Chapter Sixteen

The funeral was on a Sunday afternoon. The large church where the ceremony was held overflowed with people.

Sonya sat on the front pew, her brother on her right and a large man on her left. Alec sat with his people but told her the day before that he would be willing to sit with her. She only needed to ask.

She didn't. She hadn't done much speaking at all over the last few days since Victor passed.

Alec brushed his fingers through his dark hair and turned his attention to the pastor of the church as he called for the service to start. Not being a religious man himself, he let the moment fade and rested for the first time in a few days.

He would be meeting up with Dax Collingsworth and the other bear would be lucky if he didn't rip his throat out before he could get a word out. He had messed with Sonya one too many times.

A soft growl left Alec as Jared pushed his shoulder against him. He hadn't realized how loud he had been. A few people glanced back at him and he took stock. Most of the people around them were from the Brown Bear clan or the Black. A handful of humans sat among them, probably from the business world.

He let his eyes drift up to Sonya, the stiffness of her shoulders leaving him concerned for her.

Why wouldn't she let him take care of her? Giving herself over to him forever was different than letting herself enjoy the physical comfort he offered. Maybe that was just him. For a woman, perhaps releasing her body meant releasing her heart as well.

He was already lost to her. As soon as they stabilized everything with Varetec and Victor's passing, he was going to try to talk some sense into her.

The rest of the service was uneventful and by the time it was over, Alec was chomping at the bit to get to Sonya. She stood near the back door, hugging various people and thanking them. He moved toward the front of the church and stood before the open casket.

The man lying in the soft white silk didn't look anything like the tycoon Alec had visited a few weeks before in the hospital. He must have been something to behold when he was at the height of his power.

"Thank you," Alec whispered and reached down to brush his hand over the man's chest as someone moved in beside him.

"He was a good father, a great man and the best Alpha I've ever met. How someone could be so powerful and yet choose humility and kindness at every turn still leaves me in awe."

Alec glanced over at the large man beside him and nodded. "I didn't get to know him well and for that, I find myself wishing I had come back to the States sooner."

"Your timing was exactly what he wanted it to be." The giant extended his hand. "I'm Parik. I was Victor's Beta."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Alec."

"I know who you are, son. Victor thought quite highly of you."

"He spoke of me?" Alec turned. Parik's words caught him off guard. There were so many things he wanted to know, but it seemed that the only way to get answers was to push Sonya to get into Victor's safe. She wasn't ready for that yet.

"He did. You'll learn a lot over the next few weeks I'm sure. I'm here if you need anything and I wish you luck with the battle you have ahead of you."

"I appreciate that, but the Gareth's are of no concern to me. I will snuff them out and remove the threat from your people in the next few days." Alec puffed out his chest, his need to prove himself almost overwhelming. It had been a long time since he had wanted to be a good man for anyone. Now he found himself wanting to do it for Sonya, her father, and her people.

"I have no doubt that you'll take the visitor out. It's not him I was referring to." Parik glanced meaningfully toward the back of the church and Alec turned to see Sonya walking toward him.

"Yeah. I need lots of help there." He glanced to the brown bear Beta and chuckled as the large man shook his head and walked to meet Sonya. Parik pulled her in a hug and Alec took note of her expression. She loved the man, as he was sure her father had too.

She moved towards Alec and stopped beside the casket, resting her hands on the side and smiling as she looked down at her father. "You think he's healthy and whole again?"

Alec moved in behind her and wrapped his arms around her, half expecting her to pull from him. She had kept to herself over the last few days and had not returned his texts. "I do and I know he's looking down on us, waiting for our next move. He was a man of action. I'm not going to disappoint him and I'm pretty sure you're not capable of it."

She turned and slid her arms up his chest, locking them around his neck. "Take me out of here and let's go back to your place. I need to shift and run. I'm trying so hard to not fall apart, but my bear needs to breathe. Take me to the woods and let's run."

