She melted into Finn as he ran his strong hands up and down her back, feeling every inch of it as his tongue massaged her tongue. The relief and pleasure that came from giving in to their desires was immense. Sophia felt a heady rush of satisfaction as Finn pressed his hips upward against hers, letting her feel the massive erection he already had.
Somewhere way in the back of her mind, Sophia’s logical side tried one last time to warn her that she should be careful, and that sleeping with a potential lifemate could have long-lasting implications. But Sophia pushed away the voice, choosing to focus instead on the bliss of the moment.
And what bliss it was! Finn’s hands were traveling down to her ass now, squeezing tightly and pushing her firmly into his erection. Sophia could feel how huge he was, even through their thick sweatpants, and she let out a little moan of anticipation. Her body was already tingling from the anticipation, and between her legs she could feel hot liquid desire as her body prepared itself for him.
Finn moved with hungry urgency, and yet, he took his time. There was no rush. Neither of them had to be anywhere in particular today. They would take their time satisfying the immense sexual appetite that had been building between them. Sophia reached her own hands up to run them through Finn’s thick, dark hair. His hair was surprisingly soft, and she let her hands linger there for a long time as he continued to kiss her and run his hands across her body.
The room felt hot, and Sophia could see little beads of perspiration starting to form on Finn’s forehead. The heat wasn’t coming from the fireplace, though. It was coming from between their bodies, from the passion they felt for each other. Sophia could feel her body tingling, and a delicious pressure was building within her. She was dripping wet between her legs now, and she moaned again as she imagined what it would feel like to have Finn inside of her.
As if sensing her growing hunger and impatience, he pushed her up so they were both in a sitting position, her in his lap. Then he reached for the hem of her sweatshirt, pulling it up and over her head. Her chest rose and fell rapidly with her excited breath as he took in her breasts. He grunted in approval, and then moved his mouth so that his lips covered one of her hard, alert nipples. With his other hand, he reached for the other nipple, twisting it firmly between his thumb and forefinger. The authoritative motion sent ripples of ecstasy through Sophia’s body, and she closed her eyes as she let the feeling wash over her. Her logical mind was quiet now. There was no turning back now, and it had given up trying to convince her to stop.
Finn spent a long time pleasuring Sophia’s nipples. He occasionally moved his mouth up to her neck, sucking and nibbling the soft skin there for a few moments to give her breasts a moment to recover. Sophia’s body was a mixture of burning fire and tingling electricity. She had never been so on edge with desire before.
Eventually, Finn pulled back and took his own sweatshirt off, letting Sophia see his broad, sculpted chest. She let her finger draw a line from his neck down to his navel, and then traced the lines of his six pack. He never took his eyes from her, breathing heavily as he let her explore his body. Sophia, still sitting on his lap, could feel his erection poking at her through their pants. And she was done with waiting for it. With every breath she took, she was becoming more and more desperate to have it inside of her.
Finn must have felt the same. He gently stood, lifting her off of him as he did and then setting her down on the couch. He stepped quickly out of his sweatpants, giving Sophia a full view of his thick, stiff member. He was larger than anything Sophia had ever seen, truly a grizzly of man in every sense of the word. She felt a fresh rush of heat as she took in the view, trembling with the anticipation of what was soon to come.
Finn let her look, his face proud and confident. He knew that what he had to offer was good, and he made no attempt to be humble. After a few moments, he reached down and tugged her pants off of her. Sophia wriggled right and left to help him get them off, and then sat naked and trembling before him on the couch. This was it. She was about to go all in with Finn, and her body already felt like it was going to explode from the pressure building within her.
Finn pushed her backward onto the couch, then quickly climbed over her. He paused for a moment with his erection poised just above her pelvis, and looked at her. His eyes searched hers, silently asking her if she was okay. His tender expression said so much. He would stop now, if she asked him to. He wanted her to feel safe, and protected. She looked back at him with reassuring eyes. Yes, she wanted this. She wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything else in her life. He gave a little nod, and then he slowly slid into her.
