ROMANCE: Awakened by the Alpha Bear (Werebear Fantasy Billionaire Romance) (New Adult Contemporary Alpha Male Bear Shapeshifter Paranormal Romance Short Stories)) (30 page)

Chapter Eight

Bronte
took her back to the mansion. The place they’d spent that unforgettable night.
First, it was the party, where their eyes never left each other, and then… she
pushed it out of her mind as he took her to the same room she’d stayed in last
Friday.

“Don’t
worry. You are safe here,” he told her, placing her bag inside the door.

She
nodded and looked at him with moisture brimming her eyes. It was scary, the
eyes, she could not shut them from her mind and the feeling that overwhelmed
her before. It was as if she was suffocating. What was it?

Bronte
was pulling her into his arms and stroking her hair, “I’m here. Nothing will
harm you here.”

“What
was it, with yellow eyes? It disappeared when I turned the lights on, but I
could feel it suffocating me!” She cried, wrapping her arms around his waist
and resting her head on his shoulder.

They
stayed like that for a while until she calmed down. Then, he took her to the
bed and tucked her under the covers. He was making a move to leave when she
grabbed his hand.

“Stay,”
she whispered.

“I’ll
go make sure all the windows and doors are secure, and I’ll be right back,” he
told her gently.

First,
he checked the French doors leading onto the balcony, then her windows. They
were all secure. He rapidly checked the door and windows downstairs, only for
her peace of mind. He was back in the room in less than five minutes.

“All
secure,” he reassured her, lying on the bed beside her.

He knew
that it was Hilda. She only showed up when he got close to a woman. This time,
she seemed very persistent, and he knew that it was because he was in love with
Silene. It seemed that Hilda still felt that he belonged to her.

He
feared that this time she would hurt Silene for a certainty and his mission was
to prevent that. If it meant never seeing her beautiful smile again, or never
touching her again, it was a sacrifice he was willing to do to keep her safe.

He held
her until she fell asleep, but his mind was working overtime trying to figure
out what to do. Maybe Professor George would have some answers. The man was
eighty three years old, but didn’t look a day over sixty. His mind was as sharp
as ever, and he always had some great advice for Bronte. Of a truth, over the
years, the professor became like a father to him, and he was grateful that he’d
met him.

He was
up at dawn while she was still asleep. He left a note for her that a driver would
take her to the office or wherever she needed to go, but she could stay in if
she wanted. Luckily, he had shares in a private jet or he would have had to
book a commercial flight to Boston.

Professor
George was happy to see him as usual. He was still in his office at the
University where he was now the head of the Theology Department, had been for
over thirty years. He’d reached retirement ten years ago but refused to sit
still. He still lectured special courses and was still researching Bronte’s
case. They small talked for a while; however, the professor was a keen man and
knew something was wrong.

“Tell
me the real reason you’re here this time,” the old man stated.

“She’s
back,” was Bronte’s reply.

“I
suppose you’re in a relationship,” the professor stated. “She always leaves
after a few weeks. Why concern yourself this time around?”

“It’s
different,” at this reply the professor’s eyes narrow, then he slowly shook his
head.

“I see.
You’re in love with this one,” he said as if he was suddenly enlightened.

“Hilda
won’t let this one go. I fear she may hurt Silene,” Bronte replied, for the
first time in a long time feeling helpless.

“Where
have I heard that name before?”

“I
haven’t visited you since I met her, so it can’t be from me,” Bronte observed.

Professor
George shook his head, “What do you plan to do?”

“I
haven’t quite figured it out yet, but I have no intention of letting that witch
hurt Silene,” Bronte replied seriously.

“I
can’t shake the feeling that I’ve heard the name Silene before. It’s certainly
not a common name, so it could not have been just in passing,” The professor
said, and then he asked. “I suppose she’s very beautiful?”

“Very
beautiful,” he replied, thinking that she was also as delicate as the flowers
in his garden, but he held back, not wanting the old man to think him cheesy.
“I’ll see you soon. I have a feeling I’ll be seeing you a lot more frequently,
until I decide what to do.”

“You be
careful. No matter how much you’ve learned to live with that creature, there is
a possibility that he may someday control your actions and there is no turning
back,” Professor George advised. “You can never allow rage or wrath for that
woman to control you, or the dragon will win.”

He left
Boston with a lot on his mind. Professor George had given him something to
think about. He wondered if allowing the dragon to control him was such a bad
idea. Perhaps that would be the ultimate way to defeat the witch and keep
Silene safe. Then again, that wrath the Professor warned him about could
destroy him and where would that leave her?

“No,
there has to be another way,” he told himself as he drove home that evening.

Silene
was waiting for him with dinner she’d prepared. She seemed more relaxed now, so
he supposed that Hilda hadn’t showed up. It wasn’t like her to show up during
daylight anyway, so Silene would have been safe. He was glad he was able to
return before nightfall so she would not be alone.

