Mating Season (Morgan Clan Bears, Book 1)

by Theresa Hissong

  “He’s gone,” Drake cursed as he shifted. Gunner’s eyes were glowing gold in the darkness.

  “Do you think it was Tessa’s ex?” Gunner asked, his eyes still trained on the spot in the woods.

  “I would almost guarantee it,” Drake snarled and pulled his shirt over his head.

  Tessa sat in the middle of the bed, her eyes trained on the door, and a gun in her hand. Drake had been gone at least ten minutes, and she was starting to worry about his safety. Who was out there on their land? A hunter?

  Her mind already had an idea it could be Bradley. She didn’t want him anywhere near the clan, and if she brought trouble to Drake’s land, she would be forever sorry. Why couldn’t her ex-husband just leave her in peace?

  “Tessa, it’s Drake!” The sound of his knuckles tapping on the door caused her to yelp before scrambling off the bed. “I have a key, little one. Put the gun away.”

  “Come inside, please,” she yelled through the door. The gun was still on the bed, and she was waiting for him to step through. Tessa didn’t realize how scared she was until she looked down at her shaking hands.

  As soon as the door opened, she jumped into his arms. “Are you okay? What happened? Who was it?”

  “Woah,” Drake said, kissing the top of her head before releasing her to go over to retrieve the gun. He slid it into his side table and turned around to address her. What Tessa saw in his eyes made the shaking turn into full blown tremors.

  “Was it him?”

  “I don’t know.” Drake shook his head. His eyes were glowing and his brows were pushed forward. The male she’d given her heart to was angry. No, he was beyond angry. The sharp fangs poking into his bottom lip were proof of that. “He left in a car parked by the road. I know his scent now, and if it’s Bradley, I’ll know him before I ever lay eyes on the son of a bitch.”

  Chapter 13

  Three weeks had passed, and the crops were planted. Drake lay in the bed with Tessa resting on his chest. It was the first time he’d slept past four in the morning since the winter, and with his mate next to him, he had no reason to move.

  Today was the day the panther’s healer would change Tessa. She’d tossed and turned the night before, and he knew she was worried. Hell, he was worried, too. By the afternoon, Tessa would be in pain, and Drake would be going out of his mind.

  “When will he be here?” Tessa asked as her eyes fluttered open. Drake rolled to his side and cupped her face. This would be the last time he looked into her beautiful sapphire eyes. In three days, they’d be brown.

  “At noon,” Drake answered. “I want to feed you and bathe you before he gets here. If there are any other questions, I need you to ask them now.”

  Tessa nuzzled into his chest and took a deep breath. “I want to be able to protect myself, and I want to be with you, Drake.”

  “You are already mine, Tessa,” he reminded her, lifting her chin to kiss her softly.

  “I love you, Drake,” she said as she smiled at him. “I just want you to know that before I go through the change. I want you to remember that I was a human when I fell in love with you, and it’s not because I’ll be like you in a few days.”

  Drake’s lips crashed down on hers as the words sank into his stubborn mind. She did love him. “I love you, Tessa Ward, and as soon as you are on your feet, I want you to be my bride. You will never be called by that motherfucker’s last name ever again.”

  “Well, bear man, are you asking me to marry you?” she flirted.

  “Will you?” he pressed, waiting for her reply.

  “Of course, I will,” she winked. “Will you make love to me now, Sir?”

  “I’m going to worship your body,” he snarled and rolled over to grab a satin sash in his nightstand. “Hands above your head, Tessa.”

  Tessa didn’t hesitate and lifted her arms. She tangled her fingers in the metal headboard and giggled when he wrapped the sash around her wrists, tying it off to one of the horizontal bars of his headboard. Her little sighs of delight hardened his cock to the point of pain, and he ached to be inside her, but she liked the delayed release he so often teased her with. Drake was a man of patience when it came to his mate. He’d give her what they both wanted and prepare her for the next few days.

