by Honey Jans
She cocked her head to look at him. “I wouldn't have thought a big bad bear like you would have a problem with nudity."
He bit back a grin and gave her a stern look, impressed when she met his gaze without blinking. Shit, he'd made lesser Weres pee their pants, but she wasn't a bit intimidated by him. “I don't want you tempting my brothers and getting them in the same trouble you've gotten me into.” Her suddenly glum expression troubled him. It was like she thought he was teasing her about being desirable. Nothing could be further from the truth.
She gave him a withering look. “Right, we wouldn't want me causing trouble."
Cruz didn't like her defeated tone but he didn't have time to worry about it now. “Come on,” he said, tugging her out of the room. “Let's go find your clothes and get a cup of Tyson's coffee. Something tells me we're going to need it."
He throbbed, his cock hungry for her again as he towed the golden-haired spitfire down the hall. One thing he was almost certain of was that an enemy had put Goldilocks in his bed tonight. The other was that she belonged to him, at least until he wanted to let her go. He'd popped her cherry. In some Were societies, she'd belong to him body and soul.
Too bad it still wasn't still the Stone Age; he'd keep her naked in his bed as one of his concubines. Now it was the females and fates that made the ultimate decision on mates. He decided to set that aside and concentrate on the mystery that was Goldilocks.
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Chapter 5
Honey let Cruz escort her down the hall feeling bemused, still horny, and vulnerable. She felt different, changed somehow. Even worse, the mating fever coursing through her veins wasn't letting up; as a matter of fact it seemed to be building, sharpening her senses, making her tingle. It was shocking she should be feeling this primal need to mate and it was nothing her human mamma had prepared her for. Cruz's strong hand on her arm made her feel both protected and flustered. The macho Werebear had made it clear that he thought she was some kind of a siren luring him to his doom. But the heat he'd released inside her made her want to throw him down on the floor, drizzle honey on him, and lick him all over. A quick glance down at the hard-on that was still stretching his pants made her smile. She'd actually made him pop them before. That was one for her side. Cruz had wanted her too, even though he'd covered her up. At least she wasn't the only one feeling primal.
When they got to the kitchen, she inhaled the heavenly aroma of dark roast coffee and sighed with pleasure, her tension melting away. Tyson could make a mean cup of coffee and he wasn't transparent and wavery anymore. A glance at him, tall and ebony-skinned, with piercing brown eyes made a shiver of anticipation go through her. If only she were a real Werebear fem she'd be adding him to her harem now. The harems would fuck like mad until their true life mates were revealed. But she wasn't a pureblood and this strange aberration would pass soon, she was sure. “The coffee smells great, Tyson."
Tyson met her gaze and gave her a thorough once-over. “Thanks, it's my own special grind. I'll pour you a cup, Miss..."
She could tell by Tyson's reserved glance that he was almost as suspicious of her as Cruz had been. Lane who stopped typing on his PDA to smile at her was more of an open book. Are the Lockwood and Bear clans in conflict now? She didn't know. “My name is Honey,” she said not wanting to reveal her last name just yet.
Lane growled low in his throat. “I really like honey..."
"Let the lady catch her breath,” Cruz said in a quietly firm tone. He turned to Tyson. “I could use a cup of that brew too."
Tyson gave him a look. “I figured as much, big brother, it's coming right up. I figured I'd add a little extra boost of ginseng to yours to build up your..."
"Enough,” Cruz said wryly.
Honey watched Tyson stir herbs into Cruz's cup feeling the tension in the room. What was the rivalry between them and why did Tyson dislike her so much? Their family dynamics were really none of her business. She was self-protective enough to know that she needed to leave before she fell anymore under Cruz's masculine spell or did something really stupid like try to bed all three of them. Hell, that's what her kinswomen were doing right now, sampling the cream of the crop so they could choose love mates. Being wooed and screwed. She blushed at the errant thought but couldn't keep heat from blooming inside, and her still pulsing sex from throbbing. As if they could sense her arousal she felt the three bear boys turn to look at her with awareness in their eyes.
