by Roxie Noir
“You’re beautiful when you cum,” Miles whispered, his voice strangled. “Baby, I’m gonna — oh...” He thrust again and again, as deep as he could as he came impossibly hard, his fingers digging deep into her shoulder, his breathing coming in grunts and gasps.
For long moments, they were locked together like that in dual pleasure, rocking back and forth like one creature and then, slowly, they began moving individually, Delilah taking her leg off of Miles’s shoulder, Miles lifting himself off of her and then, finally, pulling out and lying next to her, sideways on the bed.
He wrapped one arm around her and Delilah took his hand in hers, kissing the back of it and settling back into his warmth.
Even now, there was the knowledge that she shouldn’t have given in to her desires, that leaving Fjords would be even harder now, but her whirring thoughts slowly gave way to the fuzzy warmth of sleep, of Miles curled around her, slowly stroking her hair.
Chapter Sixteen
Miles
Miles thought he could have stayed there forever, curled around the love of his life, feeling her warmth against his, watching her sleep, but after a long time he got up, moved her around in the bed, and pulled the blankets over her.
Then he kissed her softly on the forehead and collected his things, pulling them back on even though they were wet. He looked at her one more time, sleeping peacefully in the big four-poster bed, and then reached for the door.
The two guards were still outside, leaning against the wall. One of them, some kid with dirty blond hair and brown eyes, smirked at him.
“Having a good afternoon?” he asked.
The other one sniggered.
“Sounded good,” he said.
Miles gave both of the boys a long look, totally silent until they were uncomfortable. They were barely more than cubs: he could take both of them out if they didn’t have backup, he knew, but he wasn’t about to let them ruin his good day.
He turned and walked to the main room without answering them. For the first time since the meeting in the chapel, he felt like he had a reason to be hopeful about the future. Roy had said it himself: he was going to let Delilah go as soon as William was either better or dead.
Then, maybe, just maybe, he could talk to Delilah about staying in Fjords.
They could even move a little ways out of town somewhere, into the beautiful Alaska countryside, have their own little homestead with a couple of cubs...
He shook his head. His thoughts were running away from him, again, and he just needed to focus on the present.
In the kitchen, William was looking bad but wasn’t dead yet, at least, his back an angry red, close to purple. At least he was asleep, an empty medicine bottle next to him and an IV in his arm.
Miles closed the door gently and went outside, wanting some fresh air. It had stopped raining, so he wandered around the perimeter of the lodge, watching the weird building styles merge into one another.
He turned a corner and Nathan was right there. They hadn’t really spoken since the branding incident, and Nathan looked surprised to see him.
Then he looked guilty.
“Nathan,” Miles said, simply as a greeting.
“Hey,” Nathan said, looking away.
In a good mood, Miles was feeling magnanimous, like he ought to make things right with his only sibling.
“I’m sorry about the other day,” he said, glancing around a little to make sure that none of Nathan’s other friends were there — they wouldn’t like hearing that Nathan’s own brother had tried to fight him, and there were considerably more of them than there were of Miles.
Nathan shrugged and looked down at the ground.
“It’s cool,” he muttered.
Miles flexed his jaw. There was no one on the planet, he thought, who could push his buttons like his brother. All he had to say was it’s cool?
“Well, glad we’re over that,” he said, taking a step backward. “Have a good day, then.”
“Wait,” Nathan said.
Something in his voice made Miles’s stomach start to tie itself into a knot.
“What?” he asked.
Nathan shrugged his shoulders and put his hands in his pockets, like he was trying to fold in on himself.
“I heard Roy talking to Brock about her,” he muttered.
“About who?” Miles asked, even though he already knew.
“Delilah,” Nathan said, his head down as if he was talking to the ground.
“Tell me,” Miles said.
Nathan looked around again, nervously, and Miles grabbed a shoulder of his t-shirt, yanking his brother toward himself.
“Tell me,” he growled, their faces only a few inches apart.
“Jesus, man,” said Nathan. Miles let him go, feeling bad instantly. “What’s with you?”
“Come on,” said Miles.
Nathan shook his head and then sighed. It felt to Miles like he was taking forever to get to the point, but finally, the kid spoke again.
“They’re gonna mate her to Brock,” Nathan said.
Miles’s jaw dropped.
“They know they can’t keep her under lock and key forever, so they’re going to mate her to Brock — since her dad’s dead Roy can give her away, you know — and then...” he trailed off.
“Tell me,” Miles growled again, his voice plunging even deeper, his fist clenching and unclenching at his sides.
“They’re gonna wait until she’s got a cub. They think she won’t leave if she does.” Nathan’s eyes flicked up and met Miles. Even though they were brothers, Miles felt like he didn’t know Nathan at all, like he’d never known this guy. He felt nauseous, his stomach twisting inside him, and he felt his bear rising inside him, wanting nothing more than to tear Nathan apart into little pieces, but he forced himself to keep it in check.
Nathan was just the messenger, after all.
“I guess they really want a doctor around,” Nathan mumbled. “I shouldn’t have told you, they’ll be so pissed if they find out...”
