My family are all werebears or you can call us shifters, as are my cousins, aunts, and uncles. Our clan has lived in this area long before there were states. We were born this way, as are all shifters.”
“Shifters? Like other animals,” she said in a shocked hush.
“Yes, wolves, big cats and the like. We all stick to ourselves; it’s easier to keep our secret that way. We’d be hunted down if people found out. And we are happier living quietly. Our bears pick us when we are very young. We are born shifters, but our bear halves are fated to us. Something about our individual souls draws them to us. The fates bring us together. And for each bear we have one true mate. The One that our human and bear halves can’t live without. You are that for me, Sophie. My true mate, perfect for me in every way. My last date was over twenty years ago. I knew I wouldn’t be happy, truly happy until I met you.”
“Twenty years? What, you stopped dating as a teenager,” she sniffed.
“Not exactly, weres age a little slower than humans,” he hedged.
“How old are you?” Curiosity was overruling her fear.
“Well….” Cage started.
Sophie waited, then pulled away from his chest and stared at him. Cage brought his thumbs up to her cheeks and brushed away the last drop of her tears.
“I’m technically, fifty-four years old,” he said, waiting for her to jump off his lap and kick him as she ran screaming the other direction. Oddly, he thought she might accept his bear easier than his age.
“Fifty-four…” she whispered. “You don’t look a day over thirty. Do you mean if we stay together I’m going to grow old while you stay handsome and young?” The panic was rising.
“Not exactly…”
“Cage Rochon, I am trying to stay very calm and listen to what you have to say, but if you don’t start being more forthcoming with information I won’t be able to stay. Tell me what I need to know, please…I don’t want to lose you,” she cried.
“I’m sorry Sophie, you’re right. Once a bear finds their true mate, there is a claiming. Basically bears bite each other, not only to taste each other’s blood which links them, but also to mark their mate so others know they are taken.