by V. Vaughn
Tori smiles when she sees me, and I say, “Hey. You got roped into this too?”
“Yeah. I was going to go to the mall, but Keith pulled the feel-good-about-community-service card.”
Ah, that explains it. I suppose here with plenty of werebears who can protect Tori is safer than the mall. But I still don’t like it. When I glance at Keith, the look on his face makes me think he’s worried too. He says, “I thought maybe she could help Annie with the food.” Now he scowls. “But Tori’s insisting she’d be better with the construction.”
Of course she is. My roommate the engineer. I paste on a smile so she doesn’t see my concern. “You two should help me with the trusses. Sven’s going to teach me all about them.”
Tori says, “Sure. Lead the way.”
Keith is behind her and mouths, “Thanks.”
It’s not ideal, because Tori’s bound to think something’s up by the end of the day if we never leave her alone, but between me and Keith, we should be able to keep her safe. The idea of him biting her is getting more appealing by the minute.
By lunchtime the framing for the roof is done, and we’re headed to the main house for food. When I notice Isabelle, I mumble, “Great. I think I just lost my appetite.”
Tori elbows me. “I overheard some guys talking about Isabelle earlier. I think you’re going to like it.”
“Yeah?”
She nods and darts her eyes toward Isabelle. “But now that I know how well you guys hear, we might need to have this discussion later.”
I watch Isabelle flirt with some of the Veilleux boys, and I say, “I think you’re good. She’s quite busy.”
“Apparently they’re not true mates.”
“What?” Oh my god.
Tori glances around and drops her voice even lower. “Luke told one of his frat brothers when he was really drunk, so I’m not sure how reliable it is. I guess it’s a big deal, right? I thought you’d want to know.”
“Thanks, it is. My day just got a whole lot better.” My mother is going to die when she finds out. She’s been pulling out all the stops for their wedding, because Isabelle doesn’t have a family that can afford to pay for it. Luke told Mom that Isabelle and he are true mates, because he knows how she feels. Most of my mother’s generation thinks that that werebears should only marry if you find your true mate or a couple’s been together forever and believe their true mates aren’t going to happen. Because Luke and Isabelle have only been dating for a couple months, I bet Mom won’t be so all about Isabelle when she learns the truth.
Now to figure out how to make sure she does, because I’ll look like the jealous sister if I tell her. I may not know how to do that, but I do get another idea, and I grab Tori’s arm. “Let’s go talk to Isabelle.”
“Uh-oh. This can’t be good.”
“C’mon.” I tug at her. “I’d do it for you.”
Tori groans, but I ignore it. Lunch is set on a big picnic table outside, and I grab a handful of chips as we head toward the kitchen door, which is propped open. Salty potato crunches in my mouth as I lead Tori inside. Annie is washing dishes at the sink, and water rushes as she rinses a plate. I say, “Tori and I are here to see if you guys need any help.”
Isabelle is busy organizing cookies on a platter and probably forming her next insult. Annie turns off the water and says, “Thanks. If you two want to cut and plate those pies on the table, that would be great.”
Tori and I place ourselves across from each other, and the handle of a knife is smooth in my fingers when I grab it. I wink at Tori and ask the other two women, “You two must be getting excited for your weddings. How are the preparations going?”
Annie goes on about a few details, and pecan pie makes my fingers sticky as I slide it off my spatula onto a plate while I wait for my opportunity. I find my opening when Annie says, “I really want to write our own vows, but Tristan is such a traditionalist.”
I say, “Well, neither one of you is going to care. Isn’t it amazing how the true mate bond is so blissful? I swear it’s better than a forced bond, don’t you think?” I watch Isabelle for her reaction.
Annie says, “Oh, it definitely is. There’s a level of comfort knowing nobody could ever come along and break things up. Ever.”
I want to squeal when I see Isabelle’s face fall for a second. She recovers quickly to force a sigh and say, “I know.” She glances at me. “I’m about to become a Robichaux for life.”
