Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
CHARLOTTE
The next morning dawned with clear skies and a bright yellow sun that continued melting the snow.
I sat at the kitchen table while Beck prepared breakfast with his usual combination of grace and skill. He’d showered but hadn’t shaved, and the hair on his jaw held more silver than usual. I made a mental note to ask if his beard grew faster than a regular human’s.
But right now, his body was the only thing on my mind.
The muscles in his arms flexed as he tipped a bowl of batter into a waffle iron. His fingers were long and elegant on the handle as he lowered the lid and set the timer.
Heat slid through me at the memory of his hands roaming my skin.
A sweet ache bloomed between my thighs. Other aches lingered here and there, each one accompanied by wicked images.
He’d made love to me twice more after our first time, once in the middle of the night when I’d rolled against him and he woke hard and ready, and again just before dawn.
That time, he’d been slow and tender, his fingers stroking lazy circles over my clit as he pushed my thighs wide and rocked into me.
The Beck manning the waffle iron now was nothing like the commanding, insatiable man who’d whispered filth in my ear as he took me apart. His starched flannel shirt was neatly tucked into his jeans. He’d rolled up his sleeves to cook, each side folded into precise cuffs.
So prim and proper. So different from the alpha bear who’d held me against his mouth and thrust his tongue inside me. Who’d ordered me to stay spread on his bed while he fetched a condom, his hungry silver gaze never leaving my pussy.
“Everett and Cal will be here soon,” Beck said.
I jumped, my face heating at my runaway thoughts. “Sounds good.”
The waffle iron beeped, and Beck lifted the lid, releasing a cloud of sweet-smelling steam. Within minutes, he carried two plates piled high with golden-brown waffles to the table. Just before he set one in front of me, he frowned.
“You’re blushing.”
For probably the thousandth time in my life, I inwardly cursed my red hair. “Just nervous about meeting your friends,” I said.
Beck deposited the plate, then bent and kissed the top of my head. “They’re going to love you.” He sat across from me with his own plate. “And if they don’t, I’ll demote them.”
I couldn’t help my smile. “You can’t demote them for not liking me.”
“Watch me,” he said with a wink. He picked up his fork, then nodded toward my plate. “Eat your waffles.”
Shaking my head, I dug into my food. Of course, the waffles were perfect.
Butter and syrup pooled in the deep crevices, the latter coming from a jug Beck declared “the real stuff, not that grocery store garbage.” The outsides were crispy, and the centers were fluffy like the funnel cakes I’d eaten at county fairs the few times my foster family had managed to scrape together a few extra dollars.
“Good?” Beck asked, a smug look in his eyes.
I swallowed. “It’s not fair. You’re good at everything.”
He snorted, but a smile tugged at his lips as he cut into his waffles. “Hardly.”
“Okay,” I said, waving my fork at him, “what are you bad at?”
He chewed, a thoughtful look on his face. Then he wiped his mouth with his napkin and ticked items off his fingers. “I can’t carry a tune in a bucket, I’m a terrible dancer, and I’m bad with technology. I can barely use a cell phone.”
“That’s not true,” I said. “I’ve seen you on your phone plenty of times.”
“Not the apps or whatever.” He sat back in his chair. “I don’t know how any of that social media stuff works. I don’t even have a Facebook account.”
“Most people under thirty don’t have Facebook. Maybe you’re younger than you think.”
A flush stained his cheekbones as he waved a hand over his hair. “This mop has more silver than black in it these days.”
I knew my smile was suggestive. “Okay, but you definitely have the stamina of a thirty year old.”
He coughed into his fist, that charming blush deepening.
“See?” I asked, popping my last bite of waffle into my mouth. Chewing and swallowing quickly, I licked syrup from my lips. “Not a flaw in sight.”
He sobered. “I’m afraid of flying.”
My heart flipped over. I set down my fork and took his hand. “That’s not a flaw.”
“It feels like one. An alpha should be fearless.”
I gave his fingers a squeeze. “An alpha should be honest. You admitted you’re afraid. That takes courage.”
He lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
Desire spun between us, the current so thick I swore I could almost see it. Did I really think I was going to leave this man behind? But could I abandon my career for an isolated life in Alaska? Everything I’d worked for was in Colorado. What would Dr. Henry say?
Beck looked toward the kitchen doorway. A second later, the sound of the front door opening reached us.
“Anybody home?” a deep male voice called out.
Beck smiled at me. “Cal is just being polite, which is unusual for him.”
“I heard that!” the man yelled from the foyer.
