Werebear’s Baby Girl

by T. S. Ryder

  “I’m sorry, I—” Her eyes widened. “What are you doing here?”

  Jarvis grinned broadly at her. In a few short strides, he had joined the two of them and slapped Rex on the back.

  “I found her.”

  ***

  Mindy started to cry the moment she saw Ginny. As the thin woman handed the baby over to her, Mindy sobbed in relief. Ginny cooed, reaching for Mindy’s hair as it fell on her face. Mindy held her close, kissing her again and again as she checked her to make sure she was okay. Those big blue eyes remained firmly latched onto Mindy’s face.

  She looked up at the couple who had thought they were adopting a baby. Both of them had tears in their eyes. They were a well-to-do couple, eager to have a family and wanting to adopt. It turned out that Meyer had conned them good, pretending to be Ginny’s father and wanting the best for her.

  “We’re so sorry,” the woman whispered. “We should never have . . . It seemed too good to be true, and I guess it was. We’ll go through a proper agency next time.”

  Mindy nodded at her, too choked up with emotion to reply. She curled her finger into Ginny’s small hand as Rex wrapped an arm around her waist. He kissed Ginny’s forehead, tears running down his own face.

  “She’s a good baby,” the woman continued. “And I’m sorry to see her go . . . but I’m glad that you got your child back.”

  “Thank you.” Mindy let out a shuddering breath.

  She had feared that they would try to make it a court case or worse, simply disappear into the wind. But the couple was horrified that they had been a party to stealing a baby. They had caused no problems. Mindy smiled up at them, her heart so full of joy at having her daughter back that her voice got stuck in her throat.

  Rex spoke for her. “Thank you.”

  They took their leave, Mindy still holding Ginny close. She buckled her in the car seat and sat next to her as they drove to the docks. Noel and Fredrick had taken the big boat back to the island so that Noel and the other alphas could start on a plan to deal with the police if they ever came sniffing around after the Meyer mess.

  Jarvis had waited, though. He captained Rex’s small boat while Mindy and Rex sat on the side, pressed closely together while holding Ginny between the two of them.

  Rex pressed a kiss to her temple. “I’m so grateful both of you are safe. I love you so much.”

  “I love you, too.” It was as easy as breathing, saying those words. She cupped his face with her hand and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “Thank you. For not giving up on us.”

  His eyes shone with tenderness and love. “Never,” he promised. “I will always be here for you. I can’t promise that I won’t end up a mess from time to time, but I can promise never to leave you alone.”

  “I’m a mess, too. But if I’ve learned one thing from you, it’s that we’re not alone.” She stroked Ginny’s soft black hair. “We have each other, and we have a whole community to back us up. We just have to accept help when it’s offered and reach out when we need to.”

  Rex smiled, relaxing. “Yes, you’re right. We’re not on our own.”

  When they docked, Jarvis and Rex tied the boat down together. Once they were done, Jarvis straightened, knocked his hat back a little and gave Rex a small grin. “I’m glad that your little girl is back. I know that these sorts of incidents can be exhausting, though. So if you two want to come out to the ranch and stay for a few days, until you’re ready to get back on your feet, you’re welcome to it.”

  Mindy’s breath caught in her throat at the casual offer. Rex froze, too, his eyes wide. He swallowed hard.

  “What about Cynthia?”

  “I called her while you two were picking up Ginny. She’s the one who suggested it.”

  Rex blinked rapidly, shuffling on the spot. “Does that mean . . . I’m forgiven?”

  “It means that we are recognizing how hard you’ve been working to change. And that it’s time for us to move forward. Tamara needs to get to know her uncle and cousin and—”

  Jarvis cut off with a strangled yelp as Rex hugged him. He was stiff for a moment before relaxing. He thumped his hand against Rex’s back in an awkward sort of pat, chuckling. When Rex stepped back, cheeks pink, both men sort of shrugged and looked away from one another.

  “That’d be great,” Rex said, his voice thick. “We’ll just pick up a few things and head out . . . I think . . . if Mindy wants to?”

