Authors: D'Elen McClain
“
Nope, he told me he
wouldn’t be gone long and he messed that up, so he got to stew for
a while, and I’m sure it did him good.” She gulped in a breath,
almost able to feel the waves of anger coming from her mate. She
didn’t look at the bear beside her because she didn’t think she
should take her eyes off Honey. He walked to the truck’s door and
Sonora unclicked the lock, the traitorous she-bear.
She didn’t give Honey a chance to say a
word. “We have a new door in the back of the truck. I brought you a
surprise, and I’m making dinner. If you throw a temper tantrum,
everything but the door is off the table, so be a wise bear and
suck it up.”
Two seconds later she was over his
shoulder again with him making fast strides into the cabin. She
didn’t bother screaming or fighting, just let her anger build. He
dumped her in the kitchen, walked back out, and then came in
carrying her purchases. He wouldn’t look at her or say a word. He
left again, and in a short time she heard a power drill and
additional clanging, so even in her current snit, she decided to
begin making dinner. Food might put them both in a better mood and
she really wanted to give him her gift while she ovulated. They
needed her to be pregnant and she didn’t want to admit it, but she
missed her brother, sister, and parents. A visit would be
wonderful, but first things first—if she wanted her mate to survive
Emily and Brandt, Mandy had to be pregnant. She decided not to hang
onto her anger… for now.
***
Honey finished hanging the new
door and entered the cabin. The package sat on the table, tempting
him, but he refused to let his bear’s curiosity get the best of
him. He wasn’t playing her game. She didn’t seem to be getting the
overall picture, and this entire mating thing was literally for the
birds.
The smells coming from the kitchen
were mouthwatering and caused his stomach to grumble. Mandy stood
in the kitchen facing him, but he didn’t acknowledge her. He
decided to leave for a while and take a swim in the lake. Anger
continued to pulse through his veins, and putting in the new door
didn’t take the edge off.
The lake water was cold but
refreshing, and he took his time, swimming a few laps and thinking
about his mate until the cold water did little to stop his erection
from swelling. He finally left the lake and walked back to his
cabin.
The front room and kitchen were
dark, though he still smelled signs that dinner waited. Soft sobs
came from the bedroom and he made his way to the noise. Mandy lay
curled on the bed making pathetic distress sounds. His sigh was
loud. Her tears undid him, and a strange gentleness traveled
through his bloodstream. Crawling on the bed and gathering her in
his arms happened without conscious thought. He pulled her close
with his nose in her hair and placed a kiss on her
cheek.
“Do you really think this will
work, Honey?” The words came between soft puffs of air caused by
crying.
He chose his words carefully. “We
already work.” His fingers untangled strands of her hair. “We have
adjustments to make, both of us. I’m sorry for my anger earlier. I
wanted you here waiting for me.” He placed another gentle kiss on
her cheek and rolled her toward him so he could look into her eyes.
“I love you, Mandy. You’re not just my mate… you’re my life. I’m a
grumpy old bear and I need your gentleness and strength to guide me
in this relationship.” She laughed softly when his stomach
growled.
“You’re not done being angry at me
today, but thank you. I love you, Honey.”
He tightened his arms, loving the
sound of those words coming from her lips. “Now that that’s
settled, can we eat and then work on that baby you want so
badly?”
Her head snuggled further against
his chest and the next words she spoke were muffled. “I threw
dinner away.”
He wasn’t sure he heard her
correctly, so he didn’t say anything.
She finally pulled her face from
his chest. “I was quite angry and didn’t feel like eating after you
stormed out of here again.” Her eyelids lowered slightly, wet with
tears, giving her an innocent look.
His stomach let out a louder
rumble. He exhaled and tried not to show his frustration. “I will
never truly win a fight with you, will I?”
She looked back up, blinked a few
times, and offered a small smile. “When you yell and roar I feel
defeated and I don’t like it. I love you, but I’m not a bear. I
wasn’t raised to submit with my eyes lowered and my tail between my
legs. I get angry like you, have feelings like you, and will always
fight back. To me, it’s a shame that your she-bears don’t have a
voice.” Mandy pulled further away. “I will always have a voice,
Honey.”
He could only stare at her and try
to absorb the words. She was right, her way wasn’t how his clan
worked, but she wasn’t from his world and he had a feeling the
bears would be adjusting to her more than she would adjust to them.
He suddenly stood from the bed and lifted her to her
feet.
“What are you doing?” she
giggled.
“I’m doing what I’ve always done
when I’m hungry. There is one place that has food and it’s never
thrown away, even when my mother’s angry.”
“We can’t just show up to eat at
your mother’s.”
“Of course we can. I’ve done it my
entire life, and I have a feeling we’ll be doing it from time to
time when dinner’s been tossed out.” He took her hand and started
pulling her from the room.
“Honey stop. My hair’s a mess and
I need to change clothes.”
He gave a tug on her arm and
pulled her in close. His hand ran through her hair and then he
tilted her chin up. “You are beautiful. Please change
nothing.”
Her low grumble didn’t stop him
from taking her hand again and leading her out of the newly
replaced cabin door. They walked through the woods; the sun was
almost completely gone and a partial moon was rising above the
trees. He felt her skipping every few feet to keep up with his
longer strides, so he slowed and enjoyed the feel of his mate by
his side and the wild surrounding them. Lights finally blinked in
the distance as they approached The Kodiak’s home.
Chapter Twenty-One
They approached the large
unassuming cabin and Honey yanked her hand slightly when he felt
hesitation in her step. The door opened and his mother gestured
them inside.
Mandy took Sonora’s hand. “I’m
sorry we’re imposing on you. Honey insisted, but I know it’s rude
to just come over.”
