“What are you saying?” she said, looking adorably vulnerable. He took a deep breath.
“I’m saying that I want you to be my mate. I know you’ve got a lot to think about right now. But I also know in my heart that you’re my mate, and one day, I’ll be honored if you’ll accept my claim.” Neve gasped.
“You mean – be together? Like man and wife?” He chuckled.
“Like man and wife, but way, way better. The mating bond is much stronger, and it lasts forever. Shifters mate for life.”
“But aren’t you always going to wish that you had a shifter mate instead?” He laughed.
“How could I wish for anything other than you? You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Neve Vincent.”
“I feel the same, Braxton. This has all happened so fast. But I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”
“I’ll protect you forever, Neve. Take care of your every need.” Her eyes spaced out as if she was rapidly turning a lot of thoughts over.
“And I’d live here in Broken Hill?”
“Yes – in my cabin. Or we can get a new one built, exactly as you want it. And all the other shifters will be your friends and family.” She gazed out of his bedroom window, at the perfect view of one of the mountain’s jagged peaks. And she shivered.
“I think I might feel cut off from the world out here,” she said. A lead weight seemed to plummet through Braxton’s torso.
“But this is the world, Neve. We’ll have everything we need right here.” She opened her mouth to say something more, but he lifted a finger.
“Just spend a few days here while you’re recovering. Get to know the place, and the shifters. You’ll realize that there’s more to it than a craggy mountain top.” She was silent for a moment, and then she sighed.
“Okay, I’ll give it a go. But only because of the way I feel about you, Braxton.”
After Braxton had cooked them both a huge breakfast of home-made sausages, bacon and eggs, he showed her around his microbrewery, taking his time, making sure she was mentally ready to go out in Broken Hill. But when he led her out of his land and into the territory, she hung back, and he picked up the scent of her fear. Of course she’s scared, he told himself. Since she’d been asleep when he’d carried her in the night before, this was her first glimpse of bear territory. And while she’d come to trust him, feeling safe among a whole bunch of bear shifters was a different matter.
“Shall we go for a walk in the woods? No-one will come near us there,” he suggested.
“Yes,” she said quickly, in relief.
He offered his hand and she took it, and they walked side by side, as he pointed out all the things he loved about the forest. He was excited to see her enthusiasm for the beauty of the nature, and all the elaborate and eccentric cabins that the bears had created for themselves.
In the afternoon, he brought her back to his cabin and left her alone for a couple of hours, while he began the long slow process of interviewing each clan member to test their loyalty to the clan. He took tiger shifter, Mihaila, with him, who had a feline’s instinct for sniffing out a lie. The initial stages went well, and it seemed like Dimitri and Gregor were destined to be the sole traitors.
When he returned to Neve later, they mated again, more gently this time, his bear easier to hold back, now its initial hunger was sated. He took his time with her, tasting and caressing every part of her, and she came over and again, crying out so prettily, until she pushed him away, laughing, protesting that she couldn’t take any more. When she’d recovered, she returned his caresses, her delicate hands setting his body on fire.
They continued to enjoy each other until day turned into night, mating in every possible position. When they were finally exhausted, Braxton gazed at her in amazement. He’d never experienced tender mating before, and it touched his soul as well as his desires. He couldn’t get enough of her sweet, curvy body, and her delicate, fragrant scent. And she looked more beautiful than ever, her pale skin delicately flushed, and her lips cherry-red from all the kisses he’d given her.
Reluctantly, they got up and showered, and then they drove over to Rudy’s Bar to meet the other bears.
As they pulled up in front of a wooden barn with a neon sign reading “Rudy’s” hanging overhead, Neve’s pulse beat faster. She was no longer nervous of Braxton, and she loved his bear side as an integral, and very sexy, part of him, but some deep primal instinct made her panic at the thought of being surrounded by a whole clan of bears.
“They truly don’t hate humans?” she asked, as he turned the engine off. “You weren’t just saying that to make me relax?”
“No,” he replied with a laugh. “I’m the only one with issues.” And then he kissed the top of her head to show he was joking. “I’ll introduce you to Freya. She wouldn’t be living here happily if any of the bears were hostile toward her, would she?”
“I guess.” She blew out a long breath, calming her nerves.
Inside, the bar was cozy and inviting. It had a wild west theme, with cowboy memorabilia everywhere, and the walls were covered with photos of the bears winning their wrestling matches. The shifters seemed rowdy but good natured, chatting animatedly with each other. In one corner, a few of them were comparing their wrestling injuries, while at another table, there was a lively arm-wrestling game going on, complete with growls and snarls.
As they passed the tables on their way to the bar, Neve couldn’t help staring at the familiar faces that she’d idolized for so long. There was Xander, sitting at a table, his arm wrapped around a very pretty dark-haired girl, gazing at her adoringly. There was Ryker, looking even more handsome and far softer than he did in the ring; and there were Pierce and Farrell, two very menacing-looking shifters, who always cracked jokes and made the audience laugh. In turn, lots of heads swiveled in her direction as she passed, eyes full of curiosity.
“Why does everyone look so – shocked?” she muttered.
