COWBOY ROMANCE: Justin (Western Contemporary Alpha Male Bride Romance) (The Steele Brothers Book 1)

by Amanda Boone

Just as her climax came. she jumped into a sitting position in bed. Sweat dripped down her forehead and heat pulsed between her thighs as she realized she had been dreaming. She panted as though she had really been at it and her cheeks grew hot with embarrassment. She looked around the room and was glad to see that she was alone. There was no way she would have survived being caught in such a state without dying of embarrassment.

  She could hear Darren moving around downstairs and guessed that he was keeping his promise to tidy up while she rested. She no longer felt chilled to the bone. In fact, she felt quite the opposite. Her entire body was boiling hot, and she had to strip off her sweats before she overheated completely. She could still feel his hands running over her body as she turned over and slammed her face into the pillow, screaming until she could handle her frustration, hoping that with the pillow over her face he wouldn’t be able to hear her from the kitchen.

  Chapter Seven

  Darren stood at the kitchen sink, staring out of the window at the creature that stared back at him. The huge black bear’s eyes gleamed amber in the darkness. Darren gritted his teeth against the werebear’s confidence.

  He wiped his wet hands on the kitchen towel before heading toward the back door. His heart pounded as he thought of what he was about to do. He was careful not to let the door make any noise as he opened it and slipped out, closing it safely behind him.

  “You need to leave now,” he hissed under his breath at the creature. Its massive black head turned toward him, and there was a grin on its face. It shook from head to toe, and suddenly, a man stood before him. The bear was gone. His thick black hair hung over his face making it hard for Darren to tell what he looked like.

  “She has been chosen.” The bear laughed, but the words sent a shiver down Darren’s spine.

  “She is a human.” He shook his head. “She cannot be chosen.” The man’s mouth turned up in a vicious smile.

  “She has been chosen,” he repeated. Darren’s hands turned into fists, and he gritted his teeth against the urge to throw himself at the man.

  “You will not have here,” he vowed. “She is not to be taken.”

  “You are a gold wolf, are you not?” the man took a step toward him. Darren was not comfortable with his closeness, yet he refused to step back and show any weakness. Instead, he nodded.

  “You should know your place,” the black bear growled. “This is not for you to get involved in.”

  “I am not just a bear,” Darren hissed back at him. “I am a police officer too, and while I am around, nobody is being taken.”

  “Then you may not be around much longer.” The man laughed again. Darren was about to argue when the man turned and suddenly raced away, pouncing over the fence as though it was little more than a few inches.

  He stood there for a few minutes, staring at the place where the man had disappeared before he heard Callie call his name from inside. He turned quickly and rushed inside before she could come out.

  As soon as he closed the door behind him, he told her, “We need to get you out of here now.” Her eyes widened with fear.

  “What’s going on?” she demanded. “What’s happened?”

  “He was here,” Darren explained. “It’s not safe for you here.” He stepped forward as she looked like she was about to break down. When he touched her arm, he could feel that she was shaking like a leaf.

  “Callie, this is more serious than I thought,” he explained to her. “There are things at work here that no human should have to go through.”

  “What do you mean by human?” she demanded as she pulled her arm away from him, suddenly looking like she was frightened of him. He sighed and ran his fingers through his blond hair.

  “Callie, there is something I need to tell you,” he admitted. His heart pounded as he thought of what he was about to do, and he had no idea if she was even going to believe him. Please believe me! He prayed as he closed his eyes for a few seconds.

  When he opened them again, she was staring at him with a raised eyebrow. She crossed her arms and looked at him like she was getting frustrated.

  “Callie, I’m not what you think I am,” he sighed, “I am a werebear.” She looked confused then. Her chest inflated, and suddenly, she was laughing. Darren had not expected that reaction. In fact, he felt a little taken aback by it.

  “Is this some kind of joke to try and get my mind off everything?” she asked, still giggling, her green eyes dancing with amusement. Darren felt his heart sink. She doesn’t believe me, he thought. I’ve never told anyone before, and she doesn’t believe me.

