“Take me,” she cried out, thrusting her hips against him. “Take all of me!”
Ryker let out a low growl and then started thrusting. He jammed his hips against her, up and down, up and down. The motion caused him to continuously hit every nerve receptor inside of her, and she moaned and thrashed about under the intensity of it. And then, with an explosion of heat and tingling electricity, she found her release. She cried out in long, wild roars as her muscles pulsed in wave after wave of relief. The storm of desire that she had been feeling for Ryker for weeks finally detonated inside of her. She heard him bellow out with a howl of primal pleasure as he found his own relief, his body pouring itself into her in warm spasms. They both lay there panting for several moments, basking in the afterglow. Ryker rolled onto his side and let his back face the back of the couch so that his chest faced Kenzie. Even though Kenzie’s couch was wide, Ryker’s massive frame took almost the entire space. Ryker pulled Kenzie onto her side so that she faced him, and he kissed her lips softly.
“You’re amazing,” he whispered, and Kenzie noted to her surprise that his eyes were moist. It made her heart swell with love to see that a big, brawny man like Ryker had a sensitive side, too. A sensitive side that had feelings for her, no less. She sighed happily and snuggled into him, reveling in the feeling of his warm arms wrapped around her.
“You’re pretty incredible yourself,” she whispered back. For the first time since she had arrived in the untamed wilds of Alaska, she felt like she belonged. She pressed her face against his chest and breathed deeply, memorizing the way he felt and smelled. She wanted nothing more in that moment than to spend every night for the rest of her life lying like this in his arms.
She knew it was crazy to think that way after knowing him for such a short time. But she felt connected to him. She had been drawn to him since the first time she saw him, and now, after they had made their bodies one in a beautiful dance of passion, she couldn’t imagine ever wanting to be in anyone’s arms but his. She was his, and he was hers. She had never been one of those people who believed in soulmates, but something told her that the universe had somehow known that she and Ryker would find each other in this crazy, chaotic world. They were meant for each other.
Kenzie savored the feeling of her bearman’s strong arms around her as she drifted off to sleep.
* * *
Ryker sipped from his mug of tea as he watched Kenzie beginning to stir under the blanket from across the room. She had been sleeping for about an hour, and he had lain with her for a while. But, eventually, his thoughts had grown restless and he couldn’t stay still. Not wanting to wake her, he had slowly, carefully untangled himself from her and climbed off the couch. He found the makings for peppermint tea in her kitchen, and he had brewed a strong batch of it. Now, he sat with the steaming mug between his hands, contemplating what his next step should be.
It had been a little irresponsible for him to mate with Kenzie so quickly. Not because he didn’t care for her strongly enough, but because he cared too strongly. He had wanted her since the day he met her. Mating wasn’t a thing to be taken lightly by a bear. He knew humans often slept around for the fun of it. He almost envied their ability to do that. For him, sex meant something. It meant something deep. And sex with Kenzie had left him with a wave of feelings stronger than he had ever felt before. He had heard the legends that when you found the one you were truly supposed to be with, you would know. That the bond would be final, and unbreakable. Ryker knew that’s what he had felt in the moments when he and Kenzie were consummating their relationship.
He had never expected his eternal bond to be forged with a mate who was fully human, but, for him, this was it. Either Kenzie felt as strongly about him as he did about her, and would stay with him forever, or Ryker would spend the rest of his life alone. After Kenzie, there could never be another. She was, and always would be, his everything.
Kenzie woke fully and sat up on the couch, looking over at Ryker.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“Hey,” he replied, taking in her raw beauty. She didn’t have makeup on, as far as he could tell. He didn’t think he’d ever seen her wearing any. But her skin was naturally smooth and beautiful, glowing with youth and life. Her hair was mussed up from her nap, and their romp, but the disarray only made her sexier in his eyes.
“I guess I fell asleep,” she said. “Sorry. It’s been a long day.”
Ryker smiled. “Don’t apologize. You needed the rest.”
“I don’t usually do this,” Kenzie said, sounding slightly embarrassed.