“They’re just surprised to see me with a human. Don’t worry,” Braxton replied, his breath warm on the top of her head, and his arm wrapped reassuringly around her waist. Her stomach tightened. Will they think I’m a fool for being with a guy who used to hate everything I stand for? she thought.
Just then, the dark-haired girl who had been sitting with Xander rushed over and took Neve’s hands in her own. Her eyes were dark and full of calm confidence.
“Hi, I’m Freya. You must be Neve?”
“Yes, I am. You’re Xander’s mate?” Neve replied. Freya nodded and her eyes shone with pride. Neve sensed the love and intimacy she shared with him, and was struck by the realization that she was beginning to have similar feelings toward Braxton. It was more than the love that humans had for each other, she observed. The look in Freya’s eyes revealed a much deeper bond. The thought of it both excited and terrified her, and she tried to push it out of her mind.
“It’s great to meet you!” Freya exclaimed. “I’m so glad that we’ve got ourselves another human in Broken Hill, and that Braxton’s found himself someone as lovely as you. He’s an amazing guy, and I’ve been rooting for him to find his mate.” Neve opened her mouth and closed it again, unsure how to explain that she wasn’t exactly Braxton’s mate.
“How did you end up moving here?” she asked instead, and Freya told her the whole story of how she’d been accidentally kidnapped, but had fallen in love with the Alpha, and that she’d left because she’d been in the middle of a long hike, but come back because she wanted to be with him. As she was talking, Neve was aware that Braxton’s smoldering blue eyes were on her face, observing her reactions to the news that Freya had given up her human life in favor of moving to Broken Hill. She was curious, that was for sure, and she was beginning to appreciate that a life in Broken Hill could be beautiful and idyllic. But every time she imagined that being her life, one very big thing kept sticking in her mind.
“Was it hard to give up your career?” she asked.
“Oh, no.”
Freya waved her hand dismissively. “I always secretly wanted to work at a physical job – like carpentry. But it’s not so easy for a woman to do that in the human world. Here it’s normal for females to be strong and physical, so I get to do what I want, with no one to judge me.”
“That’s great,” she replied, but her stomach tightened, aware that their situations were very different. She just wasn’t ready to give up on her dream of being a lawyer. She’d worked so hard for it, sacrificed so much. It had never just been about the paycheck. She’d wanted to use her skills and training to make a difference in the world, and she understood herself well enough to know that she’d always feel unfulfilled if she gave up on it now.
After she’d chatted with Freya for a while, Braxton took her around the tables, introducing her to all the bears. They were all friendly and welcoming, and she enjoyed hanging out with them, amused at how different their personalities were from their wrestler personas. They seemed to accept her as one of them, assuming that Braxton was her mate, and it pained her to know that it wasn’t going to happen, and that she couldn’t stay with them.
The next morning, Neve woke up knowing that she should leave Broken Hill, and stop herself from getting any more entangled with Braxton. But one look at his handsome face, full of happiness and excitement to see her, and she knew she wasn’t going anywhere yet. Just a couple more days, she told herself.
Braxton showed her all around Broken Hill, taking her to his favorite spots. They shared memories and experiences from their early childhood, and every hour Neve felt like she was falling for him a little more.
“It’s weird. It used to be painful for me to talk about this stuff, but with you, it’s different. It actually makes me feel better,” Braxton said late one afternoon, as they were sitting up high on a peak, watching the sun slipping behind the distant tree tops.
“Same for me,” Neve said. “I used to keep the memories of my mom hidden deep inside me, so they couldn’t escape and make me fall apart when I was already vulnerable. But with you, it feels good to let them out.”
“I think we’re healing each other, my little human,” Braxton said, planting a kiss on top of her head.
“A human healing a bear wrestler. Who would’ve believed that?” she said with a mischievous grin.
Those days Neve spent with Braxton were some of the most blissful and carefree of her life. She missed him when they were apart, and flung herself joyfully into his huge, strong arms every time they were reunited. She kept postponing her journey to Milwaukee, and sometimes she daydreamed about living like that forever – spending time with her love, mating, keeping the cabin tidy, and hanging with a friendly clan of bears. But her inactivity was beginning to weigh on her more and more.
“Just hang out,” Braxton said, every time she voiced her concerns, his sparkling eyes and sexy smiles making her qualms seem ridiculous. “Us bears work as much as we need to, but no more. Life is for enjoying.”
“I’m starting to understand that, silly,” she said. “But I feel like I need to do something that matters. I’m a qualified lawyer. And it took a lot to get to that point. I can’t just throw it all away.” Braxton’s brow furrowed in incomprehension.
“But you’ll be my mate. You’ll be loved and protected, and have all your needs taken care of.”
“Which sounds like heaven,” she said, slipping her hand into his huge, callused one. “But I can’t live for the sake of a man again. I need to be my own person.” His eyes filled with sadness.
“Are you going to leave Broken Hill?”
“Well, I don’t think that commuting’s going to fly,” she said. “And I’ve already figured out that I need to be in a big city to find a job as an associate.”
