Neither of them answer. They’re too focused on the threat.
“Who are these guys?”
Everett’s teeth return to normal, but his arms and chest still look bigger like his grizzly bear is on full alert.
“Everett. Who are these guys?”
“The Copeland lions,” he grunts with a look of distaste on his face.
“Bunch of pussy-ass lion shifters,” Cash says with a snarl. “That big one in the middle with the Grease Lightning hair is the alpha, Killian. Damon and the Sheriff fucked them up a few weeks ago. They haven’t been around since.”
He tells me the rest of their names: Austin, Jace, Iker, and Knox, but I can’t stop looking at Killian. He’s terrifying.
“And they’re what?” I ask. “A biker gang or something?”
“Worse,” Everett grunts. “A crew of lion shifters.”
“These guys don’t fuck around,” Cash says. “I once saw Killian snap the neck of a tiger shifter because he brushed up against his motorcycle.”
Everett’s hand tightens on his chair. My eyes widen when I see the tip of some brown hairs sprouting out. They disappear back in his skin as fast as they came.
“We should go,” he growls. “I don’t want them around Chloe.”
“Okay,” Cash says with a nod. He starts chugging the rest of his beer.
I’m relieved to hear him say that. I just want to go back to the safety of the ranch.
Maybe we can have a few drinks around the campfire and go back to having fun. Or, maybe Everett can show me inside his bedroom and make me see stars again.
“Let’s go,” Everett grunts.
We all stand up and my mate puts a protective arm around me.
I turn toward the door to leave, but before I can take a step, it swings open.
My mouth drops when I see my cousin Mandy walk in. She struts over to Killian’s table, sits down on his lap, and wraps her arm around his neck.
“Come on,” Everett grunts as he gently pulls me. I keep my feet rooted to the ground.
“I can’t,” I say as I start to feel nauseous. “I have to stay.”
Chapter Nine
Chloe
“Absolutely not,” Everett snaps. “I forbid it.”
“I have to go warn her.”
Now I’m seeing the true protectiveness of my mate. He doesn’t want me anywhere near those men.
I’m hiding behind his massive frame while keeping an eye on Mandy. Killian’s tattooed hands are all over her and she’s laughing and flirting like she loves every second of it.
“She’s not going to be so happy when they get her home,” Cash says under his breath.
Everett shoots him a glare. “That’s her cousin.”
Cash just shrugs. “It’s true.”
“What’s true?”
“Nothing,” Everett says, trying to protect me from everything.
“Cash,” I say, giving him a look. “What’s true?”
“Let’s just say she’s not only going to be on Killian’s lap by the end of the night.”
Shit. I have to warn her.
Mandy might be a self-centered bitch, but she’s still my cousin and I don’t want anything bad to happen to her.
I’m about to dart away from under Everett’s arm and flee his protective grasp on me when she stands up. My breath catches as I watch her head to the bathroom. Killian slaps her ass hard as she walks away and the whole table of shifters laugh.
My blood starts boiling and so does Everett’s. His breaths are coming out fast and angry.
“Now is my chance,” I say to him. “Please. She’s my cousin and I have to warn her about these guys. If she still wants to be with them, then that’s on her, but at least I have to try.”
I’m staring into his stern brown eyes, pleading with him. Finally, they soften and I take a giant breath of relief.
“Thank you,” I say as he removes his arm from around my shoulder.
“If any of them get up from their chairs,” he says in a firm voice. “My bear is coming.”
That’s an even bigger relief to hear.
I cup his cheeks with my hands and kiss him on the lips. “Thank you. I’ll be right back.”
His eyes are locked on me as I hurry to the bathroom, taking the long way near the bar where the lions are least likely to see me.
Mandy is putting on lip gloss when I burst in.
“Chloe!” she says, staring at me in surprise. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
‘Mandy,” I say, ignoring her. “You have to listen to me. Those guys you’re with—”
“Hot, right?” she says, raising her eyebrows. “I got dibs on the big one, but maybe I can try to set you up with one of the others. There’s one who’s pretty drunk already. Maybe he’ll be interested.”