  He grabbed hold of her arms and shook her a little, in an attempt to get her to realize how serious he was. “Callie, I am deadly serious. I am a werebear, and the man who has been after you is one too.”

  She stopped laughing then, and her face turned to a deep frown. She pushed him away from her and took a step back.

  “You are seriously crazy.” She shook her head and pulled away as he tried to reach for her again. She turned her face away from him as though she could no longer look him in the eye. Darren felt sick with that comment. He had never imagined she would talk to him in such a way.

  “Callie, it isn’t safe for you here,” Darren insisted. “If he comes back, he is going to trap you and turn you. That’s what he’s wanted all along.”

  “Get out!” she yelled suddenly. Darren’s heart dropped further until he felt as though it was going to drop out of his stomach.

  “Callie, please!” he begged. “You have to believe me.”

  “Well, I don’t, and I’ve heard just about all I can take.” She shook her head as she held on to the counter top as though she was suddenly weak. “I want you to leave.”

  “Callie, I can’t.” He shook his head. “It’s not safe for you here. You’re no match for someone like him.”

  “I said go!” she yelled. When she turned to him, there was fire in her eyes, and he knew he was beaten. He sighed with defeat and headed for the kitchen door. He had no idea what he was going to do, but there was no way he was going to leave her alone.

  “Will you come and let me out?” he asked. “You need to lock the door behind me.” Callie sighed and followed him down the hall. He wanted to turn and grab hold of her and never let her go, but he knew that she was in no mood for anything like that. He knew she would not listen to him, and there was no way he could prove anything to her without scaring the living daylights out of her.

  He was reduced to sitting in his car outside of her house as she locked the door behind him and shut him out of her life. He watched the house as closely as possible, only getting out to check around the back every twenty minutes.

  Chapter Eight

  It was around midnight when Callie realized that she wasn’t going to get to sleep again. She couldn’t stop thinking about what Darren had said to her. She just couldn’t bring herself to believe him, though there was something in his face that made her want to.

  The sound of meowing came from the landing. Callie jumped out of bed and rushed for the door. As soon as she opened it, she found Sammy waiting on the other side. His tail wagged with impatience, and he slipped into the bedroom, wrapping himself around her leg. She dropped down onto the floor and took him in her arms.

  “Oh, Sammy, I was worried about you,” she told him as she clutched him tightly to her chest. Then she realized that she was crying. She hadn’t even known just how scared she was for the little creature. Her heart pounded, light with relief as he head butted her forehead and purred into her ear.

  “You are a good boy, Sammy,” she told him as she tickled his stomach and rubbed his ears. He squinted his eyes with pleasure and rubbed himself all over her as though he hadn’t seen her for a year.

  She stood up with him still in her arms and placed him on the bed. As she dropped down next to him, her mobile began to ring on the bedside table. When she picked it up, she saw that the number was unknown. Her heart stopped as she tried to decide whether she should ans
wer it or not. When she finally did, she didn’t say a word. Instead, she listened. All that she could hear was the sound of the other person breathing. It was a low, deep sound that sent shivers running through her.

  “Leave me alone!” she screamed down the phone before she threw it across the room. It shattered against the wall as she felt tears stream down her cheeks. Her heart pounded almost out of her chest.

  “I need to get out of here, Sammy.” She jumped up suddenly and rushed for the door. Sammy mewled behind her as though he thought it was a bad idea. She ignored him and raced down the stairs. Unlocking the front door, she stepped out and locked it behind her before heading to her car.

  A short drive would clear her head, and then she might actually be able to sleep. She could see Darren in his car across the street. His lights turned on as soon as he saw her climb into her car. She sighed and adjusted the rear view mirror before pulling the car off the drive.

