Woodcutter Werebear (Saw Bears Book 2) (10 page)

He rested his forehead against hers. “I want you, too. I’ll mark you when you’re ready.”

A slow smile of sheer joy stretched her face. Her heart was wide open and raw from the emotions of the last two weeks, but she wasn’t exhausted from the upheaval like she should’ve been. Instead, she felt alive for the first time in forever, and Kellen was a huge part of why she could smile again. She thought she hadn’t had a choice when Roger picked her, but she’d been lied to.

The choice in a mate was hers.

The choice in a mate was Kellen’s.

Kellen kissed her slow and easy, brushing his fingertips lightly up and down her back, conjuring gooseflesh as she bowed against him.

Skyler brushed her lips down his jawline, then his neck, and rested her chin on his shoulder. With a private grin at how lucky she’d been after all, she closed her eyes and whispered, “I’m ready now.”

“Where do you want my mark?” Kellen asked on a breath.

“Someplace where everyone can see it.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.” His hips swayed against her thighs, pressing the thick roll of his erection against her jeans.

“I’ll be honored to bear your mark.”

He nodded and cupped her breast in his warm palm. “It is my honor that you’ve chosen me to be your mate, Beautiful.”

Her heart fluttered at the nickname. Out of all the ones the Ashe crew called her, this one was her favorite. Kellen had gifted it to her when she’d felt worthless and hideous. It was the first word that began this incredible transformation inside of her.

Kellen undressed her the rest of the way, then shucked his pants and pulled back the comforter. When she was tucked up, dry and warm beside him under the covers, he rolled her onto her side and pulled her back against his chest. A delicious tremble shook up her spine at the feel of his taut chest against the tender skin across her shoulder blades.

“What was that?” Humor laced his question.

Heat blazed up Skyler’s cheeks, and she was thankful he wouldn’t be able to see it in the dark. She closed her eyes and focused on the way his finger trailed fire up her side. “I like the way you touch me,” she whispered, afraid to break the spell he cast on her.

His cock, hard as stone, pressed against her lower back as he tucked his hips forward. Gooseflesh sprang up under his fingers When he dragged his fingers softly over the curve of her shoulder, gooseflesh sprang up under his touch.

“Good,” he murmured.

His tongue touched the back of her neck just before his soft lips did. He gripped her hip as he allowed his teeth to scrape her skin. Was this it? Would he mark her now, or was this just a tease? She arched her back and exposed her neck, pressing against his erection. His hold on her hip tightened, and a quiet growl of approval rumbled up his throat.

She could feel the vibration against her spine and gasped as he touched his teeth to her neck again. Wetness pooled between her legs.

Reaching back, she ran her fingertips through his hair and pulled him closer to her, exposing her throat even more, encouraging him.

He chuckled deep in his throat. “You do want my mark, don’t you, little songbird?”

A whimper escaped her lips as she nodded. She wanted it more than she’d ever wanted anything. With his claiming mark on her skin, she’d belong to him, a man worthy of her affection.

He nudged his knee between her legs and lifted upward until she was spread wide. Her body curled backward against him as he pumped his erection slowly against her spine. With a strong grip, he pressed his thumbs into her lower back, then angled her hips toward him.

“I was told your people mate from behind,” he whispered against her ear, just before plucking her sensitive lobe between his lips. “Would you like that?”

She was panting now, desperate for him to touch the wetness he’d conjured between her legs. “Please,” she begged. “Yes.”

Kellen eased his hips away, and when he pressed against her backside again, his long cock slid against her crease, the head of it touching her clit just barely before he pulled back. Oh, that tease. She was going to explode if he didn’t fill her.

“Kellen?” she whimpered.

He ran his hand across the swell of her hip then up her ribcage, slowly drawing another tremble from her body. He was so close, his cock sliding against her wetness, teasing her entrance.

He grazed his teeth against her neck again, and she arched deeply against him. The sharp canines disappeared, only to be replaced by his soft lips as he sucked on her skin. He reached around to the front of her and cupped her sex. She bucked helplessly against his palm.

“I’m going to come,” she panted out in warning.

She felt his lips stretch in a smile against her neck. He pulled his hand away, and she reached back and gripped his hair in an effort to stop the throbbing that was building inside of her. All of her nerve endings were on fire, and any touch from him now would be dangerous. She was riled up and just on the edge as he pressed his cock through her wet heat again. Just shy of her sensitive spot, he pulled back.

Kellen let out a long breath as he gripped her waist and slid into her. Her body stretched around him, and she let out a groan at the feel of him moving within her.

Slipping his hand between the sheets and her side, he wrapped her up in a tight embrace and squeezed her breast. Tweaking her nipple gently, he pulled out of her slowly, torturously, then thrust into her again.

