by Adele Niles
“All day?” Her brows pull together in a frown.
My shoulders slump. “First, there are more than six hours in a day, so it hasn’t been all day, and second, what business is it of yours?”
I’m hoping this will make her mad enough to yell at me so I can tell her to fuck off, but instead, she plays the other card. The one I can’t combat.
She fishes a tissue out of her dress pocket and starts to dab her eyes. “I know, Belinda. It’s none of my business. But it’s just that I’m all alone.”
My mouth falls open. There is nothing I can do.
I turn helplessly to Drake, but he steps back, hands open at his side. “You take care of your mom, babe. We’ll hook up later.”
And my heart believes we will.
Chapter 9
Drake
When Belinda turns to me with those big brown eyes, I can’t get mad at her for leaving with her mom. But I swear when Belinda has her back turned, the old lady looks up from her tissue with some pretty dry eyes.
But I don’t care—the look Belinda gave me can’t be denied. She wants me like I want her.
No one is going to come between me and my mate.
As soon as that thought crosses my mind, the bear inside me sits up and howls.
It’s true. I know that now. She is my mate. We fit together like parts of a well-oiled machine.
The bear roars.
Belinda’s face comes back before my eyes.
She is so beautiful with those deep brown eyes and luscious red lips. Once her black hair is free of its long braid, it will flow in soft sheets over her shoulders and down her ass.
That wonderful ass. I can feel those round cheeks in my hands right now as I pump her up and down. And those swollen tits bouncing with each thrust. They pressed against me when I was kissing her, and I want to press back.
I can imagine how sweet she tastes and feels. The seam of her jeans parted the folds I’ve ever seen. I need to get my hands down there. My mouth down there.
My bear is gripped in the mating storm and bellows out his frustration.
The only way I can calm the raging bear within me is to make a play to get him laid. I think how I can do this. I will have to move slowly and carefully or she’ll be scared off, for sure.
Maybe if I hang back a few days and give her some time to think.
My bear storms at this idea, but I tell him this isn’t like jumping on the back of a black bear sow in heat. Those ladies are ready and you don’t even have to say hello.
But this is a human female, and my human side is the one who needs to figure out how to do her.
I tell my bear not to worry. She’s my fated mate and I will have her soon. Then, I will mark her as mine. We will be together forever and she will bear my seed.
There’s only one small problem.
She doesn’t know the part about me being a big black bear.
I walk back to the clubhouse and pick up my bike. I take a run out to the broken-down bar where I found the Howlers attacking Belinda. It occurs to me the Howlers came to the bar to establish a toehold in Maiden’s Fork, and I wanted to make sure my little bash out there had been sufficient to discourage that plan.
When I get there, I can see there no more marks in the dirt than before and the bodies have carried themselves off to lick their wounds.
So maybe that’s that.
But I doubt it.
When I get back to the clubhouse, I see Griffin and Zane’s bikes in the yard. I roll in beside them and go in.
They’re hanging back in the hall with brews and shootin’ the shit. It feels so good to see them, I bear hug the shit out of each one.
“Hey, where the hell you been?” Griffin asks. “Last I heard, you were standin’ watch outside the clubhouse for Howlers, and then when I get here, you’re gone!”
“I know where he went,” says Zane. “I saw him sniffing after some slit way out on the edge of town—”
I cross the floor in three strides and tower over Zane, feeling my bear fighting to break out.
“That’s not some slit. That’s my fated mate.”
I can see challenge has stirred Zane’s bear, and Griffin can see it too.
“Hey, hey,” Griffin says in a lazy slur. “This shit ain’t nothing to come between bros.”
Zane and I lock eyes, but we both blink as Griffin’s words sink in.
We fist bump and I go grab a beer and sit down with them.
“So, bro,” says Zane. “When you gonna bring her around so we can meet her?”
“Yeah,” says Griffin. “Your old lady’s got a place here.”
