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THE SECRET BEAR DADDY STIFFENED
“Unfortunately, ‘this mess’ is only beginning,” I reminded her. “Being Alpha Supreme of a House that has been through everything that Fire and Fluorite has over the last two-plus decades isn’t going to be easy, but you’ll learn who you can trust to handle some of the issues that come up. They won’t always fall on you.”“Like you?” she asked with a small grin playing on her lips.“As much as I haven’t wanted to be part of a House in past years, I wouldn’t be anywhere other than where you are,” I said. “Plus, you’ll have Ryder.”“And Amy and Mark,” she said hopefully.I wasn’t so sure about that.I stroked her back. “You might need to prepare yourself in accepting that there’s a chance they’ll go back to Blood and Beryl.”Her face jerked back as if that shouldn’t have even been an option. “Why would they do that? This was Mark’s home for most of his life.”“Exactly,” I said.She nibbled on her cheek, then sighed. “I see your point. It might be too much for him to stay here. Too many rem
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY LATCH
Without waiting to hear his response, I grabbed Elena’s hand and pulled her to my room, which had already been ransacked. “Fuck,” I muttered.Thankfully, I wasn’t a moron and had hidden most of my more important items, but still, we’d only be taking back half of what I’d hoped for.My dresser was toppled over, and the drawers were all broken. The closet door had been ripped from the hinges, and all my clothes were shredded and lying on the floor or on my bed, which had been overturned.Elena gasped next to me, taking in the destruction. “I’m so sorry, Atlas.”“They’re just things,” I said as I shoved the box spring and mattress out of my way.When I’d tracked down someone’s runaway teenager and only asked for cloaking spells in return, they’d thought I was crazy, but they’d sure the hell come in handy now.Quickly, I ripped the wooden slats up from the floor and unearthed three chests. One smaller and the most important, the other two larger and filled with weapons and other potions.
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY FLAMES
She looked up with admiration I didn’t expect. “I’m sure she’s proud of the man you’ve become.”I wasn’t sure about that, but there were other things we needed to be discussing instead of diving back into my past.“You should pick your weapon of choice,” I said, nodding to the other trunks sitting on the floor next to us.While Elena opened the first, I took the memento box and tucked it in the attached bathroom behind the pipes under the sink. It was as good a place as any for now.When I came back into the room, Elena was wielding a sword. It was one that required two hands to handle, but she didn’t seem to have any problems keeping it upright.“You want that one?” I asked as I opened the second chest.She peeked inside, then set the sword on the bed. “It’s a contender.”I handed her a set of matching daggers that she set next to the sword after swiping them through the air a few times. Then she tried out throwing stars that ended back in the box along with the nunchucks, a flail, a
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY NUNCHUNKS
She looked up with admiration I didn’t expect. “I’m sure she’s proud of the man you’ve become.”I wasn’t sure about that, but there were other things we needed to be discussing instead of diving back into my past.“You should pick your weapon of choice,” I said, nodding to the other trunks sitting on the floor next to us.While Elena opened the first, I took the memento box and tucked it in the attached bathroom behind the pipes under the sink. It was as good a place as any for now.When I came back into the room, Elena was wielding a sword. It was one that required two hands to handle, but she didn’t seem to have any problems keeping it upright.“You want that one?” I asked as I opened the second chest.She peeked inside, then set the sword on the bed. “It’s a contender.”I handed her a set of matching daggers that she set next to the sword after swiping them through the air a few times. Then she tried out throwing stars that ended back in the box along with the nunchucks, a flail, a
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY DOUBLE CHECKING
“Let’s go, then,” Atlas said as he rejoined us.The sword he’d picked last night was resting across his back with the handle up. That, combined with his black pants and charcoal shirt that formed nicely around his defined muscles, easily increased his sex appeal by a thousand percent.Basically, he was the definition of sex on a stick. Even better, he was all mine.Atlas strode to my side and whispered in my ear, “Keep looking at me like that and we’re not leaving this house.”Nodding, I gulped then attempted to distract myself by double-checking that my twin daggers were strapped to my thighs over the tight, black pants.They were as secure as they could get in the sheaths Atlas had given me, and there wasn’t anything left for us to do except meet up with the others.Amy and Mark had already opened the front door, and when I moved to exit ahead of Atlas, a loud explosion sounded around us, vibrating the floor I still stood on.“What the fuck was that?” I seethed.“Seems like the figh
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY STIFFLY
Mark tried to hold her, but whatever power she was emanating didn’t allow that to happen.“This isn’t your fault,” he said sternly. “The heads-up you did give them will have helped, and so can we.”“Oh, yes. We’re going to fucking help. Help unlike anything they’ve ever seen.” With those final words, Lia charged forward, shifting into her pearl-colored unicorn as she ran.Mark ran after her, his hickory-colored wolf quickly coming into appearance as he gave chase.I glanced at Atlas once more. “Should we join them or search for Johnathon and Hazel?”“Join them,” he answered, then added, “for now.”Before we took off after our friends, his hand wrapped tightly around the back of my neck, jerking me forward until I was pressed flush against his chest. Our eyes locked in a battle of mixed emotions.“Be fucking careful,” he demanded before his mouth crashed down onto mine.My fingers gripped his shirt tightly, bunching the fabric until my hands began to hurt.I pulled back first, knowing
