Bearing It All (Grizzly Affairs Book 1) (12 page)

“Besides; what are you so worried I would tell them? You have yet to tell me anything about these people.” He pointed out accusingly.

“Trust me the less you know the better. I don’t want you to be the next bloody body.”

“I am your mate! Maybe you don’t understand what that means. It means you are my lifeline now and if anything happens to you, I may as well blow my own brains out. I cannot and will not just stand by and ignore that someone is threatening you, I won’t allow it.”

With a groan of frustration, she put her back to him, crossing her arms over her chest in effort to ignore the cold. It was freezing out here, but she’d rather freeze to death than be inside with all those police officers staring at her. All of them knew something was off about her and she could practically see the questions and accusations in their eyes. But he was right in one thing. She couldn’t run forever and the bodies would just keep piling up behind her. She needed to end this and to do that she needed to either tell him the whole truth about Malca or leave.

Did she even have the strength to leave him? It made no sense to her. How could she feel such need for a person that was a virtual stranger? Leaving him was the smartest thing she could do, but the mere idea left a bad taste in her mouth. After years of having no contact with another person besides the scientists and Malca that experimented on her, she found herself wanting to cling to him like a vine.

The independent part of her told to her just leave and she was more than capable of protecting herself from Malca’s fury. But deep down a part of her screamed to tell him all the horrid things that she’d had to endure over the years and why it wasn’t safe to trust anyone. It all came down to the same thing, trusting Doyle with everything she was and everything she was becoming.

* ~ * ~ *

Doyle watched as though in slow motion as Aria turned back to look at him. The look in her eyes told him that she now stood at the edge of a cliff within her mind. She could take the last step and trust him to catch her or she could continue to step away and hold off the inevitable. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes before opening them. Taking a small step forward her gaze locked on his watchful one, silently hoping—for what she wasn’t certain of.

“If I promise to tell you everything, do you swear that you will never speak of it again to anyone?”

“Why don’t you want others to know? Did you kill someone?”

A blend of hurt and horror flashed across her face. “If I killed someone, trust me it would be because they deserved It.” she bit out between her tightly clenched teeth. With a groan of frustration, she shook her head at the absurdity of the position she now was in. This was a mistake. How did she really expect to come out and tell him?

So, years ago I was kidnapped, experimented on and now I have no memory of my past and I am slowly dying from a super serum that a crazy doctor injected me with.

She scoffed at the thought of how the truth sounded. Would he even believe her? Warm hands suddenly gripped the sides of her face, causing her to gasp in surprise as her wide eyes met his. For a moment he just stared at her and then as if they were two magnets flying toward one another, his face swiftly lowered as he claimed her lips.

The last time he’d kissed her like this she recalled standing like a statue, too afraid and unsure whether she should return it. But this time the fire that he seemed to ignite through his consuming lips was too potent to ignore. Reaching up, she circled his neck with her arms, pulling him as close to her as she could get with the restrictions of their clothes.

Her lips opened under his with heated desire as his hands gripped her waist, lifting her up against his body. Wrapping her legs around his waist, Aria found her back pressed against the porch railing. Pulling away, he stared down at her with a mixture of amazement and hunger. Bracing her weight with one hand and the rest of his body, Aria watched as his free hand reached up and tore away the rubber band at the end of her thick braid.

Tossing the thin rubber band over his shoulder, his eyes seemed fixated on her now free flowing hair. “I like it like this.” He whispered in wonder as her hair drifted with the wind over her left shoulder, leaving the other side of her neck bare. His eyes drifted to the uncovered skin. His bear was salivating at the sight of that unmarked pale flesh like a starving man.  More than anything he wanted to place his mark on her, to show the world that she alone belonged to him.

Struggling, Doyle closed his eyes against his bear’s intense desire to mark her. He couldn’t do that. He needed to woo her, for her to come willing to him and not because he forcibly tied her very existence to his. His eyes met hers for a second time when her finger tips brushed a dark lock of hair that had fell over his eye only to trace a velvety line down the side of his face. Together her hands delved into his surprisingly soft hair, tugging his face closer their lips were a breath apart when Doyle’s hands tightened on her hips.

