The Dragon's Charm

by Emilia Hartley

  In response, she twined her hands around his neck, pressing butterfly kisses along the side of his jaw all the way down his neck. “I’m not scared,” she whispered, her breath tickling his ear. “I didn’t know what you were before, but now that I do –” She leaned back to look into his eyes. “It makes me love you all the more.”

  Nick froze, stunned. She loves me? Staring into her eyes, he could tell that she was just as surprised as him. She hadn’t meant to say that.

  Jo stepped away from him. “What I meant to say was, uh…”

  “You love me?”

  She swallowed, glancing up at him before dropping her eyes to the floor. “I guess. I mean, it’s been a long time since I –”

  “Even though you know what I am? What I could do?”

  Sympathy flashed into her eyes as she stepped closer. “Nick,” she said, softly. “You would never hurt me. I know you wouldn’t. I’ve seen your bear and I’ve seen you, and both sides of you want to protect me. Protect us.”

  Nick felt his breath catch in his chest.

  “Yes, but I could change at any moment. The last time we were together, the bear was tired and peaceful.”

  Jo smiled gently. “What if the reason it was peaceful was because you’d found your mate?”

  He jumped in surprise at her use of the word. “You know what that means?”

  She nodded. “Tom explained it to me.”

  Nick ran a hand through his hair, blowing out a breath of surprise. He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to take Jo in his arms and make her his, knowing that she accepted him and his bear but his fear held him back. What if Jo was right? What if the bear was quiet because he was finally with his mate?

  “I’m not afraid to tell you that I love you,” Jo continued, trying to be brave. “You’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time.”

  Nick let out a long sigh, catching Jo up in his arms. “I love you too, Jo. I mean, we’ve only known each other for a short period of time, but I’ve never experienced these feelings before. I tried to hide it from myself for so long, but it can’t be hidden anymore.”

  “Then love me,” she whispered, her mouth dangerously close to his.

  Letting out a groan, Nick leaned down and brushed his tongue against the seam of her mouth, which opened for him instantly. He caught the scent of her arousal, which only heightened his. Lifting her bodily in his arms, he strode up the stairs, not even breaking their kiss. Dropping her to her feet, he stepped back and grinned lazily.

  “Back to where it all began,” he murmured, turning on the hot water.

  Jo licked her lips, her cheeks pink. “You do need to clean up after all that fighting,” she replied, stepping closer and running her hands up his shirt. His breath came out in a hiss.

  “You first.”

  With a coy smile, Jo pulled her shirt over her head, only to catch her breath when biting kisses slammed against her neck, his hands running down her back and into her jeans. “Don’t cheat,” she murmured, dragging his torn and bloodied shirt out of the waistband of his jeans.

  “Never,” he growled, dropping all his clothes to the floor in what seemed like seconds. Then he helped her out of hers, before pulling her into the shower.

  CHAPTER 22

  Jo waited until the shower water stopped running red, before letting her hands trail over Nick’s skin. He was cut and bruised all over, but it didn’t seem to bother him too much.

  “Does it hurt?” she asked, her fingers circling a large dark bruise at the side of his ribs.

  He shrugged, his eyes focusing somewhere below her chin. “At the time, yes. And after, but we shifters heal quickly.”

  “Good to know,” she grinned, her eyebrow lifting as she saw his aroused state. “No problem there, then.”

  Nick’s eyes darkened. “None.” His hands were gentle, as he slowly lowered his head to her breasts, pulling a cry from her lips.

  He stood up immediately, his eyes searching hers. “Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you?”

  Her chest was heaving, as she stared into his eyes. “Why did you stop? Keep going!”

  “I’m not hurting you?” he asked, confused.

  Jo shook her head, pushing him back down. “No, you didn’t.”

  Relieved, he tugged her close. “It’s hard for me to stay gentle.”

  “Maybe I like it a little rough.”

  That’s all he needed to hear. Nick groaned, kissing her hard before letting his hands explore her body further. Jo let out a shuddering breath, tangling her fingers into his hair and throwing her head back. Resting her back against the shower wall, she gave herself up to the sensations he was pulling from her.

