There was another massive clash between his brother and the other bear. This time the bear lunged wildly, and Hugh angled his body to the side while whipping out his arm. He clawed open the Keeper’s throat with a roar. The Keeper fell to the ground and didn’t move. Boyd could smell the stink of death emanating from his body.
Hugh turned and staggered slightly as he lumbered over toward them. He paused and then shifted into his human form. Taking a deep breath, he looked around. “Where’s River?”
Boyd got up and moved, exposing the little burrow they created for her with their bodies. Hugh dropped to his knees and waited as she slowly poked her head out from under Gavin’s neck and looked around. Her ears twitched and her nose scented the air before she stood on her paws. Gavin moved his big body back. River didn’t move much, and Boyd started to worry.
Hugh crawled forward and stroked her gently, feeling along her body. “I don’t feel anything broken.”
Boyd lumbered around and lay down, blocking her view of the corpse behind him. If he was River he wouldn’t want to shift back to that either.
“River.” Hugh rubbed a finger along her muzzle. “You know you’re safe now. Boyd and Gavin are going to keep you safe, too. Come on, shift back for me.”
There was a telltale shimmer of light when she shifted back to human form. Her skin was so pale it looked almost luminescent in the moonlight.
“I wasn’t expecting that.” Hugh stared at River, his jaw slightly gaping. River sat naked as the day she was born with a head full of bright orange hair, almost identical in shade to her fox’s pelt.
“Um, yeah, I have to re-dye it every time I shift.”
Hugh pulled her into his lap, and Boyd and Gavin moved closer. Gavin stuck his nose into the base of her neck and sniffed along her skin, making her laugh. Boyd was content to sit there and wait his turn. His heart still raced remembering the sight of her body flying through the air toward the tree.
“River, are you okay now?”
She nodded. “I was really confused there for a few minutes, and I think I had some internal injuries but shifting back fixed them.” She looked around wildly. “Where’s my corset? That’s my good luck charm. When I shifted I tried to stay inside of it so I wouldn’t get impaled by anything lying around on the ground.”
“All right, sweetheart. That’s enough of that, we’re taking you home.” Hugh got to his feet and scooped her up. Instead of arguing like Boyd expected her to, she snuggled in Hugh’s arms and lay her head on his shoulder.
* * * *
“I hope everything that happened doesn’t wreck the popularity of the brewery.” River stretched out in the tub. The hot water felt wonderful against her skin and the crisp hair on Boyd’s chest tickled her back. Hugh had carried her all the way back to their house. Ironically, the old road the Keeper had tried to escape on was one they used to go back and forth between home and the brewery as it’d been built. Boyd filled the tub when Hugh refused to put her down right away. Not that she blamed him. Hearing the fight between him and the other bear frightened her enough that her chest still felt tight when she thought about it.
“No, the story we’re going with is that a wild bear wandered too close to the brewery,” Gavin said as he entered the bathroom. He’d been on the phone almost from the minute that they got home. “With all the noise Boyd was making, it was an easy excuse to use.”
“Glad to be of help.” Boyd threw the washcloth at his brother’s head.
“The Keeper’s body made a perfect scapegoat.” Gavin turned on the shower and winked at River before stepping under the spray. Was it only a few hours ago that he made love to me in there? Gavin continued to speak from under the shower. “Conservation officer Jaxon Henderson will announce tomorrow that the bear had contracted rabies and had to be destroyed by the authorities. The series of bolts were the result of overly ambitious hunters who were trying to take down the animal. There will be an official request from the authorities for hunters to review the rules and a threat of stronger repercussions to those who cause bodily harm. We’re lucky that no one was seriously hurt or killed.”
“Jaxon is one of Carol’s husbands, right?” Hugh asked her.
“Yes, she’s married to Jaxon, Kaden, and Sloan.” River remembered their wedding. It was a human tradition that was very important to Carol. River thought there was way too much fuss, but it made her friend happy. She had a feeling that she and Carol were going to be much closer now that they had so much more in common.
