Bear Naked

So he gave her more, setting a bruising pace that would leave them both sore at the end.

“Oh, fuck. Fuck me, Rye.” She was moaning, taking what he gave her, lost in the pleasure of their coupling. He doubted she even realized when her head tilted, giving him access to her vulnerable neck.

Shuddering, Ryan took the invitation, sucking on her mating mark with all the hunger he’d felt when feasting on her.

Glory collapsed, crying out, so close even he could feel it. “Bite me!”

Ryan obeyed, sinking his fangs into his mate, marking her again.

Her whole body froze, her muscles locking around him in a vise grip that was so fucking tight, so good, Ryan followed her over the edge. The orgasm ripped through him, blinded him as he poured himself gladly into his mate.

“Shit.”

Glory’s gasped curse had him laughing weakly. “Tuckered you out, did I?”

She pushed a curl out of her face with a trembling hand. “The bed would be just right.”

Staggering, holding each other up, Ryan led his mate to the only place he really wanted to be.

Chapter Eighteen

“It’s simple. You’re going to try and find me, and I’m going to do my best not to be found.”

Glory shook her head. Barney sounded so sure of himself. The man had no idea how tenacious Ryan could be. He’d be found. She had no doubt of that. He couldn’t hide from someone like Ryan Williams, not for long.

“I’ll stay here and keep Glory safe.” Gabe, who’d come to Cynful with Barney, settled on the gray chaise. He pulled out a tablet PC, but instead of the video game she expected, he opened an e-book. “I swear I won’t go anywhere until you get back. Between Alex and me, Glory will be safe as a baby Grizzly in her den.”

“Thanks, man.” Ryan smiled, obviously relieved.

Glory should be used to Barney showing up in Ryan’s apartment unannounced, but today he’d startled them with the news that Ryan’s training would begin today. Nothing, not the threat to Glory or Ryan, Hope’s reappearance, or Ryan’s need to keep Glory in sight at all times, could persuade him that they needed to wait. As far as Barney was concerned, Ryan was already on a hunt, and that meant he needed training, badly. Glory had agreed, making it two against one. She wanted Ryan safe, and Barney could help him.

So despite Ryan’s reservations, Ryan and Barney would be leaving her alone for the day, relying on Gabe to make sure that the rogue Wolf did not get a hold of Glory.

“We’ve got it covered. Get on out of here, guys.” Bunny shooed both Barney and Ryan toward the door. “Go teach Ryan how not to get dead.”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny.” Ryan kissed the tip of Glory’s nose. “Do not leave the shop under any circumstances without Gabe or Bunny, you hear me?”

“Loud and clear.” Even with her new Bear abilities Glory didn’t feel safe. She was still more Goldilocks than anything else, and the thought of trying to face down the rogue Wolf made her want to hide under something, preferably Ryan. Tito Salazar would get what was coming to him, but not by Glory’s hand. Glory just hoped Salazar didn’t hurt anyone else before he was caught.

“Are you sure it’s safe for me to be here?”

Glory waved good-bye to Ryan before turning her attention to her twin. It had taken some persuasion, but Hope had agreed to come to Cynful with them that day. Glory had been ready to have Ryan just pick her up and put her in the car, but Gabe had stepped in and convinced Hope that it would be easier for him to keep track of the girls if they stayed together. Because the Hunter made Hope feel safe, she’d agreed. In fact, instead of staying with Max and Emma like they’d originally planned, Sarah had insisted that Hope stay with her and Gabe. The Omega wanted to be close to help Hope with the trauma she’d suffered, and Gabe had assigned sentries to keep watch over her and his house when he wasn’t there. While Glory couldn’t say Hope was thriving, she was at least beginning to put on some much-needed weight.

Hope had refused to leave the Anderson house for any reason, and Glory couldn’t blame her. But she wanted to spend a little time with her sister in an environment where they’d be fairly safe, and Hope had finally caved.

Hope had not agreed to let Faith and Temp know they had found her. Like Ryan, she wasn’t certain she trusted them anymore.

Her twin was still very skittish. Glory just hoped that, between Julian and Sarah, they’d be able to help her.

Glory finished buzzing down Hope’s hair, evening it out until it was a pink fuzz on top of her head. She wondered if she could convince her twin to dye it. A pretty sapphire blue would look stunning on her. “If Salazar shows up here he’s in for a surprise.” Glory hitched a thumb toward Alex. “He may look like a big old teddy bear, but he’ll rip the arms off of anyone who touches you.”

Hope didn’t look convinced, and Glory couldn’t blame her. Alex was busy chasing Tabby around the glass and wood counter, making kissy faces at his mate. He looked about as threatening as his nickname.

“Why does his cousin call him Bunny?”

“I can answer that.” Alex finally managed to catch Tabby and planted a wet kiss on her neck. “My cousins gave me that nickname because I hate fighting. After a while, they started calling me Bunny, and it stuck.”

“That’s not the whole story.” Tabby leaned back against Alex, who easily took her weight. “Alex has a cousin named Heather. She’s a Fox, and she works here now. When she was young, about twelve years old—”

“Ten. She was ten.” Alex looked extremely uncomfortable. The big Bear didn’t like being reminded of why he chose not to fight.

“She was a baby.” Tabby scowled, pissed on Heather’s behalf. “Anyway, about seven guys ganged up on her and tried to get her to change.”

“Shifters don’t change until puberty.” Gabe snarled, his book forgotten. He’d heard the story secondhand, and taken a liking to Heather when he finally met her. Even Sarah was careful around the shy little Fox, helping her come out of her shell.

“They were trying to force her into puberty.” And as someone who had almost been raped, Tabby was particularly upset on Heather’s behalf. “So Alex taught them the error of their ways.”

“I hurt them, maimed one of them permanently. I forced them to their knees and made them apologize.” Alex grimaced. “But instead of making Heather feel safer, she became afraid of me. She wouldn’t look at me, come near me or speak to me. She was terrified every time I was in the same room with her. I decided then and there that I didn’t want any of my family to be afraid of me ever again. I started to learn anger management techniques like yoga and meditation, and refused to fight at all unless it was absolutely necessary.”