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY THE SEARCH
I pulled the daggers out of their sheaths and squeezed the hilts until blue flames covered the blades.“Whoa,” Sammy whispered.“Watch our backs,” I reminded him, and then I began to sprint in the direction of the bunker.ELENAIt wasn’t long before we caught the attention of the red-eyed bear, as well as Atlas. He let out a menacing howl that made me think he wanted me to stop, but I couldn’t. I had to get Sammy to safety. If anything happened to him…I couldn’t even finish the thought. This kid was going to be okay. Just like I’d promised.“Left,” Sammy shouted, and I swung my hand in that direction.The dagger still flaming in my hand slid cleanly through the silver wolf with crimson eyes, taking his head right off.“Hell yeah!” Sammy said.I chuckled but still reprimanded him. “Language, bud.”The other Bear slowed in their attacks once they’d seen what I’d done to the first, but that didn’t mean we were going to be left alone.I assumed I was the specific target that they’d been
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY SNEER
Jacob glowered. “Apparently, the coven didn’t teach you any manners.”“I only reserve those for people who deserve them.” I took another step to the right and a quick glance at the boulder. My eyes briefly caught movement that I hoped would be someone who could take Sammy from me.My Bear was dying to escape and rip these fuckers to shreds, but I couldn’t until I no longer had the boy to protect.“So, what do you want from me?” I asked again, hoping to buy myself some time. Plus, it would be nice to know why this fucker framed me for murder.His chin lifted slightly. “You were supposed to be mine.”My stomach churned, taking his words one way, but Jacob continued before I could verbally react.“Your mother was my fated mate,” he said hauntingly. “She was my life, and when she’d told me she was pregnant, I was the happiest man in the world.”Except I wasn’t his. I was Mathis’s child.“But my Rosy wasn’t far enough along for me to be the father.” His eyes darkened as he stared at me wit
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THE SECRET BEAR DADDY CREATING FAMILY
But the pain was magnified by the look Marigold had given her as Elena washed and dressed her for the last time.It was a look of pure, unadulterated trust.That baby loved you. And you just left her.She still had her keys to her mother’s house, and when Elena walked in, the house was silent and dark.It seemed her mother wasn’t home. She was probably out shopping or with one of her friends.Great, your mother’s got a better social life than you do. Now get it together.Her thoughts had changed.Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she would be strong. She would put herself back together and be happy doing it.Back in her room, Elena unpacked her duffel bag and pulled out her laptop.Then she headed to the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee while she updated her resumé.Elena also considered starting a writing blog where she could post fictional stories about men that turned into bears and wolves. But then she remembered the man who had followed her in Costco.She understood what At
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY HURT
Could this man have been one of the council’s goons? Atlas couldn’t picture any shifter he had ever met from Elena’s descriptions.But then, there were bear shifters all over the United States. Who knew what kind of trash Elias or Callum had called in to take care of Atlas?“I don’t want you going out on your own again,” Atlas found himself saying. His voice was harsher, hotter than he had intended.Elena turned from where she stood at the stove and looked at him with raised brows.Her bright eyes were almost cold. He shuddered. Lyra had never looked at him with anything other than warmth in her eyes.“Excuse me?”Her voice was a whisper.Just then, Marigold started fussing, and Lyra came from the kitchen to pick up Atlas’s daughter.“It isn’t safe for you to go out on your own. We don’t know if that guy who followed you was just a creep or if he was connected to something … else.”Atlas ensured that his voice was gentler, but Lyra still looked incredibly angry.“I’m not someone who l
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY THREATS
Elena spent about two hours trying to fit Mari’s car seat into the backseat of the truck.Then she went back into the cabin to wash and dress Marigold, who she put in a fluffy, yellow onesie.She put a white cap on Mari’s head and matching white woolen booties on the infant’s tiny feet.Not that Marigold was that tiny any longer. The baby was growing faster and faster every day … faster than most babies.Elena had a feeling it had something to do with her bear-shifter genes.Marigold was even outgrowing the clothes that Elena had purchased two weeks earlier.“I’ll stop by the baby care store in town,” Elena whispered to Marigold. She stroked the baby’s cheek once and then lifted her into her arms. “And we’ll get you some new threads.”Elena grabbed her bag on the way out, as well as the Maya wrap Atlas had purchased.She settled Marigold safely into the car seat, strapping her in tightly. Then Elena got into the driver’s seat and turned on the beast of a truck.The engine roared to li
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY DELIVERIES
