Bachelor Beast (Interstellar Brides® Program: The Beasts Book 1)

by Grace Goodwin

  I frowned down at her and she laughed. “It’s fun.” The sound and her optimism soothed my beast. Ever since she’d shared her burden about the drug dealer, she’d been more relaxed. I wasn’t. I wanted to find the fucker and have him spend some time with my beast. But vengeance was not going to happen. I’d rather have her and the children off planet so I knew they would be safe.

  Earth was such a primitive planet with too many self-serving, malicious humans.

  “It’s all right,” she said, pulling me from my thoughts. “Come on. Don’t you want those cuffs?” Her words were meant as a taunt, but they were a clear reminder of what we had to do. While I had Olivia beside me, our relationship was not our own and couldn’t be until this… tell-all program was complete and I had the mating cuffs on her. Although my mating fever wouldn’t be soothed until I claimed her as my beast required. Up against a wall, her hands pinned over her head, my cock deep inside her as I took her hard and made her scream.

  I growled at the thought, knew it wouldn’t happen until we were off this forsaken planet and back on The Colony. My cock was hard, and I had to adjust myself to be comfortable in my Earth-tailored pants.

  Her words and the thought of claiming her pussy as my own had me moving, pulling her along by my hand gently at her elbow, back to the large vehicle. As soon as the door was closed, she crawled onto my lap so she straddled me, rubbing her center over my hard length.

  The driver was separated from us by a divider so we had complete privacy. The noise and bustle from outside was silenced. We were alone.

  We’d shared a bed again last night but only for a few hours. Tanner had come in, wanting a drink of water, but then decided he wanted to sleep with us. While the boy was quite young, he needed to maintain some independence, especially during sleep. Therefore I told him warriors slept in their own beds, and I ended up sleeping on the hard floor in his room to ensure he remained there.

  Olivia cupped my jaw in her small hands. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, especially since I’ve known you such a short time, but I missed you last night.” She bit her lip, and I reached out and tugged the plump flesh free with my thumb. “You only gave me one orgasm.”

  The smile on her face indicated she had a playful side, a side my beast and I liked in equal measure. My cock throbbed as I remembered how I gave her that orgasm. My hands settled on the curves of her ass, then slid down her thighs to the edge of her skirt, then right back up. This time I cupped bare skin and the silky material of her panties.

  “Then you shall have a second orgasm.” My fingers slipped beneath the edge of the dainty material to find her center. Wet, hot and ready for me. I might not be able to claim her until we were on The Colony, but I could satisfy her in the moving vehicle.

  “Here?” she asked, her eyes falling closed.

  My finger slid easily into her snug pussy. Oh yes, she’d go on camera with a flush from the pleasure I gave her. “Here. Now.”

  Olivia

  I was used to being on set. I was used to hair and makeup, the crazy pace of a television show. But I’d always been behind the scenes. No one used to notice me. Now I wondered if everyone could tell I’d been skillfully finger fucked in the back of the limo. Those who did my face and hair thankfully didn’t comment that I had a very satisfied look about me.

  Now I was the one on the stage, all dressed up in one of the show’s cute contestant outfits, with the cameras focused on me. Sure, Wulf was the main interest of the show, but I’d been the reason for him going all beast. Everyone wanted to know about me.

  The set wasn’t as elaborate as the original show in Florida. There was a raised dais for us to sit on long sofas. I’d seen the program before, knew multiple guests were interviewed at once.

  Behind us was the same glass display box as in Florida with a spotlight focused on the cuffs. A very visible reminder of what this show was all about.

  Besides Wulf and I was Chet Bosworth. He seemed to have recovered from a destroyed microphone, because as soon as the red light came on over the camera, he grinned and gave it his all.

  “Who thought, folks, that we’d be here? The Bachelor Beast has found his Beauty, but not as expected. Of course, the bachelor isn’t human and is wildly unpredictable. Nevertheless we can’t seem to get enough of our own Atlan beast and the woman he’s chosen. Please welcome to the program Warlord Wulf and Olivia Mercier!”

  The live audience clapped and cheered.

