Betray the Bear (Bear Valley Shifters #4)(21)

A tear slipped to her cheek, warm and moist as it slid down her skin and fell to the earth. “I went to see Daria so I could make you the balm.”

Riker was herding the onlookers away and she gathered her clothes to her chest, feeling raw and vulnerable under Chase’s impossibly bright gaze.

Her vocal chords felt crushed as she whispered, “I’m sorry I thought I was mated. I didn’t know any different.”

Chase hung his head and shook it slowly, staring at the bundled herbs in his oversized hand. They looked ridiculous, fragile even, against his calloused palm.

“I didn’t mean to shame you, woman. I thought it was part of the ruse.”

And right then, she decided there would be no ruse. She wasn’t going to spy for Nathan. She would meet him at the end of the week and tell him she was done. Done with his games, done betraying Bear Valley. Done with him. She couldn’t cause Chase the pain she saw in his eyes right now.

She gasped as Chase hooked his arm around her neck and pulled her against him. His skin was warm and smooth against her breasts and he buried his face against her neck. Inhaling deeply, he said, “I was with a woman for a long time—a woman I couldn’t trust.”

Determined to be better for him, she said, “You can trust me.”

“I’m beginning to see that. I shouldn’t have overreacted in front of everyone, and I’m sorry.”

Why did his apology make her want to cry? Not just cry, but sob under the tidal wave of emotion being around him drown her in. She couldn’t recall anyone ever saying sorry to her. She felt so safe and whole up against him. His erection was pressed like stone against her belly, but he didn’t ask more from her than an embrace. She wished she hadn’t been born a Long Claw and that he hadn’t been with the woman who hurt him. She wished she met him first, before Nathan made her into a weak woman.

“Everything’s okay,” she said against his pounding heart. “Can we go home now?”

A deep chuckle vibrated against her cheek. “Come on, spy.”

Except now the word had lost its venom. She didn’t mind it as much when he said it like this—like an endearment. She’d never had a nickname before.

Dressed once again, she climbed the fence behind Chase and he turned and offered his hand.

“You’re much nicer here than you are in training,” she said, letting him help her down.

“Coddling you in the ring won’t save your life in battle, Anya. I have to be tough in there. I won’t give you anything you can’t handle. You’re stronger than you know. You just have to discover your limits.”

She walked beside him and bit her lip against creeping shyness. “I’m sorry I took a swipe at you.”

His clothes lay in tatters in the arena behind them, and he looked down at his bleeding chest. Four shallow marks marred his skin. “I’ve had worse.”

Her gaze dipped to the gaping wound that was still unable to heal. “Did that happen during the battle with the Long Claws?”

“Ha! I wish. Brody gave this little love bite to me.” He dipped his head, eyes dancing with humor. “I hugged Joanna and he’s a bit touchy about people touching his mate.”

“Brody did that?” she squeaked. He’d seemed really quiet and nonthreatening to her, but he’d mauled Nathan and now Chase, the two strongest bears she’d ever seen. “Holy crow, his bear must be a monster. Did you fight back?”

“He’s one of my best friends. I fought, but not like I was defending my life. I didn’t want to hurt him. He didn’t feel the same in that moment.”

Anya was having a legitimately difficult time not staring at his jutting shaft on proud display and bobbing seductively with every powerful step he took. She ripped her gaze away and watched the evening shadows stretching across the trail in front of them instead. “Are you two okay now?”

“Me and Brody? Oh, yeah. We were fine by the next day. It’s stupid to hold onto that stuff.”

“Mmm,” she grunted noncommittally.

“You don’t agree?”

“It sounds nice in theory, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to be mad at Nathan for a long time.”

“I can make you stop thinking about him.” His voice was teasing and his eyes danced with amusement. It was impossible to tell if he was serious or not.

“How?”

The humor slipped from his face and his ruddy eyebrows drew down as if she were a puzzle with pieces that didn’t match. He stopped and turned, drawing her close and cradling the back of her head with his hand. Her breath quickened and she rested her hands on his taut hips, daring him.

Thoughts of Nathan and anger and betrayal slipped away as he lowered his lips slowly to hers. The kiss was chaste and questioning, and he pulled back and searched her eyes.

Her stomach was twisting and turning in on itself, and her knees began to shake.

“Anya,” he whispered and she couldn’t pull her gaze away from his sensual mouth as it formed her name. He pulled the neck of her shirt aside and ran his thumb against the smooth skin beneath her collar bone. “I’m glad he didn’t mark you.”

Before she could overthink it or change her mind, she pushed upward on her tiptoes and threw her arms around his neck. His lips pressed against hers but there was nothing innocent about it now. He drew her bottom lip into his mouth and bit down until she groaned, then thrust his tongue against hers, lapping and tasting.