Part 2
### Chapter 1: Chapter 1
This is a reverse-harem paranormal romance. There will be reference to some SA that doesn't take place in the book. Charlee is in committed relationships and there are a handful of explicit scenes.
Charlee's honeymoon just ended and she finds herself traveling across the country to meet her new husband's estranged family. Her life gets turned upside down when she finds out that not only are shifters real, she's mated to four of them. Charlee struggles to come to terms with this new world and find her place in it. In the meantime, her mates are working against the clock to find who has been killing bear shifters and their families. Can they keep Charlee safe? And will Charlee be able to accept four mates? Or will she reject them?
Complete Chapters 38
Rating 5.0 ( 39 reviews ) Age Rating mature
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Surprise Trip
My husband of two weeks was lying to me.
I could see it in the way his jaw clenched every time I asked about his family, in the careful way he chose his words about the island we were traveling to. Riker Maddox—my take-no-prisoners Wall Street banker who could stare down corporate sharks without blinking—was currently fidgeting in the back of an SUV like a man heading to his own execution.
“You know I love you so much, right?” His light blue eyes were full of sincerity, and worry as he turned toward me, cupping my face in his hands.
I smiled despite the knot of unease in my stomach. At 6′4" and 250+ pounds of solid muscle, Riker had always been my gentle giant. When we met a year ago, what he wanted was me. We’d eloped to Niagara Falls two weeks ago—so deliciously scandalous and fifties-style. But I was the middle of eight kids. Six of my siblings were already married. My parents would probably thank me for saving them one more wedding.
“Of course,” I said, letting my chest expand with the warm love I had for this man. “And I love you too, babe. It’s going to be okay. What are you worried about?”
His hands dropped to rub my arms, and he pressed his forehead to mine. “It’s just… I haven’t prepared you enough for my family. They’re different. Really great people, but they have different… customs.” He bit his lip.
I stuck out my tongue and licked his mouth. He pulled back in surprise and chuckled, the tension breaking for just a moment.
“They’re going to love you and basically pounce on you right away. Just a warning.”
“It’s okay, luv. I can go with the flow.” I leaned into him, inhaling his familiar scent. “I’m proud of your native heritage. I know it will be different than what I’m used to, but that’s fine. I’ve been to cultural events all over the world. It will be fine.”
But even as I said it, doubt whispered at the edges of my mind.
In the year we’d been together, Riker had mentioned his family exactly three times. Each time, his voice had gotten quiet, distant. “We had a falling out,” was all he’d say. Seven years of silence. Seven years he’d stayed away from an island I’d never even known existed until twenty-four hours ago.
I hadn’t pushed. That wasn’t my style. But sitting here, watching tension roll off him in waves, I was starting to wish I had.
“Besides,” I said, trying to lighten the mood, “I’m sure I’ll love them as much as you do. You know you don’t have to worry about me. I’m an adult, and parents love me. In fact, I’ve had way more parents fall in love with me than their sons.”
I gave him a peck on the lips, but he held me to him, deepening the kiss. I blushed as we teetered on the line of making out in the back of the cab. I pulled away and snuggled into his side.
Riker chuckled, the sound deep and wonderful in his chest. “We’re in a car. It’s not really PDA.”
“I’m sure Viktor has no desire to have us getting hot and heavy in the back of his town car,” I said louder.
The driver smiled at me in the rearview mirror. “I appreciate the consideration,” Viktor said dryly. The dignified Asian gentleman in the dark suit had been our chauffeur for the last several hours.
I smiled back, but couldn’t hold in the giggle as Riker’s hands gently tickled my sides. He seemed to melt around my body as I laid my head on his shoulder, but he was still tense. I wasn’t used to Riker being tense. The man thrived under pressure, lived for high-stakes negotiations and impossible deadlines.
But right now, with the prospect of me meeting his family, he was nervous about something.
There probably wasn’t anything I could say to help him feel better, so I settled for touch.
I’d been surprised when Riker woke me on the last morning of our honeymoon with an urgent intensity.