“Do you have to be an associate? I mean, isn’t there anything else you can do?”
Now it was her turn to frown.
“Well I could be an independent lawyer, but no-one’s going to be lining up to employ me without experience. People normally join a law firm, get experience, and then go out on their own.” Braxton’s face took on a thoughtful expression, his eyes brighter than ever.
“What?” she said.
“Nothing.”
“No, tell me. I can see that that brain of yours is whirring.”
“I just had an idea. That’s all.” She broke into a mischievous grin and jumped into his lap.
“Tell me?”
“Nope.”
“Then maybe I need to tickle it out of you!” she yelled, slipping her hands beneath his t-shirt and running them up and down his surprisingly sensitive sides.
“Nope. Not happening,” he growled, and flipped her onto her back, easily pinning her wrists in one hand. Then he proceeded to beat her at her own game, tickling all of her sensitive areas until she begged for mercy. At the sight of her submission, his bear let off a rumble of desire, and then they were no longer playing. A moment later, their clothes were being stripped off, and once again, she surrendered herself to her big, sexy, dominant bear, giving herself over to his skilful caresses and fierce mating, letting the dilemma of her future drift away on the breeze.
16
Over the next few days, Braxton worked hard at turning the idea he’d dreamed up into reality. One at a time, he called up all the Alphas of the clans that wrestled with the Broken Hill Bears and pitched the idea to them. He hadn’t enjoyed dealing with his biggest rivals one bit, but he’d gritted his teeth and gotten on with it, because he knew that it was a great idea. And more importantly, it would convince Neve to stay in Broken Hill, or so he hoped.
By a stroke of fate, Neve had to give her official statement and answer some questions regarding the attack and explosion on the same day as the upcoming wrestling match. They were still trying to find Kevin and she knew they hoped that she’d be able to point them in the right direction. As much as she dreaded going back to her hometown and doing this, she didn’t have a choice.
“I’ll drive you there and wait for you, of course, but I need to go to the wrestling match afterwards,” Braxton told her. “I’m so sorry to leave you, but I have to be there. I need to make sure that nothing goes wrong this time.”
“That’s okay,” she said. “I’d appreciate the ride, but it might be better if you don’t come to the police either, as people are going to wonder who you are.” He nodded.
“If you’re sure,” he said, disappointed that he wouldn’t be there to support her, but understanding her reasoning. “I’ll pick you up after the match and bring you back to Broken Hill though.” She agreed, but there was something shifting behind those amber eyes that made him uneasy, and his bear whined and fretted, anxious that his mate was slipping away from him.
Neve was quiet during the drive back to her hometown, dressed in a plain gray dress and blazer, her face tight and drawn. Braxton badly wished that he could offer her some comfort, but his words felt useless.
“I’m here for you, and I’ll see you after the match,” he said as he dropped her off.
“Good luck. I hope it goes really well,” she said. Before she opened the door, she leaned over to kiss him, pressing her lips against his a beat longer than he’d expected.
“Neve?” he said. She paused, half out of the car, eyebrow raised quizzically.
“What?” He wanted to tell her that he’d wait in the car for her, then take her to the match, desperate not to let her out of his sight. But he knew he was being selfish. She needed time to do this and find closure.
“It’s nothing,” he said instead. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Her gray skirt swirled above her knees and she was gone.
Braxton drove fast to the match, already running late. He felt bad about not being on the tour bus, supporting the clan and encouraging Ryker, who was headlining tonight, in the first match since Rocco got crushed. But there was no way he was going to abandon his mate at such a difficult time. He knew that having to return to her hometown and confront her past life with
Kevin was harder on her than she was letting on. But hopefully giving her official statement would help her put it all behind her.
He caught Ryker just as the clan was getting off the bus.
“Ready?” he asked.
“I was born ready,” Ryker quipped with a grin, but Braxton’s nose identified a hint of unease coming off his best friend.
“Don’t worry, you’ll flatten that Pine Bluff mutt. And I’ve got your back,” he said, laying an arm around his shoulder.
“Thanks, dude,” Ryker said, squaring his shoulders, readying himself to represent the whole clan.
As Braxton entered the stadium, he scoured it for any signs of hostility. He’d fought there many times and knew exactly how the crowds would assemble. As the vast space filled up, he was relieved to see that more than half of the banners were in support of the Broken Hill Bears. The others supported the Pine Bluff Bears, and there was nothing insulting on them either. He allowed himself to relax, just an iota.
Heavy rock pounded from the speakers, and when the opening bars of Ryker’s song began to play, he bounded onto the stage with a fearsome roar, looking every inch the champion. The crowd went crazy, singing songs and chanting his name. A minute later, his opponent joined him in the ring, a shorter, stockier bear, who didn’t share his commanding stage presence.
When the opening bell went, Xander joined Braxton at his vantage point, high above the stage.
“Everything looks good,” he said.
“Let’s hope so,” Braxton replied, his jaw tight.
“Relax, bro.” Xander laid an arm around his shoulders. “If anything was going to happen, it would have happened by now.”
“I just want to be sure,” Braxton replied, his focus constantly shifting around the arena.
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