“Faster,” she begged.

Kellen’s fingers dug into her waist at her request, and he jerked forward, as if he were losing control. As he pulled out of her much too slowly again, his muscles shook.

“Please, Kellen. Faster!”

His stomach contracted forward again, forcing him to fill her. This time he rolled his hips slightly faster, and she closed her eyes. This, right here, this was what making love should be like. It wasn’t supposed to be used for pain, like Roger had threatened. It wasn’t supposed to degrade her or make her feel dirty. Sex wasn’t a weapon. This, what Kellen was doing to her now, was bonding her to him in a way she never could’ve imagined. Each tender caress made her love him even more. Made her devotion to him run deeper.

Kellen didn’t know how to fuck her. He only knew how to worship her body.

Louder and louder, her voice lifted in a groan of ecstasy every time he pressed into her, until he began bucking hard. His careful control was slipping away, and the growl in his throat became more feral with every sound of pleasure she made.

He flipped her on her hands and knees and slammed into her from behind, rocking her forward then back. His body pressed against the length of her spine, and his lips found her neck on the next thrust. His teeth touched her skin, her nerve endings firing just at her hair line.

Each powerful thrust, she was sure he’d pierce her skin and claim her. Pressure spread through her abdomen until she couldn’t contain it anymore.

He was waiting for something. He’d been careful with her, caring. He’d said once that he wanted the choice to be hers.

“Kellen,” she gasped. “I choose you.”

He cupped her sex and slammed into her just as his teeth penetrated the skin at the back of her neck. Pain and pleasure clashed, blinding her until she cried out. Her body tensed around him as he swelled within her, and as he forced his elongating teeth down into her muscle so his mark would scar and remain forever, another wave of orgasm consumed her.

He thrust into her in such a fast rhythm, all she could do was lock her elbows and hope her arms held as pulsing waves of pleasure crashed through her like an ocean surge against the sand. Kellen froze, biting down as he groaned. His seed poured into her, warming her from the inside out. He pushed forward again as a second jet shot into her, then a third.

Caught between pain and bliss, she cried out as his bite released her. Skyler’s arms trembled so badly, she fell forward onto her elbows. Why was she crying?

Kellen’s tongue stroked where warmth streamed down her throat. Over and over, he lapped at her, cleaning her, soothing her. “It’s done,” he murmured in her ear.

Kisses trailed around the injury, and when his weight disappeared from her, she thought he would pull out and cradle her. Instead, he kept his connection, deep within her, and ran his strong hands up and down her back, massaging, petting, and relaxing her.

Locking one arm against the mattress beside her, he reached under her and kneaded her breasts, then he cleaned the wound again. It felt better already. Part of it was her shifter healing, repairing the muscles that had been ripped open, but it was more than that.

Kellen was healing her—heart, soul, and body—with his careful attentions.

His cock grew hard within her again, but he didn’t seek pleasure for himself. Instead, he pulled out, rolled her over gently, propped a pillow under her neck, and kissed her lips. She could taste iron on his tongue from where he’d cleaned her, but it only made her love him more. He hadn’t wanted to hurt her, but he’d been strong. Done what was necessary to claim her, then taken care with her afterward.

Her gentle bear—her tender mate.

He lowered himself and sucked on her sensitive nipples in turn, then trailed his lips down her stomach. Her breath froze as his mouth brushed her clit. With such tenderness, he kissed and sucked and lapped until she came again. With her hands in his hair, guiding him, she didn’t scream out like she had earlier. This time, his name came on a breath of gratitude as he brought her to climax slowly. And when her aftershocks ceased, he climbed up beside her and tucked her neatly against his chest where she was safe and warm.

“My mother was wrong,” he whispered in the dark. “I won’t be like my father. I’ll work hard to make you happy every day. I promise to be the mate you deserve.”

A tear slipped out of the corner of her eye and landed with a tiny splat against the pillow. Running her hand down the smooth planes of his back, she burrowed in closer to him. “You already are.”

A tremendous banging noise jolted Skyler awake. Her body flung backward so fast, her stomach dipped to her toes before she was still again. She seemed to be pressed between the headboard and the wide expanse of Kellen’s back. She couldn’t see a damned thing in Kellen’s den.

“Rain stopped,” Bruiser called through the thin wall. “We need your truck.”

The tight knots in Kellen’s shoulder muscles relaxed. “Idiots,” he muttered, stumbling from the bed.

“What’s happening?” Skyler asked, heart still lodged somewhere between her throat and her brain. “Is someone hurt?”