  The clock on the wall read it was nearing ten in the morning. He couldn’t spend hours in bed with her, but he had a good idea of how he was going to satisfy his mate. “Close your eyes, Tessa. If you open them, I will stop. Keep them closed, and I will make it worth it.”

  “Yes, Sir,” she breathed.

  Drake grasped her tiny shorts at the sides and pulled them free of her body. Her tank top was still on, and he wasn’t going to remove it. The sensation of darkness and being half dressed would play with her desire. He wanted her to focus on where their bodies connected.

  “Knees up and drop them out to the side,” he ordered, waiting while she got into position. Her pussy gleamed with her desire. The scent of honeysuckle was stronger when she was aroused, and he wasn’t going to complain.

  Without any warning, Drake leaned forward and used his tongue to lap at her intimate flesh. Tessa sucked in a breath, but never opened her eyes. The inside of her thighs quivered with each pass of his tongue. This female was perfect for him. She called to his dominant side, and she loved him for who he was, no matter how much he had tried to push her away that first night on his land.

  Tessa’s head thrashed from side to side as he took her swollen clit between his teeth, sucking and biting until she almost opened her eyes. When her hips started to rock, he sat back and watched as a pronounced pout formed on her lips.

  “Do you want my cock, mate?” he teased, using the back of his finger to trace over her pussy. He blew on her clit and waited for her reply. He smiled as her teeth gritted from the need to come.

  “Please, Sir?” she begged.

  “Can you hold out a little longer for me, little one?” he asked, dipping his head for another taste.

  “I’m trying, Sir,” she groaned.

  “Good girl,” he praised, using his middle finger to slide into her pussy. The moment he was inside, her body tightened, holding him in place. He waited a moment for her to relax before he started the motions.

  She didn’t gasp out in shock when he kissed her. Tessa opened her mouth and kissed him back, their tongues dueling faster and faster as her need began to rise. He loved watching her shatter beneath him, and he craved her sweet release.

  They played this game for another fifteen minutes; the closer she came to orgasm, the more he would stop and blow across her clit. By the time his bear and cock were demanding he mount his mate, Drake was lightheaded from the desire he had for her.

  “I’m going to fuck you now, Tessa,” he warned as he pushed his shorts down to his knees and climbed between her silky legs. He fisted his cock and brought it to her opening. “I’m going to fuck you hard, and I want you to come now.”

  “Please, Sir?”

  He worked himself deep, stopping only when he was fully seated inside her. He pulled back slowly, testing her body. He leaned over her and wrapped a hand around her throat, sliding it up to hold her face still. “You can look at me now. I want you to remain still while I bring you pleasure.”

  Tessa’s blue eyes locked with his, and she didn’t mumble a word as he began to move. The only sound in the room was their bodies slapping together as he pumped into her. Tessa kept her legs out to the side, forever submissive to his wishes.

  “Come for me,” he said, using his free hand to reach between their bodies. He rolled his thumb over her clit as his cock slammed into her body.

  “Yes!” she screamed out in pleasure.

  Drake’s world was complete. This woman was his, and after he fed her his blood, she’d truly be his forever mate.

  Drake eased his cock from Tessa’s body as he curled his large frame around her. Today was the day she’d be changed into what he was, and she was ready, no matter hour nervous she was from the
thought of being in pain.

  The panther’s doctor would assist and make sure she was sedated, but there was always a chance she would feel the excruciating pain everyone had warned her about. Three days…she could do that, right? If the medicine worked enough to ease her pain, she could do it. At least, that was what she kept telling herself.

  “I’m going to do my best to not leave your side,” Drake promised, stroking the hair back from her face.

  “I’m going to be okay,” she stated, more for his ears than her own. She didn’t want him to be upset because he sensed her pain. “If you have to leave me alone, I will understand.”

  “My brothers and Harold will be there with you,” he promised. “Let’s get you in the bath, and then I’ll feed you. He will be here within the hour.”

