He gave her a sardonic look and paused, straddled over her, his strong thighs on either side of her hips. “Seriously? You want to talk about that now?”

  She nodded. “I just want to know what to expect.”

  He cocked his head. “Well, either one or two, depending on how the final matches go. But as long as you stop the cheaters quicker next time, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

  He leaned forward to press kisses along her collarbone, and she buried her hands in his hair but didn’t stop worrying. “But, Ryland, why is it so important to win? You don’t need the money.”

  He gave her an extra-long, hard suck on a sensitive part of her neck, and she gasped. “Lea, stop worrying about it. This is our mating. I want it to be special, not filled with thoughts of me beating ass.”

  She nodded, heart pounding. There was a part of her that kept wanting to focus on the future, on how she was going to leap over every obstacle, how she would keep both of them safe.

  But another part of her, a big part, wanted to just enjoy what he was giving her. Stay in the moment in this little, well-furnished room and enjoy this time alone.

  “Okay,” she said. “I’ll try not to think about it.”

  He sighed, lifting his head again in concern. “Look, if you need to talk, let’s talk about it. We can stop if you want. I don’t want to do anything you aren’t comfortable with.”

  “No,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his huge, hard body down over her again. “I know this is right. I want this. There’s just a thousand things on my mind. All the time.”

  “Then let me wipe them all away,” he said. “Let me give you peace, just for this moment.”

  She nodded, closing her eyes against sudden, emotional tears that edged the corners of her eyes but refused to fall as he went back to kissing her neck.

  Her heart slowly warmed as he kissed down to her fingertips and then as he raised each one to his lips, softly giving each a wet kiss. She gasped and her eyes flew open, totally focused on him.

  “That’s it. Look at me, sweetie.” His words were so soft. She didn’t know how he could be so gentle at one moment, so fierce at another. But she liked it.

  He released her hand and gently set it on the bed. Then he helped her roll on her side so he could unhook her bra. He pulled it aside and put both of his hands over her breasts, perfectly capturing their softness.

  He rubbed gently over her nipples, and she bit her lip, arching, loving the feel of his slightly rough callouses over her sensitive skin.

  He leaned down to capture one nipple in his lips, torturing it gently with a slow swirl of his tongue, watching her all the time with that hot, molten silver gaze.

  She closed her eyes again as his hand dipped between her legs where she was already wet, playing expertly.

  He knew how to work her body now, and she felt herself rushing quickly to the edge as one hand played at her clit and the other squeezed her breast while his tongue played over her nipple.

  Just as she was about to go, her body tensing and leaping off the bed, his mouth covered hers, pressing her back, forcing her into the sensation that was about to rush over her.

  No escape.

  She arched, thrashing under his mouth as pleasure rolled through her, but he wouldn’t let her go, thrusting his tongue into her as his hand continued to play, his touch like lightning as her orgasm moved through her.

  When she finally relaxed into the bed, he gave her a final swipe of his tongue and released her lips, looking pleased.

  Then he sat back on his knees and reached between her legs. She felt one and then two fingers enter her, feeling, stretching.

  “Tight,” he said, biting his full lower lip. “How the hell are you so tight?”

  She grinned up at him, shrugging, as he got off the bed and stripped down to nothing, giving her a long glimpse of his powerful muscles, his smooth skin, his gorgeous face, so cool and collected but with fire in his eyes.

  Her whole body was thrumming in anticipation, eager to have him inside her again. She’d loved everything he’d done to her that afternoon in the field in the rain.

  But she’d craved this ever since the first time at the gym. And now they would have nothing between them. Just his hard, velvety skin filling her completely, making her explode over and over.

  She spread her legs, writhing her hips forward. He grinned and grabbed her thighs, shoving them apart in a quick way that aroused her.

  Then he slid inside her, making her bite back a scream as sensation seemed to nearly make her burst at the seams. He was inside her, and she could feel every inch of him, every vein, and wanted to never let him go.

  He was up against her G-spot, even resting there with his incredible girth, and she bit back a groan, writhing slightly to adjust to him.

  His eyes went darker in concern as her fingers twisted in the bedsheets. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded, looking up at him in glazed pleasure. “More than okay. I forgot how good this felt.”

  A smug grin lit his lips. “Good. Because I haven’t even started.”

  She braced herself for his movement, remembering how hot and sweaty it had gotten in the gym.

  But this was different. As he pulled out and hammered into her, she saw an intensity in his eyes as he watched her. As she gasped and bounced against the bed, feeling incredible pressure inside her, an orgasm overtook her, echoing from deep inside. He kept going, as if that were only the start of what he wanted to do to her.

  Sweat beaded on his shoulders and chest, and he leaned forward, taking her lips as he continued to thrust, kissing her hard, biting her lower lip and releasing it, thrusting his tongue deep inside her so she felt she was being filled everywhere, totally surrounded by his warmth.

  She wrapped her arms around him and dug her nails into his back. This was what loving him would always be like. Overwhelming, amazing, almost frightening in how powerful it was.

  Her body responded to him as if commanded, coming over and over as he changed his tempo, as he set off every sensitive nerve inside her, making unbearable tension build and then break, cascading over her like sparkling meteors raining down from the sky.