  He turned to her with a questioning look. She smiled brightly at him and nodded. Being around people they were safe with sounded nice right now. She and Cynthia might not be close but they were connected, and it was probably a good idea to get to know each other better. Besides that, Cynthia and Diana were the only two other humans on the island that she knew of. If anybody was going to help her adapt to the culture of the bears, it was those two.

  They headed up the docks, Rex walking on one side of her while she held Ginny in her arms and Jarvis carried the empty car seat. Meyer was gone. He would no longer be haunting her dreams, making her wonder and fear when he would appear and terrorize her again. She had her daughter, and she had a man who loved her. Who fought for her, even after knowing the darkest part of her.

  “I want to get married,” she blurted out, then blushed fiercely. “I mean . . . if you want to . . . ”

  Rex grinned at her. He had such a huge smile on his lips that she thought it might split his face. “I’d like that.”

  A smile spread across her face as they continued. It turned out that she got her fairy-tale ending after all.

  Chapter Twenty – Rex

  The sun sparkled off the sands of the beach, making it look like a giant black diamond. Clouds floated lazily in the sky, just enough to keep the day cool while not enough to make it cold. The ocean lapped at the shore in lazy, rolling waves. It was the perfect day for a wedding. The only thing that could make it more lovely was the woman standing in front of him, her hands in his, the ivory satin of her gown resting on her figure.

  Even more wonderful were the words that Noel, who was officiating the wedding, said. “Husband and wife, found in the eyes of the law. Mates bound in soul. May your days together be long and peaceful. You may now kiss and seal your vows.”

  Rex grinned at his bride as she got to the tips of her toes. He kissed her, his hands wrapping around her waist to help steady her as much as to draw her in closer. His eyes drifted shut as cheers rose up from the gathered guests. When he broke the kiss—reluctantly and only because he knew if he didn’t do it now, he might never—he turned toward the crowd.

  There were so many people here. Rex hadn’t even realized that this many people cared. While he was certain that some of them were just here for the party, the fact was that there were genuine smiles and happiness all around. A year ago, he wouldn’t have thought that this was possible. He thought that he was nothing more than a broken man with broken thoughts and a broken life.

  Now, though . . . Perhaps not everything was fixed. There were still scars, and there would always be scars. But those scars were a part of him.

  He and Mindy, holding hands tightly, started back down the aisle. Jarvis, holding his own infant, nodded at him and Rex nodded back. For all the years of hating him, Jarvis was growing on him. Goodness knows that if he hadn’t pushed Rex to be a better man, he might never have changed. Now he had a daughter and a mate, a place among the hunters when he had finished his college-fund rota and a sense of peace and belonging he’d never had before.

  He was still going to therapy. It was perhaps something that he would always have to do. And that was okay because it helped him.

  ***

  She caught him staring at her as they led the guests to the makeshift dock where a hand-crafted rowboat was docked.

  “What?” she asked him.

  “I love you,” he murmured back.

  A pleasant shade of pink rose in her cheeks. “Love you, too.”

  At the dock, Mindy turned to Noel, who at this time had retrie
ved Ginny from Bobby. Mindy smoothed the baby’s hair and kissed her forehead. A look of worry was starting to come over her face, even though she worked hard not to show it.

  “We have radios in case you need to get hold of us,” she said, glancing up at Noel, then back at the other alphas and Diana. “And you know what island we’re going to?”

  “Yes,” Noel assured her. “If something happens—which it won’t—we’ll be able to get hold of you.”

  Mindy nodded. She gave Rex a vague smile, though she looked nervous now. He knew how she felt. It was making him rather nervous, leaving Ginny behind. He trusted his alphas and queen to look after her, of course, but he didn’t want to be separated from her. It was only for one night, though. Their romance had started on an uninhibited island, and it seemed only appropriate for them to return there now.

  With farewells and one last kiss for Ginny, the two of them set off. The after-wedding party would have to go on without them. Rex wasn’t one for crowds, and Mindy had said she’d rather be on their island, just with him.

