When he saw me stirring, Owen nuzzled into my neck, his beard tickling my skin. Maximus lay facing me, his fingers tracing slow circles around my belly button, sending shivers of ticklishness through my satisfied body. To my relief, I felt so much stronger than I had the night before. Like always, my beasts had known what I needed before my human brain had realized it.
“How long have you been awake?” I asked, looking from one of them to the other.
“We didn’t want to wake you,” Owen said.
“Or leave you,” Maximus said. “You needed your rest.”
“So, are you okay with this now?” I asked at last. “You’re not upset about sharing me with Owen?”
Maximus’s serious eyes searched mine. “I know I don’t always do the right thing, or show it the right way, but I always want what’s best for you, Ariana. I want you to be safe and happy above all else.”
“You’re still unhappy about the four mates thing?”
“No,” he said. “When you were gone, I saw how much you meant to the others. As much as you mean to me. I know I’m not the smooth-talker, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you.”
My heart filled with love, and I lifted my hand and laid it gently against his cheek. “I know that, Max. I’ve never doubted it.”
“Good,” he said, leaning in to press his lips to mine.
“Me, too,” Owen said. “I love you, Ariana. You’re my mate, and I’d do anything for you. I love seeing you happy, no matter who you’re with. I especially love that I’m one of the men who can make you feel good.”
“Yes, you did,” I said, snuggling against his massive, naked body. Maximus scooted in, sandwiching me between himself and Owen. Just when I thought we might be ready to start all over, a tap sounded on the door.
Before we could answer, Cash’s grinning face poked in. “Ari, I was just going to—”
His voice cut off mid-thought when he caught sight of the three of us lounging on the bed.
“Oh,” he said, his smile faltering, replaced by a look of surprise that was nothing short of comical. “If I’d known you were up for this…”
“I didn’t know I was, either,” I said. “Until it happened.”
“Come in,” Maximus said. “You don’t have to stay out there. We all want to be near our mate right now.”
“Really?” Cash asked, his face lighting up.
I shot Maximus a smile that was full of all the gratitude and happiness I felt at seeing him coming around and understanding that all my mates needed me as much as he did. I snuggled closer into his arms, relishing the strength of his body against mine under the sheet.
“There’s room right here,” Owen said, scooting away from me just enough to make a space for one more person. “Don’t worry. I won’t bite…this time.”
Cash looked a bit startled when Owen shot him a wink, and I couldn’t help but laugh. After a second, Cash bounded over and crawled into the spot beside me, though he remained on top of the sheet. When Owen snuggled in behind him, I realized that my animals were wrong—it turned out, I could be even happier than I’d been a minute ago.
“So, I had this theory,” Cash said, not seeming to mind how close Owen was staying. “Maybe you have to claim a mate before you can shift into their form.”
“Yeah, but I tried to shift into a bear before,” I said.
“Huh,” he said, frowning a bit as he stared at the ceiling. “That’s true.”
“But I do have another theory,” I admitted. “It seems like… I first shifted into a dragon after we had sex. I couldn’t shift into a bear then because I hadn’t with Owen. But now…”
“That’s not surprising,” Maximus said, propping his head on his hand and looking down at me. “Wolves’ true mate bond is not final until the pair have mated. This makes sense. When you’ve truly claimed a mate and formed a mate bond, you gain their ability to shift.”
“And whatever other abilities they possess,” Cash said. “Strength for the bear. The mental link and communication you share with Maximus. And dragon fire—I bet you can throw it with your hands in human form, like I can. I’ll teach you how.”
“The only question is,” Owen mused. “Which gift is your Silver Shifter gift? The ability to shift into any of your mates’ forms, or the ability to turn vampires human?”
After a minute of musing, none of us could answer that question.
“I don’t suppose you’ll be shifting into a panther anytime soon,” Maximus growled. “Not after what Jett did. It’s too bad you won’t get the power of invisibility, though. That would be useful when the vampires attack next time.”
