Wolves for the Bears: Book 5, Grey Wolf Pack Romance Novellas (13 page)

He took her hands and dragged her into the living room, sitting them both on the couch.

Mac frowned.  “Esther found her mate?  Soooooo, you two are getting divorced right?”  Her eyes took on a hopeful glint.  She could hear her wolf yapping away happily at the news.

“Welllll...”

“Uggghhhh Andy!”  She tried to pull her hands away from his but he gripped her tightly, he swung a leg over hers pinning her in place.  She squirmed underneath him, but she might as well have been trying to wade through concrete. 
There was no moving him
.

“Now Mac, I need to tell you some things about me and Esther, and I need you to just listen and be patient with me.  It’s really important.  Can you do that?”

She snorted at him thoroughly prepared to roar, kick scream and bite.  But on seeing his fearful face she softened. 
A little
.  She grunted her acquiescence.

She kept her body rigid, utterly prepared
to throw whatever he had to say back in his face.  In spite of this in a rush he told her the whole story of how he came to marry Esther.

During that time her face flashed with horror, concern, fury and
shock.  When he finally finished she was silent for a few minutes, digesting the information he had given her.  Her beast was completely satisfied with his recount, she however had a few questions...

“So... Esther’s gay?
”

He was surprised that she had focussed on that part of the story first.
  “Yep.”

“You two have never...?”

Ah, she was still trying to get over her jealousy.
  “Nope, not even once.”

She narrowed her eyes. 
“And you don’t want to...?”

The bear was puffing out his chest
over his mate’s possessiveness, she couldn’t stand the idea that he might even like another woman in that way.  Well she needn’t worry, there was only one wolf for him.
  “No way, she’s like my sister.”

Mac stared at him incredulously. 
“And the reason you didn’t tell me all this before is...?”

He sighed exaggeratedly.  “I would have but, it was complicated...”

With strength that belied her slender frame Mac pushed the infuriating bear off her and leapt to her feet, eyes flashing violent amber.  “Uggghhhh!  Oh my god!  Stop saying that word!  Everything with you is complicated.  I’ll bet you can’t even order a damn pizza without it being ‘complicated’!” 

Her breasts heaved as she breathed in and out furiously. 
Both she and her wolf were livid. 
What was wrong with him?
  Did he honestly think she wouldn’t have understood?  Did he think she wouldn’t have kept their secret?  Did he have so little regard for her?  To think of all the times they could have been together. 
Time wasted.

Andy was taken
aback by her outburst but his bear soon regained his senses and was snarling.  He stood up abruptly, towering over her.  She stood her ground.

He gave her a low, guttural growl. 
“You don’t think we would have been together if we could have been?”

She threw up her arms.  “Honestly I don’t know what to think, but by your actions it’s clear to me that you don’t want me as much as I want you.”  Her voice was laced with venom but also a little hurt.

His bear faltered a little at that but Andy was unyielding.  “You really think that I haven’t been desperate to be with you every fucking moment since we first met?  You really think I haven’t lain awake every fucking night thinking of you? 
Jesus fucking hell Delilah!
  The only thing that’s been keeping me going has been the thought that we would be together, I knew I just had to be patient.  And it damn well wasn’t easy.”

She searched his stony face for the truth.
  Both sides of her wanted to believe him. 
So badly
.  She just felt a little injured by his actions.

When she r
emained quiet Andy continued his tirade, the heat and anger in him rising.  “I think I enjoyed watching you running around with that whack-job wolf Luke?  You think I liked seeing him sniffing around you like a fucking dog in heat?  No!  I fucking well didn’t.  But there was nothing I could do, I couldn’t turn my back on Esther.”

He raked his hands over his head and turned away from her.
  “Fucking hell Delilah, I love you more than anything in the whole fucking world, but I made a promise to her and I couldn’t have lived with myself if anything had happened...”

Andy was cut off mid-rant as his mate launched herself at him.  He staggered backwards for a moment as she soldered her lips to his
and enfolded herself round his body.  He hesitated for a few seconds amazed at the sudden change in his mate but soon found himself returning her embrace, matching her fire and passion. 
He certainly wasn’t going to complain!

She clutched and tore at his clothes.
  God seeing him so angry and domineering just set her on fire. 
She was a freaking inferno!

Andy returned her kisses with fervour.
  His beast yowling for his mate.  He broke his mouth away from her and she whimpered.  Swiftly he tore her t-shirt off and found her lips again.

She clamped her legs round his hips, grinding her sex over his
throbbing erection.  He groaned throatily and toppled them onto the couch.  Pulling back he ripped the sweatpants from her and tore her underwear away.  She shivered as the air hit her naked body but felt a ripple of warmth spread through her when Andy quickly shuck out of his own clothes.

