by Haley Weir
“You forgot the part where he turns into a bear.”
“My Dr. Heartthrob does the same thing. Dorian isn’t special,” Sapphire pouted. “And Brock? He’s like a swarthy lumberjack underneath that sexy firefighters uniform. You should see him with a beard. Woof.”
Destiny snickered. “He really is gorgeous.”
“Not to mention all the muscle concealed beneath three layers of flannel.”
“The flannel isn’t that bad.”
“See? You’re perfect for each other,” Sapphire said excitedly. “Only true love could tolerate that much Canadian-chic fashion.”
“Says the woman who constantly dyes her hair crazy colors and wears those god awful floral patterns.”
“I did say he was my best friend. You’re the only one brave enough to date him.”
Destiny playfully jabbed Sapphire with her elbow and looked down at her text.
Remember. I’m on a mission to make you beg.
She nearly dropped her phone at the memory of him whispering in her ear. Destiny searched through a few of her photographs and sent one where she wore a red lingerie set.
Sapphire snorted over her shoulder and Destiny resisted the urge to hide her phone. “He’s probably having a heart attack. You look great in that pic.”
“No, I don’t think so.”
Her phone chimed with a single message.
Are you trying to kill me? I nearly had a heart attack!
Sapphire’s little snort became uproarious laughter as Destiny walked to the front of the store. She tucked her phone in the back pocket of her jeans and unlocked the bookshop. The regular customers shopped around for a while as she read her book, forgetting to reply to Brock’s message. Her mind was consumed with exciting adventures and sexy pirate lords.
It was the smell of Logan’s aftershave caused Destiny to look up.
“Pray that I don’t run into that boyfriend of yours while I’m out,” Logan warned. “I won’t be caught off guard again. That’s a promise, Des.”
***
Corey Reed rolled onto his side to find Brock Wasting in the throws of nightmare. He unfolded his long limbs from the covers and walked over to him. Brock’s face contorted into an expression of pure agony before his eyes opened. Hands gripped Corey’s arms with bruising strength, causing him to lash out. Corey broke free of the hold and slashed his hand through the air.
Brock pushed him, still under the influence of his dream, and the two of them crashed into the dresser. Corey felt…strange. His back bowed inhumanly. Bones bopped and snapped so loud that Brock was snapped out of his daze. The bear placed his hands on Corey’s arm. “It’s…it’s a shift.”
“H-help me,” he rasped.
“I can’t. The first time is always the most painful. There’s a chance you might not survive, but if you do…that’s when the hard part starts.”
“It gets worse than this?” Corey looked past Brock’s shoulder and into the mirror beside the closet door. His eyes caught the light and Corey watched as his teeth elongated. Muscles tightened and expanded until his vision went black. Through it all he was strangely aware of the smells and sounds in the room.
When his vision returned and the shifting came to an end, Corey attempted to talk, but he could no longer form words. Only growls, hisses, and roars came from his mouth. Corey looked back to the mirror and saw a sleek, black jaguar staring back at him. The length of his body nearly stretched to one end of the small room to the other.
Brock held his hands out in front of him as though he was warding off an untamed beast. But Corey was taken aback by how clear his mind was. There was a clarity that hadn’t been there when he only saw himself f as a man. “I don’t want to freak you out, partner, but you look…really cool!”
Corey snapped his jaw at the ridiculous bear.
“Alright, alright. It’s kind of hard to explain, but you might feel some sort of ball of energy in your core. Not your abs or your chest, but somewhere deep inside of you.”
Corey growled in response. He did feel something strange unfurling inside of him before contracting again.
“Good. Now it’s going to be really uncomfortable, but you have to reach for it. Let it flow through you. My brother taught me this. He was the first to master his abilities and if you could match him in a fight before you even figured out you were a shifter, then you can make it through this.” Brock blocked the doorway and Corey knew the bear would keep him from killing if he lost control.
Corey did as his companion suggested and searched inside for that unnatural feeling. He reached down deep, but it was like trying to catch light in the palm of his hand. His body began to vibrate with effort. “Come on,” Brock said. “Focus. Don’t let your father or anyone else win. Take that control back, Corey. Harness the pain.”
He felt it. Something began to flood his veins like liquid fire. Corey released a deafening roar that faded to the sound of his hoarse voice. Brock was there to catch him before he fell to the floor and carried him toward the bathroom. “What are you doing?”
“Don’t flatter yourself. You need water to fight the fever or else it’ll take hours.”
“Fever?” he asked even as the fire spread through his entire body. Corey clawed at his clothes. Brock laid him in the tub and turned on the shower. The water was a shock to his system, bringing forth the worst headache he had ever experienced. “Why does everything hurt so much?”
“Anders calls it the ‘bear flu’, but it hits all of us I guess. The change is usually triggered by adrenaline or if you’re in danger. Eventually you won’t feel pain with the initial change, but the fever, headache, nausea, and pain will always be there after.”
Corey closed his eyes against the harsh bathroom light and let the water bring him back to earth. “So, why do you think this happened to us and not the rest of the world? What causes this?”
