by Lisa Lace
Sonya stood, her calm demeanor wiped away by the look on Mark's face. She walked to him as her heart began to race, her hands sliding up his arms.
"Dr. Phillips. Tell me what happened." She waited for the doctor to glance up and look her in the eye. She had never seen him so pale before. The weight of the situation smacked her square in the chest.
The Alpha of the brown bears had passed.
"Oh God," she whispered as Mark glanced up at her, tears in his big brown eyes.
"I did all I could, Sonya, but it wasn't good enough." He pulled her into a hug and kissed the side of her face as the world faded slightly in front of her. She clung to him, unable to hold herself up. Had she prepared enough for this moment? Could she ever be ready for something so earth-shattering?
She pulled back and looked up at him. "Did you get to talk to him at all? Can I talk to him for a minute?"
Confusion washed over the handsome doctor's features and Sonya felt Alec's hands on her, holding her up. She pressed against him, her back to his chest as he wrapped a firm hold around her waist.
"Sonya, Victor is dead. He told me this morning to give you two messages should something happen to him." The large man before her let out a soft sob as he pressed his fingers to his lips and paused. Her own tears blurred her vision as she began to cry softly.
"What did he say, Doctor?" Alec's voice sounded beside her.
"Check the safe in his office and he was proud of you." Mark reached out as Sonya turned and buried her face in Alec's chest, the sound of her screams muffled by the thickness of his body.
She couldn't go on without her father.
Chapter Sixteen
The funeral was on a Sunday afternoon. The large church where the ceremony was held overflowed with people.
Sonya sat on the front pew, her brother on her right and a large man on her left. Alec sat with his people but told her the day before that he would be willing to sit with her. She only needed to ask.
She didn't. She hadn't done much speaking at all over the last few days since Victor passed.
Alec brushed his fingers through his dark hair and turned his attention to the pastor of the church as he called for the service to start. Not being a religious man himself, he let the moment fade and rested for the first time in a few days.
He would be meeting up with Dax Collingsworth and the other bear would be lucky if he didn't rip his throat out before he could get a word out. He had messed with Sonya one too many times.
A soft growl left Alec as Jared pushed his shoulder against him. He hadn't realized how loud he had been. A few people glanced back at him and he took stock. Most of the people around them were from the Brown Bear clan or the Black. A handful of humans sat among them, probably from the business world.
He let his eyes drift up to Sonya, the stiffness of her shoulders leaving him concerned for her.
Why wouldn't she let him take care of her? Giving herself over to him forever was different than letting herself enjoy the physical comfort he offered. Maybe that was just him. For a woman, perhaps releasing her body meant releasing her heart as well.
He was already lost to her. As soon as they stabilized everything with Varetec and Victor's passing, he was going to try to talk some sense into her.
The rest of the service was uneventful and by the time it was over, Alec was chomping at the bit to get to Sonya. She stood near the back door, hugging various people and thanking them. He moved toward the front of the church and stood before the open casket.
The man lying in the soft white silk didn't look anything like the tycoon Alec had visited a few weeks before in the hospital. He must have been something to behold when he was at the height of his power.
"Thank you," Alec whispered and reached down to brush his hand over the man's chest as someone moved in beside him.
"He was a good father, a great man and the best Alpha I've ever met. How someone could be so powerful and yet choose humility and kindness at every turn still leaves me in awe."
Alec glanced over at the large man beside him and nodded. "I didn't get to know him well and for that, I find myself wishing I had come back to the States sooner."
"Your timing was exactly what he wanted it to be." The giant extended his hand. "I'm Parik. I was Victor's Beta."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Alec."
"I know who you are, son. Victor thought quite highly of you."
"He spoke of me?" Alec turned. Parik's words caught him off guard. There were so many things he wanted to know, but it seemed that the only way to get answers was to push Sonya to get into Victor's safe. She wasn't ready for that yet.
"He did. You'll learn a lot over the next few weeks I'm sure. I'm here if you need anything and I wish you luck with the battle you have ahead of you."
"I appreciate that, but the Gareth's are of no concern to me. I will snuff them out and remove the threat from your people in the next few days." Alec puffed out his chest, his need to prove himself almost overwhelming. It had been a long time since he had wanted to be a good man for anyone. Now he found himself wanting to do it for Sonya, her father, and her people.
"I have no doubt that you'll take the visitor out. It's not him I was referring to." Parik glanced meaningfully toward the back of the church and Alec turned to see Sonya walking toward him.
"Yeah. I need lots of help there." He glanced to the brown bear Beta and chuckled as the large man shook his head and walked to meet Sonya. Parik pulled her in a hug and Alec took note of her expression. She loved the man, as he was sure her father had too.
She moved towards Alec and stopped beside the casket, resting her hands on the side and smiling as she looked down at her father. "You think he's healthy and whole again?"
Alec moved in behind her and wrapped his arms around her, half expecting her to pull from him. She had kept to herself over the last few days and had not returned his texts. "I do and I know he's looking down on us, waiting for our next move. He was a man of action. I'm not going to disappoint him and I'm pretty sure you're not capable of it."