I give them a thin smile. “Yeah, well, see…that’s a problem.”
Griffin frowns. “How come?”
I look down at my beer. “I haven’t told her she’s my old lady yet.”
I see Griffin and Zane exchange a look.
“Uh, yeah. That’s one you might want to let her in on,” says Griffin.
“Does she know you like to spend time on all fours and hibernate in the winter?” Zane asks.
I shrug. “Nope. But she almost caught me phasing.”
Griffin frowns. “When did that happen?”
“Today, when I was tracking her.” I look over at Zane to make sure he doesn’t say something cute. “When she got herself in trouble with some Howlers.”
Zane swings so far forward in his chair, I think he’s going to fall out. “I told you! I told you, goddamn it. I told you those fuckers were in town.”
I shake my head. “Not exactly in town. But not far from it.”
Zane jumps up and starts pacing the floor.
Griffin tips his beer at me. “So, what happened with your lady?”
“Not much. They started messing with her and she was holding her own, but then E. J. decided—”
“E. J. was there?” Zane whips around so fast he smashes a chair into the wall. “Did you kill him?”
“I was tempted, but there were a couple of his stooges gettin’ in the way and I wanted my lady out in one piece. So no.”
Griffin rolls his head in Zane’s direction. “Let him finish. I wanna know what happened.”
Zane grunts and goes over to a window.
“Like I was saying,” I continue, “E. J. decided to get rough, and that brought my bear out like pimples on a meth-head. She must not have seen it—or she would have said something.” I blew out air. “When I laid out E. J., one of his buds pulled a piece. I knocked it out of the picture, and him too.”
Griffin nods.
“The other one was gonna make an exit,” I say, “so I took him out too.” I drew on my beer. “I got my lady and left.”
Griffin’s one eyebrow goes up, which is about as surprised as I ever see him. “And she still went with you after all that shit?”
I straighten and stretch on my chair. “She was pissed when I hinted she might need help, but other than that, she was good with coming to the clubhouse with me to swap spit.”
“Just spit?” says Griffin.
“Yep. Just spit. Says she’s saving the big one for when it’s right.”
Griffin tilts his head. “Hm. You’re right. Sounds like this one’s got the makings of a righteous old lady.”
“Yeah, I know,” I say. “So what do I do?”
Griffin considers. “Take it slow. It’s in her ballpark now. Give her time to sort it out and come to you.”
“I gotta wait? I don’t think I can do that.”
Griffin holds up a hand. “The alternative is to scare her off.”
That hit home. I hear him.
Zane hears Griffin, too. “Like we should be scaring off some Howlers? That is, if you and Griffin got your cock back in your pants.”
I stand to my full height and glower down at Zane. “It’s not your job to worry where my cock is. But I gotta worry where your ass is.”
I walk to the window and lift the corner of the shade.
“Go get the bros and patrol the town,” I
say. “You find any of them scum bags, you bring them back here.”
Chapter 10
Belinda
I look at my phone. It’s been four days since I exchanged numbers with my Viking hero and I haven’t heard a thing.
I’ve started working on a photo essay about the old stone houses around here like the one Mom and I are living in, and the work is great, but my mind keeps wandering back to the old Dutch church and the way Drake’s body felt against mine. His touch made sensation flow from my breasts to the softest place between my thighs.
I keep hoping I’ll see him in my wanderings, but so far, no luck. Could he be avoiding me? Maybe the virgin thing put him off. But if that’s true, he’s not the man for me anyway. If he’s looking for an easy lay, he’s better off moving along to someone else.
But I didn’t get the feeling that was the case. I got the feeling he was as hot for me as I was for him. But there was something holding him back.
By late afternoon, I’m worn down from the hiking and climbing, so I head home. Mom’s there as usual, and she’s cooking up something great. Big chunks of fresh vegetables from her greenhouse, stir fried with rice in a teriyaki sauce. We eat with chopsticks and drink saké by a roaring fire.
