Was there any chance in hell that Isaiah had subconsciously willed Jack to scratch Heather? Or perhaps Isaiah hadn’t been forceful enough to prevent the attack?
He shook the notion from his head. He would drive himself mad otherwise.
But the truth was, without Jack’s interference, without him reaching out to rip through Heather’s jacket, shirt, and skin with his claw, Isaiah would not be sitting on his parents’ couch holding the woman who would be his mate for life.
There weren’t other alternatives. Shifters were forbidden from intentionally changing a human. Not even someone they felt drawn to mate with. It was unheard of. Against Arcadian law.
If Jack hadn’t sunk his claws into Heather’s arm, she would already be down the mountain, moving on with her life.
And Isaiah would have been left to suffer through the weird pull to claim her alone. The penalty for biting a human was severe. Although until today, there had been no incidences of a shifter intentionally changing a human for a very long time.
“Isaiah?” Her soft voice yanked him out of his head. Her face was cocked to one side, and her eyes were narrowed. “Where were you?”
“Thinking.” He noticed the phone in her lap and nodded toward it. “Everything good?”
“Yeah. My mom is pissed. She thinks I shouldn’t have been hiking alone.”
He lifted a brow. “She’s right, you know.”
She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “Not you too. I don’t even know a single person in Canada, let along Alberta. I just got here two days ago, and I intend to make the most of the next two weeks before I start my job.”
He set his hand on her shoulder and stroked a lock of her hair. Touching her like this was both necessary and intense. He couldn’t stop himself, but every time he made contact with any part of her skin, hair, or even her clothes, his cock stiffened. “What’s the job?”
She nodded. “I’m a glaciologist. I’ll be working for the government, studying the effects of the increasing recession of the Athabasca Glacier. I wanted some time to explore the area first.” She glanced down at her ankle. “Looks like I just ruined my own vacation.” She moaned as if she’d just that moment realized the implications of her injured ankle.
He had news for her. She would be back on her feet in no time. How long? He had no way of knowing for sure how soon she would undergo the change or how long it would take. He didn’t even know what was entailed. Would it hurt? There were apparently few examples to draw upon for information.
“You never know,” he stated. “Maybe it’s not as bad as it seems.” Her ankle was swollen and hot to the touch. It was probably worse than it seemed, but what she didn’t know was that shifters healed easily and quickly. As soon as she made the first transformation to bear form, she would undoubtedly be healed.
He lowered his gaze to her ankle, realizing he still held the now wet towel over it. As he jerked the terrycloth away and set it on the floor, he noticed her ankle was more swollen than it had been before.
She wiggled her toes and flinched. “Maybe it’s worse.” She tugged on the front of her shirt next. “Is it hot in here?”
He jerked his gaze back to hers and then set the back of his hand against her forehead. She had a fever. “Dad, you think she would have a fever?” he asked silently.
“Yes. Though I’m surprised it would happen this quickly.”
“It’s happening. I’m going to get her out of here.”
His father stepped back into the room, his mother right behind him. They looked concerned, their gazes on Heather.
“I’m going to take her to my place,” Isaiah announced for her benefit.
His mother chewed on her lower lip and then released it. “You think that’s the best idea?”
Isaiah lifted Heather’s legs off his lap and held them as he wiggled out from under her and then set them back on the couch. Although it was painful to release her, he knew he would have more opportunities to hold her as soon as he got her to his house. “It’s the only idea, Mom.”
She nodded.
Heather cleared her throat. “We’re going somewhere else?” Her face paled further as she tipped her head back. “Why?”
“It gets hectic around here. My house will be quieter. You can rest. Heal. Get back on your feet,” he stated.
She sat frozen, licking her lips.
He knew she had a thousand concerns. In fact, he couldn’t wait until he could hear each and every one of them clearly in his head. It would be so much easier than trying to guess her thoughts. But for now, he needed to get her out of this house. He had no idea what sort of timeframe they had before she would experience the change and all that it entailed.
Rosanne held out a bag Isaiah hadn’t realized she carried into the living room. “Some clothes. They’ll be too big but better than nothing.”
Isaiah took the bag and swung it over his shoulder. “Where’s Wyatt?”
“He’s out back,” his father said.
Isaiah glanced down at Heather’s backpack. “Do you have the key to your motel in there?”
“Yes.”
“How about if I have my brother go pick up your things? That way you’ll have your own clothes to wear.”
She hesitated and then nodded. “Okay. I think most of my stuff is all inside the suitcases anyway.” She sat up straighter, swinging her legs over the side of the couch. “Really, this isn’t necessary. I can just go to a doctor and then back to my motel. You don’t have to put yourself out for me. I’ll be fine.”
He could sense her unease, and he couldn’t blame her. He’d only managed to convince her to stay with him a few minutes ago, and already he was altering that plan. He’d led her to believe she would stay here in his parents’ home, and now he tweaked the proposal a bit. Any sane woman would be nervous about going to a stranger’s house to convalesce alone with him.
She placed her foot on the floor and put slight pressure on it.
He let her for the sake of proving his point. She needed help.