  Soon, they were back in the island where they first met. Rex pulled the boat as far inshore as he could, then helped Mindy out. He beamed at her as the fairy-tale dress poofed around her, catching sand in its hem. A tent was set up above the tide line and beside it was a small table with two tin cups and a bottle of strawberry wine waiting for them.

  “This is lovely,” Mindy purred as Rex poured the wine into the cups. “So what shall we toast to? A happy life in the future or a sunny day with no rain?”

  Rex hummed as he considered his cup. The flash of light that reflected off of Mindy’s diamond made him grin. She had been a little upset that they weren’t able to get the ring she had to give up to Meyer back but there was so much baggage with that ring that Rex was more than happy to replace it. This one, with a smaller diamond and a pattern etched into the gold itself, so that the band was the impressive part more than the diamond, suited her much better. It was far more unique.

  “How about a toast to finding each other?”

  Mindy smiled. “To finding each other, then.”

  They both sipped their wine, then Mindy set hers down. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to risk ruining this gown. Wine stains . . . Help me get out of it?”

  She turned, presenting a corset-lace style backing of the dress to him. Rex set his wine down and put his hands on her hips. The fabric was smooth beneath his fingers as he traced her figure. Her hair, done up in a Cinderella-like bun, glinted with red highlights in the sun. He had never noticed that before.

  “I don’t know,” he whispered huskily in her ear. “I have this little fantasy. Clothes on.”

  “I have a fantasy, too,” she murmured. “In the ocean.”

  Both of them sounded rather good. Rex kissed the back of her neck, enjoying the way she shivered with pleasure. Excitement coursed through his blood as he started to tug at the laces holding the dress in place. He didn’t want to ruin the dress—he’d have his fantasy another time. It’d probably be easier when they weren’t trying to deal with all the petticoats anyway.

  Mindy let out a soft sigh as Rex moved the fabric down her body. He grinned, pupils widening and heat stirring in his loins when he saw that she was wearing a white corset, complete with stockings and garters, under her dress. He ran his hands over the stiff fabric, enjoying the way she gasped when he cupped her breasts in his hands.

  Rex continued to kiss her neck as he squeezed, then loosened the corset enough to take it off her. Her body was pleasantly warm under his fingers. She shuddered when he gently tugged down her underwear. When he set it all safe inside the tent, he remained on his knees as he gazed up at her.

  “You are so beautiful,” he whispered, running his hands up her thighs. He kissed her stomach along the stretchmarks from her pregnancy that hadn’t quite disappeared. Her fingers wrapped into his hair as he slid a hand between her thighs.

  He stroked her clit gently, smiling when her whole body gave a small jerk. He kissed her hip and then smiled at her. She smiled back and took a step away, breaking contact. When he frowned in disappointment, her smile grew wicked.

  “Not until I can see you naked.”

  “Oh, is that how you want to play?” Rex gave her a playful growl.

  “Yeah. That’s how I want to play.” Mindy put her hands on his shoulders as he leaned forward, stopping him. She planked her body, keeping herself away from his hands. Rex kissed her deeply, then tugged her off balance. They rolled around in the sand before Mindy ended up straddling him.

  “Can I touch you while you undress me?” Rex asked innocently, curling a hand around her thigh.

  Mindy tugged his bow tie loose and shook her head. “You can’t touch me until your clothes are folded up in the tent. Stop that!”

  She jerked to one side laughing, as he tickled the back of her knee. She slapped his hand away from where he’d started undoing his buttons. At her glare, he lay back and simply enjoyed the sensations. She ran her hands over his body for a moment, eliciting heat building inside of him, before she undid the first button. Then, as she slowly opened his shirt, she leaned over him and kissed every inch of exposed flesh.

  Rex moaned out her name, holding her hips tightly even as she ground against him. It was sweet torture, to have her tongue flick over the last visible scar while her core rubbed against him. She must have hit him just the right way, because her head fell forward, her forehead resting on his chest as she did it again.

