Hidden, Clan of the Werebear (9 page)

“No, but neither can I show weakness. She’s tried to kill rivals in the past and I’m sure if she’s allowed to remain in the village, she’ll try to kill you, Elaina.”

“I’m not worried about her. I can take care of myself. Please, don’t do this.”

“You could barely make it by yourself in the wilderness,” Cullen pointed out.

Elaina clammed up as they took their vote. She felt like something had stabbed her in the gut. She had a bad feeling about this and just wished they would listen to her.

Cullen stretched his neck as he counted the show of hands. “So, it’s ruled that Shauna will be executed by tonight.”

Elaina dropped to the ground in shock. How could they do this? Sure, she knew that Shauna deserved punishment, but Elaina felt so responsible. If she hadn’t had that nightmare and cried out, things would be different.

Cullen helped Elaina to her feet as the rest of the village left. “Stop blaming yourself. You need to understand that this is the way we handle problems in this village. Everyone had a vote, and the majority ruled.”

Elaina and Cullen made their way back to the village and there was a near panic. She saw that the chains had been broken and Shauna was nowhere to be found. There was a bustle of activity as the huts were searched. Cullen jumped right into the fray and barked out orders. Elaina jumped as doors were thrown open and contents clattered to the ground. The old one stood there with her chin tilted up, observing the search with wise eyes. “Did she leave the village?” Elaina asked, not knowing what else to say.

“Did you let her go?” the old one asked suspiciously.

“No, I was talking to Cullen after the meeting.”

Cullen strode out of a hut and shouted, “I want half of you searching here and the other half searching the woods. She can’t have gotten far.”

Elaina stood there, astonished. She hoped that they knew Shauna was a werebear and had most likely shifted by now. It seemed fairly certain that they wouldn’t find her. “She’s probably long gone by now,” Elaina said.

“Still,” Cullen said. “Damon will stay here while I lead the search party.”

Damon grumbled. “No, I want to go.”

“Brother, you’re not even close to being able to leave just yet. Shauna injured you quite badly. Rest, so that you can regain you strength.”

Damon protested, but stood in the center of the village with Klesa’s hands pressed against his chest to prevent him trying to join his brother.

In a matter of ten minutes, Cullen and four of the strongest women sprinted out of the village, shifting into that of their bear forms. Two of them were that of polar bears and Elaina only then realized that they were the same women that she’d seen with the cubs. She recalled that Cullen planned to send them away when the clan came to the village, but it sure made sense to have bears of that strength around.

“It’ll be okay,” Damon assured Elaina. “Cullen will find Shauna.”

Elaina stared at Damon and asked, “And what if she’s not found.”

Klesa squared her shoulders. “She has to be found, or—”

“Or what?” Elaina asked.

“It’s just that she knows where we are. And what if she goes to the clan?”

“Would she do that?”

“She might if she wanted to hurt the village.”

“And since she believes you’re a threat, Elaina, who knows what Shauna might do.”

“Why should I be concerned? What would the clan want with me?”

“I’m not sure, since I don’t know anything about you, but you being here might send up a red flag for all of us.”

Elaina frowned. Why would the clan be concerned about her? Was Samson right all along that the clan was indeed searching for her? But why? Those are the same questions that she had always asked herself, with no real answer in sight.

Damon put an arm around Elaina. “Don’t worry. We won’t let anything happen to you, not since you’re now part of the village.”

Elaina snapped her neck in Damon’s direction since she was so intent on what Klesa had to say. “But ... I’m not staying. I’m only here until the fever passes.”

“Another reason it’s best if the clan doesn’t find you here,” Klesa said. “They might take you for themselves.”

Damon took ahold of Elaina’s arm. “I won’t allow that. We’ll hide her when they come as we will you, Klesa, and the cubs.”

“I won’t allow you to send us away,” Klesa said. “I refuse to live in some cave somewhere, all alone. Those boys are a handful already. How do you expect me to keep them contained?”

“They’ll have to be,” Damon said. “It’s your responsibility as their mother to keep them safe.”

Klesa poked her finger in Damon’s chest. “I don’t need you to remind me what my role as their mother is. I’ve given both you and Cullen a son. The least you can do is not banish us to the wilderness. How do you expect me to survive without the protection of the village? I’m a human, not a werebear like you.”