“When we all moved to Haden Springs, Anders had a theory that this happened to us because evolution had chosen it’s new ape. He explained that nature works in patterns and that science still struggles to understand things that can never be explained,” Brock informed Corey. “That shifters are a new branch of evolution. Michael thinks the next step in the pattern is brought when we meet our mates.”
“Mates?”
“Three of us have already found them. Jenny and Dorian, Sapphire and Anders, and I just met mine. Her name is Destiny.”
Corey could practically hear the smile in Brock’s voice. He cracked open an eye and, sure enough, the bear had a dopey grin on his face. “Do all of us have mates or is it just the four of you? God, it’s so strange to call all of you something other than freaks and abominations. I’m actually referring to myself as one of you.”
“If you weren’t such a prick, I’d say yeah.”
“Seriously, though…you really believe in all of this.”
Brock shrugged. “I don’t really have much of a choice. And neither do you.”
Chapter Seven
Destiny arrived at the date spot with a bottle of wine and an old boombox. She set it up next to a willow tree, spreading out a blanket for the picnic. The sun was high in the sky and Haden Springs was quiet at this time of day, so it was perfect for a second date. Destiny leaned against the tree and waited for Brock to arrive.
He was a bit late, but the jeans he wore were enough to earn Destiny’s forgiveness. She nearly swallowed her own tongue when he crested over the hill. The dazzling smile on his face only brightened when he spotted her beneath the tree. Blake crawled over to blanket. “Did you miss me while I was gone?”
“One date and your ego is already unbearable.”
“What can I say, you’re good for my confidence.”
“I don’t think you needed it,” Destiny retorted. “Did you like the picture I sent yesterday? I thought you should to be taken down a peg or two.”
“Let’s just say I spent the night very uncomfortable.”
Destiny’s cheeks burned. She fanned her fac
e and pressed play on the boombox. Brock’s eyebrows shot toward his hairline when Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers filled the air. He threw his head back and laughed. “Are you trying to seduce me? Wine, love songs, and food…someone’s trying to get laid.”
“Actually, I’m trying this reverse psychology thing. If I do everything to try and make you fall in love with me, then you’ll go running for the hills in no time and I win our bet.”
“If you think this is the way to get rid of me or convince me to stop trying to get you to submit, then you’re a terrible judge of character. Because anyone who knows me will tell you that I’m a hopeless romantic. Out of all of us, I was the one ready for love.”
“Dang it!” she shouted in mock aggravation. Destiny was pleased that she had finally started dating a guy who wouldn’t skip town at the first sign of romance. But beneath the charming swagger and the breathtaking smile, she noted how exhausted Brock looked. “Is everything alright? You look tired. We could have rescheduled if you needed to rest.”
“No! I wanted to see you.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” she reached over and smoothed out the creases in his brow as he frowned down at the blanket.
“A friend of mine is in town. We’re both going through some difficulties at the moment, but he’s in a lot of trouble. I’m doing all I can to help him, so he’s staying at my place for a while. I owe him that much.” Brock poured the wine and unwrapped the sandwiches as he spoke. “He recently found out that everything he had been taught to believe was a lie. And at the moment, I’m the only one who he trusts.”
“Is this friend of yours a bear as well?”
“No, he’s a jaguar.”
Destiny jumped to her knees and gripped Brock’s shoulders. “A jaguar? That’s so cool. I’ve read so much about them, does he—” Before she could finish her line of questioning, a calloused finger pressed to her lips. She bit the finger and straddled his lap, framing his face with her hands, and forcing him to look at her. “Don’t shush me. I’m curious.”
“You’re curiosity is very loud and could get him killed.”
“Oh,” Destiny sighed. “Can I meet him? We can bring him something to eat and the two of you can relax while I hear all about this impossible situation.”
“Maybe another time. He’s never been through this before, so his abilities are unpredictable. I don’t want to put you in harm’s way.”
“Why did his change happen so late? From what I know, it usually happens around puberty or when the shifter’s life is in imminent danger.”
“Mine happened around puberty,” Brock revealed. “But my friend was given a serum that acted as a suppressant. It kept him from shifting, but allowed him to use his strength and speed for the most part, even if it was diluted.”
“Well, I wish your friend the best. If either of you ever need anything, you can always call on me.” Destiny lifted her glass to take a drink and caught Brock staring at her. “What? Is there something on my face?”
“No, I just can’t believe I got so lucky.”
“Easy, big boy,” she drawled. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”
“Except it won’t get you begging, right?”
“Right.”
The smile that teased the corners of him mouth were a little too tempting as he asked, “Then why haven’t you gotten off of my lap?”
Destiny hid her heated face in the crook of his neck, but instantly regretted it, for his scent triggered something animalistic in her. She tossed the wine glass into the grass and breathed in the smell of morning dew and cologne. But it was what lingered beneath that set her blood on fire. Destiny smelled Brock, a unique and heady aroma that filled her with a shocking desperation as she began grinding against his large body.
Brock fisted his hand in her hair and tilted her head back. He must have seen the lust in her eyes because he had her pinned to the ground before she could pull herself together. His lips grazed her throat and Destiny’s nails scraped down the length of his back. Brock’s chest rumbled as he thrust between her legs.
