“And revealed to a group of poachers what you are!” John yelled at him. “Do you realize the danger you may have brought to this camp? And not just from the poachers but the damn werebears too!”
“How did I bring trouble from the werebears, Dad? I saved one of their kind from the poachers!”
“They don’t know that, Alex. We don’t know what they know? If they expected her home today, and she’s not there, they’ll look for her.” He turned to one of the cousins. “I bet her scent is everywhere, isn’t it? From the clearing to our camp?” The cousin nodded, shrugging apologetically at Alex.
“Ok, Dad, I see your point. I’m sorry. As soon as Mom is done dressing her wound, I’ll take her to her car.”
“Too late for that. Your mother insists that she stay the night.”
“That’s right, John, and no bitching about it,” Shara teased, easing the sting of her words with a peck on the cheeks. “Removing the bullet was too much for her. She lost some more blood and needs to rest, not trudge through the forest to Alex’s truck.”
“I want her gone as soon as she wakes in the morning,” John commanded, looking from Alex to Shara and back. “She’s dangerous as long as she’s here.”
“I agree, John. As soon as she’s up, we’ll send her on her way,” Shara said. “Come on, Alex. I know she’ll feel better if you’re close by.”
“She can have my tent for the night, Mom, so she’s not in your way,” Alex offered. His mother gave him a questioning look. “What?”
“Where will you sleep, dear?” she asked teasingly.
“On the ground outside, Mother,” he replied.
“Humph. Ok, sweetheart.” Shara watched him walk to her tent. Dangerous thoughts, my sweet boy, she thought and sighed.
*****
Alex pulled the tent flap back and entered, moving directly to Alice’s side. A cool, wet cloth lay on her forehead, but her color looked better in the weak lantern light. He touched her cheek, causing her to stir. She pushed her cheek into his hand and lifted her own to hold his to her face. She smiled in her half dream state before opening her eyes to look at him. His heart dropped and his stomach jumped when their eyes met. Uh oh, he thought.
“How are you feeling, Alice?” he asked, and she smiled at him. More stomach clenching.
“Well, I’ve felt better. Did you find the poachers?”
“No, they’re long gone. Listen, I’m going to move you to my tent. It’s right next door. This is my parents’ tent,” he told her.
Her eyes widened. “Please move me! I don’t want to sleep next to your dad!!” Alex laughed and nodded, not at all surprised by her reaction. “Where will you sleep? I don’t want to put you out.”
“Right next to you?” he teased with a wink. She stared balefully at him. “Ok, ok, I’ll sleep on the floor, or if that’s too weird, I’ll sleep outside.”
“On the floor is fine. I’d feel guilty if you slept outside.”
“Ready?”
“Yes, Alex,” she answered. “And thank you.”
Alex smiled at her and lifted her in his arms as if she weighed nothing. Alice wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. He moved quietly from one tent to the next, hoping not to draw attention to them, but he knew several pairs of eyes followed them.
Chapter 3
Up in the mountains, the werebear camp was abuzz with the news that Alice had yet to return. She’d left that morning, claiming she needed some time in the forest. Having her alone time had always been important to her, so when she hadn’t returned by lunch, no one noticed except her mother, who didn’t really question it. But when the sun lowered in the west and she still hadn’t come home, the clan began to worry.
“It’s getting dark and she isn’t home yet,” Cammie, Alice’s mother, told her other two children.
“I noticed, but she’s a grown woman and has proved many times that she can take care of herself,” Alice’s sister commented. “Besides, you know how pissy she gets if we interrupt her alone time.” Susan had used the finger quotes around “alone time,” something she found unnecessary. She preferred to be surrounded by people at all times.
“Thank you for your opinion, Susan,” Cammie replied blandly. “Riley, what do you think?”
“I always err on the side of caution, you know that,” Riley answered. As the oldest, he was the most responsible and on the track to follow in his mother’s footsteps to lead their clan. “If I had my way, I’d track her to see if I could find her.”