I laughed, some of my anxiety fading.
“Cal and Everett know I’m home,” Beck said, rising and collecting our plates. “They scented me from the street.”
Footsteps sounded in the hallway, and then two men appeared in the kitchen doorway. I recognized Cal immediately. He was the blond Viking who’d spoken to me yesterday before welcoming me to Bear Cove. He was even more striking up close, with chiseled features and ice-blue eyes.
The other man was slightly shorter but no less impressive with dark hair, hazel eyes, and a muscular build. He offered me a warm smile as he shouldered past Cal.
“Hey!” Cal said, rubbing his arm.
“This is Everett,” Beck told me, gesturing to the dark-haired man. “He’s our town doctor.”
“And scientist,” Everett added, extending his hand. His grip was firm but gentle. “It’s good to finally meet you properly, Charlotte.”
“Likewise,” I said, his smile easing more of my nerves.
Beck gestured to Cal. “And you’ve already met this knucklehead.”
Cal shoved Everett out of the way and shook my hand. “He means head of Bear Cove’s search and rescue team. I’m also a paramedic and much better at starting an IV than Everett.”
Everett lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’m not going to argue with that.”
Beck waved the men into chairs. As he pulled his chair in, Cal sniffed the air. “Got any extra waffles?”
“Not for you,” Beck said.
Everett met my gaze. “How’s Bear Cove treating you, Charlotte? Is Beck behaving himself?”
More images of the night flashed in my head. My face flamed, and I waited for a hole to open in the floor and swallow me. “He’s an excellent host,” I said.
Both men grinned, and I resisted the urge to slide under the table.
“Glad to hear it,” Cal said.
Beck’s expression turned serious as he fixed his stare on Cal. “Any word on Margot’s arrival? I imagine she’s got more than a few loose ends to tie up before she moves.”
Cal’s face transformed, unmistakable infatuation spreading over his handsome features. “She’ll be here tomorrow. I offered to book her on a flight to Anchorage, but she said she couldn’t wait that long. She’s flying private. I’m picking her up at the airstrip in the morning.”
Beck smiled. “I’ll have a few of the men make sure the snow is cleared off the strip.”
Cal turned to me. “Margot is my mate. She’s a werewolf with just enough human blood to make her compatible. She just found out she’s pregnant.”
Half a dozen questions popped into my head, but I stuffed them away as I smiled at Cal. “Congratulations. That’s wonderful.”
“It’s a miracle,” Everett said quietly. He looked at Beck. “Two matings in one year. Two cubs. The clan hasn’t seen anything like this in decades.”
The men exchanged looks, relief and worry in their eyes. The clan’s population crisis obviously weighed heavily on them.
Everett turned to me. “I’ve read some of your scientific papers, Charlotte. The one on emergent wildlife in volcanic areas post-eruption was particularly impressive. I imagine you’re curious about bear shifter genetics.”
“Dying of curiosity, actually,” I admitted.
The men laughed. Beck stood and moved to the waffle maker. “Go ahead and walk her through it,” he said over his shoulder. “I’ll make more food.”
For the next hour, Everett explained the nature of his research. He was thorough, scientific, and patient with my questions, answering with wit and intelligence as he detailed the interplay between human and shifter DNA.
By the time he finished, Beck had made three trips to the waffle maker, and the table was littered with empty plates and coffee mugs.
Everett glanced at Beck before focusing on me.
“You’re more than welcome to tour my lab.
To be honest, I’d love it if we could collaborate.
We can never publish our findings, but you’d be making real contributions to our understanding of our species.
Bear Cove isn’t just theory. It’s a community hovering on the edge of extinction.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited at the prospect of working alongside someone with your expertise. ”
My stomach fluttered. Everett offered me what I’d always wanted: a chance to perform groundbreaking research that made a difference.
“I’ll take you up on that tour,” I said.
A smile spread over Everett’s face. “Good. And you can meet my mate, Skyler. She’ll be over the moon to have another woman in Bear Cove.”
Except I hadn’t agreed to stay. Not yet.
Beck took my hand. “Are you up for meeting the rest of the clan? I’ll take you in those zones you wanted to visit.”
Apprehension joined the excitement in my gut. Finally, I’d see the areas he tried to hide. But now, he wasn’t helping me with research. He was introducing me to his people. Showing me what kind of life I could expect as his mate.
“I’d like that,” I said, pushing the nerves aside.
Beck’s smile climbed into his eyes, turning them pewter. “Then let’s get you acquainted with the real Bear Cove.”