Chapter Fourteen

Heather paced the short distance back and forth across the sitting area of her hotel suite. She had not relaxed a single moment since Lawrence and Charles led her to the room, insisting that she remain inside until told otherwise.

It wasn’t as though she had other options. Any move in any direction would catch the attention of the two shifters, as well as untold countless others who might be in the vicinity.

An hour ago, Lawrence had arrived, leading a hotel employee who delivered a variety of foods intended for her lunch. Most of the offerings remained untouched on the tray across the room. Heather was too stressed and concerned about her future to eat.

Her stomach was in knots, twisting around to keep her in a constant agitated state. Where was Isaiah? How long would she have to stay here?

She was relieved they had only driven about an hour from his home before stopping and securing adjoining rooms. She was also irrationally glad to be alone and not forced to endure countless minutes that turned into hours in the presence of the daunting alpha leaders of her new species.

She had sensed no intended harm. They seemed to be in a holding pattern instead. Waiting.

She shivered, wrapping her arms around her body against the irrational chill. She knew exactly what the council was waiting for. And it wasn’t simply a matter of allowing Isaiah time to catch up—though she seriously hoped that was also the case. No. They were waiting for her.

The entire continuity of the bear shifting species rested in the decisions Heather needed to make. Her actions would set a new tone among the shifters. Her choices would need to be dealt with. And it was obvious they would be handled swiftly.

First and foremost, she obviously needed to swear allegiance to the council. No one needed to verbalize that for her to understand the consequences of ignoring the fact. Failure to do so would not end well.

Secondly, she needed to join a pack in order to be guided by them in the ways of her new people. She could choose to join Isaiah’s family unit or another. But unless she wanted to travel to the Northwest Territory while she made her decisions, she had few options.

She had a job waiting for her in Alberta. Traveling a great distance for an indefinite period of time would ruin the prospect and probably cause her to be blacklisted in her field of study.

Geology, and specifically glaciology, was her life’s ambition. She would not let this opportunity slip away over something as simple as a scratch that transformed her into another species. She nearly chuckled at the absurdity of her thoughts and how far she had come in the understanding of her new world since thirty hours ago.

Isaiah’s parents and siblings had been kind, warm, and accepting. If they would have her, she would join them in a heartbeat. That decision was a simple one.

She was also fully aware of the more precise need to bind herself to another bear shifter. It clearly made the council uneasy for her to remain unprotected without the necessary communication she would have with her mate after the binding.

There was no doubt in her mind she would allow Isaiah to claim her. But the pressure to do so immediately made her uneasy. It wasn’t a decision she took lightly. No matter how powerful the urge to permit him to bind her to him for eternity reigned when she was in his arms, her mind was clearer when she was not touching him, or worse—deep in the throes of passion.

She would not be rushed.

Now all she had to do was convince the council of her good intentions in the meantime.

A knock at the door made her flinch, and she rushed across the room to look through the peephole. She didn’t feel Isaiah’s presence or that of any other bear shifter, so she was hesitant.

She was shocked to find a woman outside her door. An older woman. Tall and regal. She had an air about her that sent a shiver down Heather’s spine. “Heather?” The woman’s kind voice reached her easily. Though it was spoken out loud, what Heather heard was a combination of the soft voice and the telepathic communication.

Instinct told Heather this woman didn’t pose a threat, and she opened the door.

The older woman smiled and lifted a hand. “Pleased to meet you, my dear. I’m Eleanor.”

Heather shook the newcomer’s hand and then held the door open wider for her to enter.

This woman wasn’t simply regal, she was formidable. The air around her crackled with power. It filled the room, radiating through the space.

“I trust Charles and Lawrence provided you with everything you needed during your stay here?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Heather let the door shut and turned to face her guest.

“Forgive me for making you wait. It took some time making arrangements to meet with you.” Although Heather guessed her age to be in her mid-seventies, she was obviously in perfect health. Her hair was a mixture of gray and white—almost silver—and it was gathered at the back of her head in a loose bun. Not severe. Just convenient. Her eyes were a similar shade of gray. Mesmerizing. Intense. They hinted at the sparkle of silver.

“I understand.” She understood nothing so far, but it seemed prudent to respond as she did.

A smile spread across Eleanor’s face. “May I?” She pointed at a loveseat that sat at an angle in the sitting area of the suite.

“Of course.”

As Eleanor lowered herself to the edge of the sofa, Heather rounded the matching armchair and took a seat facing the woman. “I’m sorry. I don’t know who you are.”

“Of course not, dear. I’m the Alpha leader of the Arcadian Council. The four men who have been standing guard over you for the past day and a half are members of my council. There are forty altogether. I spared four to ensure your safety. I see they succeeded in their mission.”

