Desired by the Bear Book 2: Werebear Romance

by V. Vaughn

  “I don’t mind,” I glance at him. “I want to be clingy right now too.”

  When we get outside of Izzy’s house, the cool breeze dances on my skin like a silk veil, and I revel in being in my own body again. I’m aware of small things like the way the earth feels beneath my feet and how my muscles flex and extend as I climb into René’s truck. He grabs my hand the moment we’re both settled, and he doesn’t let go until we get home. He also doesn’t speak, and I think he’s giving me time to process what happened before I share. When he turns off the engine he says, “I’m going to come get you and carry you inside, and you’re going to let me.”

  René’s muscular arms ripple under me as he carries me into our home as if I’m a new bride. I gaze up at him and think about how in a way I am, because tonight I plan to seal our bond for life. His footsteps thud across the hardwood floor of our kitchen before he sets me down on the counter and steps back to smile at me. “Damn you look good right there.”

  I chuckle as my stomach growls, and René raises his eyebrows. Considering my physical self was unconscious while I was in Caitlyn I’ve missed a few meals. I recall the first time he cooked for me and how I was sitting naked in this same spot. I ask, “Does this mean you’re cooking for me?”

  “I am. Tomato and cheese omelet?”

  I nod, and cabinet doors click as he gathers what he needs. When he’s done cooking he hops up on the counter to sit next to me and we eat off the same plate. I savor the cheesy goodness as I begin to replay what I just endured. I swallow my mouthful and say, “I have a good mental map of the Eradicator’s camp and how they do things. Their training isn’t bad, and women are definitely the weak link. They treat them like crap.”

  René’s fork clatters on the plate and he gazes at me intently. “Did anything happen to you?”

  “No. But Caitlyn and her friend Linda were responsible for the meals as if the men were above it. They get less training, and less support overall. I also wouldn’t be surprised it they’re easily sacrificed in a battle.”

  I take another bite of egg as protein begins to satiate my hunger. René says, “Interesting. That’s probably why we don’t see many female hunters.”

  “Caitlyn didn’t like being part of the group, and I think she may have been forced to be there. And she’s not the only one that may not have chosen the Eradicators.” I replay a scene where a young boy was beaten when he tried to rebel against an order. “It was a rough crew, and many of the things that happened didn’t sit well with Caitlyn.”

  René moves our food out of the way and takes my arms. “That could be. She was raised in this clan before she ran–or rather, was sent away. When we question her tomorrow we’ll find out a lot more.”

  “I’d like to be there.” I shrug. “It seems strange considering she’s a hunter, but I want to help her.”

  “What was it like being inside her?”

  “I could hear her every thought and experience what was happening to her. When she met up with Julie, she was hoping to reconnect with the woman she thought of as a mother, and she had hope that her father and siblings missed her. But Julie squashed it down and told her that Jean Luc would have killed her when he found out she was a half living in the clan, and that Henri would have turned her over to him if he’d known. Caitlyn already hated werebear for the injustice, and now she thinks Henri is a monster.” I sigh as I think about how that hatred was put aside and her werebear family won when it came down to life and death for Julie. “But. She did put her life on the line to save Julie. I think there’s a good heart inside Caitlyn.” I recall how people like Annie Le Roux believed in me when I needed a friend. I say, “I think she needs someone in her corner.”

  “You can be there.” René cups my chin in his palm, and I let the warmth of our connection rush through all the way to my toes. His voice gets husky. “I need to be with you, Nadia.” He kisses me tenderly, and our tongues only meet briefly before he pulls away to say, “I need for us to seal our bond.”

  “Me too.” I press my thumb hard along his jaw and drag it down to his throat and over to the hollow of his shoulder where I plan to bite him. His pulse jumps under my touch, and I gaze up at my true mate. His eyes are like deep pools of blue water, but it’s not only lust darkening them. I can see it’s much more as I say, “I’m so in love with you, René.”

  His bear flashes in his eyes, and I think he’s imagining the way he’ll mark me. “I love you, too.”

