Unfortunately, by the time I finished spinning to meet my fate, no plan had formulated in my head. Looks like it was the good old “wing it and hope for the best” plan. Some freaking queen I was going to make.
When the male came into view, I was a little taken aback. I’d expected it to be a guard, multiple guards actually, but it seemed luck might be on my side after all, because the giant of a bear standing shirtless before me was definitely not a guard. He seemed to be the gardener, right down to the pair of shears in his right hand, hanging non-threateningly at his side.
I took a second to admire the view. Because a view like this was made to be admired.
He was one of the hugest males I’d ever seen, topping out close to seven feet. He had heavily corded muscles and darkly tanned skin. Someone clearly used to being outdoors, lifting heavy stuff, swinging an axe … maybe. With his wild dark hair and neatly trimmed but still sort of scruffy beard, he was every girl’s woodcutter fantasy come to life. And his eyes, holy crap, his eyes were like molten copper, swirling as they remained locked on my face.
I realized I’d been standing there gawking like a pup with her first crush, and that was no way for a queen to act. I needed to talk my way past the gardener and then grab that crystal before Selene got there first.
He showed no discomfort to find a wolf casually strolling around his king’s territory. His stance was relaxed, although his face and eyes were harder. He tilted his head to the side, and as those unique eyes caressed my features, the swirling depths deepened and his clenched jaw relaxed. His lips quirked into a smile.
“You,” he whispered, and chills ran up my arms.
He said it like he knew me.
“I … I’m unarmed, and this is not an act of war. Our queen fell and...”
He took three quick paces toward me and I tensed, readying myself for a fight. I didn’t need weapons to kill a man. I’d done it with my bare hands many times. Despite the fact we were gifted dominion over our boroughs as heirs, you still had to prove yourself. You still had to be alpha enough. But this was one of the largest men I had ever seen. If he wanted me dead, there was no doubt he could make that happen.
He hadn’t raised any alarm yet though, which gave me some sense of comfort. One on one was much better odds than the entirety of the king’s army.
He cast me in shadow as he closed in, seemingly even more massive than he’d looked from across the way. My breathing slowed, every part of me focused on the incoming battle. Then he shocked the hell out of me.
“I never forgot that kiss,” he said, his arm snaking out to curve around the back of my neck.
My brain tried to process his words and actions at the same time. What in all shifter gods was he doing? What kiss?
My next barrage of curses was hushed as the bear’s surprisingly full lips crashed into mine. For a second the world stood still. I forgot who I was, what I was doing here, and the fact that hot-as-woodcutter-man was a bear. Energy sizzled between us, so intense that I was either going to collapse or drown if it didn’t ease.
Desire like I’d never known unfurled in my chest and continued downward through my body. I fought for clarity, drawing on every piece of training I’d ever had in my life. He was a freaking bear, I was a queen heir, this could not happen! I started to growl, and just as I was about to bite his tongue off, he pulled back, grinning.
It was then that I realized exactly who the royal gardener was, why he acted so familiar with me. It had been the dimple that jogged my memory, a dimple that was barely visible within his dark facial hair.
“You…” My voice was hard, but still much breathier than I liked.
It was the same bear I’d kissed at fifteen on this very island. Of course back then he’d been only a little taller than me, and baby-faced. Now he was hard and all man. And he’d just kissed me … again. My right hand came up and smacked him solidly across the face. I’d practically had to jump to reach it, but it was still so satisfying.
He had no right to touch me, and I didn’t appreciate the manhandling, no matter how satisfying the kiss was. In the back of my mind I was reminded of the wolf council’s words: if we were caught here, we belonged to the bears, and they could do what they wanted with us. Yeah, not okay with me. No bear got to kiss me, or make my body ache – not allowed.
Unfortunately, my slap hadn’t seemed to deter him. If anything, his eyes were twinkling as they continued to hold me captive. Over his shoulder a streak of purple caught my attention. Selene was running through the yard clutching a stone in her hand. No!
Dammit! This distracting, giant gorgeous idiot had just cost me the third task, and I still wasn’t in the clear. Not only was Selene going to win the points and have the advantage in the final round, I was still stuck here at the mercy of a bear.
“Who’s that?” I said, bringing the other heir to his attention.
With the smallest of smiles, he turned to stare straight in the direction Selene had dashed, as if he’d known she was there all along. In a burst of movement he took off after her, and he was fast.
“Wait right there,” he called back to me, his voice low and gruff.
Yeah, for sure, woodsman. Idiot.
Without hesitation I took off, leaping across multiple obstacles and not letting up my pace one bit. I heard a shout, but there were no other sounds of pursuit; the gardener had chosen to run down Selene. I doubted he would catch her; she had a decent head start and was probably already halfway back to our meeting spot. I ran as fast as I could to the cliff face again, unearthing my pack and all but falling back down the cliff, getting a nasty gash in my left elbow. It would heal quickly though; I was more worried about being caught.