Heather nodded, her mind reeling with the knowledge that the leader of the council was a woman. She shouldn’t be so shocked now that she’d met the woman. If she thought Lawrence and Charles were foreboding, she was mistaken. Eleanor didn’t simply fill a room, she filled a province. Undoubtedly everyone she would permit to sense her in the entire territory was aware of her arrival.

“I see. Nice to meet you.”

“I can sense your unease, and let me reassure you Isaiah is on his way here as we speak. I expect his arrival soon.”

Heather relaxed inside, even though she had no particular reason to trust this woman. She simply did.

“The situation at Isaiah’s home has been averted. The crisis is over. Those who saw fit to defy my authority and take matters into their own hands will be dealt with.”

“I see,” she repeated. What did that mean?

There was no doubt Eleanor could read her every thought. After all, Heather had no ability to block or intentionally project anything wandering around in her mind.

Eleanor smiled again. “You have no need to worry, my dear. I can sense your very nature. You’re a warm and caring individual. Your soul is clean and pure. You’ll be a welcome addition to our species. In time you’ll acclimate to our ways.”

Heather nodded, having no idea what else to do.

“Allow me to apologize for the actions of one member of the community who made the decision to go against the supreme laws of our land, risking exposure to the outside world by intentionally forcing you to transform. His punishment will be severe.”

Heather licked her lips. “Thank you.”

“As I’m sure you’re aware, our key problem now is ensuring you understand the serious nature of your conversion. We’re a species that has remained hidden from nearly every human on earth for centuries. It is rare that a human is brought into our community.”

“I understand.”

“I hope you also understand the precarious position I’ve been placed in to determine the best course of action with regard to the welfare of my people and your integration among us.”

“Of course.” Heather gripped the arms of the chair with her fingers.

“Under the circumstances, since you have met the Arthurs and seem amicable toward them, I would suggest you return to their care for the foreseeable future. They have agreed to nurture you and guide you in our ways.”

“I appreciate that, ma’am.” She had to force herself not to exhale in relief.

“However, I need your word that you’ll keep our existence close to your heart. Failure to do so would be detrimental to yourself and anyone to whom you revealed the details of our species.”

“You have my promise.” No one would believe her anyway.

Eleanor chuckled lightly. “You have a sense of humor. I like that.”

Heather winced at the blatant invasion of her mind. She needed to learn to control that post-haste.

“You’re right. You’ll want to practice blocking others as well as projecting your own communication to the Arthurs. In time you’ll be able to speak with them silently as if you were born into the family. However, you’ll never be able to block me from your thoughts, so don’t stress over the inability.”

She nodded. Right. Eerie and unnerving, but she understood.

Eleanor leaned forward. “Let me be blunt. I’m a very powerful woman. Our species has existed for centuries with only the occasional episodes of unrest. You aren’t the first person to be transformed. You won’t be the last. However, we take each case on an individual basis and treat each newly formed shifter on their own merit.

“Quite honestly, I never want to take someone from their home and transfer them to the Northwest Territory if I can avoid it. And it has nothing to do with me being kind or altruistic. It has to do with logistics. Removing you from your home and your job would create a larger mess than the current one. Your parents would send out a search team looking for you. The cover-up becomes more of a hassle.

“You don’t have to say anything to me or make promises. It’s entirely unnecessary. I have the ability to keep tabs on you any time I want. I’ll know where your heart and intentions lie.”

She sighed. “I don’t say this to sound intimidating, nor do I want you to think I’ll always be lurking in your mind. On the contrary, I have an entire continent to watch over. I don’t have time for such frivolity.

“I’m a reasonable leader as are all of the members of the council. You’re safe in the hands of the Arthurs. I know they will do right by you. As long as you keep our existence to yourself, you may carry on with your life and enjoy the fruits of your newfound existence. They’re plentiful and rewarding. I think you’ll learn to appreciate all that being a bear shifter has to offer.”

“Thank you.”

Eleanor abruptly stood. “I must return to the north. There are many matters at hand.” She glided toward the door as though she were more of an apparition than a human being. As she reached for the doorknob, she turned back. “Besides, I believe there’s someone here far more anxious to see you than myself.” She winked and then silently exited.

Before Heather managed to blink, she found Isaiah standing in the spot Eleanor had vacated.

Heather leaped to her feet and rushed around the chair to reach him.

As the door shut behind him, he noticeably braced himself, which was perfect because she threw herself at him, jumping into his open arms and wrapping her legs around his waist. “Longest several hours of my life.”

He grabbed her by the waist, spun around, and pinned her to the door. With one knee positioned between her legs, pressing against her pussy, he tilted his head and took her lips.

The kiss was searing and welcome. She needed contact with him like a drug addict in withdrawal. Insane, since she’d known him only slightly more than one day and had seen him that morning.

As his hands trailed up her waist to cup her breasts, she moaned into his mouth, threading her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck and pressing her mouth closer. Was it possible to deepen the kiss?