He rose over her, his eyes blackened with unadulterated lust.  He fisted his manhood and
teased the head over her clit.  She cried out as her hips shuddered.

He
nudged the head of his manhood to her entrance, wet from her honey.  He paused looking down on her, taking in every perfect detail.  Her body was flushed and quivering.  Her raven hair was splayed beneath her, and her curved lips were puffy from their impassioned kisses. 

“God Delilah, you’re so beautiful, I want you so badly
.”

She flexed her hips up to him, trying to take him in. 
“Prove it.”  She purred, eyes blazing amber.

He roared as he thrust into her, he took her to the hilt in one go.  She screamed at the sudden feeling of fullness.  The exquisite pleasure was tinged with a stab of pain.

She looked up to see her mate, clouded by lust his fangs had descended.  She moaned as her own sprung free.

He began rocking against her.  She was so tight
her sheath clamped around him mercilessly. He knew he wouldn’t last long and began pumping inside her hard and fast.  She lifted her hips, meeting him thrust for thrust, crashing into him.

He buried his face in her silky locks and began licking her neck.  She gasped in surprise.  He was preparing her for the bonding mark.
  A flicker of doubt coursed through her but her wolf howled and she was lost to her baser instincts.

She pressed in closer and began lapping at his neck.  Yes, this is what she wanted, no
what she needed
, from the very moment she met him.  They needed to bond, to tie themselves together forever.

She clutched at him with her inner muscles and scraped her fangs over his tender skin.  He let out a
throaty growl and began forcing himself in her violently.

The room was filled of the sound of flesh slapping against flesh and their short desperate pants as they raced towards completion.

Feeling him become even harder and hotter they slid their fangs into the other’s skin.  They stilled for a couple of seconds revelling in the feel of their joining together, and the sweet nectar of each other’s blood rolling down their throats.  At once they were flooded by feelings of mutual pleasure and happiness.

Roughly he plunged inside her one last time and exploded.  He threw back his
head and he and his bear roared hoarsely in unison.  Feeling his seed shooting into her womb pushed her over the edge.  Pulling back from his neck she added her own howls and as she heard her wolf doing the same.  Her channel convulsed and grasped at him as she rode out her own waves of release.

Breathing heavily they lay in each other’s arms as the post-orgasmic tremors running through their bodies
began to subside.  They lapped at the wounds inflicted, sealing them whilst Mac stroked his head.

When he finally lifted himself over her
she could see his eyes were still blackened, from lust or rage she couldn’t tell.  Gingerly she tested the links of their bond, and sought out his feelings.  He was satiated but also still filled with lust for her, which was slowly rising as he looked down at her glowing naked body.  Her wolf practically rolled over like a puppy in delight, baring her tummy for her mate.

His softening shaft was still inside her and she gave it an experimental squeeze.
  He growled as his bear perked up.  For the first time in over three months his bear had been contented to sit back and allow the man full reign, however he saw this as a challenge from his mate.

He gave her a small thrust as blood started rushing to his groin.  He angled his pelvis so he pushed against her clit and she squealed in delight.

He began slowly thrusting in and out as he became harder.  “For a second there I wasn’t sure whether you were going to fuck me or kill me.”  He breathed, locking his eyes onto hers.

He saw merriment dance across her face and she wiggled her hips.  “Aren’t you glad I chose the former?”

“Fuck yes.”  He exhaled.

Suddenly he stopped the gentle rhythm
building up within her and held still.  She whined and tried to move against him but he held her in place.  “No regrets?”  He asked worriedly. 

“None.”  She
answered quickly before frowning slightly.  “Although I’m still kind of mad at you...“

“I know, I’m sorry.”

She smiled naughtily.  “Perhaps some kind of punishment might be in order...”

He chuckled
and began moving in and out of her.  “I’m sure we’ll think of
something
.”

Chapter Eleven

3
rd
November

Andy let out a massive yawn.
  To say he hadn’t got much sleep last night was an understatement.  Mac had been
insatiable
.

Seeing the sorry state he was
in when he finally skulked home that morning Esther had offered to drive back to their home town.  It had taken just over four hours and Andy had napped most of the way. 

Esther was glad of the quiet as she really didn’t want to talk about anything.  Ever since she found out about her father’s illness her mate Felicity had not left her alone for a second
, and frankly she was glad of a little alone time.

They were now sat in Esther’s car outside of her childhood home.  Esther had her hands clamped to the steering wheel and she staring straight ahead.
  Andy darted quick glances at her.  She was still as a statue.