“Do what? Fall asleep after sex? Mate with a bear man? All of the above?” Ryker asked, his voice teasing.
“No, I meant I don’t normally sleep with a guy before I’ve even had a proper date with him. You’re pretty hard to resist.”
“So are you,” Ryker said.
“I guess I kind of threw caution to the wind there,” she said.
“Are you feeling guilty?” Ryker asked. “Because you shouldn’t. You should never feel guilty for giving in to feelings of love and passion. This world can be such a dark, lonely place. When you have the chance to snatch up a little light and beauty, you just have to grab onto it. You can’t stop to over think it, or to worry about whether anyone else will approve of your actions.”
Kenzie looked at him with wide eyes. “Wow. I’ve never heard anyone put it quite like that before. You’re so different from any guy I’ve ever been with. And not just because you randomly have this ability to change into a bear. Which I’m still trying to process, by the way. I still can’t believe that’s actually possible.”
Ryker shrugged. “I guess it’s strange to me that people always seem so surprised. It’s just normal for me.”
Ryker stood and poured a second mug of tea, then crossed the living room to hand it to Kenzie. He sat on the couch next to her holding his own mug, which was finally starting to cool down.
“So, I don’t mean to diminish the magic or spontaneity of the moment, but… where do we go from here?” Kenzie asked. “I mean, do you date?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“I don’t know. Because you’re a bear.”
Ryker threw his head back and laughed. “Yes, I date. I’ve never dated anyone fully human before, but I don’t think going out to grab a burger together is going to be that different just because you can’t morph into a bear.”
Kenzie shrugged and looked at Ryker sheepishly. Ryker took a deep breath and looked deep into her eyes. This was his chance. He needed to tell her how he felt. He was terrified that she was going to reject him, but he had no choice but to lay it all out there.
“Kenzie, listen, I need to tell you something. The last thing I want to do is scare you off, but I have to just lay this all out there or it’s going to eat me up inside.”
Kenzie laughed. “You already told me you’re a bear shifter. I’m not sure things could get any crazier than that.”
“I guess it depends on how you define crazy,” Ryker said, “Because I’m crazy in love with you. I know this is all happening really quickly, but I’m already convinced that you’re my soulmate.”
Ryker paused, but Kenzie merely widened her eyes and didn’t say anything, so Ryker continued.
“Bear shifters believe in the existence of soul mates. We believe that there is one perfect bear, or person, for everyone. Legend has it that once you mate with that person, a powerful bond is formed. That bond exists for the rest of your life. You are sealed together forever. You can never be with another.” Ryker took a deep breath and looked deep into Kenzie’s eyes. “Kenzie, when we made love, I felt that bond with you. You are, quite literally, my soulmate. I’m in love with you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know it might not make sense. I know it might take time for you to reach the same level of feeling as I have. But I hope that you will stay with me, and let me show you, every day, how much you mean to me and how special you are.”
Kenzie’s
eyes started welling up with tears, and, though it was obvious she was trying to fight them, they spilled over her eyelids and down her cheeks. “Ryker. Oh, Ryker,” she said. Ryker didn’t know quite how to interpret her display of emotion, so he patiently waited for her to say more.
“I felt that bond, too.”
“You did?” Ryker asked, his heart leaping in his chest with joy. Was it really possible? Was he really lucky enough that Kenzie felt the same way that he did?
Kenzie nodded. “After we made love, I lay there looking at you, and I was overcome with the most intense feelings of devotion and love I’ve ever experienced. I didn’t even know this ‘bond’ phenomenon existed, but I felt it. I felt bonded to you. I knew you were my soulmate. I didn’t want to say anything, because I was afraid you would think I was crazy. But I knew we were connected on a deeper level. I knew we were meant to be together.”
Ryker set down his mug, and tears filled his eyes, too. “My beautiful Kenzie,” he said, and reached out to caress her cheek. He leaned in to kiss her, taking in the soft skin of her lips and the sweet taste of her mouth. He wanted to make love to her again, right then and there.
