Authors: D'Elen McClain
“
You will do as you’re
told. I can and will tie you to the bed each day when I leave for
work. Due to your hair-brained idea of kidnapping me, I’m stuck
here. You will cook and clean, but only if I don’t need you in the
bedroom for mating practice.” He grabbed her shoulders and pulled
her against his hard chest. “We will not have this discussion
again.” His mouth came down on hers.
Mandy was stunned, and because her
brain was working overtime, she allowed the kiss and didn’t knee
his balls into his stomach. She would show him what it meant to
have a wolf for a mate. And, in the meantime, she’d let him
continue kissing her, but only because it felt so
wonderful.
He helped her clean up the kitchen
without her asking, which proved he wasn’t as callous as he wanted
her to believe. They walked hand in hand while he showed her her
new home. The weather was beginning to cool, but the day was still
lovely. Men nodded their heads at Honey, but never acknowledged
her. He growled now and then and turned his body if they
approached, not letting a single man close to her. She didn’t see
any women and asked Honey why.
“
The women have work to
do,” was his clipped response.
“
What about the
men?”
“
We work, too. Jobs are
assigned by The Kodiak or Dmitri. We also train for contests of
strength and defensive tactics.”
“
Don’t the women
train?”
He sighed, obviously sick of Mandy
pushing this envelope. “No, the women do not train.”
“
That makes no
sense.”
He looked down his nose. “I’m aware the
wolves do things differently, but you are now part of the bear
clan. It will take an adjustment period, but soon you will learn
our ways. My mother will be happy to guide you. She’s a strong
woman, but knows in order to keep harmony within the clan there are
certain responsibilities everyone has according to gender.” He gave
her a gentle smile. “You will be respected as my mate, but judged
by how you benefit the clan in your capacity as a female. Your
being wolf will not be an issue after several months.”
His dictates, his stupidity, and then
his final comment about her wolf took her over the top. She stopped
in her tracks and gave him a killing glare. “So the bears are
little better than cats when it comes to how women are treated?”
She didn’t wait for an answer. “The adjustment period will be yours
because you’ll be sleeping with one eye open if you even think I’ll
do your stupid nineteenth-century bidding.” She took a step closer,
tilting her head back further. “You did not mate a bear. You mated
a wolf and you need to learn your responsibilities to see I am
happy and content. Then and only then will you earn my
respect.”
She saw his hand coming in to grab her,
but took a quick leap back. The stupid bear probably thought he
would be kissing her again.
His deep-throated growl only inflamed
her temper more. She turned away and started running. She didn’t
hear him behind her and after she found herself deep in the woods,
she stopped. Of all the insufferable, pig headed, misguided beasts,
Honey was her jackass of a mate. She knew she could find her way
back to the cabin, so she decided to explore on her own.
“
Psst.”
Mandy stopped and looked around. She
spun when she heard a laugh behind her. A small child stood
slightly behind a tree. The boy looked like a refugee in torn
clothes with choppily cut, too long hair and dirt smudges on his
face. “Oh, um… hi. Who are you?”
His small chest swelled. “I am
Patreous, son of Tyboll the Terrible.”
It was such an outlandish way to
introduce himself that she had to fight back laughter. “Well
Patreous, son of Tyboll the Terrible, I am Mandy, mate to Honey the
Hell Spawn. It’s nice to meet you.”
He looked her up and down. “You’re
small for beastkind.”
“
I was thinking the same
thing about you,” she quipped back.
“
But I shall grow to be
ten times your size and use my paw to swat you like a fly.”
Patreous’s hand flew through the air in a swatting
motion.
Mandy rolled her eyes. These darned
bears became insufferable at a very early age. “Hell Spawn
mentioned you like to run.”
“
My father says you’re
just a lowly wolf. I can run much faster than you.”
Well, apparently Tyboll the Terrible
was on the same page as her mate and she shouldn’t be surprised.
