Free Bear Apparent (BBW Shifter Romance) (Stone Claw Clan Book 1) by Jade Woods Page A

do.”
    “I would think not,” she said, a little smile twitching at the corner of her lips. “So, you were created by gods to fight demons… then why do you fight each other?”
    Everyone passed each other uncomfortable looks, and Bruin spoke up. “The sky-people left long ago, leaving us to our own devices. It was the Chimeras that rose to power, and established a code of conduct for shifters to live by. Without the guidance of our mothers, we reverted to the animal instinct more than a human’s intellectual nature.”
    “Mothers?”
    “The sky-people were all female,” Bruin said, eying Garrett. “Which ties into the whole mating-bond thing.”
    “Yup,” Marcus said, pulling Jake close. “The sky-people coded into our DNA a loyalty to women—the need to protect and serve females is a prime directive.” He glanced at his mate. “It’s why Jake and I were disavowed by our clans. All males are expected to mate a female to strengthen themselves as well as the clan, but that wasn’t an options for us so we were considered a weak link, and forced out.”
    “I’m sorry,” she muttered again.
    “Don’t be.” Jake grinned, planting a kiss on Marcus’s neck. “Garrett accepts us for who we are, and we are happier with him than we’ve ever been.”
    A warmth entered Dahlia’s eyes, and Garrett relaxed. He found he enjoyed telling her about himself and his family. She seemed to be accepting it well, and didn’t appear to be bothered by their imperfections—hell, with his bears singing his praise, she looked damned approving.
    Her eyes scanned the table, her lip going between her teeth. “Since there are no women in your clan, I take it none of you are married?”
    “No,” Garrett took the lead. “We’re all… available. But there are no female shifters. The sky-people designed it this way.”
    Her face reflected examination as she digested his words. “But what happens if a mated pair has a daughter? Are they not shifters?”
    “Nope,” Bruin said. “They are human. Only male children become shifters. It’s a balancing system, and quite ingenious, might I add. Females cannot be shifter, but they are incredibly important to us. They balance our two halves, and are the glue of a family. It’s not uncommon for the alpha female to make the more important decisions in a clan. The more mated females a clan has, the stronger it is. Again, it all goes back to when we served the sky-people. Females born to shifter parents will often mate with shifter males, but since we are considered flawed, no female would give us a second glance.”
    Nodding slowly, Dahlia glanced at Garrett who lounged in his chair. He was enjoying the conversation, the whole thing feeling a lot like the days when his parent’s clan gather around the dinner table for a good meal and, light-hearted banter.
    “If you are hardwired to protect and serve women then why did that other bear try to kill me?” she asked, and the positive vibes plummeted.
    Bruin slid his attention to Garrett. “What does she mean? Is she talking about Lazaran?”
    “You didn’t tell them?” she asked Garrett.
    Marcus leaned over the counter, and mashed his cheek against his fist, his eyes on Dahlia. “Yeah, how did you two meet, anyhow?”
    Garrett rose to his feet. “That is enough for now. It’s been a long few days, and everyone needs to settle in.”
    With that, he corralled Dahlia into the living room. He could feel his bears’ eyes on his back, their silent questions ringing in his mind. “I need to speak with you in private.”
    “Okay, let’s go to my bedroom. To talk… only talk.” Dahlia rubbed her temples. “Just shut up now.”
    Garrett tried to hide his smile. It felt nice to know she was thinking about mating with him. When they were in her private quarters, she closed the door, and he took a moment to examine her room. It was thick with the scent of lofty perfumes, and the big bed in the middle looked ridiculously cozy. A