Tyson had a speculative look in his eyes, Lane a big lusty grin, and Cruz just looked pissed, horny but pissed, and her female hormones did a little jig. Is Cruz actually jealous? Her heart leapt at the possibility. But she was too honest to mate them with a lie. She had to tell the three bears the truth about what she was, and the minute she did they wouldn't want her. Hell, she'd found out that bitter truth when Geoff had dumped her to join Joelle's harem. It was better if she walked away. It would hurt less. “Here's the deal. I'm not who or what you think I am."
"Goldilocks,” Lane put in with a grin.
She gave him a half-smile back finding his snarky humor endearing. “No, a proper Were female waiting to bed and wed a mate."
"You mean you're improper,” Tyson said with a reluctant smile.
Honey felt a quiver of heat burst inside her. She could feel his wall of reserve melting toward her and couldn't understand it. She was a fraud, he should be resenting the hell out of her. Why were they all being so dense? Of course Cruz had yet to chime in. She turned to frown at him. He was watching her closely but didn't act surprised.
"If you're not a proper Were female waiting to bed and wed a mate, what are you?” Cruz asked, arching a brow.
Well, at least one of them got to the point. Feeling like a specimen under a microscope she met Cruz's eyes squarely. Half-breed or not, she was proud of her heritage. “I'm a throwback. In short I'm a half-breed, my mother was mortal, and I have no magical talent. So if you're looking for a whirl on the marriage mart, I'm afraid I won't do...” Why did his eyes twinkle at that statement?
"Then why did you come on to me?” Cruz asked softly.
Honey wanted to cry as her feminine ego crumbled. Come on to him? He was talking like she'd seduced him on purpose, but it hadn't been like that. It had been a mutual ravishment, one she didn't regret despite his boorish attitude. “Believe me, it was nothing personal, Bear. So you've nothing to fear from me. I'll make no demands on you and you're free to go find an eligible virgin.” She saw a nerve in his jaw tighten and wondered why he was so pissed.
"That still doesn't explain how you came to be here,” Cruz said.
"Why am I here?” she parroted back in as snarky a tone as she could manage with her pride in tatters. “It wasn't to mate with a beast like you, that's for sure.” She winced when she saw him freeze up at her words, and wanted to call them back. “Sorry. I'm just a little frazzled. In short I was running away. I'm staying at a nearby cabin. Someone broke in and I ran...end of story."
"The Sundowners,” Cruz cut in.
"I admit that I thought so at first too,” she said, adding ruefully, “but why would they be after a mundane like me? Everyone knows I'm not eligible."
"Easy, sugar,” Tyson said, handing her a cup of coffee.
She gasped when their fingers touched and his aura flared with a golden snap making her tingle all over.
Tyson let out a gasp. “Damn, sugar. How the hell are you doing that?"
Honey trembled when his hot pink aura layered itself up her arm and over her skin making her tingle and the whole room smell like cherry blossoms as his wistful thoughts of Fleur made her ache for his loss. The reason for his former standoffishness became painfully clear. How in the hell was she doing this? Speechless for a moment, all she could think was that Cruz had somehow short-circuited her meager powers. “I'm not sure. Weird things have been happening to me lately. But not this weird."
Cruz grumbled. “I can think of at least one reason for th
em to be after you."
Honey flashed him a puzzled glance. “Why?"
"Have you ever glowed before?” he asked dryly.
She looked at the pink sheen on her skin and shook her head. “No, but I've never seen auras before either. It must be something you did to me.” She heard Cruz mutter something but then Lane stepped closer drawing her attention. His blue aura was pulsing with excitement and it sent a corresponding zing through her senses.
"Do me next,” Lane said and reached to hand her some honey.