“No,” Kellen said in an inhuman snarl. The rustle of fabric sounded from somewhere to her left, and she squinted at the darker figure. He seemed to be struggling into a pair of jeans. “The boys like to go night muddin’ when the weather is like this.”

“Right. Night muddin’. Are you going with them?”

“You want to come, too?”

It was the middle of the night, and by all accounts, she should be exhausted after the emotional roller coaster of yesterday, but Bruiser banging on the echoing trailer walls had frightened her wide awake. “I want to be with you.”

The mattress sank in around her and Kellen’s lips landed on hers, as if he could see her just fine in the darkness of his den. “Good.”

“I need to get some fresh clothes and get ready, though. It’ll take me five minutes.”

He gripped her ass as he pulled her up, then nibbled on her neck. She bathed in his attention, smiling into the darkness as he worked his lips downward to the base of her throat.

“Kellen, hurry up!” Drew yelled through the wall.

Kellen’s growl was nothing shy of feral. With a sigh, he helped her dress in her discarded clothes that he seemed to find just fine in the pitch black, then led her to the front door.

With a triumphant swat on her ass, he winked and said, “I’ll see you in five…mate.”

A giggle peeled from her throat as heat crept into her cheeks.
Mate.
Just that word from his lips sent riotous flutters into her middle.

He gripped the railing of his porch as she walked across the street. Twice she looked back at him, and both times he watched her with hunger and pride evident in his gaze.

The trailer park was lit by strands of holiday lights that zigzagged this way and that between and around the trailers. There weren’t any streetlights, but the tiny firefly-looking lights made up for it with quantity. The Ashe crew was busy piling out of their trailers and loading into trucks.

“Holy shit, rookie,” Denison said as he sauntered toward Tagan’s trailer. “What happened to your neck?” He shoved a strand of her hair to the side and made a hissing sound behind his teeth.

Well, now that he mentioned it, Kellen’s mark hurt like a mother trucker, throbbing and burning like it had been waiting for someone to notice to spring up and pain-attack her.

“It looks like someone…” Denison’s eyes went wide. “Bit you,” he finished quietly.

His narrowed eyes lifted to hers, and she couldn’t help the big, dumb grin that cracked open her face.

“Are you shitting me?” he asked. “Kellen! Is she shitting me?”

Kellen cocked his head to the side and gave Denison a proud smile. “She’s mine,” he confirmed.

“Two in one night. Two in one night! Brooke!” Denison was running around in circles now, as if he didn’t know what to do with himself.

“What are you squawking about, man?” Bruiser asked, sliding from behind the wheel of Denison’s old, beat-up Bronco.

Brighton, Haydan, and Drew jogged over, followed by Tagan and Brooke.

“What’s happened?” Brooke asked.

So happy she thought she’d burst from it, Skyler lifted up her hair and showed them Kellen’s mark. “I’m claimed.” Tears stung her eyes as the Ashe crew surged forward.

Suddenly, Kellen was there, shaking under the claps on his back and rough hugs, and she was swept up in Brighton’s arms, feet completely off the ground. Brooke pulled her down just as Tagan wrapped Kellen in a hug and slapped him on the back. The alpha said something too low for her to hear in Kellen’s ear, and her mate answered with an emotional smile.

Tears streaked Brooke’s face as she shook Skyler’s shoulders gently. “We’re Ashe crew now.”

Skyler frowned, uncertain what Brooke meant. “What?”

Brooke turned and pulled her shirt down over her shoulder. On the muscle just above her shoulder blade was a claiming mark as dark and angry-looking as her own felt.

“Brooke,” she breathed. “Tagan claimed you?”

Brooke’s face crumpled, and a soft sob left her throat as she nodded. Skyler wrapped her arms around her friend’s neck and rocked slowly from side to side, burying her face against Brooke’s uninjured shoulder.

Voice thick, Brooke said, “I always wanted a sister, and now it feels like I have one.”

God, this feeling inside of Skyler…it was almost too much happiness. She looked down at her arm, surprised she wasn’t aglow with it. Rough arms wrapped around her and Brooke, then another set, and another, until the entirety of the Ashe crew was squeezing the breath out of her.

Skyler laughed breathlessly. “No more all boys club.”

“Thank God,” Denison crowed. “Too many dicks made it super boring around here.”

“All right, all right,” Tagan said, voice growly. “The girls are both hurt and need time to heal before you ruffians squish the life out of them like this. Let ’em loose.”

The anaconda death grip loosened, and she grinned at Brooke as she wiped her damp cheeks with the back of her hand. “Congratulations.”

Brooke’s delicate nostrils flared, and it looked like the second round of waterworks were on their way. “You, too. You got yourself a good man now, Skyler Drake.”

