Bearing the Midnight Sun (Ice Bear Shifters Book 3) (8 page)

It had been a strange day, and Kat had realized she still had a lot to learn about life as part of a shifter clan. But, with Tyler by her side, she was ready and excited to learn.

After an exhausting few days, Tyler and Kat finished moving everything into their new cabin. Nearby, Eric and Delaney had moved into their new cabins as well, and Alan and Neal had each taken up residence in their adjacent cabins, which the clan dubbed the “bachelor pads.” Kat still had quite a bit of stuff back in Nebraska, but she had put it all in storage before she left for the summer. She would need to go back and sort through it eventually, but there was no rush.

As Tyler closed the door behind him after they finished unloading the final boxes from Tyler’s old cabin in town, he swept Kat up into his arms.

“We’re done, babe! All moved in,” he said, planting a triumphant kiss on her lips. Kat grinned and returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around him, too. She felt sweaty and gross from a long day of moving, but he didn’t seem to notice. In fact, the way he was looking at her when he pulled back and gazed into her eyes told her he thought she was exactly the opposite of gross.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said. His violet eyes glowed yellow around the edges.

“Did you know your eyes sometimes do this weird thing where they change colors?” Kat asked.

“The yellow glow, you mean?”

“Yeah. It’s not constant but it seems to happen fairly often.”

Tyler chuckled. “It’s another genetic mutation, unique to the Northern Lights bears. Whenever a male Northern Lights bear sees a female he’s attracted to, his eyes glow around the edges.”

“Ohhhhh,” Kat said, “I see. So, you’re attracted to me, then?” She gave him a coy smile, and he let out a low growl.

“I think it’s time to christen this place,” he said, and pulled her back close to him. Their bed wasn’t even set up yet from the move, and boxes were strewn everywhere. But the couch sat in the middle of the living room, and Tyler pushed Kat down onto it. He straddled her and kissed her urgently, slipping his tongue into her mouth and pushing his groin against her groin. Breathless, she felt herself growing warm and wet under his spell.

“Tyler,” she moaned, grabbing fistfuls of his spiky blonde hair in her hands and pushing his face even closer to hers, his tongue even deeper into her mouth. Their tongues met again and again, sliding over each other with abandon. Finally, Kat couldn’t take it anymore. She gathered all her strength and pushed Tyler up.

“Stand up,” she ordered. With an amused look on his face, he climbed off of her and stood next to the couch.

“Clothes, off. Now,” she said. Then she pulled at his shirt, struggling to reach high enough to pull it up and over his head. He grinned and helped her, then tossed the garment aside, letting it land on one of the many boxes surrounding them. Kat pulled at his shorts next, grabbing the hems of his shorts and underwear simultaneously and sliding them both down and off his legs in one fluid movement. He stepped out of them, and she threw them over on top of his shirt. She took in his naked body and groaned. His physique was everything you’d expect from a personal trainer, with every muscle sculpted and defined. His massive dick stood at attention, ready and waiting to find its way into her ready body.

“Hey, if I have to be naked, then you do, too,” he said, reaching for her sweaty t-shirt.

“I guess fair’s fair,” she said, and lifted her arms to let him pull the shirt over her head. He threw the shirt haphazardly behind his head, then reached around and unclasped her bra, sliding the straps down over her shoulders and arms. He pulled the simple black garment off and tossed it as well, revealing Kat’s full, round breasts. It was his turn to groan. He reached over and pulled off her cotton gym shorts and panties in one movement, using the same technique she had just used on him.

“Hmmm,” she teased. “Where’d you learn that move?”

“I think you know,” he growled, then pushed her down on the couch, straddling her and letting the tip of his dick tease the edges of her entrance.

“I want you,” he said, his eyes locked with hers, glowing a bright, fiery yellow.

“Then take me,” she said, holding his gaze.

And he did. He slammed into her and she cried out with a gasp of pure pleasure. But she never took her eyes away from his. He rode her, moving up and down with perfect rhythm, sending waves of electric heat through her body. Kat panted and moaned, growing wetter and wetter, causing Tyler’s sliding motion to go faster and faster. A tingling sensation filled her body, radiating through every fiber of her being. Tyler moved within her as they both panted with ecstasy, but they never took their eyes off of each other. They held each other’s gaze, eyes locked together and bodies locked together, as their passion built, and then exploded in unison. Kat’s body trembled as her orgasm passed over her in waves, spurred on by an explosion of warm wetness as Tyler’s orgasm filled her. His eyes glowed bright yellow, and her mouth opened slightly as her voice caught in her throat, her passion too overwhelming to even allow her to speak. But she never closed her eyes, and never looked away. She had never had slept with someone while looking deep into their soul the entire time. Until now.

And damn if it wasn’t the most beautiful, intense feeling she had ever experienced.

* * *

A week and a half later, Tyler stood at the starting line for the Glacier Point 5K with Kat. She glanced over at him and smiled, and he felt his heart turning to mush. She had never looked so beautiful, with her bright pink and turquoise tennis shoes and matching hot pink t-shirt. Her mood was upbeat, which was a good change of pace.

