by Leela Ash
He just couldn’t let himself do this. No matter how much the bear wanted her, it wasn’t right. Blaine would just have to be stronger than his impulses, whether he liked it or not. He wasn’t going to get himself entangled with anyone. Especially not after the last time…
“Goin’ good, boss,” Jordie said, gesturing to the silt he was sifting through. “Might have found ourselves a riverbed, just like we thought.”
“Good!” Blaine said, heartened by the news. “All right then. Keep looking.”
Thank god something was going right around here. It was hard enough to be stuck in the damn place with everything messing up. He was sick of all his efforts being fucked up.
“Blaine, what are you guys doing here?”
“Fuck,” Blaine grumbled. “Geron.”
“You’re trespassing, Blaine. You know that.”
Blaine could feel Estelle’s eyes upon him; sense her confusion and worry. And for some reason, that pissed him off. Bad. No woman needed to worry about him. And fuck Geron for making her feel like she should.
“Dammit, Geron, this is my mountain. You have no right to tell me that I’m trespassing anywhere.”
Knowing that Estelle was there seemed only to escalate the situation. Blaine could not have his masculinity threatened by this annoying old Dragon shifter. He wasn’t worth the trouble or the time, and yet Blaine could feel his blood pressure rising dangerously high.
“The land belongs to nobody, but the shifter clans made a pact long ago that your kind have been completely ignoring. We stand true to the old laws, if they had not existed then why do you think that there are tunnels here that are full of ancient Dragon shifter artifacts? You can’t keep us from our heritage forever. This is our birthright, not yours. And if you aren’t careful with that giant machine of yours, you are going to find yourself destroying a tunnel that you really don’t want to mess with.”
“I think you really don’t want to mess with me right now, Geron,” Blaine growled, the bear inside of him nearly uncontrollable with rage. “We’re going to do things our way just like we always have, whether you like it or not. This mountain has been in my family for generations. “
“I understand that you feel like you have a need to explore these places. I do. And we have been patient. But that will no longer be the case, I promise you. I wish you luck.”
Geron bowed deeply at Blaine, a sarcastic, resigned smile on his face.
It took everything that he had not to lose his temper and go after the cocky old man, especially when he saw the fear and worry on Estelle’s face.
“What was that about?” she asked him, stepping cautiously forward as if she could sense his anger and wanted to be careful.
“Those Dragon assholes have been giving my kind shit for centuries. Even though this mountain belonged to my people, they tunneled in secret. They are the trespassers. And yet, they feel like every time we do something to encroach on those tunnels in our own land, that they are entitled to keep that special place. It’s a power game. And we have tried to make peace with them, and have been at peace for 50 years. But ever since my grandfather died, they have been coming after me and trying to get as much of our land as possible for themselves.”
Of course, Blaine could not tell her about the holes story. About the powerful portals that existed within the mountain. How the Dragon shifters had destroyed holy altars that essentially cause a war between the two clans. How the shifters had been seeking these portals for centuries, and all they knew was that somewhere in Oak Mountain, is where they resided.
Portals were a source of power, a direct link right back to the world where shifters belonged. Their lives were not meant to be dull and confined by human rules. No, they deserved to roam free in nature, without having any human backlash telling them that there was something wrong with them for being born the way that they were.
Ancient bear shifter magic had been able to locate the mountain, and Blaine’s ancestors had purchased it for themselves. There was an unspoken rule that well remaining on earth, the shifters had to abide by human laws and regulations. The deed was a pact, it was a reluctant source of peace. And it had been passed down throughout Blaine’s family for a long time. The Dragon shifters had respected his grandfather and his grandfather’s father before him, but they had always been looking for an opportunity to encroach on the mountain. They had always been looking for the portals so that they could exploit their power.
With Estelle standing there looking at him, her baby blue eyes full of concern and pity, Blaine found himself even more furious than he had begun. He let out a tremendous roar and took off running up the mountainside, unable to keep the bear within him from taking over. He had to be alone. All of this was just too much. He would have to do with the Dragon shifters, with or without the law on his side. He would do whatever it took to protect the mountain. Especially now that there was a girl like Estelle living on it with him.
8.
Estelle watched as Blaine disappeared into the trees. Most of the men working merely shrugged it off and it didn’t seem to think anything of it. But still tell that Jack was bothered, and walked up to him as he continued working on the engine of the front-end loader.
“Does he get angry like this a lot?” Estelle asked.
“Yeah, he has been a whole different person than he used to be. But you can’t blame him for that.”
“What do you mean?” Estelle asked.
But Jack refused to say another word on the subject and merely cleared his throat. What do you think you going to do about the Dragon shifters? Are we in danger here? I know how territorial shifters can be sometimes…”
Estelle trailed off, worried that perhaps she had offended Jack. But he just smiled at her, his weathered old face turning handsome just for a moment. It was nice to see him feeling like he didn’t have a weight of the world on his shoulders.
“You’re right about that, little lady. Territory means a lot to us shifters. This world we live in right now has a lot of problems with shifters. It’s important for us to have somewhere to feel safe. And there’s nowhere safer than where we are able to establish ourselves and keep the outsiders where they belong.”
