“They’re worse than the bears,” he chuckled. He lifted the pup from his shoulders and set her gently on the ground. She scampered off to join the rest of the children.
Tess ambushed him from behind, coiling her arms around his tight abs.
“I missed you,” she said.
Connor turned to face her and they locked eyes. She was lost in the deep blue marbles that smiled back. He kissed her on the forehead and after a time they decided to sit by the roaring fire in the middle of the room to both warm up and talk.
“How was the drive?” she asked.
“Do you really care about that,” Connor asked.
“Not really,” she replied, truthfully, “I just like the sound of your voice.”
For the brief moments they sat by the fire, her fears dissipated and she could feel him start to relax. Instead of being in the middle of this terrible feud with the bears, or rival pack members, Tess felt like she was back in the forest on the first night they’d met.
“Do you think I’m doing the right thing?” he asked, stroking his hand through her hair.
She responded silently by snuggling into the crook of his arm.
His eyes scanned the room and she wondered what it was he was really looking for. “Is there somewhere more private we can go?” he asked.
Tess pushed herself up to sit and thought for a moment.
“Well, the alpha here said there are a few cabins in the area that are mostly unused at this time of the year. Maybe he’ll let us have one of those for a while,” she said with a coy smile, “I’ll go find out.” She readied herself to stand but was stopped short by Connor.
“I got this one, you just relax,” he said.
Connor took a pillow from nearby and tucked it under Tess before rolling to his feet. The pack alpha was in the kitchen, starting to dole out the evening meal. Tess watched the two converse for a brief moment. It was still crazy to think that this sexy man was not only the alpha but her lover.
He returned to her and offered a hand that she took happily as he helped her to a stand.
“Can you walk,” he asked.
“After sitting cooped up in this cabin for the past few days, walking sounds good. I’m sure I’ll manage,” she replied, slapping him in the stomach with her pillow.
Connor helped her into her jacket and the two ventured into the vast snowy hillside. The air was crisp and biting. She was glad that Connor held her so close; his warmth was enough for the short trip they’d need to make to the nearby cabin. The falling snow was already covering Connor’s tracks from before.
The cabin was tiny compared to the large cottage they’d just left. A tiny smoke stack peeked out from the snow covered rooftop and snow piled in front of the unlocked door. If Connor weren’t so strong they might have needed to find a shovel, but he wrenched it open with little effort.
Upon entering they found a simple setup; a single bed was nestled against wall to their left, with a set of sheets folded at the foot. A cast iron stove stood against the back wall with a pile of wood stack up beside it.
Connor got to work quickly and started a fire while Tess threw off her shoes and shivered her way into the bed covers. As the fire burned brighter, Tess clicked off their single flashlight and they lied together in the small bed. The last flash of daylight passed through the snow covered window and they were left in darkness.
CHAPTER 5
“What’s on your mind?” she asked.
Connor rubbed her belly beneath the covers. He couldn’t believe that in just a few months he’d be a father. There was nobody else in the world he would have shoulder the responsibility with him.
“At this point, only you,” he said.
He eased his head down and kissed her on the nape of her neck. She quivered.
“I’ll never say stop, but I’m not sure now is the time,” she said,
Connor nibbled at her ear and she giggled from the tickle that ran down her spine.
“There must be something we can do,” he said.
His hand rubbed the length of her back. Her breathing quickened from the chill of his touch.
“Cold,” she said.
He withdrew his hand but she took it and returned it to her spine.
“I like it,” she said, “don’t stop.”
He smiled. She rolled herself to her side. Connor lifted her shirt over her shoulders, exposing her to the cool air of the cabin. She breathed deep and shuddered from the cold, pulling her arms in close to cover her chest.
Connor tore off his own shirt and tossed it to the side of the room. The tiny heater struggled against the freezing temperatures, the fire started to roar inside its small fire chamber. The room was beginning to warm.
He paced his hand along her spine. Goosebumps rose from his touch. She quivered with excitement at the sensation. Her nipples hardened under her hands.
Again, his hands ran the length of her backside. Her tense muscles were beginning to loosen under his touch. With each pass along her back, he pushed harder. Digging into her soft skin and attacking the sore muscles.
Tess didn’t want him to stop. She’d been nervous for so long and didn’t realize how much her body had reflected her fears. Having him here, right now, massaging those fears away, she allowed herself to feel at ease.
His hands massaged lower and lower down her back, digging deep within her hips. She felt her muscles give in to his powerful grasp and melt into the bed.
She couldn’t have moved if she tried. Her body was so loose from his tender touch. Part of her wished she could have returned the favor. No doubt he was just as tense as she, and he’d just been in a fight where he’d been battered and bruised.
His hands found her thighs and she couldn’t help the arousal she felt within herself. Her mind wandered to the last time he’d held her thighs like that. Their passionate love they made those months ago. She wanted it now, but wasn’t sure if they should.
“We shouldn’t,” she said.
“I won’t,” he replied.