  Nick lifted his head, letting his hands caress her breasts instead of his mouth. Kissing her hard, he caught his breath as her hands reached for his cock, forcing a snarl from his throat.

  Jo glanced up at him, her eyes wide. “It this okay?”

  He closed his eyes, nodding. It would take a bit of time for her to get used to the sounds he made, but right now they were sounds of pleasure.

  Jo grinned, even though he couldn’t see her. “Good,” she murmured, exploring him gently. She looked up at his strong jaw, touching the scruff on his face with her free hand. He looked rugged, almost dangerous. After everything she’d seen, Jo finally understood why.

  With one hand, Nick pulled her palm to his mouth, kissing it before working his way up her arm and towards her shoulder. A shiver shook her, speeding its way up her spine but she didn’t let him go. Working her hand slowly, she gave him a wicked grin as he rolled his hips and groaned.

  “Jo,” Nick muttered, his voice low and husky. “I love you.”

  Her heart raced, as she lifted both hands around his neck. He was irresistible. “I love you too, Nick.”

  He pulled her up into his arms, her legs spanning his waist. Pressing her back against the shower wall, he braced his legs and grasped the top of her thighs, strong enough to hold her tightly.

  Nick looked into her eyes, pressing a kiss to her mouth as his arousal rested against her core. Slowly, he slid into her soft folds, a moan of pleasure coming from her lips. She was ready for him.

  Flooded with sensations, Nick held himself back. He didn’t know what would happen when the bear was awake. He didn’t want to hurt Jo, unable to help himself from letting his teeth graze the skin at her collarbone as he dropped his head.

  “Don’t hold back,” she exclaimed, her face a mask of ecstasy. “Don’t be scared, Nick. This is right. You know it.”

  His hands cradled her face, as the bear let out a growl of satisfaction. Jo was right. She was his mate and he was hers. He had to let this happen, to trust that the protective instinct he had for her wouldn’t allow the bear to hurt her in any way.

  “I know it is,” he whispered, gently nipping her lip as he pressed himself a little deeper into her. She leaned back, her hands grasping the top of the shower cubicle, giving him greater movement. Nick bucked into her again and again, waiting for her to find her release as he’d done before.

  Pressure built, her whole body on fire. His strokes drove her closer to the edge, the strong grip of his hands making her crave him even more. As he began to move faster, Jo moaned again, her world exploding around her as she came. Closing her eyes, she held onto Nick. Her bear shifter. Her mate.

  Nick couldn’t help the snarl that ripped through him, his release imminent. “I need to let go,” he shouted, his hands letting go of her thighs.

  “No,” Jo urged, tightening her legs around his waist. “No, Nick. Stay with me. It’s different this time.”

  He could barely breathe, knowing he was too close to stop now. Reaching for him, Jo tangled her fingers in his hair, her breast pushing against his chest. Dipping his lips to the curve of her neck, he pushed into her again and growled out her name, letting his teeth sink lightly into her skin.

  Warmth flooded her as Nick let go, his head thrust back as he growled loudly. His chest began to he
ave with breath, his hands gripping her tightly. The bear reared up, stretching wide but there was no urge to change. There was no snapping of bones, no muscles stretching and snapping – there was just Jo.

  Jo clung to him for a long moment, waiting until he’d set her back on her feet before looking up at him. The bear growled again, settling down quietly as Nick pressed a kiss to Jo’s forehead. “I love you, Jo,” he murmured, smoothing her hair back.

  “And I love you,” she whispered, resting her head on his chest.

  When Tom walked in, a few hours later, he grinned at the innocent picture Jo and Nick presented. They were both showered and dressed, lazily sipping cups of coffee on the sofa.

  “Nice picture of domestic bliss,” he quipped, helping himself to a cup.

  “How’s Dan?”

  Tom shrugged, sitting down opposite. “Sleeping. Pretty banged up so he won’t be able to shift for a while. We’re safe for the meantime.”