  His mood switched to serious. “I must say, Warlord, that your behavior during the last live program was… intense.”

  Wulf sat next to me in a pair of black pants and a white dress shirt. I had to wonder if they were tailor-made for his huge size. He looked good in them, like he had in the tuxedo, but it was like trying to put a dress on a cat. Wulf was a warlord, not human, and would never be one, regardless of what he wore.

  While we sat side by side, we were angled toward Chet.

  Wulf looked to me and smiled. He took my hand and raised it to his lips. The gesture was sweet and seemed contrived. Was he doing everything he could for the program so he could get the cuffs, get the bride volunteers and get the hell out of here?

  “I found my mate.”

  “Isn’t that sweet, folks?” The audience clapped. “A man of few words.”

  Chet turned my way. “Tell everyone about yourself, Olivia.”

  I wiped my sweaty palms on my skirt and smiled. “Well, I’m a makeup artist who’d been working on the show. I was watching the final episode, and as you saw, Wulf… found me.”

  He leaned in. “Every woman in the world wants to know… how was he?”

  My mouth fell open and I stared.

  “The blush tells all!” he twittered. The audience laughed, and I wanted to run from the stage. “You have many, many enemies now that you’ve taken Wulf and are ending his bachelor days. Team Genevieve and Team Willow have shared their disappointment as both contestants were in a dead heat right up until the end.”

  “Both women are very nice. They deserve to find their perfect mates.”

  “The question is, do they think you deserve yours? Let’s find out right now!”

  Chet stood and the crowd clapped.

  “Let’s bring out Genevieve and Willow, the show’s scorned finalists.”

  Oh boy. I’d watched enough daytime talk shows to know what Chet was trying to do. Reality TV loved to pit people against each other, driving up conflict, forcing viewers to pick sides. To love and hate in equal measure. I had no interest in a catfight on-screen. Or, using Chet’s analogy, I didn’t have a horse in this race. It wasn’t my fault Wulf chose me. I didn’t intentionally take him from either of them.

  He. Chose. Me.

  The women came out onstage, waving and smiling at the camera. Instead of fancy dresses like the other night, they had on cute, casual outfits. Their makeup was perfect, and I wondered who had done it. No bright pink lipstick in sight. They took seats next to each other on the far side of Chet so he was in the middle between all of us.

  “Welcome, ladies. I’m sure you’ve spent the past few days in shock. I mean, you were both expecting a fifty-fifty chance of being chosen by Wulf. Getting his cuffs. Transporting to The Colony to raise little Wulf pups.”

  The crowd laughed, and I tried hard not to roll my eyes.

  It was Genevieve who spoke first. “It was surprising, yes. Olivia has done my makeup since the first episode, so we’ve gotten to know each other a bit. It’s so nice she found someone who wants her with such… intensity. I’m happy for her.”

  “That’s it? No catty feelings?” Chet swung his gaze to Willow.

  She smiled, a perfect beauty-pageant look. “Toward Olivia? It’s obvious they are supposed to be together. I don’t want to be with a guy, from Earth or not, who doesn’t belong with me.”

  Chet looked a little disappointed that they weren’t upset.

  Genevieve nodded. “I agree. I want what they have, but with an Atlan of my own.” She wag
gled her eyebrows and grinned, which made the audience hoot and whistle.

  “Does this mean you’re going to volunteer for the Brides Program?” Chet asked.

  “Definitely.”

  “And you, Willow?”

  “I’m happy for Wulf and Olivia. I’m ready to find a mate of my own. I’m definitely volunteering and asking for The Colony.”

  “What about you, Genevieve? You will choose an Atlan, then?” Chet prodded.

  She shrugged her slim shoulders. “I think the testing will decide that for me.”

  Chet swung around and faced the camera. “Speaking of testing, I have discovered that someone on this stage has already been tested and been matched.”

  Whispers came from the crowd. Willow and Genevieve looked at each other. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Wulf tense. Barely.

  “Tell me, Warlord Wulf, about your testing match from a few years ago. We have discovered you had an Interstellar Bride, didn’t you?”

  More gasps and chatter surrounded us.

  “I was matched, yes,” Wulf stated.

