Suddenly, my father steps in front of my window, blocking their view. “You come looking for my daughter then you’re going to find yourself in a fight.”
His body starts to shake and the back of his shirt splits open as his back swells up. The beige fabric tears but instead of skin underneath, long white hairs burst out of the torn shreds. He falls forward on huge paws and growls as his polar bear stands between me and the lion shifters.
The horrible sound of phasing rips through the air as the men burst into lions all around us.
My limbs shake as I watch the crazy scene outside. My father’s polar bear throws his head back and lets out a savage roar as the lions stalk forward.
The largest lion, the alpha, is the first to leap on him. I gasp as the polar bear catches the lion’s shoulder in his massive jaws and tosses him away like he’s nothing. A cloud of dust billows up as he skids along the dirt road. Three more lions leap forward before he comes to a stop.
My father’s bear fights bravely. He knocks off two of the lions, but the third lands on his back. The vicious cat sinks his teeth into the bear’s thick hide as the last remaining lion lunges at the polar bear’s back leg. There are so many of them.
My dad is fighting hard, but they’re everywhere. His white fur is turning red all over.
I have to help him. I have to do something.
The fierce fighting continues outside as I frantically look around the inside of the police car. The gate that separates the front seat from the back seat is unlocked and I slide it open and climb up front. My heart stops when I see my father’s shotgun, resting up against the side of the passenger seat. “Yes!”
I grab it and open the door. The first thing I see is a lion lying motionless in the dirt. I’m not sure if he’s unconscious or dead.
Unfortunately, there are still four lions fighting and they’re quickly overtaking my dad’s polar bear.
“Hey!” I shout as I cock the shotgun.
My heart is beating so fast as I grip the cold metal. One lion turns and then suddenly they’re all turning, and staring at me.
“Get away from him!” I shout as I swing the barrel onto one lion than another. Oh shit, I didn’t even check if this thing was loaded.
I don’t even know how.
The lions start advancing on me and I step back on shaky legs. “Get back!” I scream in a trembling voice. “I mean it. I’ll shoot!”
The polar bear’s white fur is all matted with sticky red blood. He’s bleeding from hundreds of cuts and looks like he’s at the end of his rope. He takes a few wobbly steps to attack the lions and then falls to the ground with a thud. He doesn’t get up.
My pulse is racing and my breath is coming out all raspy. I point the shotgun at the alpha’s forehead as he approaches and pull the trigger.
Instead of a bang, there’s a roar that’s just as loud. I’m staring in confusion as a big brown blur flies past me and crashes into the lions.
The gun wasn’t loaded, but luckily some bigger firepower was on its way.
It’s Damon’s grizzly. He tears through the lions, slamming into them with his giant shoulder and sinking his sharp teeth into their golden flesh. They yelp and holler as he cuts through them with ease.
The lions scatter and then quickly phase back into their human forms. Damon’s grizzly stands in front of me and roars protectively as they grab scraps of clothing and jump on their bikes. The alpha throws the unconscious lion over his shoulder and hops on his bike as Damon stares him down.
My heart is thumping in my chest as they peel away down the road, leaving the three of us alone. My father’s enhanced shifter healing seems to be kicking in because the polar bear is back on his feet, wobbling over. I notice that a few of the cuts are already healed.
When he’s sure they’re gone, Damon starts to phase back into his human form. I watch in wonder as huge hairy shoulders mold into sexy round ones. His giant paws shrink into strong masculine hands and his head turns back into the head I love.
He turns around and looks at me with a possessive look.
“You followed me,” I whisper under my breath.
He nods. “I told you, you’re mine. You’re my mate. I’m allowed to stalk you. It’s my job.”
He grins and it sends a flood of warmth sweeping through me. Watching him fight for me has done something to my body. My heart keeps doing little flips every time I think about it.
My father’s bear starts to shake and a few seconds later, he emerges in his human form. He makes sure I’m okay and then stares Damon down.
