“Ava is coming, too. Trig can’t leave her behind either. We’re all doing the trail ride, or none of us are.”
“What about the ranch? Who will feed the animals?”
“Well, Ava is putting a pair of damned pajamas on Norman like a reindeer needs clothes to keep warm, and we’ve got the rest of the animals in the front corral with plenty of hay and water. I’m serious, woman, pack your shit. You want something to treat like a baby? Genie apparently likes being carried around like a human child now, thanks to you, so you get to deal with that mess the whole ride. I’ll get her nuts.”
“Fine, but I’m not bringing a jacket.”
“You have to bring a jacket. It’s thirty degrees out, and you have to at least pretend like the cold bothers you.”
“Jackets are bulky, and I’m a polar bear. I get hot easy. Plus, I would rather pack an extra pair of shoes instead.”
“Dammit, Karis, we aren’t having a shoe argument again. Just bring a pair of show boots.”
“Compromise. I’ll bring two pair of snow boots in two different colors, and I’ll bring a cardigan and pretend to be sooo human.”
Colt hooked his hands on his hips and blew air out his cheeks. Karis was trying to hide a smile. He looked frustrated as hell, but it was too much fun to pester him.
“Fine. Compromise.” He leaned in and sipped her lips, his hands slipping from his waist to hers.
Karis’s forehead bumped his cowboy hat, so she pushed it up and tasted his answering smile. No hesitation, Colt dragged the hem of her sweater up and over her head, leaving her hair to fall back down in static-filled curls. She gave up trying to be perfect at sex after the first time they’d been together. So, hair floating upward, she thought, fuck it. She slipped her arms around his neck, hopped up, and wrapped her legs around him.
And God bless that man, he didn’t even grunt under her surprise weight. Instead, he gripped the back of her legs and settled her ass on the counter, then angled his face to push his tongue past her lips. Sexy, sexy man.
He ground against her until she was panting into their kiss, making needy sounds, and rolling her hips to meet his. Colt gripped her neck in a soft choke and eased back by inches, a devilish grin on his lips. Oh, scarred-up, dominant man, he had her heart hammering against her chest.
Leaning forward, he nipped at her neck as he trailed his fingertips to her bra, slid his hand inside, and cupped her full breast. Karis arched back with a sigh and slipped her fingers into the front of his jeans. She could just feel the head of his swollen cock, ready for her.
She needed this. Needed to be lost in Colt after what had happened with the crows. She never felt safer than when she was in his arms.
His strong hand tightened on the back of her neck as he sucked right at the base of her throat. He massaged her breast hard, kneading until she was desperate for him. Spreading her knees wider, she made more room for him. Her man wasn’t in a hurry though, and instead of ripping her jeans away, he pulled his hand from her bra and slid it down her belly, down, down, and unsnapped her jeans before pressing his fingers into her panties.
A soft, satisfied growl rattled his throat as he touched the wetness he’d created between her legs.
A breathless whimper escaped her, and he lifted his lips to hers. His kiss was more urgent now, needier, as he teased her entrance with two fingertips. God, he knew just how to touch her. Over and over, he brushed her clit until she was writhing against him, silently begging to fuck his hand. When he finally pushed his fingers inside her, she was half-gone. She whispered his name.
Deep, deep, he pushed all the way in and set the pace to match his tongue slipping past her lips. Easing her back gently, he laid her down on the floor and crawled over her, his knees on either side of her hips. He ended the kiss and sat up, unfastened his jeans with his free hand, and whispered, “I want to watch you.”
What? Watch what? Her confusion lasted about two seconds before he guided her hand into her panties. Oooooh.
Wicked, wicked grin, her mate was so striking as his eyes sparked gold and he unsheathed his thick cock. “Touch yourself,” he demanded.
Before him, Karis wouldn’t have had sex with the lights on, but Colt made her feel different. He gave her confidence. He accepted and loved everything. He empowered her and made her feel like a goddess.
So, with an answering smile, she pushed her fingers inside herself and arched back. His eyes were glued at where her hand was moving in her jeans.
