His to Bear (13 page)

her pleasure was joined by a jolt of pain as he thrust deep, burying his length fully

inside her until she felt the tap of his balls against her. She convulsed around him, her cunt rippling and gripping him as she fought the intrusion then fought to keep him in

place. He pulled back despite her efforts, stopping only when the head was all that

remained then surged deep again. He leaned closer, his hands landing beside her head

to brace his weight off her. Her eyes flew open, and she didn’t know what he saw. She

only knew she was complete, and she was his.

“Hold me,” he whispered. “I’ve got you, and I’m never going to let you go.”

She caught his shoulders, her nails digging into his flesh. Her legs wrapped

around his waist, feet pressed against his lower back as she held on tight. Only then

did Holt give in to the need she sensed in him. He fucked her, his cock like a piston

pumping inside her, filling and stretching her beyond what she’d ever imagined. She

clawed at him, her head pressed into the mattress, her throat exposed as keening wails

of pleasure left her. She begged for more, for harder, for deeper, for faster, for things she had no idea she needed. And he gave. Again and again until sweat coated both

their skins and made a delicious friction where flesh met and caressed.

He shifted his hips, changing the angle in some way that had him hitting a spot

that had her quickly climbing once more. Was this normal? If women came like this,

why would they ever wish to leave the bed? She didn’t. She’d gladly spend the rest of

her life right here, with her mate, her Holt.

His name became a mantra as she rose higher then impossibly higher. The only

thing grounding her was him, his touch, his voice crooning in her ear.

“That’s it. Come with me. Let me feel your pussy milk my cock. Oh, God!

Jaeda! Come with me!”

His cries sent her flying, soaring as her body seemed to explode outward from

her womb. Ripples of heat built then flared, filling her limbs with fire and a fierce

tingling that made her feel more alive than she’d ever felt before. She moaned his

name, her voice breathy from her inability to breathe deep enough. Her name was a

roar from his lips as he tensed against her, cock buried as he came, filling her with his release.

He dropped over her, pressing her body into the mattress and covering her like a

warm blanket. She loved it, relished it as she wrapped her arms around him, soothing

the skin she’d tortured with her fingers and nails. Only her feet dangled off the bed

now, and she realized at some point, they’d scooted farther onto the mattress. She had

no idea when and didn’t care. Right now it was all she could do to suck oxygen in. For

an instant, in the height of her orgasm, she’d been afraid she was going to pass out.

Her breath had literally seized in her lungs until black dots had flickered in her vision.

That was when Holt had roared her name, his call startling her lungs into cooperating

again.

With a groan, he rolled off her, slipping an arm under her and tugging her until

she rested against his side.

“You okay?” he asked softly.

“I’m perfect,” she answered. “That was…magical.” She couldn’t think of

another way to describe it.

They lay there for a long moment, and she was just drifting off when she felt

him move beside her, sitting up.

“Are we doing more?” she murmured sleepily and opened her eyes when he

chuckled. “What?”

“Darling, you can barely get your eyes open, and you want more?”

“I thought you did. You said you planned to take me everywhere, and we

haven’t yet,” she reminded him.

His lids dropped, drooping over his eyes as a flush of red rode high on his

cheeks. “I definitely plan to claim your ass,” he agreed. “But not yet. Shower first.

Then sleep. Then food or maybe we’ll make love again before we eat. Either way, I

plan on spending the rest of the day and all night right here with you. Can you handle

that?”

She nodded eagerly. “I’ve been wanting this since I woke up in your bed.”

“You were a virgin, Jaeda. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You haven’t. You won’t. My body is made to adjust to yours. There’s only

pleasure. I swear.”

He nodded.

“We still have more talking to do, as well,” he reminded her. “I have more to tell

you and some questions to ask you.”

“What…”

He cut her off with a finger to her lips. “Later. Shower first. You stay here while

I get the water going. Maybe I should run you a bath, instead. Let you soak in some

warm water to help with any discomfort you might have.”