  Her body was so warm, so intensely filled, and so ready for him to come with her, to make things final, so she jerked him forward and kissed his neck, then bit him, letting her fangs sink into him, feeling her she-wolf near the surface.

  He went rigid, plunging deep inside her and then releasing, and she felt her body kick over with him, convulsing and wringing his orgasm from him with every pulse. She felt his warmth spilling inside her, heard his muttered curses and then oaths of love and loyalty as he held her close, as if his life depended on it.

  She murmured love back to him, closing her eyes tight against the extreme pleasure rushing through her that didn’t seem to end.

  And then she saw stars, felt as if she were floating far above them, felt connected with something cosmic, and knew she was right where she was supposed to be. Where fate had always intended.

  Everything in her life felt like it was building to this moment. She’d always known it would all end with something to do with the Brolins, but she’d never thought she’d be mated to one.

  “I love you,” he said hoarsely against her neck. She could feel his fangs just gently grazing her. A deeper voice. “You’re mine, mate.”

  She nodded. She accepted both Ryland and his bear. They were one and the same. All part of the man she loved, the one that would be hers for all time.

  No matter how much time that was. “I love you, Ryland. You’re mine, too.”

  And it felt so right to say it. So good. Even with the Brawl still going on outside and her brother wandering around with his vendetta and no idea what she and Ryland were going to do in the future, she knew this was right.

  She’d never regret it.

  No matter what happened from here on out.

  14

  When Ryland woke up the next morning, Lea was gone. He scratched his head, looking around his room in the early light, and wondered if everything that had happened yesterday had been a dream.

  He leaned forward, and images of their day leaked into his head. His fight. Waking up in the tent. Spending the afternoon together making love.

  He’d never realized how fast, how torrential love could be when it found you.

  No matter what she allowed him to give her, he wanted to give it.

  He threw off the covers and pulled on clothing, wanting to go out and look for her. He didn’t like not knowing where she was.

  She should know better than to leave him when they were newly mated and his bear was at its most protective.

  It was kind of cool being mated to someone who seemed to understand dire bears and accept the creature inside him. It made him trust his bear a bit more that it had picked Lea for him. He didn’t know if he’d take her back to his life and his businesses or if he’d let that go and start a new life with her elsewhere.

  He just knew he didn’t like not knowing where she was.

  He crept downstairs and was surprised to hear voices coming from outside. Somewhere near her cabin. He had excellent hearing.

  He crept out his back door carefully and into the woods behind his cabin, knowing just how to move without alerting anyone else.

  He settled a little ways away from the two figures talking in the still-darkened woods, where he could just nearly hear him.

  “Keep your voice down. He’ll hear,” a woman’s voice hissed. That was Lea, he thought with a start.

  “I don’t care,” an angry male voice retorted in a harsh whisper. “You’re the one who got us into this. You mated him? Where is your leverage now? How are we ever going to find John Brolin?”

  “I told you,” Lea whispered. “There’s no point anymore. He’s dead.”

  “You believe that? You’re dumber than you look. I never took you for a fool, Lea, but I suppose the right male comes sniffing around—”

  A soft slap resounded in the air. “How dare you?”

  “You’re letting him fool you. He doesn’t want to tell you where his dad is, so he says he’s dead. How did he die?”

  “Natural causes.”

  “John Brolin isn’t fucking old enough. He’s a shifter.”

  “Why would he lie to me?” Lea’s voice sounded desperate, and Ryland was ready to come out and beat the interloper, whoever it was. “I’m his mate.”

  “And I’m your brother,” the male said. “And you are betraying the whole reason we came up here to spy on the Brolins. The whole reason we got you placed in your phony position.”

  “It’s not phony for me,” she said. “I’m doing my job. And I’ve figured out the Brolins. They don’t deserve this. They don’t—”

  Her voice cut off, and Ryland peeked out, wondering what had stopped her. He saw that a dark figure was close to her, putting a hand over her mouth to quiet her down.

  Kill him, the bear in him said.

  But he hesitated. If what she was saying was true, she’d betrayed him. Spied on all of them. And the darkest thought of all—why had she really mated him?

  He needed more info. More info is always good, he thought dully, feeling his heart turn to ash at the edges.

  She pulled the hand off her mouth and took a step back, making leaves crackle. “Don’t touch me.” She shook her head. “I mated him, Lance. Mated him.”

  “Yeah, that was a good move,” Lance said sardonically. “I have to admit that.”

  Ryland had heard enough. Too much. Any more and his head would explode, letting the animal out. Letting his rage turn into a machine that could wound or kill others.

  Especially since some of his anger was targeted at Lea.

  He couldn’t hurt her, not when he still didn’t exactly understand what was going on.

  “So what now?” asked the male, who Ryland could now see had dark skin and features similar to Lea, despite being much taller and more muscular. “You expect me to just walk away? Just forget this ever happened and go back to my empty life?”

  “It doesn’t have to be empty. You have me. You—”

  “You’re right,” the male said coldly. “I do have you. And there’s more than one way to bring down a Brolin.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Ryland’s back went rigid.