“It won’t be indefinitely, just until the inspection is over.”

Klesa gave Damon a sad look. “Okay, but I don’t have a good feeling about this.” She strode away in a huff and Elaina looked on in disbelief.

“She’ll be okay. There’s no way we’ll allow anything to happen to our cubs,” Damon said.

“I don’t blame her. I’d be worried if I were her, too. Do you believe the clan might be a danger to me?”

Damon stoked his chin in thought. “I’m not sure, but I believe it might be wise to take some precautions.”

“Am I going to be sent to some cave, too?”

Damon stepped forward and took Elaina’s face between his hands. “Not at all. Neither Cullen nor I would allow you to stray far. I know Cullen will mate with you first, but I’m struggling with trying to control myself, being so near to you.”

Elaina’s heart thumped against her chest, but she wanted to pull away. It felt wrong to be so close to Damon when she wanted Cullen to be her first. Besides that, it wasn’t lost on her the way Klesa looked at Damon with such longing. She might have feelings for Damon, and who was she to interfere with that? She sighed as Damon sealed his lips around hers. As they moved against her own, she felt her head begin to swim. A need took over that she didn’t understand, but instead of giving in she pushed against Damon’s chest. When their lips parted, Damon’s eyes were dark and flashing. “What’s wrong? Cullen is gone, but I’m here.”

“He’s searching for Shauna. Did you have anything to do with her disappearance?”

He jerked away as if burnt. “Why would you think I’d do that?”

“Besides that she was one of you favorites, you mean?”

“Sure she was, but she tried to kill me, don’t forget.”

“Did she really, or was I really the intended target?”

“It’s safe to say that I was the one injured. If Shauna meant to harm you, she would have. She was jealous. I just can’t see her life ended over her mistake.”

“Me, either. So are you saying that you released her?”

He straightened his back and strode away, saying over his shoulder. “Not at all.”

Elaina stared at his back. She couldn’t believe what he said, nor believed for a moment that he didn’t let her go. In fact, Klesa was more concerned with Shauna’s escape than was Damon. That spoke volumes to Elaina. She wouldn’t blame Damon for releasing Shauna, but she did worry that there might be some fallout for her escape. What if she told the clan all she knew?

Chapter Twelve

Elaina wandered back to Cullen’s bed, inhaling his musky fragrance from the animal pelts. She couldn’t help but hope that he’d return soon as she ached so badly that it hurt. Her hands fingered the fur and she removed her clothing until her plump body was completely bare. She lay there for hours, feeling as uncomfortable as ever. It was still daylight when she opened her eyes again, and the sun shone down from up high as seen through the hole in the ceiling. She had no idea how long Cullen would be gone or what the outcome would be, but she wished he were here now to put out the fire raging inside of her.

Elaina nestled onto the soft pelts, nearly crying out at the sensations that jarred her body as she shimmied back and forth across the bed in frustration. She loved the feeling against her scorched skin. Her fingers and hands then found her aching breasts and she massaged them, working the peaks of her nipples, surprised when they hardened under her fingertips. She closed her eyes again and concentrated on remembering how Cullen had elicited the same response from her not long ago.

She felt a breeze and her eyelids snapped open, but instead of glancing up into an angry female like the night before, her eyes locked with Cullen’s hungry gaze, his muscled frame filling the doorway. A million questions formed, but she forgot them all as he approached the bed and pulled off his shirt, revealing his muscled chest. The hair of his chest tickled its way down and disappeared under the waistband of his trousers. Her heart hammered her chest and absently her hands went to cover herself, but he said, “Don’t.” It wasn’t a suggestion, but a command. One that Elaina felt compelled to obey. She knew at this moment that she couldn’t deny him any longer.

When Cullen dropped his pants, Elaina gasped aloud as his hardness was exposed. He stroked his hand along his shaft and Elaina couldn’t look away. She was curious about what it would feel for this man to touch her, to press his lips against hers, to push his length within her. Absently, she licked her lips, feeling completely parched like she was thirsty for something only he could give her.

“Don’t be afraid,” Cullen said as his knees came down on the bed, his strong arms on either side of her.

