She knew him well enough to know that his ferocious look was not a dangerous one and she had no intention of walking on eggshells around the topic when she had done nothing wrong.
“The man,” he said, looking a bit surprised at her bold answer.
He stared at her, waiting for her response with a mixture of frustration and amusement on his face. His eyes were intense and as she looked up in to them, she lost all thought. His gaze was one a girl could lose herself in and not mind a bit. Finally, she shook off her daze and began to answer him. The problem was, she wasn't entirely sure where to begin, because she wasn’t at all sure what exactly the man had been after or who exactly he was.
“It was strange. He seemed to know you,” she began, remembering the twisted smirk on his face as he spoke about Luke. They clearly had a history that she did not know or understand.
“But you did not know him?” he asked, without taking his eyes from her face. Something in her face must have told him what he needed to know, because he began to relax even before she spoke.
“No, I've never seen him before today,” she said, causing his shoulders to relax fully.
He seemed to be relieved, though she could not fully understand why. If he loved her, jealousy might've been a reason, but she knew that that was not the case. Though, as she thought further, any man would dislike his mate having male company in his absence. She worried immediately he would be angry with her, but he showed no sign of rage.
“Did he threaten you?” he asked, taking a step closer and placing his hand on her shoulder in comfort.
She had been on edge since the stranger had come. The feeling of his hand on her shoulder meant more than she could describe in words. He made her feel safe and protected. She had always spent most of her time trying to make her siblings feel that way, but it had been a very long time since she had felt it herself. She wanted to throw herself in his arms and melt to him, but she did not want him to see how vulnerable and weak she felt.
“Not exactly,” she said, pulling herself together with great effort. She needed to be the brave mate he deserved. She could not show her weakness to him. She could not let him know how scared she had been by what had happened earlier.
“Really?” he asked skeptically.
She knew, of course, that he could hear the increased beat of her heart, giving away the fear she had felt. Still, he was kind enough not to point that fact out. Instead, he stood there patiently and waited for her to continue her story.
“Well, he was a bit threatening, but I don't scare easy,” she said, holding her head high as she spoke. She locked eyes with him and did not blink, doing her best to look her bravest.
“That's good to know,” he said with a gentle smile. Something about the way she was carrying herself clearly pleased him. “What did he say?” he asked, trying to seem nonchalant about his inquiry.
“He said I would be seeing him again soon,” she answered honestly. It was the closest thing he had given her to some sort of purpose to his visit so it seemed the best thing to share with him.
“He did?” he asked.
He kept his face blank, but she was familiar enough with him to see the anger flare in his usually gentle eyes. It was his eyes she loved best about him. No matter how serious or busy he was, his eyes gave away the tender soul within.
“Yes. He also said that you wouldn't tell me your history together. He said you would never trust me enough,” she continued. She was not at all sure it was the right thing to do, but she was desperate to know, and, short of asking him directly, it seemed to be the best way to introduce the topic.
“There's no reason to go into it. I'll take care of it. He won't come back here and bother you again,” he said, taking his hand from her shoulder and looking away in an attempt to keep his emotions in check.
“What did he mean he would see me again?” she asked boldly.
She hated to press him when he was clearly already upset by the events of the day, but she was the most frightened by the stranger’s claim that he would see her again. She needed to know what he meant by it and she knew Luke was the only other person who could tell her.
“Don't worry about it,” he said as he turned to go into the tent.
“Alright, I trust you,” she called after him.
Her words stopped him in his tracks. He didn't turn to face her right away. He seemed to be wrestling with some thoughts before he pivoted on his heels and closed the distance between them in two strides. His mouth crashed down on hers and there was something there that she had never felt before. It was as if he was staking his claim upon her with this kiss, branding her very soul as his own. She eagerly kissed him back, trying her best to stake a similar claim upon his heart. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her body tight against his. She thanked the gods for her heightened bear senses. They allowed her to hear the beat of his heart and the blood coursing through his veins as he ravaged her mouth.
His scent filled her nose and she did her best to commit it to memory. She could think of nothing more appealing than the scent of sweat, tobacco, and leather that surrounded her. His scent was distinctly masculine and being so surrounded by it turned her on instantly.