  Chet nodded like a bobblehead doll. “Please share. I’m sure everyone wants to know.”

  “A bride came from Earth for the thirty-day claiming period,” Wulf explained neutrally. “During that time, she chose to return to Earth. That is all.”

  “You don’t look like an alien who handles rejection well. If I remember, it required a tranquilizer.” Chet swiveled back to the camera. “Unfortunately for you. However, it is very fortunate for us, folks, that we have a very special surprise guest with us tonight…Ruth Sanchez, Warlord Wulf’s original matched mate.”

  Oh shit. While we’d both expected the story to possibly come up, I had never considered… this.

  Chet stood and I whipped my head around to see a pretty woman with long dark hair and wicked curves come out onto the stage. She was exotic, gorgeous. Like a movie star. Clapping came from the audience as a stagehand brought a chair onto the stage and placed it between Wulf and Chet, dead center.

  Wulf slipped his hand from mine and gripped the arms of his couch. Hard.

  Oh shit. Ruth Sanchez, aka Wulf’s ex-match, was magnificent. She made Genevieve and Willow look homely. Long black tresses curled artfully over her shoulders and down her back. Her skin was a gorgeous caramel color from her obvious Hispanic heritage. She smiled with the brilliance of a teeth whitening commercial. I had to admit, her makeup was flawless. Her outfit wasn’t casual like Genevieve’s and Willow’s. Oh no. She had on an LBD, a little black dress, that was meant to impress. Fine, she was stunning. But what had doubt creeping in was that she wasn’t bony like Wulf had said about the twenty-four contestants.

  Ruth was what people called big-boned. No, not just that. She was an Amazon. Thick, sturdy. Tall. She wasn’t Atlan big, but she could hold her own. Where I was also thick, I was soft, too. She had sinewy muscles that proved she could handle a beast. No wonder she’d been matched to an Atlan. She practically was one.

  She wasn’t looking at Wulf with neutral resignation as Genevieve and Willow were. It seemed they’d spent the two days since the grand finale coming to terms that Wulf wouldn’t be either of theirs. Ruth Sanchez was eyeing Wulf like he was the largest piece of meat and she was a wild animal who hadn’t eaten in a week.

  Ruth Sanchez wanted Wulf. She’d had him first, and it looked like she was back for seconds.

  When the audience quieted, Chet settled in. “Ruth, you were tested and matched to Warlord Wulf?”

  “That’s right. Hi, Wulf,” she practically purred.

  He offered a stiff nod in return.

  “After testing, you transported immediately to Atlan, to Wulf?”

  “Yes. That was where he lived at the time.”

  “Tell me about your days together… and nights,” Chet added with a wink.

  She crossed her long legs, and while I sat off to the side of her, I had to wonder if she’d flashed the camera Basic Instinct-style.

  “Wulf is a gentleman. As everyone can see, gorgeous. He kept me quite busy,” she said, then leaned toward Chet as if telling him a secret. “If you know what I mean.”

  I glanced at Wulf at her insinuation. He remained silent and stoic.

  “I think the entire world is aware of how he keeps a woman busy,” Chet countered, and everyone onstage turned to look at me. I knew the camera was even focused on my face. I could feel my cheeks heat under everyone’s scrutiny, and I fought like hell to keep my face neutral. I was not going to give Chet anything I didn’t have to.

  “Yes, well, I’m sure Olivia’s gotten him warmed up for a real woman.”

  “Are you that real woman?” Chet asked.

  “I am all woman, as I’m sure Wulf remembers.”

  That bitch. I was going to claw her eyes out.

  Chet laughed, then snapped his fingers. He even said, “Snap!”

  Thank God he did, because I snapped out of my jealous desire to shred her face with my fingernails and noticed one of the cameras had zoomed in on my face.

  Chet allowed the crowd the time to get their laughs in… at my expense. “Yet you rejected him, Ruth. Returned to Earth. Why? What happened? What went wrong? Were there problems in the bedroom?”

  She sighed and glanced longingly at Wulf. “I was unused to his… virility. I didn’t think I could handle all those big muscles and intense gazes. Atlans like to do it standing up, you know, especially when their beasts are in charge.”

