“Lorcan?” She asked softly.
“Yeah, I’m here,” Lorcan replied. She could hear the smile in his voice. His weight shifted on the bed and she felt his warm palms cupping her face. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
“No, it’s okay,” Presley insisted as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. She ran her fingers through her curls, yawning. “What time is it?”
“Late,” he replied quietly. “I couldn’t sleep.”
“I don’t even remember going to sleep,” Presley frowned. She gazed around and sighed. “So do they know what happened?”
Lorcan’s thumb traced over her cheek as she awaited his answer. She couldn’t help but to feel a little nervous about her uncle learning the entire truth of the situation. Would he be upset about Natalie? Would he go on a rampage if he found out about what Breslin planned to do? Oh, it was too much to worry about right now.
Don’t stress yourself out. It’s not good for the baby.
What a strange thought. It was still a little surreal for Presley. It had barely been a month since she’d experienced that horrible night, and her Aunt Natalie’s discovery stunned Presley.
Perhaps getting close to Lorcan so quickly had been a terrible idea –though she hardly thought so-but what about the little baby forming in her womb? Was it a terrible idea?
It’s my second shot at this mother thing, she determined as she rested her hand against her stomach absentmindedly. Timing has nothing to do with it.
“Did you hear what I said?” Lorcan asked.
Presley blinked, frowning in the darkness as she quickly moved her hand from her stomach to her forehead. “Oh…..I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I completely zoned out. What did you say?”
“I said that we’re going to have a discussion about it tomorrow. I told them I didn’t want to talk about it without you.”
“Oh,” she nibbled at her bottom lip, exhaling quietly as she closed her eyes. “I guess we do have a lot to talk about.”
“We do,” Lorcan responded in that same gentle tone. “But right now, I just want to make sure you’re okay. You fainted on us, you know?”
That’s right. She did faint. And the reason why suddenly came rushing back to her as her stomach twisted into sickeningly tight knots. “Do you remember the conversation we had that day on the steps?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you remember what you told me would happen if we broke the rules of Urseth?”
He was silent for several seconds before he responded. “Yes.”
Her bottom lip quivered before she latched onto it again, her brows knitting together as tears blurred her vision. “Aren’t you scared of what’s going to happen?”
Lorcan’s arms hugged around her suddenly, crushing her to his chest as he buried his face into her curls. “No one really knows about that,” he whispered. “Only you and I know those rules, Presley. Dimitri doesn’t understand them and Rutley’s my brother’s best friend. I hardly think he counts as a random human.”
“But he is human,” she argued in a quivering voice.
“Are you going to report me?”
She pulled back quickly, staring up at him in disbelief. Even if he couldn’t see her face, surely he caught the gasp of shock as it escaped her lips. “Why would I ever do something like that, Lorcan?”
“I’m not saying you would, but I’m trying to tell you that it’s the only way I could get into trouble. You would have to report me to the elders, and in turn they would carry out my punishment. If you aren’t going to tell then we don’t have anything to worry about, okay?”
She felt a weight being lifted from her shoulders as she leaned against him again, wrapping her arms around his muscular torso. “Okay,” she whispered, nodding gently. “Good to know.”
Lorcan pulled away again, cupping her face between his hands. “Is that why you fainted? You were worried about me?”
Well, when he put it that way, it made her feel incredibly silly. “Yes.”
She didn’t have to see his face to know he was smiling. He chuckled softly and then his lips were closing over hers. She returned the surprise kiss.
“You’re something else, Presley Goult,” Lorcan whispered, pecking her lips again. “And I absolutely love you to pieces.”
Warmth flooded her chest and stomach as she felt his fingers tangle into her curls. She leaned in to kiss him once more, but completely missed. Her lips landed against his chin instead. “I do love you, Lorcan,” she confessed. “I’m just trying to catch up with everything that’s happened between then and now.”
“No rush,” He promised, his fingers tracing down her spine as he kissed her forehead. “I know it’s a lot to take in and no one expects you to accept everything all at once. I know you’re still trying to come to terms with the bear thing.”
