by Ruby Madden
Of course the distraction led to a few moans and groans from Emma.
Quinn had heard enough of arguing with his mate and picked Paige up in his arms. “If you don’t stay in the damn bed like the doctor ordered, I’m going to tie you to the bedpost.”
Paige put her arms around his neck and leaned into him. “I think that’s what got me into this condition,” she giggled as she snuggled closer.
“Boys! Dinner.” A shout came from the background. The whole family was there to celebrate the completion of the house.
Ryland bent down and whispered in Emma’s ear, “You better not disobey me, pretty kitty. I’ll put you over my knee and paddle that sweet ass even if you are pregnant.”
Emma laughed up at him. “Promises, promises.”
He swatted her behind and swung her up in his arms.
“Damn it guys,” Ryker complained, “you’re making me look bad.” Abigail squealed when he lifted her into the air.
Hearing his brothers’ laughter, and the smart and sassy remarks of their mates, Ryland decided life was damn good.
THE END
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Blackwood Brothers Bears by Marie Mason
NORELLE’S BEAR
A Clan Conroy Bear Shifter Romance
By
EMMA ALISYN
CHAPTER
1
She wanted her father.
Norelle sat down hard on the edge of her bed, clutching the worn teddy to her chest. Each anniversary of her father’s murder she took it out of the sealed container, burying her nose in the tattered synthetic fur, trying to capture even the faintest scent. Just a whiff of her father to cling to, the male who wrestled with her and allowed her to ride his back through the forest. The male shot down by a crazed human bent on revenge for losing a half arid farm
A farm. Not even a real working, productive farm, but just a few acres of struggling fruit trees and some chickens. She closed her eyes, tamping down the rage, as always. Keep a lid on your temper, Norelle. Stop being a bitch, Norelle. Why are you always so moody, Norelle?
Well, I wonder, world. Maybe because my father is dead and his murderer is walking around like it never happened. His daughter mated to my brother like it never happened.
A growl slipped from her lips, the sound disturbing a single salty tear that dripped into the corner of her mouth. She wiped it away. Useless tear. Tears didn’t bring back the dead, didn’t avenge the dead.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep, satisfying breath. Expanded her mind until she imagined herself on a beach, sand under her feet, the gentle roar of waves in her ears. The scent of salt and seaweed, sun beating down on her mostly naked back. The water soothed her, lapped away the edge of her anger, enough so she could open her eyes, rise to her feet. And face the female waiting in her living room.
***
Norelle stared at her mother, Gwenafar’s youthful face momentarily superimposed over the older. Her eyes had been red and puffy then, cheeks pale. Long hair mussed from hands tugging and pulling and threatening to yank out the glossy dark strands. Norelle banished the image, focusing on the here and now. Present time. The face was thinner, still pale but from natural hue and not grief. Dark eyes regarded her steadily, thin lines and firm jaw showing the telltale signs of age. And, Norelle hoped, wisdom.
“So you’re really going to let him get away with this?”
Gwenafar raised a brow at her daughter’s tone. Her mouth remained relaxed though. Not irritated yet.
“He’s Alpha, dear. And the Council supports his decision. We need Cassius home, and you need to spend some time away. Don’t think of it as a punishment, think of it as a vacation.”
“Are you insane? What am I going to do for a month in an unregulated big city? I can’t afford a month in a big city.”
Gwenafar waved a hand. “Nonsense. Stay with Cassius. He won’t turn away a female from his home Den.”
“The same Den he hasn't returned to in twenty years? That Den?” Would he even remember her? Would he even care?
Her mother’s mouth firmed. “Norelle, you are going. You Challenged your brother- and don’t think I’m not upset with you over that, you could have been hurt- and you lost. This is the punishment.”
“He is mating your husband’s murderer. My father. Does no one but me have a problem with this?”
