Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Kodiak

H aving never anticipated finding my mate, the fact she’s curled in my arms right now, trusting me enough to sleep, is blowing my mind. As the fire crackles and the snow continues to fall, I let my mind wander to the future.

Our future.

First, I’m going to have to let her know what I am, which could send her running far from Yukon Bluff. I sense, however, that she wants some of the same things I do; a home, a family, someone to love her.

We will do that for our mate, my bear chuffs. We will give her cubs and love her with everything we have in us. She will never hurt like she did as a child again.

Since I agree with him, I merely nod. My heart aches at what she saw or dealt with at the tender age of five. My beginnings might not have been the best, but I wasn’t stuck living with a dead body for a week. Just the thought of my mate going through that has me glad her mother is no longer among the living. Because I’d probably put her in the ground myself. Parents should cherish their children because kids didn’t ask to be born.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, so I slide it out to see a message from Spike.

Spike: I take it you found Callie.

Me: Yes, at her house now. I fucked up her car but sent a text earlier for Nix to pick it up.

Spike: He got it and has it in the garage. How the hell did you manage to do that?

Me: Forgot my own strength.

I can imagine his reaction, chuckling because I’m not the only one who has to take that into consideration. My bear arms can crush a human if I’m not careful. Spike has to hold in his breath when his temper flares or he gets excited. He already burned down two rooms in the clubhouse that we’ve had to remodel earlier in the year. Fucking dragon.

Spike: Y’all need anything?

I smirk because Spike has acclimated to where we live, adopting a lot of the southern sayings, including ‘y’all’ even though he never stepped foot in the south until we came to Yukon Bluff and set up the club.

Me: I think we’re good for now. Power’s out, but there’s enough wood for the fireplace.

Spike: Gonna get one of the brothers to grab some food and drop it off. Shit for sandwiches, that kind of thing. That work?

Me: Yeah, appreciate it, because I have no fucking clue how to cook over an open flame.

The fucker sends back a bunch of emojis, which I hate. Instead of responding, I make sure Callie is covered, then slide out from the pallet so I can check the house, grab more wood, and see what she’s got in her cupboards in order to fix us something else to eat when she wakes up.

True to his word, Spike gathered food and brought it to us, so I made sandwiches (five for me, one for her), then put everything back in the cooler he provided and placed it on the front porch to keep it cold. He also sent stuff for hot chocolate, and since I know my mate enjoys it, I managed to figure out how to heat water over the fire so I can make her a mug of it when she wakes up.

We need to protect her, my bear reminds me as I wave the sting from a burn away. No burning our mate . Growling in frustration at how demanding he’s getting, I decide to ignore him for the time being and go back to what I was doing.

I feel like a creeper right now, though, because I’ve been watching her sleep. She’s more restless since I’m not on the pallet right now. Judging by the expressions crossing her face, it’s not impossible to figure out that while she may have shared a lot of her past already, she still has demons.

It’s going to be my job to slay them, and I silently vow to do it, knowing that my brothers will help. I can’t help smiling when I think about how the brothers will treat Callie. We named the club Shifted Misfits for a reason; none of us are what society would deem as ‘normal’, but what’s that anyway besides a setting on a washing machine? I suspect she’s going to charm all of them, and while my bear is chuffing over anyone coming near her, I know as does he that my brothers will treat her with the respect she deserves.

“Kodiak?” she mumbles, her voice raspy as though she’s coming down with a cold.

Guilt assails me because she ended up soaked through to the skin by the time we got here thanks to me ripping her car door off its hinges. I don’t know how long she was outside before I got there, either, and with the power out, the house is chilled even with the roaring fire.

“Right here, Callie,” I reply, standing from the chair I’ve been sitting in and walking toward her. “Spike brought some food since the power’s out. I made us sandwiches if you’re interested and can get you some hot cocoa if your throat’s sore.”

“It is a little bit, probably from earlier,” she says, rolling off the pallet to stand up.

Seeing her hair all tousled has my dick hardening because she looks like she’s spent the past few hours being well-fucked. It’s a vision I’m hoping will come to pass soon. “Let me get that stuff together for you,” I tell her, moving closer to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“Thanks, Kodiak,” she says, blushing at my touch.

Our mate likes us, my bear tells me as she moves down the hall toward her bedroom. She’s probably off to use the restroom, which for some reason seems to embarrass females. I don’t get it but I’m not a woman, either. They’re definitely strange creatures because everyone goes; it’s a fact of nature.

Shrugging, I head into the kitchen and grab the kettle, then bring it back to hang it on the hook inside the fireplace so the water will heat for her cocoa. Then, I grab the sandwiches I made earlier, chips, pretzels, and a bag of chocolate chip cookies I found in the pantry and bring all of it out to the living room. I already have her mug, the cocoa, and some marshmallows in the living room ready to go.

