9781631054747HerstoBearHoffa (3 page)

“In the
kitchen,” he called, and was immediately surrounded by too many arms and mouths
to sort out.
All hugging and kissing and talking at once.

“Oh,
Bern, I’m so happy for you.”

“I
can’t wait to meet her.”

“Is she
pretty?”

“Is she
here?”

“Have
you marked her yet?”

Bern
took a step back from the women and held his hands up in a gesture to stop.

“Hello,
sisters. It’s so nice to see you too.” He laughed.

Julia
looked sheepish, “Sorry, Bern. Hi.” She waved her fingers.

The
rest of the women stood in various poses of demand, hands on hips or crossed
over their chests and big sister looks firmly in place.

Keeping
his hands out in a placating gesture he said. “I know you want answers, but I
don’t want to go through all of this twice. You’re just going to have to wait
until the rest of the
Sippe
gets here
and listen with everyone else.”

“That’s
not fair.” Dagmar stomped. “We’re your
sisters,
we
should get to hear first.”

“Suck
it up, buttercup,” he said, giving her the standard response they’d used since
they were children.

She
crossed her arms and turned her back to him, and he snuck up behind her and
kissed her cheek.

“I love
you, sissy.”

Dagmar
threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. “I love you too, bud.”

Sometimes
sisters were easy. A kiss and an “I love you” made everything better. “Let’s
move this party into the living room. Everyone should be arriving soon.”

A knock
sounded at the door before the words had even left his mouth. Martin was the
first to arrive, followed by a steady stream of clan members. The Honey
Corner’s
Sippe
was large, with nearly
four-hundred members. Not all would attend the meeting, of course, but the
heads of the families would all be here.

The
house was large, but not big enough to accommodate all the bears that showed up
for this auspicious occasion. So, the proceedings were moved outside.

 
As more people arrived, small clusters of
family and friends dotted the landscape of the back lawn. Four barbeque grills
were heated and every kind of meat was cooking, chicken, fish, steak, hot dogs
and hamburgers. Beer and soft drinks were passed around and the conversations
were buzzing with speculation.

“What is
going on?”

“Why has
Bern called this impromptu meeting?”

“Is
something wrong?”

Bern
stepped from the shadows and walked to the center of the “circle.” Everyone
fell silent and all heads bowed in respect to their leader. “Goddess
be
with you,” Bern intoned in a booming voice.

“Brotherhood,
strength and honor hold the circle,” cheered the group.

Bern
smiled broadly and made eye contact with each bear in the circle, nodding in
acknowledgement as he made his way around the gathering.
Before
he had made it even half-way ‘round someone in the crowd yelled out.
“What’s going on
Sippe
Leiter
? You’re smiling, so I’m guessing
we aren’t going to war.”

Bern
threw back his head and laughed. “No, we are not going to war. At least not
yet, I hope. I have news to share with you, my clan.
Grand
news.”

Dagmar,
never one to let her brother get away with anything, yelled out.
“Will you stop dicking around
and just tell them brother!”

A
collective gasp came from the crowd, but Bern only laughed again.

“Yes,
sweet
schwester
, I will quit dicking
around and tell them. I have met my mate!”

A
cacophony of whoops, cheers and hollers threatened to cause a rock slide in the
surrounding mountains. Bern was engulfed by too many arms to count, slapping
him on the back, shoving his shoulders, giving him awkward man hugs, the women
kissed his cheeks, the older ones patting his head and said, “It’s about time.”

When
the hoopla finally began to die down, Bern raised his arms to call for silence.
“Hold, my friends. My mate, Jenna, is human. Until I am able to change her, she
will be at risk. I need you all to be on guard. I will be assigning guards to
my Jenna, but she doesn’t know my position in the clan or the danger she is in.
So, you will need to be discrete.”

“The
wolves may also think this is an opportunity to attack, thinking I may be
distracted from my duties. This is a time of great joy for me and our clan, but
it is also a dangerous time. We must be on the alert, ever vigilant and
attentive.”

Nods of
assent greeted Bern’s pronouncement. “Let’s eat!” he said, and left the center
of the circle to mingle with the crowd. Bern spent the evening eating and
drinking with his friends and family, but his sweet Jenna was never far from
his mind. The scent of his mate overpowered the smell of the cooking food.

The
sweet smells of the forest night couldn’t eclipse her honey scent from his
nostrils. He wanted to go to her, to hold her in his arms again, and kiss her
ruby lips. To bury his head in the crook of her neck and breathe in her
delicious aroma, to bathe in it, until their scents merged into one.