Breath hitching, Colt stroked himself, hovering over her, his other arm locked, his triceps pressing against the sleeve of his shirt. The open fabric gave her a perfect view of his abs as he pushed into his hand over and over.
“Fuck, I want to come on you,” he murmured, stroking faster, his fist tightening on his dick. She loved watching him get himself off, and from his attention between her legs, he loved doing the same.
“Karis, fuck, I really want to come on your tits.” He reached up and yanked the cup of her bra down. The urgency in his growly voice said he was getting close to finishing, which just turned her on even more.
“I’m close, I’m close,” she panted, eyes locking onto his.
Colt slammed his hand down on the floor and pushed forward, positioning his dick over her bouncing tits. He was stroking himself so fast now, so hard. This was the hottest thing she’d ever seen. And now she couldn’t take her eyes off his dick because she was really going to watch her possessive man empty himself onto her.
But just as she thought he was there, he huffed a breath and yanked her jeans down, pulled her fingers out, and pushed into her, his thick shaft feeling so good as it filled her. He slammed into her deep, over and over, so fast, and she was already there, her body shattering around him.
With a grunt, Colt drove inside her hard and paused, his dick throbbing. He reared back and slammed into her again. Each erotic pulse of her release was explosive as he filled her with warmth, hitting her perfectly every time he bucked into her.
After he’d emptied himself completely, his arms locked on either side of her, chest heaving, face flushed, eyes blazing the color of the sun…he pushed into her one last time, muscles straining, and said, “You’re mine, Karis. You get that, right? The crows can’t touch you because you’re mine. You’re safe.”
She reached up and cupped the scarred side of his face. “Is the Peacemaker dead?” she whispered.
With a sigh, Colt rubbed his cheek against her hand, then kissed her palm. “The Peacemaker in me died the second my heart saw you. I’m just the Warmaker now.”
Chapter Six
“I would rather ride the reindeer,” Karis deadpanned as she adjusted the strap of the purse slung across her chest. She’d lined it with fleece, and Genie was nestled inside.
“Are you going to be like this the entire trip?” Trigger asked from atop Harley, who was stomping his hoof impatiently in the snow, as always.
“Look at this crooked, broken nose!” She jammed a finger at her face. “Sixth grade I thought I was going to be this badass barrel racer, so I got in a riding club with a trainer and everything, and one year in, I get kicked in the face by this appaloosa named Joker. He was almost half of the jerk Harley is, and that’s saying something. I haven’t ridden a horse in years, and you’re putting me on Remedy.” She turned some serious puppy dog eyes on Colt, who was grinning from ear to ear. “Can’t you just like…pull me in a sled behind you or something?”
Thomas was sitting on top of a tall, slow-as-molasses horse named Brutus, lifting his cell phone in the air like he was looking for reception. In a nonplussed tone, he said, “If I have to ride a horse for two days, you can ride a horse, too.”
“Maybe if you get kicked on the opposite side, your nose will be straight again,” Ava offered helpfully.
Karis tried not to laugh, but it was really hard when Ava’s eyes were dancing and she was pursing her lips against her own giggles.
“Look,” Colt said, “if I go all romance-movie
on you and let you ride behind me, what will that do? It’ll only enable you to complain and get out of the things that scare you.”
“Or…it’ll let my boobs rub on your back the whole ride.”
“Get on,” he said.
“Are you serious?” Trigger asked.
“I’m gonna take a picture of you two and send them to you after the trip,” Leonora said in a mushy voice, her phone aimed at Karis as she bounced over to Colt’s gelding, Ranger.
“Karis, get on your dang horse,” Trig said louder. There wasn’t an Alpha order in his tone though, so Karis pretended she didn’t hear him as she grabbed Colt’s offered arm and let him hoist her up easily behind him.
She handed Colt the reins to Remedy and then nudged his mount forward.
“Okay, this is sweet,” Ava said. “Trig—”
“No, woman! Harley would scrape you off at the first tree, and it won’t be romantic when your ass is in the snow!”