“I’m not interested,” I snap back. “I have a guy.”
She laughs as she turns back to her lip gloss.
“It’s true. Everett.”
“The naked pervert from this morning?”
“He’s not a pervert. He’s a shifter. He had just phased from his grizzly bear.”
A look of jealousy flashes across her face, but she quickly snuffs it out. Mandy would never dare be caught being jealous of me.
“Everett knows those guys you’re with and he says they’re not very nice.”
“Bad boys are the best kind of boys.”
“Not these guys,” I say, trying to make her see. “These guys are evil.”
She turns and glares at me. “You know, Chloe. You’ve always been jealous of me. Of my looks, of the guys I get, and that everyone likes me better. It’s not my fault you look so… basic. And now you’re trying to ruin my fun. Would you rather we go home and read a book to each other?” She rolls her eyes as she stares at herself in the mirror. “I wouldn’t have brought you here if it wasn’t for your mother begging me to. It was embarrassing.”
I storm up to her and grab her arms. She whelps as I slam her back against the wall.
Her eyes widen as she stares at me. I have her full attention now.
“Maybe I was jealous of you, but I’m not anymore. I have a great guy who loves me and you have nothing but a bunch of lowlives who are going to pass you around and use you. You’re the pathetic one, Mandy. You always have been. You have your looks, but once those are gone, you’ll have nothing.”
She whips her arms out of my grasp and storms over to the door. “You can find your own fucking ride home, bitch.”
I take a deep breath and surprisingly feel better than I have in a long time. That was way overdue.
I follow her back into the bar, and she looks all pissed as she storms right up to Killian and kisses him hard on the lips.
I’m rolling my eyes as I walk back to my table when I feel a strong hand grab my wrist. I gasp as I turn around. Knox, one of the lion shifters, is holding me in place as he gives me a creepy grin.
“Where are you going, girl?” he asks as he licks his revolting lips. He has a faded tattoo of a tear on his cheek and a long scar along his jaw. Just looking at him gives me cold shivers. “Why don’t you come sit on my lap?”
The bar explodes around me as Everett comes out of nowhere and grabs the guy by his neck. Knox’s hand releases my wrist and I let out a scream as Everett slams him into the wall, rattling glasses and the wooden walls as he shakes the whole place.
“That’s my mate,” he snarls as he chokes him with his big strong hands.
Women scream and men shout as the four lion shifters around the table burst up and leap onto my man.
“No!” I scream as I try to pull one off of Everett. He’s unmovable. I’m crying and screaming as I try.
Cash flies by me and takes out two of them while Everett continues choking Knox. The guy is turning blue and it’s only when Killian grabs a chair and smashes it over Everett’s back that he lets go.
“Everett!” I scream when I see him stumble. But he recovers fast. He turns and lands a thundero
us punch on Killian’s chin.
Everyone is fleeing the bar. Chairs flip over and glasses break as another hand wraps around my wrist. I gasp as it starts to pull me toward the door.
It’s Mandy.
“We have to go, Chloe. Now!”
“I’m not leaving him,” I say, turning back to the brawl. Everett has someone in a headlock and is punching him in the face while Cash wrestles two guys to the floor.
“There’s nothing you can do,” she says as she yanks me back. I try to wiggle out of her grasp, but she’s strong and manages to pull me halfway to the door. When a chair comes flying by our heads and explodes against the wall, my courage runs out and we turn and run outside.
“The car is ready,” she says as she runs into the parking lot. She’s digging into her purse for the keys. “Let’s get out of this fucking town.”
My feet start to slow.
“What are you doing?” she asks with her eyes popping wide as she turns back to me. I’m standing on the pavement, refusing to move.
“I’m not going.”