His
cock was a hard throbbing ache in his pants. How was he going to stay away from
her? He promised her he would take it as slowly as she wanted, but right now he
was ready to kick his own ass for saying that. He wanted her, and he didn’t
want to wait. Oh, God, his balls were already turning blue.

Bern
slipped into the house and went to his office. He poured himself a glass of
orange juice and turned on his computer. Feeling a bit like a stalker, he
opened Facebook and did a search for Jenna Raynes.

He
found her easily enough, and sent her a friend request. It was only a moment
and his request was accepted. It seemed Jenna was online. The chat window
opened in the corner of his screen.

Hi

Hi, what are you doing?

Talking to you.

Funny.

I’m taking a bath

Bern
groaned and rubbed his throbbing crotch.

Oh my God, you are so mean. Can
I come join you?

There
was a long pause.

Are you there?
Bern asked

Yes, I’m here. I just didn’t
really know how to answer that.

Honestly.

Well, honestly, part of me would
like you to join me, but I don’t think I’m ready for that yet.

You’re killing me here. You are
all I can think about.

I’ve been thinking about you
too.

What have you been thinking?

I’m not telling.

Why not?

A girl has to have some mystery.

You’re no fun.

I may be more fun than you can
handle.

I’d like to try.

I think this conversation is
getting dangerous.

I like danger, how about you?

No. I am a play it safe kind of
girl

I bet I can lure you to the wild
side.

That’s what I’m afraid of. My
water is getting cold and my face is getting hot. I’m going to say goodnight.

Scaredy cat

Meow

The
green light next to Jenna’s name went out, signifying that she had signed off
of Facebook. Bern spent a few minutes looking at Jenna’s profile. She liked
Country music that was good, they had that in common. Their tastes in movies
and books were similar.

He
looked through her pictures and was enchanted by the images of his mate. She
was so full of life, always smiling and laughing. There were many pictures of
her mother and father, and several with a lovely young woman, tagged as Alice.
Those two looked like trouble together.

Funny,
there weren’t any pictures of his mate with other men. Bern was glad because he
would have wanted to rip their heads off, but he couldn’t understand how his
beautiful mate hadn’t been surrounded by suitors.

A knock
sounded at the door to his office and Martin opened the door without waiting
for a reply.

“We’ve
got
trouble,
the west quadrant boundaries have been
breached.”

Bern
bolted to his feet. “Is Jenna safe?”

“Your
Mate is fine. Hans is on guard duty and reports all is well.”

“Have
the sentries apprehended the trespasser?”

“Yes.
A young wolf.
I think it might just be a case of adolescent
ignorance or curiosity.”

“Okay,
bring the wolf here and let me speak with him. If that is the case, I will
contact Bastian and let him deal with the miscreant.”

Martin
nodded and backed out the door. Bern ran his fingers through his unruly hair
and prayed this was only a mistake and not an effort to invade his territory.
He didn’t want to deal with the wolves right now. He had a mate to court.

Chapter Three

Jenna
smiled as she slipped from her bath and wrapped herself in a fluffy bath sheet.
She cleared the steam from the mirror and gazed at her reflection. Did she look
different? Her face was flushed with color, more from Bern’s suggestive words than
the heat of her bath. Her eyes were bright and shining, and she looked…happy.
It’s not that she had been unhappy with her life before meeting Bern. She loved
her job and her little house, but she
had
been lonely.

Moving
away from her family and friends had been hard, but even when she had lived at
home a part of her was always lonely. Her longing for someone special to love
made her feel alone even in a crowded room. Now, she felt different. She felt
hope
, for the first time in ages. Hope
that a chubby girl from Nashville could actually find love.

She
still had her doubts about the mating, but anticipation and joy filled her
soul. She pulled her sexiest nightgown from a drawer, and let the silky
material caress her body as she slipped it on. Everything felt more intense
tonight. The glide of the silk against her thighs as she climbed between her
cool crisp sheets was decadent. The moonlight filtering through her lace
curtains bathed the room in soft white light. She turned off her bedside lamp
and snuggled deep into her down cocoon. To sleep, perchance to dream, she
thought as she drifted into darkness.

The horrible
blaring of her alarm clock jolted Jenna awake. She usually awoke before the
damn thing went off.
God, what an annoying noise.
She
slammed her hand onto the button on the top of the clock to still the racket
and pushed the covers back, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

She
yawned and stretched. What a wonderful morning. She had slept like the dead.
Sliding the button on the alarm clock to off, so it wouldn’t go off again, she
headed to the bathroom. After taking care of business, brushing her teeth and
quickly French braiding her hair, she returned to the bedroom and dressed.