The curtains of the house twitched.  “They know we’re here.”  Said Andy.

She bit her lip.  “Uh-huh.”

“We should probably go in.”

“Uh-huh.”

Andy put a hand on her arm and she shivered.
  “It will be okay.”

She turned to him, her eyes filled with worry and pain, and nodded.
  “Let’s go.”

Moving quickly she got out the car and began marching up to the house
, determined to get the ordeal over and done with.  Andy scrambled after her.

Before they reached the door it was yanked open by Esther’s mother
Joan.  She stood as tall as Esther but her shoulders were constantly stooped, and her face sallow and lined.  She had once been as lovely as Esther, but had been beaten down by years of marriage to Able.  It was hard to tell that the two women were even related.

Joan smiled weakly, tears springing to her eyes.
  “Ess...”

Esther tensed.  “Hello mom.”

Joan stood staring at her for a few moments before shaking her head and moving aside.  “Sorry, you better come in.”

Esther gingerly stepped into the house
.  She’d grown up there, everything was so familiar and yet so strange at the same time.  She tried to think of all the happy times she had spent there, but they were marred by the bad times.

They stood in the hallway awkwardly
. The stairs creaked as Esther’s older brother Abraham came down the stairs.  He nodded at them and Andy placed a meaty hand on Esther’s shoulder possessively. 

Abraham was
six foot five and beefy, just above average for a male black bear shifter.  Andy had no doubt he could take the smaller man down if he tried to hurt Esther.

Abraham stood by his mother arms folded eyeballing them warily.

Joan reached out to take her daughter’s hands but when Esther flinched she allowed her hands to drop by her sides.  “Ess...”  She began but was interrupted when her son held up his hand to shush her.  She immediately quietened down and waited. 
Like father, like son
.

Abraham cleared his throat.
  “I’m sorry Ess, dad died a couple of hours ago.”

“What?”
  Whispered Esther.

“
I’m sorry it was unexpected.”

“
I ummm... I... I’m going to use the bathroom.”  Esther hot-footed it down the hall and locked herself in.  The three other bears could hear her crying.

Joan fidgeted with a handkerchief whilst Abraham stood rigid.

“The funeral?”  Barked Andy startled Joan.

Abraham crossed his arms regarding Andy.  “Today at sunset.  He’ll be cremated in the pyre.”

Andy’s lips twitched.  “Then I guess you’ll take over as clan leader, if the rest of the clan accept you.”

Abraham exhaled loudly.  “I’ve pretty much been the leader for the past five months anyway, they’ll accept me.
”

“Following on the fine family tradition.”  Said Andy nastily.

“Why don’t we go and sit down, and I’ll bring out some refreshments.”  Joan twittered nervously, not wanting a full blown fight to erupt between the two male bears.

She got them seated and brought out some lemonade.
  The males eyed each other distastefully.

“Is Rusty still a member of your clan?”  Demanded Andy. 

Abraham noted Andy had called it ‘your clan’, not ‘our clan’ not ‘the clan’ but ‘your clan’.  He was making it clear that he was no longer a part of it.  Abraham sighed, thinking of how close they had been when they were children.

“No he isn’t... he errrr, I had to kick him out.”  Abraham couldn’t meet Andy’s eyes.

“Why?” 

Abraham flexed his jaw.  “Rusty tried to force himself on Myka’s daughter.  We banished him from the clan forever.”

Andy raised his eyebrows.  “Myka’s daughter Mikke who’s only 14?”

“Yes
, after that we had no choice.”  Ground out Abraham.

“
No fucking choice?”  Snarled Andy.  “You make is sound like he’s a loss to the clan.  You should have thrown the fucker out of the clan after what he did to Esther, you should have stood by your sister!”  Andy slowly became louder and angrier.

Abraham thrust out his chest, nostrils flaring, ready for a fight.  After a few seconds of breathing deeply he
settled down and huffed a couple of times, clenching and unclenching his fists.

Joan eyed the two warily, but noting the calming of her son relaxed again.

Esther eventually joined them and each softened a little.  Despite his actions Abraham did care for his younger sister, and it pained him that there was such a big rift between them.

Esther perched on the couch next to Andy, her eyes were rimmed red.  “So what did dad want to talk to me?”

Joan looked to her son for permission.  Esther rolled her eyes at her mother’s subservient attitude toward male bears.  She shuddered to think that once she had acted in the same way.  Being away from the clan and spending time with other shifters had given her a different and more enlightened perspective on life. 
Coming back to the clan was like coming back to the stone age!

