Smiling at the pair, Rena heard her grandmother say, “My job here is done.”
Laughing, Rena didn’t even try to figure out what her grandmother had been ferreting out of the lawman while they had been in the back office. With her mother in town and the sheriff declaring his intentions, things in Den had just gotten very interesting.
~YH~
“If you two are on my doorstep it can’t be good.” Cord stared at the ladies on his porch.
“Oh, come on now, Cordy-bear. Why can’t a grandmother decide to have lunch with her grandson?” His grandmother gave him one of her sweet, innocent grins as she stepped to him and kissed his cheek, then breezed by him into his cabin.
“Oh, course you can, Nana.” He eyed her strutting directly to his long couch and taking up residence.
“We thought you could use a little company.” Genma, his grandmother’s cohort’s smile was just a matronly as she brushed her lips across his other cheek and followed her friend in and claimed the seat beside her.
Shaking his head, Cord was even more convinced these two were up to something. Sweet they both were, but too elderly to be plotting something, absolutely not. Closing his door, he turned back to his living room to see what he could glean from his visitors. He cared for both of them. However, after two days of not seeing or hearing from Rena he was hoping she was the one knocking at his door. Too many times to count he’d grabbed the keys for his truck and started for Genma’s or stood in front of his radio ready to channel up the Berend house to just hear her voice. But his grandmother had told him to give her some time and that she had a lot of adjustments going on.
He knew his Nana was right. Rena’s mother was back in town and rumors were going on and on about the three ladies, Rena, Genma and Lillian spending time together and getting along. Den residents were saying that Lillian was a completely different person than she had been before she left town. Cord wondered how much Lillian’s change of heart had to do with the large bear of a sheriff courting her. He wanted to do the same thing with Rena, but his grandmother had said he needed to let her come to him, be patient. So he waited.
“How can I help you ladies?” Standing in the center of his living room, with his thumbs hooked in his pockets, he stared at them looking all too comfortable on his couch.
“Genma and I were out and about today and thought we’d come over for lunch,” Octavia said.
“Lunch?” The word fell out of his mouth as he frowned at them. This was not what he’d expected they were here for. “How’s Rena?”
“Oh, there is plenty of time to discuss things later… what are we having?”
Pressing his tongue hard to the roof of his mouth and gritting his teeth, he stifled the growl his bear was trying to let out. They were in one accord when it came to wanting information on their mate, if they couldn’t see her. He exhaled. He knew that these two ladies wouldn’t give away any secret until they were ready. There was no need for him to do anything but play along.
“How does seared tuna and grilled honey-glazed peaches sound?” He asked.
“Oh, I love tuna with a nice garden salad.” His grandmother said.
“With the perfect glass of sweet iced tea will just bring out the flavor of those peaches,” Genma volunteered.
Glancing at each other as if he wasn’t even the one that was preparing it, they filled out the rest of his menu. Folding his arms, he stood silently until they decided they needed something from him.
His grandmother looked to him first. “That just sounds delicious. Can’t wait to eat.”
Guess that means get to it, he surmised. “Coming right up. Give me a few minutes.” Chuckling, he headed in the direction of his kitchen.
After he’d taken a few steps he heard Genma say, “Tea, Cord, some warm tea while we wait for lunch would be wonderful.”
“Do you still have some of Genma’s muffins, a plate of that would hit the spot and tide us over until lunch is ready,” his nana added.
He paused and smiled over his shoulder, ever the obedient grandson. “I’ll have them both right out for you two.”
They rose, simultaneously, as if joined at the hips.
“Oh, bring them to the kitchen table, we can chat and nibble while lunch is being prepared,” his grandmother instructed.
“That’s an excellent idea, Octavia,” Genma cheered as they beat a trail past him into his kitchen first.
Great Spirit help me, this is going to be a long afternoon.
Forty-minutes later, they were all seated at the table with steaming plates of tuna and peaches, a fresh seasonal salad and chilled glasses of honey-sweetened iced tea. It had only taken him a few minutes to realize earlier that when the two grandmothers had stated they all would chat while he cooked, what they meant was the two of them would pretend his cabin was some sort of café where they would talk about everything under the sun, but Rena. The one conversation he’d been hoping for.
“Can I get anything else for you ladies?” Cord glanced at his grandmother first, then Genma.
“No, we are fine. So ready to eat.” Nana smiled at him.
“I’m famished. Can’t wait to dig in,” Genma said.
Cord nodded sharply, then picked up his fork.
“Oh, here you are, Cord,” Genma pulled a small envelope out of her purse and slid it across the table to him. “Rena told me to give you this.” Her dark gaze was innocent, as if she and his grandmother didn’t know he would have wanted them at his door with this held out to him instead of having him go through so much ‘singing and dancing’.
Frustrated, the low growl slipped out before he could catch it.
“Oh, is that your stomach. You must be hungry, too.” Genma started eating.
“You must try the peaches, Genma. They are sweet and tender,” Octavia encouraged, seemingly oblivious to the male Were at the table.
