Chapter 5

It wasa short hallway that bent around to the left and soon opened up to reveal the main floor of the club. A small but professional stage stood on the right, and the crowd around it throbbed in time to the music. Chairs and tables began to take over the floor as it neared a large, carved oak bar. The walls were painted black, but band posters and other memorabilia blotted the darkness. Just as Max had promised, the patrons were having a great time whether they were dancing, drinking, or laughing with each other over the din.

Pierce guided her over to the bar, where a woman with butterscotch brown hair was expertly mixing drinks as she continued taking orders. She smiled when she saw Pierce walking up. "Hey there, hot stuff. Haven't seen you in here for a while."

"I've been busy," Pierce replied. "Lori, this is Holly. She's in from out of town."

"Oooh, a newcomer! Then let me get you started with a Barrelman. It's my trademark drink, and the first one is on the house. Just don't tell Rex." She snagged two lowball glasses and scooped some ice into a shaker.

"Don't tell Rex what?" The man working at the other end of the bar instantly lifted his head, hearing the comment despite the chaos in the club.

Given the mischievous look on Lori's face, she'd meant for him to. "That I'm giving all the drinks away for free tonight."

"I knew I never should've hired you." Rex, a burly man with wide shoulders, came just close enough to snap a towel at her ass.

"Do that again, and I'll get my revenge when we get home," Lori promised with a sly grin.

"You can't take these two anywhere, not even to their own club," Pierce told Holly. He picked up the drinks Lori had swiftly served them and led her over to a small table in the back corner. "Do you remember Dawn, the nurse you met at the hospital?"

"Of course."

"Rex and Max are her brothers. Rex is our Alpha, and Lori is his mate. I guess you could say we're all pretty tightly knit. Actually, there's their other brother right now." He lifted his hand to greet a blond man who'd just stepped away from the bar. When he came over, Pierce made the introductions.

"You're definitely a long way from home," Brody said as he shook Holly's hand. "There are a lot of great souvenir shops around here, but the best one is mine. If you like tattoos, I'll give you a good deal on one before you leave."

"I'll think about that," Holly promised, realizing as she said it that she genuinely meant it. The night had been a simple one so far, but it was making her fall in love with this town and the people in it. Maybe Dahlia was right and she really did just need to let her hair down a bit more. Her friend would die of shock if she came back to the cottage with a tattoo to commemorate the trip.

"I know it's a little loud, but this really is one of the best places to come for music. Have you heard of the band Wildwood?"

"Of course. Hasn't everyone?" Holly wouldn't consider herself to be a huge music buff, but it was hard to turn on the radio without catching one of their hits. She paused as she realized just what Pierce was trying to tell her. "Don't tell me they play here…"

"This is their home base these days, now that Declan moved back home," Pierce explained.

She smiled at him. "I guess you're going to tell me he's part of your pack, too." It was easy enough to say it out loud since the music was blaring.

"Maybe." He took a sip of his drink, his eyes sparkling over the rim of his glass.

"Are you trying to impress me?" she dared to ask.

"Maybe." Pierce put his drink down and leaned toward her across the table. "Is it working?"

"Maybe," she replied with a laugh.

Pierce glanced around the room. "I'll be right back. Are you okay on your own for a second?"

"I think I can handle it." She enjoyed the view as he got up and walked toward the restrooms. Pierce's job obviously kept him fit, and he filled out a pair of jeans nicely.

"Holly!"

Holly was instantly filled with revulsion. "What are you doing here, Kyle?"

"I should be asking you the same thing!" He threw himself into Pierce's seat and turned to look around the room before he leaned closer, his breath smelling of whiskey. "Who's the guy?"

"What? Why?" The question caught her completely off-guard.

"Listen, Holly. The people around here are weird. Really weird." He rested his elbows on the table and looked firmly into her eyes. "You need to watch yourself."

She leveled her gaze at him. "He's the one who pulled me out of the river, if you must know. I think if he had any bad intentions toward me, he would've just let me drown."

Kyle shook his head. "I'm telling you, something's different about these people."

"I don't recall you ever mentioning it before," she noted, "and we've been coming here for annual meetings for quite some time now."

"I know. I just wasn't paying attention." He glanced around the room again. "I don't know what it is yet, but there's definitely something unusual happening here. The people around here aren't like you and I."

