Called by the Bear 4-6 (12 page)

A
s Carly Le Roux
I’m an alpha, clan leader, and a mother. I thought my life as a tattoo artist was a closed chapter. But, Brady doesn’t want me to lose the person I am and Sierra and I are presented with a new business opportunity that will open a few unexpected doors….

A
s Mrs. Lily Veilleux
I’ve entered a world I didn’t know existed. Becoming a werebear was my first shock, and I’m afraid there are more surprises on their way…

C
arly

S
prawled
out on our big bed, Brady and I have the triplets lying between us. We’ve been cuddling them for at least an hour. I ask, “What did we used to do before they were born?”

“I have no idea, because I’m not missing it.”

“I think Audrey looks like Annie, don’t you?” Annie has been an angel since our children were born. Every night when I get up to breastfeed, she stumbles in and changes diapers for me.

“Yeah, she does.” Brady’s hand is about the size of my daughter’s body, and he palms her as she grasps his finger. I marvel at the idea that her perfect skin will grow fur and claws when she becomes a werebear.

I smile as I imagine Sierra with her own babies. It won’t be long now before she gives birth and can experience the joy of motherhood, but my brow furrows when I think about Victor being the father of her children.

Brady looks up at me. “What’s wrong?”

I let out a rush of air. “I’m worried about Sierra. Victor sending the baby rattle with his initial engraved on it means he knows he’s the father of her babies. He wants them. I think he means to kidnap them.”

Brady sets Audrey down on the bed and straightens up. “He’ll never get the chance.” His voice is low, and if we weren’t equals, Brady would be insulted that I could think such a thing is possible.

I say, “I know, but I can’t stop thinking about it.” I touch his arm and gaze into Brady’s eyes. “What if Victor fights for custody instead?”

A low rumble sounds as Brady clenches his teeth. “I’ll rip him apart limb by limb if he tries.”

“Ashton would like that pleasure. He’s mentioned it more than once, and it’s not hard to imagine him sneaking off to kill Victor without anyone knowing.” I take a deep breath to calm myself and then stroke the soft down of baby Connell’s hair.

Now Brady doesn’t hide his bear, and his fangs poke out as he says, “I know he would. Keeping him calm as we form a plan hasn’t been easy.”

I shake my head. While Ashton may be struggling with the true-mate bond that makes him want to protect Sierra at all costs, he’s an honorable man and would never kill for vengeance. “He won’t kill Victor unless a life depends on it.”

Brady takes a deep breath to control his shift. “Right. But I’m not sure I wouldn’t kill to protect you.”

I reach up and place my palm on the side of his face. I can’t imagine life without my true mate, and the intensity of my love surges. “I’d have a hard time too.” I lean over wiggling infants to kiss my husband. His response is hungry, and my stomach flutters. But I haven’t gotten the okay to have sex yet, so I pull away.

Brady yanks me back with a firm grip, and his eyes get hard. “I am capable of just kissing you.” His mouth takes mine, and I enjoy the sensual pleasure until a baby’s small cry sends a tingling sensation to my breasts, making my milk come down.

My husband picks up a wailing Everett and soothes him while I set myself up to nurse. Air is cool on my skin as I reveal my breast and attach my hungry son.

I glance up into Brady’s green eyes, and he says, “Watching this is the most amazing thing. Just when I think I couldn’t love you any more, you do something to make me fall deeper.”

I reach my hand out to him and think about how when he was holding Audrey earlier I felt the same way. “I know what you mean.”

A memory of Marion and Richard being here last week comes to me. They stopped by to see the babies and bring presents. I watched my mother holding them, and it made me soften up enough to invite her back this afternoon.

Little Everett sighs because he’s had his fill, and I sigh too.

Brady brings me Connell for the exchange and says, “Next.” He grins at me as he takes Everett away to change his diaper.

I wonder if I’m being fair to Marion. I’m still bitter that she left me and my father, whom she claimed was the love of her life. She says it was because when her father died she became the alpha for the Robichaux clan and she had no choice. She said to bring us with her would have been too dangerous.

While I can’t imagine choosing the clan over my child, I do understand how she had no other option. Humans in the werebear world are vulnerable, and it was best that she let others believe she didn’t care about us. The Veilleux could have easily used my father and me to gain power over the Robichaux clan. But how could she forget about Al and me and move on to start a new family within a couple years? I can’t imagine what it would be like to have children with anyone but Brady.

