by C. D. Gorri
His Shift breezed through him like a soft summer wind. One second he was a man, the next his enormous Grizzly Black Bear stood on four legs. Almost a thousand pounds of muscle and shaggy brown fur, Nate pawed the ground making the very earth shake before taking off into the dense trees behind his large, open backyard.
The Devlin family had built along the coast of Lake Ursa for generations. They owned the land and lake alike. Strange, but not unheard of. They cared for the land as if they were a bunch of environmentalists, he knew that for a fact. Pouring a good chunk of their money into keeping it safe and protected for the Clan.
What am I gonna do about Luisa? He pondered his sweet, curvy mate as he ambled through the blooming forest. Summer had brought with it countless sunny days and ample rain, turning the Garden State into a certifiable rain forest in his eyes.
He pressed his nose into the dirt taking a good whiff of the muddied path before his senses started to stir. Something was off. A scent in the air like rotted meat met his nostrils. Nate growled deep in his bearish chest.
He followed the scent all the way to a most unexpected place. The Barvale Urgent Care Clinic. Grrr. Without thinking of the consequences, he shifted back into human form and walked up the back steps quickly. He didn’t want to have to explain why he was naked.
He ducked into a supply room and shrugged on some too tight scrubs before walking into a room with a plaque on the door that labelled it the doctors’ lounge. He thought about how long it would take him to find her in this place with its clinically clean smells, but he needn’t have worried. There she was.
His Luisa was curled into a ball on the couch sleeping soundly with the scent of old coffee wafting in the air around them. He walked to the pot and sniffed. Shuddering at the contents. He walked to the sink and dumped the contents, putting on a fresh pot before turning to her. She’d appreciate it when she woke up, he was sure. Besides his Bear approved of him caring for her like that. Good mate.
His eyes ate her up. He didn’t want to disturb her as he knew she’d had a long shift yesterday and probably had the same today. He flicked his gaze over to the microwave and noted it was seven o’clock at night. Time must have gotten away from him between his renovations and walk through the woods.
As if she sensed him near, she turned her face towards where he stood. Sniffing the air deeply, she must have scented something she liked as a wide smile curled her pretty pink lips upward. Nate couldn’t help himself, he eased down on his knees like a man possessed and brushed her soft blonde curls away from her face.
“Mmm, Nate?” she asked opening her chocolate brown eyes and smiling at him.
“Hey there, honey,” he said and pressed his forehead to hers before dropping a quick kiss on her mouth.
He sat back on his heels enjoying the short time before realization dawned on her face. She sat up fast and almost fell off the couch before he grabbed her.
“What are you doing here?” She gasped and turned her face left and right. The soft lazy look in her pretty eyes turned quickly to shock then annoyance.
“I was, uh, walking in the woods and I tracked a stench I discovered all the way to this place. Wanted to check on you, make sure you were safe,” he said and stood up, giving her the space she obviously needed no matter how much it cut him inside.
“You broke into the supply closet?” She said and looked at his scrubs.
“Sorry. Didn’t think you’d appreciate me walking round here naked as the day I was born,” he smirked at her blush and not for the first time counted himself blessed with such a gorgeous mate.
Luisa wiped the sleep from her eyes and stood up, not before frowning at his bare feet. She walked over to one of the tall lockers that lined the wall silently. Opened the door without even glancing in his direction, grabbing a new pair of men’s slides and thrusting them out to him. A perfect fit, he thought, secretly pleased that she’d guessed correctly.
“Thank you, honey,” he said and put them on.
“Sure. We keep a bunch of these on hand in case of emergencies,” she was filling the air with ordinary words, but her eyes were saying something else. Something wary and hidden.
Nate wanted to pry those secrets from her, but he was a patient man. It would take patience to win a woman like Luisa and he had every intention of doing just that. Like Taylor said, though Nate didn’t need to be told, she was totally fucking worth it, so he better slow the hell down. His brother didn’t mince words.
Nate exhaled and broke their heated gaze. He nodded to the waistband of her scrubs where her cell phone was tucked.
