by Sway Jones
Chapter 17
Hank shifted into his bear shape. Son of a bitch, he roared. His brothers came running into his home in their bear forms, ready to fight. They all roared when they saw him shuffling from paw to paw, head hanging down.
What the fuck they asked through their minds? What happened?
Jeremy took her, he reported.
That bastard, Ryan snarled. Where, where did he take her?
Ryan go back to Waverly, Hank commanded. Protect her. The rest of us will go get Delilah.
You will need more than three bears to get through Jeremy’s pack, Ryan argued. You need me.
Waverly needs you more. Don’t let her get taken too.
I won’t but get some back up. Call up some of the other families. Call the council.
No this is between Jeremy and me, Hank growled. I’m not letting the law get in the way of my killing that asshole. He better not have hurt her.
Hank let’s not rush into – Jai began.
I’m leaving now. Are you coming he asked Jai and Jonathan looking at his brother bears.
The two of them looked at each other and then at their big brother. They nodded their big heads.
Be careful, Ryan called out with his mind when his brothers turned to leave. Bring her back.
Hank roared one more time letting the world know he was coming, letting Jeremy know he was on borrowed time.
Chapter 18
Delilah curled into a ball, sobbing. She was hurting both physically and emotionally. He had hurt her so badly. The very heart of her was bruised and battered.
She lay on his bed, naked, in his home in the middle of his pack’s lands. Surrounding his house were ten other houses of pack members. He felt fairly secure in his sin.
He lay in the bed next to her, wondering why she was crying. He had fucked her good. It wasn’t like she had been a virgin. Perhaps she was crying because he had ruined her for any other man. Hopefully he had impregnated her. She would be able to bear his pups. He would have a legacy.
Sitting upright, he heard it like it was outside his window – a roar, an angry bear’s roar. Loud enough to shake his home. He got up.
“Delilah I need you to stay here,” he ordered her. “Don’t leave this room. You got it?”
She said nothing only sobbed.
He gave her a disgusted look and then turned to leave. When he closed the door behind him, he locked it too. Now he could hear the snarling and whimpers of his fellow pack members. The bears were breathing hard but not making a sound. The cracking of broken necks was loud enough.
Shit his wolves were being decimated, he thought hurrying downstairs. Just as he reached the last step, a grizzly burst through his front door. Shifting into his wolf, Jeremy was able to smell the blood of many of his pack mates coming from the bear. Snarling he approached the large predator and arrogantly thought that he could take on an animal twice his size.
Jeremy was nimble enough but Hank had righteousness on his side. He swiped at the wolf but missed. Jeremy launched himself at Hank and managed to jump on his back. Hank tried to shake the mangy mutt off of him but the wolf had clamped onto his neck with his powerful jaw.
When he felt Jeremy’s jaw loosen to get a better grip on him, Hank stood up on his hind legs and felt the wolf scrabble against his back trying to stay on top of the bear. Jeremy slid off Hank’s back. Hitting the floor knocked the wind out of him for a second. It was all the time Hank needed to turn and swipe a clawed paw at the wolf’s stomach, disemboweling him. Jeremy screamed and shifted back to human form.
He stared up at Hank who had shifted back as well. Covered in blood, Hank stood over the man that had kidnapped his woman and who paid the price for that act as well as whatever else he had done to Delilah.
“I loved her,” Jeremy whispered with his last breath.
“No you didn’t,” Hank replied angrily. “You wanted to possess her. You never loved her. Go to hell.”
Jeremy didn’t take long to obey Hank.
Chapter 19
“Don’t touch me Hank!” Delilah cried shrilly moving to the other side of the bed trying to cover herself with the bed’s comforter.
“Why Delilah?” he asked hurt by her words and action.
She shook her head and kept crying. “He made me – dirty,” she told him in between sobs. “He – raped me Hank. I’m not a virgin anymore. I’m sorry. I know that’s the only reason you – wanted me.”
“If that is what you think then I haven’t been very clear with my intentions toward you.”
He sat down on the edge of the bed looking contrite. “I love you Delilah, not your virginity. I love the woman you are, not the fact that you’re, were, a virgin. Sweetheart I wouldn’t have killed for your virginity. I killed to get you, all of you, back.”
“You killed – him?” she asked astounded to know that the monster had been put down.
“Yes Delilah. Nobody takes my woman, rapes her and gets away with continuing to live.”
“Thank you Hank,” she whispered, jumping into his lap and hugging him. Her sobbing returned in force. She buried her face in his bloody neck and let him rock her, trying to comfort her.
“Sweetheart let me take you home. To my home. Our home,” Hank begged. “I don’t want you out of sight ever again. Will you come home with me?”
Chapter 20
Hank showered with Delilah. Tenderly he washed away all vestiges of Jeremy from her body’s memory, replacing it with his gentle touches. He wished he could wipe away the bruises the bastard had left on her white alabaster skin. He kissed softly the bruise on her cheek. He lifted her wrists to his lips and kissed the black and blue marks there. Kneeling down he slowly swiped his lips over the ones Jeremy had left on her hips and thighs. She shivered beneath his lips.