She turned and slid her arms up his chest, locking them around his neck. "Take me out of here and let's go back to your place. I need to shift and run. I'm trying so hard to not fall apart, but my bear needs to breathe. Take me to the woods and let's run."
"You don't have to ask twice." He leaned down and kissed her cheek softly before slipping his hand into hers and walking them out of the church. Sadness swept over him as she stopped halfway down the aisle, looking back as she blew a kiss toward her father.
Jared stood beside the car as Alec walked toward it. He wrapped an arm around Sonya's waist and stopped beside his Beta. "Sonya, this is Jared. He's the Beta of the Black Bear pack. Jared, this is Sonya."
"Nice to meet you, I think." Jared extended his hand. "Sorry for your loss. Victor was a great man."
"Yes, he was, and thank you." Sonya shook his hand before sliding her arm around Alec's waist. Her closeness surprised him and he treasured it.
"We're headed back to the house to run. What's up?" Alec rubbed her back, his body waking up as her scent washed over him.
"There's been a sighting of these bastards from Europe just outside our property line. We need to meet up with them and push them back. I know you're working on what to do about the threat they pose to Sonya's people, but they're coming too close for comfort to us as well." Jared kept his focus on Alec as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"How many bears have been spotted?" Alec asked, using his free hand to unlock the door to the car. He needed to get Sonya out of there before she changed her mind and left him alone again.
"Four total. One was an Alpha for sure." Jared moved to the front of the car. "Call me later and we can figure out what to do."
"Find him. Dax Collingsworth. Locate him and set up a meeting."
"He's already contacted Drago, so I'll wait to see what comes of that unless you want me to push in between them." Jared started to walk backward.
; "No. Drago will reach out to me. He would be stupid not to." Alec moved toward the front of the car, walking to the passenger side and opening Sonya's door.
"See you two later. Call if you need me." Jared waved.
"Come get in and I'll get us to the house so we can find some type of release today." Alec leaned against the car, watching the beautiful woman over the hood.
"Give me your keys. I want to drive." She slid her hand across the hood of the black Porsche. Alec didn't hesitate to pull the keys out of his pocket and hand them to her. The deadpan look in her eyes made him want to force passion on her from every angle.
She wasn't herself at all, but the loss of her father was more than she could bear.
He got in the car and she slid into her side, breathing in deeply and running her hands over the steering wheel. He pressed his hand to the front of his slacks and glanced over at her. "Watching you take control of my car makes me hard as fuck."
She glanced at him, the Alpha inside of her roaring to life and leaving him breathless. "Wait to see what I can do with control of your cock."
"Fuck…" he grunted and leaned back, letting himself enjoy the thrill of her taking ownership of his favorite toy.
They got to his place in record time, the sexy girl driving his car pushing it as far as it would go. How they didn't get pulled over ten times on the way home was a mystery to him.
She parked the car and glanced over at him, her eyes wild.
"I need to shift." She almost purred her words, her eyes brilliantly amber. He growled and reached over, pulling her to him as he pressed his lips to hers. Sonya opened her mouth and pressed her tongue against his lips before he could force his into her mouth.
He groaned as he opened his mouth and she moved her tongue deep into him. He slid his hand along her face and tangled his fingers in her long chestnut locks as he pressed his teeth to the thickness of her tongue.
She started to crawl across the seat, but he beat her to it, pulling her from her seat into his lap and running his hands over her breasts and down to her hips. She broke the kiss and opened the door, pulling from him and stripping out of her tight black dress as she walked toward the forest. He moved from the car, knowing what she was getting ready to do.
He didn't want to miss a minute of it.
She started to jog as her body began to shift. She was beautiful and strong, her silky skin turning into thick caramel-colored fur before his eyes. She was in full bear form as he pulled his jacket and tie from his body.
Sonya paused and turned, letting out a cry that had him stripping faster. She was in heat and had been for weeks. Why she fought against him left him agitated.
He jogged toward her, shifting quickly into the large black bear that ruled all of the forests in the U.S. He was proud of who he was. There was a look of need in her large eyes as she watched him. He raced past her, challenging her to keep up. He wouldn't take her in bear form. She could wait.
He wanted her panting and overwhelmed with need by the time they shifted back into their human form. He needed her to understand that it was him that could offer relief, bring pleasure, and sustain her.
Chapter Seventeen
Alec was magnificent as he moved along the trees to her left. His body was enormous, easily the biggest bear she could remember encountering. He was Alpha for a reason and his size had a lot to do with it.
They stopped by a large stream after running for a few hours. The afternoon sun had begun to set, the sky burning with brilliant reds and oranges. She pressed her face down into the water and pulled in long drinks.
Sonya glanced up as she heard his breathing change. He was shifting, which was something she didn't want to miss. He was going to meet with Dax soon and her situation would be resolved before long, but Alec's job wasn't to protect her. Not yet.
She lifted her snout into the air and breathed in deeply, the aroma of his need pulling into her lungs. She wanted to satisfy him and be the only woman he dreamt of beneath him. Closing her eyes and concentrating on him alone, she shifted as well. The painful pleasure of becoming human again was welcomed.
