All Roar and No Bite

by Celia Kyle

  Van knelt between her thighs, his tension-filled body bathed in the dim moonlight. Each of his muscles were highlighted by the low glow, showing her the restrained strength of her mate.

  He took a deep breath, chest expanding a little and expanding further still when his beast pushed past the barrier. Muscles bulged and stretched his skin for a brief moment before he pushed the bear back once again.

  He gave her a look… One of apology? Shame? A hint of fear?

  “Is he anxious?” She kept her voice low, tone smooth with no hint of fear or worry.

  His expression turned wary and Lauren pushed on. She was fully expecting Van and his bear. Not one or the other.

  She pushed to her elbows, fighting not to cover her plump rolls with her hands while she spoke to him. “Your bear. Is he anxious for me? For you two to claim me?”

  Van swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing along his neck, and then he nodded.

  She reached for him, snaring his hand and then tugging. “You’re a bear and a man, Van. I understand that. So both of you make me yours.”

  He hovered over her, his heat bathing her with his nearness. He flopped forward, pulling from her hold and placing his palms flat against the mattress. “Lauren. God.”

  She scraped her nails along his arms, reveling in the responses she lured from him. So she apparently liked her ass spanked. Well, Van liked getting scratched. After that first time together, she’d discovered he liked a tiny hint of pain as well as a small memento. Unfortunately—or fortunately—she couldn’t scar him permanently like he’d done to her.

  She scratched his shoulders, dragging her fingers along his skin, and she didn’t stop until she was able to twine her digits behind his neck. With one tug, his lips were within reach and she captured them with her own. She shoved her tongue deep into his mouth, tasting him.

  Van growled against her and joined in the kiss, tangling with her, tasting and being tasted. His heat and dark natural flavors rolled over her tongue and she realized she’d never tire of kissing the man she lov—

  Right.

  Instead of letting her thoughts wander in that direction, she pulled her lips from his, and smiled against his lips. “Hey.”

  He grinned. “Hey, back.”

  “Hey,” she leaned up and nipped his jaw. “Why don’t you do that thing we talked about?”

  “Thing?” He raised his eyebrows, feigning confusion, but she knew that he knew what she was talking about.

  She dropped her voice to a husky whisper. “That thing where you take your cock…”

  He moved one of his hands and she imagined him grasping the base of his dick. The next moment, the blunt tip brushed her wet pussy, sliding through the cream. “This cock?”

  “Uh-huh.” That was all she could get out because he was rubbing the head along her slit, caressing her entrance and then rising to nudge her clit. “Yeah.” He repeated the caress and she fought to keep her eyes open when all she wanted was to let them drift closed as she floated on the pleasure. “That one.”

  Each touch brought forth another tremor tinged with pleasure. It raced through her blood and crept into every part of her.

  “And what am I doing with it?”

  Right now what he was doing felt pretty damn good. He nudged her clit, pressing and rubbing the small bundle of nerves. She rode his touch, rocked against his dick in an effort to pick up a gentle rhythm.

  “Lauren?” He eased his pressure and she whined as the rising pleasure inside her lessened. “What am I doing with it?”

  She glared at him, glared at his midnight eyes, and pointier than normal teeth.

  He grinned.

  Well, two could play that game.

  Lauren ran her hands over him, scratching him here and there, while she also slid her foot along his calf. She hooked one leg, and then the other, around his hips. Using the muscles in her thighs, she squeezed and lifted herself while also rocking her hips. It took barely any effort to close the distance between his hard cock and her slick pussy. She rubbed against him, sliding over his length and the move tore a growl from his chest.

  “We can wrestle all night, bear-boy.” She tensed and slid over his silken skin. “Or you can give me what we both want.”

  Van gritted his teeth, the muscles of his neck straining. “What’s that?”

  Pain in the ass, man.

  “You.” She relaxed her legs and nipped his chin once again. “In me.” She licked away any sting she might have caused. “Or are you not bear enough to fuck me.”

  There. Gauntlet thrown.

