Growth of the Bear (Bear Kamp Book 3)

by Rachel Robins

  Roni wouldn’t give up, though. She kept sweet-talking and held her hand out with the sugar cube until the stubborn mare finally inched forward.

  “There you are, pretty girl. Come get your sugar.” Veronica’s words were like honey to a bee. All of the horses were under her spell.

  After their visit with the horses, they checked in on Austin. He hadn’t had any luck. The nurse ushered Veronica upstairs and gave her a dose of pain medicine even though Veronica begged her not to. Justin almost intervened but felt the nurse probably knew what was best for Veronica. He laid down next to her and within minutes she was fast asleep. Holding her gave him such peace. He wished they could fulfill the mate bond immediately, and live out their happily ever after.

  As much as he wanted to stay in bed with her, he knew there was work to be done. He checked in with the shifter, Spike, who was guarding the main house, before heading off to the stables. Justin knew Bri needed to be worked with. Daniel did a good job, but he was no trainer. Justin also had his list from last night and he had yet to check anything off of it.

  Hours passed before Justin realized Veronica was probably awake. Maybe it was weak that he wanted to be by her side every waking moment, but after seeing her injured he couldn’t help it. The few things he hadn’t accomplished could wait until the following day so he headed over to the big house. Austin greeted him at the door.

  “Wow, man, I figured you left hours ago.”

  “No. I was just coming to find you. Come on, we need to talk.”

  Justin followed Austin back into the living room. He could tell by Austin’s tone of voice whatever he had found was serious. His gut clenched and his first instinct was to go check on Veronica to make sure she was still safely tucked in bed. Afraid he would seem weak, though, he fought those instincts and sat down to listen to Austin.

  “Your grandfather had a will. In his will he named you the sole heir to his entire estate. All of his houses and properties, his companies and his money, it’s all yours.”

  Justin felt his mouth fall open. His relationship with his grandpa had been special, but he would never have dreamed the old man would have left everything to him. He was the runt, the outcast; it should go to his oldest brother or his mom. Anybody but Justin. Justin hadn’t even been able to speak with him in the past few years. His thoughts became jumbled, and he needed to run. He slowly stood up and walked out of the room. Austin tried to say something to him, but whatever it was, Justin never heard it.

  As soon as he hit the woods behind the house, he shifted and ran. There wasn’t a lot of wooded area to run in, but he kept going. When he hit the fence line that was against the main interstate, he roared. It felt good to let his bear take over. Everything was black and white with his bear. Veronica was his mate, therefore they should be together, always and forever. There was no gray area. Justin just inherited a fortune. If that meant anything to his bear he would just take it and be happy. Justin, however, felt guilt and unworthiness.

  He ran some more until he felt like he could control his emotions and his thoughts. The only thing he cared about was being with Veronica. He needed to see her and feel her touch. That was the only thing in the world he was sure of at the moment. His mate’s love.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Veronica

  Veronica woke from her drug-induced sleep a little groggy. She lay still while she got her bearings, then tested the waters by moving around. She was stiff, and the pain was still there when she moved her head, but it was bearable. Justin had been in bed with her when she had gone to sleep, so she was disappointed he wasn’t still there.

  A quick peek out her window told her it was night time. Frustrated she would be up half the night, she padded down the hall to find everybody else. The guys’ voices floated in from the living room. When she walked in, they got quiet. It wasn’t just Austin anymore either; there was a whole crew of them.

  “Hey, you’re up. You should have texted me. I would have come up and helped you.” Justin gave a quick grin regarding his earlier attempt to help when he just gawked at her.

  “Oh yeah, a bunch of help you are.” She scanned the room then in a silent gesture for him to introduce her.

  “This is my pack, Austin and his mate, Kate, Jasper and his mate, Emma, and Rick. There are technically more of us, but these are my closest friends. Everybody, this is Veronica.”