“I need to take you to meet my family,” he’d said, leaning over me in bed. He brushed my hair from my face gently. “I’ve kept you to myself too long.” He kissed me, and I kissed him back.
“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, Rike.” I threaded my hands through his dark hair as I pulled him back for another kiss. “But I’d love to meet them. The wonderful people who helped make you the perfect man for me.”
“It’s time I went back.” His voice was quiet as he kissed down my jaw and neck. “And I want to show you off.” He rumbled the words against my skin.
By afternoon, he’d booked our flights. We’d left that same day.
Now, after three flights and several hours in Viktor’s SUV, we were minutes away from a dock on the Pacific coast of British Columbia. From there, we’d take a boat to the island where Riker’s family lived.
The sky hung low and bruised as we pulled into the parking lot—more gravel than pavement. Salt air hit me the moment I stepped out, sharp and wild, nothing like the processed ocean smell of Niagara Falls. This was real. Remote. The kind of place where you could disappear and no one would ever find you.
I shook off the thought. This was Riker’s family. Not a crime scene.
I pulled my jacket around me as a stiff wind came off the ocean. A long dock stretched out from the beach into grey, choppy water. At the end, a single boat was docked—a yacht, bobbing on the waves like a toy in a bathtub.
Riker stood next to me as Viktor did a large U-turn and headed back toward civilization. I waited by Riker as he stared at the boat, something unreadable in his expression.
A lone figure emerged from the hatch and waved.
Riker’s demeanor seemed to lighten. He smiled—genuine and warm. “That’s Axel.”
" The Axel?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
“There’s only one.” Riker didn’t seem to struggle at all with our bags as he started down the beach.
I followed, my boots sinking into dry sand. The dock was narrow, and I motioned for Riker to go ahead—with his large frame, it would have been precarious to walk beside him.
Axel leapt from the boat and moved swiftly to meet us halfway down the dock. He was as tall as Riker, if not as stocky, with dirty blond hair and chocolate brown eyes. Black jeans and biker boots, black t-shirt stretched across his chest. Leaner than Riker, but just as muscular.
They really knew how to make men on this island.
“Damn, it’s good to see you, brother.” Axel’s voice was gruff as he grabbed Riker in a tight hug, smacking his back the way men do.
I was surprised to see Riker’s eyes watering when he turned back to face me. He wiped them and cleared his throat.
“Axel, this is Charlee. Charlee, this is Axel.”
I stuck out my hand with a grin. “You’re one of the four brothers-from-another-mother. I’ve heard great things about you, Axel.”
Axel stepped toward me and covered my hand with both of his.
My skin where he touched me seemed to tingle—the exact same electric sensation I only got with Riker. Goosebumps exploded up my arms.
I’d only ever felt that with Riker. Only with him. I pulled my hand away, shaking it out like I’d touched something hot. Axel’s eyes tracked the movement, and something flickered in his expression. Recognition? Satisfaction?
“I can’t describe how wonderful it is to meet you, Charlee.” His voice was deep, and he stared at me with those intense eyes.
I glanced at Riker, waiting for him to notice something was off. But he was already looking away, his attention on the boat.
Just then, a gust of wind hit me from the side. I let out a small shriek as I flailed my arms, trying to regain my balance.
Axel’s arm snaked around my waist in a flash, and I instinctively grabbed onto him. I could feel his warmth as he pulled me tightly to his body to keep me from falling off the dock. His serious eyes watched my face, inches from my own.
I felt comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time.
Once I felt steady, I cleared my throat and stepped away, slipping under his arm to stand by Riker, wrapping an arm around my husband.
“Thanks,” I managed, my heart beating quickly. I wasn’t sure if it was from the shock of almost falling or from Axel’s proximity.
Get it together, Charlee. You’re a married woman.
Even though I was married, I wasn’t dead. I could appreciate another attractive man. But it didn’t matter how attractive another man was—he wasn’t my Riker.
I smiled up appreciatively at my husband, trying to ground myself.
Axel reached for our bags. “You take care of Charlee, and I’ll grab these.”
Riker squeezed me and turned us toward the boat. I noticed the name “Grizz” painted along the side. Axel hadn’t lowered the gangplank, and the boat’s edge was quite a bit higher than the dock.
