by Anya Nowlan
Memories from the previous day flooded him. There was a dull ache in his head and the skin on his left arm and right leg felt hot. He looked down to see Karen’s arm draped across his midsection and couldn’t help but smile. Her eyes fluttered open.
“Good morning,” she said softly.
“And what a morning it is,” Evan rasped, pulling himself up to a sitting position.
“How are you feeling? I was so worried,” Karen yawned, her eyes glistening.
Evan took her face in his hands, planting a soft kiss on her lips.
“I’m fine, it’s going to take a lot more than that to take me off the map,” he smirked, pulling the blanket off his injured leg and revealing how the wound had already closed over.
The skin around the deepest gash was shiny and pink. The middle part still looked slightly red and tender, but not nearly as bad as it had the previous day. Karen stared at his shin, amazed.
“Wow, they weren’t kidding,” she whispered.
“Kidding about what?” Evan asked, wondering how much his brothers had told her.
“They said being around other bears will help you heal… and being around me helps, as well,” Karen added, looking down and fidgeting with the blanket.
“It does, because you are my mate. My one and only kindred soul,” Evan blurted, opting for bluntness.
“I don’t really know what that means…”
“It means that in all the world, there is one person who is destined for me. My other half. My bear knew that you were that person even before I laid eyes on you. There is no denying it. I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” Evan explained, pulling Karen closer.
“This is a lot to take in… Can I just say that I am definitely falling for you, hard. Thinking of going back to New York and leaving you behind makes everything inside me ache. You feel like home. Is that enough?” Karen whispered, searching his eyes.
Evan could feel his chest swell under a wave of emotion. Instead of a response, he pulled Karen into his lap, crushing her mouth with his in a long, unrelenting kiss. Karen wrapped herself around him until they were melting into each other.
A pointed cough from the doorway broke the moment.
“Didn’t mean to interrupt,” Ethan grinned. “I need a word with my brother, if you don’t mind,” he continued, almost apologetically.
Karen rushed to her feet, a slight blush on her cheeks.
“Better go freshen up,” she said before disappearing from the room.
Ethan sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Your wounds were already healing even before we got there… So, I’m guessing Karen is the one?” he asked, surprising Evan with his bluntness.
“Yes, she is the one.”
“I’m happy for you, brother.”
Ethan squeezed his arm and smiled.
“Since you seem to be feeling better, we’re going to go have a little chat with your unexpected guests. We picked up their scent from your apartment, shouldn’t be hard to track them down.”
Ethan grinned, but it was more a baring of teeth than a genuine smile.
Evan started to get up and object, but Ethan pushed him back down on the bed.
“You rest, spend some time with your lady. We’ll fill you in later,” Ethan added, patting his brother on the back.
* * *
“Is there something on your mind?” Evan asked, concerned.
Karen had grown silent, staring into the distance. They were lounging in Ethan’s backyard, breathing in the scent of freshly cut grass. Trees rustled in the distance, the only sound in the quiet. Jennifer had taken the twins into town for some grocery shopping and the guys had gone to shake up some information.
“Everything’s been so crazy, I hadn’t had a chance to… I think I need to go to the police, Evan. I stabbed someone.”
Evan suppressed a chuckle.
“Oh, sweet Karen. This is clan business. The sheriff’s department knows better than to get mixed up in it.”
“Do you… Do you know what happened to the wolf?” Karen asked after mulling over his answer.
Oh.
Evan hadn’t even thought about how it could affect Karen. For him, it had always been easy. Someone comes for the people you love, you take them out. Simple as that. You try to hurt a bear’s family, you know what you’re getting yourself into. But this was new to Karen, she wasn’t a violent person.
“I’m so sorry Karen, but I’m pretty sure he didn’t make it. I just need you to know you did what you had to. You were defending me and I will forever be grateful for that,” he tried to comfort her, pulling her closer to him.
She rested her head on his shoulder, silent. A gentle spring breeze tousled her hair. Sunlight slid over the pale skin on her legs. After what felt like forever, she finally spoke.
“What scares me the most is how little guilt I feel. I took a life, something sacred. And I will always carry a shard of glass in my heart for that,” she spoke, turning her face up to Evan, her jade eyes smoldering. “But I would do it all over again if it meant keeping you safe.”
Evan took her face in his hands.
“With you by my side, I am invincible,” he said before covering her mouth with his.
Another two days passed under Ethan’s roof. His brothers and Jameson had run into some trouble locating the wolves that had redecorated his apartment. They had probably gone into hiding, not too keen on getting their asses kicked by angry bears.
Evan was slowly testing out the muscles in his arm and leg with some light stretching exercises. Karen busied herself around the house, determined to be as useful as possible. Everett and Jameson still hung around, just in case the wolves were stupid enough to try something again.
They all played cards together in the evenings after the babies had been put to bed. At first they played for real money – small sums of course – but that was before they discovered that Karen was somewhat of a poker shark.
Karen quickly bonded with Jennifer. Evan often found them laughing over breakfast in the kitchen, whispering something or other on the couch, or playing with the cubs in the backyard.