“Sloan called a moment ago to apologize for not stopping your abduction.”
River blinked at Gavin’s announcement. “It wasn’t his fault!” She couldn’t stand the idea of Sloan feeling bad. “I never would’ve wanted him to risk himself and interfere.”
“In all that craziness, he was protecting his Mate first, and I don’t blame him for it.” Hugh lifted her up and patted her dry. “Aiden pulled Brenna aside to check on her, and they saw you being pulled outside, but by that point Boyd was vaulting over the bar again. The moment I heard Boyd roaring I knew we had trouble. Gavin and I were right behind him. Once we were outside it was easy to follow your trail.”
“Because of the material?” She was proud of herself for that one.
“No, because you’re our Mate.” Boyd paused drying himself to press a kiss against her shoulder. “We could follow you anywhere.”
“Really? I ruined that beautiful teddy for nothing. I thought it was such a good idea.”
“It was. I think you’re very clever,” Boyd quickly said, and she blew him an air kiss for making her feel better.
“You know I didn’t want to go. I couldn’t risk anyone else’s lives. He said he’d planted a bomb in the brewery.”
“There’s no bomb, baby.” Gavin turned off the shower and shook his head. “Craig Walker and Jake Campbell scoured the place and there’s no sign of explosives anywhere.”
“So the asshole lied to me?”
“That’s what bad guys do.” Hugh lifted her up against his chest and headed into the bedroom with her. He placed her on the bed, and Boyd pulled her down against him.
She lay there and brushed her hand along Boyd’s chest hair. So it’s over? We won?”
“We won, River. It’s over. No one knows the details of your past except for those who knew before.”
“Well, that’s a relief. I tried my best to put all of that in the past, and I don’t want it dredged up every time I turn around.” She yawned and felt her eyes droop. Gavin and Hugh crawled into bed with her and they got themselves comfortable. Tonight was such a roller coaster of emotions that completely drained her.
She reached out and petted Hugh’s chest. He lifted her hand and kissed the knuckles. “I don’t have the words to tell you how scared I was tonight.”
“We all were,” Gavin added.
“I say we pack this behind us, too. The bad guy is gone and we won. Easy peasy.”
Her three men fell silent after that comment and River basked in the incredible heat her men gave off. She could stay here warm and cozy forever. As she dozed off she remembered Hugh’s behavior earlier today and wondered if everything was as perfect as she wanted to believe.
* * * *
Hugh lay stretched out on the bed with his head propped up on his hand, and watched River sleep. Gavin and Boyd had already gotten up and headed over to the brewery this morning to clean up after yesterday’s debacle. They’d left Hugh to stay with River, and he appreciated their gesture.
It’d been a long time since he had been forced into a fight like that. Bears were notorious for challenging those that appeared bigger and stronger. As a young man, he’d been challenged on a regular basis, but once he reached his current size the challenges decreased drastically. This morning, he was more concerned about River’s reaction to what happened.
“Stop thinking so much,” River mumbled sleepily. “I can’t snuggle with a brick.” She curled up against him and lifted her leg so it rested over his t
high. “What would you like me to do?” Hugh rolled onto his back and took her with him so she lay sprawled over top of him with her head tucked under his chin. “Think of bunnies and Care Bears and other soft cuddly things.”
Hugh grinned and felt the tension drain out of him. If she wasn’t worrying about his actions then why should he? “Is that what you want this morning, sleepyhead?”
“Do you have a better idea?” River shimmed against him and stretched her arms out to the sides. He lifted his head and angled her head down.
“I could roll you under me and make you scream.” His cock pulsed and flexed against her tummy. He’d been hard since he woke up, and her lithe body rubbing against his was a temptation he couldn’t resist. He pressed kisses against her neck and nipped at the hollow in her collarbone. His fingers tangled with her hair as he kept her where he wanted her and teased her neck and earlobe before laying claim to her lips.