  Roni waited for him to add that she was his mate, but he didn’t. She was used to her dad introducing her to people, and always adding that she was his daughter at the end. In this situation, she wasn’t sure if it was empowering to be just Veronica, or if she should feel slighted by him not vocalizing she was his mate. Roni would have just let it slide and rolled with the punches. Justin wasn’t mated to Roni, though; he liked Veronica and Veronica would not stand for this. She squared her shoulders and looked at everybody.

  “I’m his mate.” Then she gave him a look that dared him to try and correct her in front of everyone.

  “It’s about time. We need more estrogen around here,” Emma chirped, breaking their tension. She embraced Roni and then pulled her down to sit with Kate and herself.

  “Are you fully human?” Emma asked bluntly.

  “Emma, you can’t just ask people things like that. Sorry, you have to excuse her; she can be a bit insensitive.”

  “That’s okay, I guess it is a bit weird that I’m human and Justin’s mate. Is it weird?”

  “No, not at all. I’m human. Emma was, well I guess you never were, but you just didn’t know you weren’t.” Kate started talking in circles, and Roni just watched as Emma and Kate argued over whether or not Emma was a human.

  “Come, Austin has news. That’s why everybody’s here,” Justin said, rescuing her and placing her on his lap while Austin started to catch her up.

  “Wow. That’s a lot to take in.”

  “There’s more that I didn’t get to tell Justin before he took off.”

  “You took off?” Roni repeated.

  “Not the main point right now,” Justin said, obviously anxious to hear the rest.

  “In order to receive the fortune you must be mated.”

  Roni wasn’t sure why that was such a big deal. She and Justin were mates, so he was obviously eligible to receive the inheritance. Everybody else looked a little grim.

  “I don’t see where the problem is,” she said, turning to face Justin.

  “You are my mate, but we are not mated. Nor do I want to rush you into completing the ceremony just for something I’m not sure I want.”

  “Not sure you want? What are you talking about? Your grandpa chose you. You can’t just walk away from his legacy and leave it to your terrible family members.”

  “It’s not so much that as it feels like I cheated.”

  “You cheated?” Roni was floored. She couldn’t understand what Justin was saying.

  “I didn’t earn any of that. It was given to me.”

  “You damn well did earn it. You put up with your jerk family for countless years, and then left on your own. Your grandpa saw that, and he’s rewarded you.”

  “Thanks for coming over, you guys. I’m glad to know you have my back,” Justin said, dismissing Roni for the time being and all but kicking out his friends.

  Everyone said their goodbyes, and Roni was sad to see the girls go. She could use some friends with insider knowledge. She also felt like things were going to be less than pretty between her and Justin. He was being completely stubborn about something that seemed so easy to her. She wanted to see it his way and try to understand, but it just didn’t add up to her.

  “Veronica.” Justin started to say something, but Roni didn’t feel like arguing with him. She put her hand up to stop him. He clearly needed to work out his issues himself.

  “I don’t want to argue. I didn’t mean to sound so overbearing, especially in front of your friends.”

  “It’s okay,” Justin said as he scooped her up in a hug.

  “We’re all
alone. Wanna go up to my room and fool around?” she said, only half joking.

  “You’re also supposed to be taking it easy. What I have in mind would be anything but.”

  Roni’s mouth watered at his dark promise. All of a sudden the last thing on her mind was her injury. Her whole body responded to Justin’s words. He seemed to take it all in stride, but he could make Roni wet with just one look. The giant goose egg on her forehead gave her the disadvantage, but she was tired of waiting. The house was empty, and Justin was her forever whether he was ready to accept it or not.

  “Maybe just a movie then?” she asked casually.

  “That sounds good. You got popcorn?” he said with a smirk.

  “Absolutely. You pick the movie, and I’ll go get the popcorn and drinks.”