“Then let’s make a bet. If you can’t beat me back to my cabin,
you’ll let me trim your hair.”
“
Stupid woman, of course I
shall win. What do I get as my reward?” He looked at her as if she
were a flea.
Mandy held back her frustration at his
condescending attitude. He was, after all, only a child. “Homemade
chocolate chip cookies.”
“
Do you wish a head
start?” Even smaller than her, he managed to appear like he was
looking down his nose.
She decided to take the arrogance out
of this pint-sized chauvinist by winning their race. “No. Do
you?”
Mandy fought laughter when his look of
superiority turned to disgust. She removed her clothing. Patreous
did the same, and then they both shifted. His bear was larger than
Mandy’s wolf, but she knew it would be her best
advantage.
“
You are a smelly wolf.”
The imperious words shot through Mandy’s head.
“
And you are a stinky
bear. Why don’t you give the signal to begin the race?”
He made an obvious sound of bear
disgruntlement before his countdown. “Three, two, one.”
They both took off.
Mandy wasn’t as familiar with her
surroundings and she realized the bear had an advantage. She
stretched her legs and stayed a few feet behind Patreous as he led
the way home. Finally, they shot out of the trees into a clearing
and she put on a burst of speed she’d been holding back. With a
giant leap, she landed on the porch and a split second behind her,
Patreous made his final jump.
She shifted and held her side as she
tried to keep her breath. “I won,” she said with glee.
Patreous breathed hard, but stayed in
his bear form. “You cheated,” he said into her mind between gulping
breaths.
Faked outrage entered her voice. “Why
you sniveling cub… I did not cheat.”
A roar sounded from deep in his chest
and Mandy couldn’t help herself. She started laughing.
The broken cabin door moved aside and
Honey came out looking irritated. “I’m afraid to ask what’s going
on.” He gave the small bear a pointed stare.
Patreous moved back off the steps of
the porch, his head hanging low. “I’m sorry, Honey the Hell Spawn.
I need to go home.”
Mandy advanced on the young bear. “Now
wait just a moment. You must pay your end of the bet and until you
do, you’re not going anywhere.”
At the same time, Honey’s eyes hardened
as he glared at Patreous. “What did you call me?”
The bear’s head dropped further. “Umm…
I… I’m sorry, sir.”
Honey turned hard eyes to his mate, but
Mandy smiled without remorse. “He introduced himself as Patreous,
Son of Tyboll the Terrible, so I gave you a title, too.” Without
missing a beat, she continued, “I beat him back to the cabin, so he
gets a haircut.” She turned and gave Patreous a “don’t mess with
me” look.
The bear’s head continued to hang
low.
“
Shift, Patreous, and take
your punishment like a man.” Honey didn’t sound happy.
Mandy’s eyes snapped to her mate’s, but
he ignored her. When the young boy stood before him, Honey turned
without another word and entered the cabin. Mandy looked at
Patreous and noticed tears welling in his eyes. Here she was,
having fun, and now a young child was upset. “Come on. Your haircut
won’t be that bad and you’ll still be stinky after it’s done. I’ll
make cookies tomorrow, and if you run with me I’ll let you have
some.”
Patreous didn’t say anything, just
shuffled inside behind her.
Chapter Sixteen
Patreous sat still as Mandy cut his
hair and Honey looked on. Crossing his arms, Honey let his mate
know his displeasure through eye-speak with every minute that
ticked by. She started humming and refused to acknowledge the
trouble she caused.
Mandy whipped the towel off the bear’s
shoulders. “You look much more handsome, but a good bath would help
with the smell,” she teased.
“
No, ma’am, I’ve paid my
wager.” He wouldn’t look at either Mandy or Honey.
Honey spoke quietly, “Go home and
report this to your father.”
“
Yes, sir.”
It took all of thirty seconds after
Patreous left the cabin for Mandy to explode. “What was that all
about? Report what to his father?”