My husband gives me Audrey, and he says, “Your mother will be here soon.”

“Was I thinking loud enough for you to hear?”

“A bit.” He kneels down so our faces are close. “I think you should give her a chance. She loves you the way we love our children.”

“But—”

Brady shakes his head. “Ask her how she and Richard ended up together. Her answer might surprise you.”

I believe Marion loves me. I just wish I could get past my feeling of abandonment and the idea that I was replaced so easily. I force a smile. “Okay. I’ll try.”

***

A
fter I finish feeding
the babies, I make my way to the bathroom to figure out how to look more presentable. I’m not too concerned about the baggy clothes I’ll wear until my body recovers, but I need to do something with my hair.

Brady has taken the triplets downstairs, and the aroma of coffee brewing, blended with Annie’s fresh-baked cookies, floats up to me. I clip my hair up and let strands fall around my face so the mahogany color emphasizes my blue eyes instead of my sleep-deprived pallor. I may be exhausted, but it won’t hamper my duty to the clan, my mate, and my children.

As I make my way down the stairs, I listen to the conversation Annie and Brady are having.

Annie says, “Meghan is the perfect choice. She’s miserable working at the doctor’s office, and a few hours a day with the babies would make her happy.”

Brady’s voice rings out. “I think it’s a great idea. Carly deserves time for herself. She’s so much more than a mother, and I won’t let her forget it.”

I enter the kitchen to their expectant faces. “What are you two up to?”

Annie’s curls bounce on her shoulders with her excitement. “You’ve met my friend Meghan, the one that was a nanny?”

I grin and ask, “The one that can’t seem to stay away from human men?”

Annie cuts a quick glance at Brady, and he smiles as if he already knows the gossip. She says, “Yeah. Anyway, she’s been working for Dr. Reynolds and misses being around kids. She asked if you’d like some help.”

“Oh.” I know Annie doesn’t think I’m incapable of taking care of my children, but I need a moment to think about it. “I suppose that would be nice.”

Time to myself? “What would I do with free time, though?”

The weight of Brady’s hands lands on my shoulders. “Draw. Maybe open a small tattoo parlor?”

“Really?” Suddenly the idea of working at something I used to love appeals to me. “Are you sure you want me to get back into that?”

“I want you to be happy. You’re a creative person, and you haven’t had the opportunity to nurture that lately.”

Sierra’s laughter flashes in my mind. Longing for my best friend tugs at my heart. “I like the sound of this. Maybe Sierra would want to join me.”

Annie’s face lights up, and she hands me a mug of coffee. “Yes! Oh, goodness, that girl could use a welcome distraction in her life.” Her brow furrows, and I know she’s thinking about how Victor still haunts Sierra’s thoughts. “I don’t think working with Keith has the charm it used to.”

Marion’s car coming up the drive rumbles softly, and Brady says, “Then it’s settled. You two work it out.”

He walks toward the front door to let my mother in while I send a quick message to Sierra.
“Hey, you need to get you and your sketch pad over here to see me later. I’ve got a crazy idea, and I know you’ll want in.”

“What? Tell me!”

“Can’t. Marion’s here. But I’ll give you a hint. Tattoos.”

“Oh my God. Best news ever. Can’t wait to see you!”

I’m grinning when I stand to greet Marion. She says, “You look fabulous. Motherhood becomes you.” Marion leans in to exchange air kisses.

“Thank you for looking past my frumpiness.”

Marion shakes her head as Annie hands her a cup of coffee. “Thank you, Annie.” She turns her attention back to me. “I don’t care about your physical shape or clothing. I care about you, and right now your happiness is what I see.”

She turns to Brady. “Are you sleeping well?”

“Not bad. We have Annie, and she pulls my night duty for me so I get enough rest for work.”

Marion nods. “Good.”

“Speaking of which, I need to go.” Brady plants a quick kiss on my cheek. “Love you.”

The living room looks like a day care center, with three colorful contraptions called baby play gyms on the floor. A trio of portable bassinets contain my children where the coffee table used to be. Marion looks over at them, and I guess she’d like to hold one. Annie excuses herself so I can be alone with my mother.

I say, “They’ll wake up soon.” I want to get her talking about her past, so I add, “You know how that is.”