“Dad,” I say, stepping between them. “He helped us.”
“He’s a murderer,” my father answers. “He’d be behind bars if I had some proof.”
“Here’s your proof,” Damon says in a low controlled voice. “I fucking killed him.”
I jump on my father as he starts to pull out his handcuffs. As if Damon couldn’t easily break through them anyway.
“Wait! Dad!”
“He just admitted it!” he hisses through clenched teeth.
“I did,” Damon says, standing tall. “He beat my mother. He nearly put her in a coma.”
My father stops and drops his hands as I turn around with my stomach hardening. A tightness constricts my throat as I watch the pain in Damon’s brown eyes. It breaks my heart.
“They dated for a few months and it turned out that the old Sheriff was a mean drunk. She had been hiding it. Long sleeves. Make-up. She had her tricks, but I had my suspicions. When I saw it with my own eyes, I unleashed my bear on him. That piece of shit deserved it.”
“Oh, Damon,” I say, fighting back tears. “I’m so sorry.”
“Everyone in town thought he was this great guy. Especially you.”
He glares at my father, and I’m surprised that my dad drops his eyes to the ground.
“I had… my suspicions too,” he admits in a soft voice. “I was his deputy and I saw flashes of that anger when he’d been drinking.”
“So you believe him?” I ask. Please say yes.
My father studies Damon’s face for a long moment and then nods. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt this time, Ridge. Since you saved my daughter.”
“And you,” I can’t help but add.
“And me,” he reluctantly admits. “You did save my ass. But I don’t want you seeing Kinsley again.”
“What?!?” I shout as I whip around to face him. “You just said he didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Maybe. But that doesn’t mean I want him around my daughter.”
“It’s not up to you!” I shout.
“Sir,” Damon says in a respectful tone. “I’m in love with her. You can forbid it all you want, but it’s not going to stop us. Nothing will stop us from being together.”
“That’s what you think,” my father says as he clenches his big hands into fists.
“We’re mates.” Damon throws those powerful words down and my father winces. “I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. I’ll protect her and cherish her every moment of every day. I can promise you that.”
My father’s teeth are grinding as he listens. He’s never found his mate, but he knows how powerful those feelings can be. He knows there’s no stopping us.
“With your permission, sir,” Damon continues. “I’d like to take your daughter out. Tonight.”
My father’s big chest is rising and falling with every hoarse breath.
It feels like ages before he answers.
“Have her home by eleven,” he barks.
A smile creeps across my face as he storms off and jumps into the police cruiser. He peels off, leaving a cloud of dust billowing in the air.
I look at my watch and then turn to Damon with a smile. “We have ten hours until my curfew. What do we do until then?”
He just licks his lips and grins.
Chapter Seven
Kinsley
Damon’s large hand is swallowing mine as he practically drags me onto his ranch
. He’s only about a twenty-minute walk from my father’s place.
The ranch is stunning and if my breath wasn’t already taken away by Damon, the ranch would have taken it too. It’s a wide open space surrounded by gorgeous mountains with a valley full of purple wildflowers to the right. On the left is thick forest and there are beautiful horses roaming all around, looking as happy as horses can look. A winding river snakes through it all with water that sparkles in the bright spring sun.
My heart warms as I look at the three log cabins that are spread out around the vast property. I’m sure they look adorable in all seasons. I can’t wait to see the chimney smoking with warm inviting lights inside while fat snowflakes cover the roof and gently fall all around us. Or, in autumn when the vibrant yellows, oranges, reds, and browns on the changing leaves gives the ranch a burst of color. Or, in the summer when the grass is waist high and a shirtless Damon is sitting on the porch with a beer.
I can’t wait to see it all.
“Which one is yours?”
He stops and turns with a look that’s full of love. “Ours, Kinsley. It’s yours now too.” He points to the adorable cabin on the left. “That one.”
“What do you mean, ours?” I ask as a tingle sweeps up my cheeks.