They were far more like her than he could ever imagine. They might not be bears, but Holly was feeling more and more comfortable as she understood just how many shifters surrounded her. Maybe a dark nightclub wasn't typically her bag, but it was nice not to have to keep her secret held so tightly against her chest. "I'm fitting in just fine, thank you."

He didn't seem to hear her. His jaw was set, and his eyes were constantly scanning the place. He'd squared his shoulders, looking like he was trying to play the protagonist in an action movie. "I can keep you safe, Holly. I'll take you back to your place. Let's go right now while we have the chance."

She scraped her chair back as he reached for her hand. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I told you. I'm keeping you safe."

Holly shook her head, suddenly understanding exactly what was going on. Kyle happened to see her hanging out with the guy who'd saved her from the river. He was jealous, especially since he'd been trying to get in her pants for years, so he'd come up with a hero act of his own. It wasn't going to work. "I'm fine, Kyle. Really. I'll see you at the meeting tomorrow."

"But—"

"Really," she insisted. They'd have to continue working together in some capacity, so she didn't want to be rude, but she didn't want to ruin her night with Pierce, either. "I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

A deep furrow creased his brow, and for a moment, he looked like he wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Just be careful, okay?"

"I will." The only danger right now was the risk of losing her heart to a man she couldn't have. He appeared through the crowd just after Kyle left, making her heart jump all over again.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," he said as he returned to his seat.

"Not at all. I was just wondering, how long have you been with the fire department?" Her irritation with Kyle was easily forgotten as she sank into the comfort of Pierce. As they continued to talk, the club seemed to fall away around her. She hardly heard the music any longer, concentrating only on the sound of his voice and the way his mouth moved when he spoke. She noted the gentle twitch of his finger every now and then and the way he rubbed his thumb through the condensation on his glass.

"Do you want to dance?" he asked, standing up and holding out his hand.

A bit of the fantasy faded as reality set in. "I'm not much of a dancer."

"Neither am I, but no one's going to be looking." As soon as she set her hand in his, he brought her down toward the crowd around the stage.

The music crashed into her ears again, flooding her body and making her move. No, it wasn't just the music. It was him. Being so close to him made her feel as if she'd been missing out on something for a long time, like a part of herself had finally been regained. His hand brushed against hers, then her hip. The lights sparkled and her skin tingled. She was drunk but not on alcohol. With a happy sigh that only she could hear, she followed Dahlia's advice and truly let herself go. She didn't care about who was looking or how good of a dancer she might be. She only cared about being close to her mate.

They moved through several songs until a final crescendo indicated the end of the set. Pierce captured her in his arms as they stumbled through the crowd, laughing and sweating. "Do you want to come back to my place?"

She sucked in a breath, but there was only one answer that could possibly be right. "Yes."

They escaped from the noise and chaos of the club, running out the door and hurrying through town to Pierce's truck. Holly laughed as he pulled her along by the hand, both of them eager to find a private moment together. Even without that privacy, he found a way to show his desire for her when they paused at a crosswalk and waited for traffic. Her hand still clasped in his, he brought it up and pressed his lips gently to the back of her fingers.

In the truck, Holly still felt that complete lack of inhibition. She boldly lifted the center console out of the way and scooted over to sit directly next to him, pressing her thigh against his. She trailed her fingers along the back of his head, relishing the soft feel of the hairs that'd been cut close, and kissed his neck.

"You're making it difficult to drive." It obviously wasn't a complaint, since his right hand cupped her knee and slowly moved upward, pushing the fabric of her skirt out of the way as he massaged up the length of her leg.

"Did you want me to stop?" she teased, already knowing the answer.

He gripped her thigh harder, his need for her radiating out from his fingertips. "Definitely not."

"Good." This wasn't like her. She was shy and reserved, waiting for a man to approach her instead of overtly showing him how she felt. It was different with Pierce, and Holly started to think maybe this actually was like her. She just needed Pierce to come along and bring it out. Perhaps finding a mate completed her in more ways than she realized, even if they wouldn't be able to stay together.

At his apartment, they barely got the door shut behind them before they were in each other's arms. Holly pressed her hands against his chest and spread them wide, exploring his strong pecs and shoulders. A thrill ran up her spine and she grazed her fingers down his arms, enjoying the firm muscles under his skin.

Another hardness was making itself apparent as Pierce gripped her hips and held her tightly against him. The bulge at the front of his jeans grew as he bent to kiss her neck, nipping at her jaw, and his hands slid around and down, cupping her buttocks. He scrunched her skirt with his fingers until he'd moved enough of the material away to find her panties. By this point, his lips were on hers again and his deep groan of pleasure echoed in her mouth.