She knelt by the river, naked and ready to release herself physically to him.
A slow burn had almost driven her mad in the center of her stomach since the last time they had been together. She walked toward him as he stood watching her. He didn't reach for her, but breathed in deeply, searching for the scent of her arousal. The sound caused her to whimper softly.
Her heart was broken over her father, but life had become bleak over the last few days. She needed to remember why it was important to keep going and why her people needed her.
It was passion. Passion for life and for family, for love. She pressed her cheek to the strong muscles of his chest and slid her arms around him, molding herself to the front of him.
"I need you," she whispered against his skin.
He slid his hands around her hips and kneaded her rear as he turned to look down at her. His dark hair and fierce blue eyes left her heart beating so hard that it felt as if it might break through.
"I need you too, baby. I don't want you to wait this long again." He picked her up with his hands gripping the back of her legs. Sonya wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed down to take him in. A long groan left her as Alec applied pressure to her hips. She was ready for him, aching and needy.
"Fuck yes," he whispered against her mouth and lifted her as he pumped his hips. It took him a few minutes to fully penetrate her, but the delicious pressure he created working himself inside left her unraveled.
"Harder, faster, Alec. Please. harder," she murmured against his mouth as he leaned down to kiss her face. His tongue slid along hers over and over as he used a delicious combination of rocking his hips forward and gripping her ass to work her body against his.
Sonya shuddered as he walked into the river, the water rushing up and lapping at her as Alec continued his assault, his rhythm never broken.
"Your body needs mine, Sonya. I can feel how close you are to release, baby girl. I'm your man. Relax into me and take my cock in deeper. You're fighting me." He nipped at her mouth, catching her lip and causing it to bleed. She closed her eyes as he sucked at the cut, their bodies meant for each other.
"Take me, Alec. Force yourself on me. I can't break my will. I don't know how to relent." She choked on a sob as he moved them down into the water, their bodies still connected.
He removed one hand from her ass and slid it up between her breasts, latching on to her throat and applying a little bit of pressure. She pushed against it and groaned as he opened her up fully.
"That's it. Let go. Let go, Sonya and let me have you. Open your legs wider and relent."
"Fuck yes," she groaned as he pressed completely into her. The fire from her orgasm started deep in her womb and spilled out along her pulse points as she screamed his name over and over again.
He leaned over, sucking her nipple into his mouth and pressing his teeth gently to it, causing her to come again, harder the second time. She rode it, her fingers digging into his skin as she rolled herself against him.
The water created a wet friction that made anything seem possible.
"Oh my God, baby," Alec whispered against her breasts as he licked and sucked at them. His hands moved back to her hips, using her to work himself as the water splashed around them. "So close. Claim me, Sonya, so I can penetrate the deepest parts of you."
"I can't," she murmured, lost to the feeling of him consuming her from the inside out.
"Yes, you can. Do it now or we're done, Sonya." He thrusted again, his large cock spreading her wide. The pleasure was too good not to relent to him. He could have anything if he promised her that he wouldn't stop.
She pushed her lips to his ear and whispered her response. "Mate me. Drive into me and fill me. Take me, Alec. Please, God. Just take me."
He pressed his teeth into her shoulder, marking her as blood welled up and he spilled himself inside of her. "Mine."
She stayed for most of the night, but slipped out just after the sun rose in the morning. Sonya arrived home to find her brother's car in front of her house. She was concerned but tried to hide it as she slowly got out of the car.
They hadn't spoken much since the death of her father, not that they spent too much time together before.
She had pushed too hard for him to be what she wanted for the last fifteen years. He resented her and she didn't care.
Sonya pushed the door to the house open and called out. "Cade? You still here?"
"In the kitchen." His voice was neutral, leaving her questioning his intent. She walked toward him and dropped her purse in an empty chair before taking a seat at the table. She still wore her dress from the funeral, but her hair was a mess. Her night with Alec had left her looking like she'd been ridden hard and put up wet and worn.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to keep her voice neutral.
"You're my sister. I would think I would be welcome here anytime, right?" He carried a plate of bacon and eggs to the table and set it between them before offering her a fork. "I made food though I'm not sure if the eggs are good. I think I cooked them too long."
"Of course you're welcome here anytime. There are more rooms in this big ass house than I can count. You could live here if you wanted."
"Too heavy for right now. I just wanted to share breakfast with you." He smirked and she took the fork, setting it down and taking a piece of bacon instead.
"Breakfast is a good start." She sat back and crossed her legs while she studied him.
"Where were you last night?" He took a tentative bite of the eggs before nodding and eating a few more.
"I stayed with Alec. We went running in the woods outside of his house for hours after Dad's funeral. I must have fallen asleep at his place. I was so tired." She licked at her fingers before taking another piece.
"Are you mated with him?"
"You're asking a lot of questions for someone who wanted a light conversation and heavy breakfast." She chuckled and picked up her fork, wondering how to get out of trying the eggs. They were overcooked. She could tell just by looking at them.