Cammie smiled. Her children were her everything since her husband, their father, had died fifteen years ago and left her to lead the clan. She’d taken the responsibility so that her son could have his birthright, but every member of the clan, even the die-hard manly werebears, agreed that she had been one of the best leaders of the century.
“Susan, you’ll go with him and find your sister.”
“Mother, she’s fine. I bet you anything she’s by the river eating salmon, completely unaware of the time,” Susan argued.
Typical, Riley thought. “Mom, I’d rather go by myself anyway. Let the brat stay here.”
Susan punched his arm and said, “I’m not a brat! I just think tracking her would be a big waste of time! She’d be back by the time we found her scent.”
“Then we’ll all be happy. Stop whining and go with your brother. You need the exercise anyway,” Cammie ordered her daughter with a swat on her butt. Both of her children sighed heavily, showing their similarities in the simple gesture. She smiled as she watched them leave in the direction Alice had taken that morning, proud of her children even when they drove her crazy.
*****
“Do you really think something happened to her? Because I don’t,” Susan griped as she followed her brother through the brush.
“No, I don’t, but I also know there have been some poachers in the area and we shouldn’t take chances.”
“Poachers? I haven’t heard that rumor,” Susan retorted. “Who told you that?”
“I have my sources.” Riley meandered through the trees, looking for signs of a large animal passing through. “Keep your eyes open, please. The faster we find her trail, the faster we can find her and get back.”
“I can’t see a thing. Where did someone see poachers?” Susan asked, increasing her stride so as not to fall behind her brother. She peered into the shadows of the forest, praying nothing watched them.
Riley rolled his eyes when his sister stepped on the back of his boot for the third time. He’d told her about the poachers to scare her, although Susan didn’t wander far from camp like Alice did. But Alice was sensible; Susan was seventeen. Why his parents had waited almost thirteen years before having their last daughter was beyond his comprehension. But he wouldn’t know what to do without his younger sisters.
“The poachers were miles from here, but you know how Alice is. She probably walked that far to find her alone time.” Riley also said “alone time” sarcastically. Werebears were by nature social creatures. Alice was a rare one who enjoyed being alone from time to time.
“You know what I heard?” She waited for him to say what, but he stared at the ground, searching for clues. She rolled her eyes and continued. “I heard the wolf pack has been patrolling more, and closer to our camp.”
“Where did you hear that nonsense?” he asked. He’d stopped and was kneeling next to a tree trunk, picking at the bark. “Look, some of her fur. She must have been scratching her back.”
“Feels good against a big tree like that. And it’s not nonsense. Tina told me,” Susan replied, looking at the bark.
“Tina is an idiot. The wolf pack has been patrolling more, but only in their own area. They don’t want to come up here any more than we want to go down there.”
“Tina isn’t an idiot! That’s mean,” Susan defended the dubious intelligence of her friend. “Hey, why aren’t we in our bear forms. This would be way easier if we were. Faster too.”
“I wanted to get a direction b
efore turning. And now I have it. Let’s go.”
They transformed simultaneously, Riley’s form much larger than his sister’s. He snuffled at her and butt her with his head to indicate direction, and they ran.
*****
Inside Alex’s tent, Alice realized her family must be worried about her. She could do nothing about it right now, and she sincerely hoped they wouldn’t send out a search party. Her scent would lead them here. Good lord, the problems that would cause, she mused to herself.
Alex had gone to the kitchen area to get some food. He and his mother had agreed that she did not need to eat at the tables with the pack. She was grateful they hadn’t asked or expected her to. Grossly uncomfortable, she thought. She hoped he brought her some kind of protein; she still felt weak from the loss of blood and needed to replenish.
While she was alone, she looked around Alex’s space. Organized like the rest of the camp, she wondered if all werewolves were so anal about their living quarters. The tent was large enough to stand in, walk around in, like the tents generals used on the battlefield. Alex had the bed on which he’d placed her, a table with two chairs, and shelves neatly organized: towels on the top shelf, clothes neatly folded on the next, and books on the bottom. Lanterns lit the space with a yellow glow. Overall, the space was cozy.