“You’re living with me now. We belong together and there’s no use fighting it. I won’t be able to breathe if I don’t know where you are at all times. Once I mark you, girl…” He shudders with a possessive glint in his eyes. “I’ll be damned if I’m going to let another shifter around your curves.”
It gives me goosebumps to see how obsessed he is with me. I can make this strong powerful man weak at the knees and it brings a smile to my face.
“I just want to stay with you on this ranch. It’s perfect.”
“You’re perfect.”
He’s admiring me as someone walks up behind us, crunching the dry grass under their feet.
“Who’s this?” I turn around in the direction of the deep voice. There’s a huge guy walking over who kind of looks like Damon, but with a softer look to him. Whereas Damon might be the villain in an action movie, this guy could be the lead hero.
“She’s mine,” Damon growls as he grabs my hand and pulls me behind him. I love that he gets all possessive like a caveman with me. It makes me feel so special.
“Whoa, brother,” he says, putting his hands up. “I can see that.”
“This is your brother?” I ask, stepping out from behind him.
Damon looks at me with a stern look and then reluctantly nods. “Yeah. This is my brother Everett.”
“Older or younger?”
“Younger,” Everett says with a smile. He reaches out to shake my hand. Damon lets out a low growl as I touch my hand to his. I fight back my grin.
His tense body only loosens up again when we let go.
“I’m Kinsley,” I say when it’s clear that Damon isn’t going to introduce me.
“Hi, Kinsley. Do you have any sisters?”
“No,” Damon barks as he pulls me away. “She doesn’t.”
Everett rolls his eyes. “Good luck with him,” he says with a shake of his head.
I pick up my pace to follow Damon as he heads to our adorable little log cabin. It’s exactly what I’ve always dreamed of.
He flies up the wooden steps and yanks the door open. I follow him in, looking at everything. It’s clean and nice inside, but it needs a woman’s touch. I’m already thinking how cute it would look with some bright pillows on the couch and some flashes of color when Damon steps up behind me.
His strong hands grip my waist and a little whimper escapes from my throat. My whole body sparks to life when I feel his hot breath on the back of my neck. Nerve endings tingling, goosebumps appearing on my skin, heart pounding—he leans down and pressed his lips to the soft flesh of my neck.
I close my eyes and moan as he kisses me again. I can feel the intense need in his firm grip on my waist. It’s full of desire, lust, and possession.
Suddenly, he turns me around and I gasp as he wraps his big arms around me. I’ve never been a small girl but I feel so tiny in his arms. I love it. Arousal is swirling through me, making me wet. So wet.
His masculine scent engulfs me like a blanket and I can’t breathe enough of it in. I inch toward his massive chest to get another whiff.
Damon is looking down at me with hard hungry eyes. I can tell this sexy shifter is uncommonly territorial and the territory he wants to claim is me.
“Are you on the pill, Kinsley?”
I shake my head as I look up at him. I’ve never needed to before.
He closes his eyes and at first I think he’s angry, but then the corners of his lips curl up into a smile. “Good.”
“But won’t that be… risky?”
“Risky if you don’t want to get pregnant, but I have to tell you, Kinsley. I have every intention of breeding you right now.”
Breeding me? My heart starts to pound in my chest. I never thought about having children, but nothing about that sounds scary to me. I want that with Damon. And I want it now.
God, it turns me on even more to think that he wants to put his baby in me. I want to feel it growing inside of me just as much as I want to feel him sliding inside of me.
“You look shocked,” he says as he cups my cheeks in his big hands, forcing my eyes to go to his. “I’m not wearing any protection with my mate and I’m not going to be pulling out. I’m going to fuck your wet cunt with my raw cock and it’s going to bind us even closer together. The sooner I get my baby inside you, the better. You’ll see. I know what’s best for you, girl.”
I’m staring up at his dark brown eyes, completely captivated. All I can do is nod my head up and down. That’s what I want too.