"You don't have to ask twice." He leaned down and kissed her cheek softly before slipping his hand into hers and walking them out of the church. Sadness swept over him as she stopped halfway down the aisle, looking back as she blew a kiss toward her father.

Jared stood beside the car as Alec walked toward it. He wrapped an arm around Sonya's waist and stopped beside his Beta. "Sonya, this is Jared. He's the Beta of the Black Bear pack. Jared, this is Sonya."

"Nice to meet you, I think." Jared extended his hand. "Sorry for your loss. Victor was a great man."

"Yes, he was, and thank you." Sonya shook his hand before sliding her arm around Alec's waist. Her closeness surprised him and he treasured it.

"We're headed back to the house to run. What's up?" Alec rubbed her back, his body waking up as her scent washed over him.

"There's been a sighting of these bastards from Europe just outside our property line. We need to meet up with them and push them back. I know you're working on what to do about the threat they pose to Sonya's people, but they're coming too close for comfort to us as well." Jared kept his focus on Alec as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"How many bears have been spotted?" Alec asked, using his free hand to unlock the door to the car. He needed to get Sonya out of there before she changed her mind and left him alone again.

"Four total. One was an Alpha for sure." Jared moved to the front of the car. "Call me later and we can figure out what to do."

"Find him. Dax Collingsworth. Locate him and set up a meeting."

"He's already contacted Drago, so I'll wait to see what comes of that unless you want me to push in between them." Jared started to walk backward.

"No. Drago will reach out to me. He would be stupid not to." Alec moved toward the front of the car, walking to the passenger side and opening Sonya's door.

"See you two later. Call if you need me." Jared waved.

"Come get in and I'll get us to the house so we can find some type of release today." Alec leaned against the car, watching the beautiful woman over the hood.

"Give me your keys. I want to drive." She slid her hand across the hood of the black Porsche. Alec didn't hesitate to pull the keys out of his pocket and hand them to her. The deadpan look in her eyes made him want to force passion on her from every angle.

She wasn't herself at all, but the loss of her father was more than she could bear.

He got in the car and she slid into her side, breathing in deeply and running her hands over the steering wheel. He pressed his hand to the front of his slacks and glanced over at her. "Watching you take control of my car makes me hard as fuck."

She glanced at him, the Alpha inside of her roaring to life and leaving him breathless. "Wait to see what I can do with control of your cock."

"Fuck…" he grunted and leaned back, letting himself enjoy the thrill of her taking ownership of his favorite toy.

They got to his place in record time, the sexy girl driving his car pushing it as far as it would go. How they didn't get pulled over ten times on the way home was a mystery to him.

She parked the car and glanced over at him, her eyes wild.

"I need to shift." She almost purred her words, her eyes brilliantly amber. He growled and reached over, pulling her to him as he pressed his lips to hers. Sonya opened her mouth and pressed her tongue against his lips before he could force his into her mouth.

He groaned as he opened his mouth and she moved her tongue deep into him. He slid his hand along her face and tangled his fingers in her long chestnut locks as he pressed his teeth to the thickness of her tongue.

She started to crawl across the seat, but he beat her to it, pulling her from her seat into his lap and running his hands over her breasts and down to her hips. She broke the kiss and opened the door, pulling from him and stripping out of her tight black dress as she walked toward the forest. He moved from the car, knowing what she was getting ready to do.

He didn't want to miss a minute of it.

She started to jog as her body began to shift. She was beautiful and strong, her silky skin turning into thick caramel-colored fur before his eyes. She was in full bear form as he pulled his jacket and tie from his body.

Sonya paused and turned, letting out a cry that had him stripping faster. She was in heat and had been for weeks. Why she fought against him left him agitated.

He jogged toward her, shifting quickly into the large black bear that ruled all of the forests in the U.S. He was proud of who he was. There was a look of need in her large eyes as she watched him. He raced past her, challenging her to keep up. He wouldn't take her in bear form. She could wait.

He wanted her panting and overwhelmed with need by the time they shifted back into their human form. He needed her to understand that it was him that could offer relief, bring pleasure, and sustain her.