Her comment would make my stomach queasy if I didn’t know the truth. And because she still thinks I’m in the dark, I think my words will make her queasy instead. I offer her a saccharine smile. “And I’m going to become a De Rozier some day. Funny how we’re going to be connected like that.”
Tori snorts and quickly covers it with a cough. I can’t look her in the eye, because I’m sure I’ll start laughing. Annie saves us. “That’s right. I heard you and Sven are true mates, Lucy. Good for you.”
“Thanks.” I gaze out the window and find Sven. Sunlight makes his perfect sweat-slicked torso glisten as if he’s been greased up for a photo shoot. At this moment, even Isabelle can’t cut through my love-induced haze as my heart nearly bursts with love for my true mate. I almost feel sorry for Isabelle, because I can’t imagine not having this with the man I plan to marry. And a part of me does feel sorry for my brother, because Luke deserves this kind of happiness too.
When Annie reaches for the plate I’m holding in midair, she chuckles, and I blink back to the conversation happening around me. Annie says, “Now I know what I must look like half the time. It’s a wonder we get anything done.”
She turns to Tori. “I’ve been meaning to tell you, thanks for making Keith so happy. He’s a special person in my life, and I’m glad he’s found love.”
Tori’s eyes light up as she blushes, and Annie reaches out and pulls her into an embrace. “You don’t need to say a word. I can see it on your face. Welcome to the family.”
I catch the fear that flickers across Tori’s face before she says, “Thanks. But we’re just getting started.”
“Maybe so, but the power of love is pretty strong. Mark my words, we’ll be in this kitchen talking about your wedding some day.”
Tori cuts into a pie to avoid the subject. While I know she could be Keith’s true mate, I also think the realization of being in the werebear world is starting to hit. She’s going to have to make a big decision soon, and whatever it is, it’s going to change her life forever.
Chapter 6
Isabelle
I cannot wait to get out of the kitchen. If I have to watch one more set of true mates drool over each other, I might throw up. I search for Luke. I find him exactly where I expected to, near the keg. After the sun went down, the crew built a bonfire. The fire snaps and crackles as the scent of grilled meat hangs in the air. Annie sure does know how to feed people, if I’m too stuffed to crave another burger.
I rub my stomach as I make my way toward Luke. He’s laughing loudly and won’t be driving home any time soon. A bottle of my brother’s Arctic Ice vodka is being passed around. Fortunately, I’m sober. I’ve been too busy helping Annie to think about drinking too much.
When he sees me, his face falls, and he says, “Hey, baby.” He flashes a stern look at the guys he’s talking to, and I think he doesn’t want me to know what was said. I quickly scan the faces of his friends. More than one has a lecherous look that makes me wonder if my dear mate is sharing details of our sex life. I scowl at them as I speak in Luke’s head. “What did you tell them?”
“It was nothing.” He slides his arm around my waist and pulls me against his body.
I ask, “Really? Then why are they looking at me as if I’m dessert?”
Luke nuzzles my neck. “Seriously baby, it was no big deal. Eric wanted tips on a first date”—he nips my earlobe—“and I gave him some ideas.”
I push at Luke to step away. Fabulous. These guys all know how Luke got me off under the dinner table in a restaurant. �
�You’re such a dick. Which reminds me, if you ever want me to suck yours again, you’ll stop sharing what we do sexually.”
He says, “Let’s go get a beer.” “Uptight much?”
When we get away from his friends, I ask, “Do you have any idea how disrespectful that is?”
Luke threads his fingers through the hair at the base of my neck. “C’mon, you know how I feel about you, Izzy. All that did was make them jealous of me.” He kisses my neck, and I sigh. Our mate bond doesn’t care about bickering, and my body responds with a zing of desire. I let him capture my mouth and lose myself in a kiss.
“Izzy, let’s go behind the shed.”
I don’t know what’s come over me, because I reply, “Not here, Luke. Everyone will know.” I’ve never cared much about anyone else knowing. In fact, sometimes it gets me off, but not tonight.
“Since when did you care about that? Why are you being such a bitch tonight?”
