by Celia Kyle
“What if you didn’t like their word?”
That was something he’d never imagined. “It’s ingrained in them to do what’s best for the clan. But if there was a problem, if they ordered someone to break clan law, then we could go to the Southeast Itan.”
“And inner-circle?”
“I’m the Enforcer, I’m essentially the clan cop. Keen is our Keeper, or Keeper of the Knowledge. He knows every law and uses that to help Ty when it comes to doling out justice and determining a sentence. He also handles security both physical and electronic. Isaac recently left, but he was our Healer.”
Lauren breathed him in, her breasts pressing against his chest and he couldn’t wait to suck her nipples deep into his mouth. Her pretty sounds from last evening surged forward in his memories.
“Wow.”
Van didn’t have an answer to that, so he remained silent, enjoying her in his arms while she worked through everything she’d been told. He knew it was a lot of information. He couldn’t imagine coming to terms with the existence of werebears. All his life he’d known there was another race. This was being dumped on Lauren all at once.
“What happens now?” Her voice was so low, he almost missed her question.
“Now… now you decide how you’d like to move forward.” He wanted to squirm like a little kid, but remained still. “Clan law states that the only humans allowed to know about us are those mated to bears.”
Lauren stiffened in his arms. “What if they’re not?”
Van winced. “The threat is dealt with.”
Her panic surrounded him, bludgeoning him with the acrid scent of her fear. She fought his hold, struggling against him, but like before, he refused to let her free.
“Just listen, Lauren. Wait. Just listen.”
“You’re gonna… Dealt with… And I…”
He kept hold of her shoulders, but eased her away from his body. “Listen to me.” He jostled her slightly, attempting to get her attention. Fuck Ty and fuck the clan laws and just… fuck. “Lauren, it doesn’t matter. You have a mate. There’s nothing to deal with. You’ll always have someone at your side, protecting you, cherishing you.”
Please don’t ask me who. Please don’t ask me who. Please don’t ask me—
“Who?”
Fuck him sideways.
Van gulped, knowing he couldn’t lie to her. “Me.”
Chapter Ten
Me.
Me. Me.
Me. Me. Me.
The single word swirled through her mind, attacking from all sides. Was it an attack, though? Really? Because deep down, in the places she’d long ago locked away, she wanted it to be true. She wanted to belong to someone irrevocably. Hers forever and ever, amen. No take backs. Hers.
Van was gone now. He’d left her in his room, snuggled with one of his blankets in the window seat. It, too, looked out on the lake. He said every room was planned to have the best view possible. He’d done that job well. It was a different view, an alternate angle, but no less gorgeous.
She tapped the glass, tracing the trees with her finger as she stared at nothing in particular. Her mind whirled with all the new knowledge.
Mates.
Fated mates.
Cubs.
Forever.
Destined.
Dealt with.
She’d made him spell out that aspect and it was as bad as she imagined. Full humans who knew of werebears were silenced through death unless they were mated to a bear. There were suspicions, of course. Humans could make up whatever nonsense they wanted. But if they knew then the law applied.
Lauren really, really knew now.
Which brought her back to mates and fated mates. And the difference.
She gulped, swallowing past the knot in her throat. He’d said she was his fated mate. His and his alone. Destined to be together.
She wasn’t so sure. At least, not yet.
Which was why Van left her snug in his room while he went to his brother’s house. He had to speak to the Itan as the clan’s Enforcer with the Keeper at his side. Politics, posturing, and a little begging, he’d said.
She cursed herself for resisting. Damned herself for not jumping into his arms and screaming, “Yes, please!” That’s what Anna had essentially done, right?
No, the difference was Anna refused to mate until she was officially divorced. She didn’t want to tie herself to Martin unless she was legally free to do so. They wouldn’t sleep together, would engage in “carnal relations” until Bryson no longer had his hooks in her.
That was the distinction between their situations. Anna said yes, soon. Lauren said no, but maybe yes… eventually.
