Chapter Two
Elaina had waited in the dark until it was nearly morning. Cullen hadn’t come back to his hut, which made it much easier for her to slip out without being detected. She wouldn’t allow herself to feel anything for Cullen now, not since Shauna came back with her wild tales about what she had told the clan’s inspectors. Elaina knew that at any moment, the clan would come roaring into the village and take her back to the north with them. If Cullen had ever felt anything for her, she wondered how it was possible for him to betray her this way.
Cullen was a fool. Even if Elaina had been at the village when the clan came, she knew that wouldn’t stop them from enacting revenge on Cullen for insulting the inspectors. They’d certainly make an example by destroying the village. Why could he not see that? Even if Elaina continued to mate with Cullen, he wouldn’t be able to stop the clan from taking her, or allowing anyone in the village to remain alive after the clan left.
Elaina’s heavy paws struck the ground with a mighty thump as she made her way toward what she thought might be the direction of the werewolves’ den. She knew certainly that she was headed away from the territory of the werebears, and closer to where she’d find the Bear Claw Pub. She wasn’t averse to going back there, but she’d much rather do it with Liam by her side. It was important to find Samson and demand answers before the clan wiped them all out.
Birds flew into the air and Elaina skidded to a halt, listening intently. Large animals were coming in fast up ahead. She scrambled into the bushes off the beaten trail and put her head down, waiting.
Three large grizzly bears came lumbering by, the hugest ones Elaina had ever seen, and they were headed for the village; Elaina was sure of it. Once they had run past and were out of sight, Elaina carefully crept out and continued on her journey.
Her heart raced something fierce now. What if they had gotten a whiff of her? What if she was found out? Keep moving, Elaina, she told herself.
Elaina was soon at the valley and she was home free. She knew that across the valley was the werewolf den, somewhere out there. She only had to find it.
She walked slower now, scanning the bushes when she entered the woods on the other side of the valley. Two wolf pups came into view, which excited Elaina so much that she unwittingly raced toward them, forgetting that where wolf pups were, the mamas weren’t far off. That was until she heard the low growls of three she-wolves that surrounded her, snapping their jaws at her.
Elaina lowered herself to the ground, a show of a submissive stance, but these werewolves weren’t having it and charged. Elaina leapt out of the way as one of the gray wolves nearly struck her. She wanted to shout for them to stop, but she was still in bear form and afraid that if she shifted just now that she’d receive a deathblow. Human forms were much more fragile than that of a bear.
Elaina retreated a few steps and turned in time as another wolf aggressively jumped toward her. She easily deflected the blow and pinned the wolf beneath her.
“Stop!” a young boy shouted. “Don’t hurt my mama.”
Elaina released the wolf and shifted into human form, concealing her nakedness behind a bush. “I didn’t mean to. I was just trying to protect myself.”
Two more wolves entered the fray, one of which was a silver one. Elaina gripped the leaves of the bush and her heart skipped a beat. Could it be, Liam?
Instead of the wolves going in for the kill, the silver wolf howled out a command to stand back. Elaina fell to her knees. How did she know what that wolf was saying? It came back in a rush; she could understand everything they were saying including one she-wolf who insisted they kill the shifter before she could harm the pups.
“I didn’t come here to harm the pups or anyone else. I’m looking for Liam, my childhood friend. Tell him that I’m looking for him,” Elaina said.
The silver wolf ordered the others to head back to the den and Elaina watched as the wolf transformed into human form, and it was indeed Liam—a very naked Liam.
Once the other werewolves scattered, Elaina waltzed over to Liam and gave him a hug, pressing her generous curves into him, and that’s when she felt his arousal. He pushed her back, staring down at Elaina. He pushed her hair over her shoulders and surveyed her curves. Instead of feeling embarrassed or shamed, Elaina felt herself grow wet between her plump thighs.