Ignoring them, he raised the letter to his nose. He allowed his bear’s sense to cipher through all the unimportant scents on it, like Genma’s woodsy herbal notes and the smell of mint that most likely came from peppermints in her purse. Finally, he located and pulled forth the one he was looking for, honeyed asters: floral, sweet and intoxicating. That was his Rena.
My mate. His bear roared in satisfaction.
Smelling the small trace of her scent wasn’t as good as having her before him, by any stretch, but it was all he had at the moment. He’d gratefully take it. Two days without her was too long.
He lowered it then slipped the small card out from inside. It read:
CORD,
I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE DANCE THIS EVENING.
~YOURS RENA
Cord started to rise from his seat, he was ready to go to her now. The warm hand on his left arm was his grandmother’s stilling him from his departure. His mind and his bear on one thing, getting to Rena, he’d practically forgotten the two partners in crime were even there.
Stunned, he stared down at her strong, elegant fingers that held his arm. “No need to rush off in haste. There’s plenty of time for you to finish your lunch.”
“The tuna is flakey and divine, you must try some. A hungry bear is an impatient bear.” Genma winked at him.
Cord knew they were both right. The dance wouldn’t even begin for a couple hours. There was no need for him to go racing into town and scare all the cubs as he paced up and down the street waiting for her. Relaxing in his seat, he began eating, since the two grandmothers weren’t planning to let him leave the table until he’d finished.
Feeling his own hunger, he picked up his fork again and dug in.
“Cord, I don’t think I’ve had a chance to thank you for everything you did at my house...” her voice drifting away, Genma paused.
Raising his gaze to meet her, he saw the warmth and true meaning in her dark eyes. In a way, he knew that even though Genma and his grandmother had orchestrated the entire event with him and Rena, his grandmother’s best friend saw him as a strong, protective…worthy male. That, made
him feel honored. She appreciated him looking out for her property, more importantly claiming her granddaughter. As Weres, everything came down to that one responsibility—claiming. Everything else came from that instinct. And he’d see it through.
“You’re welcome.”
“Oh, that yard did turn out lovely,” his grandmother chimed in, as if she wasn’t aware of the deeper, emotional, silent conversation at the table.
Turning to her, Genma chattered on, high-spirited. “Didn’t it. The soil of my garden is tilled and ripe for planting. Lillian has been helping me get everything organized. Next week we will start getting the seeds in the ground.”
“Oh, that Lillian always did have one hell of a green paw.” Octavia picked up her sweating glass of tea and drank.
“Yes, yes, she does. I do believe my vegetables will have an added sweetness to them when they sprout.”
He ate, and tried to keep his patience as the two grands carried on the conversation around the table. His body may be present with them, but his mind, heart, soul and bear were all focused on Rena. His mate.
Mine. Claim her.
That’s exactly what he planned to do tonight.
Chapter Twelve
Leaning up against the Grand Grizzly Arcade in the center of town, Cord scanned the crowd as he’d been doing the last two hours since he’d arrived at the dance. The main street that ran through town was packed. All Weres in the county were present and moving to the music along the street. This was the first year the planning committee had decided to throw a dance before the Bear Run and it was a success. Outside of the fathers dancing with their daughters or the mothers trying not to have their toes stepped on by awkward young males, it was a lusty, flirting frenzy. Unmated mature Weres sniffing around each other like someone was hiding a honey pot. The females were beguiling in their sultry moves and the males were practically drooling from their mouths.
However, none of that mattered to Cord. The only thing he waited on was Rena to arrive. The dance was almost over and his heart had been racing with apprehension that maybe she had changed her mind and decided she didn’t want this life, or him. That’s the part that gnawed deeply at his stomach. It dug into his gut and made him second guess every action he’d taken with her since he’d kissed her on the dock years ago. This was still all new to her, a lot to ask her to accept about herself and them.
It was the reason his grandmother had instructed him to keep away from her. ‘Give Rena some time, Cord. Let her sort this out for herself and come to you. This can’t be forced.’
Even though he understood that in his head, his heart was a different matter. And his bear was an entirely different beast. All his bear wanted to do was share with Rena the third and final mark. It was the one that would bind them together. The single mark that would not allow her to leave him, or him her, without it killing the other. A painful death.
She arrived. He knew it the moment she strutted down Paw Tracks Street. His bear had gone on full alert. Cord became aware of the tingling sensation running along his spine causing heat to spiral through his core.
He tracked her progress toward him with his gaze. She was dressed in a passion red tank top that matched the color of the ripe strawberry mark on her hip. A mark he recalled vividly. The air outside was crisp, with a breeze chilled from the overcast sky, but because of their bear trait they maintained high internal temperatures. Rena’s sleeveless body-hugging top wasn’t any different than the kind of apparel others were dancing around in. The jeans she wore fit her curves and long legs like they had been custom-made around her. Her captivating ebony locks hung in loose waves around her shoulders. He recalled burying his hands in her hair as she took him deep in her mouth, loving the length of his cock, that same part of him that was even now hard and pressing against his jeans.
His bear urged him to go to her, toss her over his shoulder and walk away from the dance with her to the first available spot they found where he could strip her, lay her down and take care of the final mark. Cord agreed wholeheartedly with his bear. The thought of where it was customary to place the mark made his body tremble with need. He could almost taste that area of her skin.