But he forced himself to pull back, and to look at her with a serious expression on his face. “Listen, Kenzie, there’s one thing I need to be sure you’re aware of, if you want to be with me. Not everyone is as accepting of bear shifters as you are. Many humans, if they discover the existence of a bear shifter, will go to great lengths to eliminate him or her. It’s possible we may have to deal with witch hunts, of sorts, at times. You also need to understand that the shifter gene is a dominant gene. It is almost always passed on to offspring from someone who was born to a long line of shifters, as I was. If we have any children, they will be shifters. Are you willing to accept this?” Ryker asked, as he slid off the couch and onto one knee. “Because, if you are, Kenzie, then I don’t see any reason to wait to ask the question. Will you marry me? Will you be my life mate—mine for the rest of my life? I want nothing more than to love and protect you for as long as there is breath in my body.”
Kenzie threw her hands over her mouth and nodded, as her tears of joy reappeared and started to fall even faster. “Yes! Yes, Ryker, I will marry you. Nothing would make me happier than to be your life mate. I will proudly stand beside you, and our future children, for as long as I live.”
Ryker stood up and scooped Kenzie into his arms, letting out a whoop and twirling her around the room. He could hardly believe how much his life had changed for the better in the last twenty-four hours.
Chapter Twelve
That weekend, Ryker asked Kenzie to come with him to the Northern Lights Clan meeting in the back of Neal’s tattoo shop. Kenzie noticed that Neal raised an eyebrow when she entered the room with Ryker, but no one said anything. She sat quietly as Ryker cleared his throat and meekly addressed his alpha.
“Neal, I have a few things I would like to say, with your permission.”
Neal nodded. “You may have the floor.”
Ryker took a deep breath, and looked around the room at his brothers, the remaining members of his clan. “As you know, the last year has been a very difficult one for our clan. The months have been filled with a feeling of emptiness and sorrow, as we mourned the loss of so many of our fellow clan members. I must admit, I had begun to lose hope completely. With no prospect of love on the horizon, and the constant threat of a Blizzard attack breathing down our necks, there did not seem to be much left to live for. But then, I found Kenzie. She is fully human, but she has accepted me, and us, for who we are. She doesn’t see us as some sort of mystical freaks. She sees us as individuals worthy of love and acceptance.”
Ryker paused and slowly made eye contact with each of the men in the room before finishing his speech. “Last night, I felt the ancient bond with Kenzie, and I asked her to be my life mate. I bring her before the clan today, to humbly ask for your blessing on our bond.”
There was a long pause, which felt to Kenzie like an eternity. All of the men looked expectantly at Neal, waiting for their alpha to speak. Ryker had told Kenzie that before a bear could marry his life mate, the alpha had to approve the match. Normally, this was a formality, because most bears chose other bears for life mates, and those matches were rarely denied. But the choice of a human for a life mate raised more suspicion, and these matches were sometimes denied if the alpha thought the human was unable to properly carry the name of the clan with honor. Ryker told Kenzie he didn’t think that getting Neal’s blessing would be a problem, since Neal had given Ryker his blessing to date Kenzie. But as Kenzie sat there in the silence, waiting for Neal to reply, she suddenly started to panic. What if Neal didn’t want her to be with Ryker? She needed Ryker in her life. Even though she had been with him such a short time, she already felt that she couldn’t live without him.
She needn’t have worried though. After the space of a few long moments, Neal’s face broke into a huge grin. He looked at Kenzie and walked over to where she was sitting, taking her hand in his hand. He looked at her with his big eyes that were the same shade as Ryker’s eyes, and addressed her in his deep alpha voice. “Kenzie, our clan is indebted to you for saving Ryker. I can see that you are very brave, and understand principles of loyalty and honor. We would be privileged to welcome you into the Northern Lights Clan as Ryker’s life mate.”