He took his time, and Sophia was glad he did. He was so large that he pushed against her internal walls, stretching and filling her in a way that no one ever had before. Sophia closed her eyes and moaned, letting the sensation wash over her. After giving her a few moments to adjust to his size, Finn started moving quicker, rocking his hips up and down faster and faster until the pressure and tingling in Sophia’s body was too much to bear. Her breathing grew rapid and intense, and she squeezed her eyes shut tightly as she let out a scream of pleasure and then found her release. A rush of ecstasy filled her as her body gave in to Finn. Her inner muscles clenched hungrily around his dick, and each spasm sent a fresh wave of tingling heat across her body. The experience was like nothing she had ever had before, and she wanted it to go on forever.
Finn grunted happily as he looked down at her, pleased with the response he had drawn out of her. Then he closed his eyes again and thrust into her trembling body, faster and harder, until moments later he stiffened and let out a loud roar. Sophia could feel him pulsing into her, filling her, and making them one. She felt weak and spent as he finished and then gently pulled out of her, but it was good kind of weak. She had given him her all, and he had responded by doing the same. Sophia felt an intense warmth in her core, a burning fire like nothing she had ever experienced before. She closed her eyes and snuggled against Finn as he wrapped his arms around her.
She knew what that fire in her core was. It was the lifemate bond. She and Finn were meant for each other, and now they were bonded. They had both suspected it. They had both known this was a possibility. Sophia knew she should feel anxious right now, worried about how being bonded to someone whose life was so different than hers was ever going to work out.
But, in the afterglow of the sweetest, most intense lovemaking she had ever experienced, there was no room for worry. She could think of nothing else except how good she felt right now, and how strong and warm Finn’s arms felt as they held her close. She would worry tomorrow. She would sort through all of her confused and frightened feelings later.
Right now, all she wanted to do was match her breath to the steady breathing of the handsome grizzly shifter who was so tenderly holding her in his muscular embrace.
Chapter Eight
The sun rose into a bright, clear sky the next morning. Finn woke up to its light streaming through his window, and immediately his thoughts turned to Sophia. He smiled lazily for a brief moment, but then quickly sat up in a panic as he felt fear grip his heart. What had he done? He’d opened his heart to a woman he had suspected was his lifemate. Now, he knew for sure that she was. He’d bonded to her, and that meant he would always be connected to her. He would always love her.
And he would always be terrified of losing her.
Finn threw off the thick comforter he’d been sleeping under and made his way anxiously to the kitchen, where he started brewing a pot of extra strong coffee. He ran his fingers through his hair while he stared out his kitchen window, and he tried to make sense of the situation.
Sophia had been amazing. She was beautiful, sweet, and perfectly in tune with him as they made love together. He had known there was a chance of forming a lifemate bond, and she had too. But they both had pushed away the possibility, choosing to give in to the overwhelming desire they had for each other and to worry about the consequences later.
Now i
t was later, and Finn felt like a deer in headlights as he stared down the future. He’d managed to avoid thinking about it too much yesterday. He and Sophia had basked in the afterglow of the moment, snuggling together and then shifting back into bear form to run with joy through the woods back to his snowmobile. Later, when he dropped her off back in front of the cabin where she was staying, they had been like giddy teenagers, kissing goodbye a dozen times before actually parting ways. Finn would have loved to spend the whole night with her, but she had a family dinner, and he hadn’t felt comfortable intruding. He’d gone home with the promise to call her the next day, and he had watched a few movies at home before falling into a blissful, contented sleep.
The bright light of morning was leaving him feeling a whole lot less contented. It’s not that he didn’t want to be with Sophia. He did, with desperation. But he hadn’t opened his heart to anyone for so long that he felt naked, raw, and exposed. He didn’t know how to handle the emotions rushing through him right now. And to make things worse, she lived in San Francisco. How could they stay together long-term when their lives were in two different places?
