Galen

by Tianna Xander

  Galen thrust Kendra behind him as it seemed all hell broke loose. It sounded as though a herd of cattle headed toward the stairs. When he glanced up, he saw five more boys and two girls headed their way.

  “Holy shit! Your mom had two sets of triplets?” He knew it was common for bear shifters to have more than one cub at a time, but it wasn’t a given.

  “Yeah. She had me and my womb mates, Edward and Charles first. They’re easy to spot. They’re the ones who look like me. The second set of boys, Richard, James and George came along three years later, and our sisters, the twins, were last. They’re only nineteen, but they’re enough to drive a person crazy.”

  Galen wasn’t sure they should stay here at the lodge if Bear wasn’t here to lend his strength to Kendra’s protection. “We had thought to stay a few days and wait for some of my friends to arrive and accompany us to Michigan.” He glanced at the group of young shifters and shook his head. “Though now I’m not sure we should stay. I don’t want to put you in danger.”

  “Don’t worry about that. Mom and Dad should be home soon. Mom would never let us spend a holiday without her here to cook for us.”

  Almost as though his voice conjured them, the door opened and Bear walked through with his mate.

  “Galen! It’s good to see you.” Bear grabbed him up in a huge hug before he set him away to inspect Kendra. “She smells like a shifter, but not.” He glanced at Galen. “What’s going on and how can we help?”

  Galen followed Bear across the room as his mate gathered her children in her arms one at a time, fussing over them as mothers were wont to do.

  “That crazy scientist turned her.”

  “Jesus! Another one?” Bear pulled him further into the corner and lowered his voice. “Is she safe? I mean, she’s not going to go screaming to the authorities, is she?” He glanced back at his family. “I can’t afford to have her drawing attention to us.”

  Galen could feel Bear’s anxiety and knew that the old bear would do what he must to ensure the survival of his family. “She’s learning. And she’s my mate,” he added just to let Bear know he would defend her to the death—not that his wolf was a match for a grown bear. “I understand your need to protect your family.”

  “We need to protect each other.” Bear’s face split into a huge grin as he slapped Galen on the back and almost sent him sprawling. “Let’s get you two a room.” He waggled his brows. “I’ll put you on the top floor away from everyone. We don’t need to hear any strange noises.”

  Grinning, Galen shook his head. “I don’t know about you, you old bear. Do you think you can put in a call to Bastien and get some back-up out here? I think we’re still being followed, though I can’t be sure.”

  “Just as soon as I see you settled.” He scowled at his daughters. “Elizabeth, Victoria, have your brothers get their bags and bring them up to five-twenty-two.”

  “Yes, Papa.” The girls turned as one and headed toward where the boys congregated around their mother who handed out food from a basket.

  Bear shook his head with a sigh. “Boys will be boys, they’re always worried about sating one appetite or another.” He winked at Galen, reached behind the counter for a key and gestured to the elevator. “After you.”

  They followed Bear up to their room. The older shifter opened the door and handed Galen the key. “Here you go. Just call if you need anything.” He waited until his boys dropped off what little luggage they had. “Breakfast is at eight. Our Thanksgiving dinner is usually at two o’clock, though Marietta will let us know at breakfast.”

  “We can’t possibly intrude on your holiday,” Kendra said, her face red as she stood before the large four-poster bed.

  “Don’t worry about it. You aren’t the first guests we’ve had on a holiday. I’m sure you won’t be our last.” He smiled. “Welcome to Grizzly Gorge. I’ll see you in the morning.” Bear shooed his cubs through the door. “Have a good night.” He winked and closed the door, leaving them alone.

  Galen turned to Kendra and pulled her into his arms. He lowered his head, unable to keep himself from touching her any longer. He stared down into her eyes for a moment, giving her the time to pull away, if that was what she wanted. Kendra didn’t move. She returned his stare with wide eyes and nervously licked her lips.