The door of the bar explodes off the hinges and a full-grown lion flies out. He summersaults backward, gets to his paws with a vicious growl and charges back into the bar.
We’re both standing there stunned.
Mandy runs back over to me and grabs my arm. “We’re leaving!”
“I’m not,” I say as I yank my arm back.
She gives me a look like I’m crazy.
“I’m not going. I love him.”
She rolls her eyes. “Come on, Chloe. It’s been one day. You don’t love him.”
There’s a loud crash and I turn back around just in time to see the brawl pouring outside. It’s five lions against two grizzly bears. I spot Everett’s bear right away. He’s bigger than Cash’s and although I’ve never seen either of them before, I immediately recognize him.
“I do love him,” I say as my heart swells up with pride and love. “I do. And I’m not leaving him.”
A lion jumps on his bear’s back as he sinks his jaws into another lion’s shoulder. All the animals in the vicious brawl are bleeding heavily. The lions’ golden fur is all mated with red sticky blood.
Cash’s bear is limping. I hate this. I just want the fighting to be over.
“Fine,” Mandy says with a huff of breath. She runs over to the car and opens the door. “Last chance, Chloe. You’ll regret this.”
“No,” I say as I turn back to her. “I’ll regret going home and never taking a chance on love. I’m staying.”
“Suit yourself.”
She turns on the car and peels out of the parking lot. I watch as she disappears down the dark road into the mountains.
I turn back to the fight with my stomach in knots. I wish I could help. I wish I could do something.
The bears are fighting hard, but there are so many lions. Whenever they’ve gotten the best of one, two more jump on their back. I wish I could even the odds.
“Wait!” I gasp. I can.
I pull out my phone and dial 911. I’m connected to the Sheriff’s office and the girl on the other end of the line says that backup will be right over.
I’m a nervous wreck as I wait for the lights, but they come pretty fast.
Damon and an older looking man who’s just as big step out of the police car. They immediately start unbuttoning their shirts as they kick off their shoes.
A lion spots them, lowers his head and snarls. He charges at them and then leaps forward with his teeth showing and his claws out.
The Sheriff’s arm shoots forward and his hand wraps around his neck, snatching the lion out of midair. He turns, using the weight and momentum of the large cat, and slams him into the ground.
Damon is naked and phasing into his grizzly bear. It explodes out of him as the Sheriff takes off his pants. A moment later, a full-grown grizzly and a full-grown polar bear are charging over into the bloody brawl.
It doesn’t last long with the extra furry-power and soon the lions are backing away, looking bloody and exhausted.
The four bears—three brown, one white—roar out a warning as one by one the Copeland lions start to phase back into their human forms.
The five men retreat to their motorcycles, limping and covered in blood as the four bears approach them side by side.
“This isn’t over,” Killian says as he starts his bike. All five of them are naked and revving their engines.
Killian is the last to leave as he stares the bears down for one long threatening moment.
Everett’s grizzly throws his massive head back and lets out a ferocious roar that sends a rush of heat straight to my pussy.
He’s protecting me. Why is that so hot?
Killian turns his bike as Everett’s bear approaches in a threatening manner.
“Fucking bears,” the alpha grunts under his breath before revving his engine and taking off.
The bears watch as the five bikes drive down the road and disappear around the bend. I’m relieved that they went in the opposite direction of Mandy. I don’t want anything bad to happen to her.
Everett’s bear turns and his eyes lock right onto me, making my pulse race. Those are the same sexy eyes that Everett looks at me with. I’d recognize them anywhere.
He breaks apart from the others and walks over, never taking his eyes off me as he comes. My feet are cemented to the ground and I can’t move as he walks right up to me on his massive paws.
He raises his nose and sniffs my cheek, making me giggle from the tickling.
“Hey, bear,” I whisper as he sniffs my other side. “Want to be friends?”
He answers by giving me a long lick up my cheek and then he presses the top of his head against my stomach. I laugh as I nearly fall back, but I regain my balance and dig my fingers into his fur. He groans in delight as I scratch his head.