Sonora’s lips tilted in a soft
smile. “You’re always welcome, but I’m curious…” She looked back
and forth between Honey and Mandy. “—why didn’t you make the meal
you planned earlier?” Without waiting for an answer, Sonora
continued, “Come in and sit down so I can get some food in my son’s
stomach. He’s grumpy when he hasn’t eaten, which I’m sure you’ve
discovered.”
The alpha sat waiting at the head
of the table with a steady glare. Honey took the chair across from
him after pulling out one for Mandy.
The Kodiak’s voice boomed through
the room. “Your she-wolf needs to do her duty and take care of
you.”
Honey placed his hand on Mandy’s
leg and squeezed gently.
It didn’t stop her. “I’m sorry for
being remiss, but even if it kills me, I will do my duty and teach
your son manners.” She glanced into her new alpha’s eyes then
quickly looked away.
The Kodiak’s face reddened and he
turned to his son, completely ignoring Mandy. “She needs to be
gagged.”
Honey shook his head. “If I
thought it would help, I’d give it a try.” He ignored his mate’s
quick intake of breath and continued, “She was raised in a
different environment and by a different set of rules. I think we
need to be lenient and give her a chance to adjust.” He turned
slightly and winked at Mandy. “We, too, must adjust and learn to
accept some of what she has to offer our clan.” Honey’s firm voice
held no disrespect for his alpha.
The Kodiak’s eyes shifted slowly
from his son and settled on Mandy. “Tell me, small wolf-child, what
do you have to offer my clan?” His voice continued to vibrate off
the walls.
Mandy smiled and Honey sucked in
air wondering if they would be kicked out before they ate
dinner.
She winked back at Honey. “I’m
learning. Give me a week or two and I’ll be more able to answer
your question. I thank you and Sonora for having us over tonight. I
hope to return the favor sometime this next week.”
The Kodiak grunted and then looked
to his own mate as she walked into the room carrying a huge
steaming platter of pot roast complete with potatoes and
vegetables. She sat the dish to her mate’s right then walked back
into the kitchen and returned with a large bowl filled with rolls.
The Kodiak didn’t wait for Sonora to sit and began scooping out a
hefty portion. When he finished, he handed the platter to Honey.
Honey filled his plate and then passed the platter to Mandy. Both
men were eating their food at an incredible rate even before Mandy
finished dishing up a helping on her own.
Honey noticed his mother give
Mandy a quick nod and slight smile before they started eating.
Besides the sounds of silverware clatter, silence rained throughout
the room. After Honey and The Kodiak took second helpings finishing
off every scrap of food on the table, Sonora stood and began
picking up their plates.
“I’ll clean up a little and be
back with the pie. Mandy would you mind helping me?”
Honey stared at his mate, unsure
of what she would do.
“Of course I can help. The meal
was wonderful. Thank you for providing dinner for us at the last
moment.” She followed Sonora from the room while carrying an armful
of dirty dishes.
His father’s low growl turned
Honey’s attention from his mate’s charming backside. “Your mate
will cause havoc with our clan. I’m counting on you to control
her.”
Honey couldn’t help his inward
shutter. Controlling Mandy was impossible, and he was sure it
wouldn’t be long before his father discovered just that. But, for
now, he needed to pacify The Kodiak so Mandy had time to win over
some members of the clan.
“My mate will do her duty and I
will handle her.” Honey stared his father in the eye and realized
since bringing Mandy home it was easier to do. He purposefully
lowered his gaze and kept that little tidbit to himself.
“See that she does,” The Kodiak
said.
Honey bristled and decided to
change the subject. “Has there been any news about the
cats?”
His father allowed the subject
change. “The northern cats are staying low and appear to want
nothing to do with the coming war. The southern cats are
congregating south of the border. They continue their systematic
killing of the females, but word’s out and many are making their
way to Nicolas and his new pack. It places Marcus and his clan in a
dangerous predicament, but the wolves and their vamps have sworn to
protect the females seeking sanctuary.”
“And the bears?” Honey pushed his
alpha’s boundaries by asking, but he now had a personal
interest.
The Kodiak grunted but answered,
“Dmitri will make the call and we will follow his lead like we have
always done.” His eyes drilled into Honey’s. “Do you understand
this?”
Honey didn’t blink. “I understand
perfectly.” He knew it wouldn’t matter what Dmitri decided. Honey
was fighting with the wolves, if they would have him.
His father gave a low grunt,
closing the conversation. Immediately following the alpha’s
non-verbal queue, Mandy and Sonora entered the room with apple pie
and plates. His mate seemed more relaxed; they ate dessert with the
men mostly quiet while Mandy and his mother carried on a
conversation about gardens and planting. Honey had no idea Mandy
knew how to do either, so it was nice to learn a few additional
tidbits about his mate.
He felt relief when she helped
clear the dishes. Quickly after, Honey felt he’d pressed his luck
enough and took her home. They walked into the cabin and as much as
he tried not to, his eyes kept zeroing in on the package waiting on
the table. Mandy walked around the front of the cabin straightening
up and ignored him until he finally left the room with a low
grumble and entered the bedroom. He removed his shirt and several
minutes later, Mandy came in holding the package that was driving
him crazy.
She gave him what he was
discovering was her wicked smile when she was up to no good. “Do
you want to see what’s inside?” Her voice held a sing-song
quality.
Not good.
Honey looked at the package then
nonchalantly threw out, “If I must.”
Her eyes actually twinkled. “This
will help us conceive a child.”
His eyebrows lifted.
Chapter Twenty-Two
While in the kitchen with Sonora,
Honey’s mother had explained to Mandy that her surprise package
would drive him crazy. She also advised Mandy not to wait too long
before giving it to him or she’d have a very grumpy mate on her
hands. With the bears’ legends of fierceness, Mandy thought it
funny that their curiosity tended to get the better of
them.