Ava narrowed her pretty blue eyes and nudged her ancient white mare, Queenie, past Trig. “Fine.”
After everyone filed in line, Trig trotted around them to the front. Karis heard him mutter under his breath as he passed, “We haven’t even left yet, and I’m already tired of y’all,” which only made her smile bigger.
The day was beautiful, and warmer than it had been in a while. The sun was out, reflecting brightly off the snow, and birds were chirping in the trees. With nary a crow in sight, no alarm bells were ringing. Karis slid her arm around Colt’s waist and rested her cheek against his gently rocking back.
When his hand went to hers, pressing it tight against his abs in a silent I love you, she exhaled a frozen breath and closed her eyes.
It was one of those moments she would remember for always. One of those times she would look back on and think, I’ve had a good life. She would remember the sun on her cheeks, the crisp air that her polar bear adored, the warmth of her strong mate against her body, Genie curled up in the pouch at her hip. The sound of birds and horses’ hooves, breaths, and snorts. Ahead of them, the sound of Ava and Trigger’s laughter echoed through the woods, along with the Ives’s family talking about how beautiful Two Claws Ranch was. The feeling of hope that unfurled in her chest because this trail ride was the beginning of a shot at a turnaround for the ranch. The knowledge that no matter what, the Clan had her back, and her Warmaker would make sure she was safe for always.
Sure, there was uncertainty for their future, but it was this moment of hope that trumped all. And moments like these were to be remembered and cherished, because hardships weren’t always a bad thing. Sometimes they made a person work harder and discover their limits to get out of a hole. In this life here, in this Clan of outlaws, Karis was discovering she was a lot stronger than she’d thought. This life was making her tougher in the best ways. It was making her resilient. It was making her appreciate the moments of peace instead of ghosting over them and forgetting to pay attention to the important stuff.
The damaged barn, the ransacked house, and the unclear future weren’t what was important.
These people were.
And as long as they were okay, well…then she was okay, too.
Chapter Seven
All Colt could think about was how good a Change would feel right now.
And hungrily, he was watching the little reindeer trot after Ava’s horse, like Ava was its momma. Norman would probably taste delicious.
God the relief of a Change was so tempting.
The bear had never been like this. Colt had always dreaded the Change. It was painful, and he didn’t have much control when he was an animal. But since the war, he’d wanted to be the bear more often. He couldn’t tell if that was a good or bad thing, so he was letting it ride until he figured that part out. He’d imagined a hundred ways to kill crows over the last two hours. Karis was silent behind him, her small hand gliding over and over his back when his growling got too loud. Good mate. Soothing mate. Fixer mate, but she couldn’t fix what the crows were breaking inside of him. They’d gone after her. Baited her. What if they’d succeeded in hurting her? God, he couldn’t even wrap his head around the horrible things he would do for vengeance then.
The second this trail ride was over, he was loading up his truck and heading straight to Corvallis where the crows had a clubhouse for their motorcycle club. And he was going to burn their club to the ground, with or without help from the Clan. He had to make life safe for Karis, and there was no way to do that while those crows drew breath. Solution? Take all of their last breaths.
The trees thinned out, and he could see the small snow-covered miner’s cabin up ahead. Over the last month, Colt had worked his ass off to get the trail camps back up and running. They hadn’t done a trail ride in a couple of years, and everything was overgrown. The first big stop was called Mine Camp, and after a four-hour ride, with stops for lunch, sightseeing, and photo ops, Trig lead them into a snowy camp with a river running a couple hundred yards off.
“Gold is the reason we’re here at all,” Trig explained. “Right, Colt?” He slid a narrow-eyed glance to Colt, who forced his attention away from the two birds flying in the distance. He couldn’t tell from here if they were crows or not.
Trig curled his lip into a snarl and, for a moment, his eyes blazed bright yellow before they settled to brown again. Colt swallowed the soft growl in his throat and forced a smile. “That’s right. Trig’s family bought this place for the mining claim four generations ago. It’s been passed down from son to son until Trig inherited the property. But this was the first place his family lived. They were trying to strike it rich between the mine and panning in the river.”