As the warm water sluiced over him on his knees, looking up at her, Delilah looked down at him and saw the deep love he had for her shining in his face. She started to cry again as she realized the enormity of what he had done for her that night. Killing for her. She held his head in her hands, pushing back his hair.
He closed his eyes in ecstasy at having her caresses. Never had he wanted a woman’s touch as much as he wanted hers. His tears mingled with the water and kept his intense emotions hidden from her. He had almost lost her today. The thought of her not being in his life tortured him; making him do what he did, kill seven wolf shifters without thought to whether he was doing the right thing or not.
He didn’t care. All that mattered was getting her back and making anyone who even considered taking her from him again, give it a second thought. Letting them know the price they would pay for taking his woman.
Standing back up, he let her wash him now, taking off the blood that tainted his skin. When she was done she wrapped her arms around him from behind and leaned in against his back, laying her cheek against his wet skin.
He grabbed her hands and held them in his. They stood there for a few minutes underneath the hot water flow reassuring each other of the other’s presence.
Finally Hank turned the water off and led Delilah out of the shower to dry her. By the time he had finished drying all that gorgeous red hair, he was dry too.
Picking her up he took her to his bed, their bed. Laying her down he quickly got in with her and pulled her close. He sighed with deep contentment when she settled in next to him, her curves flowing onto his hard planes like water over rocks. She was asleep almost as soon as she laid her head on his chest. It took him a few minutes before sleep claimed him. Even as he rested he didn’t let go of her. He would not lose her again.
Chapter 21
Hank enjoyed the hard work of the farm. He threw himself into it. He worked twelve-hour days doing everything while his brothers and Waverly moved Delilah into his home. As much as he hated it, he was keeping his distance from Delilah. Any time he came near she flinched and looked scared. That he couldn’t handle.
His bear didn’t understand what was going on. He chuffed in th
e corner of his mind wondering why their mate was so frightened of them. They had done nothing wrong as far as he was concerned. Sure they had killed but she had been taken from them and hurt. They had to kill.
“Hey Hank,” Waverly greeted coming into the barn. They had several new calves in the pen. “Need some help?”
“Sure,” he said sadly.
“What’s going on?” Waverly asked knowing the issue already but wanting Hank to give voice to what he thought the issue was. “You haven’t been around to move Delilah in.”
“Been busy,” he answered tersely.
“Is that all?” she persisted.
Hank stopped what he was doing and stared at the calves.
She walked up to him and put a comforting hand on his arm. “What’s going on Hank?”
“She’s afraid of me,” he said softly. “I can’t handle her – disgust of me.”
“Hank does she sleep with you every night?”
“Yes.”
“Then she is not afraid of you.”
“In her sleep but when she’s conscious, she remembers what I did and can’t stand to be near me. I don’t know what to do.”
“No Hank, she loves you. She appreciates what you did for her. I know she does because she told me.”
He looked up at words surprised. “She has?”
“Yes.”
“Then why does she keep a distance between us? Why won’t she let me touch her?”
“Because she stills feels like less than you deserve because of the rape.”
“I don’t care about the rape!” he exclaimed. “I mean it doesn’t change how I feel about her. I still love her so much but I’m terrified of scaring her.”
“Don’t be! You have to show her you still care, you still want her.”
“How?”
“She’s skittish right now like a nervous horse. What would you do with a frightened horse?”
“Be gentle with her. Make sure she knew I would never hurt her and try and replace those horrific memories with better ones.”
“Do that!”
“Ok,” he agreed smiling for the first time since she had been taken. It felt good to have a plan of action. “Can you handle feeding the calves –”
“Go!” Waverly ordered him with her own smile. “Don’t give up on her Hank.”
“I won’t. Never.”
Chapter 22
“Delilah,” he called for her when he entered their home.
“In the bedroom,” he heard her answer. His bear stood up and looked forward to seeing their mate. He always loved being with their mate even if she was withdrawn.
“Good,” he whispered to himself and made his way to the master bedroom. He found her sitting on the bed a couple of suitcases lay open but empty at her feet. She looked up at him smiling slightly, unsure.
“Moved in ok?” he asked standing nervously at the end of the bed.
“Yes. I moved some clothes around like you told me I could. That’s still ok?”
“Of course. Move whatever you want. I’m going to shower, care to join me?”
She looked up at him surprised. “I – uh – I have to – uh, no. I need to do something,” she evaded looking away from him, unable to meet his perplexed gaze.
“Ok. If you change your mind …”
His heart broke when she turned away from him.
“Delilah,” he said quietly.
“Yes.” She didn’t turn to look at him.
“I’m not giving up on us.”
Her head turned sideways but she didn’t look directly at him.
“I love you Hank,” she told him her voice cracking with emotion. “But I don’t think I’m the best for you.”
“You are,” he said quickly without thought. “And Jeremy attacking you doesn’t change that fact. You’re still my beautiful redheaded virgin, my love.”
