teeth, determined not to let her emotions turn her into a sobbing mess. She squinted at Jacob, suspicion creeping down her spine.
“Why didn’t you shift?” His eyes blazed gold in the moonlight.
“It obeyed you.” It wasn’t a question. Her head spun, and she wobbled forward.
Jacob gripped her elbows to help steady her. His nostrils flared, and there was anger in his eyes. Anger directed at her.
Her eyes widened and her stomach twisted as she realized he was behind the attack. She inhaled through clenched teeth. “You sent it after me on purpose?”
Jacob pursed his lips. “McConnell is harmless. He wouldn’t have hurt you.”
“Harmless? It was a freaking grizzly bear.”
“Weregrizzly,” Jacob corrected. He picked up Kiera’s hands and examined the small cuts. “McConnell’s lived in these woods as long as I can remember.” His jaw clenched and he narrowed his eyes on her. “Why didn’t you shift?”
“I tried.” She shook her head, still trying to grasp what had happened.
“You didn’t try hard enough.”
Kiera pulled her hands from his grip and pushed on his chest. “You’re a real asshole, you know that?”
She shoved him one more time, then turned quickly, walking away before she gave into the temptation to slug him.
By the time she reached the cabin, Jacob had caught up with her.
“I’m trying to help you.” He caught the door when she tried to slam it in his face.
“By having me mauled by a bear?” She opened the cupboard under the sink, and reached for the bottle of whisky she’d found during her search for the duct tape. She unscrewed the lid and took a long, deep swig from the bottle.
“You weren’t hurt.” He leaned against the counter and scrubbed his hands over his face.
She tipped the bottle back one more time, and placed it on the counter. The deep burn traveled down her throat, warming her stomach.
“Why is it so important to you?”
“Because I need to know that you can take care of yourself.”
“Right.” Tears stung her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. “When you decide this whole ruse is up and walk away.”
“It’s not a ruse, and I’m not walking away.” He moved across the room towards her, closing the gap between them. His deep golden gaze locked with hers, the color shifting in the shadows.
Her body reacted to his closeness.
She clenched her fists at her sides, refusing to reach out and touch him.
“You said–”
“I won’t walk away from you.” There was a fierce promise in his words.
His lips were suddenly on hers, his tongue taking possession of her mouth. He kissed her with such force, such male dominance that she forgot her anger and submitted fully.
Heat raced through her, scorching her from head to toe. She strained to get closer, gripping his hair, pulling herself deeper into his embrace. His hands slid down her back, gripping her hips, pulling her against the hard wedge of his cock.
He pulled back, amber eyes glowing with need, and something more. “If anything happens to me…”
Kiera’s breath caught in her throat. She finally understood what he was afraid of. She frowned up at him, heart clenching. “You’re worried about dying.”
“No.” He shook his head, one corner of his mouth twitching. “I made peace with death a long time ago.” He brushed his thumb along her bottom lip, and sighed. “I’m afraid of leaving you alone, unprotected. I know what losing a mate can do.” His expression twisted in a pained grimace. “I won’t let that happen to you.”
Seeing the resolve in his eyes, Kiera placed a hand on his cheek. “Nothing’s going to happen to either of us.”
He smiled sadly. “I hope not, but if it does–”
“It won’t.” She stood on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, needing to erase the fear she saw in his eyes. Erase the premonition that tightened her own chest.
She dug her fingers into his hair and deepened the kiss. If all they had was today,
“Why didn’t you shift?” His eyes blazed gold in the moonlight.
“It obeyed you.” It wasn’t a question. Her head spun, and she wobbled forward.
Jacob gripped her elbows to help steady her. His nostrils flared, and there was anger in his eyes. Anger directed at her.
Her eyes widened and her stomach twisted as she realized he was behind the attack. She inhaled through clenched teeth. “You sent it after me on purpose?”
Jacob pursed his lips. “McConnell is harmless. He wouldn’t have hurt you.”
“Harmless? It was a freaking grizzly bear.”
“Weregrizzly,” Jacob corrected. He picked up Kiera’s hands and examined the small cuts. “McConnell’s lived in these woods as long as I can remember.” His jaw clenched and he narrowed his eyes on her. “Why didn’t you shift?”
“I tried.” She shook her head, still trying to grasp what had happened.
“You didn’t try hard enough.”
Kiera pulled her hands from his grip and pushed on his chest. “You’re a real asshole, you know that?”
She shoved him one more time, then turned quickly, walking away before she gave into the temptation to slug him.
By the time she reached the cabin, Jacob had caught up with her.
“I’m trying to help you.” He caught the door when she tried to slam it in his face.
“By having me mauled by a bear?” She opened the cupboard under the sink, and reached for the bottle of whisky she’d found during her search for the duct tape. She unscrewed the lid and took a long, deep swig from the bottle.
“You weren’t hurt.” He leaned against the counter and scrubbed his hands over his face.
She tipped the bottle back one more time, and placed it on the counter. The deep burn traveled down her throat, warming her stomach.
“Why is it so important to you?”
“Because I need to know that you can take care of yourself.”
“Right.” Tears stung her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. “When you decide this whole ruse is up and walk away.”
“It’s not a ruse, and I’m not walking away.” He moved across the room towards her, closing the gap between them. His deep golden gaze locked with hers, the color shifting in the shadows.
Her body reacted to his closeness.
She clenched her fists at her sides, refusing to reach out and touch him.
“You said–”
“I won’t walk away from you.” There was a fierce promise in his words.
His lips were suddenly on hers, his tongue taking possession of her mouth. He kissed her with such force, such male dominance that she forgot her anger and submitted fully.
Heat raced through her, scorching her from head to toe. She strained to get closer, gripping his hair, pulling herself deeper into his embrace. His hands slid down her back, gripping her hips, pulling her against the hard wedge of his cock.
He pulled back, amber eyes glowing with need, and something more. “If anything happens to me…”
Kiera’s breath caught in her throat. She finally understood what he was afraid of. She frowned up at him, heart clenching. “You’re worried about dying.”
“No.” He shook his head, one corner of his mouth twitching. “I made peace with death a long time ago.” He brushed his thumb along her bottom lip, and sighed. “I’m afraid of leaving you alone, unprotected. I know what losing a mate can do.” His expression twisted in a pained grimace. “I won’t let that happen to you.”
Seeing the resolve in his eyes, Kiera placed a hand on his cheek. “Nothing’s going to happen to either of us.”
He smiled sadly. “I hope not, but if it does–”
“It won’t.” She stood on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, needing to erase the fear she saw in his eyes. Erase the premonition that tightened her own chest.
She dug her fingers into his hair and deepened the kiss. If all they had was today,
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