  As soon as she began to drive away from the house, she began to feel better. The control she felt when driving was what she wanted in life. She wanted to be able to control what was happening to her and make everything go away. Having a little control over her car made everything feel the slightest bit better, even if it was only for a little while. She could see Darren’s headlights shining through the back window of her car and knew that he was following her. She was frustrated by the fact. She just wanted to be left alone for five minutes without needing to worry about him or her attacker or anyone else for that matter.

  After going around a few corners, she reached the end of town and carried on into the small country roads beyond. The darkness of the countryside was calming to her, and she needed that right now. She picked up her speed, in the hopes that she might be able to lose Darren, and found herself whipping around corners and roaring down straight roads.

  Her heart pounded with exhilaration, and she was glad that for once it wasn’t because of fear. The excitement of being out on the road was enough to banish all her thoughts for a while, and, for a short time, she could just be herself. She could almost imagine that there was no attacker and no need to worry, and she could just concentrate on having a little fun.

  Then it appeared on the road in front of her. The huge, black beast loomed in front of the car with blazing amber eyes. It reared up onto its back legs, and Callie’s hands spun on the steering wheel. She screamed as the car careened off into the ditch. Her neck whipped, and her forehead hit the wheel as the breath was forced from her lungs. The smell of burning hit her nostrils as she blinked blood from her eyes.

  The bonnet in front of her burst into flames then. She began to fumble for the seat belt in an attempt to get out of the car. When she pressed, she found that the belt wouldn’t release. Her heart stopped as she realized that she was stuck.

  “Help!” she screamed. “Someone help me!” She glanced around her in the hopes that the bear would be gone. She began to scream as she saw that it had come up to the passenger side of the car. It glared at her through the window, looking eerily calm as though it knew what was going on, and it was just going to sit and watch.

  All of a sudden, her car door was pulled open. Darren appeared beside her. He leaned over her and grabbed hold of her belt, pulling until it came free. “Put your arms around me!” he ordered her. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he put his arms under her and pulled her from the wreckage.

  “It’s ok,” he told her as she wept against his shoulder. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

  “The…the bear,” she whimpered, unwilling to look for the creature again. Darren jumped out of the ditch in an almost inhuman motion with her still in his arms before he placed her on the grass verge.

  “Don’t move,” he ordered her as he pulled off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders.

  When he turned away from her, Callie could see the bear. It stood in front of Darren with its teeth bared, saliva dripping from its jaws. There was no fear in Darren. His shoulders squared, and he seemed to make himself look bigger.

  Callie watched in amazement as he began to change. For the first time, she knew he had been telling the truth. His body twisted and turned, and he looked as though he was in pain. Within a few moments, in his place, stood a huge golden furred bear. He stared at the other bear, and a growl erupted from his throat. Callie watched in amazement as he lunged at the larger bear with his jaws spread wide. The other bear dodged out of the way and then lunged toward him with his teeth snapping at his throat.

  Callie’s throat clenched and her heart stopped as she watched the two cling to each other with tooth and claw. Blood splattered the stone road beneath them as they tore at each other’s fur. Callie was all too aware of the huge red wounds that were appearing on Darren’s sides and neck. She forced herself not to scream out to him for fear that she might distract him. She knew from her time watching animal documentaries that if he was distracted it would all be over.

  Her hands clutched the ground so hard that grass came away in her fists. She stared at the two bears as they circled each other, ready to pounce again. The huge black bear lunged forward, but Darren dodged it. Callie gasped as his jaws came up to grip the other bear’s throat tightly. She could see every muscle in his body tense as he tried to hold on to the larger creature. The black bear let out a stifled shriek as Darren bit down harder. He shook his head from side to side with the bear’s throat still in his jaws. Callie watched the light die from the black bear’s eyes as Darren threw it toward the ditch on the other side of the road.

  Then suddenly as though he had realized it was all over he collapsed onto his side with a loud thud. Callie jumped to her feet and found herself rushing toward him. Her heart pounded as she dropped down onto her knees beside him. It was strange to have her fingers in his fur knowing just who he was and what he was. She had never in a million years imagined that she would be here.

