2. Chapter Two

Stay with me, please.

He wasn’t above begging out loud if it came to that. Behemoth’s need to protect her roared through his veins, the bear taking up the battle cry along with him. Mine to protect. Mine to cherish. Mine.

Not yet, she wasn’t. But he had hope.

She quieted, staring out the passenger window as he drove to his house on the north side of town. He hoped she was considering his idea, but for all he knew she could have gone back to mentally packing her bags.

He kept his mouth shut. If her thoughts leaned toward standing her ground with him, he wouldn’t distract her.

He wanted to tell her just how well armed he was to protect her, but without the council’s, or at least Zeus’s, approval, he couldn’t. He wondered how she would take the news that he could turn into a grizzly bear. As adventurous and outgoing as she was, she’d probably think it was awesome.

He loved that about her. He wanted to show her the world, and see it through her eyes. To wipe out the way he’d seen it—full of blood and hate. He loved his job, as it was now. He knew if Zeus sent out a team, they were the good guys. That wasn’t always clear during his time in the military.

He had a natural affinity for guns, and he respected them. But he was far more deadly with claws and teeth.

He’d learned to move silently as a man, but he could be near undetectable as a bear. He wanted to show Gaelynn just how well he could protect her. He needed to get clearance from Zeus.

He should probably secure her affections first. He knew she was his mate, but if she didn’t believe him, or rejected him, it could cause a lot of trouble for Society. Which would mean a lot of trouble for Gaelynn.

Normals, for the most part, were ignorant of Society’s existence. That was by design. The one time they’d attempted integration, it led to the Spanish Inquisition. Many lives were lost, both supernatural and human. The Society council formed afterward. They worked with Normal governments around the world to keep Society members hidden in plain sight. In return, Society helped them with sticky cases.

A dictator with a passion for torturing his own people was Behemoth’s first assignment. No one shed tears when he completed it. He quickly earned a reputation as a reliable, discreet assassin. They sent him on increasingly dangerous missions until one went sideways. He’d almost died. Would have if it weren’t for Wraith.

He never learned why there were two assassins in the same jungle. Didn’t seem right to dig too deeply. She saved his life, no questions asked. So he asked none of her.

He found out his commanding officer betrayed him. He never learned why Garrison turned on him. Behemoth heard he was a general now. Figures the Normals would promote him. Rumors of other betrayals echoed through Society, and he didn’t mourn the loss of his military career. Zeus immediately offered him a job when he left the service, and he’d never looked back.

He tried to get Wraith to join him, but she refused. Told him Supe Sec didn’t want a broken operative. Again, he didn’t ask. He learned she joined Jackal Division.

His life had been far from smooth sailing, but he was glad he had the skills needed to protect his mate. He’d thought when he entered the diner he’d find Matthew Sonjour himself, but the coward was sending underlings after her now.

He turned onto the long gravel drive that led to his house. A bit on the nose for a bear shifter to live in a log cabin in the woods, but he didn’t care. He’d overseen the construction himself, even helped place a log or two. He was proud of the structure, and it was home.

“I never cease to be amazed at your house.”

Gaelynn smiled at him, and his chest swelled. He gave a soft grunt in response.

She sighed. “I see we’ve reverted to grunts.”

His lips turned up at the edges. When others teased him about not speaking, it rankled. From her, it seemed sweet. For her, he’d try. “I’m proud of it.”

She reared back in mock surprise, and he laughed. The sound shocked him. When was the last time he’d laughed?

“You need to laugh more, big guy. It suits you.” She smiled at him.

“If it makes you smile, I will laugh all the time.” He reached out and stroked a fingertip along her cheek.

Her response made him grin wider. One thing she had never denied was her desire for him. The catch in her breath, the lowering of her eyelids, the tiny sway in his direction—they gave him hope.

He wanted her in his bed, underneath him, her mouth thrown open in pleasure. She was skittish, and he understood. She saw him as someone who liked control, and that was true. He needed to show her that he would trust her to make her own decisions. That he wasn’t like the cult that almost destroyed her. He didn’t want an underling, or a plaything like its leader.

He wanted a partner. A mate to stand beside him. To call him on his mistakes and make him want to do better.

It would take time to earn her trust.

He would give her all the time in the world.

Gaelynn remembered the first time she’d seen Behemoth’s home. He’d told her they were going to a cabin in the woods. She imagined a small, one or two-room affair decorated in deer heads and ratty rugs.

The reality couldn’t be further from that.

The structure blended in perfectly with the woods surrounding it. Thick logs stacked atop each other made up the outer walls. A metal roof glinted in the dim light. The porch that spanned the front held several well used rocking chairs and a rustic cooler on legs.

From the outside, it seemed perfect for a jug band performance.

But when you went inside, you stepped into something else entirely.

Behemoth’s house boasted five bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms. Each bedroom had its own en suite, with a half bath just off the open concept kitchen and living room. Expansive windows spread across the back, giving unfettered views of the woods beyond. Tasteful landscape paintings adorned earth-colored walls. All the furnishings were understated and made of natural materials.