The ‘bear thing’. What a way to word it. She wanted to laugh at the statement, but she didn’t have it in her to do so. Maybe the baby was keeping her level headed and admirably calm…..
“Speaking of which, I’m really impressed with how you kept your bear in control tonight,” Lorcan added. “I stupidly went into kill mode, and you weren’t even the least bit upset. I don’t think many ursithropes can do that in the presence of a wolf.”
“It wasn’t just any wolf,” Presley offered as her back arched from his touch. “It was Dimitri. I think I knew, somehow.”
“I’m not surprised. My mom has this weird ESP thing going on, too. I think females are meant to be more perceptive, maybe even a little clairvoyant.”
“Clairvoyant?” Presley repeated as Lorcan dipped his head and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. Focus, Presley. You’re having an actual conversation about things that matter. Don’t be distracted. That was easier said than done though as Lorcan’s fingers laced with hers and his lips moved to the side of her neck. “You think I’m psychic or something?”
“I wouldn’t necessarily say psychic,” He replied between gentle kisses. “But when I was seven, Liam and I were playing in the woods and I stumbled into a ravine. I broke my ankle and Liam was trying his best to get me out of there. He was sort of wimpy back then though…..” He chuckled softly, sadly. “We were so far away from the house. I was certain I would die before anybody found us. Now that I think back on it, I was a bit overdramatic, huh?”
Presley shook her head slowly. “No, I remember that day fairly well, actually. Your dad was helping Uncle Arnold fix the lawn mower and all of the sudden…..he just got wide eyed and said he had to go. I didn’t understand it at all, but my uncle didn’t seem bothered by it. In fact, I think he knew, too. I was the only one left out of loop.”
Lorcan pulled back slightly, letting the tip of his nose touch against hers. “Liam’s frantic cries travelled further than I realized back then. Even before his call reached our father’s ears, Mom was already on her way. She got there a good ten minutes before he did. I can remember watching her slide down the embankment to get to us. Her dress got really dirty but she didn’t care. She just grabbed us up in her arms and held us close while I cried. She didn’t care about the dirt or the ravine…she just cared about getting to us.”
Presley was silent for a few moments, trying to imagine how it would feel if her mother would put herself in harm’s way for her sake. Yeah, that’s never going to happen…..
“You know how they say that a mother is capable of finding inhuman strength if her child is in danger?”
She nodded.
“Well, that rings pretty damn true for Mama Bears. They will do anything to protect their cubs.”
I’m sure all of them will except for mine, Presley thought sadly as she pulled away from him, hugging her knees to her chest. She frowned and buried her face against her arms.
“Hey,” Lorcan’s hands gently gripped her face, pulling her out of the cocoon she was trying to create. “Don’t even think about that, okay? She has no idea what she’s missing out on. One day she’s going to regret it.”
&n
bsp; Presley sniffled. “The only thing she’s ever regretted was bringing me into the world.”
“Don’t talk like that!” He said through clenched teeth.
She opened her mouth to argue with him, but was surprised to feel his lips covering hers in a hard kiss. It nearly hurt, but she could feel how tender it grew as the seconds passed by. She returned the kiss as a tear slid down her cheek.
“What was that for?” She asked as he pulled away.
“Just because,” Lorcan responded as he moved his fingers through her hair, tangling them into her unruly curls as he kissed the tip of her nose. “Don’t let your mother’s stupidity make you question your value on this earth, Presley. I don’t give a damn if she regrets your birth…..I don’t regret it. I’m grateful you were born. I’m grateful that I know you, and I can never be thankful enough that you love me.”
And there they were. More tears flooded her eyes as she listened to him. These were all simple things she’d longed to hear from Tim for months, but they were never once uttered. Even after she’d told him about the baby, he never showed her affection like this.
Lorcan is not Tim, she reminded herself. And thank God for it, too. How stupid she had been to leave Kadenburg-and Lorcan.
