by Lacey Thorn
“Mine.”
Chapter Eighteen
They didn’t leave the cabin for three days. Daniel showed her just how creative he could be when it came to positions they could use for sexual pleasure that wouldn’t place her on her back pinned by his weight. Ariel enjoyed every one of them. They made love in the shower, on the bathroom counter, the kitchen counter, the table, and anywhere else one of them decided they couldn’t wait any longer. Turned out, once introduced to her mate’s touch, Ariel was as insatiable as Daniel seemed to be.
They made love then ate. They showered then made love. They slept then made love. And not one nightmare crept in to steal her breath or leave her shaking while sleep eluded her. Daniel’s arms held her while she slept and were still around her when she woke. He constantly reached for her, pulling her to his lap, to his chest, into his side. He stroked her hair, her skin, her very soul. He said he loved her then showed her the truth in his words in a million different ways. And she cursed the time she’d wasted running from him in fear.
“Are you sure you want to get dressed today?” Daniel murmured as he skimmed his lips over the mark he’d left on her. It sent a shiver through her. It always did, and Daniel had a habit of caressing her there often.
“I think we could both use some fresh air.” She dropped a kiss on his mouth then pulled away before it could get too heated. “And food that isn’t cold by the time we get around to eating it.”
He laughed. “I didn’t hear you complaining.”
“Never.”
There was a pounding on the door before they could say anything else, and Gabriel’s voice boomed from the other side.
“I’m here to see if the two of you are still alive or if you’ve fu—screwed yourselves to death.”
Ariel finished pulling on her shirt then strode over and opened the door while Daniel finished dressing.
“Don’t clean your language up on my account,” she offered as Gabriel strode inside.
“Jesus,” Gabriel muttered. “Open a fucking window.”
“Jealous, brother?” Daniel quipped as he rose to his feet.
“Hardly. My mate didn’t…” He cut himself off when Daniel started laughing.
“Yes, she did. As I recall, you managed to clear things up on Holloway land, too. Hell, Laramie will probably never let us live that down.”
“Nope. I’d say you both owe me at this point.”
Ariel glanced up at the alpha of the Holloway den. Laramie stayed outside the open door. His nose twitched, and one brow lifted as he paused at the edge of the porch.
“If you two will get a move on, I wanted to meet with you for a bit this morning. Go over a few things. Holt, Koby, and Slade are already waiting for us in the office.”
Ariel didn’t comment, knowing Laramie was speaking to Daniel and Gabriel. Besides, Daniel would tell her whatever was discussed when she saw him later. Gabriel moved by her, heading out to join Laramie on the porch. His hand brushed her shoulder on the way out, giving her a squeeze of affection.
“See you later, little sister.” He lifted his gaze behind her. “Daniel, hurry your ass up. And open a fucking window.”
Laramie and Gabriel walked off together, chuckling, but Ariel was focused on her mate. She knew the moment he stepped behind her, felt the heat of his body before he lowered his head to brush a kiss over the place where her T-shirt hid his mark. She leaned her head to the side, offering her neck, and he nibbled kisses up toward her ear.
“Going to open the windows?”
“Fuck, no,” he grumbled against her skin. “I love the smell in the air.” He inhaled deeply. “You. Me. Sex. I can’t imagine anything better.”
She turned in his arms, wrapping her hands around his neck. “I couldn’t agree more.” She lifted on her toes, and he met her, lips meshing and opening so tongues could play.
“Daniel!” Gabriel bellowed his name from outside, and Ariel couldn’t stop the giggle that rose in her throat.
“Have I mentioned how big a pain in the ass my brother can be?”
“Go,” she urged. “I’ll be right behind you.”
“Come with me now.”
She pointed to her feet. “Some of us haven’t had time to put our shoes on yet. Go! Before they come back here yelling some more. I’ll be right behind you.”
Daniel dropped another heated kiss on her lips then took off at a jog. She kept her eyes glued to him until he was out of sight. He was hers. All hers. And she was completely in love with him. The man continued to show her his ability to put her needs first. It made her feel guilty in some ways. Until she saw his eyes and the need for her that he did nothing to hide. The love for her. She’d learned she could be a mate, but she still doubted she was worthy of him.