“It’s not so bad having a grizzly bear as a protector,” I whisper as I scratch his cheeks. “Not so bad at all.”
Chapter Ten
Everett
I barely have time to close the door of my cabin before Chloe jumps my bones. She puts her palms on my chest and pushes me back with all of her might.
It’s not nearly enough to move me, but I go with it and fall back into a seated position on the couch.
Fuck, my little honeypot is sexy. She drives me wild with that long brown hair and her delicious curves. My dick is already rock hard as I watch her strut over, swaying those thick thighs with every sensuous step.
I lick my lips and groan as I watch her take her clothes off. She’s not shy like she was this afternoon. It doesn’t make sense to me how a girl as stunning as her can be self-conscious of her body, but I know women can be a little strange like that sometimes. I love her curves. Her thick legs and soft stomach make me crazy.
My impatient bear is back in my ear, growling at me to mark her.
I’m itching to grab her, to take control, and rip her clothes into shreds, but I let her come to me instead. I pull my hard cock out and stroke it as I watch her strip naked.
Her shirt and bra come off first and I nearly cum when she grabs her big tits and presses them together. She raises one breast up and sucks on her nipple while staring right into my eyes.
My heart starts racing as I watch. I’m so hard it hurts.
I can barely breathe as she unzips her jeans and wiggles her thick thighs out of them. She pulls them straight down along with her panties and my eyes dart right to her wet cunt. It’s so pink and beautiful. My mouth waters as I remember how sweet it tasted. My cock aches as I remember how tight it was.
“That pussy looks nice and wet. Where are you going to put it, honeypot? On my face or on my cock?”
She looks down at my hard dick and takes a heavy breath.
“Your cock,” she moans. “I want it back inside me. I can’t stop thinking about how good it felt.”
“Then come here,” I growl as I reach for her. “I know that cunt is ripe and ready for my big dick. I
can see your sweet honey dripping down the inside of your thighs.”
I’m staring at her wet pink lips as she straddles me on the couch. She puts a hand on my shoulder and grabs my cock.
“Tell me, girl. Were you this wet all night? I noticed you squirming in your seat when your hand was on my arm. Was your pussy burning for my cock?”
“Yes,” she says with a gasp. Her eyes fall closed as she drags the head of my cock up her wet slit. She rubs it over her hard clit for a few seconds before sliding it back down to her tight hole. “It’s all I’ve been able to think about. And watching you fight for me…” She can’t even finish. She just moans.
My bear is starting to pace and growl inside. He’s desperate for me to mark her neck.
Having all of those apex predators around her didn’t sit well with him. He wants her marked. He wants her ours. He wants it now.
My grip tightens on her waist as she slides her tight wet cunt down on my cock. She takes every inch of it with one drop of her hips. She’s so wet that a rush of warm juices spurts out and trickles down my balls.
“Show me what this pussy can do, honeypot. Let me see how you ride your mate’s big dick.”
Her mouth drops open in the sexiest look as she starts riding me up and down. She’s so tight and warm. I wince every time her ass hits my thighs.
I groan as I stare at her big beautiful tits bouncing in front of my face. I take one of her perfect pink nipples into my mouth as she rides me harder. I’m sucking on it and rolling my tongue around the hard nub as I squeeze and caress them both.
The growling in my ear gets louder. Fiercer. My bear is livid. He’s ready to come out and get the job done himself.
“Mmmpf,” I grunt as he rushes to the surface. I flex my body and grit my teeth, holding him back with everything I have. He’s close and trying to break free.
My muscles swell up and my skin strains tight to the point of tearing. I try to push him back down, but the beast is relentless. He wants his mark on his mate.
Chloe is watching with a lustful look on her face. She starts riding my cock faster as she looks at my swollen shoulders and teeth that are starting to grow.
Spread for the Alpha (The Ridge Brothers Bear Shifters Book 2) Page 6