by Celia Kyle
When he looked to her, she spoke, “If you won’t leave me…”
Parties were hard in general. Add in the fact she wouldn’t know anyone or the area, it’d be doubly difficult.
“You sure?”
Kira nodded, and he huffed, “Fine, Mom, we’ll come.”
More excited clapping. “Perfect, let’s get you two in the SUV and—”
“Kira and I will take my car.”
“Oh.” The disappointment was back, and this time Kira refused to give in. “Well, at least you’re coming and I’ll get to show Kira off to Nancy Brown. She thinks her son’s mate is everything and sliced bread. Just wait until she sees yours. Ha!” Meg patted Kira’s arm a couple of times. “We’ll see you two soon, dear.”
Then his parents were gone, bustling back to their vehicle, and suddenly they were alone once again.
Quiet reigned, and Isaac broke the silence. “Dear God. I’ll straighten her out about the mate thing. She’s… her. And I won’t leave your side and I’ll make sure they all know to give you space.”
Kira shook her head. “No, it’s fine. They’ll figure it out soon enough and bringing it to everyone’s attention makes it…”
Weird.
“Okay then, let’s shower and then we can go. On the way, I’ll apologize for my mother—a lot—and tell you about my family.”
Oh. Goodie.
Chapter Five
Oh. Goodie.
When his mom said “family,” she really meant the whole clan.
A mole amongst lions, er, bears.
Isaac popped his car into park, smiling when he caught Kira’s wide grin and the halo of windswept hair captured by the breeze. He had a classic 70s Chevy Chevelle SS convertible that purred almost as often as it roared down the road. The ride got even better with the top down and wind whipping through his strands.
It seemed Kira felt the same.
“Hold tight, lemme get Ebenezer hooked up, and then I’ll help you out.”
“I know how to get out of a car, Isaac.”
He flushed, face heating, and was thankful she couldn’t see him. “And I know you know. Humor me.”
She gave him a long-suffering sigh but stayed put as he rounded the car and hauled a squirming, barking dog from his back seat. The animal remained in place while he assisted Kira. The pup settled the moment she held his leash, plopping his furry ass on the driveway, seeming to wait for her orders.
At least Ebenezer occasionally behaved.
“Okay,” she huffed and held out a hand for him. “Let’s do this.”
He was there without hesitation, elbow crooked and waiting for her touch.
Traversing the driveway seemed easy, the party truly happening behind the house, which left the front mostly abandoned. They did pass a few other bears, and he got head tips with low “hellos” from the men while the women pretended he didn’t exist. Kira was a passing attraction though, feminine whispers following in their wake. The words that did reach him were filled with pity… for her.
When they entered the house, he tugged her into the vacant living room. “Kira… People are gonna…”
Bright blue eyes met his, her orbs exposed. At least for now. He’d brought along her glasses in case she became uncomfortable, but he hoped she’d keep them off. He couldn’t help staring at her, at her beauty.
On second thought, that meant others would be staring too. Maybe she should put them back on.
“They’re going to gossip,” she finished for him. “About me. About you. About you and me being together.” She shrugged. “I don’t care. Who are they to judge? Perfect? Obviously not if they think it’s okay to spew that kind of talk.” So, she eased closer, and he fought the urge to wrap his arms around her and lower his head to capture her mouth. “I don’t care. I mean, I care because words can hurt. But if you don’t mind leading me around, being seen with me, or if you’re not bothered by their assumptions, then,” another shrug, “they don’t matter. You still need to straighten out your mother, though.”
He winced at the reminder of his mom’s massive, leaping thoughts that had them going from little more than acquaintances to friends with benefits and a planned mating.
But the rest… Not giving a damn about his clan’s thoughts…
If he couldn’t kiss her, he could at least touch her a tiny bit. He lowered his head, but instead of a kiss, he pressed his forehead to hers and allowed himself the luxury of taking in her scent. “You’re amazing, you know that?” She was. So beyond amazing that he didn’t have the words.