“I do. You were such an easy baby.” She touches Everett’s feet. “Al and I spent a lot of time watching you sleep.”

I recall this morning with Brady. “Did you do that with Richard too?”

Marion tilts her head at me, and I wonder what she’s thinking. She says, “Yes, but it wasn’t the same.”

She reaches for a cookie and takes a bite while she speaks telepathically.
“Richard was a marriage of convenience. I needed heirs for the clan, and he was a pleasant man with the charm to help me be a good leader.”

Marion touches my arm.
“I’ve learned to love him, and we have a good life.”

I take a sip of my coffee and find it’s only tepid. I wonder if I would have ended up with a lukewarm marriage if I hadn’t been called to Brady. I swirl the brown liquid in my mug.

I get up for a refill and bring the pot over to my mother. She says, “
Someday you need to meet your brother and sister. They make my marriage worth it.”

Audrey lets out the telltale squawk that will soon be a cry, and I imagine how it’s possible to focus your love toward your children instead of the man you married for political reasons.
“I’d like to meet them. I’ll bet they’re curious about me, too.”

Marion’s smile barely turns up the corners of her mouth when she replies.
“They are.”

I lean over the bassinet and lift the squirming bundle of energy that is my daughter, and I hand her to Marion to hold. Two of my babies are alphas, and I wonder if I’ll know which they are over time.
I ponder if either of my siblings would have been the next Robichaux alpha if I hadn’t come to Maine. Brady told me that alpha abilities become clear at puberty, but I don’t know if more than one child in a generation can be an alpha. I ask, “Would either of them have been the alpha if I hadn’t come?”

Marion shakes her head. “No.”

“What would have happened?”

“If you hadn’t come to us, I would have come to you. Once we discovered neither of the twins were able to take over the clan, I knew it had to be you.”

Marion rocks Audrey as she speaks to her with loving words. I imagine what it must have been like for my sister and brother to go through puberty watching each other to see who would grow up to be alpha.

Connell lets out a scream of hunger, jarring me from my thoughts. I reach for him and think about how my siblings grew up thinking the Robichaux clan was their legacy. And now I’m here to take it all away.

L
ily

T
he first thing
I see is Victor’s green eyes as he says, “My darling, how do you feel?”

My breathing quickens as reality slaps me in the face. I clench my hands into fists and pull against the restraints he used to cuff me to the bed. I don’t know what the hell just happened to me, but it must have had something to do with Victor’s bite.

A strange sensation of something rippling along my skin makes me glance down at my arm. Hair is poking out and are those—

A scream erupts from my mouth as Victor’s hand clamps down over it to quiet me.

I’m not sure how I know it, but I have huge, sharp teeth, and I tear into the flesh of his palm. The metallic flavor of blood coats my tongue, tempting me to rip a chunk off before he removes his hand.

He shakes his head. “Careful, that doesn’t have quite the effect you’re going for.”

He lets out a low growl that makes my insides twinge with desire.
What the hell is wrong with me?
I thrash with muscles that are powerful, and the iron bed thumps on the floor with my efforts.

Victor gazes down at me with hooded eyes. “God, you’re sexy as a bear. And feisty too.” He licks his fingers to clean the blood.

“
What? I’m a bear?
” I try to scream again, but a roar rings in my ears as fear grips my heart. Then I realize the noise came from me. “
What’s happening?
”

Strong hands move down my chest, igniting desire I don’t want to feel. Words sound in my mind, and I know they’re Victor’s. “
You’re a werebear and my true mate. Just wait until you find out what that means.” Hot breath makes the hair on my neck rise, and he whispers, “My darling.
”

“
No! I must be hallucinating.”

“You’re not. Now try to calm down so you can shift back.”

“Shift? What the fuck is going on?”

Victor sighs. “Such strong language isn’t becoming of you. Breathe deeply and relax so I can have my sweet Lily back.”

Tears prick at my eyes, and I glance down my body to see a blurry version of an animal body I somehow inhabit.
“I don’t understand. What is going on?”

“I’ll explain everything once you do as I ask. Please, calm down. Visualize your human body so you can become one again.”

I close my eyes and inhale deeply. As I slowly blow out air, I focus on a relaxation technique I learned in school. I picture a beach and imagine lying on warm sand as the sun heats my body.

“Wonderful, it’s working. Keep breathing.”

