The Bond: Bound to the Bear (BBW Paranormal Erotic Romance) (Mates of the Walkers Book 1) (2 page)

CHAPTER TWO

When she finally reached the little house by the bubbling river, the sun had almost set. Missy was breathless and her clothes were soaked in sweat from rushing down the hillside as fast as she had, constantly on the verge of falling over her own feet and tumbling the rest of the way down. She inhaled deeply a bit away from the front porch of the cabin, trying to catch her breath. Last thing she wanted was to upset or frighten someone living there with the sight of a disheveled, out of breath woman, who looked a bit worse for wear. Missy unclasped the latch that held her heavy backclan over her chest and allowed it to slide off her shoulders and onto the ground slowly. She groaned deeply as she finally managed to straighten up to her full height and stretch – by far the best part of a hiking day was when the bag came off at the end of it.

She had just extended her arms over her head and reached for the sky, when the door to the house flung open. Startled, Missy froze in place, her blue eyes going wide as the owner stepped out, his heavy boots thudding against the smooth wood of the deck. When she recognized who it was, she lowered her hands and smiled widely. Caleb stood before her, looking a lot less dumbfounded than she had expected him to. Her eyes rowed over his big body, his broad chest and the plaid shirt thrown over it making him look like the most delicious lumberjack she had ever seen. His jeans were worn and clung to him just right, his broad palms thrust into his pockets. The gaze of his brown eyes upon her made her stutter and choke on her words again, Missy not managing to find the sentences she had been trying to construct for the past several days.

Caleb didn’t say a word as he walked off of the porch and covered the distance between himself and Missy with a few long strides, barreling down upon her like a demon was chasing him. Before she could react, he had drawn her into his warm embrace and kissed her deeply on the lips, his hot tongue dipping into her mouth. Missy’s mind went blank as she felt him push her against him, holding her there securely and lifting her up on her tip-toes to kiss her better. Her eyes closed and her mouth responded to his need, tasting his leathery taste. His musky scent filled her nostrils, making her head spin even more than it already was. She grabbed him by the arms hungrily, disappearing into his grasp. Missy felt insignificantly small in his embrace, as if she was just a little girl next to him at her 5’10’’ height.

The kiss seemed to last forever and when the man eventually pulled away from her, she felt that it ended much too soon. Her chest was rising and falling heavily, her cheeks lit with a blush that was more than just exertion from the climbing. His hands still grasped her firmly, locking on the small of her back and keeping her against his chiseled chest and abs without room to wriggle free. Not that she would have wanted to. His brown eyes were even more mesmerizing from that close, making her mind immediately fall to ease. She could spend hours just looking at his rugged features and running her hands through his sandy hair. The silence lingered between them until she felt that it was really time to say something, lest she never say a word to him.

“Hi,” she managed, her voice soft and delicate and so unlike what it usually was.

His lips broke into a wide grin, small dimples appearing on his cheeks. It took all she had to keep herself from lunging at him and drawing his delicious lips into another kiss.

“Hey yourself,” he said, squeezing her a bit tighter. She could feel a wave of relief flush through her, his voice allowing all of the tension that had built in her since she saw him last to flood out of her. Missy giggled, her laughter light and airy. She pressed herself against him tighter and nuzzled her head into his chest, feeling like she had known the man for just about forever instead of the few minutes they had truly shared. It felt weird and wonderful at the same time, to be so consumed by a sense of oneness with someone else and to be so sure all of a sudden that he would never hurt her and do everything in his power to keep her safe.

They stood there for a few more moments, the sun dropping behind the heavy mountains, before Caleb gave a sigh. He inhaled deeply, smelling Missy’s familiar scent. It had been making rounds in his memories for months now and it was a pleasant respite to all his worrying to have her in his arms. He had been so sure that she would come, but he hadn’t allowed himself to hope for it. The bond between a werebear and his mate was a fragile thing before they had mated, even if it took just a few moments for both of them to feel the ties binding them to each other. Caleb’s hands slowly stroked up and down the length of her back, twisting through her long hair when he reached her shoulders. He wanted to touch and experience every little piece of her, all her nooks and curves, but he knew he had to be patient. They would have a lot of time together, if they both played it right.