“What
have we here?” He asked, putting his briefcase down and pulled her in his arms.
“How was your day?”

“It was
okay. I didn’t feel like going to the office, so I did some work here. I made
dinner. I hope you don’t mind,” she replied.

“Where’s
Henry?” He asked about the butler.

“I
wanted to do something for you so I told him to take the evening off. Of course
he’s still around somewhere. At least, he allowed me to use the kitchen,” was
her response.

* * * * *

“I let
you live because I want to see you suffer, Lord Bronte. I will make you suffer
until the world comes to an end,” the witch said.

“How
are you going to achieve that? You thought I’d have been suffering by now, but
look at me, I’m a happy man,” Bronte retorted.

They
faced each other in the far garden of his property. It was pat 2 AM, and Silene
had finally drifted off to sleep after drinking some warm milk and honey. Hilda
had changed bodies again. As Bronte looked at her, no matter how beautiful the
body of the woman she possessed was, the woman became cold and ugly. There was
no beauty in Hilda and she made everything in her path die.

She
laughed, a shrill laugh that made his blood run cold, but he was long past
being scared of her, three centuries long.

“No,
Hilda, you cannot kill me. I have defied you by accepting who you made me to
be,” he said, quite calmly.

A
piercing scream erupted from her, and within a few seconds, wings pushed
themselves from her back and her head changed into the shape of a reptile. Her
body looked like a woman except that it had scales and a tail.

Bronte
closed his eyes and when he opened them he had become that thing which Hilda
had forced him to be. His presence filled the garden, and in comparison to
Hilda, he was a monstrous being. His large wings seemed to swallow up the trees
and shrubs in the garden. The reptilian head and a resemblance to the man he
was. The muscular arms and thighs were made more powerful by his
transformation.

She
lunged at him and with his right wing, he slapped her away. She landed in one
of his azalea bushes. That didn’t seem to affect her, and she was back at him
in a rush. This time, they were tangled together, rolling in the grass, much
like the night of the party.

That
night, after Silene had drifted off to sleep, he knew she was watching and had
gone onto the balcony. There she was, a female dragon waiting in the shadows,
her hatred was almost tangible.

“We
meet again,” he greeted with a grin, still happy from being with Silene.

The
witch dragon had lunged, but he was prepared, grabbing her and lifting himself
off the balcony, landing onto the grass below.

“This
is why you will never experience what humans experience Hilda, you’re filled
with hate,” he’d told her. But she was having none of that. She charged at him
once more and they entangled, but Bronte was far superior, his protective
instinct for Silene made him much more formidable than her. When she felt his
strength, and that she could not defeat him, she detangled herself and flew
away.

It was
similar tonight, except that she was not giving up. Her rage had gotten the
best of her, and it gave her added strength to fight with the Dragon Master she
herself had created. This was different for Hilda. She knew that if she did not
destroy either Silene of Bronte, she would be destroyed soon. She was fighting
for her existence.

Briefly,
they detangled and bounced around each other, the way roosters would dance
around each other before pouncing. Bronte waited for her to make the first move
and she did, attacking with all her strength. That wasn’t enough. One swipe of
his powerful arms sent her reeling about a hundred feet or more across the
spacious gardens.

He was
getting ready to finish off Hilda when his extra sensitive hearing picked up
her voice. She was calling him while Hilda had recovered and came at him again.
He extended his claws and as Hilda lunged at him again, he swiped her across
the cheek, rendering her lifeless.

He knew
she wasn’t dead, that this was just a setback for her and she would soon
recover. But at least, it bought him some time. He closed his eyes, and when he
opened them, he was Bronte again. Hurriedly, he made it up the balcony and into
her room. She was sitting up in bed, scared.

“What’s
the matter?” He asked, sitting on the bed beside her.

“It was
here. I could feel it in my sleep!”

He
pulled her in his arms and comforted her, “I’m here. I won’t let anything
happen to you.”

“Don’t
leave me, please stay with me.”

He was
concerned for her. At no time did he ever want a woman to be enmeshed in this
messy business. But he could not very well turn his back on the woman he cared
about. She was more precious to him than his own existence. Only, he could not
tell her what he was for fear of scaring her away.

He
wondered if being close to her was a good idea. Maybe Hilda would leave her
alone if he went away somewhere far and promised never to see her again. As he
held her, he knew that was the best solution, but for tonight he’d be there.
Whatever she wanted, he would do.

“I
won’t leave you,” his soothing voice uttered in her ear.

Chapter Nine

Her
back was snuggled against him and it was driving her mad. She could feel the
strength of him protecting her and his cock pressing into her buttocks. He was
fast asleep. She could hear his even breathing, but he was very erect and her
secret place felt moist and hot.