The result was elegant and warm. She’d spent many nights curled up on the leather couch, a soft blanket wrapped around her, listening to the fire crack. Warm, safe, and secure, knowing Behemoth was watching over her.

It would be so easy to fall back into that pattern. To throw herself body and soul at the man who embodied that feeling of safety.

She needed to stay strong. For both their sakes. She couldn’t rope him into the mess she’d made of her life, no matter how attractive the idea might be.

He led them into the house, sweeping an arm out. “Choose whichever room you’d like.”

“Feeling mad déjà vu right now.” She stopped in the middle of the living room and forced her shoulders to relax. “I think you said the same thing the first time you brought me here.”

He grunted, but made no move to rush her. That was the other thing about him. He was endlessly patient. She supposed it came with the job of being a sniper. You had to be patient to wait for the perfect shot. Or she thought, anyway. She’d never fired a gun and had no interest in it.

She closed her eyes and inhaled. The memory of smoke from a recent fire, the dim scent of cedar and wood polish, and the ever-present smell of citrus cleaning products that didn’t overpower. Behemoth wasn’t a clean freak, but he was no slob. He kept his house tidy, and a housekeeper kept it clean.

The woman had scared the wits out of her the last time she was here. A lovely middle-aged lady with dark hair, Lois folded Gaelynn into her circle of family when they met. Behemoth explained that while he was good at some things, cooking and cleaning weren’t his strengths. For those, he had Lois.

Honestly, she was a godsend. She came once a week and stocked his fridge and pantry with home-cooked meals. He’d explained that she’d been taking care of him for as long as he could remember.

Gaelynn tried to ignore the warm ball of comfort that grew in her chest. Behemoth wasn’t for her, and she needed to remember that as much as this felt like home—as much as she wanted it to be—it never could.

She stiffened her spine and nodded to herself before attacking the hallway to the right. She chose a different room this time, one that faced the rear of the property. The room she’d chosen previously was warm and cozy, but this one was colder. A bit larger, done in cool colors with furniture that featured straight lines. She hoped it would remind her this was temporary.

She hugged her middle and stared out the wide window into the dark forest beyond. She plastered on a smile as she turned, but it faltered when she saw the frown on his face.

He hesitated, but seemed to think better of saying anything. He looked around the room and then stared directly into her eyes. She suppressed a shiver.

“Make yourself at home.” His deep voice was soft and gave the impression he was hurt.

Because she’d chosen a different room?

He turned and disappeared through the doorway. She flopped backward onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. As soon as she closed her eyes, her mind conjured an image of the man who dominated her dreams since she’d met him. The man somewhere in this house.

If she were as bold as her friends believed her to be, she’d seek him out. She’d pull him into her arms and kiss him. She’d let him ravage her.

Gaelynn snorted.

Ravage her? Before Behemoth, she fantasized about sweet, languid lovemaking with a man who let her lead in all things.

Now, the dreams that soaked her underwear were of a huge wall of a man, his muscles like iron under warm skin, lifting her easily with hands that spanned her butt and slamming her against a wall.

Which was ironic, since he was so controlled. So patient, as if he had all the time in the world.

She wanted to make him lose control. She wanted to see what he looked like when that mask slipped and he went crazy—for her.

It was a delightful dream, but that’s all it was. She couldn’t imagine him ever losing control. Certainly not over her.

The very idea of a man as big as him losing control should scare the living daylights out of her. He was easily a head taller than her, and so broad it seemed impossible. She had no doubt he could crack bones with his bare hands, and she wasn’t talking a finger or a toe.

Virginia had told her he was an assassin. The sniper of the team. Her best friend wasn’t subtle in her efforts to get them together. Especially after Gaelynn let it slip she was interested in him.

“What are you waiting for? Go for it!” The memory of her friend’s voice echoed in her head.

At the time, she’d laughed it off and changed the subject. Now it made her sad. She was a phony. A liar. Her entire adult life was a lie. She wasn’t the adventurous, take-charge woman she claimed to be. She was a coward.

She shook off her maudlin thoughts and took a deep breath. She forced her mind back to the fantasy of Behemoth, hot and sweaty, kissing her senseless.

She squeezed her thighs together and moaned as heat flooded into her clit. His room was at the end of the hall. An entire room separated them. He wouldn’t be able to hear her. She wasn’t a screamer.

She may technically be a virgin, but she was a very educated one. She knew what she liked—and what she didn’t.

With self-pleasure, anyway.

She slid her hand down her stomach and under the waistband of her skirt and panties. She slipped her fingers through her wet folds and imagined they were much larger and thicker. She gasped as her fingernail scraped over her clit. She was close, and she had no intention of teasing herself.

She closed her eyes, and a low moan sounded behind her lips. She may not have the courage to go to him, but he would star in the porn movies she directed in her head.

He stood in the center of his room, a dull ache in his chest. Why had she chosen the room furthest from his? Before, she was in the room directly to the left. He liked her there. The smaller, cozy room suited her. It soothed the bear to have her close enough to smell.