“Can I use your phone? I need to call Daniel.”
“Of course, um, I’m going to pour a cup of coffee, someone must have made a fresh pot,” she replied and handed over her phone, “want some?”
He nodded his thanks and punched in the number, watching as she walked over to the large stainless-steel sink and splashed some water on her face. Her skin was like milk. Clear and smooth, pale and soft to the touch. He was crazy about it. Wanted to touch it, taste it. Grrr.
“Black,” she said and handed him a steaming mug. He was happy she knew how he took it. She took a long sip of her own, two creams one sugar, and placed the mug on the counter.
“I, uh, should probably go do my rounds,” she turned to him and faltered endearingly as he lifted the edge of his shirt to wipe his brow, revealing a patch of smooth dark skin. She likes my abs. Good to know. He smiled at her as he stored away that piece of information.
“I’ll find you before I leave,” he promised.
“You will?”
“Sure I will. To give you back your phone,” he said with a forced casualness he didn’t feel.
The Bear in him was roaring up a storm. Demanding he pick up his mate and love her long and hard till she wouldn’t even think of running out on him again. Fuck. He turned his back on her, fighting his beast and the raging arousal he felt just by being near her.
She tested his self-control as nothing else ever had. Not even all the fighting he’d done growing up in a Clan where he was hated. Not even the time he saw his babysitter, a fine as hell girl-woman aptly named Shelly Hills, take off her t-shirt to show him her breasts after she’d lost a game of Uno when he was just twelve years old.
Keeping calm in both of those situations were a piece of fucking cake compared to being near his fated mate and not being able to touch her freely. Oh, he’d given in when she was asleep with that subtle brushing of her hair and chaste kiss. But that was nothing compare to the turbulent desire that flared to life whenever she was close by.
Get a fucking hold of yourself, you’re not a cub anymore. The sound of a gruff voice on the line grabbed his attention and suddenly, Nate was all business. Clan business.
“Yeah, Daniel? It’s Nate, I’m calling from Luisa’s phone,” he spoke into the cell phone, grinning when he heard his little niece let out a demanding wail.
She had her daddy wrapped tight around her chubby little finger. As it should be, he thought. Mia was one cutie pie of a cub. Destined to be a heartbreaker he was certain. He hoped she liked that soft, plush rocking-bear he’d sent over for her the other day.
She was a bit small for it, but soon she’d be able to use the thing. He specially designed it using her daddy’s bear’s coloring so the little one could have him near when the real thing was unavailable. As head Enforcer, Daniel was a busy man. Honest to a fault and bullheaded, he’d been a bit of a prick when Nate first met him. Who knew his surly brother would take to fatherhood like a duck to water?
Daniel’s dedication to his mate and child surprised everyone, but not Nate. Not really. He might be new to the family, but he recognized the love his brother had for the lovely Lacey. Hell, he saw it in all three of the Devlin men when they looked at their mates.
Jealousy threatened to surge inside of him as he thought about the three devoted couples, but he shot it down fast as it sprung up. Nate was happy for them. Yes, he was a bit envious of the read
y way all three women had accepted their mates, but that was only because his Luisa was cautious. He couldn’t fault her for that.
She’d worked hard her whole life. Had a shitty father who’d abandoned his wife as her first example of marriage. Watched her sister Krissy pine for her mate for years before his idiot half-brother, Taylor, finally realized she was it for him. So, yeah, she had some reservations.
Nate understood that, but he was just a man. Okay, a man and a Bear, and he wanted her with him now. It was damned frustrating the way she kept sidestepping their mating. Still, he was not going to give up. Hell no, his Bear growled. Soon, he promised himself. He’d have his mate by his side soon.
“Did you mark the locations of the scent?” Daniel asked through the cell and Nate turned his attention to his brother, all business now.
He spoke in low hushed tones, aware of the fact that all of the staff at the Barvale Clinic were Shifters, mostly Clan. Still, the things he’d discovered in his walk through the woods were for Enforcers ears only.