I’m aware of Victor’s touch moving down my arm, and I open my eyes to see my skin is back to normal. I run my tongue over my teeth, and they feel human too. The cuff on my wrist clicks open as my husband’s voice soothes me. “You’re going to feel sore, but we heal quickly.”

I nod because I’m afraid words might not come out if I try to speak. I lie still as my hands and feet are released. Victor leans over me and whispers, “You’re even more beautiful now.” He kisses my cheek and rises up. Extending a hand to me, he says, “Come.”

I sit up and moan. Every inch of me hurts, and I’m reminded of the time my high school boyfriend decided I should learn to lift weights. I move slowly in case any muscle in my body wants to cramp up.

Waves crashing on the beach sound as if they are outside the door, and I glance around to find we’re still in the cabin. I’m still in the lovely quarters where Victor proposed to me and where we consummated our marriage the very next day. It should be too far away for me to hear the ocean, but somehow I do.

As I follow Victor across the room I take another deep breath and the musty smell of a forest floor fills my nostrils. I glance down, even though I know I’m not walking in dirt because my bare feet are aware of every tiny crevice in the wood below them.

“Is this some strange acid trip? Did I drink mushroom tea or something?”

Victor turns back to me and smiles. “No, darling, you’ve become something truly amazing.”

Once we enter the bathroom, he steps behind me and places his hands on my belly as we both gaze in the mirror. My eyes immediately dart to my fleshy stomach. It’s still round, but it appears to be something more enticing than the flab I usually see. My arms are muscular beneath a soft exterior, and I raise one to flex it. When I do, I notice my breasts are noticeably perkier. I’m still a curvy girl, but it’s as if I’ve been re-sculpted.

A smile creeps over my face, and I glance at Victor’s reflection to see his grin. He says, “Incredible, aren’t you?”

“What did you do to me?”

“I only fulfilled your destiny. You were born with the ability to become a werebear, and I made it happen.”

Flashes of the bear in my dreams come back to me, and I recall the black bear I saw on the side of the road the day I arrived in Maine. Pieces of an odd puzzle are slipping into place as I turn to face him. “What exactly is a werebear?”

Victor traces the edge of my arm lightly, and I’m hyperaware of his touch. “You’re a shape-shifter. As both bear and human you can switch back and forth between the two forms at will.”

“So my increased perception of things around me is from my bear side?”

Victor nods. “And when you’re in animal form you have human thoughts and abilities.” He smiles, and without moving his mouth, his voice sounds in my head.
“You also have the ability to communicate with me telepathically. That’s because you’re my true mate.”

I think words I want him to hear.
“Can I talk to anyone else this way?”

“No. This is just for us.”

Victor reaches past me and the spigots of a large claw-foot tub squeak as he turns them. Water rushes out, and I flinch at the thunderous noise.

“Soak in the bath, and I’ll get you some breakfast. There’s so much for you to discover in your new world.”

I take a shaky breath, wondering just what that means. This isn’t exactly what I thought I was getting by marrying Victor. I’m not sure if I like it.
How could you do this without asking me?

“Taste me, Lily, and tell me this isn’t what you want.”

He takes me in a kiss that makes my senses reel as his flavor floods my mouth. His scent invades my body, and his touch reaches into me, making me feel more than I knew possible. When my husband breaks away, I’m trembling with a need to have him. Suddenly I’m glad to be a werebear.

Victor’s grin appears slowly as a small growl rumbles through him. “Well?”

“Am I feeling this because we’re true mates?”

He moves his hands down my hair and holds my face. “Yes. And this is only the beginning of what lies ahead.”

I let a coy smile turn up my lips. “I want to try something.”

Victor chuckles and hands me a washcloth. “Yes, I bet you do. But you need to heal first to truly enjoy it.”

I pout, and Victor tilts his head with a stern look as if he’s placating a small child.

“We’ll see how you feel tonight.” His face warms as he winks. “Besides, the anticipation burning through you all day will make it so much better, don’t you think?”

Victor walks out the door before I can answer, and I think maybe I’ll just relieve my urge when I’m in the tub.

His voice in my head interrupts me.
“Don’t you dare touch yourself. I want you aching for me.”

I flush, thinking I must have communicated the thought.
“You’re an evil man.”

“Lily, my darling, you have no idea.”