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The word bounced around his skull the way it had earlier. His bear plowed through the brush in the dark. The deeper they got into the woods, the less the light of the moon was able to infiltrate the density of the trees above. It became darker and darker.
I thought sleeping with her would sate those feelings, he replied.
His bear didn’t answer. Not only did having sex with Lily not quench his thirst for her, it made him want her even more. If anything, it enhanced his feelings. The tug he felt that pulled him back toward the mansion was strong.
He wanted to find her again and take her into his arms. His bear was in complete agreement. The farther he and his bear ran, the more he wanted to turn around. It was as if every mile they put between themselves and Lily only tightened a bungee cord.
The tension was taut. Oliver felt uneasy about the distance from his woman.
Immediately, he stopped. She wasn’t his woman. He couldn’t think that way. He didn’t have the time or the energy to take on a relationship. Didn’t he just have this very conversation with Quintin? Now, he was having it with himself.
What the hell was wrong with him? His bear was acting strangely, and it was almost impossible for him to dress earlier and walk away from her. What he really wanted to do was stay where he was … wrapped up in her arms.
And the look on her face when he told her he was going for a run alone was enough to make him want to slap himself. He knew his words hurt her feelings. Was she as drawn to him as he was to her?
Damn it!
Oliver turned quickly and headed back to the party. He couldn’t bear the thought of being this far from her for a moment longer. As it was, he wasn’t sure if leaving her was a smart idea.
What if another shifter encroached on his territory? What if she took up residence with another man? The thought suddenly infiltrated his mind, and he became furious. She wouldn’t dare, not after spending the night with him.
Oliver knew these thoughts were wrong. The full moon directed shifters to do what they did best … follow their most primal urges. That’s all Lily was doing tonight. There was nothing between them, and she certainly didn’t belong to him.
So, why did the thought of her shackled up with someone else bother him down to his very soul?
The masquerade was meant to be anonymous. Anonymous shifters doing whatever they wanted. They weren’t supposed to feel possessive or jealous. Why, then, was he filled with rage and envy?
It was uncontrollable. For whatever reason, he truly felt like Lily belonged to him. They were entwined. She was his, and he wasn’t about to share her, especially with another shifter. And what if, God forbid, she ended up with a member of his bear sleuth?
He’d have to look at her, day in and day out, knowing what they shared and then knowing she found happiness in the arms of someone else. It just couldn’t be. He couldn’t allow it. He wouldn’t allow it.
He had to get back as quickly as possible. He was angry with himself for leaving the way he did. He missed her. He needed her. He wanted her.
Relief, to some degree, seeped into his person as he neared the mansion. At least he was closer to her now. Maybe he’d find her and satiate his desires once more before the night was over.
“Help!”
The plea pierced the night air. He’d recognize the sound of her voice anywhere. It was Lily. Of that, he was certain.
Picking up speed, he crashed through the woods until he came to the end of the woods. With a mighty roar that had both the aggressor and Lily turning toward the sound, Oliver ran straight toward Uziel.
How dare that bastard touch what was his. The moment Uziel saw Oliver charging, he pushed himself off of Lily and shifted.
Uziel’s bear, although intimidating, wasn’t nearly as big as Oliver’s. Oliver was an alpha, after all, and they were known to be the biggest and strongest of the sleuths.
The bears crashed into each other in a fury of growls and snarls. Massive paws sliced through the air as the two fought. A flurry of deep brown fur became a blur as the bears circled each other, ears flat against their massive heads.
Their shaggy fur swayed this way and that as they reared up on their hind legs. Oliver saw Lily scramble to her feet and back away, hands pressed against her mouth. She had no idea who he was. She wouldn’t recognize him in bear form.
Oliver and Uziel reared up once again, their jaws clamping down on each other. Oliver felt pain race through his back where Uziel had latched on. His enemy's head shook back and forth as he tried to injure Oliver further.
Oliver may have been bigger and stronger, but Uziel was smaller and lighter. With him on top like that, it was hard for Oliver to throw him off. In an attempt to free himself, Oliver threw himself back, landing hard on the smaller bear.
Free of Uziel’s jaws, Oliver turned and made sure the smaller bear was pinned. His jaws found the underside of Uziel’s throat, and he clamped down, not hard enough to kill him but hard enough to instill fear with the undeniable threat of death looming over him.
Uziel froze before surrendering. Opening his jaws wide, Oliver roared as mightily as he could in Uziel’s face. After a moment, Oliver released him and backed up, watching his every move. He half expected Uziel to attack again, but the smaller bear turned tail and ran into the woods.
What a coward, Oliver thought. The urge to race after him and finish the job almost took over, but Lily’s sobs from behind him stopped him. It was far more important to take care of her than it was to chase down Uziel.