He went on, but Miles wasn’t listening, his mind spinning. He had to get back to Delilah, asleep in her room, had to make sure that she was safe, but how could he possibly keep her that way?
He’d die to protect her, no question, but what was the point of that if she was married off and raped anyway?
Miles walked away from Nathan, even though he was still talking, mumbling on about something or other.
What could he possibly do? There was nothing. He couldn’t fight thirty other men, and there was no way they could sneak out, not with the place surrounded by grizzlies, who had the noses of bloodhounds and incredible hearing. He didn’t even have anyone else on his side. Everyone but he and Delilah were under Roy’s thrall, utterly subservient to him since he was the alpha.
At that thought, Miles stopped short, right in the middle of the lodge’s front lawn, not far from where the cars were parked.
That was it. That was the only way out.
He pushed the lodge doors open, striding inside with purpose. Michael was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, and Miles walked over, raising himself to his full height.
“Where’s Roy?” he demanded.
Michael took a long moment, looking the younger man up and down thoroughly.
“He went out to run some errands,” he said. “Why?”
Miles felt like his heart was pumping pure adrenaline through his veins, every beat slamming against his chest.
“When is he coming back?”
Michael just shrugged, then turned back to the kitchen, watching William’s back rise and fall as he breathed.
Miles stalked away, sitting on one of the leather couches.
He would wait.
Chapter Seventeen
Delilah
For a moment, Delilah wasn’t sure what had woken her. She was buck naked between the sheets and alone, though the last thing she remembered was being warm and safe in Miles’s arms, on top of the covers.
He m
ust have put me to bed, she realized. Then she stretched, splaying out her fingers and toes as she did: even though she was still a prisoner, she could have a moment of contentment, she thought.
Then the noise sounded again: raised voices outside her door, coming from the main room of the lodge.
Miles’s raised voice. Delilah bolted upward in bed, trying to make out the words that the men were shouting at each other, racing to put on pants and a shirt before tearing open the door to her bedroom.
Both her guards stood there, but they were watching the commotion as well, and followed Delilah down the hall as she hurried to the main room, wanting to see what all the fuss was about.
She stopped short when she got there: in the middle of the room were Miles and Roy, facing each other. Miles was furious about something, the veins nearly popping out of his forehead and neck, and Delilah could see that he was starting to sweat from the pressure of not shifting — his bear was right below the surface, she could tell.
Roy was calmer but also forcing himself to keep it in check, his fists flexing at his sides.
“Miles!” she called, and walked toward him.
Big hands caught her and pulled her back, away from him.
“Miles!” she called out again, her desperation growing — what was happening? Why couldn’t she go to him?
“You’re sure you want to do this, son?” Roy asked, his voice dangerously low and growling.
“Positive,” said Miles.
The two men circled each other slowly, sizing each other up and down. A hushed rippled went through the gathered men standing around the main room.
“Outside,” said Roy, standing up straight. “Challenger first.”
Miles walked through the double doors of the lodge, flinging them open as he went, and everyone else followed.
Delilah’s guards tried to pull her back and keep her inside, but she tore her arms free.
“Don’t you fucking touch me,” she growled, catching Jack’s attention.
He looked over, casually, at the two boys who’d been tasked with keeping her around.
“Let her come,” he said. “She’s not going anywhere.”
Haughtily, Delilah walked through the doors, head high.
There were ten, maybe fifteen people there, a small core group of those who hung around the lodge, those who were most involved and wanted to make sure everything went smoothly. They formed a ring around Roy and Miles, both standing in the middle.
Roy began unbuttoning his plaid flannel shirt, talking as he did.
“Rules are simple,” he said. “Claws and teeth only. Weapons are a tool of man. No shifting back until it’s done. If the other bear shifts back, do unto him what you will.”
Delilah finally realized what was happening: Miles had challenged Roy for alpha.
She hadn’t even known he could do that, anymore. There were stories and legends, of course, about epic battles and young bears, robbed of their birthrights, who challenged older leaders — but those were fairy tales.
It had never once occurred to her that this could actually happen. As long as she could remember, as long as her parents and grandparents could remember, alpha had been handed down in a civilized way, with the current alpha choosing a successor, then abdicating his position voluntarily.
This was something new, and Delilah’s heart sunk. Did Miles have any idea what he was doing? Why the hell was he doing this — Roy himself had said she could go home soon.
“Last rule,” Roy said, grinning and half-naked, “Winner is the last bear standing.”
Then they shifted.
Delilah covered her mouth with her hands. She honestly felt as if she might faint, and she was a doctor, for Christ’s sake, not the fainting type.
The bears circled, Miles a deep reddish brown, Roy a lighter, dusty brown, just starting to go gray around the muzzle.
He’s getting old, Delilah thought. Maybe Miles has a chance.
But then, Miles lunged forward and swung a heavy paw at the other bear, and Roy dodged it easily, cuffing Miles on the head, knocking him just a little.
Miles shook his heavy head and continued circling, shaking the blow off.