It took a few minutes more for her to throw on her socks and shoes then she grabbed a jacket and headed out the door, shutting it tightly behind her so the scent of sex would continue to linger. She liked the idea of it greeting them when the returned, reminding them both of how they’d spent the last few days. How she wanted to spend the rest of their lives.
“Hey. I see you came out for air.”
Ariel glanced up and saw Rissa. The other woman kept throwing glances back at the house as if watching for someone.
“I heard Laramie say Slade was in his office. In case that’s who you were watching for.”
Rissa laughed. “Busted. I swear the man shows up everywhere I go.”
“That can’t be a hardship. He’s good looking, seems like a nice guy, and he’s a Holloway. I’ve heard that name carries weight with your kind.”
“My kind?” Rissa questioned.
“Bear shifters,” Ariel explained.
“Oh, I thought you meant women.”
Ariel shrugged. “I haven’t seen him glancing anyone’s way but yours since we’ve been here. Is that it? He’s too much of a flirt? Or a lady’s man?”
Rissa shook her head. “No, he’s actually a great guy.”
“And obviously into you.”
“I have no idea why I find it so easy to talk to you,” Rissa groused. “I usually keep my lips sealed when it comes to my personal life.”
Ariel shrugged. “I’m the same way. I tend to keep as much of a distance from others as I can. Which isn’t always easy in our pride.”
“I’m learning it’s not easy with this den, either. Especially with a man like Slade. Look, I’d love to chat, which shocks the hell out of me, but I gather you left your cabin for a reason that brought you to the main lodge, and I really need a walk.”
“A walk sounds good,” Ariel offered, finding she really enjoyed the other woman’s company. It was a first for her. She wasn’t really close to any of the women in the pride. Vic, maybe, but even they weren’t really friends. “Mind if I tag along?”
“Have you seen much of the land here?” Rissa asked as they set off.
Ariel was content to let the other woman set the pace. “No. We haven’t left the cabin in the last few days.”
“Lucky bitch,” Rissa groused, tossing a grin at Ariel.
“I got the distinct impression Slade would offer you the same.”
Rissa’s face bloomed with color. “Don’t I know it.”
“But?” Ariel prompted.
Rissa shook her head again. “Do you know much about the Holloways?”
“Seven brothers. Their father was killed by hunters, and Gabriel returned his body to them. They were attacked again after that and thought they’d lost all the females in the den. Turns out they were wrong. And you’re from a den in Washington where Laramie’s mate, Emersyn, is from. Right?”
“That’s the short version,” Rissa agreed. “Neither den realized the other existed. My brother and I headed here when we found out Em was here. We didn’t know she was a Kodiak bear then. We thought she was human, but she was already our alpha. At least, the only one we were willing to recognize.”
“You would accept a human as your alpha?” Ariel couldn’t imagi
ne that.
“We’d follow Em anywhere,” Rissa swore. “And did. Unfortunately, my brother Adam and I picked up a passenger on the way. Our cousin, Natalie, who had her own agenda. She tried to kidnap Em’s daughter.”
“What happened?”
“Em killed her.” Rissa grinned. “She did a full shift into the biggest, baddest Kodiak bear I’ve ever seen. It was incredible. We’d known there was something different about her. But knowing and seeing are two different things. She’s our alpha. Laramie demanded a mating right then, with Em covered in Natalie’s blood. Jesus! Sexual energy filled the air between them. I think we were all a little scorched by it. They said the words to make them mates, and that was that. Now, we’re all part of the Holloway den.”
“But?” Ariel prompted again.
“Have you ever looked at someone and thought that no matter how much you want him, you’ll never be worthy of him?” Rissa’s words were soft, but her eyes held torment.
“Yeah,” Ariel agreed with a nod. “My mate. I…forced him away from the moment we met. Any time he was around, I’d hide until he was gone again. He started going out on road trips, searching for hunters and rescuing shifters. He…he almost died. I almost lost him because I let that fear control me.”