Seeing Karen integrate so seamlessly into his life made Evan both happy and proud. She adapted quickly.
It was Thursday morning when Evan got a call from Tom, asking if he wanted in on the fight on Friday. He said yes.
“Fighting? Already?” Karen protested after Evan told her the news.
“I’m fully healed,” Evan said, stretching out his arm towards Karen and showing off the unmarred skin.
“Good as new, no need to worry,” he continued with a smile, sweeping Karen off her feet and into his arms. She squealed at the suddenness of the motion, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“Show off,” Karen muttered, a smile tugging at her lips. “I’m gonna go see if Jen needs my help. It’s almost nap time,” she continued, looking pointedly at Evan’s arms, still holding her off the ground.
He slowly lowered Karen down, enjoying how her body slid across his. She disappeared into the living room just as Evan’s phone went off. It was Ethan.
“I found one of the wolves. I’m already on my way back. I’ll fill you in when I get there. Karen should hear this as well,” he finished before hanging up.
That can’t be good.
Fourteen
Karen
Karen ran into Everett, munching on a roast beef sandwich in the kitchen. There was no sign of Jennifer – she was probably already putting the twins down for their nap.
“Hey, sis, wanna bite?” Everett spluttered through mouthfuls. Karen couldn’t help but laugh.
Bears and their food.
“I’m good, thanks.”
Everett had started calling her sis almost right away. At first, she was taken aback at the instant familiarity – who was she to them? – but Jennifer had explained that she had gotten the same treatment. These brothers were all about family, and if you made one of their own happy, you were in.
; Stabbing a wolf gnawing on their brother’s leg didn’t hurt, either.
Evan padded into the room, looking serious.
“Ethan found one of the wolves. He should be here any minute,” he gruffed.
As if on cue, Ethan walked in through the front door. They all sat down around the kitchen table.
“I tracked one of the wolves down to a bar a town over. Guessing it was the brown one that got a bite of your arm,” Ethan remarked, throwing a glance at Evan, a low growl escaping Everett. “His name is Calvin. We had a nice little chat and he told me some pretty interesting things,” Ethan continued, menace in his voice.
“There was someone else involved that night. Calvin said Jamie had a new friend he’d met around town. He’d heard him asking about you, Evan.”
A shadow flitted across Evan’s face.
“Jamie didn’t tell him much, but Calvin said the man was waiting outside while they went in. He gathered Jamie had some kind of deal going with him. The mystery man must’ve high-tailed when he saw his new buddy getting dragged out, unconscious,” Ethan speculated disdainfully.
Evan’s grip on the chair’s armrest tightened.
“Maisy told me some guy was asking around for Karen. She mentioned me when she talked to him. That had to have been Kyle. He must’ve hit up other spots trying to get information after unsuccessfully ambushing Karen. Jamie probably overheard him somewhere and it piqued his interest,” Evan gritted through his teeth.
“Jamie probably empathized with Kyle. In his mind, you stole Karen from Kyle just as you had done with him and Rita,” Ethan added.
A chilling realization came to Karen.
“So… Kyle was waiting outside for Jamie and his gang to finish Evan off and hand me over to him,” she stuttered, nausea growing in the pit of her stomach.
“But it didn’t go his way,” Evan reassured her, wrapping his arm around her. “You’re safe here, I won’t ever let him touch you again,” he added, firm in his conviction.
“You are part of this family now. He’d have to go through all of us to get to you,” Ethan confirmed.
“Damn right,” Karen heard Everett grunt to himself.
She smiled, moved by the show of support, “Thank you, it really means a lot to me.”
* * *
Another day had wound itself into evening. Karen was waiting for Evan in the guest bedroom. He had decided to go into town and hit the gym in preparation for the fight.
Karen took a shower and slipped into her favorite silk robe. She had gotten it from a street vendor in Chinatown for a steal. It was incredibly smooth and soft, painted with cherry blossoms. She stretched out on the bed, enjoying the cool cotton of the pillow on her face.
The door creaked open and closed. Evan crawled into bed next to her, smelling of citrus and mint. Karen turned over to lie on her back.
“Hello, stranger,” she smiled.
“Have I told you how gorgeous you are?”
“Not lately, no. Please continue,” Karen answered cheekily.
“Whenever I see you walking around the house,” Evan started, running his hands over her thighs. “I can’t help the thoughts that come into my head.”
Karen’s breath hitched as Evan grazed over her panties.
“And what thoughts may those be?” she asked.
Evan made it to the silk ribbon that served as the robe’s belt, slowly tugging at it.
“Oh, you know. How I want to back you up into a wall and kiss you until you beg me to fuck you right then and there,” he breathed, pulling the ribbon loose.
The robe fell away, exposing Karen’s stomach and chest to the cool air. Evan was devouring her body with his gaze. A small gasp escaped her lips.
“Those are some… very interesting thoughts,” she said, her voice growing hoarse from desire.
Evan yanked the belt out from under her and started dragging it over her bare flesh. Goose bumps erupted over Karen’s skin. She tried pulling his face closer to hers, hungry for his lips.
“Oh no,” Evan smirked devilishly. “I want to taste you first,” he said, pushing her onto the bed.