River moaned into his mouth, then braced her hands on his chest and pushed against him, forcing him to let go of her. Her bright red hair looked like a fluffy tangled halo around her face, and her lips were swollen from his kiss. His cock twitched and jumped wanting to be inside her.
She shimmed back and pressed her hot cunt right on top of his aching cock. “Or you could stay put and I’ll scream anyways.”
He clenched his teeth together, gripped her hips and flexed his hips, increasing the friction between them. If she would move up a touch, I could sink myself into her wet pussy and make her scream in no time.
She must have read his intention on his face because she grinned and shook her head at him. “It’s my turn, big guy. I’ve got the pussy. I’m making the rules.”
His first instinct was to argue with her over that one but, after last night’s trauma, he didn’t want to upset her. He’d be careful with her and show her that he could be gentle. The last thing he wanted was for her to fear him.
“Anything for my little vixen.”
Her eyebrow twitched. “Anything?”
Before he could answer that she backed down his body and wrapped her delicate hand around his aching cock. The sensation robbed him of his thoughts. “River!” he gasped when she wrapped her lips around the tip of his cock and sucked.
His stomach muscles tightened, curling his body as she treated his cock like a dripping ice cream cone. “Oh, fuck.” Her tongue trailed up the length of his cock and swirled around the crown before she sucked the tip into her hot wet mouth again.
Hugh drew up his knees and tangled his fingers in her hair. There was no way he was going to last much longer, and he fought the urge to jerk his hips and fuck her mouth. She wanted to set the pace, and he would let her. Never had he conceded control in bed over to a woman, but he wasn’t joking when he said anything.
He didn’t hide any of his reactions, and when she sucked him deep into her throat, he gripped the sheets and let loose with the groan that’d been trapped in his chest. “Fuck me, please.”
River rose up over him like a goddess a huge grin on her face. “I made you beg!”
“Only for you, my little vixen.”
She stroked his cock as she straddled his hips. Hugh stretched out his legs and wrapped his hands over her hips. His thumbs stroked the satiny skin where her legs met her hips as she angled his cock up to meet her pussy. His body trembled with anticipation.
He was lost the moment her cunt closed around the tip of his cock. Her nails pricked the skin on his chest as she teased him adding another layer of sensation to this exquisite moment.
“I love the way you feel, Hugh.” She lowered herself on his cock millimeter by millimeter, lifting and then dropping down bit by bit until she sheathed his length in her tight cunt. She clenched her muscles, and Hugh saw stars.
“Fuck me, River.” The words ended with a growl that vibrated his chest. He wanted it to be a warning, but she giggled and swirled her hips as if she was giving him a lap dance. The friction on his cock felt like a caress. It was torture. It was bliss.
He wanted to pound his cock into her and plant his seed deep inside. One day, she would carry their children, and the thought of her swollen with child almost sent him over the edge. “No more, please.”
“You did so well.” She leaned close and nipped his chin before kissing him. “Fuck me, Hugh,” she whispered against his lips, “hard and fast.”
He opened his eyes and looked up into hers to judge if she was still teasing him. She avoided his gaze by dipping her head and swirling her tongue over one of his nipples. Then she bit the sensitive disk.
The bear inside of him understood the challenge before the man did. He had River flipped onto her back and pounded his aching length into her soaked pussy before her next breath.
River’s heels dug into his ass as her nails scored his shoulders. Arching beneath him she met him thrust for thrust, grinding her clit against his body as he plundered her depths. Her head tilted back at that same moment her muscles clamped down on his cock.
He snarled at her as she screamed out her orgasm. Her cunt fluttered wildly along his length, pulling him down with her into the most intense orgasm he’d ever had.
“I love you, River.” He pressed light kisses against her cheeks and nose. The creature inside him settled down and basked in her scent. “With every single cell that makes up my body.”
River smiled and blinked as she opened her eyes. The intense emotions he felt reflected back at him from her expression. “I love you too, Hugh.” She looked rumpled and well fucked, exactly the way he wanted his Mate to look.
