Daisy couldn’t stand it anymore. She needed to kiss him; she needed to look into his eyes. She needed to control this raging inferno inside her. She slid away from Cyrus and turned around, resting her hands on his shoulders as she slid down over him again. Her knees on either side of his hips.
“My little bear is on fire,” he growled, thrusting up into her.
She threw her head back as she rode him, her breasts bouncing as he caught them in his mouth. He held her hips in his hands, pumping upward into each of her wild bucks. He pushed her deep and hard, over the edge of reason. Pleasure tugged between, pulling like a taut cord that vibrated with intense sound. She threw her head back and groaned as Cyrus pumped into her three times, in forceful succession. Her pussy throbbed around his cock, pulling his seed deeper into her core.
She looked back at him, catching the feral look in his eye. She smiled, her lust quenched for now. She slid away and collapsed against his chest. He gathered her in his arms and kissed the top of her head.
“Oh, my love,” he whispered. “You are so beautiful.”
“I need you so much, Cyrus.”
They held each other in the warm bath until water began to cool. They climbed out and wrapped themselves in the fuzzy, white bathrobes provided by the lodge. Daisy dried her long hair with a big fluffy towel and Cyrus made a call to room service. They sat on the couch in the living room and turned on the TV.
It was amazing how comforting such a seemingly simple act of sitting together on the couch and watching television could be. But doing this with Cyrus, after everything they had been through, was like coming home for Daisy. There was no end to all the adventures she hoped to go on with Cyrus one day. But this little time of rest together felt like she’d found their place in the world together.
Cyrus answered the door when room service arrived, and he carted the tray into the room. They sat in their bathrobes, feasting on gourmet food, and watched an action movie on TV. Cyrus opened a bottle of champagne. Later, Daisy found herself resting her head on a pillow in Cyrus’s lap as he stroked her hair and ate popcorn he’d made in the microwave. This little hint of normalcy lulled her into sleep as she breathed out a satisfied sigh.
She didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, but for now, she was home.
Chapter 14
Cyrus awoke to the sound of the phone ringing. He lifted the phone from the receiver and held it to his ear.
“Hello?” he said groggily.
“This is Commander Rollo Morris. We were able to apprehend several of the men on your property. Two of them were wounded and still unconscious.”
Daisy sat up in bed beside him and Fifi started to roll around in the blankets.
“What to do you want us to do?” Cyrus asked.
“We need you to come down to the station and identify the suspects.”
“We’ll be down there as soon as possible,” Cyrus said.
Cyrus hung up the phone and looked at Daisy who was still in her bathrobe. He had carried her to the bed night before and placed under the covers. It had been so sweet to see her sleeping on his lap. It reminded him that he had slept on her lap just the night before when she had heroically removed the bullets from his chest.
“Did they find my stepdad?” she asked.
“They found two men who had been wounded and were unconscious. They want us to identify the suspects.”
“I’ll get ready to go.”
Daisy went to the bathroom to retrieve the clothes she’d borrowed from Sylvia. Cyrus was lacing up his shoes when she came back out. She slipped into the shoes that Sylvia had lent her and bit her bottom lip.
“Don’t worry, my love,” he said. “I’ll be beside you the whole time.”
“I just don’t want my stepfather to see me.”
“I won’t let him hurt you again,” Cyrus vowed.
She nodded and he gathered her in his arms, kissing the top of her head.
“Everything will be all right, baby. Jessie is going to be here in a few minutes. We’ll meet him downstairs.”
She let out a long sigh and then nodded her head against his chest. Daisy made sure Fifi had everything she needed while they were gone. They left the suite and went downstairs to meet Jessie in the lobby.
“Cyrus,” Jessie said, standing from the sitting area. He grabbed his older brother in a rough embrace. “Looking good, man. And this is your mate? Cyrus, you old dog. I can’t believe you got such a cute little mate for your own.”