  “Mindy,” Rex gasped out, strangled by his own desires.

  She gave him no quarter as her hands continued to drift over his body, her teeth now joining her lips on their journey. Rex closed his eyes, enjoying the heat of his skin. The tightness in his pants eased as she tugged them down, only for that tightness to spread through his whole body when she took him into her hand.

  His hips bucked. He suddenly understood why she had done what she had earlier. Reluctantly, hating for that connection to be broken, he grasped her wrist and pulled her away. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her touching him. With the excitement of the day, though, and his eagerness to be melted together with her, he wasn’t going to last long enough to give her what she wanted.

  The two of them stared at each other for a long moment before Mindy burst into giggles. Rex didn’t ask what was so funny. She gathered up his clothes and bolted for the tent, tossing the suit inside before she turned back to him. He got to his feet and held his arms out. Instead of running to him, however, Mindy spun on her heel. She gave him a wink before bending over languidly, giving him a full view of her round, inviting ass as she folded up the clothes she’d just tossed into the tent. Once her task was done, she walked toward him, her hips swaying with every step.

  That was a show he’d never get tired of. Rex let his gaze drift over her body, observing the shape of her hips to her large breasts. Her tanned skin, her bright eyes, her full smile. She was beginning to get more toned again, now that they were making sure to go for a walk or hike every day. It was helping her feel better about herself, but he loved her with more curves just as much as he did when she had a leaner shape.

  He just loved everything about her.

  When Mindy reached him, she trailed her fingers down his chest, then with a bright giggle, dashed for the ocean.

  “The last one in’s a burnt pizza pocket!”

  Rex wheeled about and chased after her. Mindy squealed with laughter as they reached the waves at the same time. Rex grabbed her around the waist, and they fell into the warm ocean water together. He kept his arms tightly around her as he waded to a small cliff on the beach and pressed her onto it. Mindy kissed him hungrily. Her legs wrapped around his waist, opening herself up for him.

  He tested her, but with the water, it was impossible to know if she was ready or not. Better safe than sorry—he circled her clit with his thumb, eliciting a shiver from her. Mindy’s head fell back, one hand still on his shoulders to keep herself upright while she
reached between them with the other. Their hands bumped into each other as they pleasured one another.

  Mindy’s eyes fluttered. Her hair, starting to come down, clung to her long throat. The spray of ocean moved rhythmically, pushing him against her and bringing him back away. The cries of gulls overhead and the smell of nature made this all the better. Rex kissed her again, increasing the pressure he put on her clit. Mindy jerked, catching both their hands between her body. She hissed. Her eyes were dark with lust as her mouth sought his again. As her tongue thrust into his mouth, he slid a finger into her. He was so hard already that he knew he wasn’t going to last much longer.

  “You taste like salt,” Mindy murmured when she broke the kiss.

  “We’re in the ocean. Of course, I’m going to taste like salt.” Rex winked as he adjusted her better, so he could enter her more easily. “Are you comfortable?”

  Mindy pressed her hands against the cliff, finding a small shelf to support herself on and nodded. Rex kissed her once more before he eased into her. Her warmth sucked him in, clenching around every inch as he slowly entered. Mindy shuddered in his arms, her head falling back to the cliff once more. Her fingers tightened on his shoulders.

  God, she was so beautiful. Rex stared into her face, loving every twitch as she arched her back to him. A bit of dirt fell on her face, and she wiped it away impatiently. When he was fully inside of her, he waited a moment to make sure she really was ready. Mindy gave him a smile that made his heart swell and burst.

  “I love you,” he blurted out, unable to stop himself. “I love you so much. Be mine, Mindy. Forever.”

  Mindy giggled, brushing his hair from his eyes. “I already made that promise. That’s what this ring is for, remember?”

  Rex shook his head. “No. That’s until death does us part. I want you forever. I’m yours. Until the stars grow cold and ignite again, and then they grow cold and far, far more than that. Forever. I’m yours.”