I walk off from them and the pull I have to stay is strong. Once I’m far away, I stop and turn around to watch her. Bree’s gaze lands on me in an instant and it’s then I realize that there’s no distance now that will break it. Already our bond is there.
Lola walks over to me and slides her hand down my back and across my ass. I’m used to having her on me. It’s become more common recently, not really because I want it, but because I never really had a reason to turn her away. But now I feel it, deep in my gut. Betrayal… I’m not even mated to Bree—we shared one look—but she’s already controlling how I feel and what I think. I step away from Lola and she’s pissed.
“Lola, I’m not dealing with this shit right now. We aren’t together and you need to calm the fuck down,” I tell her, never taking my eyes off Bree.
She’s watching me, but when she saw Lola walk up to me, she tried to act like she wasn’t. Her back went ramrod straight and even across the yard, I know she’s pissed.
I watch as Sayer joins Deator, Kass, Bree and Bruin. He’s sniffing around her and I know he’s on the hunt.
Turning to Lola, I tell her, “Look, I know Sayer is lusting for you. Go to him. You and I are done.”
She wants to argue with me, but I turn to her with the “look.” It’s the same look I use to stare down any and every adversary. She lifts her chin at me defiantly and walks away. But she walks toward Sayer. As soon as Lola reaches Sayer, she drags him away from the crowd and Bree turns to me, knowing it’s my handiwork. The expression on her face tells me she’s trying to figure me out, but I look away. Hell, I don’t know what I’m doing exactly.
The party goes on and when Bruin finally walks away from Bree, she goes to the outer ring with her back to the party, looking out at the forest.
She starts walking, never turning back, almost like she’s drawn to the wooded area. So I follow her.
Chapter 5
Bree
It’s official, the sexiest man alive is the VP of New Law. I felt him studying me, staring at me, and even across the yard, I felt his attraction to me. Too bad he’s got a bitch of a girlfriend in Lola. They’re all drinking and having a good time, but I’ve put in my appearance. No one is going to miss me if I go for a bear-stretching session.
The expansive forest in front of me beckons me, calling for me to come and run. I feel like I’ve been cooped up my whole life and right now in this moment, I can’t put it off any longer.
As soon as I get far enough and the music from the party is barely audible, I start to take off my clothes. With my hands on the hem of my shirt, I stop suddenly. I smell him before I see him. Surprise hits me. Even with all the bears gathered together, I’m still able to identify Ronan’s scent. My body tautens and there’s a pull in my lower belly. Hating the reaction my body is having to him, I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. I put aside my attraction, because even now, even with this attraction I know he feels for me, he could still mean to harm me. Just like the Eaters. I release my shirt and turn around to face him.
He must have taken off his leather vest with the New Law patch back at the clubhouse, because he’s not wearing it or a T-shirt. He’s standing there staring at me, and even from here, I can see his nostrils flare, and I know he’s smelling me, memorizing my scent.
His chest is massive and it rises deeply with every inhale. I want to walk over to him and put my hand over his heart. I want to feel the steady beat of it under my palm.
I rub my hands down my jean shorts, fighting the feeling of wanting to go to him.
He surprises me when his face softens and he smiles. “I’ll show you my bear if you show me yours.”
It makes me smile, because I really need to shift. The pull is so much stronger in the wilderness of Klamath than in the city. Ronan isn’t shy as he strips off his shoes and pants. When he’s left in only his boxers, I can’t take my eyes off him. He puts his thumbs in the waistband of his shorts and pulls them over his hips and down his legs.
When he stands back up, he’s hard… everywhere. I know that I’m blushing from head to toe. This is my first time seeing a naked man’s—you know—and, well, I can’t believe how big it is.