Liam took Elaina’s hand and led her toward a pool of water close by, one that had a waterfall that fell from high above. He landed in the water with a splash, beckoning Elaina to join him.
It was easy to forget why she had come to find Liam when he was so close and perfectly naked. Elaina climbed a large rock and jumped off it, landing with an even bigger splash than Liam. She came up sputtering. “This feels great.”
He swept his palms over his head that was now quite wet. “Really, you shouldn’t be here. It’s forbidden.”
Elaina swam close to Liam. “What’s all this talk of forbidden? If it’s forbidden to want to mate with you, then someone needs to make new rules.”
“The clan would murder us both.”
“What do the rules of the clan have to do with you werewolves? Don’t you make you own rules?”
“Yes, but a pact was signed many years ago and Damien agreed to abide by those rules to keep the peace here.”
“He made a deal with the devil then, because you can’t trust the clan.”
“You should have stayed where you were. This is not the place for you, Elaina.”
Elaina had to make him understand. “It has to be safer than where I’ve been.”
His brow shot up. “And that’s where, exactly?”
Elaina sighed. She really didn’t want to go into the whole story. “Just know that the Clan of the Werebear is searching for me, and if I had stayed at the village where I was, I would have been taken by them.”
“What village is that?”
“I found a village of werebears that live in peace, as you do.”
Liam’s eyes narrowed slightly, but his face betrayed no other sign that he was even aware of Cullen and Damon’s village. “And you found a mate?”
Elaina didn’t want to answer Liam’s question. She’d rather not divulge any more than necessary. If he knew she had allowed herself to be taken by two werebear brothers, he might not understand. She scarcely understood herself. “No. Samson was right in so many ways, but I think he’s hidden more things than we know.”
“Like what?”
“Who I really am, for one, and what does the clan want with me? Who is Samson really, and why was he chosen to protect me? I mean, was it really such an accident that he found me that fateful day? I believe the clan murdered my parents and I want to know why.”
Liam’s eyes widened. “That’s many questions. Perhaps you should find Samson and ask him.”
Elaina treaded water. “I can’t go alone. You know that.”
“I can’t go. I’m an alpha now.”
“And Damien?”
“Died a few days past.”
“The clan is onto me and Samson might keep me locked up if I go to him now. There are so many things I need to explain that might involve us all.”
Liam frowned, taking a few steps back as Elaina neared him.
“What are you afraid of, Liam?”
“You and your mating fever.”
Elaina laughed. “That’s passed now, but for some reason I feel hot when I’m around you.” Elaina moved in and tried to kiss Liam, but he pushed her back, shoulder width apart.
“Behave yourself, Elaina. I cannot mate with you.”
Elaina shrugged off his hands and took ahold of his manhood, stroking it. Liam sighed and gently removed her hand. “Cease, Elaina.”
Elaina tilted her head to the side. “You have a mate now?” Elaina felt like someone had kicked her in the stomach when he didn’t answer her. “Don’t say you have a mate, Liam. You’re all I have thought about.”
He shook his head. “Oh, and were you thinking about me when you allowed t
hat werebear to mount you? Don’t lie, because I can smell their scent on your skin.”
“Werebears, you mean. I coupled with two of them, brothers. I’m ashamed to admit that I allowed them to share me, but I really couldn’t see another way out of the mating fever. The thing is that once the fever passed, I no longer felt the urge to be with them like I had.”
Liam’s face tightened, but he leaned forward and kissed her ever-so-softly on the lips, his hands gripping her shoulders, slipping on the moisture that pooled in droplets there. Elaina’s head swooned and she grabbed the back of Liam’s neck, giving in to the kiss. She then darted her tongue into his mouth and he stiffened, pushing her back.
“Go back to your werebears. I’m sure you’ll be missed.”
“I can’t,” Elaina choked out. “They have come for me. I passed a group of bears on the way here. I’m sure it’s the clan. My life is in danger. If they find me, I’ll be forced to breed for them.”