I think the saké loosens up Mom because at the end of the meal, she allows herself a small burp. “Pardon me,” she says with a giggle.
I take our dishes to the kitchen and start to straighten up, but she calls me back to the fire.
“I’ll get those things in the morning, Belinda. Come sit with me. We hardly ever talk anymore, and this is a great fire.”
The saké must be getting to me a little, too, because this actually sounds like a good idea. I leave the dishes and bring in two fresh glasses of the potent Japanese wine.
We sit there in mellow silence for a while, and then Mom starts her mom stuff like usual.
“So, Belinda, have you made any friends in Maiden’s Fork?”
“Well, I did meet this one guy the other day, but I haven’t seen him since.”
“Oh! I imagine he’s a nice young man, not like those biker types who tried to talk to you before.”
It’s probably best to just tell her the truth. “As a matter of fact, Mom, he does have a bike. And I don’t know how nice he is. Yet.”
“Yet? Belinda, you be careful! Don’t get yourself mixed up with the lowlifes around here.”
I stare into the fire. I know from experience that there’s no way to stop her once she starts.
Sure enough, she continues, “I’ve heard these bikers sell marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms.”
“At least it’s natural, Mom.”
“Belinda!” She shakes her head. “I know you’re saying that just to needle me, but don’t go thinking you’ll never get into trouble. Bad people are everywhere.”
I jump up and start looking around corners and under the table, just to tease her. She doesn’t get it and keeps talking.
“Why I’ve heard rumors there are even shifties in these mountains.”
“Shifties, Mom?” I laugh. “What are you talking about?”
Mom purses her lips. “You know what I mean. Shifties! People who can turn in to animals. Like vampires turning in to bats. Or werewolves during the full moon.”
“You mean shifters, Mom?”
“Shifters, shifties, whatever. They say they’re around here.”
“Nah, Mom,” I say. “Bigfoot drove them out.”
“Check the internet,” she says, making a hmph sound. “Maybe you’ll believe that if you don’t believe me.”
“Oh right,” I say. “Nothing ever dodgy on the internet.”
She stares sullenly into the fire, looking years older in the light of the flames.
Once again, I’m sorry I’ve hurt her feelings, but I can’t bring myself to say it aloud.
I just get so tired of hearing of all the disasters I have to watch out for and how I have to be careful. I know she’s had bad things happen in her life, but at least she had a life. She wants to wrap me up in bubble wrap and put me in storage. How does she figure that’s good for me? I might be safe from physical harm but my mind would be a wreck.
I can see the saké is making her sleepy, but it’s making me edgy. Drake put ideas in my head with his big beefy arms and warm, ravenous mouth. I groan, knowing I’ll be tossing and turning again tonight.
My mother pushes herself up. “I’m tired, Belinda. I imagine you are too. Please make sure the doors are locked before you come to bed.”
I cringe when I hear these words. She doesn’t have to tell me. This is all I ever do. Make sure things are locked up. Make sure the house is locked up. Make sure my Jeep is locked up. Make sure my heart is locked up.
But maybe not tonight. Tonight, maybe it’ll be different.
I watch her climb the stairs. I stand.
I go to the door and make sure it’s locked.
From the outside.
Chapter 11
Drake
I see headlights through the window of the clubhouse. Two headlights, not one. Who the hell would drive a cage to the clubhouse this late at night? If it’s the law, they’re not being very sneaky. If it’s Howlers, they’re dead.
The bros and their ladies have been partying since early in the night, and they’re all feeling pretty good. They would probably welcome a little exercise right now, like pounding heads or snappin’ bones.
The prospects are out in the yard watching the bikes, but none of the them sounds the alarm. Maybe some citizen took a wrong turn and ended up in the lot by mistake.
I go back to my brew.
One of the prospects walks in the door and up to me with a huge grin on his face.
I wonder what’s got this guy so amused when he supposed to be out there watching bikes. But then he enlightens me.