  And Van was quick to snap up the challenge. In one move, he went from defiant to aggressive. He shifted his hips, pressed the head of his cock against her slick opening and thrust. He filled and stretched her, spreading her wide with his invasion and Lauren released a pleasure-filled scream.

  The bliss of his possession singed her nerves, stoked her arousal with a mixture of ecstasy and a hint of pain. He pushed forward until his hips were snug against hers, his balls resting on the curve of her ass. There, he was inside her. They were one.

  She never wanted him to leave her again. If they could somehow live their lives with his cock constantly inside her, she would. A moan at the idea had Van tensing, stilling above her.

  “Lauren.” Unease and regret slid over his features.

  “It’s so good, Van. Mate.” She rocked her hips, enjoying the feel of him in her pussy.

  Some of those negative feelings fled. “Yeah?”

  “Uh-huh. Want more.”

  “This?” He withdrew a little and pressed back in, his balls slapping against her skin.

  Lauren gasped with the retreat and advance, the rough thrust dumping a bucket of pleasure into her body. “Oh god, yes.”

  “What else do you like? What do you love?”

  She answered both questions truthfully, she simply couldn’t admit it totally, explicitly out loud yet. “You.”

  A dusting of brown fur slid into sight and then disappeared. “Fuck.”

  She giggled. “I thought that’s what we were doing.”

  Van shook his head as if to clear it. “Baby, need to do something different.” Each word was filled with his bear’s growl.

  “Van?” He didn’t respond to her question. He simply rolled to his side, dragging her with him in the sudden shift of positions. She went from huddled beneath him to astride his hips in one move. Now she was the one in control—the fucker, instead of the fuckee. She had to admit she liked the idea.

  “He’s too close, baby. Don’t wanna hurt you.” He fisted the sheets and she saw a hint of claw.

  “Neither of you would hurt me.” She knew that like she knew her name.

  Van shook his head. “Ride me. Use me. Love me, baby.”

  It was there, plain to see, his emotions written across his features. His message was a combination of raunchy and touching, and she decided to give in to his desires. If he was worried about the bear, she wouldn’t push him.

  Instead, she did as he begged and as her body demanded. Slowly, enjoying the gentle caress of his cock against her inner-walls, she rose. His dick teased all of those delicious nerve endings, tugging a groan from her as she moved.

  “Yes,” she hissed and the word was answered with a moan from Van.

  She then slid down, taking him deep once again. That was her pace, slow and gentle, an easy glide up and then down again. She continued, keeping the rhythm, the sounds of their breathing and the soft meeting of their bodies the only sounds in the room. It wasn’t a race, a rush to the end. No, their lovemaking was a slowly kindling fire.

  “That’s it, baby. So good. So sexy.” Van’s hands shifted from the mattress to her thighs, sliding along her legs until he rested his palms on her hips. “So mine.”

  He gripped her, tightening his hold until she was forced to move at his pace. The soft rise and fall transformed into small, rocking thrusts and retreats and each meeting of their hips caressed her clit.

  �
�Van!”

  “Cup your breasts and lean down for me. Let me suck on one of your pretty nipples.” The words said in that gravelly deep voice had her pussy rippling around him, pleasuring them both. “C’mon, gimme what I want.”

  Thankfully, she wanted it, too.

  Lauren let him set their pace, the depth and force of their meetings while she leaned forward and propped herself on her hands. Her breasts hung heavy from her body, swinging gently with each meeting of their hips.

  “Lower, baby.”

  She whimpered and did as he asked, going nearer and turning her body slightly so he could capture one tip between his lips. He hummed against her flesh as he pulled her deep, sucking her in. Each draw went straight to her clit, strumming the bundle, and shooting her desire higher.

  Van nibbled the nub, scraping it with his teeth, then flicked it with his tongue. He tormented her breast while his cock teased her pussy.

  His hips guided her into a quicker rhythm, a stronger collision of their bodies. Now the meeting of their hips, the slap of skin on skin, joined their heavy panting and delicious moans. She rode him hard, reveling in the pleasure of their lovemaking. No matter how rough and tumble, it’d always be love making.