“Aria…” He breathed out heavily, finding he was barely able to control his impulse of tossing her onto the soft snow and plow into her like the animal he truly was.

Shaking his head at the idea, he fought his bear for supremacy once again. However this time his bear wasn’t going quietly. He could feel his bear’s unbreakable desire to claim their mate and he knew he wouldn’t be able to deny either of them it much longer. Tonight he would claim what was his, tonight she would fully become his mate! Looking up at her with determined filled eyes, he made one last effort to save them both.

“If you kiss me one more time this will not end on an innocent note.” He beseeched her, earnestly.

Confused, she leaned away from his warm frame, her hands still clutching at his sweater like a lifeline. “What do you mean?”

“If you kiss me right now, I plan to take you inside after I throw every one of those wolves out and claim you as mine. It’s too much, Aria. I can’t keep my obsession of you at bay any longer. If you walk away now, I may be able to buy you some time.” His breath panted out as the restraints on his bear began to slowly unravel.

Looking up at him from under her long eyelashes, she softly asked, “And if I do want to kiss you…?”

Had he heard her correctly? It wasn’t a ‘Yes’, but it wasn’t a ‘No’ either. That meant he had a chance! At her words his bear was dancing with overwhelming happiness. His chest felt like it may explode with the happiness that flowed through him. His throat suddenly felt tight as she simply stared back at him, waiting for him to answer her. The overwhelming emotions threatened to drown him at the image of her soon to be naked body spread out beneath him.

Pressing his forehead to hers his voice rumbled out, “If you do, I will never let you escape me. I will chain my very soul to you and where ever you lead I will follow. And I will destroy any threat to you.”

Lifting his head, he stared down at her innocent eyes. Her teeth bit down on her full bottom lip as she seemed to consider his words. Taking a deep breath, her lips parted as she was about to impart her decision as he waited with a baited breath.

“Mr. Mackenzie!” The voice of one of the officers shouted from the front door, just a few feet from them.

Kill him…kill them all!
His bear whispered, livid that they’d been so close to hearing her say whether he could claim her or not and a stupid wolf had to go and ruin it!

“What?” He snapped out, causing Aria to jump at the ferocity in his voice.

“We’re done here, unless there is anything else you need to let us look at?” The wolf asked, unaffected by Doyle’s temper.

“No.”

“Henry wants a word with you.” The wolf stated haughtily turning on his heels and stalking to one of the squad cars parked behind his pickup.

Slowly lowering Aria onto her feet, he bit back a growl in frustration as her body slid teasingly against his rigid erection. Reaching out, his warm hand skimmed against her smooth cheek as he brushed a long golden strand out of her face before tucking it behind one dainty ear. His eyes looked down at her with a look of regret, before he took a step back.

“I need to see what they’ve found out.” He explained, “Go inside and get warm. I’ll be inside after a while.” Appearing a little chest fallen, Aria nodded and turned to walk onto the walkway and onto the porch. When he’d assumed she’d gone inside he was surprised when the sound of her boots hitting the wooden planks with urgent steps reached his ears. Looking at her rushing form returning, he stared at her with a look of confusion.

Coming to a sliding halt in front of him, Aria took a deep, preparing breath. Reaching up, she took hold of the back of his neck with her unwavering hands. Jerking him down, without an ounce of hesitation, her lips covered his in a searing kiss that promised to burn him to the bone. As quick as her lips had touched his, they retreated leaving him to gaze at her with a stunned expression.

“My answer is yes.” Her husky voice whispered before she released her hold on him, turned to flee past the staring officers and back up to the door.

A determined smile spread across his face as she hastened back inside, slamming the door closed behind her. Turning to see a few of the were-wolves watching her with lust filled gazes caused a possessive growl to vibrate his chest. The sooner he got rid of them the sooner he could claim his mate. Tonight he would finally claim his mate; he could only hope that she would forgive him for not telling her what it really meant to be claimed by a shifter.

