Bear's Strength

by J. L. Madore

  I tip and Jaxx chuckles and scoops me up in his arms. I sigh and press my cheek to his chest. Jaxx is always so steady and he smells soooo good and I’m really quite drunk.

  “I missed you, puss.” I say before I remember what I was asking him about. “Hawk’s one of ours. Can’t I know?”

  He sets me on the king bed that Brant, Kotah, and I used last night and reaches between my legs. The snap of cotton and silk represents the murder of the crotch of my undies. “Hey, cheating. I haven’t lost them yet.”

  “And you’re still wearing them, they’re just modified.” He spreads my knees, gives me a testing lick, and then crawls up my body sliding his stiff cock inside me. “I missed you too, baby.”

  I groan and wrap my elbows around his neck while the world spins. “I wanna know about you and Hawk.”

  “You know,” he whispers next to my ear as he establishes a slow invade and retreat. “You feel it on the mating bond and it’s blatantly in our scents. Hawk and I mated. You know all you need to.”

  My arms are heavy, so I let them flop onto the mattress and simply absorb. “You’re mean.”

  He stops moving. “Really? I thought I was being sweet and making love to my mate.”

  I whimper and sigh. “Fine. You are. I’m just sad you won’t give me the dirty deets.”

  He chuckles and gets back to loving me. “When he’s ready to share, how about we show you. The voyeur in you would like that, wouldn’t you? Do you want a front-row view of Hawk and I naked and going at it?”

  I groan and wrap my legs around his thighs, feeling the dreamy drunkenness of the night taking hold. “Yes, I do.”

  “Good. Now focus on the mate who’s currently fucking you. He needs your attention. My mate was taken, and my cat has been pacing for days. I need you, Calli. Let me love you.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Hawk

  I’m up, showered, and enjoying my second cup of coffee when Calli strides into the kitchen looking as bright-eyed as ever in yoga pants, a sleeveless tank top, and her copper-streaked, golden hair pulled back in a ponytail. It blows my mind sometimes at how down to earth she is. Makeup is only for the biggest of occasions, fine clothing, and jewelry the same. She’s happiest to hang out in sweats, eat frozen appetizers, and play flip cup with her mates.

  I’ve never known anyone quite like her.

  There are no hidden agendas with her. No deceptions. If she wants or expects something, she speaks her mind. And if she’s upset about something, you don’t have to guess what it is, you’ll know.

  Today, she’s happy. And seeing her happy makes me happier than I ever expected. “Nice to see your phoenix healing took care of any hangover you should be suffering.”

  She giggles and grabs a mug from the rack. “Honestly, next to being a mythical firebird that can fly—well, almost fly—and having four incredible, sex-god males crazy for me—and each other—the no hangover thing is one of my favorite perks.”

  I smile at the not-so-subtle ‘and each other’ and take the bait. “And what do you think about me and Jaxx?”

  She beams and practically bounces over to where I’m perched on a breakfast stool. “I think it’s awesome and hot and Jaxx says when you two are comfortable, I can watch.”

  “He did, did he? You two discussed our private time?” I sigh, disappointed in the trust I placed that he’d keep our liaison between us.

  “No. Don’t do that.” She strokes the tension of my brow with her thumb, looking sad. “He refused to tell me anything good. All he said was that you mated—which I knew—and that anything that happened was behind closed doors and private. When I whined and persisted, he said maybe one day I could join you. Don’t be mad at Jaxx. He kept your private stuff private.”

  I draw a steadying breath, surprised at how vulnerable trusting in these new relationships makes me feel. For a guy who never needed anyone, it’s weird to care what people say and do.

  Calli still looks worried.

  My mug clinks on the marble counter and I turn on my stool to face her. “Okay, I’m not upset with Jaxx. I asked that he not discuss what happened because I want time to process. It’s important to me that he respects that.”

  “He does. And I won’t push him anymore, I promise.”

  The loss of her cheery smile from a moment ago hurts. “I’m sorry. I’m not good at any of this yet… but I’m trying. Please find your smile again.”

  She leans forward and hugs me. “I think you’re doing great. I’ll try to mind my own and be patient.”

