Chapter 10
10
Raelynn
I jolt awake. What time is it? Sunlight is streaming in between the curtains. That's the first thing I see.
Then I turn over and my breath catches, because there's Kael.
My mate. The sheet has slipped down, and I feast my eyes on his gorgeous naked body.
Last night floods back to me.
The whole experience was so intense, it already seems unreal.
Except for the fact that there's an ache between my legs, and another one on the back of my neck. I finger the tingling spot on my neck, smiling to myself.
We mated three more times last night. I was a little sore from him taking my virginity, but I wanted everything he had to give me. I wanted to know what it really feels like to be a bear's mate.
And the truth is, freaking awesome. I feel so loved and desired and protected all at the same time.
I nuzzle closer to him, yearning to feel his arms wrapping around me again.
But then I see that he's also awake. And he's listening to something.
"What is it?"
"Just a second, honey," he mutters. "Stay right here." He pulls the covers up over me and climbs out of bed.
He's just at the foot of the bed when the front door bursts open with a bang. Then a bunch of heavy footsteps storm through the cabin and the bedroom door crashes against the wall.
Three men storm in: a guy who looks quite a lot like Kael, a meaty bald guy, and… my dad?!
I let out a scream. "Dad! what the hell are you doing here?"
His face is red with fury. "What am I doing here? Raelynn, what the hell are you doing in this beast's bed?"
Before I can answer, he turns his attention on Kael. "You fucking prick. You convinced me your kind wasn't into humans. That you already had a mate And now you're screwing my precious daughter? You disgusting animal!"
He already has a mate? I open my mouth to ask Kael if that's true.
Then I close it again. I'm not about to give my father that satisfaction.
"I didn't expect things to happen like this," Kael says.
I hear a note of shame in his voice, and I curl up inside. He's regretting this. He was lying about us being together forever. Guess he was just saying what he needed to get me into bed.
"What the fuck have you done?" the bald-headed man roars. He's so mad. He's a whole head shorter than Kael, but he looks ready to deck him.
"There was an incident. I was shot, and I extracted Raelynn to a safe place. It was the only thing I could do in the circumstances."
The bald-headed guy folds his arms. "I'm okay with all that, so far. But why the hell am I looking at your dick right now?"
"It just happened," Kael says.
My cheeks burn.
"As in, you just took advantage of the situation, while you had this female at your mercy." The man curls his lip. "I'm so freaking disgusted with you. You're a disgrace to the name of Spartan Shield Corp. You're fired, as of right now!"
"Raelynn, put some clothes on and come with me right now!" my father thunders.
I shoot a glance at Kael, but he's keeping his head down.
So, it's all true what they've been saying. Tears sting my eyes, and my throat closes up.
"I'll get your clothes," Kael mutters. He strides out of the room, still naked, and returns with the dress and panties I abandoned on the kitchen floor last night.
"Can you give her some privacy!" he barks at the other three, who are still in the room. Then he exits the room, too, and leaves me all alone.
"You should've returned my calls, Raelynn," my father rants. We're driving back home and being in this small space with him makes me want to burst out of my skin.
"You know how many times I called you last night?"
"Seventeen," I say dryly. I finally checked my phone a few minutes ago. "I was kinda busy making sure my bodyguard didn't bleed out."
He gives a snort of disgust. "Would have been better if he had, before he had a chance to tarnish you."
"Don't you dare say that!" I yell, and the mark on the back of my neck tingles. I'm real sad for the way Kael lied to me. Cheated on his mate, whoever she is. But part of me can't be sorry for last night. It's still the most incredible, intense, magical thing that's ever happened to me.
"Watch your mouth, Raelynn," my father snarls. "You're getting too big for your boots, young lady."
"I'll say whatever I like!" I snap back at him.
He recoils. He's not used to me talking to him like this.
Well, I guess amazing sex wasn't the only thing I got from last night. Seems like I grew a pair as well.
I cancel all my shows. My father is furious, of course. But I tell him I'm suffering from exhaustion, and it's true. I feel weak and achy all over, like my legs aren't strong enough to hold me up. And the thought of singing is unbearable. The only part of me that feels strong right now is that darn mark on my neck. It's not just tingling; it's full on burning.
Is it really going to be there forever? Luckily, it's on the back of my neck, so as long as my hair is down, no one sees it.
But I know it's there. I'm constantly aware of it. I have the weird sense that it's calling to Kael. I sure wish it would quit. Every time he pops into my head… which is about three times every minute… my heart feels like it's breaking in two.
All I do is lie in bed and order take out. Thai, Italian, Chinese. Every darn thing I want. But it all reminds me of Kael. Of the care and love in his eyes when he promised to feed me real food.
The security company sends three bodyguards for free as compensation for what happened. But I make them stay outside. No way am I letting them into my private space. They've got instructions to patrol the exterior of the house non-stop. That's all I'm agreeing to. I told my father that if he pushes me any more, I'll never perform again. He turned pale and his lower lip trembled. Shit, should've thought of that years ago.
Jason comes over and we lounge on the bed together, eating ice cream straight out of the tub.
"Rae-Rae, listen to me," he says on the third day, when my eyes still won't quit leaking. "I know this hurts right now. But trust me, you're better off with that lunkhead out of your life."