Leaning her back against the door, all the courage that she could have sworn she possessed seconds earlier had vanished like ashes tossed to a strong wind. What had she been thinking? Was it really fair for her to make promises to Doyle when she knew there was no certainty that she could keep them? Reaching up, her hand rubbed absently at her left temple. The pain had wane, but the pressure still felt like lead weights hanging off her brain. Every day it seemed to get worse. Did she really have the right to take what he was offering when she didn't even know if she’d have a future to share with him?

All her thoughts came to a sudden halt as the door pushed open, nudging her out of the way. Turning she watched as Doyle slowly cross over the threshold. His eyes held hers in an unbreakable grip; she was unable to look away even if her life depended on it. Without touching her, he backed her against the door before planting his hands on either side of her head.

Tentatively, she opened her mouth to dissuade him only to be stopped as he pressed a single finger against her lips. Slowly his hand slipped away from her mouth to sink into her wealth of golden tresses. Wrapping the long silky strands around his fist, using his hold on her like a leaver, he tilted her head back. As his lips slammed down on hers, she felt all air leave her lungs. Pressing her hands against the wood of the door, she dug her nails unto the unyielding surface. Anything to prevent her hands from reaching for him as she longed to do. If she touched him, there was no way she’d be able to let go.

Her lips opened under his with eager surrender. Doyle’s hand cupped her chin, holding her immobile as his tongue thrust between her soft lips. He dominated her mouth, taking everything and yet giving her more back as her body shuttered with renewed desire.  His free hand slid down to grip her jean clad buttocks. As his hands tightened over her meaty flesh, her body began to come more alive than she ever thought possible. Her breasts suddenly felt heavy and ached like never before. Her legs lightly trembled as heat begun to rapidly build between her thighs. Unable to fight against touching him any longer, Aria wrapped her arms around his neck as one of her legs coiled around his hip.

The movement perfectly aligned her aching center with the hard evidence of his desire. Without realizing it, her hips begun to writhe against his concealed cock, silently begging for what only he could give her. Jerking away from her lips, reaching down with one hand Doyle gripped the bottom of her sweater before jerking it over her head impatiently.

His eyes widened with desire as he took in the sight of her full, pale breasts hidden beneath black lace. His hunger seemed to intensify as she made no move to cover her exposed flesh like many females would have. This pleased him. Pulling her leg from his hip, his hands began attacking the button and zipper of her jeans with a vengeance. Shoving the jeans and underwear down to her ankles, Doyle felt his bear rumble his approval at her naked body. As his eyes glowed with the exciting presence of his bear, Doyle moved to touch her, only to be stopped when she side stepped him. Not at all bashful about her nudity, she smirked at him.

“I don’t think so, Baloo.” She said with a smile, wagging a finger at him. “One of us is still completely dressed here.”

Grinning right back at her, his hands didn't even bother with respect for his clothes. Lengthening his claws he simply shredded them from his body. He didn't miss the smile and pleased raised eyebrow look that she shot him at the evidence of his lack of underwear. Crooking a clawed finger at her, he grinned evilly as her eyes took in the sight of his unsheathed cock.

“Come here.” He commanded with a growling voice. Shaking her head at him playfully, Aria took a step back. “I said come here, mate.” He growled.

“If you want to claim me then you’ll have to catch me.” Her voice was heavy with seduction, as she took another step back. Doyle’s eyes suddenly lit up with a devilish glint as he took a threatening step forward.

“With pleasure,” Without another word, he lunged for her but his hands only encountered empty air as she leap out of reach. Racing around the coffee table, laughter escaped her as she heard a growling curse from her handsome pursuer as he collided with the wall.  The sound of a framed picture crashing to the floor with his impact caused her to smile with glee. Hearing his heavy chasing steps behind her, she couldn’t deny the feel of exhilaration at knowing at any moment he would catch her. She was nearly to the bed room when a strong arm snagged around her naked waist, lifting her off the ground with a satisfied grunt.