They lay there for the longest time trading luxurious and playful kisses before she drifted back to sleep in his arms. He knew they needed to watch their little fox. She was going to fight him on it, but she needed time to recover from her ordeal. If she still felt the same way in a couple weeks then he and his brothers would properly claim her. Until then, she was going to learn how bears pampered their Mates.
Chapter Fifteen
“River!” Hugh’s deep voice echoed through the brewery as she tiptoed along the wall next to the bags of hops. Those things stunk so bad she’d hoped it would block out her scent.
“I know you’re here somewhere. If you make me come looking for you, I’ll take it out on your ass!”
And that’s exactly what she’d been hoping for. For the past couple days the three of them had treated her like a porcelain doll. She was sick of it. Gavin wanted to dress her up, Boyd cooked her whatever she wanted to eat, and Hugh took her back and forth to work. The best action she’d seen in the past forty-eight hours was Boyd gently making love to her in the bathtub last night.
She didn’t mind that. It was enjoyable, but she was never one to enjoy a steady diet of porridge when she could have suicide chili. Drastic times called for drastic action, so she announced right before walking out the door that she was going to Toronto to get her labia pierced, and she’d see them tomorrow.
She’d stomped out of the kitchen, only to glance back to see the disbelief reflected on their expressions. That had spurred her on. If they weren’t going to believe her then she’d make a really good point. Stealing Hugh’s motorcycle had seemed like a good idea, and she’d heard the three of them charging out of the house as she’d taken off down the road. She made it as far as the brewery when she pulled over. She didn’t want to run all the way to Toronto, but if they pushed her much more she’d make them chase her to Winnipeg.
She’d gotten into the brewery and hid moments before they’d pulled into the parking lot. So far they hadn’t been able to find her but she knew it was only a matter of time. Grinning, she texted Gavin a message.
She heard Gavin’s laughter from the other room. He must be searching the bar area for her. She spent so much time around here for the past few days she was willing to bet her scent was everywhere and it wouldn’t be as easy for them to find her. But where’s Boyd? He wasn’t the sneakiest of the three of them, but she knew not to underestimate him and to be careful.
“Hey, Hugh, River texted me and said if you come near her ass, she’s going to shave a rain cloud in your chest hair so you can look like a grumpy Care Bear.”
“River!’ Hugh’s voice sounded like an infuriated bear’s roar. “Come the fuck out right now!”
Grumpy Bear, Funshine Bear, and Cheer Bear! A mental flash of her men with a rain cloud, a sun, and a rainbow shaved into their chests made her grin larger.
A quiet snort alerted her to Boyd’s presence. The jerk was waiting for her around the corner. Her heart pounded hard enough she was sure he would hear, but she ducked between two of the large vats and grabbed the hose they used to wash down the floors.
Taking off at a run, she squeezed the handle and sprayed him with freezing water as she ran past. “Jesus, River!” he hollered. The shock gave her a few seconds’ head start and she managed to duck under his arm as he swiped wildly for her. She let go of the hose and kept running, hitting the doors to the bar. She darted a look behind her, but so far she’d managed to outwit them. The bar was empty, so they must’ve decided to try to beat her at her own game. While the three of them planned their attack she wasn’t about to make it easy for them. She raced up the stairs to the balcony and quietly opened one of the doors to the upper patio and slipped outside.
A shifting in the space behind her alerted her to her mistake. Gavin snagged his arm around her waist and his hand over her mouth. “You’re being a bad, bad girl today, River.” He pulled her back against him, and she felt his rock-hard cock press against her spine. Without her heels on she got the full feeling of how tall her men really were. She was used to almost looking them in the face, but Gavin was bending over her more than usual. He growled low and bit her on the back of her neck. “The three of us have an agreement, you know. First one to catch you gets your ass this time.”
Gavin spun her around and pressed her against the wall outside. He pressed his thigh tight against the apex of her legs. “But Boyd and I know how much Hugh loves that particular part of your body. Once he’s done your spanking, you’re going to beg to be fucked.”
Surrounded By Fur [3xtasy Lake 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 15