  Galen’s body hardened as he watched her tongue trail across her bottom lip. He wanted to know how it would feel to have her use her pink tongue on his flesh. What would it feel like to drive his hard cock into her mouth?

  His heart pounded and his breath heaved in his chest as he stared down at her. “I’m going to kiss you now.” Galen couldn’t stop himself from giving her that warning. He wanted her to know, to give her the chance to deny him, though he hoped like hell she would not.

  The muscles of his stomach clenched, his heart pounded in his ears and his cock grew larger, thicker, as he pictured what he wanted to do to her, with her. When she licked her lips again, he almost groaned with the need to pull her into his arms, cover her mouth with his and draw her tongue deep into his mouth.

  It had only been a few days and already this woman had worked herself so far beneath his skin he couldn’t imagine a day—an hour—without her in it. His mind wanted her, his heart and body needed her more than he ever thought possible.

  Unable to stop himself, he reached up and cupped her face. His thumbs lightly traced her full bottom lip.

  “I can’t resist you when you do that.” He had to tell her so she would stop tempting him.

  “When I do what?”

  He almost groaned again when he noticed her gaze on his mouth. It was almost as though she dared him to kiss her, to take her and make her his.

  “When you lick your lips like that. It makes me crazy.”

  Kendra pressed her lips together for a moment, her expression one of shy indecision and then her lips curved up at the corners and she licked her lips once more.

  This time her tongue mad a slow, circuit of her upper and lower lips, her mouth slightly open.

  “Do you mean to tempt me, woman?”

  “Yes, Galen, I do.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers. “Now kiss me, before I change my mind.”

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Galen stared down at her for a minute, his gaze shifting from her eyes to her lips. His hand found her hips, pushing her shirt up, his warm hands drawing circles on her quivering flesh.

  He lowered his head, his lips covering hers, urgent, demanding. Kendra’s head spun, her knees going weak as Galen sipped at her lips.

  His hands skimmed up her torso, pushing her shirt up until he broke their kiss, slowly drawing her shirt over her head. She stood before him, her breasts straining against her lacy bra, as he stared down at her hard nipples.

  “God, you’re beautiful,” he breathed the heady words against the side of her neck, working his way down to press kisses between her breasts. “I’ve thought of nothing else for the last few days. I daydreamed of this. Imagined it. Hoping that you wouldn’t reject me when we finally found ourselves alone.” He licked a trail between her breasts and back up to her mouth before sucking her bottom lip between his teeth.

  “I hungered for you, imagining what I would do first when we finally stopped.” He pulled her closer, the ridge of his erection pressing into her lower stomach and mons. “I knew what I wanted to do to you.” He stopped long enough to place another mind-numbing kiss against her lips. “With you. I want to know everything about you, taste every inch of you.”

  Reaching behind her back, he released the strap of her bra, letting it fall to the floor. “Not once have I ever wanted a woman as much as I want you. Never have I spent days thinking about what I would do or how I would do such things, before you.” His breath came in labored gusts against her breasts as he cupped them, lifting them to the moist heat of his mouth. “I want to lick every inch of you. Taste every crease and crevice, mostly, I want to draw your essence within me, lapping up your sweet crea
m as your body readies itself for mine.”

  She drew in a sharp breath and moaned when his mouth covered first one turgid nipple and then the other. Lifting her arms, she cupped his head, drawing him closer, holding him against her.

  “God, I love the way you talk. I love your deep voice, the way it touches me deep in places I barely knew existed. I love the way you talk to me in that hot, sexy voice of yours.”

  Galen cupped the back of her head, his fingers tangling in the long length of her hair. Fisting her hair, he tilted her head back, his lips trailing from her lips to the shell of her ear.

  Liquid heat pooled in her middle. Shivers of delight ran up and down her spine as he sucked her earlobe into his mouth while his thumbs thrummed the hardened tips of her breasts.

  Kendra’s stomach clenched hotly. Her stomach and inner muscles clenched and released in the same rhythm as his hand skimmed down the curve of her rear, cupping her and drawing her close. She whimpered at the feel of the length of his cock pressing against her.

