A week after Jake Martin was thrown in jail for the murder of Vicki Talbot, Thorian picked Cici up from her house with a thermos of hot chocolate and a bundle of warm blankets. He wanted to make sure that everything was just right for the special event. A newly turned shifter’s first shift was a special occasion to be celebrated and honored.

Cici came trotting out of her house and climbed into the truck with a bright smile on her face, wearing her white parka and a cute pink hat.

"I'm so excited," she exclaimed, clapping her hands together repeatedly and bouncing up and down on the seats.

"I'm excited too," he said. “I can't wait to see your bear."

He drove them through the hills of Fate Valley to a nature preserve where they would be undisturbed. Fresh snow dusted the ground and the sky was starting to turn dark as day turned into evening.

"Is this going to hurt?" she asked him as he cut the motor.

"It may hurt a little bit. But only for a second. You shouldn’t ever feel pain again during your shift.”

“Okay. I’m ready.”

They climbed out of the truck with the thermos of hot chocolate, the bundle of blankets, and big smiles on their faces. The moon came out as the sky darkened. Thorian turned on his camping lantern as they walked into the winter forest. The branches of the dogwood trees were bare, and their feet crunched over the fallen leaves.

Holding hands, he felt her warmth against his palm, and he looked at her beautiful face. She wore his grandmother's ring on her finger. Thorian was so grateful to have Cici in his life, his heart nearly burst in his chest. He sent her a message through their bond telling her how beautiful she was and how much he loved her. She looked at him, a grin on her face, so big it melted his heart.

"This is so exciting," she said, her voice trembling.

He sat down the lantern and turned to her, gathering her in his arms. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.

"I know that you’re nervous, babe," he said. "I'm right here with you, and I'll guide you every step of the way.”

"This is all so crazy. I can hear my bear rumbling inside me. Every minute, she's getting louder and stronger. I can't keep her inside anymore. I have to let her out."

He spread one blanket in a clearing, under the light of the full moon, and set the lantern beside it. He had brought several more blankets to wrap around her shoulders when she shifted. Shifters had were less vulnerable to the elements and healed more quickly, but he wanted to make the experience as easy as possible for his sweet mate.

Thorian began to peel out of his clothes and Cici followed suit, her teeth chattering as she held herself against the cold.

He threw a blanket around her shoulders and looked into her eyes, the moon reflecting in her pupils.

"What do I do?" she asked.

"Focus on your bear. Focus on the sight of her and the sound of her, deep inside you.”

Cici let out a long breath as they held hands in the moonlight.

"What does she look like? What does she sound like?"

"She's big and brown and ferocious," Cici giggled. "And she wants to come out so badly. She wants to taste life. Smell the scent of the forest, catch some prey and ravage it with her sharp teeth.”

"Very good," Thorian said. “Now focus on that feeling of hunger that need. Focus on it until you can't contain it anymore. Let it take over you. Let it explode out from inside of you."

"I don't know if I can. It's so overwhelming."

"Let it overwhelm you, Cici. The beast within cannot be contained. Let it sweep you up in its feral passion."

She whimpered, but he held her hands firmly in his, lending her his strength through their telepathic bonds.

"Oh my God. I can feel it coming," she said.

She screamed as her body began to shift. She let go of his hand as hers turned into a clawed paw. Her body contorted and grew as she growled from her grizzly mouth for the first time, falling onto her paws on the forest floor. She roared, her mouth bearing her strong, sharp teeth.

Thorian pumped his fist. "Yes!" he exclaimed, cheering for his love. He clapped and hooted as she grunted and turned to him, licking his face with her rough tongue. He embraced her and kissed her muzzle. "Well done, Cici. Well done.” She nudged him with her nose, and sent him a message to join her through their bond. "Here I come,” he said.

With a giant roar, he shifted himself. They stood together in the cool, winter forest, their bond of love ping-ponging back and forth between them. She grunted and growled, moving into him to tease him with her strength. He nudged her back and then charged into the woods.

She growled, running to catch up and try to beat him. As they sprinted at top speed through the trees, he picked up the scent of a deer. It spooked and run through the forest. Cici caught on immediately, and the two of them began to hunt the creature down.

Their psychic bond allowed them to coordinate their movements as they stalked the creature through the forest. Thorian knew she wanted to hunt and feel what it was like to be the predator that she had become. His sweet little Cici was now the top of the food chain. A beast like him. He'd never been more turned on in his life.

They cornered the animal in a ravine. Cici charged at it, smashing it with her paw and slapping it to the ground. She stood over the creature and bit its jugular, cutting off its breath as it died. Its blood spilled into her mouth. He could feel her dread and excitement at what they had done.

The two of them gorged on the animal until there was nothing left. They found a cave and spent the night, snuggled together in their furry bear forms. In the morning, they trotted back to the blankets and a thermos of hot chocolate. Cici shifted first, pulling a blanket around her shoulders. She still had blood smudged on her cheek. He wiped it off as he pulled a blanket around his own shoulders.

"You're quite the hunter.”

"We make an amazing team,” she said, opening the thermos of cocoa and taking a long sip.

"Now you are full-fledged shifter. This truly is a day for a celebration.”