Brother Bear Mated (7 page)

Before she was finished, Thames rose up tall, rolling his shoulders back proudly. He was sculpted as an Olympian god. All fine muscle and fire in his eyes that threatened to incinerate her. Each ridge and valley called for her to lick and nibble. To adore, the way he did her.

She took him in, eyes traveling lower, and that was the first good look she got of the thing she’d felt under the water. It was just as hard now as it was then, but much bigger than she’d realized.

It’s going to feel good
. Instinct told her it would. Her mate’s body moving inside hers… she was suddenly so hungry for it she saw stars.

“Have I proven myself, female?” The question was soft, but Thames’s eyes glowed with barely contained power.

He was magnificent, his bear just below the surface, waiting for his reward. And his question was the make or break moment for him. He needed to know she found him worthy. She could feel his need so strongly it was almost her own. Like they were of one will.

The bond he spoke of. It was powerful, threading around her heart and taking it a willing prisoner.

“Yes,” she whispered. “You’re mine, bear. And as your female, I find you more than worthy. I find you to be everything I ever wanted but never knew it.”

She watched his throat bob as he swallowed hard, fists clenching open and closed, and his chest puffed out even more with pride.

“Now make me yours like you promised. By scent and claw.”

His slow, sure nod seemed to promise to do just that. Steady, he positioned himself at her entrance, watching as they connected. His urgent tip pressed in, so tight she had to struggle not to hold her breath.

“Slow, slow,” he mumbled softly, his eyes dazed with lust. “Don’t hurt mate.”

When he reached her barrier, he paused to look at her, dropping down on his elbows so they were face to face. He brushed her hair from her cheeks and gave her a tender kiss. In that moment she felt utterly adored. Had anyone every treated her like this, so… special?

The answer was no. Only Thames.

“If anything hurts, tell me. I’ll make it better. I can heal you with our mating bond. Except for the claw. It needs to leave a mark, understand?”

Nastia nodded, writhing her hips to get more of him.

Eyes locked on hers, Thames thrust hard, fully invading her. Nastia gasped at the hot sensation, nails digging into Thames’s shoulder. But then her body relaxed and accepted him, the slight pain easing aside to make way for something much greater.

Thames trembled, clearly battling the urge to move within her. And holy mystic moonbeams, she wanted him to.

“You feel so good, mate,” he gasped. His hips moved, but only mere millimeters. Testing, waiting. Her patient bear. His chest rumbled, the sound echoing off the cavern walls. “Hold on tight, baby. My bear is wild for you.”

Nastia wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled back, retreating, before he plunged back in, the push and drag filling her with delicious sensation. Slow at first. Slow again, like he was waiting for her to catch up, then increasing in speed when she groaned at the pressure building.

“Yesss.”

Her eyes closed in pure bliss. She was losing herself. But not to the darkness. To Thames and his love.

Faster he thrust, gripping her thigh to open her wider, so he could go deeper. Every push beckoned her close to the peak. He’d taken her there once already, but this time, she would get his mark. This time, they would be bound forever.

Forever. The thought was an unwelcome douse of cold water to her pleasure. What if binding herself to him caused him pain. What would happen to him when she went dark.

He slowed, like he could read her thoughts, and with his hand on her cheek, pulled her gaze to his. “Together,” he said, dominance rolling off him with the single word. “We get through it together.”

For once, she’d have someone to face the darkness with her. Being the first of her coven to go dark had always scared her more than she’d ever admit. She was always meant to lose her light first, before her sisters. The loneliness of it choked her sometimes in the dead of night.

But now she had this. Thames. Their mating. Someone who would fight for her like she’d fought for him.

“Together,” Nastia agreed.

He kissed her soundly, picking up his rhythm and bringing her to the peak again.

“Are you ready, mate?”

“Yes,” she squealed as her orgasm overtook her. At the same time, she felt his release flood her, hot jets, marking her. A claiming of the body, and she wanted to do the same to him.

Before she could think better of it, she raked her nails down his back, drawing a growl as he continued pounding into her. And to seal the deal, a sharp swipe of his claw across her collarbone.