  “Did you put that lock on the door?” Nick asked, slightly concerned.

  “Of course I did.”

  “Good.”

  Jo looked up at Nick. “What’s going to happen to him?”

  “To Dan?” Nick pressed his lips together. “I don’t know. We’ll just get him better and take it from there.”

  There was a brief silence as they all thought about what had happened. The Northern Wind pack wasn't exactly going to let up any time soon, especially when they thought Dan was dead. Things could get pretty dangerous.

  “What are your plans, Jo?” Tom asked, eventually.

  Jo swallowed, blinking a few times. “I – I hadn’t really thought about it,” she stammered, glancing over at Nick. “I quit my job, you see and I –”

  “You did?” Nick interrupted, surprised. “You didn’t tell me.”

  “There’s been a lot going on,” she replied, grinning. “When I was at the hotel, I remembered what you’d said about not letting Brian treat me that way, and how I needed to find out what it was I wanted from life.”

  Tom got up, leaving them in peace for a few minutes.

  “And what do you want?” Nick asked, his fingers brushing down her cheek.

  Jo smiled up at him. “I want you, Nick.”

  “You have me.”

  Chuckling, Jo shook her head. “That’s as far as I’ve got.”

  “I see.” Nick looked down at her, his heart beginning to thump in his chest as he put his coffee cup down. He took her hand in his, rubbing his fingers over the back of her hand. “How would you feel about living here?”

  Her eyes widened. “Living here, in the cabin?”

  “Sure.” He glanced at the boarded up windows. “I know it needs fixing up, but I could do that for you.”

  “But what about the bears?”

  “Well,” he continued, swallowing his sudden nerves. “I could be here too.”

  “You mean, live here?”

  “Yeah.”

  “With me?”

  He nodded, watching her face.

  Jo felt a sudden rush of tears, which she blinked back immediately. Putting down her cup of coffee on the table, she threw herself into his arms. “I’d love that.”

  He kissed her, hard. “Good.”

  Tom wandered over, sitting back down. “You’re all sorted then, Jo.”

  Settling back down on the sofa, Jo grinned over at him. “I guess so.” Her smile flickered. “Although, I don’t have a job.”

  He quirked an eyebrow at his brother. “We’ve been saying we need someone to help run the mechanics for a while, haven’t we?”

  Nick shook his head, rolling his eyes at his brother. “It’s nothing like what Jo’s used to though.”

  “What do you need?” she asked, putting her hand on Nick’s knee.

  “Just boring office stuff.”

  “Maybe do the place up a bit.”

  Jo grinned. “Then I’m in.” Sure, it wasn’t what she was used to, but Jo was determined to find a new life for herself, one that involved Nick.

  “You’re sure?”

  She smiled up at him, feeling completely sure about her new life. "Yeah, I am. I'll stay here with you.”

  Ignoring Tom’s groan, she kissed Nick again, happier than she’d ever been before.

  Saved by the Alpha Bear

  Alpha Bears Book 2

  Emilia Hartley

  PROLOGUE

  Savannah cautiously joined the group, struggling to cope with the amount of blood she could smell. Apparently, this had not gone the way they'd planned. She'd been left behind, as the newcomer of the pack, and told to guard the camp. She wasn’t happy about it but did what Lucas had told her. He was the pack leader, after all.

  Moving towards him, she lowered her head before speaking. A growl came from her throat. What happened?

  Lucas rumbled in response, his teeth bared. They were too strong.

  Flood looked at her. They had a human.

  Savannah stared at Flood, not quite able to understand. A human was weak, so what difference would having one there make?

  The human killed Dan.

  The pain in her body was immediate. Roaring loudly, Savannah rose on her hind legs and let go of the immediate rage that filled her. The sound echoed through the woods, her agony over the death of one of their pack echoing through the trees.

  Lucas stood up on his back legs too, but for a very different reason. He was shifting – a sign that they all should do the same. Roars turned into grunts of pain, as bones snapped and muscles shrank.