  Oh brother. Chet was a sleazeball, and Ruth was playing right along. I decided to hate them both.

  But then, she was right. Which meant she and Wulf…his beast?

  No. No. No. Not going there. He was mine now. Not hers. Right?

  Chet cleared his throat as if what she said bothered his sensibilities and he couldn’t speak of such things on TV. “So you didn’t really answer my question. He didn’t satisfy you? Is that why you rejected him?”

  “The opposite. I’d been young and innocent then. I had left a boy back home, someone I naively thought I was in love with. Wulf had been too much for someone so young. He was so big and so intense. I had never felt anything like that before. I think I wasn’t mature enough to handle all that…passion.”

  She was inferring they’d had sex. Beast sex. I didn’t know what to think. I had no doubt Wulf had been eager for a match and had been voracious for her when he’d first seen her. I wasn’t into women, and I could see her appeal. I’d want to fuck her, too.

  “So you returned to Earth and married the young boy you’d left behind. That sounds very romantic.”

  I glanced at her left hand. No ring.

  Ruth nodded and waved her hand in the air. “It was a huge mistake. Letting Wulf go was the biggest mistake of my life. I realized that what I’d been so afraid of with Wulf was what I wanted. What my body needed. My husband and I divorced after three months.”

  “So you’re available and eager for a beast to tame you.”

  A slow smile spread across her face as she looked Wulf over. “Yes. I meet all the Brides Program criteria. I was matched to Atlan and then to Wulf. If I walked into a bride testing center again, I have no doubt we’d be matched again. We are perfect for each other.”

  “What are you saying, Ruth? That Wulf and Olivia are not right for each other? That you want him back? That you are still in love with him?”

  The audience was dead quiet. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know what was coming. So did Chet, because he created a very long, pregnant pause.

  I was waiting… waiting…

  Ruth took a deep breath and stared straight into the camera. “I’m ready for my second chance with Warlord Wulf. Those cuffs are mine.”

  The audience went crazy.

  “We’ll see if she gets them after these messages.” Chet had to stand and practically yell to be heard over the audience.

  Wulf immediately turned his body to face me and opened his mouth to speak.

  “Okay! Time to clear the stage,”
the producer shouted, jumping up onto the dais and waving his arms. “Only Chet with Wulf and Ruth after the commercial.”

  I frowned as he came over to me. “Come on, doll. We only have a minute before the break is over. Go with Genevieve and Willow to watch backstage.”

  He reached for my arm to lift me from the chair, but Wulf growled and the producer stepped back. Clearly he remembered what happened the last time Wulf growled.

  I looked to Wulf, then Ruth.

  She wasn’t afraid. She looked thrilled. I looked to Wulf, whose gaze was focused on me. Was that rage in his eyes? Guilt? She was perfect, his perfect match. She was curvy and gorgeous and wanted him. Shit. I would not cry. Would not.

  “Olivia—” Wulf reached for me, but I held up a hand to keep him in his seat.

  “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

  He settled in the chair. “I must finish this, for the others on The Colony.”

  I nodded. “I know. It’s all right. I’m fine.” Genevieve stopped beside me, and I stood, then walked offstage with her and Willow.

  The three of us stood in the darkness behind the cameras to watch. Wulf stared in my direction, but I knew from being up there with the lights shining in your eyes, it was impossible to see anything offstage. Ruth moved her chair closer to Wulf, and she leaned into him, the bounty of her cleavage right there for Wulf—and all of Earth—to see.

  The cameraman indicated the countdown.

  “Welcome back!” Chet crooned. “We’re here with Warlord Wulf, who, as you know, chose a makeup artist from our staff as his mate in a surprising and wild way the other night.” He stood, went over to the display case where the cuffs were showcased. “Yet here are the cuffs. They are not on Olivia Mercier’s wrists. After the beast’s appearance the other night, I expected Wulf to rip the glass off and get those cuffs on his mate at the very beginning of this show. What a fairy tale that would have been. It makes me wonder if that was ever his intention. Who said flings were only for humans?”