He had waited for her for a long time. His clan was small and werebears, unlike werewolves, had never managed to build into great numbers. It was made more difficult by the fact that not every bear found his mate. The bond was only struck when two souls collided and many of his kin had spent years wandering the lands in search for their betrothed one, including his younger brothers Callum and Colden. He had been like them until he met Missy. Caleb knew he couldn’t urge her on too aggressively to admit their connection and when he had caught the vile thief trying to hurt her, he had feared that all hope had been lost. His bear was mighty and savage and it didn’t take much to scare a human, so he was all the more overjoyed that the woman of his dreams had come to his doorstep. He hadn’t dared make the next move himself, sure that he would frighten her once more, but the bond had held true and led her to him instead.

“We should go inside, it’ll get cold soon,” he said, forcing down the erection that had been steadily growing since he had laid eyes on her in the middle of his kingdom. She nodded slightly, the blush still clinging to her cheeks, and he didn’t need further allowance. His strong hands scooped her up into his arms and pressed her against his chest like she weighed nothing at all. Caleb spun around on his heel and carried Missy into his cabin, her eyes big as platters as she clung to the front of his shirt. It was as if no one had ever carried her like the tiny little damsel she was to him – preposterous, if you were to ask Caleb.

CHAPTER THREE

Caleb slammed the door shut behind him with a swift kick of his boot. Shut off from the rest of the world, he sunk down onto the wide leather couch in front of the stone fireplace, his prize safely tucked away in his arms. Missy’s eyes darted around the spacious accommodations, the wooden walls lined with a few pictures and mementos. A thick rug covered the floor in front of the couch and a small but efficient kitchen area was partitioned off with a kitchen island. It all looked carefully chosen and meticulously built, as if he had had a lot of time to ponder over all of it. Rustic, manly, but very homey. She felt immediately at ease, though the warmth of his body and the thickness that kept rubbing against under her thighs as she sat on his lap might have added to that.

“I was beginning to fear you wouldn’t come, Missy,” he said finally, allowing himself to lean against the plush backrest and sink into the depths of the sofa with his girl in his arms. Missy raised her head from his shoulder to look at him better, her head still spinning from the welcome closeness between them.

“I wasn’t sure if I’d seen what I’d seen…” she said carefully, letting her words trail off. Missy couldn’t hide the expectancy in her expression, hoping for the man to confirm her words without having to spell it all out herself. She still felt a little awkward about all of it, even despite the passionate welcome she had received. Her sex demanded to be taken and it took all her self-control not to straddle the man, but she knew they had to sort things out before getting to the fun part of it all.

“You weren’t sure you saw me turning into a bear, you mean?” he asked, laughter thinly veiled by his words. She nodded, starting to smile.

“Yes, that.” Caleb took a deep breath and allowed the smile to linger on his lips. Only his clan had ever known who he really was, but there was no doubt in his mind that he had found his better half now. He had nothing to fear from telling her the truth and she seemed more than ready to accept it.

“I’m a werebear.” He watched her for a reaction, but all he could see was relief rushing over her features. They both seemed to exhale at the same time and a smile tinted Missy’s features. She snuggled up closer to him, sinking into his big lap and reveling in his presence.

“Oh thank lord, I thought I was going crazy.”

Caleb chuckled and ran his fingers through her hair lazily, letting the strands flow through his palm. She smelled intoxicating and with the obstruction of his inner beast set aside, he was finding it harder and harder to ignore his throbbing erection. Missy had to be well-aware of it, as it was pretty difficult to miss at that point.