Destiny couldn’t help the pathetic little moan that slipped past her lips when she felt his tongue on her skin. She rocked her hips and Brock gripped her denim-clad rear with powerful hands, forcing her core against the rigid length of his erection. “Perfect,” he shuddered. “You’re so damn perfect. And you’re mine.”
***
The cassette tape changed songs and the food was all but forgotten. Brock wanted Destiny naked and writhing beneath him. He gripped the front of her jeans and attempted to rip them from her body, but her hands stilled his movements. Brock nearly drooled when she gripped him through the material of his jeans and squeezed the part of him that wanted to be buried deep inside of her. “Let me take care of you…”
Brock had never heard a more beautiful request. He swooped down to kiss her lips, but she avoided his advancements. The tantalizing scent of her soap and the addictive spice of her arousal called the beast within him. Brock wanted to claim her, but he moved back to breathe in some fresh air. He needed to stay in control.
Destiny, however, had other ideas. She was back in his lap in an instant, forcing his shoulders down until his back hit the blanket. Destiny licked up the column of his neck and sucked the spot at the curve of his jaw until his vision blurred and his hips thrust against her. She gave a breathy chuckle before reaching down to his belt. Brock wanted to tell her to stop, but his body won the war against his mind.
Her hand flicked open the belt buckle and made quick work of the buttons of his trousers, as if undressing him was her profession. The sound of his zipper sliding down was too loud for his sensitive ears. His body stiffened, preparing itself for her touch. And then the silken caress of her hand slid beneath the waistband of his briefs.
Brock’s hips lifted of their own accord, straining toward her touch as her fingers wrapped around his throbbing member. Destiny peppered kisses along his face, neck, and jaw before sinking her teeth into his shoulder. He roared so loud that she was forced to cover his mouth with her hand to keep him from alerting anyone who might have been walking on the trails beside the secluded park. “Behave,” she chided.
His hand shot up and wrapped around her throat, squeezing just enough to warn her, but not enough to cut off her air supply. “What’s your safe word?” Brock snarled in her ear. He loved the way her hand faltered and her eyes widened. “Safe word or we stop right here, right now.”
Destiny’s defiance surprised him as she leaned forward and traced the seam of his lips with her tongue. “Basilisk.” She bit his bottom lip and then licked away the sting. Brock used his free hand to grip her waist.
“Hold on tight,” he warned before using his enhanced strength to lift her and slammed her back against the tree. His hand tightened around her throat and Brock kissed the corner of her mouth to taste her moan. Destiny rubbed against him like a cat, her hand leaving the confines of her jeans to grip his shoulders.
She began to quiver as his hand left her throat to slide up her thigh, dragging the hem of her black dress as it journeyed higher and higher. The tips of his fingers ghosted along the damp fabric of her panties. Destiny tried to slam her thighs shut, but his hips kept her open for his exploration. His teasing touches caused her breath to come in shallow gasps. “You’re so on edge,” he whispered. “I bet I could get you off with a single touch. All you have to do is beg…give it up to me, Dezzy.”
“Never.”
“Wrong answer.” He gripped his erection and brushed it against the apex of her thighs, causing her breath to hitch. Brock stroked her with his own arousal until they were both panting against the tree, rocking into one another, desperate for release. He felt the muscles in her thighs tightened and a rush of wetness soaked through her panties. But he pulled back before she could fall over that edge.
Destiny let out a frustrated shriek as he kissed her neck sweetly and removed the lower half of his body away from her. She tried to pull him
back toward her, but he wouldn’t budge. “You are such a—”
“Watch it!” he barked, holding her against the tree with one hand. “Do you have any idea what you toy with, Dezzy? I’m not a character from one of your books. I’m a real monster, the kind that could hurt you if you’re not careful.”
Her thighs trembled and he knew she had been just one touch from exploding against him. Tears glistened in her eyes, but she bit her lip and tried to calm her breathing. Brock let her slide down the tree onto the blanket as he paced in the grass to master his urges. He might have appeared composed in comparison to her breakdown, but Brock was anything but. His need to mark and taste her was intense.
Brock sat back on the blanket and rearranged his clothing so that he was decent. He winced when his erection pressed against the zipper of his jeans. When he opened his eyes, a sandwich hovered in front of his face. Destiny gave him a sheepish smile. “Truce?” she offered coyly. “I shouldn’t have pushed you. I’m sorry.”
“So am I.” He squinted at his mate with a look of impatience when he caught her staring at the obvious tent in his pants. “Seriously?”
She fell over with uninhibited laughter and he couldn’t find it within himself to be angry. Brock grabbed the sandwich and stole a swift kiss. She looked at him as though he had committed murder. “Hey! That’s cheating.”
“No, you just misunderstood,” he said slyly. “The terms of our deal were that you would beg me to kiss you, not that we couldn’t kiss at all.”
Destiny chewed her bottom lip. “What sense does that make?”
“Why would I deprive myself the taste of your kiss? And trust me, when you want it most, I’ll hold back until you’re driven mad with want. Then you will beg.”