Trying
to wriggle out of his grasp was only making her more aroused, and she didn’t
want to awaken him either. She closed her eyes and tried to still her racing
pulses, only to feel his hand gently kneading her breast, and then it stopped.
Was he awake or asleep? She wondered. She turned her head slowly, trying not to
wake him, until she could see his face. He was asleep.

She
twisted the rest of her body until she was fully facing him. His breath fanned
her face and she inhaled his musky scent. He appeared so boyish and innocent
when he slept, his long lashes brushed his cheek, and she had the urge to reach
out and touch them.

Silene’s
heart thudded wildly as she looked at Bronte while he slept. His lips slightly
opened, letting out a light snore. Unable to resist any longer, she slowly
leaned forward and placed a light kiss on his pink lips.

“Hmm,”
she heard him murmur in his sleep.

She
huddled closer until her breasts were touching his chest and his cock was
pressing into her belly. This movement awakened him and his eyes flickered
open.

“I
thought I was dreaming,” he said lazily.

She
leaned over and kissed him again, this time her lips lingering longer. He
flipped and she was on her back with him on top. “What are you doing to me
woman?” he asked She could feel his heartbeat matching hers.

“I-I-I…,”
she began. She didn’t know how to tell him that she wanted to feel his cock
inside her.

He was
lifting her shirt and reaching between her thighs. She responded by wrapping
her legs around him and kissing him again. “Are you sure?” He asked.

“Yes,
and I can’t wait!” She finally blurted out.

He
parted her lace panties and touched her clit. A gush of fluid escaped her and
Bronte plunged his finger inside her, feeling her extreme wetness.

“Bronte,
now, please!” She begged.

There
were no clothes removed, just her inhibitions about being with her boss. It was
like she was enlightened somehow, that this was fated, and there was nothing
she could do about it. She felt, for the first time since meeting Bronte, that
she could love him freely, without feeling guilty as an employee.

He
entered her, sliding into her hungrily. Her walls closed around him, lovingly
embracing him. It was an urgent moment as their bodies rocked together with
their own music. Every thrust of his huge cock inside her awakened her, setting
her nerves on end. Her entire body felt like it was on fire.

She had
been holding back, waiting for him, and when she felt him grow bigger inside
her, she gripped him tightly, finally letting go. Her orgasm made her limbs
weak as every fiber in her body melted at that moment.

* * * *

He entered
her from behind while the warm water trickled over their bodies. Taking a
shower had never been so hot. He’d followed her in the bathroom after their
morning quickie and surprised her by lathering her body, lingering in places
that were super sensitive to his touch. His lips and his hands did the
exploring and caressing, awakening her desire once again.

“What
are you doing?” She asked as his slippery hands slid over her breasts.

“Making
love to you, what else?” He answered with hooded eyes and a coy smile.

“You’re
making me weak for you,” she breathed, with her back against the stone tiles of
the shower.

He
stepped closer, his hands still on her breasts, then he captured her lips.
Their kiss was long and wet, with tongues entwining and stroking until they
were both breathless. Then, he twirled her around and gripped her hips, pulling
her ass up against his groin. He entered here tightness, pushing insider her
hot flesh.

She
pushed away from him and stood. “Not so fast mister,” she turned and faced him
with a smile of her own. “Now, it’s my turn.”

Bronte’s
eyes widened in surprise and his mouth fell open as Silene pushed him back
against the wall of the shower stall. She cupped his shaft in her palm and
pressed her lips against his nipples, hearing him suck in his breath.

“That
will teach you to hijack me in the shower!” She teased, sliding her hands over
his hard manhood while swirling her tongue around his nipple.

“Punish
me some more, my queen,” he urged.

Her
lips were trailing kisses along his torso, moving downward to his pelvis. When
she stooped and reached his protruding manhood, she lifted her head and looked
into his smoldering eyes, before sticking out her tongue and licking the tip.
She felt it bounce each time she touched it with her tongue and she liked that.
With her free hand, she reached between her thighs and rubbed her clit with her
index finger bringing her to complete arousal.

He was
gritting his teeth, and she hadn’t even taken in him as yet. She decided to
prolong the punishment and reached under his balls, placing her index and ring
finger on that muscle between his anus and balls, pressing ever so slightly.

She
felt him grip her head and groaned. “Gosh woman!” He growled.

Without
further delay, she slid her lips along the length of his manhood, took him
fully in her mouth until she felt him buck against the back of her throat. He
was throbbing violently in her mouth and she knew he was near.

Swiftly
retracting her mouth, she stood and bent over, reaching between, grabbing his
throbbing manhood and guiding it into her hot, wet sex. She began rubbing her
clit once more as Bronte grabbed her hips and thrust hard into her. She felt
him pulsate with his release into her just as she exploded from within.

“Aaahhh!”
He let out a moan.

“Ah, ha,
ha, ha haaaaaa!” Her final release came in unison with him.

