by Anya Nowlan
“You’re the one who’s being ridiculous. Do I look like the kind of guy who wears a goddamn bowtie?!” Rhodes growled, sharing a scowling look with his brother.
“You’re both being ridiculous. This whole thing’s ridiculous. Leave the damn bowtie, Redmond,” Royce said with a sigh, rubbing his temples.
Ragnar, the bastard, was standing with his arms crossed over his chest, wearing a bowtie, smirking like this was the funniest thing he’d seen all year.
“All right, but don’t blame me if your wife’s going to be pointing at the wedding pictures twenty years from now, bemoaning how you looked like a thug,” Redmond said, stuffing the tie in the pocket of his black dress pants.
“I am a thug. I don’t think Kali’s going to be surprised by that,” Rhodes huffed back, but they shared a grin with Redmond.
They were all nervous as hell and it was showing. It was the biggest wedding in Shifter Grove history, and that was saying something, considering the place seemed to be a one stop shop for everything bridal and matrimonial over the last few years. Every few months, someone was getting married and popping out a cub or a pup or a damn litter. Rhodes couldn’t wait to join that particular lineup of Shifter Grove locals.
“I think it’s time,” Royce said, taking over because, well, someone had to.
They marched behind him in a line through the long row of seats, every person in Shifter Grove having shown up it seemed. The fires had touched everyone, one way or another. Most of the men had been part of the relief effort and a great many women too. The brides of Shifter Grove being some of the toughest, most driven women Rhodes had ever had the pleasure of meeting. And they were all here to wish the Hamilton clan the best of luck.
It was late in the summer now and the rains had returned, thank the spirits above. The scorched, dying earth had been revitalized by long rainfalls, bringing everything back to life again. In the meadow on the Hamilton grounds, right where the forest had once been, everything was coming up lush and green.
Rhodes walked last in line, his head held high. He let his gaze sweep over the guests, smiling and nodding to a few. It felt surreal being there with no intention of packing up his bags in a few months and getting out. He was settling down and it felt so right. A lot of it had to do with Kali, of course, but being back home played a major role as well.
Because that was what Hamilton House, and Shifter Grove were. Home. Where his forefathers had lived, loved, and died and where the Hamilton clan had risen and fallen and then risen again. It was the only place he could truly be at peace, and he cursed himself for taking so long to see it. But it was the end result that mattered.
In the very back, he could spy the sunken blue eyes of Sear Hassleback. He stood away from the others, dressed in a neat black suit, his arms folded behind his back. His jaw was set hard and the circles under his eyes told Rhodes that he had not been sleeping much. Rhodes wasn’t surprised. He couldn’t imagine what Sear was going through. Still, the faint nod and the inkling of a smile Sear gave him as Rhodes passed by made him hope that maybe he’d be okay.
After the fire, it wasn’t hard to trace most of them back to Slade and only Slade. Sear had done everything he could to aid the investigation, though anyone with two eyes could see that it was killing him to admit that his brother had been an arsonist and come very close to murdering people more than once.
Though Kali had witnessed the whole thing, and Diesel, the town sheriff, was no fool, they hadn’t pressed charges against Sear. He did what had to be done. Not unlike Rhodes had all those years ago.
The issues with Hamilton House weren’t entirely set in stone yet, but they were well on their way. With Tiana’s pregnancy, already showing as it was, and their nuptials, they would only have one missing piece of the puzzle. Looking at the, ahem, virile bunch of bears carrying the Hamilton name, Rhodes seriously doubted they’d break the two cubs rule. Hamilton House was as good as theirs.
The troubled thoughts were brushed away easily as the Hamilton brothers took their places and turned their expectant gazes behind them. The music started—Battle having revealed a surprising affinity for the guitar and agreeing to play—and the Hamilton brides came into view.
Rhodes gasped right along with everyone else. Tiana walked down first, her chocolate skin absolutely gorgeous against the ivory tones of her dress, a big number that billowed out in lush waves from her hips. She looked like the most delicious cupcake, and somehow Royce thought this was intentional.
“You’ll be all right, Rhodes. You caught a good one,” she whispered as she stopped in front of him for a moment, giving him a kiss on the cheek before moving on down the row of grooms until reaching Royce.