Estelle shifted uncomfortably, worried that perhaps Jack may consider her one of the outsiders that was best left off the mountain. But somehow, she got the feeling that that wasn’t the case.
“You know, this machine is going to take quite a while. You could take my car back up to the office if you want,” Jack said. “There isn’t any reason to be lingering around here much longer. Don’t want the guys to get any ideas. They’ll either see you and want to slack off, or will start to get a little bit inappropriate. It’s up to you of course, I don’t know what your plans are for the day. I just know I’m going to be here a while.”
“Oh, you don’t have to let me use your car. It’s a nice day out, I was thinking about taking a walk anyway. I’ll just head back up on foot.”
Jack smiled and nodded, and Estelle found herself grateful that he was the kind of man who didn’t say that the walk would be good exercise for her. Because she was a bigger girl, sometimes people felt comfortable saying things like that to her. As if trying to encourage her to get some of her weight off. She wasn’t stupid. She knew it was exercise, and she did whatever she felt like when she felt like it. Her body was nobody else’s business.
Estelle headed up the mountain, along the subtle incline of the path. In a way, she was hoping that she would run into lane, so that she could check on him and see if he was all right. Still, the bear inside of him was kind of terrifying. He was a man who was capable of doing savage things. It was something that she didn’t think about very often, not even when she was attending SU, but when she was faced with planes ferocious temper, she found herself feeling nervous about shifters in general for the first time. Would he ever hurt her?
“Oh, hello little bird,” Estelle said, pausing to study a pleasant bluebird who was quirking its head at her fro
m a tree branch. “What are you up to today?”
The bird fluttered its wings, and the first is still thought that maybe it was some mystical way of answering her that the bluebird had, but a sudden giant drop of water landed on her face and she looked up at the sky and confusion. Thick black clouds were rolling in over the mountaintop, and just as suddenly as a deafening boom of thunder filled the air, she was in the middle of a downpour.
“Shit,” Estelle mumbled, covering her head with her hand so that she could try and see through the terrifying torrent of rain that had suddenly begun to crash down on her. She could no longer see the little bluebird anywhere, in fact she could hardly see anything at all. The forest around her took on a new life, a frightening and intimidating life. She had to hold her hand out in front of herself so that she could see as fog began to swirl around her. Steam, from the cold rain hitting the warm earth. She was blinded and disoriented as she tried to make her way up the mountain toward shelter.
But now, the trail had been lost to her and everything was wet and muddy. Climbing seemed like an impossible effort, and Estelle found herself slipping and falling again and again as she tried to make her way up what was now a steep area full of treacherous twists and turns. She grabbed what seemed like a sturdy branch, but it turned out to be a loose root sticking out of the side of the mountain. It was no longer attached to anything, whether because of testing for gold or simply bad luck. Whatever the reason, when she tried to use it to steady herself it slipped out of the dirt and she found herself thrust backward, and now she was tumbling down the hill, pain filling her body as she seemed to roll endlessly down the mountain.
And then, she stopped. There was a soft, springy body behind her that helped her to slow her fall. It was huge, but somehow, she knew without even looking at it, that it was Blaine.
He ducked down on his front haunches, a silent invitation for her to mountain. She struggled to get to her feet, he nuzzled her with his head in support as she did so, and then she pulled herself up on top of him, clinging to the course black fur of his shoulder blades.
When Blaine seemed convinced that she was steady, he rose to his feet and sprang forward, running as quickly as his legs could carry him up the mountain. Estelle had to hold on tightly, ignoring all the pain of the results of her fall. Being with Blaine like this was exhilarating. He was so massive, and so powerful, and she knew, without having to say a word, that she was safe. That even in his monstrous form, he would never hurt her.
And then suddenly, they were in front of a large and looming cabin, one that was much bigger than her own. Blaine deposited her on the covered porch, and she climbs down, her body trembling in a combination of adrenaline and fear. She was so relieved to be somewhere safe that she nearly collapsed as soon as her feet touched the ground. She closed her eyes and ran her hand through her hair, trying to center herself and reassuring herself that she was safe now and that everything was okay.
“You all right, kid?”
Estelle was shocked by the sudden masculinity of Blaine’s voice reaching her ears, and when she opened her eyes again, she gasped. He was standing in front of her, now back in his human form, his dark eyes looking pensively at her. And to top it all off, he was completely naked.
“Yeah, I’m all right,” Estelle said, her voice hoarse whisper after the experience. He looked at her, his eyes narrowed as if he didn’t believe her, and then took a step forward with his hand outstretched.
“What the hell were you doing out there?” Blaine asked,
“Jack told me that taking care of the front-end loader was going to take some time, so I thought I would try to make my way up to the office.”
“That son of a bitch,” Blaine growled, has hand dropping from Estelle’s face and forming a fist. “He didn’t even offer to let you drive?”
“I told him I’d walk,” Estelle said firmly. Jack hadn’t done anything wrong, so she felt the strong need to defend him from Blaine’s fury. But in a way, it warmed her that Blaine was so concerned for her.