He tied the silk ribbon over her eyes, softly blowing on her nipples at the same time. Losing her sight heightened Karen’s other senses, making her squirm.
“I love watching your body move,” Evan whispered, his breath on her neck.
The anticipation made Karen tremble. Where would he touch her next? She craved his skin on hers.
Evan slid his body down over hers, stopping with his head by her knees. He started kissing his way up her inner thighs, his large hands roaming over her legs. Karen arched her back, feeling herself getting wet.
Evan nuzzled her through her panties, the layer of fabric rubbing against her clit. He slowly moved her underwear to the side, kissing around the most sensitive part.
“Oh, yes!” Karen couldn’t help but whimper.
Evan started with deliberate, long licks, gradually building up pressure. Karen pushed herself up to meet his tongue, small moans escaping her throat. Suddenly, Evan stopped.
“Not yet,” he said before kissing his way up her stomach, stopping to nibble at her hard nipples.
Karen grabbed his head, burying her fingers in his hair. Her body was burning up, top to bottom. Evan pulled away.
Karen could hear something, like a bottle being opened. Cold oil started to drip onto her bare flesh, making her shiver with each landing drop.
His hands moved over her shoulders, slippery with the oil. He slid down her sides, caressing her ribcage, the slight tickling sensation creating a new level of sensation. He shifted to cupping her breasts with slow circular movements.
Then, he slid his slick fingers over her stomach, reaching her thighs once more. He started kneading right above her knees, gradually working his way up, until he reached the top of her inner thighs.
He went to work there, his fingers “accidentally” grazing her wetness from time to time. Karen bit her lip, trying not to go mad. Finally, Evan rolled his body on top of hers. She could feel his hard, chiseled frame against hers through his clothes.
His bulge was between her legs, applying just the right amount of pressure. Karen started to writhe against him, making Evan both groan and laugh.
“So impatient,” he said before covering her mouth with his.
Karen wrapped her hands around his neck, never wanting to let go. She reveled in the way his weight pressed her into the mattress, how his muscles moved on top of her when he adjusted himself. Evan broke the kiss, dragging himself away from her. He flipped her to her stomach, yanking away the robe.
“I think you need to cool down a little,” Evan teased, starting to rub her back.
His fingers softly massaged around her collarbones, his thumbs running circles on her lower neck. Karen relaxed into his touch. Evan moved lower, cupping her butt, his thumbs inching closer to her wetness. The throbbing between her legs was unrelenting.
“Please,” she moaned.
Evan’s hands stopped for a moment. She heard a soft rustle of fabric – Evan was removing his clothes.
“Please, what?” he teased.
“I need you to fuck me,” Karen breathed, lust enveloping every part of her brain.
“I knew I could get you to beg,” Evan said, his voice low and sensual.
He turned Karen over onto her back again, edging her legs apart with his knee. Grabbing her wrists in his hand, he pushed them up over her head. He was totally in control and Karen loved it. Evan slid a hand under her lower back, lifting her up.
He began to slowly enter her, stretching and filling her until all logic left her mind. Only the moment remained, erasing both past and future.
He moved slowly, making her body ache for more. After a while, he sped up, growing and building the electricity inside her until she couldn’t wait for it to be released. Right when she was about to tumble over the edge, he pulled back, slowing down. He continued with the tantalizing torment until Karen feared her screams
would wake the whole damn house.
She wrapped her legs around him, spurring him on. Evan moaned, his head falling to rest on her shoulder. He started pumping faster and faster. Karen’s body thrashed against his, barreling towards climax.
The world fell away as they both reached their peak, skin slick with sweat and their moans and growls long grown incoherent. Evan fell on top of her, shuddering under the intensity. Karen’s body felt like putty, waves from her powerful orgasm still rolling over her.
“I can safely say our bodies seem to totally agree on the “meant to be” front,” Karen finally said, still slightly out of breath.
“I’ve never felt so whole,” she continued, tracing the outlines of Evan’s arm with her finger.
Evan rolled to his side and gathered her into his embrace.
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” he agreed, nuzzling her hair.
Karen woke up at sunrise, still tucked into Evan’s shoulder. Light was peeking through the curtains and shining straight into her eyes. Evan was still fast asleep. She gently disentangled herself and got dressed as quietly as she could, sneaking downstairs into the kitchen with a plan to surprise Evan with breakfast in bed.
She was startled to see Ethan there, already fully dressed and having a cup of coffee.
“You’re up early,” she remarked before stepping into the pantry.
It was filled with pre-prepared snacks, platters full of cold cuts, hardboiled eggs, vegetables and hummus, selections of fruit, pastries…
Guess a bear clan has to be well stocked, she mused.
She piled up everything on a plate, well aware of the appetite the man she had left in bed had.
“An Alpha’s job is never done,” Ethan responded, lifting his mug. “I wouldn’t mind some company,” he added, gesturing to the chair opposite him.
Of all the people in the clan, Karen had probably spent the least amount of time with Ethan. She had tried to get a moment to thank him for his hospitality, but he always seemed to be busy or away somewhere.