by Evelyn Vox
I helped myself to a stuffed mushroom and groaned, forcing myself not to eat the entire tray.
“The others better get here soon,” I said around my mouthful, “because I don’t know how long this will last.”
Sadie laughed.
“There’s more where this came from. Have as much as you want. I can feel Vincent getting closer—they’ll be here any minute.”
Just then the front door opened and Dex called into the house.
“Drinks have arrived!”
Sadie gave me a look that said ‘what did I tell you?’ before she walked to the door to greet her husband and sons. The gang piled into the living room, Dex and Bo carting bags full of wine, cider, and liquor.
“I’d say welcome to the family,” Bo grinned, clapping me on the shoulder, “except you already were a part of it.”
“Yeah, man, about time,” Dex nudged me with an elbow.
“That’s what I said,” Willow squealed, eyeing the drinks wistfully. She was only nineteen, but her brothers had been known to sneak her a cocktail time and again.
“Where’s Jace?” I asked, looking around for him.
“When we heard the news we sent him and the bear to grab some champagne,” Dex said.
“Holly,” Willow added, “was not very happy about seeing Addie today.”
“I couldn’t help it!” Addie strolled into the room with a vegetable platter.
She walked up to Dex and Bo, giving them big hugs. My wolf bristled, but knew they weren’t threats, so he allowed it. Even if he didn’t like it.
“Was she very upset?” Addie asked her siblings.
“Well, her hand was all busted up. She’s healed now, but dang, Addie.” Willow shook her head.
“I couldn’t control it!”
“We tried to explain that to her,” Bo said, gently, resting a hand on Addie’s shoulder. “I don’t think she understood, though.”
My wolf monitored every touch, every movement of the males around Addie. Brothers or not, he kept tabs on them. I shook my head. If this was how I felt around Addie’s brothers, I couldn’t imagine how Addie felt around Holly. Especially under the Full Moon.
“I wonder if mating’s different for bears,” Dex shrugged.
Addie frowned and chomped into a carrot. Dex laughed.
“Looks like you could use a drink.”
“Yes, please,” she said, sitting down on the sofa.
“I think she just needs to hear it from you. Explain yourself and how sorry you are, and it’ll be fine,” Willow chimed in, sitting next to her sister.
I felt Addie’s anxiety spike when the doorbell rang.
“Well, guess I’m about to find out,” she said.
10
Adelaide
I swallowed down the ball of nerves in my throat as I walked to the front door. Zander was on my heels and gave my shoulder a comforting squeeze before I opened the door. It was soothing as much as it sent hot flames licking right at my core. I steeled myself and plastered a smile on my face as I beheld my brother and Holly.
“Welcome,” I said with false brightness, arms in a wide gesture that beckoned them into the house.
Jace’s lopsided grin did not match the scowl on Holly’s face. He held a bottle of champagne high as he walked inside.
“Mated at last,” he scooped me up into a big hug before pulling back and looking in my face. “Try not to attack our guest, okay?”
My mouth dropped open, but I shouldn’t have been surprised. Jace wasn’t exactly the tactful one of the family. Holly walked in behind him with arms crossed and surveyed Zander and me.
“Nice to see she kept you in one piece, Zander,” Holly said, smiling slightly.
The familiarity in her tone had my wolf snarling, but I took a deep breath and urged her to be quiet. I lifted my chin high and walked up to the bear shifter.
“Holly, I’m very sorry about what happened last night,” I began.
“You mean when you attacked me in the woods for being worried about Zander?”
Her tone was a challenge, purposefully provoking my wolf, and Zander sent soothing feelings down our bond. I let them cool the anger that began to boil in my stomach.
“I was in the mating heat. I didn’t have full control. I’d never do something like that under ordinary circumstances, and I’m sorry.”
Holly looked skeptical.
“You seriously expect me to believe that you had zero control over your actions?”
I fought the urge to raise my voice when I replied.
“It’s common among wolves to go into a mating frenzy,” I explained. “When I smelled you on him from your weeks camping together, my wolf thought you’d laid claim to him and saw you as a threat, nothing more.”
“How primitive,” Holly sniffed, looking at her fingernails.
“Perhaps,” Zander cut in, sensing I was about to say something scathing. “Is mating different for bears?”
“It’s rare for bears to find a mate. We’re picky creatures. I’ve heard that the male has to court the female, and once she accepts then the heat begins.”
It didn’t escape my notice that Jace was listening to her intently.
“How fortunate for you that you’ll never have to experience the intensity of mating like a wolf,” I said, unable to mask the barb hidden in the comment: she’d never find passion like Zander and I had.
Holly smiled, like she was pleased to see me drop the happy hostess act.
“You seem back to yourself now. No harm done, okay?”
“Thanks,” I said, and relief washed over me. This dinner could be salvaged after all.
“You’re just grumpy that you got your ass beat by a wolf,” Jace elbowed her with a snicker.
To my surprise, instead of biting his head off, Holly just elbowed him back and gave him a smile. What was going on with these two? I felt the same sentiments from Zander, and we both wondered if one day Holly would get a taste of a wolf mating after all.
“Please, head into the living room for snacks, I’m just going to run and check on the turkey.”