Anger bubbles in my bloodstream, and I take a deep breath to keep it at bay. I speak in a low tone. “You’re not very smart, college boy. You’ve got five minutes to say goodbye to your playmates. I’ll be in the car.”
“What the fuck?” Luke grabs my butt and yanks me against his body. His erection is hard between us. “I can smell you want me.”
People turn to stare at us, and he kisses my neck again. I should just give in. We do have a good thing, even if we’re not true mates. But something feels wrong, and I push at him to stop. “No. I said not here.” My rage is close to exploding, but I know better than to let it take over.
Luke grips my bottom and growls in the sexy way he knows I like. “Baby, I think you need this. We can find a room.”
My insides twitch with lust. I do want sexual release. So what’s my problem? I relax a bit in his embrace, and I’m about to say yes to the room idea when he sinks his teeth into the flesh of my shoulder. Like a bucket of water has been thrown on a fire, the burning rage is doused, and pleasure spreads like smoke throughout my every cell. I moan, and now I’m sure we’re being watched. I whisper, “Shed. Now.”
As we walk by his group of friends, one guy gives him a fist bump. Deep inside my head, anger flares, but it barely flickers before the need to climax drowns it out. I shove my mate up against the wood wall of the shed so hard the building shudders. And I have no doubt Luke’s ego is being stroked as his buddies listen to us get it on.
When we’re done, I finish stripping out of my clothes and hang them on a hook. I say to Luke, “I’m going for a run. I’ve got pent-up energy to get rid of.”
He frowns at me. “You’re going to run now?”
“I really need to do this.”
“Isabelle?” Luke strokes my cheek, and the renewed rush of love our recent bond brings warms me. “What’s going on?”
I push the real answer away. “Nothing. I just need exercise.”
I turn away from him to shift, and he says, “Okay, I’ll be here.” By the time he finishes speaking, I’m in bear form and moving.
My rage stays under control until I’m deep into the woods. I let loose the power of my bear when I swing an arm at an oak tree. It splinters and cracks, but the noise doesn’t satisfy me. I break a few more, but my anger has no legs, and the pine tree I hit next teeters for a few seconds before it falls over. I stare at it as if it’s my sanity.
I sink to the ground as the vision of my mother comes to me. The spittle on her lips is what I recall focusing on when she screamed the words that echo in my head. Nobody loves a girl like you.
I stand and shake from head to tail to realign my fur and rid my negative thoughts. I may not have true mate love, but I do have Luke. And that’s not bad for a girl like me. As my body pushes its way through the forest, branches and brush succumb to me by way of my size and strength. I have the ability to cause so much damage, and some days my grasp on that force is slippery. But I’ll keep hanging on, because if I don’t...
The image of my mother in a white dress, twirling around to music only she could hear flashes in my mind. And when I focus on the face, I realize it’s me. No! My feet pound on the earth as I race back toward the party. When I get there, I heave a sigh of relief. I’ve managed to outrun my demons. Again.
Chapter 7
Tori
I stretch my legs out in the passenger seat of Keith’s Jeep. My muscles are sore, I have a sunburn, and I’m exhausted. But it was one of the best days of my life, because I worked construction by Keith’s side. And he was right. I do feel good about donating my time and womanpower to help build housing for the De Rozier clan. Lucy told me they’re struggling, and the sooner we can get them here, the better.
Unlike the times Keith and I worked together in the past, I didn’t question what he said or did today. I know he’s in love with me, and it makes me want to squeal. When Annie mentioned that we’ll be discussing a wedding some day, it hit home that I want that. I gaze over at Keith. I want him, werebear or not, forever.
The tires hum over the asphalt as we make our way toward my apartment. Keith reaches for my hand, and I slide over a bit in my bucket seat, wishing I could snuggle against him. He glances at me quickly and says, “I don’t want to drop you off.”
“I don’t want you to either.” The little ways Keith touched me when he got the chance today have been stoking my fire, and sweat isn’t the only thing that he must be able to smell with his super-sensitive bear nose.
