by V. Vaughn
I flash back to the way Serge acted when I told him I wanted to be with my brother when he was drunk at the bar, and I say, “More than you know.”
Tristan enters the kitchen and asks, “Did I overhear that you’ve decided?”
“Yes. It’s Sven.”
Annie’s smile is gone, and she says, “I can do the taxi run if you want to leave early. You know, so you get there in time for lunch.”
“Really?” I kiss Annie on the cheek, but her joy for me seems to have disappeared, and I wonder if she and Tristan are fighting. “You are the best.”
As I scurry out the door she yells, “I hate to see anything stand in the way of true love!”
As my feet tap down the steps in a jog, a growl sounds, and I discover Nadia out of the corner of my eye. I keep walking as if I didn’t hear her, because the last thing I want to do is get into another scene with my true mate’s wife. She’ll be finding out Sven is mine soon enough. Unfortunately, she’s not so willing to let things go, because in a flash she’s standing before me, blocking my way. She asks, “True love?” Her hands are on her hips, and I brace myself for a quick shift as I glance around for help.
“What do you want from me, Nadia?”
“I want you to bond with Serge, so Sven and I can get on with our lives.”
I shake my head and begin to walk around her. She grabs my arm but remains human. “All you have to do is let him bite you, and this will be all over.” Sadness clouds her eyes. “If you take Sven from me, I’m left with nothing. Please don’t be so selfish.”
She’s good, because her pleading makes me feel sorry for her. I can imagine what it would be like to lose the man you love to someone you think has a choice. I say, “It’s not that simple. Destiny has plans for me, and if I pick the wrong twin, we’ll all suffer.”
Clearly that’s not what Nadia wanted to hear, because she growls louder this time, and her claws dig into my skin hard enough that I’m sure she’s drawn blood.
“Nadia!” We both turn to Tristan’s alpha voice. “Come here.” The girl walks over to him with her head down. He gazes at me as she does. A hint of a smile plays on his lips as he says, “Go make Sven happy, Lucy. And welcome to the De Rozier clan. I’m glad to have you.”
“Thank you.” I turn and almost dance my way to my car.
In twenty minutes I’m at the University of Maine at Orono campus and head straight for the construction site. Students stroll along the sidewalk, and a shout carries through my open window. I notice a girl glancing around as if she’s lost. I guess she’s a freshman, and I recall similar feelings of confusion when I came here two years ago. I wondered if I’d ever figure out my purpose in life. So much has happened to me since then, and I can truly say that my unsettled feelings that left me an emotional mess back then are gone now.
I tug my shirt down over my shorts as I walk toward the men working, and I spot Sven right away. He’s standing at a table using a band saw. Sweat on his muscular back glistens in the sunlight, and I inhale deeply to capture a hint of his scent. It races through me to ignite desire all the way to my toes. Sven is my true mate and the man I’ll spend the rest of my life with.
The whine of the saw is loud when I move to be in Sven’s line of vision. He glances up and smiles before he flips the machine off to say, “Lucy.” When he lifts up his safety glasses a mask of clean skin surrounds his eyes, while his cheeks are covered in a fine dusting of sawdust.
“Hey there. Got any plans for tonight?” I step around the table to get closer to him.
“I thought we might hit up the Lobster Shack one more time before they close for the season.”
I place a hand on his chest, and it’s hot and damp under my palm. “Okay.” I drag my finger down the defined line between his pecs. “But let’s make it takeout and go back to my place.”
A low rumble vibrates through Sven, and I know he’s aware of my physical attraction as he answers. “I’m not sure I can be alone with you and stay in control.”
I reach up and grab the back of his head to pull him down for a kiss. “You don’t have to.” I nip at his lower lip and say, “I choose you.” I attack his mouth with weeks of pent-up sexual frustration. Our kiss makes me lose awareness of the people around us, but a guy’s voice snaps me out of it when he yells, “Sven. I needed that piece yesterday!”
Sven pulls back and takes a deep breath. “So you’re mine, Little Bear?”