  Tessa nodded and slipped from the bed. Drake followed her and began running water in the large tub. She entered the large walk-in closet where all of her clothes now hung; Drake’s on the left and hers on the right. She chose a tank top and a pair of workout shorts.

  “So, when I wake up, I’ll be a bear?” she asked, needing conformation.

  “Yes, the final part of the change is when you shift. I will be with you by that time. My brothers will make sure of it.”

  “What do I do when I wake up like that?” she frowned.

  “You have to get your footing like a newborn would,” he tried to explain. “Just be calm and let the beast inside you learn its balance.”

  “How do I change back?”

  “You have to use your mind to command the bear to allow your human side to come forth. Sometimes it’s easy, other times, the bear will want to roam. With this first shift, you decide when you want to come back as a human.”

  “Sounds easy,” she groaned, rolling her eyes. “I’m trusting you to not let me eat anyone I’m not supposed to eat.”

  Drake’s head fell back as he laughed. Tessa watched as he checked the temperature of the water, turning to look at her with so much love in his eyes. “I won’t let you hurt anyone.”

  She stepped into the water once he deemed it perfect. The bubbles tickled her neck as she settled in and got comfortable. “Let me bathe you, my mate.”

  Tessa didn’t argue, letting him search for her foot under the water. He lathered up a cloth and got to work. She was floating in bliss as he pampered her. From what he’d said in the beginning about spoiling his mate, Tessa was sure the rest of her life would be like this moment.

  “Head back, little one,” he ordered softly. “I need to wash your hair.”

  By the time Drake was done, she was relaxed and limp. If the water was still warm, she wouldn’t have gotten out. The clock was nearing noon, and she knew it was almost time. Changing into her comfy clothes, Tessa followed Drake to the main part of the house where he sat her down and fed her a small meal.

  “You’ll need food for energy, but the doc said you don’t want much on your stomach,” he said, setting a grilled chicken salad in front of her. He opted for some leftover stew, and they ate in peace until Drake’s head lifted from his bowl. His eyes fell on hers and she knew what was happening.

  “The healer is here,” he announced.

  “Okay.” She nodded and pushed away her plate. “I’ll clean up while you let him inside.”

  “It’s going to be okay,” he promised as he pulled her up from the seat. Drake’s eyes roamed her face, looking for any fear. She held it back, because she was sure if he scented fear coming from her, he wouldn’t change her. No matter how bad he wanted her to be like him, Tessa knew he feared her pain more than anything else.

  Tessa quickly scraped the remaining food off the plates and put them in the dishwasher. When she turned around, the healer was just entering the living room with a black bag in his left hand.

  “Tessa,” he greeted, nodding in her direction.

  “Healer,” she said as she returned the greeting, using his given profession in the shifter world.

  “Are we ready to do this?” he asked, looking over his shoulder to where Drake was waiting. Drake nodded and the healer turned to look at her. She swallowed hard and nodded, dropping a towel on the counter that she was using to dry her hands. “I will wait here until I am of need. You already know what needs to be done.”

  They did. Harold had come by two weeks ago and explained how the change worked. Drake would need to bite into his own wrist and Tessa would need to drink as much blood as she could until the pain began….and then she’d need to drink more. The healer insisted Drake force the blood down her throat when she cried out from the first bouts of pain. If he didn’t, it wouldn’t work. He was only allowed to stop when she was too far gone to accept blood.

  Drake silently took her hand and led her back to the bedroom, where he closed the door. Tessa pulled all of the blankets off the bed, leaving the fitted sheet and two pillows. When she turned around, Drake was texting his brothers.

  “They’re meeting with the healer now,” he offered. “Are you ready?”

  “I’m ready to be yours, Drake.”

  Drake helped her onto the bed. Tessa sat cross-legged and waited for Drake to join her. He closed his eyes for a moment as if he were praying. The man she loved climbed next to her and cupped her face. He didn’t speak before his lips crashed down on hers. The kiss was full of worry and love. When he pulled back, Drake lifted his wrist to his lips. The sound of flesh tearing was the only sound in the room. His eyes flashed gold as he whispered, “Drink.”