She knew she needed to tell him about her aunt’s discovery. He needed to know before anyone else. He was the father, after all.
“Lorcan, I need to tell you something,” She whispered in the darkness.
“Tell me tomorrow,” He insisted as his lips found hers again. “We’re having a meeting, remember?”
“Yes, but-Oh!” She gasped, feeling his weight crushing her against the mattress as his hips slipped between her thighs. “What are you doing?”
“I’m…..kissing your neck?” He smoothed his heated hand down her side, his lips tracing over her pulse point. “Do you want me to stop?”
Presley blinked rapidly, her eyes darting back and forth in the darkness of the bedroom as she wiggled beneath him. “N-no, I just wasn’t expecting that,” She wasn’t going to complain though. It did feel nice, and her body wasn’t necessarily denying his at the moment.
“Good,” He murmured, nipping her chin before lowering his head to dust kisses against her collarbone. “I don’t think I could stop even if I wanted to.”
The room temperature was suddenly unbearable and Presley was having difficulty breathing. As Lorcan’s fingers snaked beneath her shirt, everything else in the world ceased to exist. Any thoughts of what had happened in the last week vanished. She found herself only able to concentrate on his breathing, his scent, and his touch. What sort of power did he have over her?
“Oh, Lorcan,” She breathed softly, her back arching from the mattress as he pushed her shirt upwards. “Oh…..”
“Shhhh. We have to be quiet,” Lorcan stated softly. “Super bear hearing, remember?”
She bit her lip, feeling the blush on her cheeks as she thought about everyone else having the capability of hearing her in the moment. She definitely did not want her uncle hearing this. “Sorry,” she chuckled.
Her laughter soon gave way to a small whimper as Lorcan’s wet mouth closed over a soft nipple. She felt the suction he was supplying as the nub grew rock hard. She squirmed again, wiggling her hips against his as her nails found his forearm. “Oh my god,” She gulped.
Time could drag out for an eternity for all she cared as Lorcan’s lips and fingers explored every inch of her body. The way he kissed her skin and caressed her curves made Presley feel like a virgin; and how was that even possible? They had been together before –no matter how brief or insane the circumstances were-but she couldn’t recall him touching her like this.
She heard the soft sound of clothing hitting the floor, and then Lorcan’s palms slowly smoothed over her outer thighs. She willingly parted them for him again, shivering as the cool room air touched her wet skin. Maybe it was just a bear thing, or maybe it was because of their baby; but Presley had never felt so agonizingly turned on before in her entire life.
Lorcan’s tongue was touching the skin of her knee then, causing goose bumps to erupt everywhere. She held her breath, feeling as the tip of his wet muscle slid lower, lower, lower.
Oh my god, I’m going to die, she thought as she released a trembling breath and sucked in another one immediately. He’s going to torture me until I die. What a cruel way to go.
Presley’s mind shut down on her as Lorcan’s mouth landed between her thighs. His lips closed over the extremely sensitive bundle of nerves, sucking ever so lightly as her legs fell open and she clamped a hand over her mouth to stay quiet. She couldn’t let anyone hear the moans that desperately wanted to escape.
He seriously expects me to be quiet while he’s doing this?! Her hips rolled up to meet his mouth halfway, euphoria gushing through her as her toes curled. She was doing her very best to keep every whimper, groan, and gasp sealed behind her tightly pursed lips as her free hand found his hair. She tangled her digits into the soft locks, tugging at them as her hips undulated to the rhythm of his talented tongue. Oh sweet Urseth, he’s so good at this…..
A low growl sounded from deep within Lorcan’s throat as he lifted his glowing eyes to meet hers. As creepy as it would’ve been for anyone else, Presley took it in stride. She didn’t understand why his eyes were glowing like that, but she was oddly attracted to it.
I love him, she affirmed as her head fell back against the pillows once more. I love him and I’m going to have his baby. I may not have believed in fate before, but I do now. God, do I ever.