“Who told you that?”
“Cullen. He’s one of the leaders of his village. The clan has been taking all of the men from their village to fight against the werewolves to the north.”
Damon’s body stiffened, taking a quick glance around. “I’ll go with you to see Samson, but I can’t stay long. Some of our hunters have smelled the clan close by.”
“Yes, I told you they’re searching for me. They plan to take me to their fortress in the north to be a breeder if they find me.”
Liam removed Elaina’s hands from his neck. “Then there’s no time to waste.”
Elaina followed Liam out of the water and a very infuriated female stared them down, wearing a frock not much different than what Elaina had worn back at the village. It was Adara, the same female she remembered from the last time she was at the werewolves’ den.
Adara poised to open her mouth, but Liam silenced her. “Not now, Adara.”
“But, she can’t be here. Werebears aren’t allowed in the den.”
Liam came back with, “Silence. I’m the alpha and I have the say who is allowed to stay at the den and who is not.”
Elaina was surprised that Liam stuck up for her like that, but she was glad to hear him take a dominant tone with her since he was the alpha. It just didn’t sound like the Liam she had known from her childhood. Things were more idyllic back then, other than Samson’s warnings about the clan.
Liam walked side by side with Adara and Elaina’s heart just sunk. It was quite apparent that she was indeed Liam’s mate, or at least favorite. All of her hopes had crashed now, but Liam had kissed her in the water. Surely, that meant something. That ache between her thighs beckoned her again. This time it was because she wanted Liam so much, but he had pushed her away. Perhaps he was jealous that she had mated with another, but there was no way that she’d been able to really explore Liam like she would have wanted. Samson had put a stop to that, but perhaps on the journey back to where Samson was now, they’d have time to get re-acquainted.
Liam stopped Elaina when they arrived at the gray walls of the den. Adara darted inside and brought them clothing back out, but when Elaina tried to wiggle into the pants and shirt, she spouted off in frustration, “Don’t you have something bigger?”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Adara began. “We werewolves aren’t as plump as you werebears.”
Elaina puffed up her chest. “No, but we do have big beautiful breasts to tempt a healthy werewolf with.”
Liam smiled, but turned his head as Adara stared at him in shock. “Yes, well...” Another female came out and handed Elaina a frock that would fit, and she thanked her. It was only until after she dressed that Elaina realized that it was Nala, the protector of the pups.
“Thanks, Nala. Were you with the pups earlier?”
“Oh, yes. It’s a good thing that Liam showed up or we might have hurt you.”
Elaina nodded, but she thought how wrong these wolves would be if Elaina had intended to truly harm them. She gave Nala a brief hug and was led inside, but as before, she was lost in the twists and turns of the cave. Finally, they came to a room with a fur-covered bed and large rock with a flat top where a brush sat. “I’d be happy to share my bed with you, Elaina,” Nala said.
“It’s no wonder you haven’t produced any pups if you bed down with females,” Adara said with a glint in her eye.
“Ignore her,” Elaina said. “I knew what you meant.”
Instead of sticking around to referee the females, Liam left with Adara hot on his heels.
Chapter Three
Cullen clenched and unclenched his fists as the first of three bears entered the village and surrounded them with a puff of hot, foul breath that smelled of death and decay. He was used to the inspectors, but this was not going to go down like a routine inspection. This time, these bears wanted blood and he could smell it.
With a mighty swipe of a paw, Cullen was knocked to the ground. As the bears shifted, Gerirr and Hectar were among them and Gerirr hissed, “Now we’re even, brother bear.”
Cullen carefully lumbered to his feet and glared at Gerirr. “I’m no brother of yours. I have only one, Damon.”
One of the men ordered the others to search the village for Damon while Cullen watched, biding his time until they had finished ripping doors off and ransacked the huts. The old ones sat down in a submissive stance, so as not to anger the clan as they had been taught.