  I chuckle at the impossibility of that. “So, you’re looking forward to watching Jaxx and I, are you?”

  And just like that, her smile is back, and her eyes are alight and beaming. “Mhmm, yes please.”

  I cup her jaw and capture her lips. Kissing my mate is like a system reboot. All my programs and apps update and I feel stronger and better prepared to face the bombardment of the world. She steps between my knees and deepens the kiss, reminding me the two of us have unfinished business with a certain kink kit.

  When she eases back, I pinch her chin and steal another quick kiss. “I’ve been off-balance since you were taken. I need some private time with you soon.”

  “If you didn’t insist on sleeping alone, we might’ve already taken care of that.”

  I shake my head. “With the amount of alcohol I consumed last night, I couldn’t take my pills. I didn’t want to take the chance of hurting you again.”

  She presses a kiss on my cheek. “You didn’t hurt me. And, whenever you’re ready, I’m willing. Just give me the signal. Honestly, the possessive mate madness after I got back has been fun. Kinda the silver lining to getting highjacked.”

  The coffeemaker clicks off and I gesture for her to go get herself sorted. “There’s no silver lining to you getting highjacked. If you want more sex, that can be arranged.”

  Jaxx laughs as he comes into the kitchen. “Boy, did I time that right. You want more sex, kitten? I’m with Hawk. That can be arranged.”

  She rolls her eyes, grabs her coffee, a bowl, and a box of kid’s cereal, and settles on the stool beside me. “Not what I meant. I was saying my kidnapping brought out an aggressive need in you four to assert yourselves sexually with me. I’ve enjoyed it.”

  I pass her the milk. “Then consider yourself on notice for some more sexual assertion. My alpha side is growing quite demanding and I won’t be able to stave it off much longer.”

  Jaxx arches a brow and throws me a look.

  And just like that, I want not only to ravish Calli but to be ravished by Jaxx.

  Calli holds up her spoon and points from me to Jaxx and back again. “Whoa, did the sexual tension in the room just redline, or is it just me?”

  “Eat your cereal, kitten,” Jaxx says, pointing to her bowl. “You need to build up your strength for your firebird session this afternoon. No more crashing and burning.”

  “Oh,” Calli says, crunching her cereal fast and swallowing. “I kinda burned up a farmer’s field and single-handedly ruined his yield this year. I promised him my husband would be happy to pay market value for the damaged crop. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Your husband, am I?” I like the sound of that and it gives me an idea about something I’ve neglected to source out and buy for us. “Well, as it happens, your husband has very deep pockets and is happy to support a local farmer.”

  Jaxx slips a flavor pod into the coffeemaker and grabs a fruit pastry. “How does that saying go… In winter chill and summer heat, farmers and ranchers work so we eat.”

  I point at the colored junk Calli’s putting into her system and frown. “No farmer grew that. Let’s get something more wholesome in you.”

  “Kotah’s out for a morning run.”

  I snort. “He’s wholesome, true, but that’s not what I meant and you know it. Jaxx, are you up for a round of your Texas westerns?”

  Jaxx waggles his brow and grabs a carton of eggs from the fridge. “Coming right up.�
��

  Brant

  I’m sweeping up in the driving shed, waiting for Kotah to return from his morning run when my phone rings. I check the ID and smile. “Hannah, tell me you’ve got good news.”

  The line hangs empty and I check the screen to make sure the call didn’t drop. “Hannah? You there? Are you ass-dialing me?”

  There’s a noise in the background that I can’t quite make out and I strain to hear it. My skin is crawling, and I drop my arm to open the security app Hawk added to all our phones. I begin a record and trace.

  Kotah trots in through the shed door on all fours with his tongue hanging out. He looks relaxed and I hold up my fingers and beckon him closer. “Can you hear what’s happening in the background here, Wolf?”

  Wildling hearing is far more acute in our animal forms and the wolf cocks his head to one side. We both stay like that, listening to the faint background noises until the phone beeps and the call ends.

  Kotah shifts and stands before me looking puzzled. “What was that about?”

  “I don’t know. Hannah called but never said anything. I don’t know if it was an accident or a call for help.”

