My eyes flicked away from my beautiful bride. The priest caught my gaze, a reminder I'd told him to keep this short and sweet.
Laura loved the flowery language more than I did. Good thing she loved me even more than those wily phrases. The red heat lining her cheeks told me she was just as eager to get this rolling as I was.
The priest was droning on. I reigned in my lust, focusing on the moment instead. Even if she wasn't so hot she made my bear stand up and roar, it was a nice day for a wedding, and things had gone off perfectly so far.
The old man turned to her. “Will you take this Alpha, James Roark, to be your mate, inseparable as the heavens?”
Finally. Never thought I'd be so fucking happy to hear that combination of words.
“I do. I belong to him, just as the gods intended.”
“And you, James Roark, Alpha of all Denali, do you take this woman as your fated mate, a woman to love, to cherish, to protect, just as the gods have decreed?”
I paused, staring deep into her bright eyes. “Yes isn't good enough. I absolutely do.”
Fuck yes might've been sufficient. But I kept things clean for her father's sake.
The high strung aristocrat had kept up the peace deal, after all. No need to fall out of his good graces by souring the perfect wedding he'd always wanted for his daughter.
“Then it's done,” the priest said firmly. “You're free to claim this woman, as sure and complete as Nature intends.”
I wanted to laugh at those words. One thing was for sure, it felt awesome to get my ring on her finger again.
I plucked it off the small pillow held out by Jacob. I rolled it up Laura's sweet, soft finger, restoring it to its rightful place. Nobody would ever take it away after this.
Then, the claiming I'd been waiting for. Or at least the start of it.
I wouldn't be denied any longer, and neither would my bear.
My arms melded around her and I pulled her in. I kissed her deep and long, savoring her lips as bears and tigers jeered. It was just her and I now, even if we were awash in the happiness our love had created.
One look at our boys told me that. Right now, though, I focused entirely on her.
My hands traveled low around her waist, pulling her toward me. Fuck, I couldn't wait to feel those wide sexy hips opening for me later. I was damned glad the pregnancy had gone well because there was no way I was waiting to make more cubs with a woman this perfect.
I kissed her until the jeers died into awkward claps. Laura moaned into my mouth, and then realizing her desire, playfully slapped my chest.
My bear growled with frustration as I forced myself off her.
Patience, I reminded him again. Won't be long now.
The music picked up and the priest clapped us both on the shoulder with a happy squeeze. His hand lingered on my shoulder, pulling my ear close to his face so he could whisper.
“Take good care of her, Alpha. You're living the dream I'd give anything to experience just one more time.”
I looked Old Joe intently in the face. He'd taken up the priest role the last few years, coming out of his isolation. One look showed me the heartbreak he still carried at losing his tigress, but happiness and hope beamed out his eyes. The man genuinely wanted the best for us.
“No need to worry about that, Alpha.” I said his title out of respect, even though he'd long been retired. “Not gonna let this one go ever again. Not even if the gods themselves demand it.”
One more friendly smile and we were off. People clapped and jeered.
It would be weird having Shane keep the cubs tonight, leaving my cabin with a kind of peace and quiet it hadn't had since before she delivered them.
Scratch that, I thought, feeling my bear's urges burn deep. Not so peaceful and quiet. I'm gonna make good Alaska soil shake with our screams and explosions tonight.
I reached out and wrapped a possessive arm around her as we slid into the fancy car. Shane insisted on loaning it out for our drive to my cabin. He hadn't even been an asshole when I insisted on pushing our appearance at the reception back to tomorrow morning.
“Step on it,” I growled to the driver, as soon as we were inside.
Laura looked at me with wide eyes and laughed. “My, this really is a special night, isn't it?”
“You better believe it, baby.” My hand curled to her voluptuous thigh, giving it a good squeeze that sent hot steam hissing through my blood.
“Tonight's the first night we're truly man and wife with nothing to get in the way. Only one way I can think of to celebrate...”