Elaina sat up slightly, balancing herself on her elbows. Her dark hair tickled her breasts and Cullen moved it aside with a rough hand. He then took a sensitive nipple between his thumb and finger. As he rolled it, hot sensations caused Elaina to drop back against the bed, her breath coming hard and fast. Cullen’s hot lips found hers, and he kissed her ever so softly, teasing her lips with his tongue, until he became more demanding and plunged his tongue between the petals of her lips, invading her mouth. She tentatively stretched her tongue to meet his, and as they met, hot fire lit into her belly and she felt moist between her legs. She moaned into his mouth as his hands worked their magic on her breasts. Elaina palmed Cullen’s hard body, but as her hand gripped his shaft, he removed it. His lips finally leaving hers, he said, “If I let you do that, this will be over before it begins. Just lay back and enjoy yourself.”

Elaina wasn’t sure what he meant until Cullen’s mouth closed over one of her nipples and as he suckled her softly, slowly increasing his pressure on it. His teeth grazed it next until she nearly jumped off the bed in pleasure. She moaned, trying to move her hand between her legs, but Cullen moved it aside. He stroked her cleft and Elaina bucked against his hand, wanting more, but he then moved it back up and again cupped her breast. He chuckled into her neck as he suckled it, his fangs grazing against it, enough so that she winced slightly.

Without warning, his fingers again found her folds and he rubbed her engorged clit. His face moved from her neck and found her essence, working his tongue in her most intimate of places. She spread her legs apart as Cullen took his place between them, his quick, silver tongue working its way down, finding the most sensitive of spots.

Elaina cried out in ecstasy as ripples of pleasure coursed throughout her body and her sex pulsed and tightened as a spasm began. Cullen didn’t stop; instead, his tongue found her love channel and she cried out as he plunged it inside her again and again.

“Please,” she muttered, unable to take much more of this torment.

He removed his mouth and sat up slightly as his fingers worked their way inside her tightness. Instead of crying out, Elaina moaned. “Please. I want ... I want to feel you inside me.”

Cullen gave her a concerned look. “Are you sure, Elaina?”

She nodded in pleasure and he pulled her plump thighs apart and positioned himself above her. As his thickness found her entrance, he pushed forward, breaching her maidenhead. Elaina’s brow wrinkled in pain momentarily, but she wrapped her arms around Cullen, moving against him.

That was all the cue he needed. Cullen began to thrust into her with fervor. Elaina tightened around his shaft and bucked against Cullen, wanting more of him that she ever expected he’d give her as an orgasm sent her spiraling over the edge.

Cullen removed his shaft from her and positioned her on her hands and knees, taking her from behind. He gripped her wide hips and sunk himself deep inside her. His rhythm was sure and even until Elaina begged for more. His movements changed, and he pounded deep inside her until they both cried out and Cullen spilled his seed deep within her.

They melted back to the bed and Cullen wrapped his strong arms around Elaina, who at this point was reminded how badly her body ached as the soreness could be felt between her legs. “That felt so great,” she finally said.

“That’s only the beginning,” he whispered into her ear.

That was enough to cause Elaina’s sex to contract with need. “Can we do it again?”

He chuckled. “I need more time to recover. I’m sorry I spilled my seed into you. I didn’t mean for that to happen, but I just couldn’t pull myself out in time.”

Elaina squirmed. “Does that mean I’ll get with child?”

“Not always, but it might happen. How do you feel about that?”

 “I’m not sure. Good, I suppose. That’s what werebears are supposed to do, mate and breed.”

“We certainly could use another good breeder around here. Together, we would produce strong cubs, I’m sure.”

Elaina didn’t know if she liked how that sounded. Did she want to be thought of as only a breeder? “But I thought I was supposed to leave after the mating fever.”

 “Let’s talk about that later. It’s not something you need to concern yourself with right now. Get some sleep before we give it a try again. I don’t know why I ever said that I didn’t want you because you’re inexperienced. It felt great to be inside you.”

“Yes, but what of Shauna? Did you find her?”

“No, but don’t worry. I’m sure she left our territory for good.”

Instead of that making Elaina feel better, it made her worry more; that was, until Cullen’s hand found her breast again. This time, she welcomed the feel and enjoyed it more as his teeth found her nipple.