What a Bear Needs (The Wild Side) (16 page)

“You have now,”—she shooed him—“go away.”

“Cree, exactly how is your lower half feeling?”

Eyes narrowed, she turned to face him. “It had a lovely afterglow buzz happening that is now being obstructed by the sound of your voice.”

His blink was slow and innocent. “Oh good.”

She should’ve known then what was about to happen but the haze of her previous climax managed to scramble any rational thought. This explained why she didn’t move fast enough when he reached over. Maddox yanked her across his lap and used one of his ham hands to hold her down as the other slapped her ass 
repeatedly.

“Your tone is 
unappreciated! 
As is your failure to acknowledge my sexual prowess!”

Cree reared upwards, attempting to scramble away. “
You son of a bitch!”

“Still not appreciating the attitude!” Maddox bellowed.

“I’m going to use your eyeballs for mini golf!”

He popped her again.

“Goddammit!”

“Apologize!”

“No!”

Slap!

“I’m sorry!” Cree shouted. “
I’m sorry!”

She could hear the satisfaction in his voice when he said, “Excellent. Do you know what I’d love?”

Pouting really was inevitable when her ass felt as though she’d sat on hot cement. “No, what?”

Maddox lifted her into his arms and stood from the bed, strolling towards the bathroom. “A soak and then a nap with cuddling. And then food followed by more cuddling. Also, a massage that leads to a happy ending because really, what’s a massage without a happy ending?”

Cree smiled against his throat. “Er…
legal?”

He chuckled. “Oh baby I’m not paying
 
you so technically no offenses shall be made against the law; just your morals and virtue.”

She’d admit later how okay she was with that.

Eleven

There were some days that a man simply felt like well, a 
man. 
For Maddox that very thing started the moment he went down on Cree in the shower and listened to her holler in three part harmony before going lax just to ask him what he wanted for lunch. A grin split his face as he ambled away from his cabin and towards the main offices. He was slowly but surely wearing her 
down. 
Something had changed in her the moment she stopped questioning every minute detail surrounding them and instead chose to trust him; instead she chose to give him that small corner of herself that so few had access to. Somehow, the adoration he’d developed had only deepened. She’d shed the bravado and chose to be vulnerable for 
him. 
He loved her more than ever for that and despite the fact that she hadn’t said it as of yet, Maddox knew she loved him too. It was because of that love that he didn’t fatally maul the three male wolves who’d decided to ambush him in the middle of his trek.

“Could someone 
please 
explain to me why I have a soon-to-be-dead canine’s foot on my neck?” Maddox questioned from his position on the ground.

Makya grunted, arms folded across his chest as he glared down at him. “Enjoy yourself with Cree, Nibbs?”

Anoki pushed that foot down harder. “Because it sure as fuck sounded like you did.”

“And we’re not so sure we’re particularly okay with said enjoyment,” Cade finished, rolling a toothpick between his lips like some greasy, backstreet goon.

Maddox relaxed. “Ah, you’re doing the routine where the three of you become overprotective assholes who I have to resist the urge to slap around while giggling and removing bits of skin from your faces with my claws.”

“Here’s the thing, Tickles, we’re currently debating whether or not we should string your entrails about like party ribbons or if we should go at this a lot less drastically and simply break a few of your precious limbs,” Makya stated. “The less you talk, the more likely we are to be merciful.” 

“Right,” Maddox drew out. “And if I decide to go full blown boar-rage and fuck up everything you’ve ever valued in life, your future progeny’s dreams and your dignity, how will that weigh against your mercy?”

Loud whispering commenced above him.

“Future progeny?” Cade demanded. “No one said anything about future progeny! That was 
not 
a part of the plan!”

“I’d also like to voice my concerns over the 
‘everything you’ve ever valued in life’
comment
,” 
Anoki added. “Not too sure I’m fine with that.”

There was silence and then two slaps rang out.

“Son of a bitch!”

“Goddammit!”

“Get ahold of yourselves!” Makya bellowed.