This time he waited for Roy to lunge, facing him head-on, and then turning at the last minute, throwing the older bear off balance. He managed to get a hold on Roy’s neck with his teeth, grabbing and forcing Roy to tear himself free, both bears roaring as they fought.
Free, Roy circled again. Delilah could see the faint dark, wet spot on his neck, and her spirits soared. She had the knuckle of one thumb between her teeth, determined not to make any noise. She didn’t want to distract Miles.
They feinted a few more times, snapping and swiping, but nothing really happened, and the crowd began to jeer.
“Come on, pussy!” shouted someone.
“I thought you wanted this!” said someone else.
“He’s having second thoughts,” said a voice close to Delilah, not looking at her, just watching the fight. “Hope Roy don’t fuck him up too bad.”
Delilah bit her knuckle harder, the metallic taste of blood flooding her mouth. She didn’t care.
Finally, Roy feinted again and Miles lunged in, and then he was caught off balance, his neck in Roy’s teeth, Roy rolling and trying hard to rip into Miles’s flesh.
They rose onto their hind legs then, Miles a little off-balance and awkward, but Roy not much better, his teeth still hard around Miles’s neck. Miles cuffed him right across the face, his claws raking over Roy’s snout, and at last, Roy let go, but the two bears were still locked in that embrace, snarling and snapping, each trying to get the advantage over the other.
Delilah thought it might never end, the constant dance of bears trying to force the other onto his back until, finally, Miles gave an extra shove and knocked Roy over, toppling them both off balance. Delilah’s heart shot upward, until she saw Roy swiped one massive, clawed paw out and catch Miles right on the face, opening a gash just below his eye.
“No,” she whispered into her hands. She wanted to hide her eyes until it was over, but couldn’t quite bring herself to do it. Whatever happened, she should see.
Miles paced away, shaking the blood out of his eyes, and Roy saw his opportunity: from where he was, he sprang at Miles, catching the other bear mid-head shake, rolling them both over and over in the grass, roaring, but he was moving a little too fast and tumbled off, catching Miles’s claws as he went.
Both of them sprang to their feet, growling and pacing. Delilah worried that Miles had a slight limp. He seemed to be favoring his front left forepaw, and seeing it sent a cold rush of anxiety rush through Delilah.
Roy was getting tired too, though, and as Delilah watched, holding her breath, he went at Miles again, but this time he was just a tick slower, just a little further away, and Miles dodged his open mouth, moving just a little to the side and grabbing his throat in his own jaws, pressing down with all the pressure he could muster, slamming the older man to the ground.
Roy flailed, even as Miles snarled and the blood flowed over his teeth and lips, his claws raking down the other bear, ripping into his thick skin.
As one, the crowd gasped, and everyone went perfectly still. Blood began pouring from Roy’s throat, soaking the grass, and then, all at once, he went limp.
Miles gave him one more shake, as if to make sure he wasn’t pretending, and then let him go and moved away.
Everyone stood perfectly still for a moment, like they were statues in a garden. It seemed that no one quite knew what to do, just now.
Then, someone shouted.
“Last bear standing!”
“Last bear standing!” everyone echoed. Delilah felt like her mouth was glued shut in surprise.
“Miles Kamchatka,” the man boomed, his voice thundering through the forest. “Shift.”
When he was human again, Miles was on his hands and knees, naked, scratches and bruises all over him, gasping for air. His left wrist was already swelling li
ke it was sprained, and as he looked up at Delilah, she could see the deep cut on his face.
And then she was running to him, crying and running, throwing herself on the ground, wrapping his huge frame in her arms, kissing him as hard as she could. He went over onto the grass easily, with her on top of him.
“Are you okay?” she gasped, once she’d covered his face with kisses.
She realized he was laughing.
“I’m fine, babe,” he said. “Totally fine.”
Delilah wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, smiling down at him. She prodded the skin near his cut with her fingertips, careful not to touch the gash itself.
“This is going to scar,” she said.
He shrugged. “I’ll look badass,” he said, smiling.
Then Delilah heard a murmur behind her and turned to look.
Roy had regained consciousness, just barely, and had shifted back to human.
“Oh, shit,” she said, quietly, and then her training took over. She stood and went to Roy, pointing at Jack. “You, call 9-1-1,” she said. “Tell them there’s two badly injured men here. You,” she pointed at someone else. “Give me your shirt. No, tear it into strips first. He’s lost a lot of blood.”
She looked up. No one was doing anything. Instead, they were all looking at Miles, waiting for him to say something.
“Come on,” she prompted, expecting him to tell everyone to do as she said.
Instead, he stood and came over to where she knelt by the body.
“How bad?” he asked.
“Bad,” she said. “His windpipe is almost crushed and he’s lost a lot of blood, Miles.”
He looked down at them, thinking for a moment.
“We need an ambulance,” she said. “Two ambulances.”
“Cops’ll find out,” someone said. “Could make a lot of trouble for us.”
Miles looked uncertain.
“He was your alpha for ten years,” said Delilah. She whirled around and looked the gathered men in the face, one by one. “You’d let him die because you don’t want to talk to the cops?”