His lips come down on mine, hard and punishing as he takes my mouth. The air around us is thick with sexual tension and lust-filled energy. I can feel it engulfing me, surrounding me, hypnotizing me as he thrusts his tongue into my mouth.
This grizzly bear shifter tries to be gentle, but he can’t help but take what he wants and it turns me on so much that I’m close to melting.
He grabs a handful of my hair and tugs my head back so he can push his tongue in deeper. I whimper and moan when I feel his hard-on pushing up against my stomach. Everything feels so good.
His mouth rips away from mine for the second it takes to pull my shirt off. My nipples are tingling and rock hard in my bra as his hands slide down to them. He cups them with a firm grip as he kisses my neck with rough passionate kisses.
I want his rough hands on the soft curves of my breasts. I want to feel his hot mouth wrapped around my hard nipples.
I want to be bare for this alpha.
“Hold on,” I say as I press my palm to his big hard chest. I can feel his heart thundering in there as hard as mine is.
He’s breathing heavily and looking like he’s never going to let me out the door as I step back out of his grasp.
He’s about to say something until I reach behind my back and unclasp my bra, then the words just fall away from his gaping mouth. His eyes are wide and hungry as I slide my bra down my arms and let it drop to the floor.
With my core clenching and my pussy aching, I remove my arm and show him my naked breasts. A low growl of approval rips out of his throat as he stares at them with an intensity that burns.
He steps forward and reaches for me, but I step back with a grin. “I’m not finished yet.”
His large body freezes as I start to unbutton my pants. He’s not breathing. I better do this quickly before he passes out.
With a deep breath, I pull my pants and panties down my thick legs. I have to give my waist a little wiggle to get them down and the growl of approval he gives me sends a jolt right to my throbbing clit.
He just stares at me in awe. My nerve endings are tingling like crazy as his dark eyes roam all over my body from my bare breasts to my naked pussy.
Before I have a chance to kick my last foot out of my
pants, he’s on me. One hand grabs my ass in a strong grip, while the other cups my breast. He lifts my breast up and takes my nipple into his mouth, making me moan. His tongue rolls around and teases it with wet flicks. I slide my hands into his hair and arch my back, pressing as much of my breast into his mouth as I can.
I moan as he switches from one to the other. His hot tongue feels so good and I can’t help but wonder what it’s going to feel like on my pussy.
“I knew my mate would have beautiful tits,” he growls between licks. I squeeze my hands in his hair, holding him against my chest.
“You’re so beautiful, Kinsley. I can’t handle it.”
Oh, lord… I’ve never had feelings like this before. I didn’t even think they were possible. One emotion slams into me after another—gratitude, love, joy, desire, need, adoration, lust—there’s so many. I don’t know how to handle them all.
My whole body tenses as his big palm slides down my belly. It continues over my brown curls and slides through my wet folds.
I grab his thick forearm and dig my nails into his skin as his palm presses up hard against my clit. I’m already so close to cumming. This guy is going to be the end of me.
“You’re so wet,” he growls into my neck. “Does your pussy always get this wet when you think of your mate?”
“Yes,” I gasp.
“It’s mine. You understand that? Do you understand what that means?”
I do, but I have a feeling this possessive man is going to tell me anyways.
“No one ever touches it. Or smells it. Or looks at it. It’s going to curve to the shape of my dick only.”
“I only want you.” Good lord, my voice is all throaty and deep—sounding like I’m a sex crazed slut. I guess that’s what I am now. I won’t be able to stop thinking about this man’s beautiful cock after this.
“Tell me. Am I the first?”
Pain fills his eyes as he waits for my answer. I don’t want to know how he would react if I say no, but luckily I don’t have to. He’s my first. He’s my only.
“I saved myself for you,” I say as I drag a hand down his hard abs that are still covered by his t-shirt. He must see the frustration on my face because he yanks it off his head and throws it on the ground. I grin as I slide my hand up his naked abs and into the soft sexy hairs on his chest.
Bare for the Alpha: The Ridge Brothers Bear Shifters #1 Page 4