She gasped with pleasure as he strode to the bed, carrying her as if she weighted no more than an average pillow. Landing on the bed with a bounce, she attempted to scurry away but wasn’t fast enough. Grabbing both of her ankles, Doyle grinned with victory as he jerked her back across the quilted bedspread. Her bare body slid towards him with perfect ease, laying out the feast he would soon enjoy. As she looked up at him with a playful smile on her face, he let his grip on her ankles loosen while his hands slid over her smooth legs and up further. He marveled at the softness of her skin, like heated silk.

Placing one knee on the edge of the bed, using his hands he crawled closer until he hovered over her. Aria was half expecting him to fall onto her with uncontrollable, animistic passion that he seemed to radiate from his very pores. But instead Doyle held his body barely an inch above hers as he slowly lowered his head to feather open kisses along her jaw line and down the column of her neck.

“You’re mine now.” His voice rumbled against her pounding pulse as his lips swept over the silky skin of her collar bone and down between her full, heaving breasts.

Her heart felt like it would burst from such attention. Suddenly any doubts about being in this moment flew from her mind. She didn't care what happened tomorrow; to her or him, she only cared that he would continue down his current path. Closing her eyes she gasped with delight as he did exactly that. Lower his lips went, tasting her soft skin while leaving trimmers of desire in their wake.

“Oh!” She gasped out in surprise as her hips shot off the bed when his sinful lips closed around one hard nipple.

His lips drew from the rosy peak as his free hand pulled and plucked at the neglected one. Her blood began rushing to places that she never knew she possessed. Out of desperation her tightly clenched hands shot into his wavy hair. Tightening, she held him closer to her as her hips danced beneath his hovering form.

“Doyle…” She panted out while her weeping core clenched with empty need.

She didn't know how much more she could take. Her skin began to heat to the point of burning and yet all she could think about was how to get closer to his warm flesh as well. Though she couldn’t recall a time before where she’d experience such irrepressible ecstasy, she knew this went beyond simple desire. Between her thighs it felt like flames dancing along her overly sensitive skin, with no mercy. Breathing suddenly felt like a chore, too hard a task to summit to. She wanted the spell he’d cast over her to consume her fully, until nothing of her was left but the burning desire she now submitted to.

* ~ * ~ *

Releasing her nipple with a wet pop, Doyle’s glazed eyes locked on her wild ones. Her legs strained beneath him with impatience as her hips lifted against his stomach with blatant need. He knew the mating pheromones where beginning to take hold of her, making her hungry for her mate. But he’d never heard of it affecting a mate like this. He didn't know he would ever let her out of his bed. Once he fully claimed her, they would be one and no one could change that. Not even death. He could already feel his bear’s spirit blending with his own. It made him ravenous for his mate. He wouldn’t be able to stop from taking her much longer.

“I plan on marking every inch of you.” He growled out, bending down he nuzzled his cheek against the soft roundness of her stomach. He couldn’t fight the thousand erotic needles that stabbed down his spine as Aria’s nails bit into his shoulders as her hands drifted from his hair.

Purposely digging her nails into his flesh, she smirked up at him, “Then why are you taking so long? Are you having difficulty?”

Growling at her, Doyle moved away from her. Gripping her thighs, he jerked them apart with a devilish grin. His hungry eyes feasted on the sight of her glistening womanhood. The scent of her desire made his chest rumble with male pride.

“First I’m going to do what I’ve wanted to do since the first moment I saw you.”

Her head fell back against the mattress as his hungry mouth began devouring between her thighs with an unparalleled appetite. His lips sought out her pulsing clit with his mouth, sucking and nipping at it with a vengeance. Teasing sparks of fire exploded within her lower stomach, her sweat glistening skin suddenly felt too tight causing her to feel tightly confined. Doyle’s tongue slid along the entrance of her weeping center before sweeping upward and flicking sharply at her swollen clitoris. Her body clenched impossibly tighter as wave after wave of ecstasy began to build within her.