“Alright! I’m out!” Cade yelled back. “You told me that after the last time you slapped me under duress you’d hit Anoki twice instead. You lied. I can’t trust you anymore.” The younger wolf walked away.

“And 
I 
am personally sick of taking your abuse!” Anoki followed up, removing his foot from Maddox’s person. “Threaten the large, virile male all on your own!”

Listening as the footsteps got further and further away, Maddox rolled onto his back and stared up at Makya with the same expression that often had Cree going for his eyes with her claws.

The wolf’s lip curled in disgusted. He shifted from one foot to another. “What?” Makya barked.

Maddox only smiled. “Don’t envy our love.”

“We’ve already got one overweight mammal barging into the family,” the other male growled. “Trying to fulfill some sordid little fetish?”

His smile melted as he slowly stood. “Excuse me?”

Makya angled towards him. “I’m not stupid. None of us are. We clearly
 
know that whatever is going on between the two of you has escalated to something physical
. 
The entire pack has been listening to it for the last two days. I could smell her on you before you even stepped foot outside of her cabin—which means she’s told you about her 
differences.” 
He looked Maddox over. “Cree wouldn’t let anyone touch her otherwise. I know my sister. Genetics aside, that’s
 
who she is to me. She’s a lot softer than she tries to appear and unlike Fallon, her core is delicate. Hear me when I say that hurting her because you wanted a quick fuck means you’ll be dismembered and scattered around. Is a dose of seemingly forbidden pussy worth your life, bear?”

Sucking in a deep breath, Maddox closed his eyes, waited a beat and then pushed out between clenched teeth, “If you ever
 
refer to Cree as ‘seemingly forbidden pussy
’ 
again I will make sure every generation following yours knows of how I shoved my fist down your throat and beat the fuck out of you from the 
inside.”

Makya went silent.

He leaned forward, opening his eyes, knowing that his bear had taken the reins of all logic. Maddox was thoroughly fucking 
sick 
of everyone challenging how he felt about Cree. “With all due respect, Makya, if Cree was simply a fascination, I would’ve moved on by now. Different or not, delicate or not, what I feel when she’s within reach is hardly a fetish; it’s an 
obsession. 
An obsession with her happiness. An obsession with her health. An obsession with her getting her to admit that I’m not the only one between the two of us who rushes to wake in the morning just to see the other’s face.
” 
He took a step backwards. “She’s the only
 
reason I didn’t simply rip your tongue out, put it on a sandwich and have a meal in front of your goddamn face. I love and respect her too much to permanently maim someone who means so much to her. Up until this point, I’ve found myself rather fond of our traditional male bonding and the moose tacos but don’t test my fucking patience because next time, the only thing that’ll stop me from breaking you into travel sized pieces will be a mountain falling on me. And even then you should be cautious.” He cocked his head and stared at the wolf with blatant challenge. “Understood?”

Makya gazed back for a bit and then he grinned. “I like you, Horace. Don’t make me regret that because as threatening as you are, I can make sure you end up in several cans of tuna being lugged to construction sites for the lunch bell. ”

Their eyes locked and held.

Maddox finally, simply, nodded. The family camaraderie was strong among the pack. Momentary anger caused him to forget that their loyalty to Cree’s well-being was just as overwhelming as his own. They loved her just as much. If he’d had someone in his life whom he saw in the same light, Maddox probably wouldn’t have even had this lovely little chat. It would’ve went straight to organ ravaging.

The wolf reached out and pushed him in the shoulder. “Take care of her.”

He waggled his brows. “Oh I 
have 
been.”

Making a face, Makya turned and walked away. “Too far.”

Maddox laughed and turned back towards his goal, the main office.

***

“You fucked Maddox!”

Cree jumped about three feet in the air at the loud, obnoxious
, 
entirely too excited shout. Turning to face the one who’d delivered it, she glared. “Jesus Christ, Fal! What is 
wrong 
with you?”

The she-wolf only grinned. “Was it as good as it sounded?”