  René hops off the counter, and moves toward me as if he’s going to carry me to the bedroom. But I stand too, because I need him to know I’ll be an equal. I take his hand as I say, “We’ll walk through our life together, each leaning on the other when it’s necessary. You’ve been so strong for me, and I need you to know I’ll be strong for you.”

  “There was never a doubt in my mind.” René says as we make our way to the bedroom.

  When he begins to undress I reach for his waistband. “Let me.” I want to worship the man who wants to be by my side for the rest of my life, and the button on his pants is hot with the heat of his body as I unfasten it. I lower to my knees as I drag his clothing down his legs, and when he steps out I slide my hands up his powerful legs to grip his firm butt. His cock is thick and pulses with need as I inhale his powerful musk. I take him in my mouth to fill myself with my mate.

  René holds my head and threads his fingers through my hair as he pumps into me. His growl forms as a low vibration in his chest that travels to my core, and I heat up from the sounds he makes before he begins to lose control. I work to bring him to the brink of an orgasm before I move away to shove him onto the bed. His body bounces beneath me as I climb on to straddle his hips. I say, “Hold on, baby. Hold on tight.”

  He growls when I slide down over his thick shaft to take what I want. René lets me set the pace, and he whispers words of encouragement as my climax approaches. Our bodies are in sync as the harmony of our hearts sing together. When I’m trembling on the edge he takes over and flips me onto my back. René’s jaw widens as he shifts partially and gazes down at me. His sharp teeth gleam, and I shudder in anticipation of his plan to mark me. I pant out, “So. Close.” And René latches on to my shoulder. My orgasm hits with the force of a freight train as the bite becomes the catalyst for ecstasy that is beyond comprehension. My roar might make the walls shake as I explode with my pleasure.

  René moves slowly in and out of me as I come down, and he laps at my wound to heal it quickly. Bursts of electricity seem to travel through my bite, and I imagine it’s our permanent bond forming. When I’ve recovered, René begins to move with purpose, and I let him control his rise. When he groans and tenses I let my bear come to the surface as I roll him over onto his back. I gaze down as my heart clenches with a pang of anguish when the memory of fearing I’d lost this forever flashes in my mind. I shake it off and say, “I am nothing without you, René.” His skin is salty on my tongue before I sink my bear teeth into his flesh and let the coppery heat of his blood be the final piece to seal us forever. He thrashes beneath me as his release comes with the same intensity I’d just experienced. The pleasure only I can give him.

  When he’s spent I hold him as he clutches at me, and he whispers in my ear. “I am nothing without you, Nadia.” He sighs as I lap at his bite, and my bear lets out a small growl of pride knowing that while his scar will fade, there will always be a faint mark of our true mate love for the world to see.

  23

  Tally

  My stretchy workout pants snap against my skin as I yank the legs up and let go of the material. I turn my knee in and check out my thigh in the mirror. Is that definition I see? Day-um. I’m looking hot. I lift up my arm and flex as I squeeze my bicep. Yup. There’s a muscle in there. Huh. I guess the workout thing does work.

  After pulling Nadia through the portal last night it was almost morning by the time everything was cleaned up. I have two witches sound asleep in my guest bedroom upstairs, but after a few hours of sleep I’m
awake. So I decide to go to the gym and workout. It’s become a habit, and even though Izzy’s probably going to take the morning off I still want to go. The fact that Marcel will be there to ogle from afar might be a tiny reason too.

  I make my way to the kitchen and decide to start off with a cup of my energy tea before I make an Izzy-style smoothie. Those are a habit that’s not growing on me, but she claims they’re what’s helping me gain muscle mass, so I keep on chugging the disgusting concoctions every day.

  As I wait for my water to boil, I gaze out the window. The piece of red sea glass Grace found on the beach a month ago shimmers in the sunlight. I walk over and pick it up. I understand now the message it was trying to give me had to do with Julie stealing Rachel’s baby. I realize now that the truth is out, some hearts need to be mended. Caitlyn needs to reconnect with a father who loves her, and meet her biological mother and sister. The glass is smooth in my hand as I roll it around on my palm. Rachel and Henri are true mates who were separated by a lie, and they’ve got some catching up to do. I hope Rachel finds the courage to return for the summer to give their love a chance.