  Roni hurried into the kitchen to get everything ready. Once the popcorn was in the microwave, she ran upstairs and changed into her shortest pajama shorts she could find and a tank top with the built-in bra. She ditched her bra, freshened her makeup up a bit, and then headed back down. It would probably be obvious to him what she was up to, but she didn’t care. As his mate, she was allowed to have needs.

  “I hope you don’t mind a little action?” Justin said as she walked back in.

  “Nope. Popcorn and root beer for two,” she said, sitting down her tray of goodies.

  His eyes turned dark when he looked back at her and realized what she was wearing. Justin’s eyes swept down her body, and then back up. Inch by agonizing inch his hot gaze branded her skin. Roni shuddered. When he finally made eye contact with her again, it felt like her knees would buckle.

  “What are you doing, Veronica?” His use of her full name reminded her who she was with him.

  She was his mate, his equal, and just because he said now was not a good time didn’t mean that was the way it would be. Her whole life had been that way. Always being told what to do, where to go, and whom to be with. Veronica knew the answer to all of those things, and they began and ended with Justin.

  “Nothing, I just got comfy for the movie. Is there something wrong with my pajamas?”

  “Do you wear those often? Like around other people?”

  “I wore them in my dorms, and around the house.”

  “Don’t.” His word had a hard edge to it. His demand. He meant it probably as a deterrent, but all it did was fuel her passion.

  “Are we going to watch the movie or critique clothing?” she said with a smirk.

  Justin angrily hit the play button and then sat down on the couch. Roni sat down next to him and leaned into his side. He wrapped his arm around her and brought her closer. The popcorn bowl settled on his leg so they could both reach it. It felt like a date she would have had in high school. Except the boy was a man, and he a shifter at that. He also was her mate whom she found dangerously sexy, and desperately wanted to jump his bones. Roni had thought the pajamas would have gotten her further in her scheme.

  The movie started but Roni had no clue what was happening. After about thirty minutes of frustration she set the popcorn bowl down and settled herself on Justin’s lap. A leg on each side of him put her exactly where she wanted to be.

  “Veronica.” His voice was gravelly and his eyes were already going deep with desire.

  “Justin,” she whispered, leaning in next to his ear.

  “You don’t know what you’re doing,” he said as his hands gripped her arms. He didn’t push her away, though.

  “I know what I’d like to be doing. I also know you want to be doing it, too.”

  “That’s not the point. It’s all about timing, Veronica.”

  “Just kiss me. If nothing else we can kiss, right?”

  She figured he would continue to argue, but instead his lips landed on hers. Their kiss was as possessive as it was passionate. His hands slid down her arms and on to her hips, rocking her back and forth. Her hands found his hair as she returned his passion. He pulled them apart. Roni was dizzy with desire and she was afraid she would combust if they didn’t see it through.

  Justin picked her up, keeping their hips together, and walked upstairs to her bed. Roni wanted to scream with victory, but after he laid her down in bed he stood back up and paced. The air was thick with their desire, so Roni didn’t say a word. Justin seemed to be battling an internal war with himself. She hated to think it was because he didn’t want her, but she knew that wasn’t it. With everything he had just discovered he was probably emotionally raw.

  Roni got up and wrapped her arms around him from behind. The gesture was meant to comfort, but her touch ignited something in Justin. He turned around in her embrace and crushed his lips against hers again. He lifted her up and took her back to her bed, but this time his body followed her down. He carefully adjusted his weight so he wouldn’t crush her.

  His lips left her mouth and sought out the rest of her body. Roni writhed under his touch. His hands roamed where his mouth couldn’t. Roni ran her hands through his hair, and then onto his shoulders. His muscles moved and rippled underneath her fingertips, and it was euphoric. Justin sat up and took his shirt off. She didn’t waste any time doing the same. Justin stepped in and removed her shorts, adding them to the pile on the floor.

  “You’re so beautiful. You’re mine. My mate.” His voice was thick with desire, and his eyes glowed.