“Discomfort? How will warm water help?”

He shrugged. “They always say that in movies when the woman is a virgin.”

She giggled. “I’m not feeling any discomfort. I’m serious,” she added when he

gave he a piercing look. “Remember, I’m not a human woman. I’m a bear shifter. My

animal nature helps me. I have an uncanny ability to heal quickly, to manage pain.

Besides, the pleasure you gave me far outweighed any brief twinge I might have felt. I

promise.”

He dropped a kiss on her nose then couldn’t seem to stop himself from brushing

her lips again. It was soft, sweet and chaste after all they’d just done. It made her feel treasured.

“I’ll go start the shower,” he said and reluctantly left the bed.

She watched him cross the room, enjoying the flex and play of his back and ass

muscles as he moved. He wasn’t as big as the Holloways, but he was perfect to her.

His broad shoulders tapered into a trim waist and abs that felt like steel against her

fingertips. Just watching him had her blood humming with the need to feel him again.

Lord, it was as if he’d made her insatiable after only one encounter. Would she be

wanton with him? Could she be? What would he say? Do?

“What are you thinking?” he asked, interrupting her thoughts.

She glanced up guiltily, seeing him leaning in the doorway, one shoulder braced

against the frame. His strong arms were crossed over his chest, covering the hair but

well above the trail that led down between his thighs. His cock was no less intriguing

and powerful now that it lay content. She licked her lips in memory and flushed when

she saw it pulse and stretch under her gaze. She quickly tilted her face to meet his

stare and saw the twinkle in his eyes.

“Keep eyeing me like that, and we’ll be fucking in the shower, which wasn’t my

initial intention but could definitely be arranged.”

Her glance fell to his groin again, almost begging his sex to come alive under

her gaze. His laugh preceded him across the room until he loomed over her once

more. He tugged her by the ankles until he could stoop and lift her in his arms. She

automatically wrapped her hand around his shoulders, the other resting on his chest,

caressing him there.

“I didn’t realize how greedy you were going to be.”

“I’m sorry,” she said.

He shook his head. “Don’t be. I like it,” he admitted and jostled her in his arms,

giving her the sensation he might drop her and making her squeal. “I like it a lot.”

“Holt?”

“Yeah, darling.”

“I’d like to fuck in the shower,” she admitted.

He groaned as they entered the bathroom already thick with steam from the hot

water. He slid her slowly down his body until her feet touched the floor. She sighed as

she felt his erection tapping against her.

“We’re going to,” he vowed. “Just as soon as I get you wet.”

Chapter Ten

Holt woke sometime in the night with Jaeda draped over him like a sheet.

They’d foregone food for sex, and his stomach was making him very aware of that

fact now that his dick seemed momentarily satisfied. He knew it wouldn’t take much

for it to awaken. One sigh from Jaeda. A sultry look or an innocent touch that sent

heat streaking down his chest to wrap around his balls and send his cock surging to

life. God, she was perfect. To him. For him.

He eased her over and almost chuckled as she rubbed against him while he made

the transition. His little bear was a cuddler. It was in her nature, and he found that he adored it about her. He snagged his jeans from the floor and headed to the bathroom,

relieving his bladder then tugging on his pants and splashing some cold water on his

face. He’d head downstairs and snag something to snack on then bring it back up to

share with his mate. He shook his head. It didn’t seem real, but it was. He was now a

mated man.

He took another long look at Jaeda curled in their bed and reluctantly pulled the

door open and headed down the hall. He knew before he even hit the stairs that

someone was waiting for him somewhere below. A deep inhale, and he recognized the

scent of the other man. It threw him. The way his sense of smell was exploding. How

long would it take him to adjust to this new ability?

He saw Koby even before the other man stepped out of the shadows. His night

vision was another thing expanding for him. He saw things he shouldn’t have been

able to, made them out as clearly as if they’d been set in bright sunlight instead of

deep shadows.