Eyes hardened, transitioning from motherly tolerance to the roughshod pragmatism of a Council member. “Your personal feelings don't matter. But since you asked- no, I don't have a problem with it. That girl had nothing to do with what her father did. And she can’t help being Liam’s mate either.” She paused. “Your brother is doing his duty. And if he finds some happiness in doing so, I’m not going to interfere.” She relented, jaw softening. “I want all of my children to be happy, dear.”
“I don't understand,” Norelle said, nails biting into her palms as she struggled to keep her voice even. “How can you be so cold? Didn’t you love Dad? You act like you don't even care.”
Gwenafar stared at her, stony. “It’s time to grow up, Norelle. I understand you have pain over the death of your father. We all do. But we all have to move on, too. Maybe it was a mistake keeping you here. I knew you were having trouble- I should have sent you to another Den.” Her mother shook her head. “It’s too late for that now. Go to Seattle, girl. Take a break, enjoy breathing air you’ve never breathed before. This place is stifling your spirit.” She paused, looked at Norelle, head tilted. “Weren’t you… fond of Cassius? I remember you haunting him and your brother for a while. I’d thought you might like to see him again. You never really made friends here.”
Norelle said nothing. She may have been fond of him. But dangling any male in front of her, even if only platonically, was a bit unfair. On a philosophical level she agreed with how the Council was handling the reproduction issue with the Clans, but that didn’t mean she liked falling foul of their policies.
So Norelle approached one Council member after another. Mother was the only member who lived in Clan Conroy Territory so the others she either Skyped, called or stalked on social media before word spread and they began ducking her. Until the Eldest returned Norelle’s call.
“You’re too old for this behavior, Norelle,” Elder Elena said, voice crisp despite the reediness of age. The connection crackled- Norelle wondered exactly where the female was. “We all have to do our duty. I have hopes for you, young lady. You’ve turned into a fine female, proved your willingness to sacrifice for the good of the Clans- don’t disappoint me.”
Norelle packed a small suitcase, throwing each item of clothing into the shell with contained violence. Sacrifice for the good of the Clans. Sacrifice a mate and cubs of her own so she didn’t further weaken their bloodlines. She clutched a shirt in her hands. She understood why it was necessary. Agreed with the reasoning, of course. But that didn’t make it hurt any less.
She wanted to shred something in her frustration. Okay, maybe Meredith was innocent. And certainly the cub in her womb was innocent and if Norelle was honest with herself, she wanted to be part of her niece’s life. Wanted it with a fierceness that didn’t quite, but almost eclipsed her desire for real justice. Because that cub was the closest thing she would ever have to one of her own.
“Sacrifice,” she muttered to herself. Sacrifice her revenge, sacrifice her womb. Abide by the polite decree she’d received on her eighteenth birthday after taking a blood screen. The polite decree that was also a firm suggestion- they couldn't order her, oh no, that would be illegal, all kinds of unethical- but they could suggest.
Suggest she never have cubs because she carried the defective gene. Just as they now suggested she get over her anger and go have a holiday in Seattle, drag Cassius back to the Den to find a human girl to mate, and just blithely live her life.
Easy for the males to mate humans. She might have found a human male to mate, and had little half-human babies, despite the unspoken doubl
e standard that shifter females only wed shifters. But she just couldn’t bring herself to touch a human after what one had done to her father. It might not be a pretty prejudice, it might not be right or fair, but it was. And now that Harvey Tyler was running around town living his life and enjoying his family, her abhorrence for human males was intensified. As if she wasn’t already struggling to find meaning in her own life outside of her career and her ever distancing family. They were moving on, making lives of their own. She was left behind.
Norelle couldn't have her father. Why should Meredith have hers? It wasn't fair. She stood over her packed suitcase, unable to see the chaos of the contents as tears blurred her eyes. She would obey her mother, obey the Council. They were the family she had left, the only safety she knew since her father’s death. She couldn't give them up. There was nothing and no one to give them up for.