“Go. Away.” After two full days of solitude, Cree had finally decided it was time to brave the rest of the pack. Being alone with Maddox had enlightened her to the fact that she couldn’t continue to stew in fear. It had restricted her, confined
 
her, to this existence where she hovered just outside of happiness. Her tribe’s betrayal, the death of her allegiance to them—all
 
of it. Each minute that passed, she handed more and more of herself over to Maddox and felt the gentle way he molded it into something stronger, something that was worth fighting for. In little to no time, he’d managed to make her see the beauty in a piece of her that had once been horrifying
. 
How could she not
 
love him? How could she 
not 
appreciate his quick smiles, ridiculous wit and surprising eloquence?

He’d shown her so much of himself without rushing it, without force feeding it to her. Maddox was complicated but surprisingly simple. He loved the spring but had horrible allergies. He needed prescription reading glasses but refused to wear them because he thought they made him look like a serial killer. He actually wasn’t that
 
fond of salmon but loved whiting and flounder. He liked to sing trip hop when he thought no one was listening and he had old notebooks full of brooding love poems that he’d written in high school after his first break up. Sending her into a crying fit of laughter, he’d sat her down and recited one with all the sulkiness he could muster while gazing directly at her.

Cree had rolled around on the floor for at least an hour. Even now she had to resist the urge to chuckle. She’d spent so much time sheltering herself away from what she thought would do nothing but hurt. Instead she should’ve been basking in one of the greatest things that she’d never knew she’d needed until now—Maddox.

“Oh no, my friend. I must hear the details of how my pseudo brother-in-law decided to remind us all of why grizzlies are to be revered and worshipped,” Fallon told her, breaking Cree’s contemplation.

Rubbing her eyes, Cree attempted to hide her smile. “You’re only partial to that theory because Ransom has been knocking around your tonsils for months on end. Bear-biased is what I’d call it.”

Fallon smirked. “Have you forgotten that I had my tonsils taken out at thirteen?”

Cree blinked. “I think that imagery just gave me an aneurysm.” 

“Sooo…”

“No, Fal.”

“What?”

“I know that tone and I know that look. Maddox and I are—”

“Making sweet, bestial love in your downtime?”

“One,” Cree said slowly, looking at the other woman. “
Never 
use those words to describe whatever it is he and I are doing. Two, don’t describe what we’re doing at all. And three, refer to points one and two because this entire conversation along with the look on your face is creeptastic.”

“Oh and you asking me about my dolo time when Ransom and I first got together 
wasn’t 
creepy?!”

“No! Because I was actually trying to get you to admit
 
you were in love whereas I
 
don’t need to be forced!”

Fallon froze, her lashes fluttering. “I’m sorry, 
what?”

Goddammit!
 
“Fal—”

The she-wolf burst into laughter and danced about. “You just admitted to being in love!”

Cree stamped her foot. “Shut up, shut up, shut up!”

“You’re in love with Maddox!”

“Fallon, I swear to God—”

“I must go shout this from the rooftops, sing it on the hills!” The bitch actually twirled. 
Twirled!

“Don’t you dare!”

“Oh but I must, my friend! I must!”
 
Fallon turned to run.

Feeling desperate, Cree climbed onto the counter and launched herself at the other woman, pinning her to the ground. They’d been in this very position many
 
times before so it was nothing new. “We are going to handle this rationally,” Cree announced, her knees holding the she-wolf’s shoulders to the floor. “And you are going to keep your mouth shut.”

“Your crotch is in my face. Not only is this irrational but it is 
also 
sexual assault.”

Cree popped her on the forehead. “Quiet!”

“Dammit man! I don’t see what the big deal is. You love him and he obviously loves you so—”

She waved her hands. “Silence.”

Fallon’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t plan on telling him, do you? It’s the easiest way for you to enjoy him while keeping him at a distance.”

Sighing, she sat back. “You think we would’ve ever gotten this far if I wanted him at a distance? The man has not only explored my garden but he’s plucked a few of the fruits—”

“
That 
is a vision I could’ve lived without.”