Read Online An Alpha's Lightning (Water Bear Shifters 2) by Sloane Meyers - Free Book Online

showed up. I never got a chance to say goodbye. After he died, it took years before I was even interested in dating again. And even then, I swore I would never date anyone with a dangerous job again. I didn’t want to spend every day worried about someone I loved. That’s why I refused to date you at first. In all honesty, I was attracted to you from the moment I met you. But you work as a search and rescue crew member for the Coast Guard. Your life is on the line every single day. Which is amazing, and so selfless of you. But I just didn’t want to be with you when it would mean constant worry. The thing is, though, as we became friends. I realized I was worrying about you anyways. And I realized I was so tied up by fear that I wasn’t really living. I was just kind of existing. So, I guess, I just wanted you to understand all of that. And I wanted you to know that I might worry a lot. I can’t help it. But it’s because I care about you. And because I’ve had some tough shit in my life.”
    Jade finally stopped talking and pacing. She stood still, looking at Ace with a hopeful expression on her face. She looked lighter already, as though just saying all of that out loud to him had lifted a great weight off of her shoulders.
    Ace didn’t share her sense of relief, though. As he processed the full weight of what she had just told him, he realized that the amount of worrying she was going to do if she dated him was much greater than she realized. His heart felt heavy as he realized that he was probably going to be giving up a chance at dating her by telling her the extent of the dangers facing him.
    “Ace?” Jade asked. “You look upset. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you all of that from the beginning of our friendship. I just really didn’t think it mattered because I didn’t think I’d ever want to date you. I didn’t realize how much I would come to care about you.”
    “No, don’t apologize,” Ace said. “I’m not upset with you. I’m upset because I have something I have to tell you, too. And, unfortunately, it’s going to make you realize that the risks of my dangerous job pale in comparison to the other dangers I have to worry about.”
    A shadow crossed over Jade’s face, but she didn’t say anything. She just stood there, waiting for Ace to continue.
    “You’re probably going to want to sit down for this,” Ace said. Jade raised an eyebrow, and then went to sit down in the armchair again.
    “Okay,” she said. “I’m sitting.”
    Ace took a deep breath, and rubbed his forehead. “It’s hard to even know where to begin,” he said. “I hope this is all going to somewhat make sense to you. Are you familiar with shapeshifters?”
    Jade raised her eyebrow further. “Shapeshifters? Like people who change into animals?”
    “Yes, like that. You’re familiar with the concept?”
    “Well, yes. I’m not sure where you’re going with this. It seems a little bit off topic. But I am familiar with the concept.”
    “Well, there’s not really a delicate way to put this. I’m a shapeshifter. A panda bear shifter, to be exact.”
    The silence in the room was palpable. Jade stared at Ace for a full minute, her eyes wide, as though she didn’t know whether to believe him and be shocked, or disbelieve him and be angry that he was making a joke out of a serious moment. Finally, she managed to squeak out one question.
    “I’m sorry, what?”
    Ace continued to hold her gaze. This might be a lot for her to swallow, and he understood that. But he would not apologize for who he was, or cower in fear. If they were fated to be together, then she would learn to accept this. If not, then it was better he found that out sooner rather than later.
    “I’m a panda bear shifter,” he repeated. “I can change into a panda bear at will. Watch.”
    Ace held up his right hand, let out a low growl, and let his human skin turn to the thick skin of a bear, and the black fur of a panda paw. Long, sharp claws