The
cell phone was vibrating, and Bronte did not wish to be disturbed. Their bodies
were still entangled from their passionate lovemaking. After the shower
‘incident’, they’d taken it to the bedroom in a long lazy session of foreplay.
He was considering going for a fourth round.

“It
could be important. You need to answer it,” Silene encouraged.

He
reluctantly reached over and picked up the phone from the night stand. “This is
Bronte,” he said into the phone.

“Hello?”
The voice replied.

“Professor,
is that you?”

“Yes, I
have something to discuss with you. You must come see me right away,” Professor
George said, his voice registering some urgency.

“Okay,
I’ll be there in a few hours,” Bronte replied.

“I’ll
be at home as it’s Saturday,” the professor said before hanging up.

He
sighed because he didn’t want to leave her alone. It was already late in the
afternoon, and he knew would not be back before nightfall. Hilda was
unpredictable, and there was no telling what she would do in his absence.

“Do you
want to take a trip with me?” He asked, propping himself on one elbow.

“Where?”
She asked with a smile.

“Boston.
I have to meet a Professor, but I’ll take you to Saks, so you can get anything
you need. I’ll come back for you and take you to dinner. Maybe we can spend the
night and come back in the morning. What do you say?”

“Sounds
great, but I’m into name brands. Saks is a little expensive for me,” she
protested.

“It’s
my treat, and there are local designers there too. Look, it’s not about the
brand, but about what looks good on you, so get whatever you like,” he told
her.

* * * * *

She was
bored on this Sunday morning. They’d come back from a wonderful night in
Boston, but he got called away on an emergency concerning one of his new
projects. A building collapsed, but no serious injuries. The men said the
building had passed inspection, and there was nothing wrong, so it must have
been sabotaged.

She’d
wanted to go with him, but he told her to stay and that he’d come back soon.
There was nothing to do by herself. She’d already walked the garden, but she
felt like the eyes were on her there. The only place she felt safe was actually
inside the mansion. The place seemed protected somehow, as if there was some
sort of invisible shield around it.

She
felt safe with Bronte, but she wondered where he went off to every night. He’d
put her to bed, but when she awoke in the middle of the night, he’d be gone. It
was strange how she would call his name and would suddenly appear, even though
she knew he wasn’t in the room.

The one
thing she hadn’t done, was explore his mansion, which looked more like a
castle. The moment she’d arrived there on the day of the party she’d fallen in
love with it, but had never seen much of it.

After
some time, she found what appeared to be his study. It was similar to his
office, with wall to wall book shelves. With awe, she walked in, and over to
one of the shelves that looked interesting. Some of the books there were made
from animal skin and some were parchment. She knew this from her grandfather
who loved old books. He’d taught her the difference between papyrus, modern
paper, and sheepskin.

As she
scanned the shelves, she noticed that one of them seemed out of place as if it
had shifted. She reached out and tried to push it back in place; however, it
swung, revealing a hidden passage. It didn’t surprise her because wealthier
people had some sort of hidden rooms in their houses.

Curiosity
got the better of her, and she pushed the shelf all the way back. There was a
staircase leading downwards right behind the secret door. It was dark, and she
hesitated about going down there, but something drew her. She didn’t know what,
whether it was her imagination or just curiosity, but she made the step.

“There
must be a light switch somewhere,” she said into the darkness, feeling along
the wall. “Eureka!’ she felt the switch and flipped it.

A light
flicked on and she saw that the steps were made of stone. The wall was almost
black and looked like it was naturally made out of the earth. Tentatively, she
followed the steps spiraling downwards, the way getting steeper.

“What
kind of basement is this? Is it some kind of dungeon?” She whispered.

Her
heart raced as she descended the steps, but she continued. After a long way
down, the steps tapered off into an open space. It was a damp, musty cave,
similar to what bears lived in. Venturing deeper into the cave, she saw a path
leading away from the steps. She followed it, wondering if perhaps it opened up
somewhere.

It was
dark, so she turned back after a few meters. She didn’t want to get lost in
there, but she did notice what seemed like large red scales all over the floor.
In one corner, there was a pile of what looked like horns or large teeth, but
she wasn’t sure. Silene didn’t know what to make of the cave. Was it some sort
of prehistoric site? She wondered.

She
returned to her room with suspicion slowly making its way through her mind. Was
the cave where he disappeared to every night? What were those scales and teeth?
Shouldn’t he be reporting this to someone? Why was it a secret? Suddenly, she
felt uneasy, as if there was something dangerous about the cave. She couldn’t
shake the feeling that this was not right. What was Bronte hiding from her?

She was
closing the secret door when a book fell out. Something about the book caught
her eye. It was handwritten and looked like a diary of some sorts. Only, it was
written on papyrus. Hesitantly, she took it up and opened it, anxiously
anticipating what she would find.