Holly let out a groan herself. There was no greater excitement than knowing she turned him on. Her senses were overwhelmed as she tried to take it all in and memorize it, wanting to lock this moment away and keep it forever. The woody scent of his cologne, mingling with his soap underneath. The sight of his eyes as they drank her in, so full of desire that she could hardly see the blue of his irises. The sounds he made emanated through her, a groan or a sigh every time he found a curve of her body that he hadn't gotten to know yet. And taste? There was no shortage of that as their tongues danced and entwined or as she kissed the salty sheen from his skin.

Then there was the feel of him, a sensation so pleasurable, Holly hardly knew how to describe it. His hands brought her to life everywhere they roamed, making her suddenly aware of every dimension of her body. She could never write about it, not this. She wanted to keep it all to herself.

Pierce let go of the back of her skirt, but only so he could run his fingers under the waistband and push it down off her hips. The cute little cream top turned into little more than a scrap of fabric in his big hands as he pulled it up over her head. Another moan of appreciation escaped his lips now that he could see her only in her bra and panties. He bent to kiss the fullness of her breasts where they peeked out from the soft cups. His hands encircled her ribcage and moved around behind her back, expertly releasing the clasp at the back and setting her free.

Holly shivered at the sudden rush of air against her skin, making her nipples harden. Pierce quickly made up for it by pulling one into the heat of his mouth. Her core was already beginning to tighten, and they hadn't even made it out of the entryway yet. She kicked her way out of her boots as she reached for the hem of his shirt.

Leaving his own shoes behind, Pierce began guiding them down the hall, though neither of them was willing to let go of the other. He staggered as she pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it back the way they'd come. He caught himself against the wall with one hand, the other tightening around her waist to keep her close.

They stumbled through the bedroom door as she scrabbled with the button fly of his jeans, slowly revealing him inch by inch. That left them with only their underwear, and the wild possession that'd overtaken her was more than she could bear. She ripped the last remains of the barrier between them as they tumbled onto the bed.

He was hard and ready for her, throbbing against her as she put her knees on either side of his hips. Holly felt that aching need echoing inside her, a desire that could only be sated by one thing. She lowered herself onto him, gasping at the size of him and just how good it felt. The world spun around her as she rode him, reveling in the depth and intimacy of this new connection. His hands roved over her body, worshipping her like a fine marble carving as he held the weight of her breasts then cupped her backside. She ground harder against him as she felt herself getting closer. Pierce grabbed her hips, moving both of their bodies with his sheer strength. Holly cried out as the tension inside her uncoiled. Wave after wave crashed over her, each one feeding the next until they seemed as though they'd never end. When they finally let go of her, she collapsed on top of him.

"Come here." Pierce lifted her off of him and laid her back on the pillow. He braced his feet beneath him as he positioned himself between her legs, pulling her up onto his lap and sinking into her once again. He held her against his chest as he thrust his hips faster and faster.

Holly still felt the aftershocks moving through her. Watching him pulse against her, with his stomach rippling and a look of pure ecstasy on his face, quickly made those aftershocks come together to create another earthquake inside her body. She wrapped her legs around him, her thighs shivering and shaking. She thrashed back against the sheets as the pleasure overtook her. Pierce held on tightly as he reached his peak, burying his length inside her as all that they'd been working toward released.

As they lay together on the rumpled blankets, Holly's bear couldn't remember ever feeling quite so satisfied, as though nothing in the world outside of this room mattered. She felt herself glowing with pleasure, wondering how she could ever go back to normal life after this. Her body was already craving another round with him.

A loud chirping erupted through the room.

"Sorry." Pierce launched himself to the edge of the bed, leaning down to grab his jeans off the floor. "I can't really ignore that, not with my job. Hello?"

She had to admire that. He was a man who people called when they needed help. He'd certainly shown up to help her, a favor she'd owe him for forever. Holly adjusted the sheet over her naked body and enjoyed the sight of him, propped up on his elbow and turned away from her as he listened to the other end of the line. She hadn't yet had the chance to enjoy just how good his backside looked without his jeans on.

Her enjoyment stopped when he sat up straight, every muscle in his body tensed. Something was wrong.

"I'll be right there." He hung up and turned to face her. "My dad's house is on fire."