I nod. “Tristan and Marion have given us their blessing.”
He exhales loudly. “This time I’m biting you before anything else gets in our way.”
The man’s voice is practically a growl as he yells, “Sven!”
“Later, Big Bear.”
Sven grins as he lowers his glasses to his nose and flips on the switch to the saw. “Later, Little Bear.”
I let the sound of his nickname for me sink in and hold on to it as I walk away. In a few short hours I’ll be mated to Sven forever. I spy the confused girl I noticed earlier and whisper, “Hang on. One day you’ll know exactly what you’re supposed to do.”
Chapter 8
Lucy
All of my lingerie is laid out on my bed, and I’m trying to decide what to wear under my cotton dress. Not that I’ll be needing any of it for long, because I can’t wait to get my hands on Sven and complete our true mate bond. I opt for a cream lace thong and bra that won’t show through my white dress but are sexy enough to make my intentions known. Although stripping it all off the moment he walks through the door ought to make my message crystal clear.
Since I had time to kill, I texted Sven that I’d pick up dinner so he could come straight here. The carpet is plush under the soles of my feet, and my toes sink into it as I pace my apartment. Tonight I seal my future. I should be nervous about taking such a huge leap. But the mere thought of having Sven forever causes a tremble that’s from excitement and not fear.
The rush of the elevator door opening makes me turn toward it, and the sexiest man I’ve ever seen is revealed. Sven’s hair is still long, but it’s been cut to a neat length that reaches his massive shoulders. He walks toward me with firm steps and says, “My marriage has been annulled.”
“Good.” The zipper of my dress hums down when I reach behind my back to lower it. I smile as he raises his eyebrows and reaches behind his head with one hand to grab his shirt and pull it off. It thumps lightly on the couch when he tosses it, and my dress slithers down my legs to pool at my feet.
The metal of Sven’s belt clangs loudly as both our low growls signal our intense desire. Sven lets his pants fall as he walks and stops only for a second to step out of them before he reaches me. His voice is low as he says, “Lucy.”
He scans me with his eyes, and I reach back to unhook my bra as I whisper, “Sven.”
My breasts are thrust forward with my movement, and he groans as he thuds to his knees before me. He gazes up at me with crystal-blue eyes that are full of love as he says, “I plan to worship you for the rest of your life, Little Bear.”
His calloused fingers are rough on my skin as he slides them under the elastic of my panties to tug them down. He nuzzles my mound and lets out a content sigh before he says, “Mine.”
His hair is smooth in my fingers as I grasp it and tug his head back to reveal his face. “And you’re mine, Big Bear. Forever.”
Sven grabs the back of my thighs as he stands and wraps my legs around his waist. Sinewy muscle ripples under my hands as I grab onto his shoulders as he walks to my bedroom. My tender folds are pressed against his skin, and the friction of his movement teases me. I pant out, “I need you inside me.”
“I know. I need to be there.”
The mattress sinks under my back as he lays me down, and I pull him over me as our mouths meet. Every nerve ending of mine is quivering in anticipation of the completion of our bond as I kiss Sven. He pulls away from my lips to work on my neck. I know he’s trying to warm me up with foreplay, but I’m so hot I might explode, so I whimp
er as I reach for his cock. “Big Bear, please. I can’t wait.”
His thick length is rock hard in my hand, and I stroke him with a tight squeeze as he reluctantly reaches down to cover my hand with his. “I want to devour every inch of you, Lucy.”
“You can.” I squirm under his weight and tug on his dick to bring it closer to my opening. “Later.”
Sven yanks my hand away and lets out his sexy growl before he thrusts into me. I cry out at the abrupt move and lift my hips to seat him deeper. “Yes. This is where you belong.”
My mate withdraws slowly, and I dig my fingers into his butt to pull him back as he gazes down at me with a look so intense I swear he’s seeing my soul. “Little Bear, you are my love, my home, and my world.”
His eyes are glassy with moisture, and I begin to tear up too. “You’re all that to me too. I love you, Sven.”