Nastia cried out, but less from the pain, even though the mark
did
hurt. It was more about the mating bond solidifying within her. It was magic like she’d never experienced before. Not light, but not dark. It just… was. Like a part of her she’d been born with had remained dormant and was suddenly given life.

Significant. That’s how it felt. Permanent.

Thames slowed to a stop, bowing his head over the shallow claw mark and lapping at the wound. “Perfect,” he murmured, his voice wobbling with emotion. “Mine.”

Nastia grinned, letting herself be perfectly happy in this moment where there was no worries or fears. Only him and her and their pact.

“Yours.”

Her legs twitched with the aftershocks of her release and Thames carefully dropped to the side, pulling her into the curve of his big body.

Safe
.

The purr that lived in his chest never faded and the vibration of it against Nastia’s ultra-sensitive skin brought a giggle.

“What?” Thames husked, nipping playfully at her ear.

“Your bear. He’s very happy.”

He squeezed her even closer, letting off a long content sigh. “You have no idea, little witch. You have no idea.”

She snuggled in, twining her fingers through his and kissing his knuckles because it felt natural to do so.

“I think… I think I might.”

Chapter Nine

“Be careful,” Theo had said when Thames told him the good news of his mating. “Don’t take your eyes off of her, you hear, brother? Something isn’t right. I can’t place my finger on it, but the bobcat elder says our fight isn’t over.”

Our fight isn’t over
, his bear agreed.

But that was two weeks ago, and Thames had been watching his mate as much as was physically possible. Every action and habit was now burned into his memory. Like the way she tucked her hair behind her ear with her middle finger. Like the motherly way she fretted over Newt. She’d actually made him a nest next to their bed from a scarf of hers, and the fool reptile slept there every night.

The way she bent at the knees when picking something off the ground instead of sticking her ass in the air. But god, he wished she’d stick her ass in the air. Even with those flowing dresses on, his memory of her naked was enough to fill in the picture.

The smart way she bantered with him. His mate had a mouth on her. She was taught to be polite, but if she let her guard down—which to his delight, she did with him—she had a sarcastic bite that drove him crazy wanting to one-up her.

Yes, he’d been watching her. And things seemed to be looking up.

So why did he feel like they weren’t out of the woods yet?

Her obsession with counting only happened before bed now unless she found a new rock. He’d tried to remove them all from the cave except the ones he left for her to find on purpose. The heart stones. He was up to nine, and he had number ten waiting in his pocket for the perfect time.

She was getting along with her sisters when they came to see her. The three of them were working on a possible spell to hold back the darkness until a permanent solution could be found. One that would hold them past the autumnal equinox when their time would be up and they’d transition to Magei.

And that was the answer to his question. His bear was still unsettled about Nastia because although she was holding steady, she wasn’t clear of the darkness’s power. That angry bitch was still coming for her. Even though she was marked. Even though he loved her and she loved him. Even though it should be enough, it wasn’t.

Thames was not her Anchor.

His bear knew it. Theo’s knew it. And so did the sisters. All of them. Especially Nastia.

The sour sting of failure rose in his throat, reminding him of his past, reminding him he was meant to be nothing to her, but he swallowed it back down. Forced it back into the little box he kept it in, hidden behind his heart.

No hero ever triumphed by wallowing. Whether they failed or succeeded, they did it by fist and fury, busting through obstacles as they came. If he was going to fail her, he’d do it fighting and believing the end could be different.

Thames walked to the fridge they’d added when they turned a little alcove of the great room into a kitchen area. Pulling it open, he reached for the bottle of moscato he had chilling. He was more a standard beer guy, but his mate wasn’t a drinker. She needed something sweet to work into it. Eagan had offered up his secret homemade peach moonshine, but Thames didn’t want to get her drunk. He just wanted to spend time with her that didn’t include fixing up their cave or finding a cure for the darkness.

He stuffed the bottle into the small wicker picnic basket he’d borrowed from Layna just as Nastia came into the great room from the hallway that was now well lit. She wasn’t watching where she was going. Instead, her eyes were locked on the pages of a book, brow furrowed. Newt the skink sat patiently on her shoulder, eyes on the book as well. As if he was a human himself. Thames imagined the lizard was reading along too and smirked.