She ached to say yes now. He was gorgeous. Hands down, he was the sexiest man she’d ever seen. But he was also protective as hell. Fierce when it came to someone terrorizing her. She idly wondered if that level of ferocity was limited to her or if it applied to everyone. She thought back to the darkness of his eyes. Back to the hint of scruff she’d attributed to not shaving. In reality, his “bear” was threatening to come out and play.
Then there was the way her body seemed to call for his.
Could he be…? Should she …?
Shaking her head, she pushed the worry aside for now. She’d know more when Van got back from his meeting. There was no sense in rolling it through her mind over and over again, until she had facts. Hopefully, they’d have a little time to get to know one another before she had to open herself to him that way.
Lauren focused on the distance once again, watching the trees sway with the wind, dancing for her. Movement amongst them drew her attention and her heart rate picked up. He’d told her not to be surprised about bears in the area as it was common for clan members to hang around. The clan grounds were the one place they freely moved in their shifted forms.
She strained to see if a bear lingered in the forest. Except… except it was that wolf she’d seen earlier. Wasn’t it? The animal stared at the house, his gaze seeming to focus on her. It didn’t scan its surroundings. Nope, it only had eyes for her.
Weird. Were there werewolves? Probably, now that she thought about it. If there were bears, there was nothing that said shapeshifters were limited to one species. She’d have to ask Van when he returned.
The wolf darted from view, disappearing into the forest. At the same time, the front door of the house opened, the sound of it granting someone entrance reaching her with ease in the quiet house.
The heavy cadence of Van’s stomps told her he’d returned. A hint of fear assaulted her. Even if Van told her not to worry, she couldn’t help herself. There was a chance she’d be “dealt with.”
He drew closer with each passing second, growing nearer and nearer until he was framed in the doorway. His hair was mussed, strands sticking up in different directions. His cheeks were even darker, the beginnings of a beard coating his face.
She rubbed her own cheeks. “Your bear?”
He gave her a half-smile. “We yell a lot. Get hot.” He stepped into the room and slowly approached her. “How are you?”
“Fine.” She gave voice to the question spinning through her mind. “What’s going on?”
He eased onto the other end of the window seat and she finally had a good look at him. He appeared to have aged fifty years in the last hour. Worry lines were deeply carved into his face and she grimaced, knowing it was her fault.
“Well, we only have a couple of options at this point.” He sighed and ran his hand over his face. “One: Ty ‘deals with’ you.”
Lauren immediately shook her head as trembles overtook her body. “I don’t wanna… I don’t…”
Van pounced, grabbing her and cuddling her against his body, forcing her to sit sideways across his lap. She didn’t fight the hold, instead burrowing further into his arms. “Hush. I told him that wasn’t happening. I’d run with you before I let that happen.”
“What else is there?”
“You can mate a bear.”
&nbs
p; A bear. Not him, but a bear. “Who?”
“That’s where your choice comes in. You can allow yourself to be courted. There are plenty of clan members who would happily take you to mate, Lauren. Plenty of good, honest men who would treat you well.” A growl filled each word and she knew he wasn’t thrilled with that option.
“Or?”
“Or you agree to be mine. We’re fated mates, whether you accept that right now or not. If you agree, it doesn’t mean we consummate our mating this second. We have time. Not a lot, but time to get to know one another before taking that step. Like others, you’d be courted. The difference is I wouldn’t be competing with anyone for your heart.” He tightened his hold. “It’d only be me trying to get into your bed.”
Lauren smiled against him. “You’ll get into my bed quicker than my heart.”
He shrugged. “I’ll take what I can get at this point. Does that mean…?”
“I don’t want anyone else to court me. You. Only you.”
He relaxed against her, and she realized he questioned whether she’d choose him or not. How could he have doubted? The man was a catch and a half, even if he was a bear.