He dug his fingers in to her hair, making her helpless to escape his kiss; not that she wanted to. She wrapped her arms around his waist, wanted to be as close to him as physically possible. The feeling of being so entangled with him was intoxicating. She wanted nothing more than to stay there, locked in an embrace with him, forever. He seemed to have the same idea, because he was in no hurry to stop. He was not pulling away from her. Instead, he seemed to be doing all that he could to keep her close to him.
When he finally did pull away for air, he had a mischievous smile on his face that warmed her heart. She was suddenly very glad that he did not smile often. It made moments like this all the more special because it was all for her. If she saw him smile like that at another woman, she knew she would likely turn right to her bear form and tear the woman’s heart out
. Perhaps
, she thought,
this was what love felt like
.
Without letting go of her, he pressed his forehead to hers and said, “That smells good.” He nodded towards the deer leg roasting over the open fire.
“Roasted venison,” she said as she tried to catch her breath. She felt the heat in her cheeks and it had nothing to do with their proximity to the fire.
“My favorite,” he said, staring down at her mouth as he spoke. She was not entirely sure whether he was talking about her or the deer. Either way, she was quite pleased with the way he was looking at her as though he wanted to devour her right there.
“It's fresh. I killed it myself this afternoon,” she said with a grin. She had taken half an hour in between her building to ensure she would have the freshest ingredients to cook for him. It was nice that he appreciated it.
“You have been busy,” he said with an indulgent smile.
“That's the mark of a good mate, isn't it?” she said, suddenly embarrassed by his praise. It seemed so odd to her and yet so right to be standing there in his arms, discussing something as mundane as dinner and housework.
“I suppose it is. I know exactly what I want after dinner,” he said, his hand lowering down her back and settling on her rump.
“What's that?” she asked, feeling breathless with anticipation.
“You,” he said, squeezing her butt to emphasize exactly what he wanted with her.
“Are you sure you want to wait?” she said, suddenly mad to have him inside of her as quickly as possible. Her skin was on fire and she knew if she did not have him soon, she would go mad with want.
“Never, but I would hate for all your hard work to go to waste,” he said with a smirk, pulling himself away from her with great reluctance.
“I promise the wait will be worth it,” she said, suddenly enjoying the idea of the sweet torture of waiting. The fact that he was so enthralled with her body was as arousing as anything she had ever experienced.
“It always is with you,” he said as he seated himself on the ground near the cooking pit. She could not remember ever carving a deer leg so quickly, but she had their dinner in front of them in record time. By the way he tore into his food, she could tell he had no intention of waiting very long and that was just fine with her.
When Kalia awoke, she was shocked and relieved to find herself in Luke’s arms. It was the first time she'd woken up in his arms and it was a glorious feeling to have his warmth surrounding her. She thought she must've been awake before him. It was the only explanation she could think of. Every other morning, he had been gone. She turned a bit, to take in the sight of him sleeping beside her. To her shock, a pair of very alert eyes met hers. He seemed extremely pleased by the shocked expression on her face.
“Good morning,” he said with a smirk and a kiss placed gently on her nose.
She blushed immediately, remembering how they had spent the evening before. After rushing through their meal, they had made love right there in the clearing. It had been glorious to be with him there, surrounded by nature beneath the moonlight. Then, to her surprise, he had swept her up in his arms and carried her in to the tent. Then he ravaged her all over again. It was as if he was doing all he could to stay inside of her, and that was just fine by her.
“Good morning to you, too,” she said sleepily, nuzzling closer to him and savoring the feeling of his skin against hers. Neither of them had bothered to dress after their lovemaking and she was very thankful for that fact.
“You must be a little lonely here, with only me to talk to,” he said as he ran his hand gently though her hair, brushing it away from her eyes.
“No, not at all,” she said, unsure what had brought about this change in topic.
“Still, you must miss your family,” he continued, clearly with some specific thought in mind.
“Of course I do. I spent every day of my life with them. Living without them has been an adjustment,” she admitted.
Still, she was so much happier in her new life than she'd ever thought she could be. She wrapped her arms around him and snuggled even tighter, earning herself a grin and a quick kiss.
“I am sure it has been,” he said, running his fingers gently down her arm as he spoke.
“But I am very happy. You know that,” she said, wishing there was a way she could tell him exactly how wonderful he made her feel without sounding like a weakling.
“I'm glad to hear it,” he said, kissing her again for good measure. “Still,” he added, “maybe you should go and visit them today.” The look on his face told her that this had been his plan all along. She suddenly felt very anxious to know why he was so eager for her to leave so soon. Was he already tired of her?
