Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
“And the bears? Are they dangerous, too?”
“Bears can be dangerous. The bears you’re able to scent are new to the area. They moved here recently. And Rylee… They are shifters.”
She gasped. “Bear shifters?”
“Yes. We’ve had several interactions with them. Most of them are kind and have been helpful. A few are rogue. We have greatly increased our patrolling to stay on top of them, which stretches us thin. However, with more and more of our new mates having unforeseen powers, we can relax our patrols some.”
She frowned, cocking her head to one side. “Why’s that, Daddy?”
He gave her hips a squeeze. “Because shifters like you can simply tell us when the bears are approaching.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh.” She grinned. “I never thought about my existence being of any particular importance within the pack. Do the new mates patrol with their Alphas?”
“Not yet, Little one, but they are diligent about paying attention to their surroundings. Several of them have different powers. I’ll explain it to you better after you’ve slept.”
She yawned as if the reminder made her feel suddenly more tired. “Maybe I could sleep here on the couch?”
He shook his head. “Not a chance. The only place you’ll ever sleep for the rest of your life will be in my arms.” He rose, cupping her bottom, and turned to settle her on the sofa where he’d been sitting. He guided her to lie on her side and covered her with a throw blanket before kissing her temple. “What you can do is rest here while I change the sheets on our bed and clean up a bit so the scent doesn’t continue to overpower you. I’ll come get you when I’m done.”
She grabbed his wrist and tugged.
He bent to kiss her again.
“Thank you, Daddy,” she murmured, already drifting off.
Hayes stared at her for long moments, taking in her beauty and his good fortune. He had no idea what the coming days would look like or what her strong sense of smell meant for the future, but all that could wait. For now, they needed sleep.
Chapter Ten
Rylee blinked her eyes open, confused about where she was for a second before she inhaled deeply and smiled. She was in her mate’s arms. He was spooning her from behind, so she couldn’t see his face yet, but she didn’t need to see him to know he was wrapped all around her.
His embrace was weighing her down and making her too warm, but she didn’t want to complain because she’d never felt so alive in her life. She’d slept harder than ever. Perhaps because she’d been exhausted from her transition and shift. Perhaps because he’d made her feel so safe.
The blinds weren’t closed, so she could see the sun was high in the sky. She suspected she’d been asleep for eight hours. For a moment, she thought she would wiggle free of him and make her way to the bathroom, but when she adjusted her weight, she realized she wasn’t as naked as she’d thought. Nothing was covering her chest except his arms, but she was diapered.
Her cheeks heated. She wasn’t just wearing a diaper. It was full and heavy and warm between her legs. She’d used it. She’d wet herself—probably more than once—in the night without being aware. It also occurred to her that she didn’t need to pee. She’d already done so.
Hayes’s arms tightened around her as his lips came to her neck where he kissed her. “I can feel your panic rising, Little one. What’s wrong?”
She pursed her lips, not wanting to admit what was bothering her.
Hayes…Daddy. She’d thought of him as Daddy and called him that all day yesterday. It had grown on her. Now that she was more awake and lucid, the idea of using that endearment unsettled her a bit. Perhaps combined with the diaper she was wearing and the number of bottles he’d fed her.
He rolled her to her back and smiled down at her. “You may have an amazing sense of smell, but I still have the ability to tell when my mate is unnerved.” He set a palm on her chest between her breasts, reminding her that she was naked—except for the full diaper. That thought never left her mind.
He kissed her gently. “I will always know when your heartrate is elevated and when your pulse picks up. Our connection is strong and will grow with every passing day. That bond allows me to sense things about you even from another room. You can feel my emotions, too, Little one.”
Rylee nodded. He was right. She could. He’d been calm until she’d woken him up with her stress.
“Talk to me, Little one.”
“I don’t need a diaper,” she blurted.
He stroked her cheek, staring at her with furrowed brows. “Ahh, that’s what’s got you all upset?” Holding himself up by one elbow, he lowered his other hand from her chest down to the diaper. When he cupped the front of it and squeezed as if to confirm it was full, she whimpered.