“Of course not,” I said. “I can’t take a mate who betrayed me like that.” The animal part of me protested at the sound of my denial. She didn’t care what Jett had done. To her, he was our mate as much as the others.
“No one expects you to,” Owen said, a frown darkening his brow.
My beasties growled for her last mate again, but I told them to kindly shut up while I addressed the mates who had actually cared about me and protected me all this time. “What are we going to do?” I asked. “He’s one of the four New York alphas, but obviously he’s not on our side.”
“We can’t let him get away with what he did,” Maximus growled, his arm tightening protectively around my waist.
“Agreed,” Cash said, his mouth set in a grim line.
“Really?” I asked, pulling back to look at him. “I mean, he’s your friend…”
“He was my friend,” Cash corrected. “He’s made it clear that friendship no longer exists. He let us all know what side he’s on. Every shifter knows that you never mess with another man’s mate.”
“Even if that mate is yours, too,” Owen murmured.
“You’re all in favor of punishing Jett?” I asked, looking from one to the next.
“Aren’t you?” Cash asked.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “What are you going to do?”
“We have to declare war on his clan,” Maximus said. “He left us no choice.”
“He did almost the exact thing the vamps did to his father,” Cash said. “When they killed his father, we joined forces with his clan and fought the vampires. Now he’s kidnapped you. He knew what the consequences would be.”
“Isn’t his clan the smallest of the shifter clans in New York?” I asked.
“Yes,” Owen rumbled. “It wouldn’t be difficult to drive them out altogether.”
I lay there thinking for a minute. At last, I shook my head. “No. I don’t want to do that.”
“Ariana,” Maximus said. “What are you proposing?”
“My job is to unite the clans,” I said. “Not to run one of them out. I know we can’t trust Jett, but we can’t take it out on his clan. We can’t punish them for being panthers just because their leader is a dick. That’s just as unfair as punishing all vampires for being vampires.”
“Okay, no war,” Owen said. “What’s the plan, then?”
I realized then that he cared what I had to say—they all did. They were waiting for my input. They would respect what I wanted, would value my decision above all else. If I wanted war, they’d declare it. If I didn’t, they wouldn’t. As satisfying as it would have been to make Jett pay for what he’d done, I knew that revenge was not the answer. I was going to have to be the bigger person and forgive Jett.
I wasn’t ready to do that just yet, but I didn’t want his panthers to be harmed, either.
“I want to make amends,” I said. “But don’t worry, I’m not stupid. I’m never trusting that feline bastard again.”
22
Ariana
Finally, we’re heading home. I blinked in surprise as the thought flickered through my head. I wasn’t sure when wolf territory started feeling like home, but after all I’d been through in the last week, I wanted nothing more than to be home with the wolves. Something about the pack lent me a sense of peace. As soon as we crossed onto pack lands, I could fe
el it—the excitement of our return thrumming through the bond.
The pack was happy to have us back, which surprised me a little. The last time I’d been in close contact with Shira and the others, they’d hated me. They were pissed that Maximus wasn’t my only mate. I understood that. Maximus was their alpha and seeing him—feeling him—unhappy was hard.
But the feeling of contentment that drenched my mind the moment we returned told another story. Maximus was okay with our situation, and I was welcome here. I was part of the pack.
I stared out the window until we pulled up in front of the main cabin. Wolves poured out of the front door before Maximus had even turned off the car. Shira was first to my door, wrenching it open so hard the joints squealed.
“Ariana!” Shira cried. “You’re okay!”
The wolves’ second-in-command took my arm and helped me out of the car before enveloping me in her arms. I blinked stupidly, totally shocked. Out of everyone, Shira was the last person I thought would greet me so warmly. She’d been angry when I saw her last.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her breath hot against my ear. “I’m so sorry. I’m glad you’re okay.”