“There's still so much here I need to do,” she protested.
“Look at all the work you've done over just the last few days. I think you've earned a day away from here. Don't you?” he asked. There was nothing in his expression that said something was wrong, yet she was so worried that he was sending her away.
“Mates are not supposed to be apart,” she said, shaking her head. It was only then that he realized the fear she was feeling.
“We'll not be apart any more than we would've been anyway. I have to be away all day so you might as well get out for a bit and see your family,” he said, pulling her close again to reassure her that he only wanted her to leave him for the day, not forever.
Then, she was able to relax a bit. Perhaps he really did just want her to see her family. At any rate, his eagerness to touch her told her he was not planning to send her away any time soon.
“I suppose you are right. I'll go to my mother's after you leave for the morning,” she agreed.
“Good. I'll leave in about an hour,” he said, rising and beginning to dress for the day.
“Can I make you breakfast before you go?” she asked, rising herself.
As she reached for her dress, she caught him admiring the view of her naked body and it sent goosebumps running up and down her skin. Quickly, she prepared a breakfast of berries and nuts for him.
He lounged against the table as he picked through them and she took advantage of his distraction to appreciate how truly handsome her mate was. There, in the morning light, he was even more handsome than she had realized before. He was the stuff of a girl’s dreams and she could not believe she had never seen it before he became her mate.
“I'm ravenous. I rushed through dinner last night; you know,” he said with a wink that brought back the images of his body above hers as they made love the night before.
“I am glad you did. We had things to do,” she smirked. He was smiling so deliciously at her that she had no desire to leave at all. She wanted nothing more than to keep him there in the tent with her while she explored his body further.
“Yes we did,” he said, his thoughts clearly mimicking her own. The sparkle in his eye sent a shiver down her spine. “Have a nice day with your family,” he said, kissing her cheek.
“Thank you. It'll be good to see them. My little brothers had a hard time when I left,” she admitted, thinking of the reception she would receive from the little boys when they saw her.
“I'm sure they still miss you dearly,” he said thoughtfully. It seemed to please him that children were so fond of her.
“Oh, I don't know. Little boys have short attention spans,” she laughed aloud. They were a pair of whirling dervishes, going a mile a minute. Still, nothing warmed her heart more than the sound of their laughter.
“Well, I do promise that mine will be much longer,” he said before kissing her gently. Though she adored their passionate lovemaking, moments of casual intimacy like this one meant so much to her. They reminded her very much of the way her parents had been together.
“Thank goodness for that,” she said, wrapping her arms around him again. After such a short time together, it surprised her how much she missed him when he left her for the day.
“I'm sure your mother is anxious to know who your mate is,” he pointed out, laughing a little as he spoke.
“Oh, I'm sure she has heard already,” she said with a smile, not mentioning she told her mother already.
“How?” he said in disbelief.
While it was true they had not yet been seen in public together, she was sure word would've reached just about everyone else by sunrise of the day after the mating ritual. The fact that he didn't realize that was amusing to her.
“You're the chief's son. Don't you think word of your mating probably traveled quickly through the other bears?” She laughed, amused he didn't realize how others focused on him and his family.
“Perhaps you're right,” he admitted, though he again seemed to be lost in thought.
“I'm sure she's anxious to talk about it, though,” she added with a smile. She was sure her mother and sister would be eager to talk about her new life, while the boys would care nothing about it, as long as she was willing to run and play with them.
“Have a nice day. Do try to be back before dark though,” he said, looking a little nervous.
“I'll be back long before that,” she said, a little surprised that he was so concerned.
“I just worry,” he said, pulling her close to him in an impulsive hug that warmed her heart.
“I'm glad to hear it,” she said, giving him a quick kiss that seemed to please him. His arms went tightly around her and she thought for a second he might not let her go after all.
“Have a nice day,” he said as he loosened his grip reluctantly.
“You too. Will you be home in time for dinner tonight?” she asked as an attempt to hide her disappointment as he stepped away from her.
“I believe I will be,” he answered with a smile on his face.
“Do you have any preferences for the meal?” she asked as she looked around the cabin at their supplies.
“Whatever you would like to make is fine with me,” he said, seeming to pull away from her emotionally again.
