chapter 21

Caleb entered their bedroom and sat on the king-sized bed. He watched her fold some clothes into a small suitcase.

“I wanted to plan our wedding, not run to the other side of the world from you,” she said, not turning around.

“It’s not the other side of the world, baby. It’s just the next town.”

“And I know how far that is, Caleb. This just seems so unnecessary. Your house is secure. There’s a lock on the door. Can’t you call the police if it’s so bad?”

He smiled to himself then patted the bed. She sighed and sat beside him.

“Nobody knows about shifters. No humans. You’re one of us now, so you can’t be sharing what you know with the world. It would be dangerous, to say the least.”

“So, no police?”

“We have to handle everything ourselves. It’s never usually an issue for us. This is a unique situation,” he said.

“And Joe’s involved?”

“Well, your boss is a bear, and the guy we’re after is a bear, so he’s going to help. The only reason I’m making it my problem is because the rogue bear has been threatening our pack.”

She bit her lip, the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. “I like the sound of that. Our pack. It feels good to belong to something bigger.”

“And I promise I’ll come back for you. This isn’t forever.”

“I know. It’s my problem. I’ve been sent away since I can remember, and nobody ever came back for me. The curse of being a foster kid.”

“Foster kid?”

“A girl without parents. Passed around from babysitter to babysitter, but never belonging anywhere.”

“This is different. I’ll always come for you, Bethany.” He tilted her face up with a bent finger and kissed her softly on the lips.

“What if something happens to you? What if the bear kills you?”

He scoffed. “Definitely not going to happen. Never doubt my ability to protect you or our pack.”

She was so adorable. He wished he could wipe away all her fears and pain. That bear was going to pay for this bullshit.

****

It had only been a few days since their mating became official, since they’d consummated their relationship. Yesterday, the pack helped move all her stuff from the rooming house to their home in the woods. It was a bold move, but everything about it felt right. For the first time in her life, she had a family. A pack.

Now, Caleb was asking her to leave. She’d just gotten there and now this? The prospect brought back old deep-seated fears. If anything happened to him, she’d be lost. Alone.

She stood at the front door of the house with a bag in her hand. Bethany hated everything about this. Her life the past week had been a whirlwind. One day struggling to make her way at the diner, then mated to a wolf shifter and running from town to avoid getting slaughtered by a crazy bear. Her boss, he was a bear too. What else didn’t she know?

“Ready?” Caleb came up behind her, wrapping one arm around her and taking her bag with the other. He kissed her neck.

She closed her eyes, savoring his presence. “Kiss the bite,” she whispered.

“Bad idea,” he said

“Please. Who knows how long it will be until I see you again.”

“A day. Two max.” He pulled the edge of her collar aside and kissed her love bite before tracing it with his tongue. A rush of heat flooded her pussy. It was the craziest thing, her body coming to life so easily.

“But I need you.”

“Bethany, this isn’t easy for me, baby. It’s for your own good. Things could get ugly.”

She sighed. “Can you be the one to drive me to town, at least?” “Okay.” His hand slid lowered until he cupped her pussy in his hand.

She dropped her weight into his palm, mewling from the pressure. “You’ll be the death of me. We better go.”

He took her hand and they made their way to his truck in the front. It wasn’t a long drive into town, but she wanted every extra minute with Caleb that she could get.

The dirt roads were rough, the truck jumping and dipping, the suspension whining.

“Promise me you’ll stay safe. Don’t be a hero,” she said.

Everyone the rogue bear had come across had been slaughtered. Only those who ran and hid were still alive. Now he had his sights on Caleb and his wolf pack. Maybe the entire forest.

“I like that you care.” He turned to glance in her direction. “I can feel our bond growing.”

“Me too. I don’t know how, but I feel it, like we’ve known each other for years.”

“I’ve been waiting much longer than that.”

He abruptly hit the brakes. She braced a hand on the dashboard to hold herself in place. “What’s wrong?”

When he didn’t answer, she turned to look at him. There was something in his eyes, and she knew. He wanted her. Just as she wanted him.

Bethany bit her lip. “Here? Now? The cab is waiting for me.”

He smirked. “The cab can wait. It’s a small town, so I doubt the customers are lining up.” He unzipped his jeans.

“This is why you should have let one of my men drive you.”

She ignored him and immediately reached into his pants and squeezed his hard cock. Caleb groaned and tossed his head back against the seat, his eyes closed. He looked so damn sexy.

She released his erection and leaned over to wrap her lips around his hard cock.

He sprang forward, his breath catching. “Baby?”

She didn’t answer, just kept sucking him, bobbing up and down over his thick head. This was the first time she’d gone down on any man, and she wasn’t sure what she was doing, but the act came naturally. She wanted to taste him, please him. He was warm and smooth like silk on her tongue.

“You’re perfect, Bethany,” he said. “Keep going, suck my dick. Just like that.”

His fingers threaded into her hair and he held her firmly in place. His body tensed, but she kept on going. His pre-cum was tart but addicting, the essence of his alpha. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she took him deeper.