  Although, Henri won’t let her stay away forever, and I expect he’ll be making sure she comes back. I sigh as I imagine love so strong that your mate would be miserable without you. My heart pangs with longing as I recall seeing Marcel last night. My feelings for him haven’t faded a bit.

  When my teakettle begins to rumble, I pull myself from my daydreams to prepare things while I wait for a full boil. As I pull down my tea tin I also grab the protein powder canister. It feels light, and the cover pops as I remove it to check and see if I have enough for this morning. I notice I do, and I set it down with a thump when my teakettle whistles.

  I’m staring out the window by my kitchen counter as my tea steeps when Bella’s voice makes me jump. The startled motion knocks the protein powder container over as she says, “Since when did you become an early bird?”

  “Damn it,” I mumble as I reach to pick up the canister, and I manage to hit my teacup too, splashing a bit of the liquid on the pile of powder. I walk over to the sink to wet a cloth as I say, “You just made me jump out of my skin.”

  “Whoa,” says Bella, and I glance at her to see her eyes are wide. She’s pointing to the counter where I made a mess. I turn to discover a green mist rising as the mix of my tea and powder bubble. They emit a low hissing sound now.

  “Whoa is right,” I say. “That shouldn’t be happening unless...” That’s magic. Since my tea is something I make from my own herbs, the protein powder has to be the culprit.

  Bella says, “One of those things has been spelled.” She glances at me. “You don’t think someone got to your tea do you?”

  “No. It’s the protein powder.” I think about how Izzy said it came from Marcel because some company wanted to sponsor him so he’d recommend it to people at the gym. If it was spelled to make him a portal, that would explain a lot. I say, “I need to call Izzy.”

  My phone is slippery in my hand, and I’m shaking from my discovery. I’m not sure I want to know how many other werebear have been drinking the spelled powder and who else might have become a portal. Because while I think one needs to be magical to be a portal, when something is spelled that factor could be overridden. And the fact I’ve been drinking it too probably magnifies the effects making it likely anyone ingesting it could suck me in.

  When my friend answers in a groggy voice, I don’t waste time with niceties. “Izzy, do not drink any more of Marcel’s protein powder. It’s been spelled.”

  “What? Wait.” She clears her throat. “Oh my god. I started drinking it to help gain weight only a few days ago. That must be why I became your portal.”

  “You need to tell everyone Marcel might have given it to.”

  “Hang on while I let Jean Luc know.”

  I wait as Izzy informs her husband so he can quickly send a telepathic message to the whole clan. She speaks again. “Wow. I wonder who spelled it?”

  “I don’t know.” I glance over at Bella who’s scraping some of the green goop into a small wooden bowl, and I think she’s planning origin spells in her head. I say, “Bella is already working on it, and I have no doubt Kimi will join her.”

  “Sounds like a busy day at your house. Any idea how long the spell lasts?”

  “Not really, but if it’s in a daily drink I bet it’s not long.”

  “You know what this means, don’t you?” asks Izzy. I think I know what she’s going to say, but I wait for her to speak in case I’m being too wishful. She says, “You and Marcel. You could be a thing.”

  A huge grin covers my face as I think about the kiss I shared with the sexy werebear. “Yeah. Maybe we could.” While it can’t be forever, I’m dying to scratch that itch, and I know Marcel is too.

  “No maybes about it. I’ve seen how he looks at you.” She singsongs the next words. “Tally’s gonna get some lovin’.”

  I chuckle. “Stop. There’s a whole lot we need to find out before I start anything up with Marcel.”

  “Uh-huh. Keep me posted on how that goes. Going to the gym this morning to watch him?”

  I glance down at my attire. “You really are the worst.”

  “Am not. And I’ll meet you there. Bye.”

  She hangs up before I can protest. I turn to Bella and ask, “Do you mind if I go workout for an hour before I help?” She waves me off without looking. Bella is a mad scientist at times, and I know she doesn’t want my help until she’s exhausted all she knows. I say, “Thanks. I should be back before Kimi wakes up.”