  Savannah pulled a blanket from the stash they kept by the side of their cabin. They always kept some there, but she couldn’t remember the last time she’d needed to use one. It wasn’t often Lucas allowed them to shift into their human skin, and Savannah still felt more bear than human if she was honest. Her body was sore as she flexed her fingers, trying to get used to the human sensations again.

  “Fix yourselves up,” Lucas barked, walking towards the fire pit they’d built nearby. It hadn’t been used in weeks but, right now, Savannah was thankful for it. She needed to get warm. Her feeble human skin was already shivering, even with the thick blanket held tightly around her. The rest of the pack went in different directions, needing to clean their wounds. They were badly beaten.

  Lucas stayed naked, ignoring the blanket she held out to him. Being pack leader made him extremely dominant, even in his human form. While Savannah sat beside the fire, shivering from the cold, Lucas stormed around the fire, muttering to himself.

  “We wanted Tom and Nick for our pack,” he growled, his eyes glowing in the moonlight. “But not anymore. Not after this.”

  Savannah didn’t say anything, knowing that her input wasn’t needed. Lucas had blood on his mind and whatever he decided, that’s what would happen.

  Suddenly, Lucas stopped pacing, pinning her with a fierce look. It was as though he’d seen her for the first time, but the look in his eyes had her shaking inside.

  “You,” he hissed, bending down to look her full in the face. The gleam in his eyes was terrifying, but Savannah couldn’t look away. Out of nowhere, his hand snaked out and grabbed the blanket she held around her shoulders, giving it a quick tug as though he wanted her to drop it.

  Trying not to gasp, Savannah kept her eyes on her pack leader but didn’t let her blanket fall. She didn’t want to show even a hint of fear or shock, knowing that would make him even angrier, but she didn’t know what it was he was asking of her. Savannah shivered all over as Lucas narrowed his eyes, tilting his head as his eyes brushed over her features.

  “You’ll do nicely,” he murmured, his hand releasing her blanket and making Savannah sigh with relief.

  Shivering slightly, Savannah kept silent. There were times when Lucas scared her. She’d joined the pack to try and find shifters like her, having spent most of her adult life alone. Living out in the countryside had meant that, while there was plenty of space for her bear, she didn’t know anyone like her. It had taken a lot of tracking – an
d a lot of convincing – for Lucas to allow her to join the Northern Wind pack. She didn’t want to risk being forced out of the pack for any reason, and certainly wouldn’t be disagreeing with anything that Lucas said.

  “You’re perfect,” he breathed, standing up tall.

  “What for?” Savannah asked, her heart thumping painfully in her chest.

  “The one to go there.”

  “Go where?” Savannah was completely confused, not sure what it was Lucas was asking of her.

  “Yes,” Lucas whispered, his eyes back on the fire and away from Savannah. “We’ll be right under their noses and they won’t even see us. Not until it’s too late.”

  Savannah swallowed hard. It sounded ominous, but clearly, Lucas' mind was already made up. She hadn't been with the pack long enough to have a say – her job was just to follow orders. And right now, that meant doing whatever Lucas said.

  Lucas grinned, his eyes glowing for an entirely different reason. “I’ve got an old house in the middle of town. You’ll go there. Make friends with them.”

  Her shock made her gasp in astonishment. What did he mean, make friends?

  Despite her attempts to cover her shock, Lucas caught her gasp of surprise, turning to her with one raised eyebrow. “You aren’t going to tell me you can’t do this, are you? Because I’d be very disappointed.” The growl in his voice made her shiver with fear, and she lowered her head and looked away.

  “No, no,” Savannah replied, quietly. “I’ll do whatever you say, Lucas.” If she was honest, she’d admit that she was terrified at the idea of deliberately going to find the pack who had killed Dan. She didn’t even know how she was meant to make friends with them. They were murderers, weren’t they?

  “Go to town, stay in my house and get to know them. Make them trust you,” Lucas replied, his voice warning her that he didn’t want even a single word more of protest.

  “How do I do that?”