“Good. That’s good.” He gently squeezed her. “So, what are you doing for dinner?”
“You.” She grinned and pressed her face against his chest, hiding her smile. A sudden hardness dug into her ass and she realized how much the single word affected him.
“You can’t say things like that. The bear is thrilled you’re giving us a chance.” He rubbed her hip and smacked it lightly. “No poking the bear.”
She chuckled outright. “You’re all roar and no bite and you know it.”
He heaved a heavy sigh. “When it comes to you, you’re right. Seriously though, Ty invited us over for dinner and Parker wants to apologize.”
She stiffened at the mention of the boy’s name, memories of his small teeth digging into Keen’s arm assaulting her with vivid clarity. “I don’t… I can’t…”
“Hush. It’s okay. Dinner’s not for a couple of hours. Think about it. Anna’s there now with Martin. Talk to her. You’ll see he’s a four year old boy who had a temper tantrum.”
Lauren snorted. “A human kid’s temper tantrums don’t scar people for life.”
He didn’t have a response. Simply stayed quiet.
She didn’t want to talk about this, stress over this when they had so much other crap to deal with. She stroked the hair on his jaw, noting the fine strands and it brought another question to mind. A safe question that didn’t involve sharp teeth and vulnerable flesh. “Hey, Van, are there werewolves too? I mean, here on clan lands?” He stilled for a moment and she tilted her head back to look at him. “Or is it just bears?”
“There are wolves in Redby, why?”
She shrugged. “I saw a wolf in the woods. I wondered…”
He squeezed her for a moment and she watched his eyes darken to fully black. She now knew that meant his bear was near the surface. “Show me where.” He stared at her with those eerie, deadly orbs. “Now.”
*
Van followed the gentle sway of Lauren’s ass as she strode over the grass and toward the tree line. Other guards were on their way, all of them in skin since she hadn’t been around full grown bears yet. A few grumbled about wearing clothes because they spent most of their time in fur, but he demanded they obey.
It didn’t take long for them to get to the place she’d pointed out. She paused ten feet out as he’d asked. He didn’t want her scent marring any of those left by this wolf she’d spied.
Rage burned in his gut, churning and swirling inside him. He had to work with the wolves. Fine. But that didn’t give them permission to waltz onto their land unannounced and without permission. Ty was just as angry, just as enraged over the trespass. They both assumed it was someone from Redby.
Van slid alongside his Lauren. His Lauren. She belonged to him. True, he had a lot of wooing to get through, but she was giving him a chance and that was all he needed. He’d win her over and snatch her heart when she wasn’t looking.
He stroked her back as he passed her. “Thank you, baby. Stay right here.”
“Okay.” She remained in her spot as he approached the area. He sensed his fellow bears closing in on their location and he glanced back at his mate.
She spied them, too. He’d left her directly behind him, but she eased further away from his position and the approaching males as the clan members grew closer. He’d have to work with her on her fear.
One thing at a time.
First was the intruder.
Van drew in the air, pulling it deep into his lungs. He caught the scent of other bears, clan members that belonged in the area. But beneath that… He drew in another lungful, tasting the scents with his tongue.
“Enforcer?” Ash’s deep voice intruded on his thoughts.
“There’s something here.” Van turned his gaze to the ground, hunting for any tracks that’d identify their visitor. Nothing. “Just not sure what. Something’s masking the wolf’s identity.”
Ash grunted. The man was one of the loudest to object showing up in skin. “You could get a better scent if…”
“Yeah, yeah.” He waved away the guard’s words.
“If what?” Lauren’s lyrical voice washed over him.
“Nothing, baby. Do you wanna go back to the house?” He turned to her, taking in her twisted, twined fingers and the way she seemed to have folded in on herself.
“No,” she shook her head rapidly. “But what does he mean?”