He wanted to growl, his bear trying to break out, but he held his anger down and frowned at them. "I have a human nanny. Elena is my daughter's nanny."They didn't seem to believe him, and he sighed, waving a hand."Serenity died if you have forgotten, and I have a newborn baby that needs attention. Much more attention than I can give her, mind you. So, I hired a nanny.""You're saying that this nanny that is living in your house hasn't joined you in bed? That's what you're saying? You haven't slept with her?" Devlen asked, narrowing his eyes. He wanted him to admit that he'd mated with Elena, but he wasn't going to."No," he lied, shaking his head. "She is just my nanny. She's what Marigold needs right now. I need an extra set of hands around the house."Devlen scoffed and shook his head. He placed his hand on the table, his words coming out harshly. "I don't believe you. You're lying. She isn't just your nanny, and we are all watching. I'd be careful, Atlas, because all eyes are on
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY CROSS ROADS
Atlas reached for her hand, shaking his head. “I don’t want to talk about that.”He pulled her toward him, sealing their lips together. A spark ran down her body. She leaned into it.His hands skated over her back and down, cupping her ass. He pulled her onto his lap, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss deepened, and she moaned softly against him.He broke the kiss, inhaling against her neck. “You smell so good,” he muttered into her ear.She smiled, feeling his hands sliding up her back. He reached for her bra straps.She leaned back, looking into his eyes. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk?” she asked, seeing frustration in his eyes.He shook his head. “Maybe later. Right now, I just want you.”She felt the love so deep in his words. She kissed him, allowing him to pull her shirt open and undo her bra.The air bit at her bare skin, but he pulled them onto the bed and under the covers. She pressed into the sheets as his fingers scraped at her pants.His lips kissed
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY SURPRISED
Her heart dropped into her stomach, and her breathing, she realized, was shallow, unsteady.Atlasr’s eyes darkened then, and his jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth.“We need to be very careful, Elena.” The warning in his voice was clear. “We need to continue pretending that you’re my nanny and not my mate.”“You really cannot expect me to do that.” The distress in Elena’s voice surprised her. But a dent had been put in her pride.“Yes, you have to,” Atlas said, his voice more serious than Atlas had ever heard it before. “You cannot tell anyone about us. Not even your mother. And I’m not doing this because I want to keep you a secret … far from it. I’m doing this because I want to protect you.”“Maybe we should move?” The idea flashed across Atlas’s mind so suddenly that she hurried to grasp it before it vanished. “Move to another state where we can live freely. Like Alaska.”Atlas shook his head as Marigold started crying.Elena took the baby automatically, cradling the little gir
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY REJECTED BY THE COUNCIL
Devlen, Case, Elias, and Jameson represented the bears of Montana.“Atlas,” Devlen spoke in his growling voice.Atlas inclined his head in a small bow to each of them.The four shifters all wore bear skins.“Thank you for seeing me,” he said. “I am here to plead before the council. I would like to find a human mate. Clearly, Serenity and I were not a match, and this resulted in her death.”“I believe, Atlas, that you’ve mated with a human before coming here to get our approval.”Fear raced through Atlas, crashing into him in great waves and almost knocking him over.But he remained steady, his face impassive.“Not at all, sir,” he said as respectfully as he could. Anger had blended with his fear. “I simply want us to change the old ways of living to save the bear shifters of Hendrick Klaus.”“The reason we do not mate with humans, Atlas,” Elias spoke in a gentler voice, though his face was stern, “is because we are keeping our species pure. Mating and procreating with humans only weak
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY SETTLED
Atlas took a hesitant step toward her.Outside, the wind had picked up. Leaves and thick, rich patches of soil blew around in gusts and spurts.The air had smelled wet and ripe, as though it was about to rain.“I want you. Only you,” Atlas said. His eyes were sincere … sincere enough that Atlas believed him. “More than anything. But I have to ensure that the council approves of our relationship first.”“Why?”Elena settled into the rocking chair next to the baby’s bed.Marigold was still awake but allowed Elena to cradle her. It was as if the baby knew Elena needed to hold her.“Because,” Atlas leaned against the changing table, “the council rarely approves of bears and humans mixing. Socially and … romantically.”“Is it really that big of a deal?” Elena found the strength to ask Timber, who crossed his arms over his chest.“It isn’t to me. But the bear council wants us to keep our bloodlines pure. They believe that mating with humans is physically impossible, and even if it were poss
THE SECRET BEAR DADDY CONVERSATIONS
She gripped her hands into tight fists. Her lips pulled into a straight line, and she inhaled sharply.“If you're not going to be honest with me, then I'm not staying. I told you I wasn't going to watch after your kid day in and day out. I'm the nanny, not the mother."She turned on her heel and marched toward the door. He quickly pulled himself out of bed and reached for her hand, stopping her."Stop!" Elena yelled, but he didn't."Just give me a second to explain," he whispered, making her pause.He knew she wouldn't believe him unless she saw with her own eyes, so he turned them toward the door and walked her out to the backyard.The grass was wet, and it smelled like it had recently rained. He turned toward her on the deck and took a few steps back."Now, you can't say I didn't warn you," he said, watching her look at him confused.He relaxed his muscles and allowed himself to shift into his bear form. His bones moved, and his muscles contracted. And then she screamed.Elena's eye