“Isaac?” The click clack of his mother’s high heels on the tile reached him and he forced himself to pull away from Kira. “I know I saw that monstrosity of a car,” Mom mumbled. “Isaac Jericho?”
Kira chuckled.
She knew he glared at her even if she couldn’t quite make out his expression.
And his mother entered the room.
“There you are. C’mon, your father is about to ruin the cow with all his fiddling. You need to stop him before he destroys lunch all together.”
Kira wrapped her arms around one of his, cuddling close. Her hold wasn’t the gentle grip she adopted when they walked into the house, but one much more intimate.
He liked intimate. He wanted intimate. He craved intima—
“Isaac?” Mom snapped.
“Sure, we’re coming. But why I have to handle Dad and barbequing is beyond me.”
“You’re a Healer, dear. If you can fix something, I’m sure you can take it apart again. It was breathing at one point, right?” His mother patted his shoulder as he passed, and he refused to address what she’d said.
It just… She… He didn’t even know what…
“Now, I’ll take Kira and introduce—”
“No.”
“No,” Isaac’s snap overrode Kira’s firm denial.
Mom sniffed. “Fine then, destroy a mother’s deepest wish to introduce her son’s future mate to the clan.” With that, she spun on her very high heels and click clacked the way she’d come.
“I’m sorry.” Isaac was pretty sure he’d be doing the same thing over and over again today. “She’s…”
“Don’t be. She’s wonderful, but overwhelming. Today’s gonna be hard enough. I’d prefer to stay with you.”
“Then that’s what will happen.” Isaac went into action and one of those wide, joyful smiles graced his lips once again. He really needed to get his mother under control.
The bear told him to leave his mother alone. It liked the idea of mating Kira.
When he urged her to walk with him, she didn’t release her firm hold on his arm, clutching him in an intimate grasp. He enjoyed it way too much and his cock twitched, reaffirming his pleasure at the touch.
Kira might not be able to see very well, but she could sure as hell smell and he needed to put a cap on his arousal. Now.
All too soon they emerged onto the back porch, the low rumble of the crowd filling the air. His bear both bristled and huffed in approval—enjoying that they were surrounded by other bears, yet hating that they were surrounded by other bears. Kira was theirs, even if she was unmated. So while the clan could protect her if needed, someone could also try to steal her.
The thoughts had his heart stuttering, faltering in its regular beat.
Unmated. And he was possessive and aggressive and…
And he wasn’t thinking about mates and Kira. At all. He was leaving—leaving—soon.
The bear’s snort said he was delusional.
Instead of fighting, he murmured the number of steps to Kira, outlining any uneven areas and glaring at anyone who didn’t move aside fast enough.
Interested glances passed over her and he met each one with a glower. Men needed to stop checking her out. He knew she was curved and lush in all the right places, but they didn’t have to drool over her.
Whispers followed in their wake, some about him. Okay, they were mostly about him. And he fought to ignore each one as he praye
d Kira would do the same.
One particular, vicious whisper reached them. “She has to be blind to be with him.”
When she paused in the middle of their travels, he realized she wasn’t going to let it go. Dammit. She was a little clumsy, a little absent minded, but those traits paled against her backbone of steel.
With unerring precision, she released him and spun to face the source of the words.
“Kira, wait.” He reached for her again, hating that she was exposed to this acidic side of the clan, but he didn’t want her fighting his battles. As cocky as he tried to act, there was no hiding the truth of his damaged features.
Of course, she didn’t wait. No, she shrugged off his touch and padded toward the bitchy bear. Ebenezer stayed at her side, his nose touching her palm, seeming to communicate any difficulties in her path. She strode forward, strong and tall without hesitation.
“I would have to be blind to be with him? Isaac?” Kira snorted.
The woman, Vanessa, returned with a vicious laugh. “Of course. I mean, look at him.”
The bitch waved toward him and he rolled his eyes.
“Uh-huh.” Kira didn’t drop Ebenezer’s leash as she propped her hands on her hips.
