Page 14 of Bred By the Beast

“I thought beekeepers used smoke to calm them?” she asked.

“We have an understanding.” He winked at her and her heart did a little flutter.

He removed a chunk of honeycomb, the honey dripping off it as he came to show her. She was absolutely mesmerized by all these new experiences. Without a second thought she leaned over and took at bite off the opposite end of the comb he was holding, the sweet taste flooding her senses. So fresh, so delicious.

Wilder reached out with his other hand to clean some dripping honey from the corner of her mouth. She felt like a child all over again. When he brought his finger back to his own mouth, sucking off the leftover honey, she felt her entire body light up with heat.

Did he feel it too? Were his eyes always that dark?

She licked her lips and he followed the movement of her tongue.

“I never knew bees were so interesting,” she said. “And complicated.”

“The reward is worth the effort, no?”

She nodded with a smile, the sweet taste still in her mouth.

****

Wilder didn’t want to agree with his bear. His animal side insisted Poppy was their mate, but his hatred for humans made him fight the idea. He’d already resigned to the idea of living his live alone, unless the rare chance he came across a female bear shifter.

Things were different now. The mating call was strong, and there was no denying it now. Poppy was perfect. When she had been photographing his hives and bees, he watched her. Her wonder, passion, and innocence kept him in awe. It cemented the fact he had to claim her as his mate. It wasn’t just her lush body, soft blonde hair, and mothering instincts. It was every detail about her inside and out.

But claiming her would be anything but simple. She was a human, unaware of the paranormal secrets around her. If she knew the truth, she’d be terrified, disgusted even. A woman wouldn’t mate with an animal, especially not one as delectable as her. She had wide birthing hips and big heavy tits. A woman like her could handle being fucked and bred.

When she’d taken the honey he’d harvested, all he could think about was pouring it on her naked body and sucking off every drop, slowly, starting with her sweet little cunt. He growled, shaking the distracting thoughts away.

“I think I’m already addicted to your way of life,” she said as he continued giving her a tour of his homestead.

“Then stay,” he said.

She twirled around, hugging his flannel to keep the chill out. “Don’t tempt me.”

But he wasn’t joking in the least. He didn’t want her to leave. He watched her taking in the surroundings, the mighty firs, the eagles soaring above, the scattering of wildflowers. She kept snapping pictures, proving she loved everything he loved.

Fate had chosen well for him. Now he had to figure out how to keep her.

“What are those?” she asked, pointing down a valley to a line along the ground.

“Security lines and trail cameras.”

“Why? Bears and wolves?” she asked.

“Humans.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Way out here? Why the security? What would they do?”

“There are a lot of dangers out here, none of them from bears or wolves. I can never let my guard down.”

“Is it the poachers?”

“It’s not just the men after you. It’s been a problem for as long as I can remember. Humans are cruel and dangerous. They take what they don’t need and leave a trail of suffering behind them.”

“I’m not disagreeing with you.”

“If they know you have their photos, they won’t stop looking for you.”

She squatted down, covering her face with her hands. On instinct, he got to one knee, pulling one wrist away. “What’s the matter?”