He sighed and glared at the guard, ignoring his smug look. “If I shift, I’ll get a better hold on the scent. I can get a lot with my human nose, but the bear is better at sorting through everything.” Wide panicked eyes met his while her chest rose and fell in rapid succession. “It’s fine, baby. Stay put for a minute and then we’ll go back to the house.”
She was quiet for a moment, wide eyes centered on him, and then she squared her shoulders while she set her jaw and gave him a determined expression. “Is it just you? Shifting?”
He stared at her, hunting her face and trying his best to discern her expression. Oh, a hell of a lot of fear circled her, but he recognized her resolve. “Yes, just me, baby.”
“O-okay then. You can… Should I…? I don’t know…”
Van gave her a small smile. “I need to strip and then I’ll shift. You can watch or turn your back, baby. Whatever makes you comfortable.”
He wanted her to watch though, wanted to show her his strength. The bear snarled at him for giving her a choice, but it recognized Van made the right decision in providing her with options.
Lauren licked her lips, pink tongue darting out to lick the plump flesh. Damn, he wanted to follow the action with his tongue, chase it into her mouth and swallow her flavors. Fuck. That thought had his cock twitching in his jeans. He hoped like hell she decided to hold on to her modesty and turn around. The last thing he wanted to do was strip and have her get a look at his dick when he couldn’t do anything with it.
He glanced at Ash and noted the man’s smirk. The asshole knew Van’s condition. Dick.
“I’ll…” She spun, not finishing her sentence.
Van rolled his eyes and got to stripping, tearing off his shirt while slipping off his shoes. Jeans and boxers were next. The moment he was nude, he let the shift wash over him, let the bear come out to play and take over.
Arms lengthened, legs thickened, hands became paws while his skull reshaped and mouth transformed into a snout. Dark brown fur sprouted from his pores and within seconds he went from a two-hundred-plus human to a several hundred pound bear.
Van chuffed and snuffled, his bear urging her to turn and face him.
Slowly, Lauren did as he quietly asked, taking her time as she turned toward him. A low gasp was the first indication that she caught sight of his shifted form. The moment she had that first glimpse, she spun around fully. Mouth agape, she stared at him, wide-eyed. She didn’t utter anot
her sound, simply stood still, her gaze locked on his bear.
Was she disgusted? Awed? Scared?
Van drew in a deep breath, tasting the scents on the air, hunting through the aromas for hers. The bear caught them with ease, identifying tendrils of fear and an overpowering sense of curiosity and wonder. No, she definitely wasn’t scared stiff.
“Van?” She took a step closer and Ash held out his hand, closing the distance between him and Lauren.
Hell no, the bear didn’t like that. He swung his head toward the unmated male, curling his lip, and exposing a fang. He didn’t utter a sound, afraid of frightening his mate, but he wanted to get his point across.
Ash immediately stilled and held up his hands. “No need to get mad. I don’t want her contaminating the scene, Enforcer.”
Van glared at the other bear and relaxed. The man had a point, but he didn’t need to touch Lauren to get it across.
Chuffing, he returned his attention to Lauren and padded toward her, his paws sinking into the soft earth. He approached slowly, unwilling to frighten her with his presence. He knew his size had to be intimidating, especially considering the scare she’d had earlier in the day. When a mere four feet separated them, he paused, gauging her reaction. Still, she was filled with wonderment and excitement.
He moved closer still, slowly easing forward. The moment he was within touching distance, her hands were on him, fingers sliding over his muzzle and stroking his ears. He nuzzled her palms, earning a giggle when his cold nose rubbed her digits.
“Oh god. Van?”
He nodded, showing her that he remained cognizant when in shifted form. He wasn’t a mindless beast when his bear had control.
“Gorgeous.” She released the word with a soft sigh.
Van lowered to his haunches, sitting on the ground and doing his best to remain a passive participant in the encounter.
Lauren took his quiet acquiescence as the invitation he’d intended. She eased to his side, fingers digging into his thick fur, stroking and petting him as no other had before. “Wow. Just, wow.”