Honey approached until he stood
directly over his mate. “There will be consequences for him losing
your bet. He knew that when he agreed and now he must pay the real
price for losing.”
She shook her head in frustration and
then glared at him. “What kind of consequences?”
“
His father will probably
beat him.” Honey let her know his displeasure by giving a slight
rumble to the words.
“
You’re joking.” A silly
smile curved her lips.
“
Bears do not lose. When
we do, it could mean our life. Patreous knows the
rules.”
Her smile turned into a frown and
horror replaced her grin. “You’re not joking, are you?”
Honey’s steely eyes glared into hers.
“No.”
“
Well, of all the…” The
words were mumbled under her breath as she turned to the
door.
Honey reached out and grabbed her
shoulder in a solid grip. “You’ve done enough. We need to discuss
your actions.”
***
He watched as Mandy looked at his hand,
and then her eyes ran up his arm past his bulging muscles until she
made eye contact. “Take. Your. Hand. Off. My. Shoulder.” She grit
out each word.
He tightened his hold.
He wasn’t sure what happened, but her
movements flowed seamlessly as she stepped in, dipped her shoulder
while grabbing Honey’s pinky finger, twisted it, and then tossed
him over her body. His finger dislocated, but that wasn’t why Honey
let out a roar of rage. She made her leap as he landed on the
hardwood floor. She shifted to wolf and took off through the front
door.
He ignored his throbbing finger,
shucked his clothing, and shifted to beast form. Tyboll would kill
her. The man was barely sane as it was. Honey knew Mandy could run
unbelievably fast, so he notified Dmitri of the circumstances. His
damn mate would be the death of Honey and he knew it. At least his
father, though crazy, kept himself on a tightly controlled leash.
Tyboll did not, and if he harmed Mandy, Honey would kill
him.
Honey stretched his large muscles and
put on a burst of speed. Dmitri’s exasperated voice sounded in his
head. “She’s only one small wolf. Do you need training so you can
control her?”
“
Obviously I do. She’s a
stubborn, pigheaded bitch.” Honey was past angry, but it was
replaced with fear when he heard Tyboll’s roar through the trees.
“Are you there, my liege?”
“
Your mate is safe.”
Dmitri’s voice flowed into his head.
The words didn’t alleviate Honey’s
worry. He might still need to kill Tyboll, and after that he would
tan his mate’s hide, tie her to the bed, and keep her there for the
next month. If she could lock him in a cage, he could damn well
keep her safe from herself.
He burst from the trees and saw Mandy
holding Patreous within her arms. Dmitri stood between Tyboll and
Mandy, his eyes not leaving the crazy bear’s.
Honey’s breaths came out in huge
gulping gasps. “Thank you, my liege. I will handle
this.”
Dmitri looked directly at Honey. “I do
not want one of you dead. If you haven’t heard, we are being
dragged into a war. Do you both understand?” His eyes turned amber
as he gazed at both bears.
“
Yes, my liege,” Honey
answered immediately.
Tyboll stared for a moment then nodded
his head. Dmitri’s gaze settled on Mandy. “I expect you to learn
our ways, adapt, and find your place.” His golden gaze sparked with
power and then he flashed from the clearing.
Honey kept his eyes on Tyboll.
“Uncle.”
The large man’s chest puffed up and his
eyes squinted tight. “Remove your female from my property and keep
her away from my son.”
Mandy inhaled loudly. “But…”
“
Mate, silence,” Honey
snapped with a growl.
Mandy tightened her hold on Patreous
while staring daggers at her mate. “Why you overbearing piece of
donkey dung. Your entire clan is crazy.” She pushed Patreous away
from her chest, but still held his arms and looked down into his
eyes. “You do not need to be beaten because you lost a race. In
very little time you will be faster than me.”
She must have noticed the fear on the
boy’s face because she released her grip and looked over his
shoulder at his father. “And you… how dare you hit him for such a
stupid reason.”