“Great. Have a nice day,” she said, confused again about his feelings for her.
She'd been letting herself believe he might love her or at least care for her, but now she was fairly sure it was not true. He respected her and appreciated her both for her work and for the pleasures he took from her body, but he didn't love her and it would do her no good to pretend he might. She needed to be a practical mate to him.
“You, too. Remember, home before dark if you can,” he said before stepping out of the tent.
“I'll do my best,” she called after him, but he was already gone.
She cleaned up after breakfast quickly and began to walk towards her mother’s cabin. She hadn't realized just how much she missed them all until she was presented with the opportunity to see them again. She was particularly eager to reassure her mother she was happy. Kalia had been so nervous when she left for the mating ritual, and she was sure that it had made her mother uneasy. Now that she could confidently tell her mother that she was going to have a happy life, she felt much better and she knew that her mother would, too.
As she reached the lane to the cabin, her heart skipped a beat. She had only been away a few days, yet she felt as though she had lived a whole other lifetime in the days that she had been gone. The thought of running into her mother’s arms was suddenly all consuming and she took off at a dead sprint. By the time she burst through the cabin’s front door, she was disheveled and out of breath, but her heart was light with joy.
“Mother,” she called as she looked around the main living area, only to find it empty.
“Kalia! Darling! What are you doing here?” her mother asked in disbelief as she emerged from the back room. Before she gave her a chance to answer, her mother wrapped her in her arms and held her tight.
“I thought it was about time I came home for a visit,” she said, glad to be so close to her mother again.
“I'm glad you did. Is everything alright?” her mother asked, pulling back and studying her closely.
“Things are more than alright. They're wonderful,” she said, hugging her mother again.
“I'm so glad to hear it,” her mother replied in relief. She'd clearly been thinking often of her daughter and where life had taken her in the days they had been apart.
“I'm so relieved with how everything has turned out. He's wonderful,” she said, beaming with joy as she spoke.
“Really? He's always seemed so serious. I worried a bit about that,” her mother confessed, looking a bit troubled.
“I thought the same thing, but he's a fine person. I'm so lucky to have been chosen as his mate,” she said honestly.
Now, she knew that there was no man better suited to be her mate than Luke, she only hoped he would come to think the same thing of her one day.
“He comes from a long and fine heritage,” her mother said, looking proud at the family that her daughter was now a part of.
“Yes and he is kind and hardworking,” she said, thinking lovingly of her mate.
He was currently working to train the next generation of warriors to make sure their tribe would always be protected and safe. In fact, one day he would train her brothers and their own children and it meant the world to her to be able to call him her own.
“I'm happy you're so pleased,” her mother said, understanding just how content her daughter was.
“I really am,” she said, already looking forward to seeing him that evening and wrapping her arms around him again.
“Then you'll have many happy years together and many fine children will call you 'Mother',” her mother said, hugging her close.
“I certainly hope so,” she said, so excited for what the future might hold for them. “Where are the boys?” she asked, excited to see her little brothers.
“Out back. You better go and find them. They've been missing you something fierce,” her mother said and laughed.
“Gladly,” she said, running off towards the stream and the sound of the boys playing.
As soon as her brothers caught her scent, they came running towards her at top speed. They nearly knocked her over as they threw their arms around her and she could not think of a more wonderful feeling. They looked as if they had grown a foot taller since she left them. They were dirty and sweaty and she could not think of a more wonderful sight.
“Kalia, Kalia, Kalia,” they cried in unison as she went to her knees to pull them tight and kiss them. For their part, they kissed her and threw their little arms around her as though they had not seen her for years and years.
“Hello, my little loves,” she said, as soon as they calmed down enough to hear her speak.
“Are you home to stay?” asked one brother.
“Yes, please say you are. We miss you so much,” said the other.
“I miss you both, too, but I am only here for a visit,” she explained, wondering if it would be as hard to leave them today as it had been when she left for her mating ritual.
“I don't like it,” said Anton.
“Neither do I. We need you,” cried Barton.
“You know I love you both very much,” she said, hugging them close again.
“We love you, too,” Barton whispered.
“Yes, we really do. Stay with us,” Anton pleaded.
“Oh now, you know I'm never far,” she said, trying to keep her own tears from falling.
“But you're mated to that sourpuss,” Anton said angrily.
“He won't let us visit you,” Barton moaned.