  Roni had never felt more loved or more beautiful than she did in that moment. Her entire life she had held a piece of herself back from everyone, and now she realized why. It had all been for him. Justin was the person to make her whole. To make her Veronica instead of Roni. She brought him down for another soul-crushing kiss. His hands slid up her leg, then her stomach, and finally grazed her breast. She almost came off of the bed when he finally took her nipple between his fingers and rolled. Just when she felt like she couldn’t handle any more pleasure, his mouth left hers and moved over her other nipple.

  Red hot desire liquefied her. She moaned his name as her fingers dug into his arms. He continued to make love to her breasts with his mouth. Finally, he gave her a minute’s peace while he placed kisses on her stomach. Roni filled her lungs with much-needed air.

  Before she could figure out what his next move was, he spread her legs before him and his wet, hot mouth found her core. She screamed his name and tried to move, but the pleasure was too intense. Her body ached for the release that only he could bring her. His expert hands glided up her body and found her breasts again, rolling and pinching her nipples. Roni felt her tension build higher and higher and with one flick of his tongue she crashed over the other side while she cried out his name.

  Her body felt limp. Justin brought himself back up and kissed her neck and cheek. Their next kiss was lazier, but Roni could already feel herself start to rouse again. Justin stood and ditched his jeans, and then his underwear. Roni held his gaze while he did it, but then she let her eyes slide down to take him all in. If Justin was the runt of the pack, she was damned thankful because she wasn’t sure if their bodies would even fit together as is. He was gorgeously ginormous. She wet her lips and sat up on the edge of the bed.

  “No.” His voice was barely recognizable.

  Roni ignored his request, and quickly guided him in her mouth. His moan filled the room and stirred her urgency to please him. She licked and sucked, loving the taste of him filling her mouth. His hand moved to the back of her head as he guided her speed. The power Roni felt was intoxicating. When Justin couldn’t stand it any longer, he pulled her away from him and pushed her back on the bed.

  He covered her body and positioned himself between her legs. His eyes locked on hers, and she had to remind herself to breathe. His beauty was unbelievable to her. Then in one swift push he filled her. The pain came first, and she tried not to cry out. Justin’s eyes grew wide with the realization that Veronica was a virgin.

  “Baby, I’m so sorry. I should have asked.”

  “I’m fine. It already feels better.”

  Justin still didn’t move, though. Roni
wiggled her hips under him and with that movement pleasure over took the pain. She moved again, bringing a moan from Justin.

  “Baby, I’m not going to be able to go easy if you keep that up.”

  “I don’t want to go easy. I want you,” she said, wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling him down for a kiss.

  He finally started to rock his hips against hers. Pleasure made her blind to anything but him. She stroked his back and arms while he kissed her, and gripped her legs and hips. Roni didn’t think she could stand the pleasure any more. Justin sank deep inside of her and stopped. Her body wasn’t ready for him to stop so she whimpered her plea.

  “You’re killing me, baby,” he said huskily.

  “Justin, I can hardly stand it. Please.”

  That was all the encouragement he needed. With a few more powerful strokes, they both found fulfillment together. Justin lay to her side and pulled her against him. Roni listened to the even, powerful beats of his heart. He was hers, and now she would forever be his.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Justin

  When Justin woke the next day, Veronica was still lying on his chest. He was content to lie with her, and then make love to her when she woke up. His phone buzzed for the tenth time, which had been what had woken him up. The real world was calling. He slid himself out from under her and quietly dressed and headed down to the kitchen.

  A knock on the door changed his direction.

  “Austin? What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve been calling you,” Austin said, pushing his way into the house. Both men headed to the kitchen and Justin started the coffee maker.

  “Sorry, my phone was on vibrate. What’s up?”

  “Your brothers are in town. A friend of mine who works for the TSA tipped me off. I had asked him to keep an eye out and he called me when they landed at the airport. They may be making a move. You and Veronica need to be careful until we figure out what they are here for. This would be easier if you would just call the law firm and accept your grandfather’s wishes.”