  “I think it might be a bit of both. It sounded to me like she was surveying something and couldn’t or wasn’t saying anything to you. Her breathing didn’t sound panicked, but she was definitely observing someone in distress. I could hear them softly whimpering in the distance.”

  I frown and open the rusted-out electrical panel to access the hand scanner. “Access, Brantley Robbins, granted.”

  The motor beneath the skid of manure hums to life and slides things to the side so we can access the hatch. I open things up and gesture for Kotah to start down.

  “I put a trace on it. Hopefully, Hawk’s fancy gadgets are as good as he boasts. Enough of this planning bullshit. We need to get the others mobile and do something.”

  With my bear growing more agitated by the moment, I find Jaxx playing pool solo in the game room.

  “Where are Calli and Hawk?”

  Jaxx looks up from the line of his cue and smiles. “Resetting his animal side. They haven’t had much alone time and he’s losing his hold.”

  “I gotta talk to him. We need to get moving.”

  “Problem?”

  “Maybe.” I fill Jaxx in on Hannah’s phone call and he frowns. “You tracked it, though, yeah?”

  I nod. “Yeah, but I need him to tell me where she is.”

  “Okay, then we’ll call Lukas to send the helicopter for us and start packing up. We’ll leave Calli and Hawk to their fun for now and then we’ll catch them up.”

  “Jaxx, kids are missing, and teams are out there putting themselves in danger. That’s more important than him polishing his rocks. We need to address the shit that’s hitting us from all directions. I’m breaking things up.”

  Jaxx straightens, his eyes flashing with the strength of his alpha. “No, you’re not, Bear. After Calli was reclaimed you and she spent the next twelve hours on and off one another. Hawk’s had one private moment with her—one—and that was over a week ago and before she was kidnapped. There’s nothin’ either of them can do that we can’t handle, and it’ll take an hour for the helicopter to get here. Leave them be.”

  I chuff. “I get that you’re flying the flag for team avian now that you and he crossed swords but—”

  Jaxx pounces over the table in a blur, the roar of his cat echoing as he comes. My ass hits the floor a split-second before my head clunks on the concrete and I’m seeing stars. Straddling my chest, he presses the pool cue against my throat. I work for oxygen as he leans close and bares his teeth.

  “Talk to me like that again, Bear. I dare you.”

  Fuck, his eyes are lit like neon. He pegs me with a hostile glare, and I can’t fight biology. I drop my gaze and turn my head to expose my neck. He’s alpha. I’m beta. No matter how relaxed he usually is about the whole dominance thing, biology rules.

  “Listen carefully,” he says, his voice laced with a growl, “and let this sink way down deep. Spout off about meaningless shit and I’ll let you have your fun. Belittle our mates or the relationships we’re buildin’ and we have a problem. Hawk is one of us and we’re becomin’ a family. Show some fuckin’ respect.”

  I bite my tongue and let off a long sigh. “You’re right. I get mouthy when I’m frustrated. I’m sorry.”

  He searches the sincerity of my apology before he peels off. “Think before you speak, Bear. We need to build our mating bonds, not tear at them. Sincerity goes a lot further than sarcasm.”

  Sitting up, I rub the back of my head and wince when I prod an egg swelling up. “Not my best event… but I’ll try.”

  He’s still pissed. I read it in the tension of his coiled muscles and the slight sneer of his lip.

  I get to my feet and hold out my arms. “If it helps, take a shot at me. This isn’t the first time I’ve pissed off someone I care about. They always seem to feel better after a good, old-fashioned punch to the face.”

  Jaxx rolls his eyes. “I’ll pass—”

  Movement in my periphery has me turning my head. Kotah’s fist comes out of nowhere. The kid has a wicked left hook and my head snaps back. I stagger back and steady myself on the side of the pool table.

  Damn, I can’t feel my face.

  Warmth drips down my chin and I probe the split lip. “All right. Are we good—”

  The follow-up right cross sails into view and connects just under the orbital bone of my eye. Fuck. The kid might be half my size, but he’s been training in offensive and defensive fighting since he was a pup and has fists of concrete.