“I’ll help,” Zander said, immediately, garnering knowing looks from the pair.
I walked into the kitchen with Zander on my heels. I couldn’t fault him—I was just as desperate for a moment alone together. The second the door swung shut, Zander had me backed up against the counter. His mouth descended on mine, and our bodies were flush together, a heated tangle of limbs. The kiss was full of love and passion, and left me gasping, desperate for more.
Zander growled when I ground the hard rod of his cock against my throbbing pussy. Even through our clothes, we could feel the heat, the desperate, aching need, that radiated from each of us. He kissed his way up to my ear, sucking on my earlobe. It was all I could do not to moan at the sensation that made my hips buck against my mate.
“If I don’t spill my seed in you soon,” he breathed into my ear, “I’ll go mad.”
“I know,” I whined, my hand flying to his belt, I wanted him so badly, it went beyond reason.
“Just a quickie to take the edge off,” Zander said, steering me towards the bathroom attached to the kitchen.
Once inside, he locked the door behind us and I turned around, placing my hands on the skin. Zander snarled when I arched my back, popping my ass out, presenting myself to my mate. I trembled when he came up behind me, his hands lifting my skirt to my waist. I watched in the mirror as he gave my underwear a disdainful look before ripping it off me.
My essence gushed down my legs, and I nearly came the moment he slid inside of me. We both stifled our groans as Zander wasted no time fucking me hard and fast. Our eyes locked in the mirror, and the orgasm rushed through me with such force, I would have screamed loud enough for everyone to hear if Zander hadn’t clamped a hand over my mouth. He must have sensed my lack of control through the bond.
I screamed into his hand, quaking and shivering around him before he came long and hard inside of me. Fuck, all I wanted
to do was turn around, clamp my legs around his waist, and ride him all night long. Instead, I fought the sadness that welled when he pulled out. I turned on the sink and splashed some water on my face. We both washed our hands, hoping to lessen the obvious scent of our mating.
“I’ll go out first,” I said, giving Zander a heated kiss that sent my clit throbbing all over again.
I was thankful to find a still empty kitchen when I opened the door. I went to the oven and checked on the bird. I pulled on oven mitts before taking the pan out to rotate the turkey. I sat it on the counter, grabbing the baster to cover it with more of the juices from the pan.
Zander came out, walking stiffly, like he was trying to hide the impressive hard-on he still had. I giggled, and he quirked an eyebrow at me before striding behind me. He wrapped his arms around mine, his hands caressing my wrists as I basted the turkey. I felt his cock press against my ass, and suppressed a moan. He brought his mouth to my neck to kiss our mating bond.
The kitchen door opened and Willow walked in.
“Do you need any help?” she asked, stopping short at the sight of us. “Geez you two, get a room.”
We both shrugged at her before she spun around and left the kitchen.
Alone, Zander and I burst out laughing.
11
Zander
This had to be the longest day of my life. Even the days I spent wandering the forest alone and hungry before I found the Barkley’s didn’t compare. This was what true hunger felt like; being so close to my mate yet unable to mount her. I tried to focus on conversation over h’orderves and drinks, but I had a hard time. I kept getting distracted by Addie.
Every movement, every slight touch, grabbed my attention. She was all I wanted to think about, all I could think about right now. I didn’t know what was worse: sitting close to her and having to conceal my raging boner, or sitting away from her and fighting the urge to be touching her constantly.
Every minute, every hour that I wasn’t buried deep inside of her was torture. I thought I could handle this, I thought I’d be okay, but my body and my wolf were on a tight leash, and I worried my tether of control would snap at any moment. I knew Addie felt it too. Through every fake smile plastered on her face, I could feel her body was in as much turmoil as mine.
“Turkey’s done,” Addie said, returning from her latest trip to the kitchen. “What’s everyone say to having dinner now instead of at seven-thirty?”
Everyone mumbled their agreements, as eager to get out of our hair as we were. This would go down in family history as one of the most awkward Thanksgiving’s of all time.
“Great, food’s already on the table.” Addie’s tone did little to hide the relief in her voice.
We all shuffled into the dining room, squeezed together around the rectangular table made for six, not nine. Vincent sat at the head of the table, Sadie to his right. Addie sat at the opposite end, while I sat at her right. Across from me were Holly and Jace, while Dex, Bo, and Willow squeezed in the middle on both sides. Dex got up and poured each of us a glass of champagne.
“A toast to the newly mated couple,” he said, standing up. “May we all eat this meal quickly, so we can get out of their hair.”
Laughter bubbled up around us, breaking the tension. We took sips and began to pass around the food. Sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, stuffing, cranberries, and turkey made small mountains on our plates. Once everyone was served, we all dug in, eating silently for a few moments.
“The turkey is,” Jace said, his mouth full, “gamey.”
Bo sputtered into his glass of wine and Willow giggled. Knowing looks were shot around the table and I felt Addie bristle.
“It’s delicious,” Sadie said, trying to clam the situation.
“Yes, very fresh,” Dex added.
“Boys,” Vincent said in warning, Alpha eyes cast around the table to quell the mischief.
