Red's Bear (Erotic Shifter Fairy Tales) (22 page)

The music shifted from the popular Pop beats to a more
rhythmic slow song. Cord didn’t care what was played because he was going to
hold his mate.

As the clouds in the sky floated overhead, Cord was
surrounded by the scent of Rena. Her natural aroma seduced him and drew him
closer to her. Lowering his head to her neck, he dragged his nose along the
slender column as he inhaled deeply.

“I’ve missed you.” He pressed his lips to her ear and
whispered.

She sighed and moved closer, her unrestrained breasts
flattening against his chest. “I’ve missed you too. My soul has ached without
you.”

Hearing her words, his hand tightened around hers.
Leaning back, he gazed into her unique eyes. “Are you okay?”

Rena nodded, understanding what he was asking. “I am.
This has been a stressful week but it has all led me to you, now. Where I want
to be.”

His bear roared, pleased by his mate.

Shifting her hips, she pressed closer to him as she
seductively ground her pelvis against his cock.

He growled, allowing the low, deep rumble to vibrate
against her chest.

She gasped and her eyes sparkled with metallic threads.

A soft golden haze was beginning to seep in at the
peripheral of his vision, he was sure that she could see the color change of
his eyes, signifying that his mating lust was triggered and elevating fast. It
had been simmering since he’d gotten her short note from Genma. Soon it would
be fully engaged and he wouldn’t be able to control his actions not to mate
with her, wherever and whenever.

Since it was frowned upon to mate out in the open, in
undesignated places, as mayor-to-be he couldn’t take her in the heart of town.

“Good evening, everyone. This year’s First Frost Moon
Festival has been a success. Thanks for all the participation in the events,
the booths, crafts produced and everything.” Jasper’s heavy voice rumbled
through the microphone.

The crowd cheered, agreeing with the mayor’s words.

Rena stopped dancing and turned in his arms to give his
father her attention. Cord couldn’t care less what the closing speech would
entail, all he could think about was his mate.  Keeping his arm around her
waist he placed a kiss on the curve of her shoulder, making her shiver.

Glancing toward the DJ stand where his father was, Cord
saw his mother, Charlotte, standing proudly beside her life mate. Years ago
they had been in his same position, claimed each other. They had taken on the
position as leaders in their community, birthed three children and continued to
share their love openly.

That’s what Cord wanted with Rena. Would have with
Rena. 

“Now that the festival is officially concluded, that
only leaves one other event to take place. The Bear Run.”

The atmosphere exploded with uproarious roars and
clapping. The female Weres gave the men around them seductive looks while the
males sniffed the air attempting to detect the scent of their mate. Cord had
heard that half the fun of the run was chasing down the strong trace that drew
them. Tracking that sensual bouquet was a guarantee that a bear shifter would
locate his mate. It was a time-old tradition that had guided countless Weres.
Occasionally, because of timing of when a Were chose to participate in the run
they could have no success in finding their perfect mate, but would settle for
a willing female. 

“I will take it by the shouts and roars that everyone
is ready. Without delaying this any further, all those unattached mature Were
that plan to participate, please make your way to the designated area.” As if
his father’s announcement had been a gunshot starting a race, males and females
ran toward vehicles to drive to the clearing on the other end of town only used
for the Bear Run.

Unlike all the other unattached Were-bears, Cord didn’t
need to go on a sniffing adventure.

Taking hold of Rena’s hand, he tugged her behind him as
he started toward his truck.

Two steps later he felt her resistance. Facing her, he
frowned. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“Nothing, I am perfectly fine.” She still had not
started forward.

“Then let’s get out of here. I just want to get you
home and make love to you.” Leaning in, he kissed her lightly on her mouth, he
knew if he did any more than that he wouldn’t be able to stop.

“I want that too, Cord, but…”

He stared into her eyes, he could see in the color of
them that her mating lust was just as elevated as his. “But?”

“I’m going to the Bear Run and I’d like you to join me
there.”

He chuckled at her naivety. “There’s no need. I already
know who my mate is. Hell, we both have a mark to prove it.” He held his finger
up to her.

She smiled and her eyes darkened as she stared at the
healed scar. “Yes, but we are going to do this right this time,” she declared.
“No more accidental bites or ignorance on my behalf. I know who I am, Cord. In
the last two days I’ve become very comfortable with all my changes and
connected with my bear.” Untangling her fingers from his, she took a step back.

That single action caused an ache in him. His bear
whined at the absence of her touch.

“If you want to put that final mark on me, you’re going
to have to find me to do it.” Winking at him, she started to turn but he called
out stopping her.

“If this is what you want, Red, I’m willing go.
However, I’m going to find you. Make no mistake of that. When I do, you better
be ready because I’m going to mark you as mine forever, then I don’t plan to
stop fucking my life mate until the sun comes up.”

He saw the shiver course through her body and the
metallic and ruby gaze that met his. She nodded, then without another word
headed back down the street the way she had come.

Cord stood rooted to the spot as he watched her walk to
her car. There weren’t any concerns in Den of safety, but she was his mate and
protecting was always top priority.

“That’s one bold, she-bear you have there, my cousin.”
Tim came up beside him.

Not taking his gaze off Rena, Cord said, “Yes she is, just
how I like her. Perfect.”

“Then if you plan to make sure she’s yours, I wouldn’t
let her get too far ahead of you, Mr. Soon-To-Be Mayor,” Tim teased.

Seeing Rena get in her car, Cord faced his cousin who
stood with his arm around Nita, his wife. Now that they had battled and Cord’s
dominance had been proven they were on excellent terms, it was the way of the
Were. All hatchets got buried for the good of the community.

“Trust me, I won’t.” Waving goodbye, Cord hustled
toward his truck.