Still his hands urged lower down the length of her legs and his body followed along with them. He kissed every inch of her skin that he could.
She rolled to her back as he kissed down the length of her stomach. Her head fell back against the pillow while her muscles relaxed.
His mouth kissed further and further down her stomach until it found the soft hair on her mound. The scent of her arousal filled the air and Connor knew it. He gently lifted her legs and massaged the back of them.
Each forceful motion gave her a surge of excitement. But, nothing compared to the delicate kiss he planted on her clit. A jolt of lightning shot up her spine from the suddenness of the sensation.
She clenched her teeth without realizing as his tongue reached out and began to draw circles around her most tender of areas. She could feel her juice running down the sides of her leg. He licked them from her skin and returned to his work.
The tight circles he drew sent shivers through her body, urging her to further heights of arousal. She moaned into her arm as Connor continued.
He licked the length of her engorged sex and flicked along her clit with the tip of his tongue. Deep within the pit of her stomach she could feel the slow rumblings of something she hadn’t allowed herself in a while. Not since the last time she’d been with Connor.
His arms held tightly to her thighs while her hips fought to regain control. He continued the motions with his tongue as Tess breathed heavily. Her moans became louder in the silence of the cabin.
Then without any warning, she felt it shoot through her body as a flood. Her relaxed muscles suddenly tightened and her toes curled as the orgasm took over. She arched her back and bucked her hips. After she finally managed to loosen herself up, another small wave came again, then another.
She quivered while Connor held her close. A giant smile streaked across her face and she was satisfied. Connor threw the blanket over both of them and warmed her with his own body heat.
She could feel his cock throbbing beneath his jeans and she wanted to please her man. But, she was drained of whatever energy she may have had. Before she realized, she’d closed her eyes and was asleep.
Connor lied silently for a while. He loved having her small shape sprawling over him. He listened to her as she slept until the fire burned itself out, then managed to find sleep himself, for a time.
CHAPTER 6
Connor woke to the chill of the cabin air. The fire now dead and the heat dissipated, he braved the cold to start their fire anew. From behind he heard Tess rolling beneath the sheets.
“Morning,” he whispered.
Tess rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.
“Morning,” she replied, “You know, I thought you wanted to come here so you could talk.”
Connor got the fire lit and closed the small cast iron door to the stove. He joined her in the bed and she did her best to warm him by snuggling against him.
“Can’t we just relax a while longer,” he asked. Connor sighed and lied on his back. His arm wrapped around Tess who covered his exposed chest.
“If you have nothing to say, then I’ll talk,” she said, “I probably should have told you sooner but … I can’t shift.”
Connor lifted his head to see her expression. She had to be joking, yet her face read serious.
“How,” Connor wondered as he pushed himself up to his elbows and leaned against the headboard, “Why?”
“I’ve been talking to the resident doctor,” she said, rolling to her side, “he said it’s rare but it sometimes happens to pregnant shifters.”
“So you’re stuck like this until you give birth?” he asked.
“I don’t have a choice. If I force a shift then I might lose the baby,” she said.
Connor was stunned. This must have been incredibly rare because he’d never heard of such a thing before. There was nothing he could do about it but he still cursed under his breath.
“I don’t know what to say,” Connor said in frustration.
“It sucks,” Tess barked, “I’ve wanted to go for run for the last month and it took me this long to gather up the courage to tell you. I thought you would have noticed by now.”
It wasn’t that he didn’t notice, it was more that he was so busy he couldn’t have noticed. Being the leader of the pack was more responsibility than he understood.
“I’m glad you were able to tell me,” he replied, “It’s not so bad.”
“Are you kidding!?” she shouted, “It’s the worst!”
Connor laughed and Tess slapped him on the shoulder for being so cavalier about something she found frustrating.
“I’m glad I made you happy,” she said, scrunching up her face.
Connor squeezed her close in hopes that she’d just forget everything he just said. She eased up but her eyes stared daggers nonetheless.
“Okay, I shared my news,” she said, “are you going to share yours?”
“Where do I begin? We have a bear captive at the den and I have no idea what to do with her. Every time I look at her I just want to sink my teeth into her neck and end it, but she came peacefully. Apparently we have your brother to thank for that,” Connor growled. “His girlfriend just showed up and dumped her into my lap. I couldn’t stand the thought of talking to one of those things.”
Tess held him around the chest and kissed him on the neck.
“Is Alex watching her right now?” she asked.
“Alex isn’t even part of the pack anymore,” Connor replied. He was trying his hardest to stay calm while talking but recent events with Alex just made him upset.
“What?” Tess asked with a look of dread on her face. “How could you have kicked him out of the pack like that? He’s my brother for fuck’s sake.”