She winced, and her shoulders fell. And then she reached down and extracted her key from a side pocket. She set it on the seat next to her. Her hesitation was obvious as she tucked her shoe in the backpack.
Isaiah’s mother picked up on it, too. She cleared her throat. “Isaiah’s right. His house is quieter. You’ll be able to sleep peacefully there. You must be exhausted. I’ll stop by later. Or maybe send Joselyn to make sure you’re doing okay.”
“Okay. If you’re sure.” She turned to face Isaiah. “I don’t want to put you out.”
“Positive.” He turned toward his dad, mentally giving a victory fist pump. “Can I borrow your car?”
“Of course. I’ll pick it up later.”
“Oh, crap, my car,” Heather said. “It’s at the base of the path. You think it will get towed?”
Isaiah’s father spoke again. “I’ll move it or Wyatt can.”
“Thanks,” Heather whispered. “You are all so kind.” She pulled the car key from her bag and set it with the motel key.
Isaiah hoisted her backpack over the same arm as the bag of clothes his mother handed him. He then bent down, tucked an arm under Heather’s knees, and lifted her into his arms.
Instantly his heart beat faster, though at the same time part of him calmed. She belonged in his arms. Holding her felt right. Perfect. Fated?
He headed for the front door. “Okay, we’ll get going. Let me know when Wyatt thinks he can get to my place with her things.”
His father nodded. “Be careful.” He stepped around Isaiah and opened the front door. And then he spoke silently into Isaiah’s head again. “The council is concerned. They’re meeting right now.”
“Concerned about what?”
“The implications of a human finding out about us.”
“She won’t be human for long.”
“Yes, but that opens a whole slew of possibilities.”
Isaiah stepped through the doorway, half hearing his mother
speak softly to Heather who responded in kind. “Like what, Dad? Are they afraid she’ll tell someone?”
“Precisely.”
“Well, she won’t have the opportunity for the time being. And we’ll cross that bridge after she shifts.”
His father sounded worried as he continued to communicate. “I’ll express that to the council. But do me a favor. Don’t leave your house. Not for any reason. I’ll use that as an excuse to buy you some time, but son…”
Isaiah turned around before stepping down from the porch and faced his father. “What?”
“I don’t like the vibe I’m getting from the Arcadians. This is totally unprecedented. Causing a human to change is forbidden. I’m not sure what they may decide.”
“Decide? About what? I didn’t do this. Jack Tarben did. They can take up their issues with him.”
His father shook his head. “I’m not worried about anyone laying blame on you, but they may insist you turn her over.”
Isaiah spun around and hurried down the stairs, realizing Heather would be wondering why he was standing on the porch in silence, staring at his father. “That’s fucked up,” he communicated as he headed for his dad’s truck. “They can go to hell. She’s not leaving my sight. They can take her away over my dead body.”
“Isaiah?” Heather’s voice was soft.
“It’s okay, baby,” he murmured close to her face. What else was he supposed to say?
She would understand everything soon enough.
Chapter Four
“You’re sure about this?” Heather asked five minutes later as Isaiah pulled the truck up to another gorgeous cabin in the woods. It wasn’t as large as his parents’ home, but it appeared to have the same builder because it had a similar look.
“Positive.” He turned off the engine and jumped down from the truck before she had a chance to say anything else. Two seconds later, she was once again in his arms.
She could get used to being pressed against his chest. It unnerved her how attracted she was to him, but it felt…right. Which made her more nervous.
As she held on to his neck, she spoke again. “I hope you don’t feel somehow obligated to take care of me because of a scratch. I’ll be fine. It wasn’t your fault.”
He frowned. “It sort of was my fault.”
“How do you figure? Did you lure that bear out of the woods and taunt it into attacking me?” Huh. Actually, he did indeed seem to taunt the bear.
“No. I didn’t lure the bear. You’re right.” He didn’t comment on the taunting part as he climbed the steps to his equally amazing porch and then opened the front door and carried her inside.
“If you’re going to carry me everywhere, I might milk this sprained ankle for a while.” Holy shit. Did I say that out loud?
He tipped his head toward her and winked, sharing another of his half smiles. “Milk it, baby. It’s definitely no hardship holding you in my arms.”
She flushed. Her entire body was on fire. She was still wearing nothing over her upper body but the ripped shirt missing one sleeve. No coat. It was warmer outside than it had been during the night, but still should have been too chilly to go without at least a jacket. But hers had been ruined. And for some reason, she was not cold.
This sexual banter between them was crazy. She’d even started it. Who the hell was she today?
Once again she found herself whisked right through the living room without a chance to notice a single piece of furniture or décor. Her gaze was still pinned on his face.
What she did notice was his scent permeating the entire space, making her grip her knees together and squirm in his embrace. Since when was she so drawn to a man’s scent?
Since never.
Of course, part of the reason she was so attracted to Isaiah surely had to do with how long it had been since she’d last had a steady boyfriend, which correlated precisely with how long it had been since she’d had sex. Over two years.
She’d been busy making a name for herself in her field, with no time for dating and even less time for the sort of men she usually met at work. The people in her Portland office were so nerdy and serious all the time. Most of them were married, and in some cases she shuddered to think what their wives were like.