He’d almost run into her when she stopped in front of the furthest guest room. It was the room he reserved for guests he didn’t want to stay long. The view was beautiful, but the furnishings were colder than the rest of the house. More sharp edges than rounded corners.

Why would she choose that room? Did she regret calling him for help? When she left before, his heart had broken and he told her to forget his number. He didn’t mean it. He would never—could never—leave her alone for long. He wouldn’t push himself on her, but she was his mate.

His to protect.

In the morning, he would call Zeus. He wanted to storm the cult’s compound and rip the leader’s head from his shoulders, but that was a foolish, impulsive desire.

He was neither. He would attack this like he did everything else. Meticulously.

The problem, as he saw it, was two-fold. Gaelynn wanted to run. He needed her to stay. The first step was to eliminate the reason driving her to flee. With that taken care of, he could work on gaining her trust. He could woo her.

He sneered at himself. Woo her? He wasn’t capable of the nineteenth century sentiment. He knew his limitations. Flowers and candy were not his style. Honestly, he had no idea what his style might be.

He’d never had to put forth effort for a woman before. He’d never wanted to keep one, either. He didn’t have time for relationships in the military, and anything more than casual sex since then felt confining.

Should he buy her expensive presents? Take her on lavish trips? Part of the problem was their limited time together. He’d only known her for about two weeks, and in that time he’d tried all his tricks to get her to agree to a date.

She always refused.

Then she blurted that she’d never been on a real date.

He wanted to rip the limbs off the men she’d been with before. What kind of cretins was she used to, who wouldn’t even take her on a proper date? Even he did that. He didn’t want a relationship, but he didn’t want random hookups from bars either.

Now that he desperately wanted a relationship, and she refused to date him, he was out of ideas.

He ran through his teammates in his mind, mentally checking them off as potential advisers. What he needed was intel. He needed to know her. To cater to her, specifically.

He shook his head. That was problem number two. He had to deal with problem number one first, which is why he planned to call Zeus. It was time to pull in his team and neutralize the threat against her.

Just a few years ago, he would have abhorred the idea of needing help, but his teammates had proven themselves trustworthy and loyal. They had his back in every situation they’d faced so far—from overthrowing a dictator to a bar fight.

They’d slowly become more than coworkers. They were family. And to pull off this assassination without causing harm to Gaelynn, he’d need all their help.

His house nestled in the forest was quiet, so the small noise ricocheted to his ears. He stilled, opening all his senses to assess the threat.

One heartbeat, and then two passed before the sound came again. His body knew what it meant before his mind. His blood heated and his cock filled, pressing painfully against the zipper of his jeans.

Behemoth squeezed his eyes shut, his blunt fingernails leaving crescent marks in his palms.

The bear was just beneath his skin, roaring at him to go to her. He could hear her soft noises like she was in the bed next to him. He knew exactly what she was doing.

Another small gasp made him wrench the fly to his jeans open, tearing them in his haste. He shoved his boxers down and freed his straining cock. The bear growled a cheer. Take what’s Mine.

No. Not until invited.His fist closed around the base of his dick, and stretched his skin almost to the point of pain as he pumped up and down, finding his own rhythm to the soundtrack of hers.

He’d never heard anything so erotic.

Her breath hitched and he knew she was close. He wanted to see her face, watch her come. He shouldn’t, but he couldn’t help himself.

Dick still in hand, he crept down the hall. He stopped cold when she came into view.

Splayed on the bed like an offering, her skirt bunched around her waist and her panties pulled aside. She spread her sweet pussy and alternated between plunging a finger inside and circling her clit.

Her back bowed and he pumped harder, his eyes glued to his mate. He couldn’t look away, even as the force of the orgasm building within him made his knees weak. He fell against the door frame and her eyes flew open.

She froze like a deer in headlights.

“Don’t stop.” His voice was little more than a growl.

He gave his dick a slow stroke from base to tip and back again. Her eyes flew to his crotch and went wide before they fell to half-mast. He repeated the move, drawing it out for both her and him.

Her neck arched with a moan but her eyes stayed glued to his cock. Her fingers moved, picking up speed as they both careened toward the edge.

She sucked in a breath that caught and held. Her legs flew straight and her thighs trapped her hand between them. Small squeaks escaped her throat as tremors moved over her stomach.

His orgasm hit with the force of a Mack truck. He cupped his free hand over the head of his dick, so he didn’t spurt all over the floor. When he finished, his underwear and the front of his jeans were a sticky mess, and he didn’t care.

Gaelynn’s panting slowed, and neither of them said a word. An edge of panic entered her eyes, and he nodded before taking a step back. Hidden in the shadows, he burned the image of her, half naked, her hand still between her thighs and her face flushed from pleasure into his brain.

Then he went back to his room, stripped out of his soiled clothes and stepped into the shower with a satisfied grin. It was him she saw when she pleasured herself. Him that made her come, even if it was her hand between her legs.

It would never be anyone else. Ever again. He didn’t need to woo her; she was already his.