It was
a school
day,
she chose soft black slacks and a
colorful peasant blouse. The kids loved bright colors and so did Jenna. She
slipped a pair of espadrilles on and headed for the kitchen and coffee.
The elixir of the gods.

Jenna
sipped her coffee and nibbled on a bagel while she checked her e-mails and
Facebook.
Nothing interesting there.
Her e-mails were
mostly spam. How did these people get her e-mail address? No, she certainly
didn’t want a bigger penis, or bigger boobs. Hers were too big already, she
laughed.

Jenna
finished her coffee and put the plate from her bagel in the dishwasher.
Dropping her phone in her purse she grabbed her large tote bag with her lesson
planner and all her teacher trappings and headed out the door.

It was
a beautiful fall morning, and Jenna took a deep breath of the crisp air as she
stepped off the porch. There was a faint sent of burning leaves on the breeze
and a pair of birds in a nearby maple tree seemed to chirp “hello” when she
passed.

Her
long legged stride carried her swiftly toward her destination. The school was
only six blocks away and she loved making the walk each morning. When winter
came and snow covered the ground she might have to drive, but for now she would
enjoy the weather and the exercise she so desperately needed.
 

About
two blocks into her walk she began to feel a funny prickling on her neck. That
creepy feeling you get when someone is watching you. She rubbed the back of her
neck and glanced surreptitiously around.
No one.

Quit acting like a ninny.

An
older man and woman sat in rocking chairs on their front porch and she waved as
she passed them, they nodded in acknowledgment. Jenna looked around again, she
could see no one, but the couple on the porch and they weren’t watching her.
Why did she feel eyes on her?

It
might be paranoia, but she quickened her pace anyway. She wanted off the
street, and into the relative safety of her classroom.

Jenna
rushed through the front door of the school and sighed in relief. God, that was
strange. What was the matter with her this morning? She chuckled at her own
foolishness and made a beeline for her classroom. The kids would be arriving
soon and she needed to make sure everything was set up for the day.

Once
the classroom filled with children Jenna was too busy to obsess over her
feeling of being watched, but at recess the feeling returned. She sat on a
bench in the shade, talking with one of the other teachers, but once again had
the uncomfortable feeling of being watched.

When
the bell rang at three o’clock and all the children fled like the tide rushing
out to sea, Jenna sat at her desk and rubbed the back of her neck. She was
reluctant to make the walk home. What was she going to do? She could call a
cab, but that just seemed stupid. She wasn’t even sure they had cabs in Honey
Corners.

As she
pondered her predicament, a knock sounded on her doorframe. She looked up to
see her bear filling the doorway. Relief coursed through her veins. Bern was
here. She was safe.

“Hi,”
she said. “Come in. I’m so happy to see you.” Jenna rose from the desk and
practically threw herself into Bern’s arms.

He held
her close and nuzzled her neck. “Not that I’m not happy for the welcome, but is
something wrong?”

Jenna
leaned back in his arms and looked up into his chocolate eyes. “I’m sorry. I’ve
had a strange day.”

Bern’s
forehead crinkled in concern.
“How so?”

“It’s
silly, really. Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you’re here.”

“Nothing
you feel is silly, Mate. Tell me. What troubles you?”

“I’ve
just had this creepy feeling all day that someone is watching me.”

An odd
look flashed across Bern’s features, but was gone before she could identify it.

“I’m
sure it’s nothing to be concerned about. I came to walk you home. I hope that’s
all right?”

“It’s
wonderful! Just let me pack up my stuff and lock up the classroom and we can be
on our way.”

Before
she could pull out of his arms Bern leaned down and stole a kiss. It was only a
brief brushing of the lips, but Jenna felt it all the way to her toes.
An electric jolt of energy that made her tingle all over and her
pussy cream.
God that man could kiss.

Bern
insisted on carrying her tote bag. He should have looked silly, but nothing
could diminish his masculine appeal, at least not in Jenna’s eyes. She locked
the classroom door and Bern enfolded her under his free arm. What a strange
sensation, she felt so small and feminine tucked into his side.

He
smiled down at her and her heart skipped a beat, so handsome, and he looked at
her like she hung the moon. Damn she could really get used to this. They
stepped into the afternoon sunshine and Jenna tipped her head back and took a
deep breath. The golden light and warmth lifted the last of the stress from her
shoulders.

“Where
would you like to go for dinner?” Bern asked.

Jenna
felt a blush crawl across her cheeks, but she boldly suggested, “Why don’t we
stop by the market on the way home and I could cook for you instead.” There
were two reason’s Jenna didn’t want to go out, well maybe three. She really
wanted to be able to talk to Bern without worrying about anyone overhearing.
She didn’t want people watching her, she’d had that feeling of being watched
all day and if she was in some fancy restaurant with this handsome man,
everyone would stare. Wondering what he could possibly see in her. And last,
but not least, she wanted more of those kisses…maybe even more than kisses.