My fingers squeezed tighter on her sweet thigh. Laura rocked her head back, trying not to flush and let go too much. Only made me want to try to make her come then and there even harder, all while I thanked the gods our place was only five minutes away.
“Look!” she tapped the window next to her.
Lucky girl. The decorations hanging in Denali were a happy distraction. Bundles of roses were posted on stakes in the ground every couple miles, all the way from my village to Tiger Bay.
Another stark contrast to our first wedding. This one shouted its happy truths up to the sky, announcing our love to both clans and giving them a glimpse at their future.
Tigers and bears weren't enemies anymore. I'd made sure of that, with a little cooperation from my mate and her father.
The Mercedes drove past Reed's house, the last heading for the edge of town. Only his ex-wife lived there now.
Somehow or other, word about the doctor's affair had gotten out. Maybe he'd broken down and told her himself. He'd downsized to a simpler, more private cabin, leaving the fancy country house he'd gotten custom built to the woman he'd hurt.
Fucking fool. I snorted, wondering how the hell any man could sneak around and throw away the one he was mated to.
At least he was trying to make amends. He'd gone above and beyond keeping Laura and our cubs safe during the pregnancy. I doubted the bastard was just trying to impress to avoid an exile case either.
He genuinely regretted the man he'd been, and now he was on the long road to becoming someone new.
I could respect that. Even if he was a fucking fool.
The Mercedes screeched to a halt and the driver hopped out. I watched the neatly dressed tiger circle around to Laura's side and pop the door.
He held out a hand to help her out. I growled, jealousy blazing beneath my bear's fur. It was just a polite gesture from a servant, but no man's hands belonged on her tonight except mine.
I slid past the man without as much as a thank you, catching up and taking her by the hand.
“Let's get you inside. Gonna feel good to get out of these clothes.”
“Hey! It's fun to look nice sometimes. You're very distinguished in a suit, James. Just the Alpha this town deserves.” She laughed, and then squealed as I pulled her inside, slamming the door shut behind us.
“Whatever, baby. I prefer being naked, letting my fur or skin taste the cool Alaskan air. This fancy shit's all so human...”
“Something tells me whatever you've got planned up there isn't.” She laughed.
Smart girl. Laura was absolutely fucking right.
I scooped her up, listening to another happy squeal come out her succulent lips. Human traditions were mostly bullshit, but I'd always wanted to carry my bride, my mate, over the thresh hold.
She fit snug in my arms. I carried her up the stairs, down the hall, and straight through to our room.
Then we pushed our way inside. I kicked the door shut and stopped in front of our bed, the fire in my blood beginning to burn hotter.
“What's wrong?” She smiled playfully. “Tiger got your tongue?”
“No, my little tiger. I've got yours.”
We crashed on the bed together, her beneath me. It was a damned miracle I didn't tear her pretty dress. Guessing she wanted to keep that safe somewhere in case we added a daughter to our family someday.
Didn't have a clue what the tigers had done to prett
y her up before the wedding. Whatever it was, it worked on my bear like honey.
She smelled and tasted so sweet. The grizzly adored it. Oh, fuck, how he loved it.
He raged to possess her, raged to get her naked and underneath us, raged to devour her body, mind, and soul. And I raged right along with the beast, his energy throbbing beneath my skin.
I broke the kiss just as my sweet tigress began to moan and grind into me. Holding myself above her, I poured pure fire with my gaze, looking straight to her heart through her eyes.
“What is it? What's wrong?” she asked.
“Baby, you've got about ten seconds to pull that pretty dress off before I rip it to shreds. You've brought me to my limits...”
She laughed, pushed herself up, and slid her hands behind her back. I held her as she undid the zipper, then pulled gently on the long white lacy fabric. Well, as gently as she could with raw need steaming through her system.
We both breathed a little sigh of relief when it toppled to the floor without going to tatters.
When I saw her bra and panties matched the ivory dress, I sucked in a fierce breath. Her curves looked perfect in lily white.