Finn poured himself a huge mug of coffee and leaned against the kitchen counter as he took a long sip. He briefly considered whether he could move to San Francisco. Surely, he could find work as a chef there. But he hated to give up Finn’s Bar. He loved that place, and so did all the people of Frost Peak. If being with Sophia meant he had to move, though, what other choice did he have? He had bonded to her. She was his lifemate. He had to do right by her, and he knew his bear would never be happy without her. He didn’t feel right asking her to move to Frost Peak. She already seemed uncomfortable just being here for the month of December. He couldn’t imagine the look on her face if he asked her to stay here forever.
She might surprise you, a little voice in his head said. He pushed it away. He didn’t want to get his hopes up. If there’s one thing Finn was good at, it was being pessimistic. And there were so many ways this whole situation could go wrong that his inner pessimist was going to have an absolute field day with it.
Finn took another long sip of his coffee and glanced up at the digital clock on the wall. The clock was one of the few computerized items in his home. He had tried to keep things simple, and use old, non-computerized appliances whenever he could. But his old clock had finally broken, and it was impossible to find any appliances these days that weren’t mini-supercomputers in their own right.
The clock currently read 7:22. Finn sighed. He had volunteered to help with the Christmas Tree ceremony that would take place today, but he wasn’t due to be at the town square until nine. He still had a lot of time to sit around and worry about Sophia.
They hadn’t discussed yesterday when they would see each other again, but he knew she would be at the tree ceremony today. The whole town would be there. It was one of the biggest events of the year, and preparations had been in process for months. At ten, Sawyer would do his duty as alpha and dedicate the tree. Then the townspeople would decorate it together. Ladders would be set up so adults could place ornaments at the top of the giant pine, and the children would take care of decorating the bottom. Hot chocolate and mulled wine would be freely flowing, and at noon everyone would break for a feast in the town hall building. It would be buffet style, with contributions from nearly every family in Frost Peak. The afternoon would be full of dancing, games, and other merriment.
Finn’s Bar would still open today, but late. And he never served food on the day of the Christmas Tree ceremony. He had learned years ago that it was pointless to prep food for the evening after the ceremony. Everyone was always still stuffed from the feast, so he would at most sell two or three meals. It wasn’t worth the trouble. What people did want after the ceremony, however, was a place to hang out and drink with their friends and family. Finn’s Bar was often open well past its usual closing time on the night of the Christmas Tree Ceremony.
Finn couldn’t help but smile. He knew he’d be exhausted by the end of the night, but he did love this day. Even though he could be a Grinch about the holidays sometimes, it was impossible not to get swept up in the festive, happy atmosphere of the tree ceremony. He thought of Sophia, and his smile widened. She had no idea what a treat she was in for today.
Finn drained the rest of his coffee cup and put it in the sink, then decided he would get dressed and head out to town square early. He needed something to keep his mind occupied, and there would probably be some job out there that they needed help with. If he could surround himself with busy work and festive company, perhaps he could push back the worries of his heart for just a bit longer.
Besides, he couldn’t help but hold out the smallest bit of hope that the ceremony today might give Sophia a glimpse of how wonderful life in a small shifter town could truly be. Big cities had their benefits, true. But there was nothing quite like Christmas in Frost Peak.
* * *
“This holiday season is a very special one for me,” Sawyer said, his loud voice booming across the Town square. “I managed to convince several of my favorite shifter clans to join me for a holiday reunion right here in Frost Peak. I’d like to take a moment now to recognize them. As many of you know, these clans have fought alongside of us through many difficult attacks on shifters. Their efforts have allowed all of you to live here in peace now, without fear of being attacked or persecuted just for being who you are.”
Finn watched as the gathered crowd cheered. His eyes came to rest on the back of Sophia’s head. She was standing near the front, with her parents and their clan. Finn hadn’t spoken to her today, other than a text to say “Good Morning,” which she had replied to with a simple “Good Morning” of her own.
The mood in town square was, of course, festive. Everyone was dressed in shades of red and green, and several people wore Santa hats. The towering Christmas tree was already set up in the center of the square, and it had already been decorated with strings of lights, although the lights would not be turned on until Sawyer finished his dedication.