***
The Lion king prowled the conference room, sticking close to the ceiling tall windows that provided a panoramic view of Seattle’s landscape. Every time Cassius looked out of this office at the view, he was glad he’d relocated his company from New York. It might be closer to his home Den- nothing was perfect- but, damn, the scenery was great.
He liked the rain. It suited his mood most days.
“I’m not saying I'm opposed to your Pride moving into my territory,” Cassius said. Again. Especially since said Territory was more unofficial than official, and he really didn’t want the heads of several shifter nations turning his way. They were all stupid to think big human cities should be shifter neutral zones- as if human regulation was enough to keep shifters in line. The illogic boggled the mind. His family had wrangled some kind of rule here over the years and the place more or less ran itself now, but the dual natured who came into town were still- firmly- directed his way upon arrival. His well-established network saw to that.
Checking his watch, Cassius texted his secretary to come up with an urgent interruption in twenty minutes. He wasn’t going to sit and talk about another male’s mating problems for another hour. Especially when the Bear inside was restless. Seeking. He didn’t have a mate, and it wasn’t from the lack of searching. But whoever she was, she wasn’t in Seattle.
“I’m not green lighting your plan to start hunting females. Things are done differently in the human population. You can't just pick women and take them.”
Sahr turned on his heels, head gleaming like deep umber satin in the wealth of natural light. Hands clasped behind his back, he approached the rectangular conference table again, kohl lined eyes glimmering. Two other males sat, silently watching their leader.
“We are not savages,” Sahr replied, enunciating each word. Cassius appreciated the effort since the Lion’s accent obscured the syllables. “We will approach the males and demonstrate our worthiness first. Bring gifts. Then we will take the females.”
“I see. What we’re having is a cultural disconnect here. That process is fine, efficient with Lion shifters. But with humans- you’ll get yourself thrown in jail and all the publicity you could want on the evening news.”
Sahr stared at him, brows furrowed. “What is wrong with our process? Why is it not acceptable?”
“That would take a year's worth of discussion to explain. Let’s just say human women prefer an extended courtship- and then they have to give permission to be taken. They, not their males. They don't have males. Most of them.”
Sahr’s companions were staring at Cassius now, incredulous. “That’s impossible,” Sahr replied. “Who protects the females and young then?” Disgust curled his lip. “Are the human men here so weak then?”
Cassius considered his reply. He wanted to be truthful, but at the same time he didn’t want a gaggle of single Lion shifters looking for females loose in his territory, thinking the women were theirs for the picking- especially since they had no ‘males’ to protect them.
“Look, I understand your problem.” The Bear shifters were also singularly cursed with reproduction issues. His years of fruitless dating had left him a hollow part inside. He hadn’t even looked at a female in a year. He was tired of staring across a table at a beautiful date and feeling nothing. Wanting nothing. “But you’re going to have to be patient. I don't have time now, but we’ll sit and talk and go over all the do’s and don't’s later.”
“I don’t have time for later,” Sahr said, glancing at one of his brothers, who shifted, restless. “There are other circumstances. We have a young female in our pride- she is not doing well. She needs a female presence in our den to thrive.”
Damn. Which meant the Lions would be doubly insistent on finding females, and soon. “I sympathize-” Cassius began.
Another male detached himself from the wall at Cass’ back. Tall, just as dark as Sahr, but instead of traditional linen garb Musa wore a trim business suit, deep charcoal and nondescript.
“I’ll take care of it,” Musa said.
Cass regarded the male. “Are you sure?” He didn't know the reasons why his Head of Security had left his Pride years ago to come work for Cass, or why Musa never spoke of his people and had adopted American manners and an American accent. Cass didn’t know, and didn’t ask.
Musa said nothing, arrogance in the line of his silent shoulders. Cass sighed, irritated. The male wasn't going to repeat himself. If he hadn't been sure, his posture said, then he wouldn't have offered.