Shoving away from the wall, he met her in the center of the street, gyrating bodies and laughter all around them. But everyone else was blocked out from his mind.
“Hello, Cord.” Her voice was low and husky.
“Hi, Red.” He enjoyed calling her by that nickname. It brought to mind her birthmark and made his heart race. He gazed into her eyes, noticing that they were still hazel, but instead of the dark brown flecks they were now red—proof of her mixed genes. No onyx eyes for his mate.
“I like the new coloring.”
“My grandmother has surmised it is a trait brought out by my birthmark…a bear paw.”
Smiling at her, he confessed, “I know.” He had enjoyed tracing the details with his tongue.
“I like the new haircut. I’ll miss the longer length though.”
He rubbed his shorter locks. “I figured it was time I started looking a little more clean-cut like the mayor is supposed to.”
She nodded. “You’ll do great.”
He didn’t want to discuss his coming position. He had better things on his mind to do with his time. Grabbing her hand, he said, “Come with—”
“Will you dance with me, Cord?” As alluring as warm honey as she linked her fingers through his.
The simple touch was so slow and sensual it caused his heart to pound hard and his cock to leap. His bear whined from the sublime pleasure. He couldn’t deny how much power she had over him and his bear, and they both loved it.
“Yes.” Taking the single step, he closed the gap between them as he slipped his arm around her waist. The feel of her body pressed against his caused a humming of deep satisfaction in his soul. This was what he had wanted over the past two days, just to hold her and know she was all right. Female Weres were strong and capable in their own right. However, it was his job to still shelter and protect her. Reasons that Were-males in Den always worked with the builders to have their own cabins and lands built when they had reached maturity and female Were stayed at home under their father’s protection until they were mated. A mama bear could rip out a grown male Were’s throat in protection of her cubs or mate, but everyone in Den knew the established roles and lived by them happily.
The music shifted from the popular Pop beats to a more rhythmic slow song. Cord didn’t care what was played because he was going to hold his mate.
As the clouds in the sky floated overhead, Cord was surrounded by the scent of Rena. Her natural aroma seduced him and drew him closer to her. Lowering his head to her neck, he dragged his nose along the slender column as he inhaled deeply.
“I’ve missed you.” He pressed his lips to her ear and whispered.
She sighed and moved closer, her unrestrained breasts flattening against his chest. “I’ve missed you too. My soul has ached without you.”
Hearing her words, his hand tightened around hers. Leaning back, he gazed into her unique eyes. “Are you okay?”
Rena nodded, understanding what he was asking. “I am. This has been a stressful week but it has all led me to you, now. Where I want to be.”
His bear roared, pleased by his mate.
Shifting her hips, she pressed closer to him as she seductively ground her pelvis against his cock.
He growled, allowing the low, deep rumble to vibrate against her chest.
She gasped and her eyes sparkled with metallic threads.
A soft golden haze was beginning to seep in at the peripheral of his vision, he was sure that she could see the color change of his eyes, signifying that his mating lust was triggered and elevating fast. It had been simmering since he’d gotten her short note from Genma. Soon it would be fully engaged and he wouldn’t be able to control his actions not to mate with her, wherever and whenever.
Since it was frowned upon to mate out in the open, in undesignated places
, as mayor-to-be he couldn’t take her in the heart of town.
“Good evening, everyone. This year’s First Frost Moon Festival has been a success. Thanks for all the participation in the events, the booths, crafts produced and everything.” Jasper’s heavy voice rumbled through the microphone.
The crowd cheered, agreeing with the mayor’s words.
Rena stopped dancing and turned in his arms to give his father her attention. Cord couldn’t care less what the closing speech would entail, all he could think about was his mate. Keeping his arm around her waist he placed a kiss on the curve of her shoulder, making her shiver.
Glancing toward the DJ stand where his father was, Cord saw his mother, Charlotte, standing proudly beside her life mate. Years ago they had been in his same position, claimed each other. They had taken on the position as leaders in their community, birthed three children and continued to share their love openly.
That’s what Cord wanted with Rena. Would have with Rena.
“Now that the festival is officially concluded, that only leaves one other event to take place. The Bear Run.”
The atmosphere exploded with uproarious roars and clapping. The female Weres gave the men around them seductive looks while the males sniffed the air attempting to detect the scent of their mate. Cord had heard that half the fun of the run was chasing down the strong trace that drew them. Tracking that sensual bouquet was a guarantee that a bear shifter would locate his mate. It was a time-old tradition that had guided countless Weres. Occasionally, because of timing of when a Were chose to participate in the run they could have no success in finding their perfect mate, but would settle for a willing female.
“I will take it by the shouts and roars that everyone is ready. Without delaying this any further, all those unattached mature Were that plan to participate, please make your way to the designated area.” As if his father’s announcement had been a gunshot starting a race, males and females ran toward vehicles to drive to the clearing on the other end of town only used for the Bear Run.
Unlike all the other unattached Were-bears, Cord didn’t need to go on a sniffing adventure.
Red's Bear (Erotic Shifter Fairy Tales) Page 15