Shira pulled back, holding me at arms length. Her lips twisted in a small, careful smile, and her eyes shone with guilt. Did she think this was somehow her fault? I understood why she’d shunned me. It had hurt, but I’d understood it.
“Thank you.” I smiled tentatively, not sure how to precede. This was unfamiliar territory for me.
Shira nodded and stepped aside, allowing Owen to take my arm and guide me into the cabin. Pups scurried around my feet the second we stepped inside, and I would have tripped if it wasn’t for Owen’s quick reflexes.
“Welcome back!” said a woman from the pack. A few others approached us with welcoming smiles before allowing us into the living room to sit down.
Even after a day of rest, I was still tired. The silver and whatever they were giving me to hold back beastie were almost out of my system, but not entirely. Maximus said the silver should be gone by tomorrow, and Cash was sure I’d be able to go dragon-mode when I needed to. Looked like I wasn’t getting any fireball throwing lessons for another day.
It felt good to have my beasties back, and I was proud to have a third joining my little tribe. My mind felt full, though my heart was still missing a piece. Jett hadn’t just betrayed me, he’d betrayed the New York Clans. I didn’t want anyone to suffer, and that’s exactly what would happen if I let my mates have their way. They wanted blood. Retribution. I might be pissed as hell had Jett, but I didn’t want him or anyone else to suffer. He was still my mate, and these were still my people. I was glad they’d sided with me in the end. The panthers wouldn’t suffer, but something would have to be done about Jett eventually.
“How about we have a barbecue tomorrow, and let Ariana get some rest today?” Maximus suggested, his voice booming over the ruckus the pack was causing.
There were a few disappointed groans, especially from the whining pups, but after a few minutes of corralling, the wolves had left the building. I was left with my three mates in relative peace.
I sighed and leaned my head against Owen’s shoulder. We’d sat down on the three-person sofa, and Cash immediately took the place beside me. I reached through the bond to see how Maximus was feeling. There was a twinge of annoyance, and a sliver of jealousy, but nothing more. He’d finally come around to this. Maybe that’s why the pack was so happy to see me. Did they sense that we’d finally put jealousies to rest?
“It’s good to be home,” I said. “I missed this.”
“We missed you,” Cash rumbled, a heated look in his eyes.
I turned my gaze on him, my beasties stirring to wakefulness. They understood the look in Cash’s eyes just as well as I did. A smirk curved my lips, and I reached for my dragon mate. From the look in his eyes, he hadn’t forgotten his promise for today.
Cash took my hand, and I pulled him forward until our lips met.
His skin was hot beneath my fingertips, and his scent enveloped me. Suddenly I was surrounded by the smell of bonfires and cinnamon, and I kissed him greedily. Owen’s grip on my shoulder tightened, and he drew me against his hard chest, his hands sliding down to my hips.
Heat began to build in my core until a screech broke the stillness of night.
We all froze, our ragged breathing the only sound.
“What the hell was that?” Cash asked as he leaned back.
I stared into his green eyes, his confusion reflecting my own. Panic shot through the pack bond like a splash of ice.
“Something’s coming,” Maximus warned. He raced for the door at the same time I leapt out of Owen’s lap.
I followed on my mates’ heels into the front yard. Trees were silhouetted against a brilliant moon hovering in the starry night sky. The forest looked utterly still until a car came flying from between the trees.
“Scatter!” Owen shouted.
I dove to the side, the sedan just barely missing me. It slammed into the grass beyond the front porch, metal grinding and glass shattering upon impact.
I sidestepped the wreckage and peered into the trees. Where the hell had that just come from? One of the other lodges on the mountain? I hoped no one was hurt. Through the bond, I couldn’t feel anyone injured—just panicked—but still, we had to protect the pack from any danger.
“What’s going on?” Cash snapped.
“Who’s on my land?” Maximus shouted into the trees.
Another screech filled the night, somehow sorrowful and enraged at the same time. My skin crawled, and a shiver descended my spine.