When his thumbs stroked over her nipples, she gasped into his mouth. She needed more. She needed less clothing. She needed him inside her to reaffirm to her that the world was still revolving.

“Baby,” he murmured against her lips. The one word spoke volumes.

She lowered her hands down his back and tugged his long-sleeved T-shirt over his firm muscles. He helped her out by leaning back a few inches until his shirt came free and she could whip it over his head.

When her gaze landed on his pecs, she reverently set her fingertips on his chest and traced lines over his muscles.

He wiggled his hands under her sweater while she stared at him. In a flash, her sweater was gone, leaving her bra as the only barrier between them.

He smirked. “I was beginning to think maybe you never wore these,” he stated as he traced a line along the top edge of the lacy material over the swell of her swollen breasts.

“Mmm. Usually I do. Yes.”

“Too bad. I like you without.”

“I might be willing to accommodate you on occasion.” She smiled, grinding her pussy against his cockhead where it pressed against her. “Less talking? More nudity?”

“How did I get so lucky?”

“Fate?” she teased.

He spun around, made his way through the sitting room and into the attached bedroom. Two seconds later she landed on the bed, bouncing with the force of his toss. “Take your jeans off, baby. Please.”

She lifted her hips while popping the button and lowering the zipper. As she eased the denim down her legs, she watched Isaiah do the same.

His impressive length bobbed in front of her, and she spun around instinctively to crawl to the side of the bed before he finished stepping out of the jeans.

When she grabbed his hips and lowered her mouth to his cock, he growled. “Heather… Jesus.”

She sucked him in deep without hesitation. The urge to consume him was tremendous. Her hands slid around to grasp his firm ass cheeks as she licked a line up the underside of his cock until only the tip remained lodged in her mouth.

She could smell everything about him, from his soap to his personal musk. The combination fueled her to suck him again. Deeper. Harder. She let him slide to the back of her throat.

Whatever insanity had a grasp on her, she had no idea, but she consumed him as if her life depended on it. In a way, it did.

Isaiah grasped her hair and tugged, both holding and pulling on her head. She wasn’t sure which way he intended to encourage her to move and doubted he was entirely certain either.

She eased one hand around to cup his balls, weighing them as they drew up closer to his body.

Isaiah jerked free of her mouth and took a step back, holding her head securely to keep her from following. “My God, Heather. You’re…” His voice trailed off.

She took that as a good sign. “Why did you stop me?”

“Because I want to come in your pussy, baby, not your mouth. Not this time.” He was breathing heavily. “Besides, I need to shake free of the visions of whoever taught you to do that before I succumb to a rage at just the idea.”

She gave him a slow grin. “You taught me.”

He lifted both brows. “Excuse me?”

“You’re the first person I’ve done that to.”

He shook his head as if confused. “You have got to be kidding.”

“No. It suddenly felt natural and totally necessary.”

He rushed forward, closing the distance, tipping her head back, and consuming her mouth once again. Easing his hands under her arms, he hauled her body backward on the bed and climbed over her to straddle her waist without breaking the kiss.

It was good. It was better than good. It was perfect.

He slid one hand between their bodies to cup her pussy. As two fingers ran between her folds, she moaned and arched into his touch.

“So wet for me,” he murmured against her lips. And then his hand was gone, threaded in the length of hair at the side of her head. He thrust into her so fast, he knocked the breath out of her.

She grabbed his biceps, digging her nails into his arms while she tried to suck in oxygen. Her breath wouldn’t come, however, not when he pulled out and thrust back in with even more force.

“So tight,” he gritted out.

She wrapped her legs around his thighs, holding him to her. Not that she had the strength to control any choice he might make, but she had the satisfaction of increasing the amount of skin touching.

“So fucking hot…”

She bit her lip as he stared into her eyes, destroying her for all other men.

“I. Just. Need. To. Take. The. Edge. Off. Then. I’m. Going. To. Take. You. Slower. After.” He punctuated every word with another thrust of his cock until her eyes rolled back and she lost the ability to focus.

She couldn’t imagine why he thought she needed slow or even after. What she needed was this. Right now. This rushed fuck. This joining that melted her soul and made her his, even though they had not completed the binding.

If she had enough brain cells, she would lift her head and sink her teeth into his shoulder. She wanted to. Her mouth watered to do it. Taste his blood on her tongue. Make him permanently hers.

But her head wouldn’t cooperate with her brain, so instead she rolled her neck back and forth as her mouth fell open.

“That’s it, baby. Come for me. Show me how good it feels.”

She shattered at his words, her pussy gripping his cock and her clit pulsing with every brush against the sensitive nub. Her orgasm went on and on while he continued to thrust into her. One orgasm morphed into two and then three.

She assumed Isaiah was holding back, but finally he let himself go, releasing his come deep inside her. So deep she should feel discomfort, but she didn’t. She felt nothing but sheer bliss.