  Kotah shakes his fist and I blink down at him while my hamster drags its fuzzy ass back into its wheel. “Was that for Jaxx or something I did to you?”

  “Both. And you’re right. I do feel better.”

  I chuckle and stretch my jaw from side to side. “Yay, you. Do you mind explaining? Did you save that up or was it spontaneous? Am I clueless? I thought we were good.”

  He stares at me a heart-achingly long time before he leans against the wall and crosses his ankles. “Mostly spontaneous… but you deserved it.”

  I laugh. “No argument, though technically, I offered the shot to Jaxx.”

  “Same offense,” Kotah says. “My entire life, I’ve been judged and told I don’t measure up. In this mating, I found a place where I’m free of that, safe to be loved and admired for the man I am. Sniping Jaxx about something private he shared with Hawk hurts me too. It makes me wonder if I am safe from opinion and harsh comments.”

  Inwardly, I curse my stupid self. “You’re safe, Wolf. I need to rein it in. Bears talk shit more than most. A cutting jibe to us is fun with friends. I burned more than a few bridges when I started with the FCO and couldn’t figure out why people were so touchy. It’s a species thing, I suppose, but Jaxx is right. We’re building bonds here not tearing at them. I apologize if I upset you.”

  The kid’s easy smile returns, and I can breathe again. “Good, because I, for one, love crossing swords with Jaxx and didn’t want you to ruin it for me.”

  Jaxx arches a brow and smiles. “Anytime, my man. And now that our self-proclaimed meathead has mated with Calli maybe he’ll participate more in the horizontal hijinx.”

  “Yeah, I will,” I say, considering the options. “It’s too bad we’re on our way out. I can think of a couple of things we’ve yet to try.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Jaxx

  It takes ten minutes to call Lukas, ask him to track the location of Brant’s call, and get the ball rolling on the helicopter. When I’ve got things locked down, I tell Kotah to pack up the perishables and I leave him to go update Calli and Hawk. I listen at the bedroom door for a few seconds before I knock. “Is it safe to enter?” Or better yet, join?

  “Yeah,” Hawk says.

  I let myself into the bedroom Hawk slept in last night and smile at our girl snuggled in and draped over our avian mate looking sated. I consider
ed snuggling the man myself after we collapsed this morning but didn’t want to push my luck not knowing if he’d appreciate it.

  Note to self. He looks quite content.

  Hawk chuckles. “Did you interrupt for a reason or just to get a visual?”

  I bite my bottom lip and rub a hand over my awakening cock. “While I won’t deny the visual is good for my soul, no, I’m here because we’re readying to move.” I fill them in on the call from Hannah and what Kotah heard in the background. I mention that Brant is quite worked up about it but omit our little Come to Jaguar moment in the game room.

  I’m almost finished the update when a call rings in on Hawk’s computer. Our cellphone signal is spotty in the bunker but plugging into a landline works fine.

  Being the closest to the desk, I glance over and read the icon that pops up. “Lukas is hailing you for a video chat.”

  “What now?” Hawk frowns and swaggers over to open the call. “You said he’s sending the chopper, right?”

  I toss him his shirt and he pulls it on before sitting at the desk. He’s still nakey on the bottom half, but only we know that. “I asked him to. Maybe he wants to double-check with you.” I step in behind him to shield any view of Calli in the bed and nod to Lukas when the line connects.

  “What’s wrong?” Hawk snaps.

  Lukas doesn’t seem bothered by the tone, either that or he’s so used to it he doesn’t notice it. “Keyla is on a call with her mother in the other room. The Prime has taken a turn. She and Kotah are being called to the palace.”

  “Fuck,” Hawk says. “Is the helicopter on its way?”

  “It left five minutes ago. You’ve got about forty-five until it’s at your door.”

  “Okay, we’ll meet you at the airstrip in Oregon in two hours, give or take. Ready the plane to go to Kansas with with everyone except you, Brant, and I. We will handle team two and what they found. Have you tracked where they are?”

  “Down the Pacific Coast Highway in Northern California. I haven’t made contact yet, but I’m trying.”

  “Okay, we’ll see where we are when we arrive.”