The look on Royce’s face was equal parts mystification and adoration. Rhodes smirked, shaking his head. Who would have thought that the four estranged brothers would come together like this, watched from up above by Uncle Herbert Hamilton himself, and their parents, getting married in Shifter Grove. It boggled his mind, but in a good way.
Rose was next. Elegant as ever, she had a form-fitting long white dress with a modest train, slinking around her lush curves in brilliant white, making her long blonde locks look all the more radiant. There was a smile so wide on her face that she seemed to put everyone else to shame. Rhodes wiped away something in his eye that could have been a tear as she literally skipped into Redmond’s arms, both of them giddy with excitement.
Then there was Abigail, the woman he’d only seen in jeans and overalls, covered head to toe in grease and oil and loving every second of it. Her dress was off the shoulder, sweeping around her body in tight folds until it blew out in a mermaid tail marked with little beads that glittered in the sunlight. She had a long veil and white flowers in her dark, unruly curls of hair. Ragnar wasn’t the only one doing a double take. The town mechanic cleaned up nice.
And then, the moment that made Rhodes’s stomach churn. His very own princess. She wore a classical wedding dress with a touch of vintage charm to it, creamy white with a lace bodice and a sweetheart neckline. It flowed out over her hips and she wore gloves. Kali’s hair was put up in a modest but classy bun, pearls shimmering in it. And she wore the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen.
His knees buckled and it took honest effort to keep himself from running down the aisle, picking her up, and just carrying her off somewhere to have her all for himself. His throat went dry and every step she took, her mesmerizing green eyes on him, felt like another step toward happiness. He was the happiest man there. Just like every other Hamilton bear standing beside him.
Kali slipped the bouquet of wildflowers into her other hand as she came up to Rhodes and he took her delicate hand in his, his heart beating so loudly he was surprised anyone could hear anything but that.
“You’re beautiful,” he rasped, clearing his voice. Dammit, she’d taken his heart and now she took his voice too. Fine, she could have it. She could have all of him.
“You don’t look too bad yourself,” Kali grinned, winking at him.
“So, you want to make a run for it?” he asked in a low whisper as they took their places and Warren started conducting the ceremony—something he had gotten quite adept at lately.
“I don’t think I’m in any condition to run, baby,” she said with a dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes.
“What do you mean?” Rhodes asked, frowning.
“I hear pregnant women aren’t supposed to overexert themselves. I’ll drag you out of another fire if you need me to, but no running!”
The grin she wore was so damn mischievous. With a growl in his throat, Rhodes leaned into her and kissed her hard on the mouth, drawing a round of laughter.
“Rhodes, wait your damn turn,” Ragnar laughed.
“You better move this along real fast, Warren. I won’t be held accountable for what I do,” Rhodes said, no malice in his voice as he let Kali go, smiling at her like the biggest fool in the world.
New beginnings, all right. Rhodes had a feeling that thi
ngs would be more than just all right for him and the rest of the Hamilton clan from now on.
Looking to read up on the Shifter Grove natives mentioned in this book? Check out the Shifter Grove series on Amazon!
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Montana Wild Bears: Books 1-4 Bundle
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Sassy Shifter Brides: The Complete Series
What a shifter really needs is a good mate!
Shifter Grove only attracts the kind of shifters who are looking for something better... Something different. When Warren, Rake, Deacon and the Warfang decide to build a new life, they knew it wouldn't be easy. But it would be worth it. Still, hard work and making a better future for the buff, burly and completely Alpha shifters isn't quite enough for the men. Ever shifter knows that a home isn't perfect without the right woman and that's exactly what all of them need!
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Outcast's Pride
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anya Nowlan loves sex and writing about it. The sexier and naughtier the better. She mostly writes paranormal and fantasy erotic shorts, focusing on shifters and their lucky mates. Her stories are bite-sized, just what you need to soothe that craving for brave women and growly alphas with a big side-order of smutty sex.
Anya lives in Boston with her boyfriend and several dogs of varying sizes and levels of mischief. She can't go through a day without chocolate and has an unhealthy addiction to purses, but every girl is allowed her little vices, right?
If you have enjoyed her shorts or want to just shoot the breeze a little, don't hesitate to contact Anya via e-mail: [email protected]
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Table of Contents
BEAR THE FIRE
A LITTLE TASTE…
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
EPILOGUE
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