  Tessa didn’t have a chance to breathe before he grasped the back of her head and pressed his wrist to her mouth. The coppery taste of his blood flowed over her tongue. She swallowed once, twice, and on the third gulp, a pain twisted her stomach.

  “Drink more, Tessa,” he growled when she tried to pull away. She could feel the blood as it trickled out the corner of her lips and made a trail down her chin.

  “Hurts,” she cried, wrapping her hands around his wrists. She wanted to push him away, but she remembered she had to drink. Maybe she shouldn’t have done this? Maybe it was going to be too much?

  Maybe it was too late?

  She drank and sucked at his wrist, needing to consume as much blood as she could to make the change work. The pains spread from her stomach to her sides. It felt like a million swords were impaled in her body. Oh, God! Help me!

  “God damn it, Tessa! Drink!” Drake snarled, his fangs descending in a rush. Her eyes locked onto them, and she felt the stirrings of something inside her. The blood began to heat up in her body, and when her body seized, a blood curdling scream bubbled from somewhere deep in her soul.

  Chapter 14

  Her screams were making his beast prowl in his mind, pushing at his skin to be set free. The scent of his own blood in the air brought the healer to his bedroom door. He had to tamp down his need to protect Tessa and let the male inside.

  “I will examine her and give her a sedative,” Harold stated as he pulled on a pair of black gloves. They were supposed to keep Tessa from being hurt by the touch of another male. At this point, Drake wouldn’t know the difference if the gloves didn’t work. Her pain was just too much.

  Harold removed a vial and a syringe, filling the needle halfway with medication, and walked over to the bed. Drake held her tightly, trying his hardest to keep her from thrashing around the bed too much. He didn’t want her to fall off or hurt herself during the change.

  “Roll her toward me so I can access her hip, please,” Harold ordered. Drake did as he was told and watched as the healer moved her shorts out of the way, exposing the top of her hip. The injection was quick, and his mate didn’t even flinch or try to bat away the healer’s hand.

  “Thank you,” Drake said, gritting his teeth as Tessa continued to squirm and cry from the pain.

  “Give the meds about five to ten minutes to work,” Harold urged as he disposed of the needle. “I’ll be in your living quarters if you need me.”

  Drake nodded and watched as Harold left the room. The mal
e closed the door and left them alone. He wouldn’t be far, taking up residency in Drake’s personal living space on the other side of the door.

  Tessa’s screams were quieting, and Drake was thankful she wasn’t in pain. The medicine was working enough to calm her to nothing more than some deep panting. His bear relaxed in his mind, and he wondered if maybe he would be able to go through this without loosing his fucking mind.

  He’d never seen a human changed, but had heard of it being done. It wasn’t a common occurrence in the shifter world. Before they had been found out by the humans, shifters mostly kept to themselves. Occasionally, one would find their mate in a human and a change would occur if they were destined to be mates. Sometimes, changing a human was necessary in keeping them alive. He knew a few of those cats had changed their human mates over the past few years.

  “If you can hear me, little one, I am here with you,” Drake whispered as he leaned down to kiss her forehead. She was hot, but shivering. He moved from the bed to gather a thin sheet to lay over her body. She didn’t try to kick it away.

  The next two hours, he laid with her, petting her as the blood he had given her worked throughout her body. She never cried out, but Drake knew she was still in some pain by the expressions on her face. Her lips were drawn into a thin line and her eyes were squeezed as tightly shut as she could make them.

  Drake checked her over, lifting her eyelid to see if there were any changes, and frowned when there were none. It was going to be a long three days, waiting for his mate to come back to him.

  He wanted to marry her by human customs. It was imperative she become a Morgan. Some shifters didn’t abide by those traditions, living as mated couples without the legal documentation. Many months ago, Drake would’ve been okay with the same thing, but since meeting Tessa and knowing about her past, he wanted to make that female his in every way possible.