“Bear,” she murmured, eyes still on the book. “I felt something.” She closed it when she reached him, setting it on the portable island countertop, and her gaze lifted to his. “Sadness.”

Thames looked away. Attentive little mate.

“Why did I feel sadness through our bond?” Swiping her finger along the counter until she reached the place where his palm was braced on the top, she traced along his hand like she was copying it to paper. “Are you sad?” she asked quietly.

“Naw.” He hooked his arm behind her neck and pulled her against his chest while Newt skittered to the counter to avoid getting swatted. “How can I be sad when you’ve already made me so happy?”

Nastia’s arms wrapped around his waist and he kissed her hair, breathing in that wonderful cherry scent that was now mixed with the mark of his bear. It was the best damn smell in the world.

Was it possible to be this happy and achingly sad at the same time? Maybe so.

“I have a surprise for you,” she whispered.

Thames pulled back to look at her. “A surprise? What kind of surprise?”

She tried to stifle her grin, but then her cheeks turned heavy pink with a blush and she gave up, smiling so big her teeth showed. “It’s not time yet.”

He couldn’t help himself. He smiled too. It was contagious. Thumbing the corner of her mouth he murmured, “I don’t know if I can wait. I’m not a very patient man.”

She smacked his chest playfully. “Spshh. Of course you are. Patience is your middle name. You’re practically a saint, you know.”

“Oh, really?”

Nastia nodded.

“Would a saint do this?”

Before she knew what was happening, he’d twisted her so her back was to his front and had one hand down the top of her dress, caressing her breast while the other cupped her pussy through the fabric of her skirt. His mouth dropped to her ear, licking along the shell and making her shiver. Her nipple pebbled against his rough palm, giving him the pleasure of knowing he could at least get this right. He could make his mate feel good, and that was pretty close to the best thing ever.

“Do these hands feel like the hands of a patient man?” he rumbled, squeezing both hard enough to get a moan from her.

Her breath was panty and she had to clear her throat before speaking. “Yep. But my body feels like it belongs to a not-so-patient woman. So maybe you shouldn’t play with it unless you’re ready to take me to bed.”

Oh, his mate had a sassy mouth.

He growled low, inhaling the scent coming off her skin. She was aroused. He pushed his growing erection into her backside, but he wouldn’t take it farther. Not now, because it would ruin his plans.

Thames breathed her scent once more and then dropped a quick kiss to her neck before letting her go. “Not yet, sweet mate. See, I have a surprise for you too.”

She twisted around to face him, her eyes glittering. “A surprise? Another one?”

He gave her a nod.

“But you already gave me so much. The rocks, the kitchen, the entire cave really. I can’t catch up. At this rate, we’ll never be even.”

Thames smirked. “Good.”

Her lips curved up as she shook her head, exasperated. “Okay, Mr. Patient. What’s the surprise?”

Without answering, he grabbed the basket off the counter and took her hand, pulling her toward the cave doors.

“W-Where are we going?”

“I’m taking you out.”

“Out?”

“On a picnic.”

“Outside though?”

“It’s not a real picnic if it’s inside is it?”

“Well, sure. It could be. I don’t think the location determines the validity of the picnic. But… I can’t go outside,” she said, screeching to a stop at the open door.

Thames smiled back at her. “Tonight you can. Adira lifted the spell locking you in here.”

Nastia’s eyes went wide. “Is that a good idea?”

“I’ll be with you the entire time. I won’t let you hurt anybody. Besides, the darkness hasn’t gotten any worse has it?”

“No.” But her voice wasn’t sure.

Watch her
. Theo’s warning pecked at Thames’s mind.

And he would. He’d watch her for as long as she was his. Which was forever if the mark on her chest was any indication.

“I’ve got you, Nastia. I won’t let anything bad happen tonight.”

He stepped through the door and turned to hold his hand out for her to follow. Hesitantly, she stared at it, and he could see the worry in her eyes. The darkness had a hold on her for sure. Had her prisoner to her fear. And he wished he could promise her the fear was in vain, but he couldn’t.

Only her Anchor could do that.

“Come on, little witch. Take my hand and let’s go on a pic-a-nic. Bears like picnic baskets, you know. Ever watch Yogi?
Hey, heyyy, Boo-boo
,” he said in his best Yogi Bear impression.