Once he was behind the wheel, he made haste to the
clearing. His mate was headed to the woods with the full-body of her mating
pheromones pouring out of her pores. There wasn’t any damn way he was going to
give another bear a chance to even get a whiff of her. It was true that since
he had already marked her and they could share visions during the peak of
ecstasy and other males would scent him on her. It was still possible for a
male to bite her three times in a row and remove his and Rena’s connection.
Their creator had made them that way in case a mate was lost. So, two marks
between mates didn’t ensure anything.

The drive seemed the longest of his life. Three miles
down the rocky road outside of town along the path of the river and Cord
finally arrived at the designated place. As he pulled into the area he saw
cars, people and clothes all over the area. Everyone was preparing to start the
run. Generally the males were courteous enough to give the females a head
start. But Cord had already seen a couple she-bears take off into the trees and
almost instantly be followed by a handful of males.

Finding Rena, happy she made it safely, he parked his
truck along-side her grandmother’s wagon. When she spotted him, she gave him a
delicate finger wave as she stood in only a white pair of lacy thongs,
captivating against the deep sienna skin tone. Her beautiful breasts were bare
and made his mouth water to lick and taste them all over again. All her other
clothing was piled up on top of her car hood.

“Thought maybe you changed your mind,” she taunted him,
as she hooked her thumbs inside the band of her panties.

“No fucking way. You know we can end this right here?”

“No fucking way.” She laughed as she repeating his
words. Removing her underwear she sling shot them to him and called out, “See
you in the woods, Mr. Bjorn. Catch me if you can.”

He caught them, chuckling at her seductive antics. He
didn’t need her panties to capture her scent, it never left his mind. Flashing
her his teeth, incisors and canines lowered in place, he winked at her.

Her eyes flashed with heat as she inhaled, nostrils
flaring. She turned toward the forest and he watched her pause for only a
moment, as he assumed she was picturing her bear. A few shimmers later she was
vaulting through the trees and out of sight.

Shit
. Snatching his t-shirt over his
head at the same time he was toeing his shoes off, he didn’t care if anything
was torn or ruined. The only thing he wanted was to get to his mate. Yanking
his jeans open, he heard the sounds of the teeth to his zipper strain and snap
a second before he had them dropped to the ground. He raced forward, shifting
in a tenth of a second. Paws pounding on the ground, he dug into the soil.

Sniffing and running, he eliminated one scent after the
other: trees, vegetation, small woodland animals and the other females. Then he
isolated on one scent, stronger to him than all the others and he knew he’d
locked onto his mate. Rena’s scent, as alluring as warm honey.

Her bear called to his, beckoned him to find and claim
her. His bear answered the call. Letting out a roar, he knew that wherever she
was in the forest she would hear it, sense him. Know he was coming to her, for
her.

Cord wasn’t concerned that he hadn’t spotted her yet.
He knew the woods better than she did. As a new bear, she was going more off
sight. He was using straight instinct and her scent. Following that heady trail
would clue him into what path she was taking, and where she would end up.

Moving faster, he crashed his big body through bushes
on hot pursuit of her. Her smell was so strong now his bear could practically
taste it. She was headed to the river. If she made it there and into the water
before he caught up with her it would dilute her scent. He wasn’t going to let
that happen. Taking the straight route to her instead of the winding trail Rena
had been following allowed him to cut her off.

Rounding the base of a large redwood, he sprang into
the clearing before her.

Rena’s bear, unprepared for his appearance before her,
slammed in to him. The impact of her animal hitting his in full force caused
him to pitch backwards. They toppled over each other once…twice…three times
before they landed in a mass of human limbs, both of them having shifted at
some point.

Once their bodies were no longer in motion, Cord
immediately rolled Rena onto her back. He pressed his body onto hers as he
grabbed hold of her hands and pulled them above her head. Laying his mouth on
hers, he kissed her. One that wasn’t gentle or kind, but demanding of her
submission and pleasure. Her breasts were crushed beneath his chest, her tight
nipples piercing him. He could feel her heartbeat synchronized perfectly to
his.

He slipped his legs in between hers, working them
further apart until he could situate himself against her. Never stopping the
kiss, he ground his hard, throbbing cock along her sex. Her wet heat coated his
shaft.

She moaned.

Yes, he needed to mark her, but he needed to be inside
of her just once first.

Of one accord with him, she opened her legs further,
allowing him more access as she wrapped her long, toned limbs around his hips.

Pulling his mouth away, he stared into the unique eyes
of his woman. The dual blend was something that was special only to Rena, his
half-blood bear shifter, and he loved it. It had started raining while he had
been chasing her. The water beaded up on her skin and made her scent earthier.
He growled, enjoying the mix to her fragrance.  “I need you.”

“Yes.” She licked his bottom lip. “It’s been too long,
come inside me, love me.”

No further encouragement was needed. He released one of
her hands and slipped his between their bodies and taking hold of his shaft, he
guided himself to her opening. Once there he thrust forward, not stopping until
he was seated deep in her core. He made no apologizes for his forcefulness. His
need for her was too great for him to be gentle.

Responding to his demand, she buried her heels into the
muscles of his ass while she pressed her pussy against him. Her labia
surrounding the base of his cock, she took him deeper.

“Don’t stop, Cord.” She was planting kisses along his
nose, jaw and lips as she whimpered. “Please.” 

Wrapping one arm under her shoulders and the other
below her ass, he lifted her higher. Positioning her so that she could receive
the full impact of his thrusts, he began to move. Lowering his head, he licked
the watery rivers flowing over her skin. He pistoned his hips forward and
enjoyed feeling her meeting him each time. She accepted all of him as she
called out his name.