Alice pulled one of the pillows, on which she was reclining, out from underneath her and smelled it. Oh my god, it smells just like him, she thought, and buried her nose in it. What is wrong with me? she asked herself, sniffing the pillow. She knew she shouldn’t like Alex, but he was such a sweet man. And gorgeous!
She jerked the pillow away from her face when the tent flap was pulled aside. Alex walked in with a tray laden with food, and Alice’s mouth began to water at the tempting smells drifting to her nostrils. Her stomach gurgled loudly; she hadn’t eaten since she’d left her camp that morning.
“Wow, you must be starving,” Alex commented with a chuckle.
Alice’s face grew hot with embarrassment, but she laughed. “Good lord, that was loud! I haven’t eaten since this morning.”
“I would have already succumbed to the weakness and died in the forest if I hadn’t eaten in so long,” Alex joked, making a plate for her. “You like steak?”
“Yes, please! And anything else you have over there. I’m starving!” she exclaimed.
“Steak and mashed potatoes. I have some brownies for dessert.”
“Yes!! Thank you so much!” Alice reached for the plate and waited for him to get his and sit down. When he didn’t, just watched her, she asked, “Aren’t you going to eat?”
“Yes, but you don’t have to wait for me. Go on and eat,” he replied. “Are you comfortable enough to eat there?”
“I am, thank you,” she responded, still not eating. Her manners refused to allow her to eat while he made his plate. So she hurried him along. “I’d like to eat sometime this century, so make your plate, sit down, and eat with me.”
He laughed at her not-so-subtle nudge and quickly made his plate. “Yes, ma’am!”
She laughed too and waited for him to get seated before cutting into her steak. She ate three large bites before looking up again. He was watching her, smiling. “What?”
“You’re really pretty,” he told her. She stared at him without replying. “I’m sorry, that’s inappropriate. I won’t say it again.”
Alice looked back at her plate, scooping up some potatoes, putting them in her mouth, and savoring them. So the attraction is mutual, she thought. But we can’t act on it, so get it out of your mind!
“Thank you for the compliment. You’re damn handsome, if I do say so,” she answered. “Tell me about your life.”
He smiled at her, chewing his steak thoroughly and swallowing before answering. “What do you want to know?”
“I want to know if wolf life is like bear life. Our camps are similar, from what I saw when we came in. We have a leader with lieutenants, for lack of a better word. Everybody has their place.”
“It’s pretty much the same here. I think your clan and my pack are probably a lot alike. I have no idea why we hate each other so much.”
“You know, I don’t either. I guess my mom might know.” Alice paused to take a sip of the water he’d handed her. She handed it back. “Thank you. Mom is our clan leader.”
“A woman? Really?”
“Why are you surprised? Women are fantastic leaders,” Alice defended. “My father died and Mom took over, and to hear it from the others, she’s a greater leader than he was. Fairer in her judgments and more thoughtful in her decisions.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound rude. Women don’t lead in the wolf pack. If our leader dies, his son takes over.”
“My brother was too young to take over. He will soon,” Alice told him. “But what happens here if there is no son?”
“Leadership goes to the closest male relative.”
“Ew, thank god the bears don’t do that. My uncle would have driven the clan to civil war,” she scoffed.
Alex laughed. “I see your point. Are you finished?”
Alice looked down at her plate. She’d all but licked it clean. She nodded and he took it from her, handing her the water again. She drank half of it in a gulp, then reclined against the pillows. Her belly was full, her leg felt better than it had all day, and she was completely relaxed from the good conversation. She closed her eyes for a moment, and then realized Alex had been quiet for a long time.
She looked up and found him staring at her again. “Why do you keep staring at me?”
“I can’t stop.” He had finished clearing the plates and had stopped to watch her. Mesmerized by her beauty, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her chocolate skin glowed in the yellow light, and her full lips and sultry smile drew him to her. He longed to touch her, feel the beauty of her skin. “I’m sorry.”