His hands encircled the back of her knees preventing her from closing her thighs, this made her all too aware how vulnerable she was in that moment. Her panting breath seemed to turn to starved gasping as his sampling tongue began flicking faster against her swollen nub. The waves of desire that she’d been floating upon suddenly began crashing over her, nearly consuming her. Between his dancing tongue and suckling lips, she couldn’t find it in her to form a single coherent thought.

Colors exploded behind her eyes as his tongue suddenly thrusted into her, finally pushing her over the edge. Her eyes shot open as every muscle in her body clenched with the force of her orgasm. As she rode each crashing wave of her release, Doyle's tongue continued to thrust in and out, driving her body higher and higher as her muscles clenched on his skilled tongue.

This was not completion or a simple orgasm, she concluded silently. This was both heaven and hell. She was overwhelmed with the joy of ecstasy but the consuming fire within her only raged hotter and more out of control as if she’d never be free of it. What had he done to her to make her this ravenous for sex and for him?

She waited to feel her body calm from her explosive release, but it only made her want more. Her heart nearly exploded out of her chest at the feel of Doyle’s strong cock caressing the wet lips of her sex. Gazing up at him with heated passion, her hands gripped his neck and smashed his lips against her waiting ones. She didn't care that she could taste her salty release on his lips. Thrusting her tongue into his open mouth, she toyed with his and doing so let his bear out of it confines. All the while rubbing her slick lips against his massaging cock.

Gripping his mate’s hips in his strong hands, Doyle held her still as he drove deep into her soft tissue. Her silky wet walls gripped him as she emitted a cry of pleasure against his lips.

Her inner heat threatened to burn him alive, but he was no where done with her by any means. Moving his hands down to grip her thighs tightly, he ignored her gasp as his claws grew from his fingertips. He smirked as his claws pinched and scraped at her soft skin. He wanted to mark her in any way possible, so she would remember this night. Pulling nearly all the way out, his jaw clenched as he quickly thrust home again. Slowly he began repeating the process, taking care not to harm her during their first mating. For it certainly wouldn't be their last.

“Doyle…Harder…Faster…” She gasped out meeting his glowing gaze with determination.

Her hips met each of his thrusts with merciless yearning, while her body demanded for more. His cock filled her completely with a blend of pain and burning pleasure. At his invasion she could feel every inch on his massive weapon seeking deeper to her very soul. She'd never know what it was like to be without him, that she knew for certain. But each time he pulled away she knew she needed to feel him deeper in her. Still his thrust didn't move to her liking, she need him to move more! She didn't know what came over her next, but out of nowhere; she turned her face into the crook of his throat. Without thinking, her small teeth locked down over his pounding pulse.

Suddenly, she felt his entire body freeze in place. She could feel the sting of his claws as they bit into her thighs, forcing a cry of pleasure from her gasping lips. The pain only fed the fire raging within her pulsing core. As his skin vibrated with a growl, his hips began driving into hers. The sound of their skin slapping against each other only served to spur Doyle on more. His cock became like a weapon, stabbing down deep into her, threatening to reach her heart. Pounding deeply into her, without pause he bent his head closer to her flushed face.

“Present your neck.” He demanded the deep thread of dominance in his voice called to something deep within her and made her desire shoot higher than before. Not questioning him, she turned her face to the side in compliance.

An animalistic rumble escaped his snarling lips as he bent closer. Running his tongue against the soft curve of her neck, she felt her moist channel clenched tighter around his pounding cock. Barely having lifted his tongue off her skin, his suddenly sharp teeth bit down onto her soft flesh. The coppery taste of her blood flowed over his tongue as his teeth broke the skin.

At the feel of his bite, she tensed under him, her nails scratched down the back of his arms as her body spun out of control. “Oh God!” she breathed out as her clenching muscles locked around him, causing her to shatter underneath him.