“Okay, enough with the mushy shit. We doing this or what?” Bruiser called over his shoulder. He was already jogging back toward the Bronco.

Tagan tossed Brighton a set of keys and said, “You and Denny take my truck. Brooke and I will ride with them.” He jerked his head toward Skyler and Kellen.

“Why?” Denison asked.

“Because Kellen is the best mudder out of all of us, and you’re a front seat driver. We’ll lead.”

Kellen scooped Skyler up and carried her toward his white monster truck. He looked relieved and so satisfied he was practically seeping happiness. She cupped his cheeks, his short scruff rough against her hands. She lived to see him like this. He wasn’t confused or overthinking everything like he’d been doing. He was just open. Free.

“Oh!” Skyler exclaimed, remembering. “I was supposed to change clothes.”

Kellen leaned down until his nose touched her throat. “These clothes are fine. You smell like me.”

Which was great and all, but she was about to share a small space with Tagan and Brooke.

“I haven’t changed my clothes yet either,” Brooke said low.

Well, all right then. Nobody here seemed to care about this stuff, so why should Skyler stress herself out over it?

Kellen settled her behind the wheel, then she scooted over to make room for him. Tagan lifted Brooke onto his lap, and his mate rested her palms against the roof of the cab as if she knew rough roads were coming.

Skyler had never been mudding before, and a sense of overwhelming excitement took her. Utterly beside herself, she clenched her hands and squealed.

“Excited?” Kellen asked, eyes glued to her smile.

“Yes!” This was the best day of her life. How could she not be excited? Her future with Kellen stretched on and on now. There was no more questioning her place beside him, and after that giant sexyman-woodcutter-werebear group hug back there, she was feeling like this was exactly the place she’d always meant to end up, among the Ashe crew with the man who could protect her heart.

Tagan nuzzled Brooke’s neck, and she giggled as Kellen turned the key. The engine roared to life, and he rested his hand on Skyler’s thigh as he twisted in his seat and backed the giant truck out of its parking spot.

He took the main road out of the trailer park, the one he’d brought her in on when he’d kidnapped her. She laughed at the memory of how scared she’d been of Roger’s reaction when he found her gone. It was a relief how gloriously little she’d thought about him this past week and a half. Who cared about her name and bloodline? No one here. And someday, she’d bear Kellen little cubs and raise them with a man she knew would be an amazing father. But for now, she was happy just being with him. Of making his den her home and making him as happy as he made her. If this truck had a sunroof, she’d thrust herself out into the open air and spread her arms wide to catch the air.

She couldn’t wipe the grin off her face as Kellen jerked the truck into the woods and over the first skid of mud. The truck whipped this way and that as he maneuvered a hole-riddled road these trailer park bears had probably used many times before. The truck bounced and spun out, splashing rooster tails of the brown goop whenever Kellen made a sharp turn. The other two trucks and Bronco raced beside them, then rushed ahead as the back of Kellen’s ride got bogged down in a marshy area. Headlights flashed this way and that over the piney woods as the bear shifters skidded circles over a meadow.

Drew was hanging out of one of the trucks, yelling in pure joy, hands out above his head as Haydan grinned from the driver’s side. Skyler hadn’t stopped laughing since they left, and even when Kellen’s truck got hopelessly stuck and Tagan convinced her and Brooke to get out and help push them out, she still had a muddy grin on after they were done with the messy work.

A quick glance in the rearview showed her happy reflection, mud streaked across her face where she’d scratched an itch. Kellen hooked his arm around her shoulders and brought her in close, then kissed her like he meant it. His lips spoke the words he’d told her earlier. He loved her. Adored her, just like she did him.

And when they finally drove home and said goodnight to the crew, he tugged her hand and led her to 1010. In the light of the bathroom, he peeled her filthy clothes off her. The bathtub was ancient, a baby-puke brown color, and definitely lacked the stopper to run a bath, but Kellen plugged up the drain with a shaving cream cap, filled it with hot water, and bathed her slowly from her hair to her toes.

He didn’t say anything as he worked, but he didn’t have to. His gaze cherished her body and warmed her from her belly to her fingertips. When her skin shone like an eggshell in sunlight, he checked the mark he’d made on the back of her neck, turned off the lights, and fell asleep beside her, tucked up tight and warm under the comforter.

And that was a gift in itself. Tonight, Kellen had given up his den for her.

As she watched him sleep beside her, breathing deeply, his heavy arm slung over her waist, she marveled at how much her life had changed—at how much he’d changed it.

She brushed her fingers over his cheek and inhaled his scent.

He would protect her as long as she lived.

And as long as he lived, she would do the same for him.