  Galen was moving slowly, savoring every kiss, every caress when she wanted him to lose control and take her. If he did, there could be no regrets in the morning. She could blame on the heat of the moment.

  “Tell me you want me,” he said against the curve of her throat and Kendra groaned. He trailed kisses from the corner of her mouth, down her jaw to her throat. He gently nipped her with his teeth. “Tell me.” He arched into her, his heavy erection pressing sensuously against her mons.

  “I want you, Galen. God, I want you. Don’t just kiss me, make love to me.”

  “I won’t be able to stop myself from claiming you. My wolf demands it. If we do this, there is no going back.” He raised his head, the heat of his gaze moving over her breasts, his breath coming in labored gusts. “Tell me you want this.” It was a demand, a plea.

  Kendra fought the urge to cross her arms over her breasts as she stood before him half-exposed while he was still dressed. It made her feel decadent, wanton. Mostly, it made her feel sexy.

  He stood before her, his hands cupping her breasts as he stared down at the hardened buds of her nipples as his thumbs brushed the diamond hard peaks. With a groan, he lowered his head, taking first one, then the other into the heat of his mouth, suckling, and nipping until her legs almost gave out.

  Bending, he picked her up and carried her to the bed setting her gently on the bedspread. Galen’s hands skimmed down over her waist, resting at the waistband of her jeans.

  Looking up, he met her gaze for a moment before lowering his head to her stomach, his tongue laving her navel. “Tell me you want this.”

  He wasn’t giving her an out. She had to answer his question or he wouldn’t finish this and more than anything, Kendra wanted Galen to finish this. She needed him to finish it.

  She held his smoldering gaze as his chin rested on her hip. His fingers played with the button on her jeans, but didn’t release it. He grasped it just as surely as she held her breath as he kept her gaze ensnared. Her body heated, melting for him.

  “I want you, Galen. I want this.” She shook her head. “I’m not sure I can take forever.” She swallowed thickly. “I don’t know if I can commit to something more right now. What if you decide you don’t want me later?” Her vision blurred and she blinked the tears of frustration from her eyes. “I can’t give you my heart yet. I barely know you.”

  “You’re right,” Galen said, his tongue swirling in her bellybutton. “We don’t know each other. Not really. But my wolf knows you. It knows that you’re my mate—our mate. But there’s one thing you’re forgetting. I know you’re the one for me. I know you have doubts, but I do not. I’ve already told you wolves mate for life. Once we do this, I will never leave you. I can promise you that.”

  Was that what she wanted? Sure she’d felt alone the past few years, but was she really ready to give up her freedom and spend her future with just one man? She looked down at Galen. His eyes, like molten silver, stared up at her. His chin rested on her hip. His breath fanning over her stomach.

  “I know we were meant to be together, but this is not my decision to make.” He kissed her belly and started to pull away.

  “I—I want this. I want you,” Kendra blurted the words out before she could over analyze it and change her mind. “The other part of me—” She paused to lick her lips. “My wolf wants you. It needs you more than I can comprehend.” She smiled a bit nervously. “Maybe the rest of me will follow suit in time.”

  She hoped so. The last thing she wanted was to tie herself to a man she couldn’t love, but she couldn’t resist Galen. Something about him drew her to him and she needed him on a visceral level.

  Galen flicked the button on her jeans free and pulled them down, taking her panties with them. “As long as you’re sure.” He stood, pulled off his clothing in what seemed like one smooth motion and climbed back onto the bed, pushing her legs apart.

  Kendra stared up at him as he moved over her. Her body grew moist, heavy with need. He didn’t touch her, but held her in place with nothing more than his heated gaze.

  She stared up at him, her gaze moving from his perfect face, to his broad shoulders, thick arms, down to his ridged stomach. Her eyes widened as he lowered himself to kiss each knee, and lick his way up her legs to the apex of her thighs. She gasped when he lowered his head, his hot breath caressing her thighs, gently wafting over her mons.