“But I’m not –”
“You still are as far as I am concerned. He hurt you but he didn’t destroy you. You and I were meant to be together forever. I’m not going to let someone like Jeremy ruin our destiny.”
She sat there thinking about his heartfelt words. Could she let go of what Jeremy had done to her? Could she approach Hank as himself and not as some other horrible man from her past? Didn’t he at least deserve that amount of respect from her?
“I don’t want that either,” she finally told him. “I want to belong to you.”
“You do sweetheart. You belonged to us from the moment my bear and I saw you. Do you still love us?”
“Yes.” He was relieved at her lack of hesitation when answering.
“Then don’t be afraid of me. You have nothing to be afraid about me. I would never hurt you like I hurt those wolves.”
“I know,” she commented readily. “I don’t worry about that. You would never hurt me like that. I only want to be worthy of you killing for me.”
“You are and I know that. I want you to know that. What can I do to convince you of that fact?”
“You’ve been distant with me,” she began uneasily. “Are you sure you still want me?”
“Yes. I’ve only been distant with you because I wanted to give you space to settle in and I didn’t want to scare you. Any time I came near you, you moved away.”
“I did?”
“Yes sweetheart.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I guess I – I don’t know. I don’t mean to. I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry for.”
“Please don’t pull away from me,” she begged. “I know I am sending you mixed signals but I – I don’t want to. I want you. Close. Please.”
“You don’t have to beg baby. I want you too. Come here.”
She didn’t waste any time going to him. Wrapping her arms around him, she held him tightly.
“”You smell so good,” she commented, taking in a deep breath. “Like hay, and snow.”
“And cows,” he drawled.
She giggled and he was so captivated by the sound of her laughter once again. It had been awhile since he had heard it. He needed to hear it every day.
“Yes cows too,” she agreed chuckling.
“So let me shower and then I can help you with whatever you still need to do in terms of moving in.”
“Ok,” she said reluctantly letting go of him. “I’ll be here.”
“Great. Don’t move from here. I’ll be fast!”
She giggled again.
Before he could leave her, he had to kiss her. He took her gently. Sliding his lips over hers softly, he tapped his tongue at the seam of her lips for entrance. She opened without reservation.
His bear groaned because they were finally getting a taste of her. Touching her again was like standing in a warm rain after a long dry spell. He soaked up her life giving moisture and let it feed his soul as well as his body. He had been so parched for her. He needed this kiss and a whole lot more.
“As much as I hate leaving you,” he began pulling away from her grudgingly. “I need to shower.”
“I’ll be here, I promise.”
“Good. I’ll be back quickly.”
Chapter 23
Once Hank was done with his shower he returned to the bedroom to find his future bride already in bed. What stopped him in his tracks was the little red teddy she wore while laying down in their bed. Delilah had taken her best friend’s advice and put herself out there for Hank to either claim or let go.
She got up on her elbows and smiled seductively at him. She bent her knee and gave him a glimpse of her inner thigh. This also pushed the teddy up higher and he had a nice view of her red lace panties.
Pushing his wet hair back off his face, he smiled lasciviously at his fiancée. His bear was fighting to mark her as his. He wanted them to rut and get her pregnant. Hank fought and managed to get his bear under control.
Patience he told it. They would be getting what they both needed soon enough. It chuffed in frustration but let the matter go for now.
&nbs
p; “Do you like?” Delilah asked her voice wavering. She wasn’t sure if he would like seeing such a big girl in such sexy under wear. Did she look stupid? Trying to entice a guy with her fat body? She almost covered up when Hank didn’t say anything right away.
Then she saw him swallow hard and begin to nod his head. The closer he got the more she could see how much need he had for her in his sparkling dark eyes. He still wanted her!
She didn’t think she would ever used to this fact. One day he probably would stop wanting her but until then she was going to enjoy being with him.
Maybe one day will never come, she thought to herself. He had said they were together, forever. Could she take him at his word?
“Babe come back to me,” he whispered climbing in to bed with her. “You went away there for a few seconds.”
“Sorry,” she said sheepishly. “I didn’t mean to – leave. I was only thinking about how you said we were – forever.”
“I meant it sweetheart.”
“I believe you do.”
“I’m glad you do because my bear and I mate for life.”
“What if you tire of me?” she asked uncertain about a lifetime sentence.
“Will you tire of me?” he asked unsure of her answer.
“No, but you have so much to offer me. It would take a lifetime to discover all of it.”
“The same goes for you Delilah. You have so much to offer me. Just following all those curves alone will take me years to touch, taste and memorize.”
She blushed at his words. He chuckled when she did so. Christ she was so innocent. That pale skin of hers could not hide her emotions even if she tried.
He lay down next to her, putting an arm around her waist and enjoyed the feel of her so real in his bed, in his life. Staring into her eyes, he hoped she could see his sincerity. Truly he believed they were meant for eternity. He only hoped that she could have as much faith in them as he did.
“Ok,” she agreed with him. “I’ll take forever with you.”