“You obviously told them, Dad,” Addie shot out, eyeing her father right back.
“He came home reeking of the hunt,” Bo laughed.
“Yeah, it’s not like he strode into the house saying you were too busy mating to put the turkey away last night,” Jace said.
“Oh my god, Jace!” Willow kicked her brother across the table. “You’re horrible.”
Addie cast angry eyes around the table.
“Just wait until it happens to all of you,” she said, “you’ll see.”
“Don’t listen to them, Addie,” Willow said, “we’re all just jealous. You should have heard them earlier, whining about how they don’t have mates yet.”
“Shut up, Weepy!” Dex elbowed her, calling her his favorite nickname. The name ignited outrage on Willow’s face and she elbowed him right back, nearly spilling a carafe of wine.
“Enough,” Sadie said, in an authoritative voice that sent a chill down everyone’s spine. “Let’s enjoy our meal together as a family and let them be.”
Sadie may have been half-human, but her shifter blood was strong and dominant. It was no wonder Addie was so aggressive during the heat. She came from a lineage of Alphas; it wasn’t in her nature to be submissive. My wolf hummed with approval and Addie glanced at me, having felt my thoughts through our bond.
“Zander and I made good progress on our search for the hunters,” Holly said.
“What did you find?” Vincent was all ears, ready to listen to any information that could help him protect his pack.
“We met a few shifters near the Idaho border,” I said.
“I didn’t know you went that far,” Addie cut in, an annoyed look on her face as she glanced between me and Holly.
“We went where the trail took us,” I offered with a shrug. “Anyways, the shifters we found there told us some major information about a ring of hunters.”
“A whole ring?” Sadie asked.
“Yeah,” Holly answered. “They’re more organized and bigger than we thought. Apparently one of the groups is based in Washington, close to the Oregonian border.”
“Isn’t that where your pack was from, Zander?” Bo asked.
“Yes, and we heard they settled there about twenty years ago.”
“Which is right when you were attacked,” Addie finished for me, her eyes filled with concern. I wished I could shield her from the pain that lanced my heart at the memory. I didn’t want her to have to go through it, but I knew she was feeling the brutal heartache that had haunted me for two decades.
“According to the shifters we met, there are groups of hunters spread out around the country. It’s much more organized and worse than we could have anticipated,” Holly said around a mouthful of wine.
Vincent frowned.
“We’ll have to deliver this news to the other packs at the summit on New Year’s.”
“So how long before this stupid heat ends and we can get back on their trail, Zander?” Holly asked, turning to me.
A loud, terrifying snarl tore from Addie as she glared at Holly. Addie’s eyes glowed silver, and her nails were slowly lengthening into claws. The entire table froze, some with utensils in mid-air, watching in horror as Addie growled at Holly.
“He won’t be going anywhere with you,” Addie said, her voice deep and menacing.
“I think that’s Zander’s decision,” Holly bit back.
The rage pouring off Addie was overwhelming. It was all I could do not to let it enrage me, as I fought to protect myself from her feelings.
“Come on, Zander,” Holly reached across the table to nudge me on the shoulder, “when do you want to head ba—,”
Addie was up in a flash, catching Holly’s hand in the air. Her claws threatened to break the she-bear’s skin.
“Don’t you lay a fucking hand on him!”
“Watch yourself, dog,” Holly stood up and ripped her hand back, eyes glowing gold.
“Chill, Addie,” Jace said, standing up and putting himself in front of Holly.
“I think it’s time we leave,” Vincent said, s
tanding up.
That seemed to trigger something in Addie and her eyes flashed back to their usual sapphire.
“You’ve hardly finished,” she protested. “I can keep it together. I’m sorry.”
“No, sweetie, your father’s right,” Sadie said. “We should never have imposed on you two during this special time. I don’t know what we were thinking.”
“Me neither,” Vincent agreed. “Your mother and I barely left her apartment for a week during our mating heat.”
“Ew, Dad,” Willow winced. “TMI!”
“The point is, honey,” Sadie said, gathering herself and gesturing for the others to get up, “we should have known better. They need to be alone right now. We’re basically crashing their honeymoon.”
I wanted to be a better host, I wanted to insist they leave, but my tether of control was about to snap. My cock throbbed with agony to have been denied my mate for so long. They were right. This was a special time and we never should have had them over.
“I’m sorry,” Addie said again, though not trying to stop anyone.
“No, we’re sorry,” Sadie insisted. “We really shouldn’t have imposed. This is our fault. Not yours.”
“Could have fooled me,” Holly muttered, garnering a growl from Addie.
“Holly,” Vincent said, “while our customs may be strange to you, we ask that you respect them while you’re a guest of our pack and eating meals in our homes.”
Waves of Alpha dominance radiated from him, strong enough to send any wolf belly up, but bears were made of different stuff. They were loners, but Holly had enough sense to bow her head and mumble an apology of her own.
“At least take some food home,” Addie said.
“It’s okay, Addie,” Bo said as he walked by to give her a hug, “we’ll just take the pies.”
Addie laughed along with the rest of her siblings. Jace, Dex, and Willow swooped to join Bo in giving their big sister a hug. The five siblings all laughed before pulling apart.