Honey let go of Tyson to take the tupelo honey Lane handed her and giggled when his blue aura snapped, instantly layering itself on her skin. “Good gravy,” she said under her breath.
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Chapter 6
Cruz sat there frozen with frustration and jealousy as his brothers lit his woman up and knew he was in trouble, deep. She'd said she was staying in a nearby place and that could only mean one thing. She was part of the Lockwood clan. “The only place nearby is the old Lockwood place five miles away and Black Jack doesn't come up here too often anymore,” he said, gauging her reaction. The sudden intake of her breath told him everything.
Honey bit her lip. “Nobody's supposed to know about Grandpa's private fishing hole."
Cruz's gut tightened and he saw equally wary looks come into his brother's eyes temporarily throwing cold water over their mating fever. Black Jack Lockwood was the powerful leader of a large clan. Usually they were in alignment but given the fact that they'd tried to kill him, Cruz knew the peace pact was over. Was sending Honey to tempt him the first step in an attack? Looking at the troubled look in her big blue eyes, he rejected it. “Black Jack and I have worked together from time to time.” He looked at her curiously, trying to place her from the females he'd seen in the Lockwood compound. “Funny, I don't remember you."
"You wouldn't. I'm half-human. I lived in the real world with my mom until she was killed in a car accident when I was fourteen. It was only after that that I came to live on the compound. I do remember seeing you there once or twice. And no, you never noticed me."
How the hell could he have overlooked someone as precious as her? “So why were you hiding out at the fishing shack?” he asked a little roughly. He knew the minute she glared at him that he'd hit the target. She had been hiding out, but why?
"If you must know, my boyfriend just dumped me. I needed to get out of the compound. Besides, I was upset over my cousins bragging about the mate hunt to come, and needed some quiet time before I made the move to Chicago. I was just in the way anyhow."
A wave of jealousy came over him at the mention of her boyfriend, even though he knew he had no right to feel that way. “Who was he?"
"Just another mundane like me. Geoff and I kind of went together like peanut butter and jelly. Anyhow, it doesn't matter now that he's joined Joelle's harem."
He remembered the slinky Joelle very well, but seeing Honey's baleful look, kept it to himself. It was the pain in her eyes that got to him. He wanted to put a big hurt on stupid Geoff and anyone who'd dared to hurt her. She hadn't been well treated in the Lockwood clan. He could read between the lines. And he of all Weres knew the stigma of being different. “Tell me about the break-in,” he said, wanting to change the subject.
She sighed. “I was sleeping over a hot keyboard. Something woke me up, the sound of a loose floorboard. I thought maybe I'd dreamed it. I tend to get a little carried away when I'm working on my business plan. But then I heard it again. Someone was creeping through the shack, toward me. So I ran."
"That's it?"
"Not quite. Once I got to the woods, and nobody gave chase I thought maybe I had dreamed it after all. I turned back in time to see the lights doused. Then the jerk took a potshot at me."
"Son of a bitch,” Cruz bit out. A traditional Were wouldn't use bullets to take her out. But there were other much scarier creatures that might. Whether they wanted to capture or kill her, he didn't know, but he vowed then and there to protect her.
"Well that's my story. I ran through the woods, saw your lights, and the rest you know."
"How many were they?” Lane asked, pulling out his PDA.
"I can't be sure. Like I said, they cut the lights. I'm guessing, based on the fact that they didn't come after me, it was just some teens looking for a place to party."
Cruz was hoping the same thing but he knew better than to count on it. “Shit, I'll talk to Black Jack right away."
"Don't you dare,” she said with a gasp.
Her shocked reaction made him hesitate.
"Please promise me that you won't,” she said softly.
It went against his instincts but he found himself inclining his head. “You'll need to stay here until the danger is over,” he said and watched her chin rise defiantly. “Please,” he added softly and relaxed when she nodded. He met his brothers’ gazes and saw the same all-for-one instinct in their eyes. Hell, they were all rejects in one way or another, maybe the fates had intended this. “Besides, you don't have to go out looking for mates. You've got a built-in harem here,” he added, seeing first Lane and then Tyson nod. He knew what a stretch it was for Tyson to trust anyone and it only confirmed his instinct that Honey was a trustworthy Goldilocks.