“I got in a fight with him. It wasn’t terrible. We didn’t exchange punches or anything. I was pissed off after watching so many of my brothers die; proud warriors willing to give their life for the good of the pack. Here he was, playing nice with our enemy. My blood was boiling and I lost my temper when I talked to him.” Connor clenched his fists without realizing. His body was reacting before his mind. If Alex were here right now he wouldn’t have made it out with just a few angry words. He inhaled deeply and exhaled to calm himself before continuing. “It was his decision, and I wasn’t about to beg him to stay. So, he got on his motorcycle with his girlfriend and they left.”
“You’re going to find him, right?” she asked after a time. It seemed to take her a while to process what she’d heard.
Connor exhaled deeply. He wondered if he should tell her about the hunter that was looking for Alex, but thought it best not to make Tess more upset.
“I’m not sure he’d want me to,” he said, thinking back to the fight. “What should I do?”
“I guess if Alex left on his own terms we’ll have to wait for him to return by himself,” she said in defeat. “What about that bear, couldn’t you try talking to her? Alex is passionate, not stupid. He wouldn’t trust a bear, let alone trust a bear near Cynthia if he wasn’t absolutely sure it was safe.”
“I suppose you’re right. I’m just not sure I can talk to her after what I’d done,” he said after contemplating the thought.
“Of course I’m right, dummy. This is why we make a good team. Look, I’m going to come back with you and we can talk to her together,” Tess stated. “Or maybe I’ll just talk to her alone.”
“No, you should stay here,” he said, “who knows when the bears are going to attack next, especially since we’re weakened and have one of their own.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said, “I’ve made up my mind.”
Connor wanted to warn her against it, but he knew that when she got an idea in her mind, she would follow through to the end. He rubbed at his forehead with the edge of his hand.
“Fine,” he said, “But if we get in any sort of trouble you have to follow everything that I say without fail, deal?”
“Deal,” she said.
She perked from the bed and started dressing herself. Connor watched her tug on her simple underwear and he could already feel himself getting hard under the covers. He would have run across the entire continent for that sight and he counted himself lucky that he had it right now.
“We should leave as soon as we can,” she said turning around while pulling her bra on. “After we talk to this woman, we’re finding my brother. He has some explaining that he has to do.”
Connor nodded and curled his tongue back into his mouth. He was too entertained by the eyeful he had in front of him. Eventually he began to dress himself as well.
“Trust me,” Connor said, “when I find your brother I’ll make sure he answers all our questions.”
She smiled at him and he wondered how lucky he was to find a girl like Tess. Would he have had the courage to be alpha if it weren’t for her? He didn’t think so.
CHAPTER 7
Tess leapt from the truck and threw her arms around her father as soon as the old yellow truck came to a halt in front of the farmhouse. He wore the thick scar that now streaked down the side of his face with pride.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” she said.
“It would take a lot more than an army of bears to kill your old man,” Marcus laughed. Connor stepped up to the top of the stairs and shook his hand firmly.
“Thanks for covering while I was away,” he said.
“Oh, it’s only been two days or so, don’t mention it.”
Connor and Tess pushed their way into the farmhouse. The smell of freshly burnt food filled the air and Tess gagged, covering her face as best she could.
“What is that smell?” she demanded.
Her father limped his way inside.
“I probably should have said that I was trying to cook earlier and the time got away from me.”
He laughed and Connor went about the house, prying open every window he could find. The smoke and scent eventually started to billow out and everyone was tha
nkful to be able to breathe again.
“Have you decided anything?” the old wolf asked.
Connor sighed and looked to Tess.
“We’ll talk to her,” Tess said confidently.
Her father nodded and returned outside where he started barking out orders to whoever might be standing around. A few minutes passed.
“Now, let me do the talking,” Tess said, “She’s probably really riled up since you locked her in a cell for the last few days.”
Connor nodded and poked at the overly burnt food that sat on a pan nearby. He plucked a piece out to try it but was met with the taste of char. He immediately spat it back out as Samantha hobbled in.
Tess gestured to the chair nearby at the table. Samantha’s eyes didn’t leave the burnt chicken on the countertop.
“Don’t tell me you haven’t fed her,” Tess asked.
“We fed her!” he replied, “I think.”
Tess grabbed the pan of food while staring angrily at Connor.
“You’re such an idiot sometimes,” she said.
Connor shrugged.
“Leave us alone for a while, will you?” Tess said.
“What if she starts attacking you,” Connor said shaking his head no.
“I think I can handle myself,” she replied sharply.
“Can you?” Connor asked. Tess shot him a look that spelled death and he back down. Alpha or no, Connor had no interest in being on the other side of that gaze for long.
“I’ll just be in the next room then,” he said.
The pair of women watched as he left the room and closed the kitchen door behind him.
As soon as he was out of sight, Samantha tore into the overcooked food. She didn’t care what it tasted like; she just wolfed down any part she could get her hands on.
“I’m sorry about all this,” Tess said, “He’s really nice, usually.”
The girl didn’t acknowledge Tess at all. Her hunger had overcome her sense of modesty. Tess sat silently nearby, waiting for her to finish. The food was gone within minutes and the girl slumped into her chair, satisfied.
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