“What do you want?” Holt asked, refusing to stop and continuing on his way

toward the kitchen.

Koby fell into step beside him, saying nothing until they entered the other room

and Holt turned toward the fridge.

“Declan cooked tonight. He put leftovers for you and Jaeda in the oven,” Koby

said.

Holt turned and faced him, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against

the counter. “I meant what I said, Koby. I’m not giving her up. We’re mated.

Completely.”

Koby nodded. “I know. I…” He trailed off and shook his head. “I don’t know

what’s wrong with me. My beast is clawing at me. We’re both confused. She’s ours,

and yet she’s not. She’s yours. I know it but can’t accept it. I feel it, but there’s also this pull toward her that I can’t explain, and I can’t shake it off.”

At Koby’s confession, Holt let go of his worry for his mate and focused on what

he’d thought of earlier.

“I think I might know why,” he told Koby, hoping Jaeda didn’t feel as if he was

betraying her trust when he told her what he’d shared. Koby needed to know, though.

Especially if it explained why Koby had the feelings he did.

“Murphy said as much to Laramie. My brother went to bed, thinking you and

your mate would sleep through the night. I couldn’t. I’ve been waiting since I came

home.” He blew out a hard breath. “I’m sorry for what happened in the woods.

Control is essential to one of my kind, a grizzly. With great strength comes great

responsibility. I bring shame if I can’t maintain control over my emotions. If I let

them rule me.”

“Even when it comes to your mate?” Holt asked.

“But Jaeda isn’t my mate.”

The words were forced out, almost growled as Koby spoke through clenched

teeth. His hands were white where he gripped the counter behind him, and Holt knew

how much it was costing the other man to restrain himself.

“I was planning to wait for Laramie, but this is more about you, anyway,” Holt

said. “I don’t see why we can’t talk.”

“Let’s get comfortable and talk then,” Laramie said, striding into the kitchen and

flipping on the light that Holt hadn’t even realized he and Koby had neglected to turn

on. “Your night vision is improving. It’ll get even better now that you’ve finally

claimed your mate. Congratulations, by the way. I never knew a week was so short in

human time.”

Holt chuckled. “She’s hard to resist. I’m lucky I lasted as long as I did.”

“Did you get a chance to speak with her? Get to know her as you wanted?”

Laramie asked.

They all took seats at the table before Holt answered.

“I did. There’s still more she and I need to talk about, but we will. I’d like to

take her to Oklahoma eventually, to meet my family.”

“We’re your family, now,” Laramie stated.

Holt nodded. “I accept that, but they’ll always be my family. One doesn’t negate

the other.”

“What of your other family? The human ones?” Koby asked.

“Eventually,” Holt agreed. “I planned to discuss that with Jaeda and Laramie,

first. The pride knows what you are, what Jaeda is. I need to be aware of anything that

might occur and put Jaeda or the rest of you in danger if she meets my parents.”

“We can discuss that later,” Laramie decided, and Holt saw his gaze cut to

Koby. “When my brother isn’t all but crawling out of his skin with pain. What

answers have you discovered, Holt?”

“Jaeda doesn’t realize I’m telling you this. Yet. She’ll know. I won’t keep

secrets from her. She’s my first priority.”

Neither man said anything in response, making Holt wonder if they’d feel the

same once they’d mated.

“If not for what’s going on with Koby, I’d wait and let her tell you when she

was ready. But I can’t do that if there’s even a chance that what I’m thinking might be

possible. Two of the women Jaeda told you had been hidden are her sisters.”

“And you think one of them could be Koby’s mate?” Laramie said but

immediately shook his head. “Scent markers are unique, even among sisters. There

are very few exceptions.”

“Except maybe among twins,” Holt offered.

Koby and Laramie both sat up straight. Koby leaned in toward Holt.

“Jaeda has a twin?” he demanded.