  “I mean that your plan didn’t work. You’re not going to save him just by falling under his spell. The Brolins don’t just get everything they’ve ever wanted. They don’t get my sister as a mate. Not when they’re responsible for the death of my father.”

  Lance jerked Lea in against him, but before Ryland could take a step forward to stop him, he was gone.

  Just gone. A blur in the darkness.

  Holy shit. He was like that bear, but so much worse, so much faster.

  Ryland was starting to understand what was going on, but he didn’t like it. Not at all.

  He ran to the main staff cabin that housed his brothers. He burst in, but it was dark and empty, and Ryland couldn’t sense anyone around. Knowing they must be down the canyon with their mates, he ran back to his cabin for his car keys and nearly tripped in his haste to get out to his truck.

  He started it up and raced down the long road that led to Bear Canyon.

  He needed information and he needed it right now.

  “This isn’t going to work,” Lea said as her brother set her down against a tree in the woods back behind the fighter camp. It was still early morning, dark enough here in the shade that no one would find her, and her brother had bound her hands behind her back with heavy chains that would make it hard to shift. “You’re being an idiot, Lance.”

  “You know I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, pacing. “Not really.” But his expression was dark. Evil. “But I’ll do what I have to, Lea. You tried to trick me by mating with the enemy. You thought it would end my wrath. So now you’re getting what you deserve. If you won’t help with my scheme, you’ll be a pawn in it.”

  “And what is the scheme exactly?” she asked. “Sending a ransom note and getting the shit beat out of you by a dire bear?”

  Lance shook his head. “No. Well, sort of, but not exactly.” He pulled out his phone. “I mean, Ryland has his next fight this morning, and that’s key. But anyway, don’t worry about it. Just stay over there and let me sort this out. I never should have depended on you in the first place.”

  “But—”

  He walked over to her and placed a piece of duct tape over her mouth. Then another one. Then he stepped back, looking satisfied. “There. Now, as I said, just wait and be patient. I mean, I need to make a deal with Ryland.”

  He pulled out his phone and began texting, and she saw a dark grin spread over his face as he sent the first one. Then a deeper grin as he got a reply.

  She struggled with the chains on her hands, but they’d been made to restrain shifters, and there was nothing she could do.

  But still, she really didn’t understand Lance’s plan. She hadn’t expected it to go this way. Somehow, she’d thought he’d see things her way and let go of his vendetta for hope of a better life.

  Instead, he’d decided if she wasn’t with him, she was against him.

  She supposed with their differing levels of commitment to revenge, this had always been bound to happen.

  But she had to hope that if Ryland did come for her, he wouldn’t be afraid to use his dire bear. Because he was definitely going to need it.

  Lance’s phone beeped again, and her heart sped up as she watched him send more texts back and forth. Was it Ryland? If so, what was he saying?

  Finally, Lance put his phone in his pocket and stretched, sending a smile skyward. When he looked at her, his eyes were bloodshot and his grin was mean. Wicked. “I think this is going to work out after all. Should have known you’d find a way to be useful.”

  She gave him a glare behind her gag, wanting to ask him why.

  He seemed to know what she was asking, and a smug look lit his face. “Because I happen to know something about the rules, just like little old Ryland. Something no one else seems to know. Something I only know because I’ve been obsessed with John Brolin, and a long time ago, I broke in and copied a set of the rules.”

  Her eyes widened. What was he talking about?

  “And I know there is only one way for a Brolin to enter. And why they never do. There are pretty heavy consequences for losing.”

  Her stomach turned to ice.

  Lance threw his head back and laughed. “In fact, they forfeit their life. So you see, we don’t even have to kill Ryland Brolin. We just have to wait for him to kill himself.”

  He picked her up in his arms, ignoring her struggles, and started walking through the trees up toward the mountain. “Come on. Time to play hide-and-seek.”

  Ryland slammed open the door to the large cabin that had served as his childhood home, not caring who he bothered.

  He saw two heads rise and look at him from the couch; that was Rock and Rosalyn.

  He flipped on the light in the living room and raced past them to go upstairs, banging on bedrooms.

  “Everyone wake up. I need your help,” he yelled, jogging back downstairs.

  “What the hell, Ryland?” Rock asked, sitting up. Ryland was grateful that everyone seemed to be wearing pajamas. A smart move, considering they were all hanging out in the same house.

  “Where’s Francis? I need Francis,” Ryland said, pacing anxiously.

  “Here,” a tired voice said as Francis appeared at the top of the steps, looking like a bear who’d been woken from hibernation. His brown hair was mussed, his blue eyes sleepy, and he rubbed them, trying to shake himself awake as he came down the stairs.

  “Francis, you have info on the contestants, right? Because you’ve been following the betting brackets.”

  Francis flushed. “Uh, yeah.” Rock sent him a glare, but Francis ignored it. “C’mon, everyone bets on the fights. You don’t have to approve it, but it’s gonna happen.” He turned to Ryland. “Give me a second to go get my book.” He ran upstairs and came down with a huge binder, which Ryland rushed over to take from him.