“Good. Because I’m going to be selfish right now and ask you to pack an overnight bag and come back to my house.”
I stare at him, and a flash of braveness takes over. “Is this sleepover going to require pajamas?”
He lifts my hand and kisses the back of it before he says, “That depends on you.”
I laugh. “I guess I didn’t make myself clear the other night.”
“I’m just making sure you haven’t decided that being with a big, burly bear isn’t such a good idea.”
I let a low rumble come from my throat in my best attempt at a growl. “I’m looking forward to the growling part.”
“Are you, now?” He shakes his head as the window lowers. He leans out, and buttons beep as he pushes the code to get into my apartment complex. When he’s done, he says, “Tell you what. Why don’t I drop you off so you can shower and get your things, and I’ll go get us sushi?”
“That sounds like a fantastic plan.” The engine ticks when Keith turns off the car to get out. He opens my door, and I say, “You don’t have to walk me to the door, you know.”
“I know, but maybe I want to.”
I slip my arm around his waist as we walk, and the scent of his musk is strong too. A vision of him standing in a shower flashes through my mind, and I think maybe I’ll need to see that later. When he opens the door, I turn to him and give him a kiss. “See you soon.”
He winks. “Not soon enough.”
With any other guy, I’d roll my eyes at the line, but not this man.
Gary, the doorman, greets me as I go by his station, and while I wait for the elevator, a guy comes out of the stairwell exit door. He’s carrying a decorative bag that makes me think it’s a present and comes to wait beside me. A ding sounds, and the elevator door swishes open. Once we step inside and start to move, the man asks, “Tori?”
“Yes?” I gaze at him, trying to figure out who he is.
“I’m glad I caught you. I’m Davis, and I live on the floor below you.”
“Oh. Hi.”
“I was just coming down to leave this for you. Somehow it got delivered to my apartment.”
I frown at him, because I can’t think of who would send me something. I take it, and the paper handles dig into my skin because of the weight of it. I can’t tell what’s inside without moving the tissue paper, but my guess is it’s a large bottle. “Okay.”
When we stop at his floor, he says, “Nice to finally meet you. Enjoy your night.”
“You too.” I lift the bag up and add, “Thanks.”
As
soon as I get off the elevator, the tissue paper rustles as I remove it from the bag to look inside. It appears to be wine, but I discover it’s champagne when I lift the bottle out. A small tag is attached. It reads, “Congrats on the new digs and guy. Can’t wait to see you. Ginny and Nessa.”
My sisters sent me champagne? It seems kind of odd, because we don’t do stuff like that for each other. I shrug and set the bottle down to reach for my phone in my back pocket to call my sisters, but my cell’s not there. I sigh. It probably fell out in Keith’s car. I make my way to the bathroom for a shower.
When I’m ready, I realize I can’t text Keith, and the button is smooth under my finger as I buzz Gary. “Hey, it’s Tori. You didn’t happen to have someone turn in a cell phone, did you?”
“No. Can’t say I have. But if I do, I can contact Lucy for you.”
Darn it. I’m lost without that thing. “That would be great, thanks.”
“Sure. Keith just walked in. Should I buzz him up?”
“No, I’ll come down. Thanks, Gary.” I hope my phone is in his Jeep. Otherwise, it must be at the building site, and I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to get it.
“You’re welcome.”
I glance over at the champagne bottle on the table. My insides flutter a bit as I think about getting down and dirty with Keith tonight, and I grab the bottle to stick in my bag. I think our first time is the perfect reason to drink it.
When I get to the lobby, Keith walks toward me and takes my bag before he gives me a quick kiss. He says, “I had trouble deciding what to get, so I got one of everything. We might have trouble finishing it.”
That’s a lie, because when it comes to fish, I don’t think Keith ever gets full. I say, “I have something for us too. My sisters sent me champagne, and I thought tonight might be a good night to drink it.”
Keith frowns for a second and then smiles. “I guess if you’re staying over, it’s okay. But don’t you dare tell anyone I’m serving a minor.”