“I wouldn’t have guessed that from looking at the two of you, but I guess that explains hiding away for three days.”
Ariel couldn’t contain her grin.
“Did I mention you were a lucky bitch?” Rissa asked, but she was smiling too.
“Yes, you did, but you know you aren’t responsible for what your cousin attempted. Right?”
“Yes, and if it were only her, I’d get past it. But there are things he doesn’t know about me. Things I’m not sure he’d understand.”
“If I’ve learned anything from my mate, it’s that they can be more understanding and aware than we give them credit for,” Ariel admitted. Her gaze moved to take in the view as they broke through the trees. The Holloway land was beautiful.
Rissa took a seat on the ground, and Ariel sat beside her. “I can’t believe how comfortable I am with you. It’s really weird for me.”
“Same,” Ariel agreed.
“Not to scare you, but I might be vying for the bestie role, so if there’s another woman in the spot already…” Rissa paused with a shrug. “I promise not to hurt her.”
Ariel laughed. “No current contenders. I like you, Rissa.”
“I like you, too. And just so you know, I’ve decided I’m keeping you.”
Ariel laughed again. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Coming to visit the Holloways had definitely been great for her. She’d mated her mate, and now, she’d made a great friend. She still had things she needed to deal with, but going back to the place her life had changed was no longer one of them. She didn’t need that. Apparently, she never had. She’d only needed Daniel. She was done running. She would deal with what came at her, and the difference was that now she’d have someone beside her to offer love and support.
“Well, since I’m your new bestie, and you’ve decided to keep me, I’m going to give you a word of encouragement here. Talk to Slade. If you like him, and it seems like maybe you do, give him a chance to decide if whatever is holding you back is something he can handle.”
“Look how awesome I am,” Rissa quipped. “Picking a bestie with wisdom.”
Ariel laughed again. “You have no idea how long it’s been since I laughed, and I swear I’ve done it a lot since I met you.”
Rissa reached for her hand. “I feel like we should do something wild and crazy to commemorate our friendship.”
“How wild and crazy are you thinking?”
“We could strip down and go for a run? Just a bear and a… Damn! I know you’re a cat shifter, but I never asked what your animal side is?”
“Tiger,” Ariel offered.
“That is so fucking cool,” Rissa enthused. “Feel like shedding your skin and going for a run.”
“Hell, yeah.”
Ariel reached for the hem of her shirt then felt a burning in her shoulder. Then her leg went numb. She hit the ground with a groan and managed to turn her head just enough to note the dart sticking out of her thigh. From the burn, it must be what had hit her shoulder also. Rissa was crumbled beside her with three darts in her back. Ariel didn’t need three guesses to understand what was going on. Hunters. They were the ones that used darts. But what the hell were they doing on Holloway land? Laramie was fond of saying they wouldn’t chance coming onto their property, but obviously, they had.
Worn boots came into her line of vision, and the man squatted beside her, jerking the darts from her skin without care.
“Looks like we got us a blonde and a brunette. Just what the doctor ordered. Load ‘em up, boys, and let’s get the hell out of here.”
What the doctor ordered? That meant Dr. Talbot had to be around somewhere. Was Tony still in the area? Were he, Aleksy, and Lyra still searching? Would Daniel be able to find her? They’d barely mated. The bond between them was still forming. She wasn’t ready to lose him. A lifetime with him wouldn’t be long enough.
She was tossed into the bed of a truck, almost landing on top of Rissa. Rough hands tucked a tarp over them.
“Hurry up!” Boots ordered again, just as a roar split the air.
Daniel. She knew it, recognized the rage behind his call, and whispered I love you to him through their growing bond. She wasn’t sure if he’d be able to find her through it or not. Gabriel, Tony, and Aleksy had continually reminded her Daniel was primal after the shot Tony had given him. She prayed it was true. And in the same breath, she wanted him as far away from Dr. Talbot as he could be. She’d die before she let anything happen to him.
