Baby Got Bear - Milly Taiden Page 0,15

of her own. After making love one more time because she just couldn’t resist, she’d kissed him soundly, gotten dressed for the second time, and told her big grizzly to expect her back in less than an hour.

Thirty minutes sounds even better…

Walking through the field, it felt like she was experiencing the sun for the first time. The rich scent of the wheat, the glorious aroma of the spring flowers in bloom, everything was better now that she and Beau were together. Even the nerves, the sour pit in her stomach that always roiled when approaching her house, were gone.

“There’s nothing you can do, Dad,” she told the butterflies, the tips of her fingers once again going to her shoulder. “The deed is done. I’m free. I’m in love with a wonderful man, and I’m free.”

Chapter Eleven

Refusing to use the back door, unapologetic that she was wearing the same clothes from the day before and she knew the scent of her mate wouldn’t be missed, Lucy grabbed the brass door handle and pushed. Walking over the threshold like she owned the place, because, well, she would someday, it was a surprise to find her father’s guards absent.

“Must be in the pavilion,” she mumbled under her breath. “Goddess knows, Dad has to supervise the biggest party of the year, and he can’t be without security. Maybe he does know the whole world would stab him if they had the chance.” Mimicking her father’s raspy voice, she mocked, “Everything has to be perfect. This is the one and only time we allow these people into our home. They have to have something to aspire to.” Rolling her eyes, she couldn’t help but scoff, “Oh, brother, when I run the show—”

“When you run the show, it will be in name only. There will be an alpha wolf by your side, and you will be doing as you are told.”

Hand on the railing, one foot on the bottom step, Lucy’s head snapped to the side. Glaring into her father’s fiery stare, she shrugged, “How about a bear, Dad? Don’t you think a nice, upstanding bear, who’s a good man with a good heart, who actually cares about people would make a nice addition to the family?”

Approaching slowly, his eyes never leaving hers, her father’s thin, bloodless lips curled into a nasty smirk. “No, I don’t think that will do at all.”

Stepping down and turning to face him, Lucy stood tall. For the first time in her life, she wasn’t going to lose her temper, or back down, or anything she’d ever done before. No, this time, she was going to have an adult conversation with her father, and he would have to accept her decision.

Tilting her head slightly to the side, making absolutely sure there was no way her father could miss Beau’s bite, she took a step forward. However, her father had to get his two cents in first.

“That…” jabbing his finger at her like a saber, he seethed, “…will heal. You will cover it with makeup for the ball, and for the sake of the goddess, wash that stench from your body. You will not embarrass me in front of the whole community.”

“No.”

Going on as if she’d hadn’t said a word, Cleland fumed, the apples of his cheeks getting redder with every syllable he spat. “You will do as you are told. The deal has been made. The blood oath is sacrosanct. You will mate Terrance Holloway. He is already feared. With my help and you by his side, he will be revered. Your children will be—”

“What children?” All pretense of keeping her cool flew out the window. Cleland was barking mad, and Lucy was over it. Throwing her hands in the air, she stormed, “I won’t have any children with that…that…that waste of skin and fur. He’s not the one who calls to my soul. Our union will be loveless, joyless, and entirely for show.”

Taking another step forward, her fists clenched as they shook in the air. “He’s not even someone I want to be in the same room with. He’s a scumbag, drug-dealing piece of shit that you think you can bend to your will. You think he will add to your fortune, make you look stronger, give you clout with the lowlifes.”

Another step, and she was close enough to see the tiniest tips of gray fur breaking through the skin on Cleland’s jawline. Her father was losing control. She’d never seen it before. Had witnessed his cruelness, his complete