It was his animal wanting to make that thought a reality, but Bram agreed 100 percent. This little doe was theirs, and he wasn’t going to let her get away. He couldn’t.
It was as easy as that, and when this was all said and done, she’d be giving herself to him completely, begging for more. He dared anyone to come forth and try to take her from him. At the very thought of that happening, he growled low in his throat, and he saw and heard her swallow in clear apprehension.
Leaning down so they were eye-to-eye, he said without trying to hide the wild bear inside him, “You’re mine, little deer.”
Her eyes widened further, and the scent of fresh fear filled his nose. She had no need to be frightened of him. He’d never hurt her. He’d protect her above all else.
One thing was for certain: Bram was going to claim his mate, and he was going to do it so fucking hard it lasted forever.4Kenzie had been ready to make her escape, but then this alpha bear had come thundering over, claiming she was something to him, and that plan had gone down the drain. She was frozen with shock, a little bit of fear, but most of all… sudden arousal.
He stood in her way, blocking her only escape. Her one chance was shot.
Kenzie craned her neck back and stared into the intense blue eyes of the bear shifter in front of her. He was covered in blood and sweat, had so many wounds on him she couldn’t even count them all, but underneath that violence, he was beautiful.
There was a nasty gash above his right eye, a fresh bruise forming along his left cheek, and his full bottom lip was split. He’d clearly been in a fight, and if he was walking around as if there wasn’t anything wrong with him, Kenzie didn’t even want to see what his opponent looked like.
“What’s your name, little doe?”
She didn’t like him calling her that, didn’t like this dominance that clung to him like a second skin, and having him this close had her getting a straight shot of pure adult male bear. It was intoxicating. Kenzie swallowed the second lump that had formed in her throat since this alpha male had come up to her. Her heart thundered, and she couldn’t quite understand her body’s reaction to this stranger.
He couldn’t be any better than these trashy humans and shifters that filled the ratty bar. His appearance alone sent warning bells through her. He was tall and muscular, and a part of her wanted to lean closer, to breathe in deeply and take his essence into her body. It was a ludicrous feeling, and certainly not one she played on.
Those thoughts immediately gave way to the fear of Rook.
Fear and caution were always at the forefront of her mind. Kenzie knew how to tread lightly around Rook, knew the panther shifter thought of her as his possession.
“Your name, sweetheart, what is it?” The bear inquired again, and Kenzie felt a cold sweat start to cover the length of her spine. He took a step forward. She glanced at Marek and Tank, but the cougar shifters were still occupied with a blonde and redhead.
Any moment now, Rook could come out. She didn’t want the bear hurt because of her, and although there was no doubt he could handle himself, Rook was a psychopath. She stood, moving back, away, trying to escape.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had to work this hard to get a female’s name before.”
Her back met the hard, cold wall, and she turned her attention back to him. He towered over her. Although he easily outweighed Rook in muscle mass and was several inches taller than the panther, Rook was a sadistic bastard. He believed in pulling fingernails off, breaking kneecaps, and torturing his victims until they complied with whatever he demanded of them.
As she stared into the male’s bright blue eyes, took in his dark hair with a faux-hawk style, she felt something shift inside her. Deer were known to be on the skittish side naturally, and she’d never been any different. But for some inexplicable reason, she found herself opening her mouth and telling him exactly what he wanted to know.
“Kenzie.” She licked her lips, and he lowered his eyes to watch the act. “My name is Kenzie Harlow.” She sounded out of breath, and her chest rose and fell with such force her breasts were almost touching his abdomen. She didn’t like how he made her feel so off-balanced.
She felt this unexplainable pull toward him, one she wanted no part of.
Before he could say anything in response, the scent of Rook invaded her nose. His aroma was a strong mixture of his expensive, suffocating cologne and his underlying vileness. It had always made her gag, but for some reason, Rook’s odor was pushed away by this bear’s naturally arousing smell.