“Oh, well then…”
“Yeah…”
“You probably would have ended up in more danger on the road like that anyway,” Blaine said, apparently deciding to put his anger aside.
He was looking at her in a way that she almost dared to believe was tender.
“Yeah, I really don’t know these roads well yet,” Estelle agreed, fighting the urge to reach up and touch her cheek; to feel the place where Blaine’s fingers had last touched her face.
“You’ll get there in time,” Blaine said, his eyes a deep, comforting blue. “It just takes some practice, that’s all.”
“Yeah…”
Estelle was a little bit taken aback. He was being so kind all of a sudden. She couldn’t help but focus her attention on his muscular torso; broad and powerful and virile as he gazed at her, his eyes flashing with a deep, forbidden feeling that she wasn’t sure she should acknowledge. And yet she couldn’t look away.
“Come on,” Blaine said finally. “We should get inside. I’m kind of naked.”
Estelle giggled and followed him in, where he switched on the overhead light. The cabin was illuminated with a soft golden glow, and once again she found herself stricken with the flawlessness of Blaine’s muscular body. He had the unmistakable look of a shifter, as if he spent all his time and energy tending to his own needs and climbing the mountain on foot. It made her warm; a heat that spread to a place deep inside that she didn’t even know she had. She’d dated before, but nobody had invoked that sense of raw desire. But he was her boss. And he was so much older…
Blaine turned to her, suddenly seeming to be very much aware of the power of her arousal. His eyes flashed and he almost looked angry for a moment. Was he angry at her? Was he just as aware of how wrong it was for her to feel this way. She felt embarrassed suddenly; ashamed of having such a powerful feeling near a man who so clearly would be able to see right through her.
Her thoughts froze in her mind when Blaine’s hands were suddenly on her shoulders, his eyes anguished and serious as he studied her. Estelle’s body was immediately engulfed in sensual flames, her heart pounding wildly as she returned his gaze. Suddenly, without speaking, she could sense the urgency of his need for her; the overwhelming power that radiated from his body and forced her into a state of awe and respect. This man was pure force; unadulterated power. And all he wanted in that moment was her.
Blaine’s eyes flashed golden as he allowed his hands to roam over her body, and she closed her eyes, overpowered by the sensation his fingers left trailing on her skin. She had never felt anything like it before in her life. She could feel the strength radiating from his body as she was lifted bodily from the floor and Blaine pressed her against the wall, the whole of his body pressed urgently against her.
Estelle gasped in surprise and pleasure as Blaine’s longing became apparent as their middles touched, and she moaned softly when he buried his soft lips against the tender flesh of her neck; tentatively at first, and then passionate with deep desire. The soft warmth of his tongue electrified her body, and she gripped Blaine’s strong shoulders, her legs growing weak beneath her.
But Blaine seemed to be anticipating this and supported her fully, assaulting her senses again and again with gentle, tender kisses and long, languid strokes of his hands and tongue.
Estelle threw her head back, completely consumed by pleasure as Blaine began gently rocking his hips against her, the swollen muscle of his groin shocking the most sensitive area of her body through the rough material of their clothing. Blaine’s eyes flashed at her, dark and serious as his need for her became obvious. Nothing had ever felt more urgent than her desire to be taken by him, and as soon as Blaine sensed the ferocity of her longing, the bear inside of him came out in full.
Estelle gasped in surprise when Blaine gripped her wrists with one hand, pinning them above her head and stripping them both with the other. Before she could even process what was happening, they were naked a
nd she was staring at the dazzling muscles of Blaine’s perfectly sculpted body.
“I…”
But before she could say anything, his lips were pressed hard against hers and she was lost in the pleasure of his body as it began to explore hers. Her lips were tingling by the time they parted, and Blaine’s serious dark eyes studied her seriously.
“You’re so beautiful.”
“That’s not what my family thinks,” Estelle mumbled, annoyed at herself for saying it even before the words were out of her mouth.
“Your family is fucked up,” Blaine said simply.
All thoughts of them were wiped out of her head when Blaine’s lips met hers again, and suddenly his stiff member was pressed against her inner thigh, gently massaging the sensitive bundle of nerves between her legs, coaxing her to open up to him and let him inside.
She closed her eyes and suddenly, the head of Blaine’s cock was resting against her, tentatively pressing inside. She had never felt such a hot, overwhelming pleasure in her life, and Blaine seemed to sense this. He didn’t stop; instead, he held her tight and continued to venture in, his handsome face creased with pleasure as his pulsing muscle was engulfed inside of her.
They stood still for a moment, each of them basking in their own ecstasy, before finally Blaine began to thrust in earnest.
Estelle cried out in deep pleasure, her eyes toward the ceiling but seeing nothing; her only true sensation that of sheer rapture.
Blaine seemed to sense this and unleashed his full power inside of her, and soon she could feel every inch of his cock as it made its way inside, testing the limits of her pleasure again and again as he unleashed the fury of his desire within her.
She was rocked by the enormity of her bliss, closing her eyes to try to brace herself as Blaine’s powerful body took all it wanted to take from her. she wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything, and although it was scary, it was also exhilarating as his body worked beyond the limits of normal human limitations to please her.