Hell, they'd look damned near perfect anytime, but now they were outlined like an angel sent from the gods. I instantly bent my face to her chest, lapping at her cleavage, groaning when she spread her legs and wrapped them around me.
My hand ripped down one cup. My tongue went to work, lashing her hard nipple like a savory berry, sucking it deep to thrum pure desire into her.
“Right there! You play me so well, James. I–“
My teeth pinched around her rosy bud, and my tongue lashes grew thicker, stronger. I was through talking, even if hearing how bad she wanted me was like music to my ears.
If she wasn't screaming soon, then getting married had turned me into a fucking softie.
Her fingernails raked my lower neck. Just sharp enough to tease and burn, urging me to take her breast deeper, to claim her flesh with biting, licking fury.
“Hey!” Her fingers rapped gently against my head. “What about you?”
I pulled up and felt how much my cock was straining in my trousers. Gods, she was right.
I was still stuffed in my ritzy man-suit. Rearing up, I popped the buttons in a blink, yanking off my jacket and then the shirt underneath. Had to pop off the bed to drop my trousers and shed the tux like a second skin.
Laura watched me the whole time, her pupils tightened to little whirlpools seething with desire.
Good, now she had a taste of my medicine.
No more delays. I've been waiting months for this.
She'd been healthy enough to take me after the twins were born for a few weeks. But the naughty girl insisted on holding off, making me wait about a month longer for our wedding day. And the whole time, I'd been going fucking insane, one breath away from dragging her all the way to Anchorage and eloping like a couple of goofy teenagers.
It had been worth it to do it right, though. And much as my bear whined in protest, the wait had been worth it too.
My cock popped out. Laura got up, unclasped her bra, and let it fall. She reached for me, taking my thickness in one hand, rolling it gently against her bare nipple.
“Don't tease me, baby!” I growled. “Need that thing somewhere wet and warm. Like fucking
yesterday.”
She smiled and obliged. I threw my head back and gurgled delight as my swollen tip disappeared into her mouth.
Didn't dare look down and see her pretty lips wrapped around it. With how long I'd been denied her touch, I was afraid I'd shoot off like a cub suffering through his first mating season.
Mating season? Fuck that.
For Laura and I, it was going to be hard sweet mating all the time. No matter if the high summer sun was blazing overhead or we were buried in a blizzard.
As if to remind me, she sucked me deeper, pushing her little tongue around my head. Pure lightning went through my body, shocking me with pleasure. The bear was energized too, and he forced me to rock my hips.
I swayed into her, reaching for her hair with one hand. I thought she looked sexy before, but nothing compared to having her under my control while she was full of me.
Her lips swept down my cock again and again, storming hot, wet pleasure across my flesh. Fire churned in my balls. I could've given in right there and unloaded in her mouth, but I wanted to claim her again, deeper than anything she could take past her lips.
My free hand reached down. I plumped her breasts, matching the rising rhythm of her mouth. Then I went lower still, pushing two fingers up inside her.
She stopped, and my erection dropped out her wet lips. Fuck, she was even wetter down there, slick and ready like silk, all for me.
My thumb found her clit. She moaned, whispering my name like it was the filthiest curse in the world. All it took to make my cock jerk one more time, reminding me this greedy bastard needed to be satisfied, and he was done waiting.
I moved my hands to her back, cupping her near the ass and laying her down, making room for me.
Sliding between her legs, I rolled my hips, positioning myself perfectly for the grand entrance. She oozed raw desire, grinding against me, and then I shifted forward, curling into her with one long stroke.
My cock hit the edge of her womb, right where it belonged. Her little gasp made me smile, and I reared up, grabbing her hips to work her legs around me, a higher angle to really fuck her deep.
I hadn't realized how much I missed this until I was deep in it. Laura's little pleasure sighs grew louder with every thrust, my balls slapping her soft skin when I drove deep.
Her eyes were narrow, alive with pure pleasure, a woman's energy dancing with the tiger's. My bear and I could appreciate that, and we showed it by mating her harder.