“No, you’re not. I was waiting for you to finish up so I could ask you out, but before I could find the words, you were attacked. I didn’t mean to frighten you, but I felt the connection with you and seeing you in danger just made me lose control.” He sighed, inwardly cursing the bear that was such a big part of him and that sometimes didn’t listen to reason when it should have. “I think you’re the one I’ve been looking for all this time and you following our bond to find me proves that.” His soulful brown eyes drilled into her, dying to know how she felt. The strong, unbeatable man was reduced to soft hopes and dreams and his fate rested in Missy’s delicate hands. It made her stomach flutter with a million butterflies, seeing him look at her like that.

Missy leant forward and kissed him, drawing out the connection of their lips as long as she could and holding back the boiling lust that threatened to tumble forward.

“I think you’re the one I’ve needed too,” she said, her voice trembling with excitement. Their eyes locked and it was settled then and there. She would never be in danger again, not as long as Caleb had a breath and a pulse. Both the man and bear would protect her to the bitter end and she would not hurt for love. Missy was his now and he Missy’s, the bond strengthened by their mutual need and sacrifices. He kissed her again, never seeming to drink his fill from her ruby lips as the hunger seemed only to grow. Missy shifted in his lap, throwing one knee across his strong thighs and straddling him. Her hands quickly went to undo his buttons and push the shirt down his shoulders, Missy letting out a groan at the sight of his chiseled chest. She ran her fingers down his front, enjoying the slight tingle of the hairs on his chest brushing against her fingertips, until they rested on his wide silver buckle.

Missy looked up at him, feeling tiny before the powerful bear of a man, and he nodded breathlessly. When she unclasped his belt, his hands ripped off her shirt and buried his face into her neck and chest, kissing and licking wherever he went. The hook on her bra was released without Missy paying conscious attention and she couldn’t get the lacy thing off of herself fast enough. Caleb sucked one of her nipples into his mouth and made her twist and shudder with ecstasy, the small peaks hardening into taut nubs under his expert touch. His hands roamed freely across her body, leaving hot streaks wherever he ventured and appreciating her voluptuous curves.

His warm mouth and tongue felt like heaven on her breasts and she could barely concentrate enough to unzip his jeans. Missy reached a hand down and slipped it under the folds of his boxers, biting her lip as her palm brushed against his enormous shaft. She grasped it firmly and they both moaned from the wanted contact, Missy pressing herself tighter against him. Her hand stroked him up and down slowly, going down to the very base of his thick cock.

How will it ever fit,
she questioned in her mind, but found that she didn’t particularly care at that point. She was so wet at the thought of being taken by him that details and trifling pain seemed like a distant thing to worry herself with.

Missy’s thumb rubbed across the head of his rod and she felt him shudder beneath her, his cock pulsing with desire. Caleb had undone her pants and was now pressing them down her hips, revealing the edge of her red thong. It had seemed a bit silly at the time, but she had taken to wearing nice lingerie since the moment she felt she was getting closer to finding him. While she had never expected things to move this quickly, she had never the less been prepared for the possibility. He grinned wickedly at the sight of it and grabbed her by her ass, flipping Missy down on the couch. Caleb stepped out of his jeans, standing before her as a picture of masculine strength. Her breath caught in her chest as she gazed upon his naked form, carved to perfection, and his thick, long cock. She wetted her lips and caught his eye, a twinkle of amusement shining back at her. Before she could say a word, he had descended upon her and ripped off her pants and panties, leaving them in a pile with her boots and shirt.

Being naked in front of any man had always made her feel a bit self-conscious about her inviting curves and luscious form, but not with Caleb. He drank in the sight of her and enjoyed every bit of it, the excitement clearly evident on him. When he plunged closer, parting her knees so he may lean in and kiss her, she yielded to his need easily. The feel of his muscular body upon her softness was a delicious contrast and the two wrapped against one another, forgetting all about their worries and fears. Caleb trekked down the length of her body slowly, until dipping between her legs. The red curls that hid her sex were moist at the ends, her excitement getting the best of her. When his tongue lashed across her clit and wet folds, she thought she would come right then and there.