“Alright. Musa here will give you the lay of the land. When he’s assured me you won't cause an incident in my territory, then we’ll talk about where you can settle.”
“We have money,” Sahr said. “We prefer to simply appropriate an entire neighborhood.”
Yeah, well that wasn't exactly uncomplicated. “We’ll talk.”
CHAPTER
2
Cassius’ secretary- a human- made her wait in a room with blinds and a low couch after several minutes of arguing that involved growls on Norelle's part and a stony expression on the secretary's part. Staff provided a tray of refreshments, making Norelle wonder if all uninvited guests enjoyed coddling after being slapped down, or if there were standing orders to feed any Bear visitors.
She paced the room with a handful of chocolate covered shortbread cookies, chomping with deliberate noisiness to fill the silence. Tried to read the latest Gray Back story- she would bet the restaurant that author was a Bear shifter, let her pretend to be human all she wanted. Paused to examine the cookies because they tasted handmade- not mass produced in some mindless metal factory in a foreign country. The chocolate was too sweet though, a touch of salt would balance that out. There was a chocolate truffle recipe with crushed pink peppercorns she wanted to try, maybe she could use some of her enforced vacation time to putter around in the kitchenette suite she'd rented. Cost her a nice chunk of savings, too, but there wasn't any way she would rely on Cassius to put her up. It would put her at a disadvantage before she even hit him with the Council’s polite suggestion to come home.
Sometimes they could be a bit unreasonable. But it was all for the greater good.
The door opened. She turned, sniffing shifter. Not Bear, but shifter. A tall male with desert skin dressed in a suit more expensive than the three she owned put together stepped into the room, regarding her from eyes so dark the whites nearly glowed. She strode towards him, her Bear rising in her eyes, before she checked her natural aggression and stopped. He hadn’t threatened her; she shouldn't let her irritation over cooling her heels affect her manners.
He assessed her temper. “You told the secretary your name is Ms. Conroy?” His voice was a surprising mellow tenor, smooth, unaccented despite the curve of his lips and cheekbones. She would have thought him a warrior from the remotest shifter clan in the deepest desert- but he spoke like an American.
“Yes. Norelle Conroy. You are?”
“Mr. Sullivan's Head of Security,” he replied. “I'm here to assure you that Mr. Sullivan will be with you as soon as his present conference is concluded.”
He paused, smiled. “What did you say your business here was?”
She stiffened. There was nothing overtly threatening in the open, even pleasant manner of the question. But he watched her a little too closely, his expression a little too bland. She reacted poorly.
“None of your business,” she growled. “I'll talk to Cass.” And, damnit, if he didn’t remember her, she would make him remember her. She balled her nervous hands into fists. A little surprised at her eagerness. Norelle put it down to the curiosity of seeing a male who once been a kind of friend. Someone who she’d almost, but not quite made a special connection with during those dark years. She’d pushed him away at first, and then when she’d been ready, his family was already moved. Maybe that was why she was nervous. The anticipation of closing that unfinished loop.
His head titled. “Ms. Conroy, you will not speak to Cassius until you speak to me.”
“The Head of Security?” She echoed his posture, folding her arms. “I don't think so. It's personal.”
“Personal?” He caressed the word, an almost intimate inflection. She blushed. “I’ve never seen you before, Ms. Conroy, though I know you are a Bear. So it cannot be too personal.”
“I see.” She unfolded her arms, strode towards the door. “I'm not going to play this game, unfortunately. You may tell Cassius that he can either deal with me in this personal matter- or the Mother's Council. But I'm not going to deal with a... Tiger? Lion? Nothing personal.”
He stepped in front of the door, a small smile on his lips.
Norelle halted, glaring, hands rising to her hips. “You don't want to do that, buddy. I'm not feeling very ladylike today.”
He held her eyes, the curve turning into a slow smirk. “But I want you to remain here. It would be unfortunate if I chased away Mr. Sullivan's kinswoman.”