Abraham inclined his head and Joan sucked in a breath between her teeth before speaking.  “He wanted to apologise...”

“Really?”  Esther asked in disbelief.

Joan nodded her head vigorously.  “Yes, he did.  What happened... it tore him up, what happened was hard for him.”

“Hard for him?!”  Roared Andy.

Esther put a hand on his back and started making soothing circles.

“He just wanted to make peace with you before he died... I’m sorry he didn’t get the chance.  He died in emotional turmoil.”

“
Better than what he deserved.”  Muttered Andy quietly, in no doubt that all the shifters could hear him.

Abraham leaned forward.  “And both me and mom are sorry too, I know it doesn’t repair the damage caused but I wanted you to know that we were.”

Esther snorted.  “You’re right it doesn’t make things all better, but it is nice to hear.”

Abraham pursed his lips.  “You know both you and Andy are always welcome to come back to the clan...”

Esther smiled tightly.  “Thanks but we’ve made new lives in Rose and... and there are a couple of people there who wouldn’t be too happy about us leaving.”

“What do you mean?”  Asked Joan slowly.

Esther took a deep breath and then blurted out the truth in a rush.  “I met my true mate, Andy met his true mate and Andy and I are getting a divorce.” 

“Oh!  Well that’s... that’s wonderful I guess.”  Joan looked at Andy wonderingly, but seeing the
harsh look on his face didn’t say anything.  “Who is he?”  She asked.

Esther sighed.  “My mate is a woman mom, she’s a wolf shifter.  I’m gay.”

“Oh!  Well I ummm....”

Esther tapped her foot impatiently.
 
Her mother really was slow sometimes!
  Her father and her brother both realised her marriage to Andy was a sham, they were just happy for appearances sake.  Her mother had actually thought that they were a proper married couple, and that her dalliances with other women had just been youthful indiscretions. 
So naive
.  “This really can’t be a surprise mom.”

“No I guess
it isn’t...” She laughed nervously and began toying with the hem of her blouse.

Abraham
looked at his sister distastefully.  She jutted out her chin and met his stare defiantly.

He sighed and a muscle ticked in his jaw.  “Look, I don’t agree with your life choices but I don’t want to fight anymore.
  You’re free to do what you want...”

“Ah gee thanks.”  She snapped sarcastically.

He growled lowly but continued.  “With no repercussions from the clan... but of course if you choose to live this way you can’t come back.  You can visit occasionally if you want, but your mate would not be welcome here.”

Esther laughed hollowly.  “Why am I even surprised?”

“Esther... the clan would never accept the two of you, even if I told them to, you’d still be in danger... it’s better for everyone if you stay away.”

Esther knew that to be true.    She didn’t know why she was trying to start a fight about it. 
Stubbornness?
  In all honesty she didn’t want to return to the clan.  She was happier in Rose, but it still burned to know she could never really return to her childhood home
.  Not unless she pretended to be something she wasn’t.

Esther’s bear growled softly.  She was tired of this.  She wanted to return home to their mate.  Their life was no longer here, there was nothing left for them anymore.
  Her family was now with Felicity and Andy, and probably Mac too.

She was surprised she wasn’t a little more gloomy about that.
 
That she didn’t consider her mother or her brother to be her family anymore
.  But then growing up her brother had always been like a second dad to her,
dictatorial and controlling
.  Whilst her mother had been meek and scared to do anything wrong in case she angered either her husband or son. 
They hadn’t really been a happy and functional family unit.

Esther leaned her head back on the couch
.  “We’ll stay for the cremation and then we’ll leave.  Is that okay with you?”

“Of course.”  Said Abraham.

“And do we have your word that you’ll ensure that the clan will leave Esther be?”  Demanded Andy.

“You do.”  Rumbled Abraham.

The two men nodded shortly at one another.

Joan perked up a little. 
“If you two want to freshen up you can use your old bedrooms, I’ve kept them just the way you left them.”

“Uhhh, thanks mom.”  Esther winced thinking of the pony print wallpaper she’d thought was nice when she was
13.

Abraham excused himself, telling them he would see them at the ceremony.  Joan went away to make them some lunch whilst Esther and Andy decided to inspect their old rooms.

“You okay?”  Asked Andy when they were alone, a worried look marring his features.

“I think so, it’s all kind of...
bizarre to be back here, to think that I’ll never see my dad again...”  She sniffled and Andy pulled her into a friendly hug.

“I’ll be okay.”  Her small voice was muffled by his shoulder.  “I just want to get this over and done with and get back home to Felicity.”

Andy nodded in agreement. 
Home
.  He couldn’t wait to get back there either.