“I smell a vampire.” Owen cursed under his breath and took a half-step in front of me.
Right now, I wasn’t sure how well I’d do in a fight with only my bear at full strength, so I didn’t protest.
“Fuck,” Cash growled. “What should we do?”
“I won’t leave my pack,” Maximus said firmly.
“Of course we won’t,” I said. “I only smell one vampire.”
Owen nodded. “Just one.”
“Then I say, bring it on.” I smiled until another screech sounded closer again.
Through the trees, a female figure appeared, tall and slender with wild blonde curls and stunning blue eyes ringed in red. Fury twisted what I thought might be a beautiful face, turning it into something ugly.
Owen sucked in a breath. “The Lamia Queen. Helena.”
Cash’s mouth dropped open. “Seriously?”
I had no idea what the fuck was going on, or who this queen was.
“You!” the queen screamed.
I barely blinked before the woman appeared before me. She grabbed my throat and slammed me up against the side of the cabin, stunning me senseless.
“You did this to her,” Helena screeched. Tears leaked from her bloodshot eyes, creating tracks down her flushed skin. “You took my love from me!”
What the hell was she talking about?
“Let her go,” Cash demanded. I could feel his heat even from a few feet away. He was moments from transforming and burning this vampire to a crisp.
“Your blood is toxic,” Helena raged at me, ignoring Cash entirely. “I should have had you killed long before now. It was silly to think you weren’t much of a threat, and now she’s gone. Your blood turned her into a monster!”
My eyes widened and my heart stopped. Jade. The human at the lab. The monster Petra was forced to create. That was Helena’s mate?
I am so fucked.
“I’ll kill you for this!” Helena’s grip tightened painfully.
A wicked growl sounded nearby, followed by the tearing of clothes and flesh. By the time I looked over Helena’s shoulder, Maximus was in wolf form. He lunged at the Lamia Queen’s back, but Helena simply raised a hand, her fingers splayed.
Magic burned through the air, and Maximus froze mid-leap, his jaws wide open. I looked between my mate and Helena, my blood running cold.
“You wo
n’t live to see the dawn, wolf.” Helena flicked her wrist, and Maximus flew backward. She yanked me back from the wall, and suddenly I was flying through the air.
I felt weightless for a good long moment, my body travelling high in the air from the force of Helena’s throw. I searched my mind for my dragon, but she groaned in reply, still trapped inside of me by whatever drugs had poisoned her. I tried to spin my body as much as I could, but by the time I saw the ground, it was coming up at me fast.
This was going to fucking hurt.
A Note from the Authors
Thank you for reading Silver Shifter 3: Her Bear! If you enjoyed this book, please leave a review HERE.
Get Book 4: Her Panther HERE.
Read on for a short excerpt of Alexa’s Chasing Her Cats (a dark RH) and Katherine’s Demon’s Game Novella (a paranormal RH).
Chasing Her Cats
A Dark Reverse Harem PNR
Alexa B. James
PREVIEW
Chapter One
Itzel
Princess, Ocelot Nation
From my position behind the dense shrubbery, I eased my head up just enough to take stock of the enemy. Ducking down quickly, I flattened my back against the prickly bushes and waited, blood thudding in my ears, the darkness ominously quiet around me. When no shots came, my eyes swept back and forth along the line of crouched warriors. “Ready?” I whispered, slotting the ammunition into my blowgun.
My team followed suit. When all guns were loaded, I waved my arm to signal them to move out, and they scrambled from seated positions to crouched and ready for action.
“Charge!” I screamed, leaping to my feet and clearing the shrubs in a single bound. Battle cries rose up around us as my team barreled onto the field, and the enemy scrambled to avoid being shot. I blew the dart from my gun, swerved to miss an opponent, and kept running. I had to find another hiding spot to reload, or I’d be vulnerable to attack.
Her Bear: An Urban Fantasy Romance (Silver Shifter Book 3) Page 13