“This is my brother Jessie,” Cyrus said, almost embarrassed.
Daisy reached out to shake Jessie’s hand and gave him a cute smile in appreciation for the somewhat embarrassing comment.
“I’m lucky to have him,” she said.
“He’s lucky to have you from what I understand,” Jessie said. “You saved his life on the mountain. Good on you, sister.”
“Thank you,” Daisy said with a laugh. “It was nothing.”
“So, you two need a ride into town?” Jessie asked.
“We’re stopping at the police station. And then we’re going shopping.”
“You can take the truck if you want and drop me off in town. I can take my bike back to the ranch.”
“Sounds good,” Cyrus said. “Let’s go.”
They dropped Jessie off in the parking lot of the grocery store and continued on to the police station. Cyrus held Daisy’s hand outside the front door of the station. He kissed her knuckles and looked deeply into her eyes, making sure that she was ready for this.
“I’m fine. Let’s do this,” she assured him, and they went inside.
“We are here to see Commander Morris,” Cyrus told the officer at the front of the station.
“Take a seat. The commander will see you in a moment.”
Cyrus and Daisy found a place to sit. A few moments later, Rollo emerged from the back offices and waved for them to follow him. They walked through the cubicles in the Fate Mountain Police Department and Rollo opened the door of his office. Daisy and Cyrus walked inside and took chairs on the opposite side of Rollo’s desk. Rollo sat down and folded his hands on his desk.
“Did you find my stepfather?” Daisy asked. “He was tied to a tree with strips of his suit.”
“We did find a man matching that description.”
“Good,” Daisy said, looking down at her lap.
“You want us to identify them?” Cyrus said.
“Yes,” Rollo said, lifting up a computer tablet. He flicked across the screen and then turned it to Daisy and Cyrus. “Do you recognize these men?”
The tablet showed a split screen of two men with their hands cuffed to a table and two separate holding cells.
“That’s my stepfather,” Daisy said.
“But I don’t know who the other man is. Is that Pierce Evert?” Daisy asked.
“No. You must not have got him.”
“The other man must be one of my stepdad’s henchmen. In fact, wait, I do recognize him. He’s worked for my stepfather for about a year.”
“And these are the men who attacked you on the mountain?”
“They are,” Cyrus said.
“They’ll be charged and sent to the county jail to wait for sentencing.”
“Is there going to be a trial?” Daisy asked.
“Most likely. Trespassing, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon. These are serious charges. This case may bring up more than you bargained for with your stepdad’s criminal endeavors.”
“I hope it does. He betrayed me and he hurt my mother. I think she died of a broken heart. They said it was a heart attack, but I know better.”
“Are we free to go now?” Cyrus asked.
“You are.”
Daisy and Cyrus left the police station hand-in-hand. His mind was racing a million miles a minute as he thought of Pierce still being out there. Right now though, Daisy needed some decent clothing to wear. Bringing her stepfather to justice would be hard on her. But this had to come to a conclusion. The man
had to be punished for what he had done, not only to Daisy, but to the people of this community. Dealing in crystal with the hyenas only proved what a bad person he was, in Cyrus’s opinion.
They made it into town and went into the local clothing store. There were dresses and shoes and bags and clothing for men as well. Daisy trotted into the women’s section with a squeal, deliriously happy to find something to wear. He loved the sight of her shopping. How she went from rack to rack, feeling the fabric and holding the dresses up in front of her. She shook the hangers to watch the fabric move. He delighted in the twinkle in her eye and the smile on her lips. He didn’t think he had ever seen anything so beautiful.
She picked multiple outfits and shoes, handbag and hair accessories. Cyrus had done his own shopping and the salesgirl rang them up. When they got outside, Daisy suggested they go buy makeup at the drugstore. Cyrus thought that was a great idea. Watching her face light up at the clothing had been fun, now he would get to see her enjoy herself even more.