“Yeah, I marked the trees for our men to find. Should be easy enough. There were remnants of chewed up animals drained of their blood, some scat, and a particularly grotesque amount of other bodily fluids surrounding this small, hidden cave about half a mile from the clinic’s front door. It was deserted now though,” Nate recounted the events preceding his arrival at the clinic.
“Good work. I’ll call Bowie and get him over there right now. Oh, I’m also going to set up a meeting with someone who has expressed great interest in this new threat,” Daniel returned quietly.
“Who might that be?”
“Later. You coming up to the Den?”
“Thought I’d wait for Luisa to finish up first, make sure she gets home alright.”
“I see. Making any headway there, bro? How is our little operation going anyway? Did you show her the exam room?”
“Easy, nosy Nellie! It’s early days yet.”
“Fuck off, bro,” Daniel laughed into the phone, “Look, I just want you to know I wish you good luck. Nothing in the world beats waking up to your mate every morning except maybe lying down with her every night,” he chuckled.
Nate just grunted. He had the lying down part alright. It was the getting her to stick around till morning that he was struggling with. FML.
“Alright, bro, gotta go.”
Luisa might need time to come around to the fact they were mates, but he was not about to risk her safety. Those Hunter Vamps were hanging in the area for some reason and they were too fucking close for comfort.
Chapter 7
Luisa stood under the spray of hot water with her eyes closed as she washed off the remnants of her shift. It had been a hard one. Twelve hours of countless runny noses, three broken arms, four sprains, a lawnmower accident, a nickel stuck in the nose of a hysterical toddler, and a pre-teen Clanmate who was just upon the first stages of his Change.
But none of that was the reason why she felt tense and out of sorts. Oh no. It was the near seven-foot-tall model gorgeous Bear who’d shadowed her around the last few hours of her shift. Of course, he’d ignored her when she said she didn’t need him to stay.
Nate had showed up completely uninvited. And naked. She couldn’t forget that. Well, he’d come in wearing scrubs he’d swiped from the supply closet, but that only meant he was naked when he’d arrived. Too bad I missed it. Grrr.
No. Bad Bear! Just thinking about his rock-hard body made her tingly in all her secret pink bits. Sigh. What could she say? She was a total slut for the man. Making love with him was like she took the best sex she’d ever fantasized about and gave it a good dose of super strong fucking steroids. Yeah. It was that good.
She was still aching from the way they’d gone at it in his house the other night. He’d kissed and licked and fucked, er made love like a god as far as she was concerned. This whole not cursing thing was really difficult for her. Sigh. But yeah, sometimes it was making love and sometimes it was down and dirty fucking, either way it was the most fabulous sex she had ever had. She’d loved it every single way they’d come together, and she couldn’t wait for more.
Sneaking out while he slept was the hardest thing she’d ever done. But it was for her own sanity! Okay, so maybe she had to tell herself that over and over. But it was still true.
He was a guy. A Shifter. You know the type, the super macho, dominant, he-man, me say you do kind of guy. She had no doubt in her mind that he’d want to keep her chained to the bed or the stove depending on which one of his appetites ruled the day! There was no way she was up for that kind of lifestyle. Hell to the no!
But have you ever heard him say those things or act that way? Ugh. Her annoying she-Bear spoke up at the most inopportune times! Like when she was trying to convince herself she was better off ignoring her premature mating.
He waited for over a year to claim us. And you kind of instigated the whole thing. A whole year, Luisa. You scented him that day on Lake Ursa too and you knew he was ours then.
She stepped out of the shower and grabbed a nearby towel. Rubbing it roughly over her skin till she was huffing from the exertion.
It was true. She’d known from their first meeting who he was to her and, yes, she suspected he’d known it to. But he hadn’t forced the issue then. Truth was, he hadn’t forced it now either.
For all intents and purposes, Luisa was the instigator here. She’d come on to him at Krissy’s and Taylor’s destination wedding. Gulp. Just admit it. She stood stock still as shivers went up and down her spine.