“What are you thinking?” she asked. Her thoughts had strayed to when he’d stood naked before her, his masculinity so alluring she’d almost asked him to kiss her. She looked at him now, at the way he stared at her as if he might ravish her, and was aroused.
Alex moved to kneel next to the bed, his eyes level with hers. “I’m thinking about how much I want to kiss you. Touch you.” He lifted his hand and brushed his fingers across her cheek. His thumb traced the outline of her lips, and his other hand rested on her ample thigh, caressing it softly.
Alice’s body responded immediately to his touch, and she yearned for him. She tilted her head to the side and back, giving him access to her lips or her throat, whichever he wished to kiss first. Her eyes fluttered closed as his lips touched hers. Her mouth opened to his tongue, and she played hers over his, sighing into his mouth as if offering him a part of her soul.
She reached up and snagged her fingers in his black, rugged hair, holding him to her. He rose from his kneeling position without breaking contact and lay next to her on the bed. Even with his eyes closed and his mouth occupied, he was careful not to touch her wounded leg. Gently, he ran his hand along her hip and up her waist under the tee shirt she wore, relishing the feel of her soft skin. He ran his hand along her stomach, briefly pausing above her mound before continuing up to her bounteous breasts and sighed when their heaviness fell into his palm.
Alice’s hands were equally busy, exploring his body. She touched his chest, traced his rock hard abs, and hastily brushed her fingers over the bulge in his jeans. He jerked at the touch, and she smiled into his mouth and did it again, teasing him. The kiss deepened, their hands quickened as did their heart rates.
Alice wanted him, more than she’d ever wanted anyone. And it terrified her. She jerked her mouth from his and put her hands on his chest, holding him at bay.
“Alice, what’s wrong? Did I hurt you?” he asked. His hand remained on her hip, his thumb moving in a slow arc, driving her mad with lust.
Alice sat up and gave him a little shove away from her. He got off the bed, but remained kneeling at the side so he could b
e close to her. He touched her knee gently. She caught her breath and put her hand over his. She wanted the contact as much as he did.
“Alex, we can’t do this. I mean, you’re a werewolf and I’m a werebear. We could never be together, and I don’t have sex with men I can’t have a relationship with,” Alice told him. She wrapped her fingers around his. “I . . . feel something for you, when we kiss, and I can’t feel that.”
“Why does it matter what we are? I feel something too. I felt it when you first turned into a woman. I knew what you were, and I didn’t care.”
“It matters, Alex. My family will never let me be with you, and yours won’t let you be with me. It’s not meant to be,” Alice replied sadly. “Aren’t we a pair? Romeo and Juliet of the supernatural world.”
He sighed a laugh, smiling only a little. “Just so you know, I’m not letting this go.”
Alice tilted her head and frowned at him. “Alex.”
“Nope. Not going to let it go. I will for tonight, but we will discuss this.” He lifted the hand he held and kissed the back of it. “If I’m feeling something this powerful, I will not let it go because our families don’t like each other.”
“It’s not just that and you know it,” Alice reminded him. “We’re different species. We couldn’t have children.”
“I told you we’re dropping it for tonight. I need to think about all this.” He rose to his feet and pushed her down onto the pillows. He tucked her in and kissed her forehead. “Now, you need to rest. I’m going to get a blanket and sleep right here beside the bed in case you need me.”
Alice shook her head at him, a smile on her face. She wanted to talk about it that second, but he wouldn’t let her. Ok, we’ll sleep on it, she decided as if it had been her idea.
“Good night, Alex,” she said quietly, looking at him.
“Good night, Alice.” He bent at the waist and kissed her, his tongue probing her mouth until she was regretting her responsible decision.
*****
Bud and Mike had deposited Carl at the hospital and called his wife to let her know he’d been attacked by a wild animal. She’d been hysterical, of course, and had rushed to his side, freeing the two men to return to the forest.
Forbidden Love: A BBW, BWWM Paranormal Romance Page 3