“Hey, Prez, did you order an angel from heaven? ‘Cause there’s one out there and she says she knows you.”
“What the fuck are you talkin’ about?” Playing head games with a chammy jockey ain’t my idea of a good time.
He holds up his hands and dips his head. “Okay, man, I’ll tell Belinda to go away.”
I stand up, fast.
He winks. “Or maybe I’ll ask her to stay out in the yard with us.”
I reach out a big paw and snag his jacket. I’ve been waiting for days for this woman to come to her senses, and this punk is talking about entertaining her in the parking lot.
I’m about to wrap the poor guy up when Griffin comes up on my side.
“Hey, Drake, what’s the problem?”
That clears my head. “Nothing.” I let go of the prospect. “I got a lady friend out in the lot.”
That eyebrow of Griffin’s goes up. I push through the bodies and out the door to the lot.
Sure enough, there she is. And damn, she’s lookin’ good.
I go over and scoop her up and plant a kiss on her that stops us both from breathing.
She tastes so good.
“Wow,” she says. “I was going to ask if you remembered me from the other day. But I guess you do.”
I laugh from my belly up. The bear inside me gives a triumphant roar.
She came to me.
Once I get her inside, I take her around to show the bros.
First Griffin, of course. And he approves. I can tell when both eyebrows go up. Belinda doesn’t know it yet, but getting the nod from this VP is almost worth the approval of the whole rest of the clan.
But I’m not surprised. Belinda is one beautiful woman.
But besides that, I’m impressed by her courage in coming here, and I’m double impressed by how she fits in. She’s quiet and not ashamed of her shyness, but she puts it aside to be friendly with everyone she meets.
After I’ve made the rounds and everyone knows who she is and who she’s with, I have to take her to the choir loft of the old church.
“It’s beautiful,” she says. “Can I come back and photograph it?”
; “Maybe someday,” I tell her as she leans lightly against my chest. “The bros are kinda jumpy with the Howlers always sneaking around in the backyard. Let them get to know you and we’ll see.”
“The Howlers?” she asks. “That’s the group that waylaid me at the bar, isn’t it?”
I laugh, pulling her into me. “That was three strays from the herd. There’s a lot more of them and they have their eye on Maiden’s Fork territory.”
“Oh,” she says softly.
I turn her toward me. “But they’re not a problem tonight.”
She turns her face up to me and I kiss her.
Gently, at first, but I can tell she wants more.
I stroke my hands down her back until I cup the roundness of her generous ass. I pull her up toward me until her legs wrap around my hips and her arms wrap around my neck.
I feel the valley of her folds pushing against my belly. My cock is rock hard. I walk her to a wall and push her up against it. Through our clothes I can feel the softness I long to stroke. To taste. To enter. I run my hand inside her thighs to cup that swelling mound, and the bear within me roars.
I slide my hands up her belly to her plump breast. It belongs in my hand. I want to tear away her shirt and feast on that breast, until Belinda writhes and moans.
A heavy-hoofed Zane comes clumping up the stairs to the loft with his own princess in tow.
Because this shouldn’t be a party, I ease Belinda down regretfully and kiss her. “I guess we better go back and rejoin everyone else.”
She gives me her hand and I lead her downstairs.
I talk with the bros and Belinda talks with the ladies, but we keep catching each other’s eyes. My cock is aching in my jeans and my bear is barking for release.
Finally, I’ve had enough.
I go up to Griffin and pull him aside. “I’m headin’ back to my place, bro, but I’ll keep my phone on. If there’s trouble—”
“There won’t be,” says Griffin. “Go.”
The residential motel where I live is only a few blocks from the clubhouse. The place looks kinda seedy from the front, but the old ladies of the club come clean it all the time. Once inside, the place isn’t bad.
I take Belinda out to my bike and she straddles it like I imagine her straddling me. She wraps her arms around my waist and they fit just fine.