“I love you, Lucy.” He thrusts in a slow rhythm and reaches between us to rub my clit with his thumb, and I gasp as pleasure zings through me. Sven smiles as he watches my reaction. “So much for us to do, Little Bear, and a lifetime to do it.”
“Uh-huh.” My orgasm is close, and I whisper, “Now.”
Sven’s movements get more erratic, and the force increases as his claws and fangs grow. He opens his mouth wide, and I tilt my head back to welcome his bite. Hot pain spikes through my shoulder from his teeth, but it’s quickly followed by my climax as I explode around his throbbing cock. My body convulses under my mate as a scream tears out of my lungs.
I think I might pass out when my sexual release wants to send me into orbit, but I know I should bite Sven too, and I let my bear come out enough to give me fangs too. I flip my mate over and sink my teeth into his beefy shoulder. The coppery taste of his blood is like a fuel injection of ecstasy when I pull away to rock my hips as I come again.
Sven thrashes under me, and his hot seed is slick inside me as he cries out in a euphoric state. I collapse in a heap on him, and my body trembles with the aftermath of the most intense orgasm either of us has ever experienced. Sweat and our fluids are slippery between us as I slither off to lie beside my true mate.
I say, “Now I know what they mean when they say the true mate bonding ritual should be done during sex.” I lean up and gaze down at Sven. “Ever hear the expression I’ve died and gone to heaven?”
“No. But I think we just did.”
“Me too.”
Sven’s hand snakes behind my neck, and he pulls me down for a kiss. It’s tender, and emotion wells up inside me as my throat thickens. When we break apart, his eyes are wet too, and he says, “I thought I’d lost you, Lucy, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to keep on living.”
I nod as my tears fall. I whisper, “I know. I felt the same way.” I swallow hard and sniff as Sven brushes my cheek with his finger.
He says, “I’m not waiting for our lives to happen any longer.” Sven lifts up, and the mattress bounces as he pushes me down to lean over me now. “Let’s get married right away.”
I grin up at him. “Like tomorrow?”
“Sure.”
I shake my head. While I want Sven to be my husband as soon as possible, I spent too many years dreaming of a fancy wedding. “Sorry. I’ve waited all my life to wear the prettiest dress at the party, and my mother would kill you if you didn’t let her have the pleasure of planning an elaborate wedding.”
Sven groans. “You’re going to make me wear a fancy suit, aren’t you?”
“Uh-huh. And all the women will be wishing their mate was as sexy as you are in it.”
His eyes twinkle as he says, “They can look all they want, but I belong to you.”
I grab hold of his face, and stubble is rough under my fingers as I pull him down for another kiss. I communicate telepathically. “Yes you are, and I’m going to thank the greater powers for that every single day.”
Chapter 9
Tori
I knew convincing Keith to move to the Veilleux mansion wasn’t going to be easy. But I didn’t expect to be met with such anger, so after the first pass at the idea ended up with him storming out, I let the subject drop. Today I need to approach it again.
Voices come from the television, and the couch sinks when I sit next to Keith. I say, “Hey, I need to talk to you when you’re done.”
He lifts the remote and points it toward the screen to turn it off as he says, “We can talk now. I wasn’t that into the show.”
“We need to figure out the living situation.”
Keith sighs. “I know.”
“I get why you don’t want to leave here.” I glance around the room. “This house is gorgeous, but as the Veilleux alpha, I really need to live on my clan’s land.” The way the Veilleux trust is set up, the alpha controls all of the assets, and the mansion is the home base for clan operations. My days are spent there, and the commute is beginning to get to me. “I’ve put this off too long as it is.”
“Agreed. You should be there,” says Keith.
Keith likes solitude, and when I first told him about moving I mentioned that we’d be living with Lily and the triplet boys. I didn’t think about my mate’s need for private space at the time, so I say, “I know I told Lily she could stay in the mansion, but it wouldn’t be a problem to move her somewhere else. I’m sure she’d understand, and I have plenty of options at my disposal for her.”