A laugh burst from her lips, and all the tension around her eyes eased.

Better
, his bear gruffed.

“No,” she said, taking his hand and stepping through. “But if I promise to look it up on YouTube, will you promise to never do that again?”

He looped an arm around her shoulders as they came out into the woods. “Deal, mate. Deal.”

***

Nastia lay on the plaid blanket, her head at an angle touching Thames’s. The wind whipped through the trees above them causing the newly sprouted leaves to flutter in the setting sun. Like they were bidding the light goodnight.

And welcoming the darkness’s rule.

She squeezed her eyes closed. She didn’t want to think about the darkness or the weird visions she’d been having or the voices she heard when she was alone in the cave. She reached into her pocket to finger the single rock there. As long as she kept the purple heart stone her sisters gave her close, all those things stayed away. Perhaps they’d enchanted it.

She rolled over onto her side so she could watch Thames. Her mate was better than the sun. Life with him was simple. Logical. And so, so sweet.

Sure, it had only been a couple weeks, but every morning she awoke with a smile. She would open her eyes to find him watching her, his expression so adoring it made her stomach twist with giddiness.

Reaching forward, she let her fingers connect with his scruff dusted cheek.
Mine
.

He’d removed his shirt to soak in the sun and his smooth skin was bronzing from the rays. Nastia ran her fingers down his thick neck and over his shoulder, brushing her lips there briefly, eliciting a quiet rumble from his bear. Moving quickly, he grabbed her hand, bringing it to his mouth for a kiss.

“Tell me your hopes and dreams,” Nastia murmured.

The perfect calm of the evening seemed like the right place to ask. He’d given her bits and pieces of his history. His work as a bouncer. The falcon shifter he considered his father. His life before, when he still belonged to a clan. But she was always hungry for more.

“My hopes and dreams, huh?” He squeezed her hand before pressing her open palm to his chest just over his heart.

“Yeah. What you’ve always hoped to have one day. Or things you want to accomplish. You know… hopes and dreams. I want to know them all.”

He was quiet for a while before he answered. “The thing I always wanted most, I have,” he said, his gaze lazily meeting hers. “My female, marked and claimed and happy. Well, that last part is hard but I’m still trying.”

Nastia’s heart squeezed with his words, and she propped up on one elbow to stare down at him.

“What do you mean about the last part? I’m happier than I’ve been in a long while. Our time in the cave has been amaz—”

Thames put his fingers to her lips. “Don’t. Don’t pretend things are okay with you. I know we’re still on borrowed time. I know the equinox is getting closer and closer. I know…” He dropped his hand, looking away to say the rest. “I know I’m not your Anchor.”

Sadness so solid and palpable could be felt through their bond. She pressed her hand against the sudden sharp sensation in her chest. He wanted to be her savior, wanted it bad. And she did too, but wanting it wasn’t going to make it reality. She had to fight this battle against the darkness some other way.

Thames sat up, hooking his arms over his knees and dropping his head to his hands looking more miserable than she’d ever seen him. Nastia followed him up, desperately grasping for something to say to make it better.

“I didn’t want this to come up right now. I just wanted to show you a nice time tonight.” His tone was frustrated. “Wanted to get you out of that damn cave and see you smile some more.”

“But I love our cave.” Her voice was so quiet she didn’t know if he heard her. “I love you.”

He turned his head to look at her, his mouth lifting in a sad smile. “God, I love hearing that from you, little witch. But it isn’t enough to save you, is it? Not enough to make me your Anchor.”

There was no way to deny what he was saying, no matter how much she wanted to. She couldn’t love him hard enough to save herself. That just wasn’t the way it worked. Not for her.

Thames shook his head, turning to stare at the setting sun.

“Maybe there’s nothing that can save me anymore,” she blurted. It was time to stop ignoring Adira’s suggestion. “I used dark magic to kill someone. Maybe you aren’t my Anchor because my Anchor doesn’t exist anymore. Because it’s too late for me. Adira thinks an Anchor can only hold us to the light if we haven’t accepted darkness yet.” Nastia swallowed hard, determined to get the rest out. “And I think she’s right. I accepted darkness the night I saved your bear. That means there’s no way to anchor me to light magic.”