  Lauren gave herself to the pleasure, allowed him to direct their bodies, to take and give whatever bliss he could. His cock stroked those deep nerve endings while his mouth tormented her breasts. She watched him, watched him shift from one nipple to the other. His eyes remained locked on her, the bear peeking out from behind Van’s brown irises.

  She took and accepted them both. The bear was Van and Van was the bear. One in the same in his human-shaped body.

  He scraped her nipple again, sharp tooth grazing the sensitive flesh only for him to soothe the ache with his tongue.

  All the while, their hips moved, followed the age-old rhythm that drew pleasure along her nerves in waves of bliss.

  “Van…”

  He growled and released her breast as he tightened his hold on her hips. “Yes,” he hissed.

  Her pussy clenched around him, milking his shaft in pre-cursor to her orgasm. She’d come soon, come on his cock, and he’d fill her with his cum. She’d never gone there before, never experienced that level of intimacy, but he was Van. Her mate.

  The pace altered, angle adjusted tiniest bit and then the connection was deeper, harsher, and so, so much better. Her clit was slapped with every thrust, tearing a scream from her with each meeting.

  “Good. God. Van. Gonna.”

  He growled again, snarling at her, baring his teeth, and she knew it wasn’t in anger, but in need. “Come.”

  This time it was her who fisted the sheets, he fought to retain control as she was overridden by desire. He pumped in and out of her pussy, fucking her hard and deep as her pleasure rose higher and higher.

  The peak was in sight, so close she could almost grab the ball of bliss and hold it tight. Instead, she let Van shove her to the edge, push her nearer and nearer to release.

  “Come,” he snarled.

  And she couldn’t deny him. Lauren’s body seized, muscles tightening for an unending second and then… then pleasure consumed her. It seared her, burned her from inside out as it overwhelmed her senses. Her mind was overcome by the ecstasy of their lovemaking. It rolled through her in wave after wave of pure joy that seemed endless.

  Distantly, she heard Van roar, the sound shaking their home, and a new heat filled her as his cock pulsed within her sheath. That warmth shoved her orgasm higher, forcing her release to resurge before it’d drifted away.

  Her cunt continued to spasm around him, milk him of every ounce of his cum. Her body trembled, overwhelmed by their shared passion. She sobbed and cried, slumping against him as the shards of pleasure pierced her over and over.

  At some point his hips stilled, and then his warm hands slid along her spine, soothing her as the pleasure waned and eased into a dull, blissful throb. Tremors caused her to twitch, a new ripple of desire attempting to slither forward.

  Eventually, she was merely a boneless heap atop Van, allowing her mate—in every sense of the word—hold her weight.

  Van continued to run his hands along her hips, down her spine to settle on the curve of her ass. She wiggled and pressed into his touch, enjoying the feel of his hands on her skin while he was still inside her. She knew she’d have to move eventually, let him slip from her body at some point, but she wanted to wait as long as possible. She enjoyed this intimate connection, the proof of the trust they now shared.

  She sighed and nuzzled his neck, wishing she never had to move again.

  Then he was a dick and smacked her ass.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Things had been quiet for days. Days. And Lauren was getting bored.

  Well, bored-ish. Van kept her busy at night. Very busy. But he had to work during the day, which left her at loose ends.

  Not that she didn’t enjoy spending time with Mia, Parker (when he was well supervised), and Gigi. No, that wasn’t the problem. Her problem stemmed from being useless. She was used to working, used to earning her keep. Hiding on clan lands while Ty and Van hunted up a connection between Morgan and Bryson while also doing their everyday jobs left her nothing to do. She couldn’t contribute.

  If something non-bad, yet interesting, didn’t happen soon she’d go insane.

  She’d even tried to cajole Van into taking her to work with him.

  “I could answer phones.”

  “No.” He tugged on his shirt.

  “Or file. I could file.” She knew the alphabet, damn it.

  “No.”