  “You’re so beautiful, my mate,” he said against her moist heat before giving her a long, slow lick. His tongue pushed between her labia, circling her clit. Her body stiffened and she arched up off the bed with a cry as she went up in flames.

  Galen lifted his head and gave Kendra a slow smile. The center of her chest ached and her heart pounded in her ears as he crawled over her, kissing his way up her spent body. Her breath caught in her throat as he sucked first one, then the other nipple into the warmth of his mouth, biting gently, before laving away the sting with his velvet tongue.

  Reaching down, he pulled her leg up over his hip, the palm of his hand sliding over her thigh to palm the cheek of her ass. The length of his erection slid over her leg, resting against her damp opening.

  “Tell me again,” he demanded before his mouth took hers in another passionate kiss.

  “I want you.” Kendra, thrust her fingers through his hair and pulled him closer, deepening their kiss. “I need this. I need you.”

  For the first time, she realized that she really did need Galen. Something inside her burned for him. A few weeks ago, she’d been content to live out her life alone. Yes she loved children, but she had assumed she would never have one and that was fine with her. It was one of the reasons she’d become a teacher.

  Yet now, Kendra couldn’t imagine a life without this man in it and, suddenly, it seemed possible that she would spend her life with him as her husband, mate or whatever. Surely that would include children, wouldn’t it?

  Was it just her biological clock ticking that made her look at this gorgeous man as the future father of her children or was it something else, something primal, like instinct? Animal instinct. Whatever it was, she ached for Galen to finish this.

  “Fuck me, Galen. Do it now.” She tossed her head on the bed as he continued to feast at her breasts. She arched her body up off the bed, thrusting her hips up into him. She wanted that long, hard cock deep inside her more than she ever thought possible.

  “Get on your hands and knees,” he said, his words half-plea, half-demand as he helped her turn over onto her stomach.

  Kendra rose up on her knees, her hips in the air. She pressed her forehead into the mattress, as he probed her entrance with his thick fingers. “Please,” she begged as she bucked back against him. “Do it. Do it now.”

  She almost sobbed with relief when she felt him press the large head of his cock against her opening. It burned a little, because it had been a long time for her and he was larger than any man she had ever seen, but that didn’t stop her from pushing back against him, in h
er hurry to have him seated inside her.

  “Not so fast, baby,” Galen said, his breath coming in short bursts. He held her hips in a tight grip, refusing to let her impale herself on his massive erection. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “I don’t give a damn,” Kendra said with a growl. She actually growled! “Just take me now!”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Galen stared down at the woman he loved more than life and closed his eyes. For years he assumed he would be a lone wolf. One who never found his mate, no matter how long he searched for her.

  In a matter of a few days, this woman had become his life. He stared down at her flushed face as she tried to look back at him. He loved the way she felt in his arms, the way her cunt gripped his cock as he slowly mounted her.

  He could do this. Moving slow was a priority now. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. She was the one woman in the world that he would ever give his heart to. He would manage to hold onto his control long enough to do this right. He had to. Galen knew he must deny her demands just long enough to stretch her fully before he gave in to their wolves’ need to mate hard and fast.

  Though, at the moment, he felt more animal than man, Galen knew he must hold onto that thin thread of control because he knew he would never forgive himself if he harmed her in any way.

  Bastien and the counsel had sent him to protect this woman from someone doing to her, exactly what she wanted from him. He would be damned if he would be the one to take her so roughly, her first time.

  He was aware that this might not be the first time she had had sex, and frankly, he didn’t give a damn one way or the other. He wasn’t a virgin. It would only be arrogant and sexist to expect his mate to be one. However, this was her first time as a shifter and he refused to make this anything but spectacular this time.

  “Give me a minute, baby. I need to gather my control.” He also needed to gather his wits. It seemed as though most of them went packing as soon as she begged him to fuck her. Instinct was what kept him going, at the moment—well, that and his hard-earned control.