  I step out of my house into sunshine, blooming flowers, and the sweet scent of my lilac trees. There are even birds chirping as if they know how happy I am that I may get a chance at love with Marcel. And when I get to the gym I practically glide through the door. I glance around until I spy Marcel. He’s over by the free weights and must have noticed me come in, because he’s grinning my way. I give him a little wave as I smile back.

  Marcel saunters over, and my breathing gets shallow as he gets closer. “Tally.”

  He stops are few feet away. “Marcel. So you heard the news?”

  He nods and licks his lips as his gaze peruses my body. “How long until I can get my hands on you?”

  I inhale quickly and blow out the breath. “Brazen. I like it.”

  He banters right back. “Thought you might.”

  My cheeks have to be flaming based on the heat I feel beneath my skin, but I try to play it cool. “I’m not sure. But you’ll be one of the first to know.”

  “Good.” He winks at me and my knees get weak as he says, “See you later.”

  I offer my small wave and turn around to take one step before I slam right into René’s huge chest. “Tally. I see you were just warming up.”

  “I--” I slap at him when I realize he’s teasing me. “You shouldn’t pick on the woman who got your true mate back.”

  He chuckles. “You’re right. Thank you for that.”

  I notice the pink scar on his neck from a bite. “Looks like someone just bonded. Nice.”

  Now René sports the goofy grin as he rubs his scar and leaves the real world for a moment. “Yeah.” He blinks to focus on me. “Let’s get your workout started before you die of spontaneous combustion.”

  Too late. Because my fantasies about Marcel are about to explode.

  24

  Izzy

  The seal on a plastic bag snaps shut as I slide my fingers over it and encase the tainted canister of protein powder. Tally wants to test each one to make sure nobody slips through the cracks. While it’s pretty safe to assume we all received the same spell, the Ouellette clan medicine woman is thorough. I smile as I recall Tally this morning. She was practically drooling as Marcel worked out with free weights in front of her elliptical. And it was clear he was doing it for her benefit by the way he’d glance over to make sure she was watching. Those two take raging hormones to a new level.

  I take my smoot
hie made from yogurt, peanut butter and fruit to wander over to the French doors that lead to our deck, and I let myself outside. Grace keeps bird feeders full of seed, and I sit on a chair to watch the chickadees that are taking turns, while one calls out in a sound that mimics his name. René and Nadia were adorable today too. They sealed their true mate bond last night, and I’m glad she’s found happiness.

  There’s so much love going around right now I can’t help but think about Henri, and my heart aches for him. Not only is he dealing with two teenagers who are learning to control their new ability to shift, they have to be missing their mother too. While she was no picnic, I do think she was good to her kids. I know him well enough to realize that while he’s got to be thinking about reconnecting with Rachel, his kids adjusting to their new family life will come first. He’s also got Kelsey and Caitlyn to deal with. Kelsey will be easy, but Caitlyn is another matter. Once Henri heard about Caitlyn being back he rushed to her side. Despite his explanation of how they tried to find her, which I think Julie sabotaged, Caitlyn wasn’t willing to open her heart to her father, and I’m sure he’s suffering because of it.

  I tilt my head back to soak up the sun’s warmth. I’m tired from lack of sleep, and I think about getting up to take a nap when Jean Luc comes out to join me. He asks, “How was your workout this morning?”

  “Good. Tally and Marcel were burning up with lust, René and Nadia have scars on their necks from bonding, and I think I may have even raised my heart rate with exercise.”

  He chuckles. “Grace will be so happy to get the gossip later.” He lowers himself to the chair across from me and sighs.

  My mate has a lot on his mind. They didn’t catch Julie, and while she’s probably not going to return, I think Henri would like the closure of knowing she’s gone forever. Fortunately Jean Luc can declare him divorced from the evil woman to make Henri free to pursue Rachel when he’s ready. I guess he wants to talk about what to do with Caitlyn, so I ask, “Are you off to see Caitlyn soon?”