Another roar rocked the air, this one definitely of the bear variety, and Ariel knew help was on the way. She forced her hand to move a few inches so she could grasp Rissa’s hand. The other woman met her, and they held onto each other.
The last thing she felt was the rumble of the truck moving beneath her as they were driven away, and all she could think of was Daniel.
Chapter Nineteen
Daniel wanted Ariel. They’d spent far too much time apart, and now that they were together, he didn’t want them separated. He wanted to be back in the cabin with her, introducing her to yet another way for them to make love. He wanted to be surrounded by her.
“Earth to Daniel,” Gabriel groused, but he smiled as he said it. Then he pulled Daniel close for a hard hug. “I’m so happy for you. The two of you look so good together.”
“She’s my heart,” Daniel admitted, knowing even that didn’t encompass all she was to him. She was his heart, his soul, his whole world.
“I understand,” Gabriel agreed, and Daniel knew he did. He knew his brother felt the same about his mate. Kenzie was everything to Gabriel. “It’s about time.”
Daniel laughed. He had to agree. “Thanks for being there for me.”
“Anytime. I’ll always be in your corner. Hers, too. You can count on me.”
“Same goes.”
“Wouldn’t Dad hate to see the two of us this close.” Daniel grinned as he said it, easily imagining Isaac Erikson rolling in his grave.
“But Mom would be happy,” Gabriel countered, and Daniel knew he was right. As horrible as their father had been, their mother had always loved them. “Now, let’s go see what Laramie wanted to talk to us about.”
“You don’t know?”
“Nope. Probably wants to politely tell us it’s time to hit the road,” Gabriel said with a shrug.
“Politely?” Daniel questioned.
They both shook their heads and were laughing when they entered Laramie’s office. The man himself sat in one of the two chairs in the seating area. His brother, Koby, was in the other chair while Holt and Slade occupied one of the couches. Daniel sat on the other couch with Gabriel. He knew Declan was gone on some bear business, but he wasn’t up on what it was. Matheus was most likely aro
und somewhere taking care of things. The youngest Holloway was always watching over everyone. Jensen was most likely in his own domain working on some test. He reminded Daniel a lot of a younger version of Professor Mueller. Daniel had no idea where Brock Holloway was. The guy was a tech wiz, so most likely he was off working on who knew what for Laramie.
“Where’s Kenzie?” Gabriel asked Holt. “I figured she’d be with you.”
Holt laughed. “Funny how comfortable you are with that now.”
“Ha-ha,” Gabriel joked.
“Actually, she’s with my mate,” Holt told them. “Jaeda has decided that she and Kenzie are going to be great friends. They’re hanging out with Sidia and Em downstairs in one of the rooms. Baby bear’s with them, too.”
Daniel had met Ruby the first night they’d been there. He had to admit he was half in love with the little girl himself. He could far too easily picture having a daughter with Ariel, a tiny mixture of the two of them, who’d be as precocious as her mother.
“Better watch out Gabriel,” Laramie warned.
“Why’s that?”
“Kenzie’s hanging out with all the pregnant mates. Careful or you’ll be joining the daddy-to-be party.”
Gabriel grinned. “I don’t have a problem with that, but I doubt that’s what you called us here to share. What’s up? Ready to kick us out already?”
“You know you’re always welcome here,” Laramie rumbled. “Who knows? Maybe, I can talk a few more of you into leaving that pride and joining a real den.”
Holt snickered. “Pretty sure Tah would have something to say about that.”
Laramie grinned. “Might be what it takes to get him here so I can meet him in person.”
“He’d love to come, but there’s a lot going on in Oklahoma, right now. Especially now that they’ve taken Quinn back,” Gabriel offered.
“Tell me more about her. From what Tony shared when you guys were here, she’s from Riverton where the pride is but was gone before Tah and the others got there.”
“Her mother was killed by hunters,” Daniel offered. “Her father is a doctor, who’s treated our kind for a long time now. Our father recruited him, and hunters punished him for that.”