She sucked in a sharp breath and bit her lower lip as both of her hands found the top of her pillow. She listened to the sound of the fabric ripping and it took her a moment to realize she was tearing the poor thing to bits. It was the only way she could keep herself from screaming as his tongue hardened against her clit, stroking it repeatedly as he brought her closer and closer to orgasm.
“Please,” She panted quietly. “Oh, please,” Her voice was barely above a whisper as she tightened her thighs around his head, feeling as his fingertips dug into the tender flesh in a possessive manner. He was pulling her further down, his mouth covering her swollen wetness as he flicked his tongue against her again. That’s all it took.
It felt like the world was falling apart as every nerve ending exploded in perfect bliss. Presley lost herself in wave after wave of pleasure while Lorcan’s tongue swiped over her pulsating flesh, lapping up every last drop of her honey flavored juices. She sighed, jerking from sensitivity as he licked her clean before crawling back up her body.
“I told you to be quiet,” He whispered, though she could hear the hint of another smile in his voice.
“You try being quiet when someone’s doing that to you,” She shot back. Her face was on fire, and the rest of her body felt like the sun was scorching her all the way to the bone as Lorcan’s fingers stroked the flesh of her inner thigh.
“I want to make love to you,” Lorcan murmured, kissing her cheek. “Properly this time.”
She felt at a loss for words as his hard, hot body pressed against hers. She wrapped her arms around him, sliding her nails down his muscular back as she listened to the thundering sound of her heart in her ears. He wanted to make love to her? Had she ever really made love to anyone before? No. No, she hadn’t made love before. It was always sex; just sex. Even with Tim it was just mindless sex that she participated in to receive pleasure.
This is different, she reminded herself. Lorcan is different.
He is our bear, her bear wept happily. Become one with him.
It was sort of scary to think about. Could she really mold with another person in such a way? Could she give herself to him and trust him not to hurt her?
“I love you, Presley Goult,” Lorcan’s lips traced over the shell of her earlobe as he allowed his throbbing desire for her to press against her stomach. “I have always loved you and there is no one else I’d rather be with right now. I know a lot of crazy stuff has happened since you
came back home, but I hope you realize your return is the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time.”
He pulled back to gaze down at her as the moonlight flooded his room. She could finally see him in all of his inhuman glory. The way the muscle in his jaw flexed and relaxed; the way his brown orbs searched her face as if he were trying to look into her very soul; the way his bottom lip quivered with an emotion she was certain she understood.
“When Liam died, I honestly had no idea how I was going to keep living. I wanted to die, too, Pretz. I wanted to give up,” His voice cracked as he gazed at her. “And then you came back and something inside of me changed. I felt everything come rushing back as if you’d never left in the first place. The fire in my soul ignited in a terrifyingly wonderful way, and I just knew…..”
He buried his face against her neck. Presley blinked back tears as her fingertips gently stroked the flesh on the back of his neck. “Knew what?” She managed to ask in a strangled whisper.
Lorcan lifted his head again so he could meet her gaze, smiling in the most beautiful way Presley had ever seen. His smile sparkled in his eyes as he tilted his head slightly. “I knew that no matter how bad things can get in life, I’ll always be able to overcome them as long as I’m with you.”
The tears cascaded down her cheeks as the air left her lungs. She was utterly speechless. Never, in her entire existence, had she felt such love. The words he spoke enveloped her frame in warmth and happiness, silently promising to shield her heart from the demons of her past. The bear she was slowly accepting released a cry of delight, and Presley echoed it in the form of a soft sob.
“I do love you, Lorcan Bamey,” She whispered as her arms pulled him closer. “Please make love to me.”
Thirteen
This was exactly how Natalie envisioned it playing out. Breslin and his little pack of bloodthirsty wolves would be far too engaged in their celebration to even notice Lorcan and Presley fleeing the premises. She watched them through the window as they disappeared into the woods, and it was only then that she could release a breath of relief.
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