"Damn right,” Tyson chimed in.
"Boy howdy,” Lane added with a grin.
Cruz watched the startled look of wonder on her face as her gaze roved over them. A mingled blend of feminine maidenly modesty and sexual heat warred within her. He could feel it. He knew heat had won when her eyes locked with his and he felt his formerly hardened heart open while his senses stirred. A sensual spell seemed to be upon them and he, for one, didn't want to fight it.
"You're all mine,” she said with a cautious smile.
He couldn't help smiling at the greedy, playful gleam in her blue eyes. She was going to lead them a merry chase. Heat flared between them as he reached out to touch her and the snap sent a shock wave down to his stirring cock, making him crazy as his red aura washed over her making her glow. Damn. It was the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. He swept her into his arms and swore in his heart to protect what was his. He shouldered his way into the bedroom and kicked the door shut behind them and the walls glowed with their mingled red and gold auras. Damn it was enough to make him drunk with heat.
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Chapter 7
Honey tingled when Cruz set her down on the floor in front of the bed and just looked at her like he wanted to eat her up. She instinctively picked him knowing that it was right. He was going to make her his and she welcomed it. When he flicked her robe off her shoulders and it dropped to the carpet with a swish she shivered with delight. “You've been a very bad girl, Goldilocks,” he said teasingly, walking around her.
She shivered with delight and a little trepidation at his masterful tone. How did he know this was one of her fantasies? “Have I now?” she asked, playing along.
"You know that you have,” he said, one corner of his mouth kicking up. “And you've got to be punished."
A sensual shock wave went through her at the word punished. Would he really punish her? Nobody, certainly not her parents, had ever even spanked her. “What did you have in mind, a time-out?” she teased, pushing her luck. Then she saw the matching flare in his eyes and heat flared through her, making her toes curl in the thick carpet.
"No, something a little more primitive than that, I think,” he said, picking up a hairbrush off the dresser and sitting down on a bedside chair. He patted his lap. “I think over my knee would be the best way to start. We'll take you through the basics first before I introduce the paddle and bondage."
She gulped, her pussy fluttering wildly at his words. She looked deep into his swirling amber eyes. Mystical and sultry, oh my, and he really meant it. At first, she stood frozen. Then she found herself moving toward him as if propelled by his will and her secret desires to be do
minated. “I'm not sure if I..."
Then he snagged her wrist, toppling her onto his lap and she went with an inelegant oof. Landing on top of him, her ass in the air, she felt a blush cover her from head to toe. Good grief, she felt like a naughty concubine. “Hey!” she yelled just as the hairbrush came down on her ass, startling her. She let out a yelp as a heat wave washed through her and her pussy pulsed. “I wasn't ready."
"I was,” he said, raising the brush.
She tightened, waiting for it. “Please,” she said.
"Oh, baby, I will. Now ask me to discipline you or you won't get fucked."
She shuddered at the threat and her sex clenched emptily waiting for the brush to fall, waiting for his touch. “Please discipline me, sir."
"Better,” he said, smacking the paddle down on her other cheek, making her squirm with the sting and the heat. Then he spanked her, slow at first and then building up harder and faster, until she didn't know when to expect them and she was laying over his knee sobbing and giddy with need. When they were done he spun her to sit astride him facing him and kissed the tears off her cheeks. “That brands you as mine, love,” he said. “You will obey me in this room or I will tie you up and take my belt to your sweet ass,” he said. “Understand?"
She shuddered at the command and her willingness to go along with that. “That's primitive even for a Were,” she groused, leaning lazily against him. Hearing the beat of his heart, feeling the ridge of his cock pressed against her.