“I haven’t met you before.” Cullen asked the man giving the orders.
“I’m the clansman, Atar,” he said as he swept back his long dark hair.
Cullen’s brow arched. “Oh? Why so far from home? I’ve never known you to stray far from the north.” Truth was that Atar seemed larger than life from all the stories that Gerirr and Hectar had told them, and Cullen had almost expected him to be seven feet tall.
“It seems I’m needed since nobody has been able to locate one lone werebear, a female in the height of mating fever.”
Hectar returned and said, “I can’t find Damon or the female. Where have you hidden them, Cullen? Shauna told us you were ready to turn her over to us.”
“She was here at the time, but has been missing since this morning. She might have gotten wind that I had planned to turn her over to you.”
Atar’s nostrils flared. “Now not only do we have a missing werebear, we have a missing royal brother. How is it that you imbeciles can’t do anything right?”
“It’s not my fault,” Hectar said.
Atar took ahold of Hectar by the throat until he was forced to kneel. “She was here when you did your inspection and you let her slip through your fingers.”
“No, I swear we couldn’t find her.”
“You and Gerirr have failed me for the last time.”
Fangs were revealed and Gerirr’s face whitened. “I swear I’ll find them both.”
“Where is she?” Atar asked Cullen. “And don’t lie and tell me she wasn’t ever here.”
“I never claimed she wasn’t here. I told you she has been missing since morning. You already had them check the huts so you should know that I speak the truth.”
Atar’s face reddened as he pressed them again. “I don’t believe this. Where is she, Cullen, really?”
Cullen crossed his arms across his chest and shrugged. “How would I know? Elaina told us that she had nobody to go back to and I have no idea where she went.”
Shauna sauntered forward as Atar glanced around the village. “They’re right. The female that goes by the name of Elaina was here, but has run off sometime this morning, just as Cullen told you.”
“They must have hidden her outside of the village the last time we were here,” Gerirr insisted.
Shauna shook her head. “Not so. She was here the day they sentenced me to death for trying to kill her.”
“You mean the day you tried to kill my brother, Damon,” Cullen corrected Shauna.
Atar stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Silence this female. Anyone that would betray her own can’t be trusted.”
/> “But she led us here,” Gerirr insisted.
“Yes, and we are no closer to finding the female we’re looking for. Kill her now!”
Shauna shrieked and shifted to bear form, making way for the forest, but Gerirr and Hector, in bear form, barred her way. Shauna raised herself on two legs and roared so loud it echoed around the village, just as the two bears jumped her. She was knocked backward and Cullen screamed, “Stop,” before she received the deathblow.
Atar chuckled low in his throat. “Is she one of your favorites, then?”
“No, but why are you so insistent on killing Shauna when you are looking for breeders.”
Atar’s face tightened. “Breeders? Who told you that?”
“Gerirr and Hectar told us as much.”
“I don’t search for the female for breeding, and neither would I lay down with anyone who betrays another. She has dared to try to kill the female we search for, and that is an unforgivable crime, and as such, as enforcer of the clan, she is sentenced to death!”
Cullen watched as Gerirr and Hectar ripped open Shauna’s throat, and as her blood spilt on the ground, Cullen was glad that he was able to drive Elaina from the village. He wasn’t sure what the clan wanted of him now, but at least with Damon gone, they wouldn’t be able to use him to make him do something that he’d refuse to do, like lead the clan to Elaina. He just hoped that she had found the werewolves, and that she’d stay hidden. From the way she spoke of her childhood friend, Liam, he knew that he’d keep Elaina safe. What her true destiny was he didn’t know, but he would rather Elaina be with another than die at the hands of the clan.
Chapter Four
Is Adara Liam’s mate?” Elaina asked.
Nala fidgeted with the hairbrush she picked up. “It’s not for me to say. Perhaps it would be best if you asked Liam that firsthand.”
Clan of the Werebear, The Complete Series Page 15