Kat had been irritated for the last week. Her temper had run short. And Tyler knew why. Delaney and Kenzie had been feeding her nonstop information about the importance of the life mate ceremony. They had explained to Kat that, until the ceremony was performed, she would not be an official part of the Northern Lights Clan. Kat’s sullen mood had become so unbearable that Tyler had almost given up on his attempt to make his proposal romantic and just outright asked her over a mac n’ cheese dinner one night.

Instead, he talked to Delaney and Kenzie privately and told them his plans, asking them to please,
please
lay off on the life mate talk. They were freaking Kat out and making her think that he wasn’t serious about asking her.

Tyler was serious. He was bonded to Kat, without question. Even if he had wanted to get away from her, he wouldn’t have been able to. His bear was drawn to her. He wanted her. He
needed
to be with her. And today, he would show her that.

He had to forgive her for being moody this week. After all, she had been so patient with him thus far. She hadn’t run back to Nebraska when he revealed that he was a bear shifter. She had stood by him when she realized that the Blizzards were a constant threat. And she had been kind and caring to the other member of the clan. She had even taken the initiative to approach Neal and see if there was anything she could do to help in the fight against the Blizzards. He had assured her they were safe for now, as long as they stayed near the cabins together. But that might change once the frigid winter returned and the Blizzards were fully on the prowl again.

The starting gun went off, startling Tyler out of his reverie. Kat laughed and took off at full speed.

“I’m gonna beat you,” she called over her shoulder.

“Wait up,” he said, sprinting after her. “You need to pace yourself or you’re going to run out of steam.”

But she just laughed and kept going full speed. Predictably, she was forced to slow down after a minute of full speed effort. But she settled into a happy rhythm and padded along beside Tyler as they ran together through the beautiful race course. It wound from the edge of town, through a well-marked forest trail, briefly peeking out near a ledge that boasted a far off view of the Arctic Ocean, and then winding back toward town.

Kat wasn’t the fastest runner in the race. Not by a long shot. But Tyler could tell she was enjoying the accomplishment of participating in her first 5K. The spectacular views made it easy to ignore aching muscles and burning lungs, and press on toward the finish line.

As they neared the finish line, an announcer on a microphone was belting out encouraging words to the last, incoming stragglers. When they finally crossed the finish line, Kat let out a triumphant whoop. They had been slow, but they had made it. She threw her arms around Tyler and held him tight.

“Thank you,” she whispered in his ear, “Both for signing us up for this race, and for convincing me to start running again. I love how happy running makes me feel, and I never would have pursued it without your encouragement. I feel happier and healthier than I have in a long time.”

Tyler squeezed her close. “You’re welcome,” he said. “Believe me, the pleasure was all mine. It’s been such a privilege to watch you transform from a sad lonely woman into the happy, bubbly person standing right in front of me. You’re magnificent.”

“Ohhh, look,” Kat said, pointing over to a tree-shaded area to the left of the finish line. “They’re opening the lunch buffet. Let’s go replenish our energy stores.”

Tyler grinned. “We will, in a moment, but there’s one thing I have to ask you first,” he said. He got down on one knee as they stood beneath the giant finish line banner that spelled out “Glacier Point 5K” in bright, bold letters.

“Oh my god, Tyler, are you doing what I think you’re doing?”

Tyler didn’t answer. He just grabbed her hands in his, and looked up at her with a happy smile on his face.

“Kat, I’m so proud of you,” he said. “You’ve worked so hard this summer. You’ve taken control of your life, and you’ve discovered what makes
you
happy. Not because it’s what some guy thinks you should do or be, but because it’s who you really are. And who you really are is the most amazing, beautiful woman I have ever met. I can’t imagine ever having any other woman standing beside me. I know my status as a shifter brings unique challenges, but you’ve never shied away from those challenges. You’ve just loved me for exactly who I am. And I hope that you’ll give me the chance to love you for exactly who you are for the rest of your life. I want finishing this 5K today to be a symbol of the end of our old lives and the start of our new life together.”

Kat covered her mouth with her hands and tears formed in her eyes as Tyler looked up at her and smiled.

“Katherine Peterson,” he asked. “Will you do me the great honor of being my life mate?”

Kat nodded her head, the tears spilling over as Tyler let out a growl and stood up, picking her up and spinning her around. The bright Alaskan sun, in its last days of full glory, made her wet cheeks sparkle.

“Well, well folks,” came the announcer’s jolly voice over the loudspeaker. “Lookie here! Looks like we had us a proposal just now, and it looks like she said yes!”

Tyler turned to look in the direction of the announcer’s booth, and he fist pumped the air. He felt like his heart would burst from happiness as he put an arm around Kat’s waist. “She did,” he yelled out to the announcer. “She said yes!”

The crowd nearby burst into cheers, and Tyler let a few tears of his own spill over as he looked over at his beautiful life mate-to-be.

How could he ever ask for more?

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There are bears walking among us. Sloane Meyers is devoted to telling their stories.

Sloane thinks we could all use a little escape in our lives. And what better way to shake up the ordinary than to transport yourself to the mysterious world of those who have an animal within them, roaring to be let out. Sloane promises hot shifter males, and spunky, spirited heroines—with NO cliffhangers! Each book can be read as a standalone.

When she’s not busy crafting bear tales, Sloane enjoys a good glass of wine, preferably shared with good friends. She loves reading, baking, and pretending that she’s actually a music buff. On weekends, she spends a lot of time in the great outdoors, hiking with her own sexy alpha and adorable little cub.