“At least it’s warm in here,” I mutter to myself as I set everything down on the coffee table. Hearing the water bubbling in the kettle, I pull it off and place it on an oven mitt I found in the kitchen. I’m stirring her hot cocoa as she rejoins me.

“Wow, you’ve put together a feast,” she says as she takes a spot beside me.

It brings me pleasure that she doesn’t hesitate to move as close as she can to both me and the fire.

Callie sounds a little better than when she first woke, so maybe she just needed some water or something. It’s obvious she brushed her hair, since she now has it up in a high ponytail that showcases her shapely neck. Just a nibble? My bear asks. No. Not yet.

She has the sexiest, smoothest skin. It’s flawless and pretty as a pearl. It’s taking everything in me not to run my snout and fingertips over every inch.

“Just a sandwich, babe, nothing special,” I reply. “Got you some cocoa, but if you want something else, I’ll gladly grab it.”

A look passes over her face. It’s surprise, wonder, and something else I can’t name. Has no one ever treated this gorgeous woman as she deserves?

“I should be taking care of you, not the other way around since you’re a guest in my house,” Callie teases as she pulls the paper plate closer.

I almost miss the shiver that follows her words but grab the nearest blanket and wrap it around her shoulders. “No reason to freeze while you eat,” I quickly add as she gives me a questioning look.

“You’re a sweetheart, Kodiak. A big cuddly bear of a man. It’s adorable.”

I can’t resist wrinkling my nose at her words. At best, I’m a grouchy fucker most of the time and my brothers can all attest to that fact. Having her say that I’m cuddly may make my bear happy as fuck, but I’m not feeling it at all.

“Aw, look at you. All Mr. Grumpy Pants.” Her giggle follows and I want to steal her away, hide in a deep, dark cave, and ensure no one ever touches or looks at her again. MINE.

My bear chortles in my head. The possessive thoughts are growing from both of us, and I know it’s only going to get worse. I can’t get enough of Callie. The longer I’m with her, the harder it is to fight the urge to lay her down, rip off her clothes, and fuck her until she submits to my claim.

Fuck.

The meal is torture because every soft hum or noise sounds sexual to my bear, and I can’t stop thinking about the noises she’ll make when I’m driving my cock inside her. To give myself a break, I insist on cleaning up and boiling more water, leaving her on the pallet and curled up while I make her another hot cocoa. Although, as many marshmallows as she added to the mug, I think she may prefer them to the chocolate. Another female mystery I’ll never solve, but as long as my mate is happy, I’m content.

When I feel more in control, I join her, enjoying the silence as she sips on her drink.

An hour later, my arm is falling asleep from where she’s sleeping, and the fire is dying down, chilling the room too much for my liking. I can’t let that happen and reluctantly pull away from Callie, tucking her in before I head outside for more firewood. It’s late now, nearly eleven in the evening. With the snowstorm, it strikes me as odd that I hear a vehicle turn down Callie’s street.

The side effect of sharing your body with a growly bear? He’s got fantastic hearing. He knows when something is off. Anyone coming home will be eager to get inside where it’s warm but the engine I hear is moving slow, intentionally creeping along and I don’t like it. Neither does my bear who wants to shift and go on the offensive with this perceived threat.

“Callie? Any of your neighbors work late?” I ask, lingering by the open door.

“I don’t think so. Why?” she replies.

“Just wondering.”

I think back to the food pantry and finding Callie all alone outside, a black SUV gunning the engine and scaring her. Now I hear this new engine. It’s not the same SUV. I can tell right away, as the motor sounds are slightly off. But it’s also far too ominous given what happened earlier in the day.

My bear snarls in my head and forces me to face the road with a pile of logs resting in my arms. That’s when the driver of the vehicle steps on the gas and I hear it approach, far faster than necessary or safe. I run inside, dropping the firewood on the floor as I see a red Jeep slam on the brakes and turn into her driveway. Headlights nearly blind us as they grow larger, aiming through the front window.

Danger! My bear is roaring inside my head. He’s so loud I can’t hear much except for Callie’s gasp. She screams as the Jeep stops inches from entering her house and crashing through the bay window where we currently stand across the living room, close to the kitchen.

I’m moving her backward, noticing the stiff line of her shoulders and frozen body. She’s terrified. But there’s something else there too. It’s almost like she’s not surprised that someone is following her or trying to intimidate her.

As fast as the vehicle enters her driveway, it backs out, speeding off as I wrap my arms around my mate. She’s trembling. Something wet hits my arm and I realize it’s her silent tears.

I can’t allow her to keep secrets, not when her safety is at risk. She’s got to tell me the rest of her story. It can’t wait any longer.

I listen to be sure the Jeep is gone and then dial Spike. He listens as I explain about our unwanted guest, and he says he’ll send a few of the guys to watch over the house so I can concentrate on Callie and calming my woman.

I’m set to demand answers when she turns around and lifts her head, staring into my eyes as fat tears drip over her cheeks. Fuck.