“This reunion has been a long time coming,” Sawyer continued. “I know many of you already know and love the clans who have traveled here for this holiday season. But I will introduce them to give them the honor they deserve. First, I would like to introduce the Northern Lights clan from Glacier Point. With us today, is their alpha, Neal, and his lifemate Christine. They are joined by their clan elders, Ryker and his lifemate Kenzie, Eric and his lifemate Delaney, Tyler and his lifemate Kat, Alan and his lifemate Hannah, James and his lifemate Alexis, and Seth and his lifemate Chloe.”
Loud cheers rose from the crowd again as the Northern Lights shifters joined Sawyer on the stage. Finn always felt a sense of awe when he watched these bears. They were getting up in years, but they still stood tall and strong. Their graying hair and deepening wrinkles only added to the sense of respect one felt when watching them.
“We also have the Burning Claws Clan here, all the way from California,” Sawyer said. “Their alpha, Ian, is joined by his lifemate Charlotte. Their elders are Hunter and his lifemate Riley, Luke and his lifemate River, Trevor and his lifemate Bailey, Zach and his lifemate Mindy, and Carter and his lifemate Clara.”
More cheers went up as the Burning Claws Clan took the stage. Finn watched as Zach dragged Sophia up to the stage with him. He could see her trying to protest, but her dad insisted. Finn chuckled. Sophia really did not like the spotlight. But she looked so lovely up there, standing between her parents and dressed in a shimmering red jacket and dark wash skinny jeans. She had a knit white hat on with a giant fluffy pom-pom on top, which added to the fun feel of her outfit.
“God, you’re lovely,” Finn whispered under his breath. At just that moment, her eyes found him in the crowd. It was almost as if she’d heard him calling to her. For a moment, the hundreds of other people gathered in the square disappeared, and Finn could only see Sophia. There was no question they were bonded. There was no question they cared for each other.
And there was no question that he was scared shitless by this whole situation.
Thankfully, Sawyer’s booming voice continued on with introductions, and Finn could distract himself again. Sawyer was introducing the Panda Shifters—Ace and Jade, Lance and Caroline, Brett and Aubrey, and Ben and Rhythm. The crowd roared once again. The Panda Shifters lived in Kodiak, closer than the other clans, so they were very well-known in Frost Peak. Next, Sawyer acknowledged his own right-hand men, Anderson and Chance, along with their lifemates, Lexi and Emily. The small, makeshift wooden stage was nearly full as all of the shifters crowded onto it. It was quite a sight to see. The shifters on the stage represented many of the biggest shifter heroes of this century. Finn felt his heart swell with pride and gratitude that he was lucky enough to know them. And, as his eyes once again found their way to Sophia, he couldn’t help but wonder what it might be like to be married to one of their daughters.
The noise and cheers in town square where overwhelming, but Sawyer wasn’t done yet. He raised his hands to quiet the crowd, and when they had finally calmed, he spoke once again.
“This year, in addition to the elders of our generation, we are privileged to have with us the Fur Coat Society Clan. As most of you know, this group of shifters, from different clans and backgrounds, found a cure for the bear flu, and brought the most recent war on shifters to an end. We owe them our very lives, and I am honored to have them here today. Their alpha, Grant, is the son of the Northern Lights alpha. His beautiful lifemate, Storm, is, of course, my daughter. I don’t think a father’s heart could be any more proud than I am of these two.”
To say that the crowd roared as Grant and Storm took the stage would be a gross understatement. Sawyer gave Grant a big hug with a firm clap on the back, then got a huge hug and kiss on the cheek from his daughter Storm, who was holding her own daughter, Ella, in her arms. Finn felt his heart twist inside of him as he watched. He had a hard time watching adult children be affectionate with their parents. It always reminded him of what he’d missed out on with his own parents. He couldn’t help wondering what his parents would have been doing today, and how amazing it would be to still have them in his life. Finn bit his lip hard to try to bite back the tears. It would not do to cry. He had a reputation as a tough, calloused loner to uphold. Besides, he didn’t want anyone’s sympathy.
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