“Fuck, baby! You don't ever get to make me wait for this pussy again. Every inch of you is mine now, on demand. You understand?” I finished my words by thrusting deeper, harder.
She moaned her approval. Her breathing was growing low and raspy. I knew she was on the edge, and that made me want to throw her right off it.
Every gasp and roll of her hips set another part of me on fire. She was fucking killing me, and I loved every second.
I never planned to repeat our first claiming. It just happened.
Her hips shifted against mine, and suddenly my cock was engulfed in velvety bliss constricting tight around it. Having kids hadn't done anything to her. If anything, she was tighter than before, and my muscles went ballistic when I felt her clenching.
She came, throwing herself up around me, clawing at my neck. Her fingernails went straight down.
Rough scratches drew fire. Hell, maybe she'd even drawn a little blood.
The movement caused my bear to stand up and roar. I plunged into her one last time and pinned her down, feeling more prickly fire as her nails scratched at my shoulders.
My teeth found her neck. She was coming, screaming, and I cranked her up another notch. Her head twisted, offering it to me, giving me her flesh in every sense of the word.
I couldn't hold like this, no matter how the bear wanted me to.
Fireworks blasted through my head. I let go and grunted around her flesh. My cock's shudder pulsed through my whole body as seed rushed into her.
Our hips went wild, rocking and sucking, clenching harder than ever before.
Coming like this was fucking addictive. And it was mine, all mine, every sweet inch of her curves, ripe for pillaging again and again.
My bite softened when the firestorm passed. My cock was still twitching, spilling the last of its stuff.
The insane passion burned off fast, leaving behind ashes in my nerves.
My cheek flopped against the edge of her shoulder, and I eyed the deep bite marks I'd left. The bear flopped down too, dizzy and satisfied, ready to go into hibernation.
Her fingernails were still digging into my flesh. Finally, they lightened.
Her gaze
found mine first.
“Rest up, Mister Roark. Pace yourself. Daddy won't drop the cubs off for another whole day.”
I smiled. “Plenty more where that came from.”
I moved, pulling out and spooning her from behind. Gods, sometimes I swore she'd been made to hook perfectly to my body.
Her nails touched my skin again, this time moving softly over my chest. The bear claw I had tattooed there always fascinated her. She grazed the ink gently, studying its shape, its depth.
“This isn't like before. Everything feels right this time. Everything.” She whispered the last word softly, her eyes lighting up with surprise.
“Love's always better when nobody's got a shotgun at our backs. I knew it was right the second I laid eyes on you, little tiger, even if it was wrong as hell at the time.”
She leaned in and kissed my chest, pushing her lips to the tattoo she'd been fondling. I didn't mind.
Having her lips anywhere on my body was a heaping slice of heaven.
“Wish I had your confidence, James.” She kept her eyes on mine, kissing me again, as if to apologize for ever doubting anything.
“You do now, baby. Don't forget, it's still our own blood, sweat, and tears that made this happen. Old Spark said fated mates aren't a certain thing. I've been thinking about what he really meant behind all that mumbo-jumbo. Well, I think he meant we gotta make our own future, and fate will do the rest.” I reached for her hand and gave it a good squeeze. “I'll tell you this, I'm gonna keep making it with you until the day I die.”
“A girl can get used to that kinda fate,” she purred, settling her sweet face on my chest.
“You're gonna get used to a lot of things. Mostly these guns wrapped around your hips morning, noon, and night.” I gave her another squeeze, loving her curves. “When a bear digs his claws in, he doesn't ever look back, and he doesn't let go.”
“Lucky for you keeping a tiger's the easy part,” she said, pursing her lips, ready for a kiss. “It's the catching part that's not so easy.”
Wasn't that the truth?
I kissed her long, firm, and deep this time. Had to remind her that I still knew how to catch her heart, even if it was never, ever getting away from me again.
IMarriedaBear Page 13