Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 21243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
“Yeah, well, I was trying to kill Julian. And please… I nearly killed you. I think I had the upper hand.”
We look at each other and burst out laughing. “Whatever you say.”
He hugs me, warmly this time, and then slaps my shoulder. “I’m glad to have you back. I missed you, Adrian.”
“I missed you too.”
He takes a deep breath as he lets me go. “Courtney seems great. She fits right in.”
“She’s amazing.”
“I hope she can help you keep things under control.”
“Me too.”
“Come on,” he says as he wraps his arm around me and guides me back inside. “Let’s go catch up some more.”
I’m smiling as I head in, but my bear is still pacing. He’s still letting his dangerous presence be known.
Mark her.
Mark her.
Mark her.
Chapter Seven
Adrian
Courtney is willing to stay with me for another night, but I can’t do that to her again. She looks freezing as we sit here in the tent, talking. The temperature has dropped a lot throughout the day.
“I’m fine,” she says as she rubs her hands together and rocks back and forth. “I’m having a great time.”
I shake my head as I watch her. She’s way too nice. I always want to be by her side, protecting her, loving her. She’s too pure and innocent to be without a furry bodyguard by her side. I just wish mine wouldn’t cause her more danger than he prevented.
“You’re freezing.”
She smiles as she starts crawling over to me. “Then, maybe you should warm me up.”
I wrap my arms around her and gasp when I feel how cold her skin is. The poor girl has been outside for almost the entire day. It’s late in the afternoon and I can feel that it’s going to get even colder as the sun goes down.
“We’re not staying out here.”
“Where do you want to go? Your cabin?”
“There’s no electricity running to it and I think there’s a few leaks,” I say, remembering the hole I saw in the roof. “It’s probably worse than out here.”
Her lips pull into a straight line as she thinks about it.
“We could try… your place,” I say, getting nervous at the thought. My bear has been remaining cool for now, but I can feel him simmering below the surface. I’m still not sure I’d be able to hold him back if he wanted to come out.
“Are you ready for that?”
I take a deep breath and nod. “I have to leave this forest sometime, right?”
After making sure that I’m ready, she takes my hand and we head for her car. It’s a small sedan and as I squeeze into it, I have a horrible image of my grizzly bear ripping out of me and destroying the entire interior.
Please be cool.
He growls back, still not happy that I haven’t marked her.
“Ready?” she asks before starting the car.
I nod. “Let’s go.”
The first few miles go well. I’m like a kid riding in the car as I frantically look around at all of the sights. The trees, the mountains, the beauty of it nearly brings a tear to my eye.
“How is he?” she asks, shooting me a worried glance.
“Fine for now.”
“Because we’re coming up on the town.”
She pulls onto a busier street with cute little shops and people walking on the sidewalks. All the intense smells makes my grizzly start to pace around. He’s huffing and taking deep angry breaths at every new scent.
Please…
I don’t want him to ruin this. He can ruin my life, but I draw the line at ruining Courtney’s. She doesn’t deserve to face the consequences of his wrath.
He bounds forward, testing my resilience. I flex my body and hold my breath as I fight him back down. He’s so strong…
With a snarl, he charges forward again, harder this time. I’m not sure if he’s trying to get out or if he just wants to make sure I know who’s in charge, who’s running the show.
I grit my teeth and grunt as I hold him off. Beads of sweat start to slip down my chest. I grab onto her dashboard and squeeze as I force him back down.
That was close. Too close…
He tries again and again, each time more forceful, but each time I manage to hold him off. My eyes are squeezed shut and I’m breathing quick ragged breaths as I flex every muscle in my body, trying to fight him back.
After a while, he gives up and sulks off, grunting and rumbling like a grump. I know that he wasn’t trying his hardest. If he was, he would be sitting here in the passenger seat instead of me. Maybe he knows that would have been a bad thing for our mate and that’s why he didn’t give it his full strength. Either way, he’s an asshole trying to make my life miserable once again.
“Are you okay?” she asks when the thundering in my ears settles down.