Keith frowns. “It seems a bit cruel to uproot her.”
“Lily and the boys would be just fine.” I expressed my concerns to Lily when she asked why I hadn’t move in yet, and she was more than understanding. “She’s quite flexible and even suggested it herself.”
Keith gets up and walks across the room to stand at the floor-to-ceiling window that overlooks his cultivated forest. November is a drab month in Maine, because the leaves have fallen off the trees and the landscape appears to be painted in only browns and greens.
I know he’s attached to this house and that it has memories of his dead wife and true mate before me. I stand and walk over to be next to him. The window gives off a chill, and I place my hand on Keith’s warm arm as I say, “Maybe we can use this place as our weekend getaway home.”
My mate turns to me as he shakes his head. “No. Once we marry I’ll be the Veilleux prime. I can’t hang on to my past. And that’s what this house is, Tori.” He turns to me and gazes into my eyes. “You’re an alpha and don’t belong here. And as your true mate, neither do I.”
“Keith—”
He places his finger lightly on my lips to stop me. “I’ve got to admit, it took some getting used to. Being a leader in the clan I grew up thinking was the enemy is not something I ever expected to happen.”
“I can imagine.” A button on his shirt is slippery in my fingers as I fiddle with it. “But you’ll still be working by Brady’s side on the leadership council.”
“I will,” he says. “And I’ll be working toward peace for the entire kingdom. I know this is a good thing, so I’ll move to the mansion with you on one condition.”
“Yes. Anything.”
“We spend the holidays in this house and go after the new year.”
“Done,” I say.
Talking about Christmas makes me think about my family, and I realize I want to tell my mom I’m a werebear now. I’m not sure how she’s going to react, because I think she may have known Victor wasn’t human, and that might be why she never talked about him to my triplet sisters and me. I don’t think she’s going to like discovering her daughters can be werebear too.
I also wonder if I can convince my sisters to come stay with us over their break from Bowdoin College. I miss them, and it would give me a chance to discuss wedding plans since I want them to be my bridesmaids. They definitely need to know about our heritage, too. My stomach flips, because I can predict how that’s going to go. Nessa will refuse to believe it since she hates change, while Ginny will be fascinated. I ask Keith, “Would it be okay with you if I invited my sisters for New Year’s Eve?”
> “It would be more than fine with me. I look forward to meeting them.”
I wrap my arms around his waist, and the flannel of his shirt is soft on my cheek as I lean against his chest. “Thank you for being so understanding.”
“No need to thank me. I’m sorry I was difficult about it.” He squeezes me tight. “Part of me wants to keep you locked away and safe from evil, even if you are more capable of dealing with it than I am.”
I gaze up at the love of my life. “Oh, Keith. I wouldn’t say that. Do you have any idea how happy it makes me that I’m going to have such a capable prime by my side?”
My blood runs cold as I think about how our abilities might be tested sooner than we expect. Lily told me she thinks Patricia is up to something, because we still don’t know what her plan was when she tried to poison me. My grandmother’s need to control the clan is great, and we’d be foolish to think she’s given up.
Keith breaks me from my thoughts when he says, “I just remembered. You may need my protection after all. My mother wants us at her house for Thanksgiving, and once she gets hold of you to talk about our wedding, you might need a savior.”
I’ve spent time with his mother, Peggy, and we get along well. I chuckle. “I love your mother, and I think I’m going to enjoy planning this with her. Besides, you haven’t met my mother yet. She’d make you think what we really need is protection from humans.”
“Really? When do I get to meet her?”
“I’m not sure. I’m still sorting out when I should tell her, since I think she needs to know I’m a werebear too.”
Keith pulls away from me with a serious look. Telling humans about werebear is not something that’s done lightly. I say, “Keith, she was with Victor and had his children. Don’t you think she might already know?”
He says, “I’m sure you’ll do what’s best.”
“Well, for now, be glad it’s just Peggy involved in the wedding preparations.”