  “What about in the lobby? That woman just sits there and—”

  Van spun on her then, gripping her shoulders, and giving her a gentle squeeze. “Davies works in that building. I will not now, or ever, have you close to him again.” He tightened his hold for a brief moment. “We know what happens when one of my bears is threatened, we know how I react.” His gaze darkened, eyes blackening to midnight. “What do you think will happen if you get hurt? If he harms you in some way? If Morgan gets near you?”

  “I’ll be fine… We don’t know Morgan is involved.” She refused to address his question.

  “In your gut, you know. In Ty’s gut, in my gut, we know. Somehow the two of them are working together. For some reason, Morgan sent wolves into our territory.” He tugged her close, hugging her tight. “I would destroy the town to get to anyone who hurt you and the bear and I wouldn’t care who got in the way. So, please, stay safe. For me and for them.”

  She had a hard time arguing with him when he got logical. And now logical had her sitting on her ass watching soap operas and talk shows.

  Ugh.

  She pushed a button on the remote, flicking from one channel to another. Flick, flick, flickity flick. He hadn’t even left the password for the pay per view service. The least he could have done was given her a way to rent a movie. Anything was better than what she had before her.

  Another ugh.

  Lauren tossed the remote on the end table and sighed. At this point, being mauled by Parker seemed fun.

  A knock on the front drew her attention and she shoved herself from the couch with a frown. She hadn’t had visitors at Van’s with the exception of the weird guy, Charles. Any other time she saw someone, it was at the Itan and Itana’s home.

  Another knock came as she reached for the knob. She half turned it and then froze. What if someone snuck onto clan lands? What if someone—? Then she remembered where she was and snorted. Clan lands. Who wanted to deal with bears? There were at least a good two dozen wandering the forests. Plus, all the single males knew she’d mated Van. They weren’t going to bother her.

  Regardless, she peeked through the peephole and then let out a loud squeal as she yanked the door open.

  “Anna!” She bounced in place and then reached for her best friend, hugging her close. “Oh my god,” she pushed her friend back, taking a moment to inspect the woman. The swelling in her f
ace was gone, the purple nearly vanished as well. “You look great!” Better than great. She glowed, happiness radiated from her and practically shined through her skin. “How are you?” She hooked her arm around Anna’s, dragging her into the house. “How’d you get here? Did Martin come? How are you feeling?”

  Lauren couldn’t help but fire off the questions, one after another. She’d spent days joyously in Van’s company, but there was nothing like girl talk.

  Anna laughed, the sound high and pure and Lauren froze, halting their progress. She felt tears forming behind her eyes, stinging her as they grew.

  “Lauren?” Her friend’s brow was furrowed, concern filling her gaze.

  “It’s been a really long time since you laughed. That’s all.” She wiped her eyes, pretending tears weren’t trailing down her cheeks. “Never mind, I’m an idiot.”

  Anna stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Lauren and she clung to her friend. “No, you’re not. It’s been a long time since I wanted to laugh, but Martin…”

  She giggled and squeezed Anna a hint tighter as a smile blossomed on her lips. “Yeah, Van, too.” She released her best friend and grabbed Anna’s hand, tugging her deeper into the house. “C’mon. We can dish and munch on food with way too many calories.”

  Anna’s smile was blinding in its intensity and Lauren realized this was her friend of years ago, before Bryson Davies got his abusive clutches in her. “Deal.”

  They padded into the kitchen and dug through the cabinets, gathering anything full of fat and filled with comfort. In fifteen minutes they had their carbfest setup in the living room and had successfully weaseled the pay per view pin out of Van.

  Life was good.

  Until two hours later, when it went from good to oh-fuck-you’re-fucking-kidding-me.

  A low thud from the direction of the bedrooms snared Lauren’s attention and she turned her head to stare at the dim hallway. Then another came, softer, but still audible.

  “What the hell’s that?” Anna sounded confused and Lauren felt a little of the same, but there was something else she had going on too.

  Fear.

  “No idea.” She handed the remote to her friend. “Lemme check.”