Chapter 10

Chapter

Ten

S aul sat on the stool in Maeve’s greenhouse, wondering why the hell he had let her drag him out of bed so early in the morning, especially after their mating. They should still be in bed, celebrating their union. Had he not fucked her well enough? She should be too exhausted to move. Yet here she was, the tip of her tongue peeking out from the corner of her mouth, as she studied the potion that was simmering on the Bunsen burner in front of her.

A scratching at his leg made him look down. Hazel, her honey badger, was clawing at his leg with her wicked looking claws. Was she trying to kill him or just maim him?

“You’d better pick her up or she’ll claw your leg to shit as she tries to climb you,” Maeve said absently.

He sighed and picked up the honey badger, settling her in his arms. “She’d better not claw my face. I’m not entirely sure she’s forgiven me for this past week.”

“Give her some of your honey and she’ll be your best friend,” Maeve said.

He groaned. “I have to share my honey?”

Maeve grinned impishly at him. “Only if you don’t want holes in your house. And you’ll lose your honey, anyway. Make a deal with her and she’ll work with you.”

He sighed, and he handed Hazel one of his honey sticks from his pocket. She curled up in his arms, contentedly sucking the honey. “Fine. Why are we here again?”

“Phoebe Dupree finally told me the ingredients of their love potion. I want to make the antidote to ensure we’re both cured of any effects.”

He shook his head. “Maeve, I told you. I wasn’t affected by the potion. My bear can’t be affected by potions. He decided on you long before the festival.”

“Humor me. Please?”

She turned pleading blue eyes his way, and he knew he could never say no. Ursa help them if they ever had a daughter with her eyes. He was doomed. “Fine. Give me the antidote. I hope it tastes better than the potion. That was foul.”

She smiled. “Potions don’t have to taste bad. They can be flavored. A good potions master knows how to do this.”

“And my mate is the best,” he replied smugly.

He took the glass and drank it down in one swift swallow. She was right. It had a slight honey taste, African honey, if he wasn’t mistaken. His favorite. He set the glass down and eyed her expectantly. “Now what?”

“We wait.”

“How long? I really want to get my mate back home and into bed. It’s been four hours.”

She blushed a deep red and focused on the table. “I think you’ll survive.”

He tucked a curl behind her ear, brushing her mating mark, causing her to shudder. “But will you?”

She glared at him. “Fine. It should work quickly. Do you feel any differently?”

He cocked his head and frowned at her. “Who are you?”

Her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped. “Saul? It’s me, Maeve. Don’t you remember?”

“Where am I? What’s going on?”

She stared at him in utter horror, but he couldn’t keep it up. He burst out laughing. “I’m just kidding. I don’t feel any different except for being exceptionally horny and wondering if we locked the door to the greenhouse. I’d hate for your great aunt to walk in on us.”

Outrage flooded her face, and she threw her towel at him. “How could you, Saul? I thought I hurt you!”

Hazel lightly scored him with her claws, not enough to hurt but enough to warn him, then she jumped down and ran off. He continued to laugh, and tugged Maeve onto his lap, nuzzling her neck and licking her mating mark. “Maeve, I could never forget you. The mating bond will never allow it. You are the one for me. Always and forever. You’re my mate.”

She sighed and leaned into him. “I love you, Saul. But if you ever do anything like that again, you might have a taste of some Fyowettle in your stew.”

He shuddered. “I’ll be good. I promise. Now, can I make it up to you, mate?”

And he did. Twice.

Saul held Maeve gently in his arms, and they swayed gently to the music. He gazed tenderly at her as the entire clan looked on. They had just completed the mating ceremony in front of the entire bear clan and some of Maeve’s friends and family, though Maeve only had eyes for her mate.

Her heart still ached because her father had not shown for the mating, despite Saul going to the house and having private words with him. She could have told him it wouldn’t matter. Her father lived in his mind and his lab. Nothing else mattered. And she was fine with it. Mostly. She had a new family and her great aunt to fill her heart now.

Now, she was held in the arms of her mate and she felt the mating bond deep inside and she knew nothing could tear them apart. He would never ignore her or neglect her like she saw growing up. Saul was a part of her, and she was secure in his love.

Someone tapped on the back of her leg and she paused, looking down at the most adorable bear cub in human form, wearing the cutest suit ever. Brady looked very serious as he peered up at her.

“May I cut in?” He asked with a deadly serious look on his face.

Ever since she saved him from the poison berries, Brady had developed a bit of a crush on Maeve, going so far as to ask her to wait for him and not mate his uncle. He relented on that point eventually, but he still followed Maeve everywhere.

Maeve’s heart ached at the thought of having a tiny cub of her own someday. Saul’s hands tightened on her arms for a moment, then relaxed. “Are you trying to steal my mate, cub?”

Brady grinned. “Yup.”

Saul threw his head back and laughed out loud, causing several people to turn and look at them. “Good luck, little cub.”

He gave a small bow and Maeve took Brady’s hands and let him lead her in a dance for the rest of the song. The little cub’s tongue stuck out he side of his mouth as he concentrated on the steps carefully. When the music ended, he tilted his face up to her and pursed his lips for a kiss. She stifled a laugh and brushed his lips with hers. Brady blushed and ran off to his friends, all of whom laughed with him.

Saul pulled her against him, her back to his front, claiming her again. “Do I have something to be worried about?”

Maeve laid her head against his chest. “He’s seriously adorable, but I think you have a few assets in your favor.”

Saul turned her to face him, a smirk on his face. “Really? Only a few?”

She shrugged. “You are an excellent cook. I like your baking, too.”

He laughed again and hugged her, kissing her deeply and far too graphically for a family gathering. When he finally let her go, she was blushing and gasping for air. “Okay, maybe a couple other things, too.”

His smile faded, and he narrowed his eyes, looking over her head past the crowd. “Does your aunt know my uncle Grigori?”

“I don’t think so. Why?” Maeve stood on tiptoes to try to see over the much larger bodies of the bear clan around them.

Saul drew her through the crowd a bit so that she could see her aunt and an older man, who must have been his uncle Grigori, talking by a tree. Her aunt had an imperious look on her face while the older man was pleading with her, holding her hand and stroking it like a lover might.

“Oh my goddess. He’s her lover! Aunt Geillis told me about a grizzly lover she had before she came to take care of me. Could it be your uncle?”

Saul shrugged. “He’s never mated. Said he found his mate, but she left him years ago.” Then he chuckled as his uncle led her aunt through the trees. “I think we have our answer.”

Maeve laughed. “Unbelievable. Should we go after them?”

“I have a better idea. Do you want to see my cabin?”

She elbowed him in the stomach. “I’ve seen your cabin. Plenty of times.”

He waggled his eyebrows. “But not this new chair. Perfect for reading.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Just reading?”

“You’ll have to be the judge of that,” he said innocently.

“Maybe I should check out your cabin. For research purposes.”

He took her hand and lead her through the trees to his own cabin. “I couldn’t agree more, mate.”