I blow my nose on a tissue. "He's not a lunkhead."
"No?" Jason raises one of his manicured eyebrows. "Because from where I was standing, he looked more beast than man."
"Oh, he is half beast." My thoughts drift back to that night. "He's also real sensitive. Kind of tortured. He's suffered a lot in his life."
"Boo-hoo," Jason says. "Come on, Rae-Rae, he was lying to you."
I sigh. "I guess he was. It's just all so… confusing."
Just then the door buzzer goes. I was wondering where our ice-cream delivery had gotten to.
"I'll go," Jason says. He's already up on his feet and running down the stairs.
"Oh, no way!" he hollers a few seconds later. "Not happening."
Huh? I dash to the bedroom door, poke my head out so I can hear better.
"She doesn't want to see you, buddy."
"Why don't you let her be the judge of that?" a voice booms.
A very familiar deep voice. It reverberates all the way through me. Crap. I sure wish it didn't have that effect on me. I also wish my heart wasn't hammering, and the mark on my neck wasn't burning. I feel like my whole freaking body is calling out to him.
"Jason, look." Kael sounds more serious than ever. "I know me and you didn't get off on the right foot. But I know you've got Raelynn's best interests at heart. And that makes two of us. I'm in love with her."
"So, you've finally discovered your voice," Jason drawls. "But, unfortunately, everything that's coming out of your mouth is bullshit. Because I know you've got a woman at home and you were cheating on her with Raelynn."
Kael gives a deep groan. "I don't have a mate. That was something my boss told her father to get him to trust me. I wasn't cool with it, at all. But my brother already warned me not to speak out of line, so I just went along with it."
"Well, that's convenient," Jason snaps.
"A bear only takes one mate. Ever. We're not like humans. Haven't you seen the mark I gave her?"
"Nope. You mean a hickey or something?"
"No, nothing like a hickey. A mate mark. Which means she's mine, forever."
Jason snorts. "Whatever. If you care about Raelynn so much, where have you been these past days?"
"I've been investigating. And that's why I'm here now. I've got something real important to tell Raelynn. Will you please let me in?"
"Jason, it's fine," I call down the stairs. There's a silence, then I hear Jason sigh theatrically.
"Okay, come in. I might be half your size, buddy. But I'd fight you to the death to protect Raelynn."
"And that's how I know you're a great guy, Jason," Kael says.
My chest warms. I love the way Jason is so protective of me, and that Kael appreciates that.
And I know Kael is speaking the truth. I know it deep in my bones. The mark on my neck has quit burning, and now it's more like a warm tingle.
I jump back onto the bed, hearing the pounding of Kael's feet on the stairs.
The door bursts open and there he is, his huge muscular bulk filling the doorway.
His eyes lock onto mine, and my heart flips.
My mate. My one.
Jason appears a moment later, peering around Kael's shoulder, and throws me a look of consternation.
"It's fine," I tell him.
He slips into the room and sits beside me on the bed, tenting his fingers in front of him. "Okay, we're listening buddy. This better be good."
Kael clears his throat. "Like I said, I've been investigating." He reaches inside his jacket and pulls out a bunch of papers. "This is gonna be hard to hear, Raelynn. I found out that your father staged the whole attack the other day. He bribed the security guard to shoot me."
I gasp. "What?"
"But Raelynn could have been killed instead!" Jason butts in.
Kael shakes his head. "Think he was pretty, pretty sure that I would protect her. He asked me a bunch of questions when I first met him—if I'd take a bullet. If it's true that shifters heal fast. He was planning this right from the start."
"Why would he do that?" I wail. "For publicity?"
Kael pulls out a small device from his pocket and taps a button. Immediately, my father's voice fills the room.
As I listen, ice pours through my veins. He's speaking to an agent who agrees to set up the whole thing. $10,000 for Kael to get shot. For my life to be risked as well.
"I'm so sorry, Raelynn," Kael says.
"How did you get hold of this?"
Kael flashes a grim smile. "I was real persuasive."
I burst into tears. "I know my dad is a mercenary asshole. But this… this is on another level. I'm so sorry for you, Kael. I know it hurt like hell."
"I took it in my stride." He flashes a good-humored smile. "I'd do it a thousand more times to protect you, Raelynn. You're my one, my only one. The mate I've been looking for all my life. That time with you was my first time, because a bear only gets aroused by its mate."
Jason lets out a gasp. "Oh, my god! Double V-cards! You guys are so cute !"
"You shut it," Kael says, but in a kind of jokey way. I can tell that the two of them are starting to like each other.
Kael's eyes burn into mine again. "Will you be mine, Raelynn? Will you live me with me forever, and bear my cubs?"
I blink fast, because tears are pricking at my eyes.
"Of course, I will!" I leap across the bed and fling myself into his arms.
"Okay, exiting stage left," Jason calls as he darts out of the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him.
Kael presses his forehead against mine and we laugh.
"He's a good guy," I say.
"I know," Kael says. Then his smile drops and he kisses me senseless.
When he throws me down on the bed, I'm ready for him. I tear off my clothes. I want to be naked with him, like nature intended. I watch, arousal burning through me, as he strips off his own clothes and his big thick cock springs free.
I spread my thighs for him, and with a growl of need, he's on me, his cock shoving its way into me again. Filling me up, as if it was made for me.