“Are
you sure? I’d love to take you out.”

Jenna
looked at the
sidewalk,
she was so bad at this. “Yes,
I’m sure,” she mumbled.

Bern
stopped and placed his big paw under her chin, he tipped her face up,
so
she met his gaze.

“What
is it, my mate? Why are you looking so shy?”

“I’m
just not good at this dating stuff.” She shrugged. “If you want to go out,
that’s fine.”

“That’s
not what I said, little one. I only want to spend time with you.
Where matters not.
If you want to eat at your home, that is
fine. Let’s go to Andy’s and see what looks good.”

“I was
thinking
,
if you don’t mind that is, maybe you could
grill a nice salmon filet on the deck. I could make a salad and bake some
potatoes. I was going to make some honey cakes too.”

Bern’s
eyes sparkled at the mention of honey
cakes,
these
bears all had such sweet tooth’s. “Honey cakes? How could a bear say no to
that?”

Jenna
nudged him with her shoulder. “Is that the only part you heard?”

“No, I
heard every word, my mate. Salmon sounds wonderful.” He squeezed her shoulder
and picked up the pace, walking briskly in the direction of the market.

* * * *

Bern
breathed in the scent of his mate. Jenna wanted to talk about food and the only
thing he could think of was eating
her
up. Her scent was driving him mad, honey, vanilla and something else, uniquely
Jenna’s. His dick was so hard he could barely walk. He tried everything to calm
his raging libido, but nothing worked. He’d recited the multiplication table,
baseball
statistics,
he’d even tried to picture his
grandmother in a nightgown. Nothing worked. Now, his beautiful mate wanted to
spend the evening in her den. No people around to help him maintain control.
How the hell was he going to make it through the night without marking and
mating her? His bear was pacing and growling in his head.
Mine, mine, mate, mark.
Patience my friend.
He tried to calm his bear, but it was a
lost cause. Until Jenna was marked as theirs, his bear would be on edge.

The
bell above the door on Andy’s dinged as they stepped inside. Bern’s nostrils
flared as he took in the scents of the store. There were two unmated male bears
inside, but what had his bear growling was the scent of wolf. He knew the scent
of every shifter who lived in Honey Corners and this was not a resident.

Bern
dropped his arm from around his mate’s shoulder and took her hand. He tugged
slightly, drawing her behind his bulk. Jenna placed her small hand on his waist
and tried to lean around him.

“Stay,”
he
growled,
his bear close to the surface. Bern could
smell the sour stench of fear roll off his mate.

“What’s
the matter? What’s wrong?”

“Maybe
nothing, but there is a wolf in the store.”

Jenna
stopped and he glanced over his shoulder to find her standing with her hands on
her hips.

“What
is your problem? Are you some kind of speciest? There are wolves all over
town.”

“This
wolf is not from town,” he hissed.

“So,
what?
I
don’t understand what the problem is.”

“No,
you don’t. I will explain later. For now just please stay behind me.”

Andy
stepped out of the back room and up to the checkout counter. His eyes widened
at the sight of Jenna and Bern together, than a frown creased his brow. “Bring
Jenna here Bern. I will keep her safe while you deal with the intruder.”

Bern
nodded and pulled Jenna behind him as he walked behind the counter. His bear
didn’t want to let her go, but he trusted Andy to keep her safe. He looked the
other bear straight in the eye. “She is mine,” he growled. Jenna huffed behind
him. “Guard her as if you were guarding me.”

Andy
bowed his head and tipped it to the left, exposing his neck. “
Ja
,
Sippe
Leiter
.”

 
A mixture of confusion, fear and anger
radiated from his mate. He was going to have a lot of explaining to do. Placing
his finger to his lips in a gesture to be quiet, he turned from the pair and
stalked into the aisles.

He
followed the wolf’s scent to the back of the store. Tall for a wolf, he stood
in human form in front of the meat refrigerator. Shaggy multi-colored brown and
blond hair fell to his shoulders, concealing his face as he leaned over the
meat case.

The
wolf had to know that Bern approached, but he didn’t turn or lift his head.
What the hell was going on here? Bern walked to side of the wolf and he finally
stood and turned to face Bern.

“Greetings,
Sippe Leiter
, from Von Drake.”

Aha, so
this wolf had come to deliver a message.

“If you
had news for me you should have made an appointment. Not be skulking around in
this store.”

“My
apologies,
Sippe Leiter
, I meant to
call on you upon leaving the store. I did not know I would meet you here.”