  “Darren!” she screamed as she shook him, trying to get his eyes to open. He turned in front of her again, and she felt his fur turn to fabric. Something warm dripped down onto her hand and when she looked she saw that it was blood. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked down at him again and saw that his wounds were bad. He was bleeding from several bites on his chest and stomach, and he had huge, gaping claw marks on his face.

  Crying, she pulled his head up onto her lap and leaned over him. “You saved my life.” She wept as she watched his eyes flicker with pain. She was shaking from head to toe, and she felt as though she might pass out, but she knew that she couldn’t leave him alone.

  “Callie?” he croaked suddenly, and Callie’s heart fluttered with relief. She opened her eyes to see him looking back at her. His arm moved slowly, and he reached up to place his hand on her cheek. Warm blood streaked her face as his hand slipped back to fall on the floor beside him.

  “Darren, I’m here,” she told him quickly. “Stay with me. I’ll call for help.” As she said the words, she realized that she didn’t have a phone. She remembered dashing it against the wall in her bedroom, and she wanted to smack herself for being such an idiot.

  “It’s ok,” he told her as he reached up again and took hold of her hand. “I’ll be ok soon.” Callie couldn’t believe him. There was a puddle of blood gathering around him, and Callie could feel it seeping into the knees of her sweats.

  “Darren, you’re hurt bad,” she told him. “We need to get you some help.” He shook his head quickly before shrinking in pain. Callie hated to see him like this. She hated herself for not believing him. She should have left with him when she had the chance. She could have stopped this from happening if she had just listened to him.

  “Callie, don’t cry.” He sounded a little stronger as he reached up and wiped her tears away with his thumb. “I’m going to be fine.” In that moment, Callie realized that he was right. Before her eyes, his wounds were healing. They were knitting together, shrinking until there was nothing left but blood smeared on his skin and holes in his clothing. She gaped at him in ama
zement.

  When he finally sat up and turned to her, she was amazed to see that the claw marks on his face were gone. Instead, his handsome face seemed to glow with happiness as he smiled at her. He knelt up in front of her and took her face in his hands. “You’re safe now,” he told her before he placed his lips against her forehead. Callie nodded, and she found herself leaning toward him to place her lips against his. Her entire body shivered with relief as she felt his arms come around her. He stood then and lifted her up onto her feet.

  “Let’s get you home and call your car in before someone finds us out here,” Darren told her as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and began to lead her back toward his car. Callie felt numb. She had no idea how to react to what had just happened. She doubted that anyone would know how to react. She allowed him to help her into the car and sat staring out of the window at the wreckage of her car as he came around to the driver’s side. I could be dead right now, she thought as he pulled the car away from the wreckage and began to head back the way they had come.

  Chapter Nine

  They came through the front door just as the first light of dawn began to shine over the horizon. Callie felt relieved to be back as she kicked off her shoes and headed into the kitchen.

  “Do you want a drink?” she asked. She had no idea what to say to him. There was nothing normal to say in such a situation, so she tried to forget all about it.

  “I could do with a shower,” Darren admitted. Callie looked at him and realized that he was right. His clothes were torn beyond recognition, and there were smears of blood all over him.

  “I know how you feel.” She smiled sheepishly at him. Darren stepped forward and took hold of her hand.

  “Shall we?” he asked. As she realized what he was asking, she slowly began to nod. He pulled gently on her hand, and she followed him back down the hall and up the stairs.

  Her heart thrilled against her rib cage as she understood what was about to happen. Darren led her into the bathroom and flicked on the shower before he turned to her. He placed one hand on each of her cheeks and kissed her lips so gently that she barely felt the touch. He reached for the hem of her top and pulled it up over her head. She did the same for him. When she looked down at his torso, she marveled at the smooth, unblemished skin beneath the smears of blood where the large gashes and wounds should have been. She reached forward and touched his muscular abs, feeling for any sign of damage. There was none. He shivered as she touched him, and she heard him groan deep in his throat.