It was hard to believe that a set in his ways grumpy old mountain grizzly would enjoy watching a young girl shop for clothes and makeup as much as he did, but it warmed his heart to see her happy. He would take her muddy and naked with her hair in tangles, barefoot on the mountain, any day. But the sight of her prettied up in the way she enjoyed was a sight to behold, and he wanted to give her everything her heart desired.
They went to the drugstore and she filled up a basket with makeup and nail polish and squealed at the colors and choices she found. He loved how enthusiastic and happy she was at such simple things. When they’d first met, he never would have imagined that he would get her like he did now. But even the act of shopping for makeup and the strange concoction of their personalities together gave him a new appreciation for fate and how it worked on people. When they were done with their shopping, Cyrus drove them back to the lodge and they went back to their rooms. Daisy unpacked her haul and began to happily go through her new things, talking to Fifi in the bedroom, while Cyrus ordered them a late lunch.
The phone rang and Cyrus answered it.
“This is Commander Morris. I wanted to let you know that the suspects are being transported to the county jail to await trial. The other individuals you reported involved in the assault have not been apprehended, but we have reports that they have been spotted in the area. I thought you should be aware of that. The Bear Patrol is on the outlook for the suspects and will arrest them on sight.”
Cyrus let out a nervous sigh between clenched teeth. Pierce Evert was still out there and so were several of the hyena shifters involved in the attack. They had to be brought down. Pierce had threatened Daisy. Cyrus would no longer try to escape the truth of human and shifter nature. He would stand up and fight for what he believed in. Now that he fully understood what it meant to love someone.
It was Daisy he was meant to defend and protect. Not some idea of nature or honor or anything else, but the promise of the love he saw glowing in her eyes. The power that their primal bond gave them both. The love that they shared that could create worlds and cubs, and a future brighter than anyone had ever imagined. They could have it all, together.
Chapter 15
Cyrus and Daisy docked their rowboat on the other side of Lake Fate. It was a beautiful fall day and the leaves were twirling in the sunshine as they blew about on gusts of wind. Cyrus grasped a picnic basket in his hand as they continued up the beach to the landing. They headed to the gazebo that was windowed in against the elements. Inside, was a fireplace and a big table. Cyrus placed the basket on the table and Daisy began to unpack it as Cyrus lit a fire in the fireplace.
The table was beautifully polished and had such fine craftsmanship she was amazed to find it in a gazebo in the woods. Cyrus got the fire burning and joined her at the table. There was warm beef and potato stew, hot chocolate, and French bread. Everything was delicious and cooked in the kitchen at Fate Mountain Lodge by world-famous chef Shane Keenan.
Daisy knew about his cooking show from before the war. It was a long time ago, but her mother had had some of his cookbooks when Daisy was growing up. She loved the fact that she was eating a famous chef’s stew recipe, made in the kitchen that he ran. Shane himself might have even cooked it.
“I can’t believe that Shane Keenan works at the Fate Mountain Lodge.”
“Shane? Yeah, he’s from Fate Mountain. I knew him when I was a boy. He owns the diner with his mate Lily.”
“That’s so unbelievable. My mom loved his cookbooks when she was alive.”
“Shane is a pistol. He and his wife Lily just bought some land to build a big new house for their family. I’m happy for them that they finally got together.”
“Finally got together?”
“They had been best friends as kids. But Shane had some problems and he wanted to keep them away from Lily. He didn’t even know that they had a kid.”
“Oh my gosh, that’s so terrible.”
“I think it was pretty bad for a long time. But everything worked out in the end.”
“I’m so glad that we found each other and that we both wanted to be together.”
“You bring a whole new dimension into my life, Daisy,” he said, reaching across the table to grasp her hand. “I want you to be mine forever in every way.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little box. He opened it and showed her the ring glistening inside. It was a huge princess cut diamond. Her eyes widened at the sight of it. It must have cost a fortune.
“Cyrus. I don’t need this.”