Here she was ranting over her uncontrollable desire for a man who’d been nothing but kind, passionate, tender, and patient with her. And, to top it off, she’d initiated the whole damn thing. So, why don’t you just enjoy it?
“Maybe I can’t enjoy it because he won’t fit into any one category, I try to put him in!” She yelled at no one as she stomped over to her dresser and grabbed a thin nightgown. It was rather warm that evening and she was a fitful sleeper.
“Oh great! Now I’m talking to myself!” She stomped down the stairs into the kitchen and grabbed the counter with both hands. She counted to ten then exhaled.
The kitchen of her childhood home felt empty and sad all of a sudden. It still held fond memories of Krissy and her mother and the frequent tea parties they’d shared while she was growing up, but that part of her seemed so far away. Good memories for sure. To be cherished and saved and taken out every now and again to look over.
She missed her mother, though truth be told she was hardly around the last few years. College and medical school had taken up a lot of her time. Her mother had understood and encouraged her youngest daughter to go out and conquer the world. She was always so giving and understanding. You were always there when I needed you, Mom.
What advice would she have given her daughter now? Her mother never allowed the unfortunate circumstances of her health and marriage to make her bitter or resentful. She was no man hater. In fact, she’d often told her children stories about true love and her hope that they would both one day make good marriages.
She’d called her mom hopelessly old fashioned after such discussions. Only now did she realize what her mother was trying to do. She was trying to ensure her daughters saw the world with fresh eyes. Without the taint of their father’s abandonment and that evil indiscriminating monster that was cancer. Her lower lip trembled as she filled the old tea pot up with water and placed it on the stove.
Her mother was gone now, to a better place. She understood that, but Luisa still missed her. And even though Krissy was only a fifteen-minute ride away, Luisa still felt alone in the empty house. You don’t have to be alone. You have a mate. Inhale. Exhale. Do I?
“This is silly. You are being morose,” she told herself as she got out a ceramic pot and jar of loose tea leaves.
She wasn’t a little girl anymore, but she still enjoyed a nightly cup of peppermint tea. I wonder if he drinks tea. She shook her head disgustedly. She was a grown ass wo
man now. A doctor! If she wanted to know something about him, she should just ask him.
She grabbed her cell phone and opened her contacts. He was right there under Nate. Exactly where she put him a year ago. After learning of his introduction to the Barvale Clan, she’d been kind of wary of her feelings for him.
After all, he had tried to pick up her sister at The Thirsty Dog. Of course, both had explained their rather chaste body shot had been a bit of fun that had gotten blown out of proportion by a suddenly very jealous Taylor Devlin.
If anything, Nate was the catalyst for her sister’s present state of marital bliss. Maybe she should thank him. Of course, Krissy and Nate had been platonically friendly afterwards. He’d even asked Krissy to model for him for one of those avatar thingies he was always working on for Grave Enterprises.
That was weird. Hmm. Krissy had stripped down to her fur for him. Shifted so he could sketch her transformation from woman to Bear. But he’d never asked Luisa to model for him. Heat burned her cheeks and she stopped midway to the whistling kettle as realization struck. OMG. I’m jealous of my own sister!
Shame filled her and she shook her head, dropping her cell phone to the counter just as it began to ring. Damn. It was Nate. She clicked the little green icon before she could talk herself out of it.
“Hey there, honey,” his Texas drawl made her smile as it had a hundred times before.
Good thing he wasn’t there to see it. Last thing he needed was some encouragement. Especially when her own feelings were so jumbled.
“Hi,” she replied. Was that breathy voice really how she sounded?
“I was just thinking about you,” he continued.
“Oh yeah? Me too,” she conceded.
“Really? Well, that is nice to hear.”
“Are you outside?” The sounds of the evening breeze and chirping crickets met her sensitive ears.
“Yup. Walking back to my place from the Den. Had a meeting with the boys.”
“About what?” She chatted with him about the meeting and all matter of little things, just liking the sound of his voice and the way he didn’t rush her or put pressure on her about their mating.