Tension filled her, tightening her muscles, but not in fear. Nope, she was settling in, and as his mother often said, “getting ready to release a big old ball of hatefire.”
“All right. I admit, I’m fairly blind. I’m a mole, it’s just one of those things.” Kira nodded.
Vanessa scoffed. “So I’m right. That is the only way he could get a woman.”
Damn, that made Kira tense even more, and he sidled up to her, ready to step between Vanessa and Kira if needed. If it came to bear versus mole, he knew Vanessa would win.
“The thing about being a mole is that we live and die by our noses.” Kira lifted a hand and tapped her nose. “If you can’t see, you need some way to get around. That means I can scent a hell of a lot more than you. And I do it in stereo. No matter where you stand, no matter the sway of the wind. I can find you.”
“Whatever.” Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re just a blind chick feeling sorry for the clan’s broken bear. Or he’s feeling sorry for you. Either way, you deserve each other.”
Rage suffused him, his bear rushing forward and ready to tear the woman apart for her hateful words. He didn’t care about himself. No, his anger was due to what she flung at the woman he’d quickly come to care about. The only thing that stayed him was the small touch to his hand, her fingertips ghosting over his forearm. She granted the connection just as fast as she removed it, but it was enough to soothe the animal and hold it back. For now.
“Uh-huh. All right. How about I tell you something? Hmm…”
Oh shit. She’d adopted a tone he often had when arguing with his brothers. One that said “I’m about to teach you a lesson and make you feel dumb, shit for brains.”
“Let’s start with the man at your side.” Kira gestured toward Hugh, one of the weaker bears in their clan. “He’s been half hard since I came within ten feet of you. Fully hard just after I passed.”
Isaac glared at the blushing man. There would be a reckoning there. He refused to have competition nearby.
“And I bet you know he’s just shy of coming in his pants. All that arousal clouds the air. From him, it almost made me gag, but whatever.”
Hugh was so dead. Ty would get over losing a bear.
But even when Vanessa gasped and turned her own glare on the man at her side, Kira continued. “As for you… you reacted the same way. You creamed your panties like you were watching God’s gift to pornos with a rabbit vibe in your hoo-ha. Now, you could claim you’re a lesbian and I’m your dream woman or that your arousal is due to the guy next to you, but I’m thinking it’s for Isaac. You want him, except all these other women, their opinions, keep you from going after him. And now it’s too late for two reasons: One, you’re a bitch, and two, I don’t share.” With that parting shot, Kira spun on her heel, snared Isaac’s arm and tugged, silently urging him to lead her away.
He couldn’t withhold the wide smile that blossomed on his lips or the pride that filled his heart. She’d gone after the bitch and won, cutting the woman down with her quiet words. Kira hadn’t said them very loudly, each one mostly whispered, but he knew the story would be spread through the gathering within the hour.
Vanessa’s low growl had him freezing and spinning, but Ebenezer got there before Isaac. The happy, slobbering, goofy puppy transformed before his eyes, quickly becoming a vicious dog more than prepared to take on a werebear bitch. Saliva dripped from his jaws, teeth bared, and fur on end as he released a savage growl.
Vanessa slid to a stop, feet scraping on dirt and damp grass, and the move had her flailing her arms to stay upright. “What the fuck?”
Isaac’s animal shoved against his skin and the slight sting of fur emerging from his pores was quickly followed by a deep ache in his bones. The bear was damn near ready to take over whether he liked it or not.
“Isaac?” Kira’s voice was low, a slight tremble to his name, and the animal fought harder to come forth.
The woman would dare frighten Kira? She was his and Vanessa… He took a step forward, edging partially in front of Kira as he faced off with the bitchy female.
Ebenezer kept up his rolling growl, the threat more than evident in the animal’s stance and each step he took toward the she-bitch.
“Itan!” Vanessa released a warbling scream. “Help!”
He suppressed his snort. Barely. Vanessa was pulling Ty in as the official leader of their clan, not as Isaac’s brother. Over what? A dog scaring the shit outta her? Seriously?