She had hoped her prospects in Alberta would be better. Then again, she’d been in the province only two days and she was currently being carried through a sexy man’s home. Maybe this job choice had been exactly perfect. And maybe she had been wrong to beat herself up all night over a sprained ankle. Blessings came in strange wrapping paper.
When Heather finally tore her gaze off the man who met her sexual banter tit for tat, she found herself in a bathroom.
Isaiah tipped her to one side and set her on the counter.
She grabbed the edges. “Uhh…” What the hell were they doing in the bathroom?
Isaiah ignored her to reach for the faucet on the gorgeous whirlpool tub. He turned it on, touched the water, and then turned toward her. “I figure you’d like to bathe, and you probably wouldn’t be able to stand easily in the shower.”
He was right. She felt disgusting under her hiking pants and the now torn, long-sleeved thermal shirt.
God, she was a mess. Her concentration was shot, and she blamed his absurdly sexy body for every lost brain cell. “A bath would be perfect.” She glanced around the room. It was a dream bathroom. His house had to be either newly renovated or brand new because everything in the room was shiny and perfect, from the granite in white and brown swirls to the white cabinets and the glass shower. There were nozzles coming out of the walls in that shower. If she had the ability to stand, she would love to check it out.
Isaiah opened a narrow door next to what she assumed was a small separate toilet room. He pulled out a huge, plush, white towel and set it on the counter. “I don’t have any girly shampoo or whatever you’re used to, but we can fix that later. For now, can you make do with mine?”
She startled. “Of course. I’m not that picky. Soap is soap.”
He smiled again and approached, almost as if he were stalking her. When he reached her, he set his hands on her thighs. “You got this?”
“What if I don’t?” she taunted, again clearly no longer the owner of her own body. She tucked her lips in between her teeth as if that would suck the words back.
He moaned. Moaned. Closing his eyes, he tipped his head back, elongating his neck.
She had the sudden desire to run her tongue along the tight muscles of his neck and lick a line up to his mouth or down to his chest. The flannel shirt he wore revealed the slightest sprinkling of hair sticking out the top. She would give anything to see his chest.
When he lowered his face, he met her gaze, not laughing. “Baby, there are so many things we need to talk about, but first you should relax a few minutes, soak in the water. You’ll feel so much better.”
She nodded.
“Now, if you need any help getting undressed and into the tub…”
Heat raced up her cheeks again. She gripped her knees together again also. Why did the timbre of his voice reach her clit?
He sobered a bit and righted himself, still gripping her thighs, but no longer leaning into her quite as closely. “Listen, if I’m overstepping my bounds let me know. I’m not going to lie. I’m attracted to you. And this banter we have going on is sexy as hell. But I also don’t want you to be uncomfortable in my home. So, please, tell me to back off.”
As if God had given her a sign, a neon sign, she reached for Isaiah’s neck with both hands and hauled his face toward hers. Without allowing herself to overthink things, she set her gaze on his lips and drew them all the way to hers.
His mouth was warm, and his lips parted when she touched them with her own. At first her kiss was tentative, nibbling along his fuller mouth, enjoying the first blatant sexual connection.
His fingers tightened on her thighs, making her moan into his mouth. That was when he angled his head to one side and deepened the kiss, tak
ing full control. His tongue slid between her lips to devour her as if he were starving. His hand slid along her thighs and around to her hips to haul her closer to the edge of the counter.
Her heart raced as he nudged her legs apart with his thighs and situated himself between her knees.
The subtle tingling in her clit became a full roar of need. Her panties grew wet from her arousal and rubbed maddeningly against her swollen clit. She gripped his neck tighter, holding him as if he might get away if she let go.
She couldn’t breathe, and she didn’t want to. All she wanted was for this moment in time to freeze right here and never end. She didn’t want to know more or less about the man kissing her. The timing for this connection was perfect. She knew everything about Isaiah that would lure her to him and nothing about him that would later annoy her.
He had a kind and giving spirit, rushing to the rescue of a stranger in the woods and even confronting an enormous angry bear to save her.
He loved his parents and his sibling.
He was sexy as hell.
His pensive brooding gave him a mysterious quality that caused a ball of desire to build in her stomach.
He was doting. Any woman would be lucky to have him as a boyfriend. Considering how well he treated a perfect stranger, he would no doubt be the most adoring lover on earth.
Whatever faults he had, she didn’t know them yet. Was he a slob? His bathroom would attest to the opposite. Did he eat with his mouth open? Leave the toilet seat up? Was he an obnoxious drunk?
Was he a shitty lover? After all, why didn’t he have a woman? Did he roll over after reaching his own orgasm and fall asleep? She found that hard to believe.
His hands curled into her back, hauling her closer as he continued to kiss the sense out of her. When did he completely take over? She didn’t care. His dominance was even hotter than his tentativeness.
When they finally broke free, it was a slow parting that ended with Isaiah easing his mouth off hers but continuing to kiss her lips and then placing a line of kisses toward her ear.
She shuddered when his mouth landed on her lobe and his warm breath filled her ear. “What was that?”
Grizzly Mountain (Arcadian Bears Book 1) Page 4