BK 5 - Chapter 22 - Uncertainty
Emma didn't know what to do at first. She could tell Asher was a human, but the word mate slipped out before she could stop herself. She couldn't believe she had found her mate. He was so handsome, with the darkest blue eyes she'd ever seen.
"What did you say?" Asher signed with one hand because he didn't want to release her hand yet. Emma hesitated. Should she tell him what she said?
*"Of course, you should tell him. He's our mate, and who could have picked a better-looking one than him?"* Ziba mindlinked her.
"I said, mate." Emma signed. Asher looked at her with confusion.
"I don't understand what that means." He signed. Emma looked around to make sure they were alone. What if he thought she was crazy? Maybe it would be better if they went somewhere alone so she could prove to him that she was a bear.
"Can you come to my dorm with me so I can explain?" Emma signed. Asher was more confused than ever. Why did she say, mate?
"Sure." He signed. Emma packed up her things and led him out of the library. Asher walked close to her and noticed how the other male students looked at her, but she paid them no attention. He wanted to hold her hand and show everyone she was his. Why did he feel like he had a claim on her? They'd only just met, and he already wanted her to be his.
When they reached the dorms, Emma led him to the third floor, where the single rooms were. She was more grateful than ever to have a single. Once they were in her room, she threw her stuff on the bed and sat on the edge, letting Asher take the desk chair.
"I have something to tell you, and I'll be honest, I don't know how to do it without sounding like I'm crazy." She signed and spoke at the same time while watching his reaction. He tilted his head to the side.
"You're the first non-deaf person who has treated me nicely and not pitied me. Whatever you say, I won't think you're crazy. I already think you're pretty incredible." Asher signed. Emma blushed slightly and smiled.
"Thank you. I think you're pretty incredible, too." She signed back. Asher felt like his heart was going to explode. He moved the chair over to sit right in front of her.
"What did you need to tell me?" He signed. Emma bit her lip and began signing.
"I'm not human. I'm a werebear. That means I can change from a human to a grizzly bear." Asher understood what she signed, but he thought maybe he had missed some of the words. It didn't make sense.
"I don't understand. What do you mean you can change into a grizzly bear?" Asher signed. Emma placed his hand on her chest so he could feel Ziba growl. His eyes widened when he felt the vibration against his palm.
"What is that?" He signed.
"That's my bear, Ziba. She's big, but I should have enough room to shift into her if you want to meet her." Emma signed. Asher didn't know what to say. How was she going to change into a bear? He wanted to see what she was going to do.
"Okay. Show me." He signed. Emma nodded. One thing she and her brother had discovered was that with the magic Atzi gave them, they didn't have to take their clothes off to shift. She stood up and pushed everything against the wall. Asher moved the chair near the door and sat down to wait.
"When I shift, it happens quickly. Don't get scared. Ziba won't hurt you." Emma signed.
"I won't be scared." He signed back. Emma took a deep breath and shifted.
Asher couldn't believe it. Where Emma had been standing, there was now an enormous grizzly bear. His first instinct was to run out of the room, but he didn't. When he looked into the grizzlies eyes, he saw Emma's beautiful green eyes. He wanted to say something to Ziba, but would she understand sign language like Emma?
"Hi Ziba. It's nice to meet you." Asher signed to her. Ziba moved forward and put her head on his lap. He smiled as he stroked her large head. He wouldn't believe it if he wasn't seeing it for himself. She raised her head and moved back. Emma was suddenly standing in front of him again.
"How did you do that?" Asher signed. Emma relaxed. She was worried he would say he needed to leave or she was a freak.
"Ziba and I are separate yet together. We can shift whenever we want. No one here knows what I am." Emma signed as she sat on the edge of the bed. Asher was blown away.
"Why did you show me?" He signed.
"Shifters like me have mates. Our mates are the one person that we're meant to be with. When we touch our mates, it causes sparks, called the mate spark. Asher, you're my mate." Emma signed while keeping her eyes on his. He looked from her hands to her eyes.
He was still trying to process that this beautiful woman could change into a bear, and now she was telling him he was her mate. He didn't know what that meant exactly, but she said that a mate was the one person they were supposed to be with. He liked the sound of that.
"So you're a grizzly bear, and I'm your mate. You said I'm the person you're supposed to be with. What does that mean exactly?" Asher signed. He moved the chair next to the bed so they could be face to face. He knew coming to Santa Cruz was a good decision, but he could have never dreamt that he would meet someone like Emma on his first day there. She reached over and squeezed his hand before signing. He felt the sparks again that made his heart race.
"It means that if you accept me, I will mark you and make you a bear like me. Shifter mates are like soulmates. Once we mark each other, we'll be fully mated. That means we will be together forever. I know this is a lot, and you need time to think about it." Emma signed.
Asher sat back in the chair. He could be with Emma forever if he agreed to be her mate. He never knew there was anyone in the world like her. He had a couple of questions.
"Are there others like you?" He signed. Emma smiled and pulled out her phone.
"My parents and siblings are bears like me. Our family is made up of lions, wolves, panthers, tigers, vampires, and witches. We have an enormous family. This picture was taken over the summer." Emma signed and showed the picture on her phone to Asher. He zoomed in and couldn't believe it. There were so many of them. He had always dreamt of being part of a large family.
"Wow. It must have been nice having such a huge family. I don't have any family. What do you think your family will think about you having a deaf human for a mate?" Asher signed. Emma took her phone and zoomed in on a woman who looked like her.
"This is my mom. She was human before she met my dad, and she's blind. About half of our family was human before they found their mates. Many of them had no family or came from abusive situations. My great-grandparents own many group homes for both human and shifter kids who have been abused or abandoned. They would welcome you to the family with open arms." Emma signed and smiled. Her family was incredible.
Asher was stunned. Was it possible that he was finally getting the chance to have everything he had wished for his entire life?
"What about you?" He signed. Emma looked at him in confusion.
"What about me?" She signed back.
"Do you want a mate that is deaf?" Asher signed, watching her expression. Emma smiled.
"You're my mate. So, no matter what you are, you're perfect for me. I want you because you're mine, but do you want me and this life?" She signed. Asher stood up and pulled Emma up, too. He had never done anything like this, but he had to touch her.
"I'm sure there's a lot more you need to tell me, but I don't care. I want you and everything a life with you has to offer." He signed and then pulled her into his arms. Emma wrapped her arms around him. The sparks that surrounded them took their breath away. Asher had never felt better than he did while hugging her. He wanted to keep her in his arms forever.