Cheers erupted from the rest of the clan, and Kenzie’s face also broke into a grin. She had been accepted. She would be part of the clan! Ryker picked her up and swung her around the room again, and she laughed and squealed for him to put her down before he knocked over one of the piles of boxes near them. All of the men gave Kenzie congratulatory hugs, and she could tell that they were thrilled to have a new clan member, even if she was a human.
That evening, Kenzie went to Ryker’s cabin to celebrate with him. He got the most expensive steaks the superstore had to offer, and grilled them up for her. He also picked up a bottle of wine, which was a rare treat for Kenzie. The wine here in Glacier Point was all on the pricey side. Supposedly, importing it was costly and the storeowners didn’t sell enough to really make it worth their while. So, a good steak and a glass of red wine was a big, extravagant feast for Kenzie. She and Ryker ate and drank, talking and laughing until the late hours of the night. They sipped slowly, and when they had finally finished the whole bottle of wine. Kenzie stood and took the wine glasses to the sink, rinsing them out. Ryker came and stood behind her, putting his arms around her and pressing against her so she could feel his rigid erection.
“You look so delicious,” he whispered in her ear, bending his head down to nibble on her earlobe. “I want to take you right here and now. I’ve been dreaming about being inside of you all night.”
Kenzie smirked. “Have you now? Well, then, why don’t you take me?”
Ryker didn’t need to be told twice. He slid his hands down to the button on Kenzie’s jeans and made quick work of unbuttoning and unzipping her jeans, then sliding them down around her ankles. He unzipped his own jeans and slid them down as well. Then he slid Kenzie’s panties and his boxers down, leaving his huge, erect dick pressing against her bare, naked ass. He slid his hand down between her legs, and the dripping moisture of her passion covered his fingers.
“You’re ready for me,” he said, his voice husky and pleased. Kenzie moaned in response, her body already tingling at the feeling of his fingers touching her. Ryker slid his dick into her from behind, the shaft going so deep that Kenzie felt it was going to tear a hole in her stomach. He was almost uncomfortably large, but this was the best kind of discomfort. He grabbed her breasts with his hands, using them to anchor himself against her as he thrust into her over and over from behind. He arched his back, sending his penis even deeper into Kenzie’s body. She cried out over and over as his movements built a crescendo of pressure and heat in her body.
“Ryker, I can’t hold it in anymore,” she cried out, her voice raw and full of passion.
“Come for me, baby
. Come for me!” he roared, holding her body captive with just his hands on her breasts and his penis inside of her. She let out a long, primitive wail and then the waves of ecstasy came crashing over her. She moaned, over and over, unable to do anything but scream at the tingling, hot sensation that he had sent pouring through her body. She felt him let go and come inside of her, the warmth of his orgasm filling her. The trembling spasms of his penis pulsed against her inner walls, sending aftershocks of pleasure all through her. As their orgasms slowed, Ryker pulled out of her and spun her around, planting a kiss on her forehead.
She smiled up at him as he gave her a wink.
“How’s that for after-dinner entertainment?” he asked.
“Not too shabby. I could get used to that.”
“Don’t tempt me,” he said with a low growl, lowering his eyes seductively in her direction. Kenzie just laughed and snuggled her head into his chest. He always smelled so good, like a fresh snowfall. Since the day she’d met him, she’d wanted to hold on tight and never let him go. And now, she could. He was all hers, for all of time.
* * *
The next day, all of the Northern Lights Clan came to Ryker’s cabin for dinner. He got more steaks, and even more wine, declaring the evening a celebration of better times ahead for the Northern Lights bears. He told Kenzie that he wanted to start living life again, instead of just existing. And he wanted his fellow clan members to join him in his optimistic viewpoint.
As the evening wore on, Kenzie realized that she was happier than she had been in a very long time. She was certainly happier than she had been since she moved to Alaska. She had missed feeling like she was part of a group of close friends, and the Northern Lights Clan gave her back that feeling. In fact, hanging out with them was even more intimate than hanging out with friends. It was like being part of a tight-knit family.
BEARing The Frozen Night (Ice Bear Shifters Book 1) Page 7