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Carly
Donna hasno shame when it comes to talking about sex. The moment she walks into the kitchen, she takes one look at Sierra and says, “Victor is talking about what it would be like to fuck you, isn't he?”
If we both weren't used to her, it would be shocking. But what's shocking instead is we both have no trouble speaking to her the same way. Sierra says, “That and talking to me like I'm fucking him while I'm fucking Keith.”
Donna gazes at us with intensity before she sits at the table. She says, “Bastard. He's trying to mate rape you, Sierra.”
We both ask at the same time, “What?”
She growls in disgust. “Humans have got nothing on werebear. We don't need a drug, just our teeth.”
Sierra asks, “He has to have sex with me for us to be mated, right?”
“Right. But a bite from an alpha makes you attracted to each other. While we might overlook it in a newly changed teen, it's a serious offense for adults, especially when someone does it to a person that's already mated—although technically you weren't because you hadn't changed yet. Just sex isn't enough. It’s something put into our DNA to ensure the alpha can always have children and carry on the family line. We like to think we've evolved enough that both partners have a say these days.”
Donna takes the plate of cookies I set out for us and puts it in front of Sierra. She must have noticed her weight loss, too.
The idea that as an alpha, I could bite any male and make him want to have sex with me is fascinating in an odd way, and I imagine that's a fantasy in a few male werebears’ minds. I ask, “So how do we break the bond?”
“The only way I'm aware of is for Victor to find his true mate. Once he has sex with her, the attraction and ability to talk to Sierra in her head will break. It should be the same for Sierra. So either Keith isn't your true mate or it doesn't work for halves.”
Sierra sighs. “Victor having sex with someone else might never happen. Is there any way I can learn to block him from hearing me talk to Keith?”
Donna shakes her head. “Unfortunately, no, because he's an alpha. The best you can do is stop talking in your head; try to think like you did before you were changed.”
When Sierra's chin begins to quiver, Donna reaches over and grabs her hand. “There is one other way.” She grabs my hand, too. “If something like this had happened a hundred years ago, we wouldn't have thought twice about killing him.”
My skin prickles with the desire for revenge, and my body wants to shift. But I tamp it down when Sierra's tiny voice says, “I couldn't live with that.”
Donna scowls before she agrees with Sierra. I guess there’s nothing Donna would like more than to bring back the old ways, and that probably includes killing Victor herself. She sits back and crosses her arms. “I believe it's time for a meeting. Carly, you're about to see clan politics in action. I'll set up a date for the women leaders to have lunch.” She grins, and her smile holds a touch of evil. “After all, they need to meet the newest Le Roux prima.”
Yes, that will be interesting. Especially since I'm about to find out if Marion is my mother. Still not ready to share my plan, I change the subject.
“Lily gets here this afternoon, Donna.”
“Oh, good. Now we're waiting on Taylor. As far as I know, none of the other boys are dreaming about women. We're getting to the end of mating season, and this worries me.”
I ask, “Mating season?”
“Oh yes, werebear can only get pregnant from May to mid-July.” Donna looks at Sierra's concerned face and adds, “Don't you fret. You've got plenty of years left, and we'll get you knocked up next spring if it doesn't happen this year.”
Sierra smiles, but I think she's distracted, and I ask, “He's talking to you right now, isn't he?”
She nods, and I get an idea. “Hey, maybe you should sing loudly to block him out.”
Of course, the only thing I can think to sing is “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” I begin, and Donna and Sierra quickly join me. When Donna suggests pigs and we start to squeal, laughter makes it hard to continue.
Even though we managed to get Sierra to smile for a while, I'm concerned. Unwanted voices in your head are the kind of thing that makes you crazy, and she can't last like this forever. What the heck is Victor trying to accomplish? There has to be more to this than wanting Sierra to be attracted to him. Why does he want to take her away from us to be his mate?
Sierra and Donna left a few minutes ago. My stomach rumbles, and I realize I've reached the point where my hunger can't be ignored. I get up from the table to rummage through the fridge for something to heat up. Finding leftover spaghetti, I stick it in the microwave, and buttons beep as I set it to cook.
My phone buzzes on the counter, and I see Lily has texted.“Eta 1.”
I have just enough time to eat and drive over to the retail shop. A smile forms on my face as I think about the day Sierra and I arrived. The image of Annie popping through the office door with maple candy and her bouncy curls comes to mind. She's who trained me in basic bear ways when I changed, and she has become a good friend as well as my sister-in-law.
Tomato and garlic tantalize my tongue, and the beefy sauce on my spaghetti feeds my need for protein as I swallow a mouthful. Annie runs the gift shop for the Bear Mountain Tree Farm. That first day, she took Sierra and me on a tour of the businesses that make up the company, and I look forward to making the rounds again as an insider.
The drive over to the store is quick, and the weather is warm enough for me to crack my windows open. The earthy scent of fresh grass is a promise of summer to come. While I'm not near the ocean any longer, I imagine the warm months are easy to enjoy with the number of lakes close by.
