Page 73 of Mated to the Mountain Bear
“Are you okay?” I ask quietly, burying my nose in her hair and nuzzling her neck. What I wouldn’t give to remain here, with my mate wrapped up in my arms, all cosy and warm in my den.
Zara shakes her head and turns her head slightly, pressing two gentle kisses to my bicep. “I’m perfect. Better than perfect.” But uncertainty radiates from her, and my bear grumbles. This isn’t the afterglow we wanted.
“How long did I sleep?” she mumbles, attempting to inch away. Maybe she’s regretting what we did and how close we came to crossing a line we can’t uncross.
Stubbornly, I keep my hand clamped to her stomach and press her tighter to my chest. I can’t bear to let her pull away from me.
“An hour. Not long enough, but probably too long given our current situation.” I tip my head toward the inky blackness outside. “But it was worth it.”
Zara finally half smiles and stiffens, but my brave little mate doesn’t freak out. She simply looks up at me with utter trust.
“So what do we do now?”
We.
I love how the word sounds on her lips but also hate the implication that she’s going to be anywhere near this showdown.
There will be nowetaking on a deranged wolf shifter, an alpha, if my suspicions are correct, who thinks his fated mate has been with another man. I will be the only one to face those consequences and take him down before he attempts to claim her as his own.
I press another kiss to her delectable lips and release her reluctantly. Rolling out of the bed, I stoop to pick up my jeans, trying not to notice the way her eyes track my movements, while considering how to break this next part of my plan to her. She won’t like it, but I need her to agree.
More than agree, I need her to actually do it.
“Ben?” Zara’s tone is wary as she edges to the side of the bed. “What do we do?”
I pause to look at her, my mate, blonde hair tumbling around her tanned shoulder, her skin still flushed from my hands. She’s perfect.
Of course, he wants her. How could he not?
“I thought Beau would come back once he couldn’t track this guy down,” I admit, knowing that it wasn’t much of a master plan at all. We’re isolated up here. It’s a long way from this remote cabin to civilisation, so the wolf could ambush us at any of a dozen places on the way down the mountain.
No, there’ll be no running. I need to take care of this problem head-on. Which ordinarily wouldn’t be an issue. A lone wolf is no match for a grizzly bear, no matter how pissed off he is.
Except something feels different now. I can sense the shifter energy in the air, and it’s strong.
“But he hasn’t. So, do we go to Beau? Your truck...”
Zara stands naked, her lips still swollen and her pussy still wet. I can sense her desire even now as she leans into me and rests her hand on my bare chest. I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful, and it’s killing me to leave this room.
“No, Beau could be anywhere.” We’re on our own. “And there’s something else you need to know.” I take a deep breath. “He’s not alone anymore.”
Her eyes widen. “What do you mean?”
“While we were... together, I heard them. Other wolves. His pack.” I cup her face gently. “He’s an alpha, Zara. And he’s brought reinforcements.”
She pales but doesn’t pull away. “How many?”
“At least three, maybe more. They’ve been circling the cabin, getting bolder.” I force myself to maintain eye contact. “They think you’re their luna—their alpha’s mate. They’ll try to take you to him.”
Her hands grip my arms. “But I’m not…”
“I know that. You know that. But they believe what he tells them.” I press my forehead to hers. “I promise you, I will not let that happen. They’ll have to go through me first.”
Zara frowns as I pull away with a smile and disappear into the bathroom to freshen up. Not to wash away her scent, I wantthat all over me, but because I can’t think straight with her standing right beside me, let alone with her cum still on my chin.
“Ben, did I do something wrong?” She leans in the doorway, now wearing a T-shirt of mine that hangs off her like it’s a dress, which makes me melt.
Stepping in close, I cup her face and kiss her fast but hard, closing my eyes tightly, as I savour how she relaxes at my touch.