Isaac sensed his brother’s approach, Ty’s dominance pushing forward like a bulldozer pounding down everything in his path. Kira leaned into him with a low whimper and the sound had Ebenezer snarling once again, the growl louder than before.
“Kira. Call off Ebenezer, for now. I’ll take care of it.” He turned his head and pressed a kiss to her crown. “I’ll keep you safe.”
“Ebie, come to me.” Kira’s whisper was low, but it had an immediate effect on the dog. His growling threats immediately ceased, and the animal slowly backed toward them, moving until the furry ass brushed Kira’s leg.
Vanessa snorted. “Take care of it? Your brother is gonna kick—”
Isaac leveled a black gaze on the woman and allowed it to transform into an evil smile, one that made his scars stark white against his tanned skin. “The Itan is going to make a judgment on one of his bears. A bear who attempted to attack an invited guest.”
He noted his father’s strength and mother’s calm easing close as well. He knew Ty would kick Vanessa out of the gathering, but it was his mother’s opinion that would put the nail in the bitch’s coffin. He reached behind him and eased Kira to his side, Ebenezer shifting his position to match her movement.
“Who invited her? You?” Another snort from Vanessa. “Who are you? You might have been somebody, but you’re nothing now.”
Thankfully, Mom burst onto the scene a bare moment before Ty and Dad, and she was sharp as a tack. In one glance and hearing those few words, his mother became the protective Momma Bear he’d grown up with. At six, it’d been stifling, at sixteen it was embarrassing, over thirty it was welcome.
“I invited her, you two-bit-hussy of a bear. You are looking at my newest daughter-in-law, and so help me, I will have George put you over his knee if you even think about being nasty to her. Your momma raised you better.” Mom advanced on the woman and Isaac almost felt bad for her. Almost. “Just wait until I tell her how you’re acting. You. Just. Wait. Now, get out of here.” Mom waved her hands in a shooing motion. “Get.”
“Mom.” Ty’s long-suffering sigh overrode their father’s grunt.
“Don’t you ‘Mom’ me. Vanessa is leaving. I heard enough to know she went after Kira, our guest. Look at that poor pup. He’s still got his fur on end.” His mother
bent down to Ebenezer. “You’re a good dog, aren’t you? Trying to protect Kira.” Mom straightened. “Your father and I invited her and I will not have a guest treated that way. I’m sure as heck not having my daughter-in-law treated that way.” Mom bustled forward, arms outstretched for Kira, and Isaac made sure his grip remained firm. His intention to keep her at his side was reaffirmed by her threading his fingers with hers and squeezing tight. Good, he didn’t want to let her go.
Isaac met Ty’s gaze over her head, his brother’s eyebrow raised in question and Isaac shrugged. His mother had invited them, and well, he wouldn’t be upset to have Kira at his side for the rest of his life.
In fact, his bear thought that was a very, very good idea.
Now he just had to figure out if Kira agreed. And if she didn’t, how hard would he have to work to change her mind?
*
The whole barbeque-meeting-family thing had been a very, very bad idea. Huge. Because if she wasn’t pissing off other bears—good going Kira—she was embarrassing herself in front of Isaac’s family. Who, apparently, were her new in-laws-to-be. Which… she wasn’t sure if she was excited, scared, or about to vomit all over Isaac.
Wait, she knew. Vomiting was coming out the winner at the moment.
She should have stayed home in her happy little house with its happy little yard and her happy little garden.
Lots of happy going on there.
Then Isaac squeezed her hand, tightening ever so slightly, and the tension of the confrontation drifted away. The person she identified as Were-bitch quickly vanished after Meg’s tirade, and the male left as well.
Before long, the crowd disbursed, leaving Kira surrounded by a ton of people who smelled related in some way or another. Including Isaac’s mother. She really needed to straighten that woman out. But how could it be clarified after she’d practically shouted it to the clan? Because, really, there was no way a man like Isaac Abrams would ever look at her twice and now the woman had… With the announcing and pronouncing…