“Don’t be silly. Of course you do,” he said, slipping it on her finger.
She held it up in the light from the fireplace and it twinkled and gleamed. Her heart swelled that he would make such a gesture.
“Will you be my wife?” he asked.
“Of course I will,” she said with a giggle. “I already am.”
“Then take off all your clothes and come with me now,” he said.
She couldn’t resist. She unbuttoned her blouse and dropped it on the table next to the leftovers and dirty dishes. Cyrus did the same and soon they were both undressed. She looked down at her ring and bit her lip.
“Do I have to take this off too?” she asked.
“Yeah. We’re going to shift.”
“Shift?”
“I’m going to marry you today. And were going to do it in bear form.”
Daisy was intrigued so she slipped off her ring and set it on the table next to her clothing. She grasped Cyrus’s hand and giggled as they walked out of gazebo. The ground was cold on her feet, but they were soon running into the forest. Cyrus jumped into the air, shifting in mid-motion. As a brand-new shifter, Daisy wasn’t nearly as agile as Cyrus. She followed him into the shift as quickly as she could, her heart light and her head buzzing with excitement. They ran swiftly through the trees.
This forest was open, and manicured by lodge staff. Daisy had a sense of freedom and joy she could barely contain as the forest sprawled out before her in its intricate web of life and vitality.
She could feel Cyrus so close beside her; the whole matrix of what was him flowed into her like a wave of information. They came to a clearing where the maple trees ran a ring around a little meadow. The orange and yellow leaves were blowing in the wind as they fell from the branches. Cyrus stopped and looked at Daisy, nuzzling her cheek with a low growl.
She loved the sensation of having him so close in this form. There was something so raw and hidden in their primal bond that she couldn’t express in human language. It was as if they understood everything about life. Together. It was also simple and straightforward. There was no good or evil. Everything was in balance.
In her previous life, she had rarely thought about such things. But in her new bear form, standing opposite her groom, as the leaves blew from the trees all around, she felt her whole life and heart and mind expanding. A little bit of Cyrus had bled into her and a little bit of her had bled into Cyrus. Now they were
more complete together than they ever had been alone.
She looked deep into his dark black eyes and thought of how much she loved him on every level of her being. Her attachment to him was unbounded and she longed to show him that, every moment of every day for the rest of her life. She knew that her feelings vibrated through the distance between them and landed squarely inside his heart. A wave of Cyrus’s emotions and thoughts burbled through the same vibrating cord, wafting through her mind and heart to settle in her gut. She knew so clearly that Cyrus would die for her. He would go to his grave trying to protect her from the darkness of the world. And she would go to her grave protecting his heart from that very same darkness, ensuring that he could be happy in this life, for all its pain and triumph alike.
She closed her eyes, breathing in the perfect moment. Beauty and light echoed outward like a soundwave from her chest and met the echo of Cyrus, creating a new harmony of tone. The music of their bond swirled around them like a protective shell. There were no questions and no ‘I do’s. There were no vows and no guests. Only the two of them singing their hearts’ songs to each other through the cords of their primal bond. A tear seeped from Daisy’s grizzly eye and dropped onto the ground. She wanted this moment to last forever.
“Isn’t this special,” a man’s voice growled at the edge of the clearing.
Daisy snapped her neck to see a man holding a semi-automatic rifle, trained on both bears. He smiled maniacally.
“I came back to finish the job. The girl is still legally single. She’s going to the Updikes.”
Cyrus growled and Daisy snarled. She could see Cyrus’s mental images inside her mind. He was telling her to back away and hide, so he could take out Pierce. He wanted her to leave, but she refused. She would stand and fight with her man. Cyrus felt her insistence and he acquiesced, accepting that she was just as committed to him and his safety as he was to hers. He growled at her in agreement and she began to back away while Cyrus started to prowl forward.
“It’s the girl I want, Cyrus Kincaid, not you.”