Leonora sat up straighter in her saddle. “Wait, I don’t remember this stop from the last time we rode with you. Do we get to pan for gold?”
Behind him, Karis uttered an excited squeak. “Wait, there’s panning for gold. I want to do that!”
Even though the bear inside of him was roiling with rage at the crows, he couldn’t help his chuckle. “Of course, you do.” His girl was always up for an adventure.
“It’s cold,” Thomas pointed out. “Don’t you want to build a fire and eat and stay warm? You’ll freeze.”
Damien raised his hand and said, “I’ll freeze a little for finding gold and getting rich.”
Trig mouthed, cut it out to Colt, who forced himself to swallow down another growl. Dammit, he hadn’t even realized he was doing it. Then the Alpha smiled cordially at the Ives and said, “Let’s get the horses comfortable. They’ve earned it. And when they’re settled, we can grab the equipment and go panning while Colt makes dinner. Sound like a plan?”
“Hell, yeah!” Leonora said.
Damien wore the biggest grin, and against Colt’s back, Karis snuggled in tighter. Ava was already off her horse and straightening up the ridiculous little fleece outfit she’d strapped onto Norman, and Trig flipped off Colt the second the Ives were too busy to notice.
Genie crawled onto his shoulder and stared at the sky where the birds had been. Something was wrong with her. He’d never seen his pet scared, but maybe she’d been traumatized by watching the crows ransack their house. He hoped she got over it soon. She hadn’t even tried to bite anyone the entire trip. It was weird. Maybe she was sick. Or Dying? What was the lifespan of a squirrel?
“Colt!” Trig barked out.
“What?” he yelled back.
“Stop staring at the damn squirrel and get off your horse!”
Ranger was tossing his head, which he never did because the bay was used to Colt. He’d trained him to accept the bear, but right now Colt felt half-savage with the need to bleed something.
Karis was rubbing his back in little circles but it wasn’t helping. It was making the tingling of his skin worse. “Babe, you can’t Change here,” she murmured.
What? Change? No, he was okay. Sure, his veins felt like they were transporting hellfire, his skin was tingling, and apparently he was growling again, but whatever. He was
in control.
“Everything’s fine,” he muttered, dismounting. Except for Genie, who dug her little claws into his neck and held on like a fuckin’ barnacle.
“You don’t look fine,” Ava pointed out as she petted Queenie’s neck.
He reached up and grabbed Karis’ hips, then helped her down. “If this is yet another scar-face joke, I’m not in the mood, Ava.”
The Ives family were busy leading their horses toward a corral Colt had rebuilt.
Ava snuggled Norman now like he was her actual baby. “I mean your face was hideous before the scars, sooo…”
“Colt, I’m serious,” Karis said. “You are close to a Change and messing with my bear. You have to settle—”
“Karis,” he cut her off, “I got a squirrel latched onto my neck like she’s a leach, Ava’s giving me shit for my face, and now you’re giving me shit for something I can’t do nothin’ about. I’m up to my fuckin’ hairline with lady problems right now. Ease off.”
Karis reared back, her eyes blazing silver. Looking like a little hellion, she jammed her finger toward the woods. “Get on then.” She shoved him in the shoulder. “Go!”
“Woman, you can’t just shoo me away like a dog. I’m not a—”
“You’re gonna talk to me like that? You’ve lost your damn mind. And here I was gonna fix it for you.”
“Fix what? I ain’t broken!”
“BJ,” Karis said.
“What?” Colt griped.
“I was gonna give you a blow job, but you’re screwing yourself right out of that relief. Now you can take care of me, and I swear to God, if you Change this close to camp, I will too, and we’ll see whose bear can bleed who.” Karis bent down, picked up a stick, and chucked it toward the woods. “You don’t want to be treated like a dog, don’t you act like one! I’m not a lady problem!” Karis brushed past him and stomped toward the tree line.
Holy shit. He’d never witnessed her mood change so fast. She was a steady girl, but whooo, he felt the slap of every word she’d yelled at him.