Riker let me go and jumped up, grabbing the side of the boat and pulling himself aboard with impossible ease.
I admired the muscles of his back that flexed through his shirt.
“Um, I hope you’re not expecting me to do that.” I shifted my weight to one hip and folded my arms.
He was right behind me, and I turned to let him by. He easily tossed first my bag, then Riker’s, up to Riker’s waiting arms.
My eyes widened. It’s not that I had anything too valuable in them, but still—
My backpack sailed through the air.
“Hey! Careful!” I shouted. “My laptop is in there.”
Riker caught the backpack gently, an apologetic look on his face.
I put my hands on my hips and turned to confront Axel.
However, all I could do was shriek as strong, warm arms swept me off my feet. Instinctively, my arms wrapped around Axel’s neck to keep from falling.
“Do you trust me?” Axel asked, a sparkle in his eye.
“I just met you. Please put me down!” I let go of his neck and pushed off his chest. I looked to Riker for assistance, but he was walking away with the suitcases, completely oblivious.
“Rike trusts me. Do you?” Axel asked again, his voice serious.
I was about to call for Riker, but for some reason, I stopped and looked at Axel. Really looked into his chocolate eyes. They were sincere, strong, and gentle.
“I guess so,” I admitted, letting my hands move gently around his shoulders again.
“Good. I’ll never let you get hurt, Charlee.” Axel’s voice was solemn.
Then, before I could even process what was happening, Axel bent his legs and jumped off the dock.
Without any running start, he jumped—and we landed on the deck of the boat. It had to be over a ten-foot jump. My heart was in my throat, and I had a death grip on Axel when he landed, gentle as a cat.
“Here we are.” Axel dropped my legs but still held my upper body. I swung to standing, still gripping his shoulders for dear life. “Safe and sound.”
My hands slid down to his chest, but I didn’t pull them away. What was this pull I was feeling? It was so similar to the pull I had always felt towards Riker. The smell of Axel’s cologne—woodsy and clean, plus his masculine scent, surrounded me in a pleasant way. His smile made my knees feel weak.
Axel’s other arm wrapped around my waist, and the movement brought me to my senses. I stepped away, clearing my throat. A wave hit the boat, and I had to grab the railing to keep upright.
“It’s a good thing I took motion sickness pills.” I said, trying to change the subject.
Riker came up beside me, the bags gone. “New boat?” he asked, seemingly oblivious to the tension between me and Axel. He moved to the side and somehow pulled the rope that held us to the dock. It came undone down there and he coiled it on the deck.
Axel smiled like a kid on Christmas. “Yup! Partly due to you, man. Alpha says you’ve tripled the island’s income. Most of the p—islanders can fit in here. Five hundred people. It’s a bit of a squeeze, but it’ll work if needed.” He gave Riker’s back another pat. “Mikael did not want to let me drive it, but I talked him into it. Let me give you the grand tour.”
“ You talked him into it?” Rike asked.
Axel shrugged. “I may have borrowed it without asking. But we got things sorted out on the way here.”
Riker burst into a belly laugh as Axel laughed too. Axel walked around us and Riker took my hand and brought it to his lips for a quick kiss.
I felt a pang of guilt over my moment with Axel.
What am I thinking? Why am I letting Axel touch me?
I shook my head. I would not let that happen again. Riker was the only man for me.
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### Chapter 2: Chapter 2
“We’ve got three full levels. Kitchenette is over there. Bedrooms and full kitchen are through that door and down the stairs.” He pointed forward, then walked to a staircase going up. “And we drive from up here.”
Riker motioned for me to follow Axel up the stairs. He came behind me with a comforting hand on my back. The boat was rocking from side to side.
The upper room was also enclosed with tinted windows. There was a bathroom to the side of the stairs. Couches and chairs that could fit 20 people lined the walls, and there was a small kitchenette at the back. Axel headed to a large wheel and started the boat. It rumbled deeply to life.
The rocking seemed even more pronounced up here, and I moved quickly to the seats across from where Axel stood. Riker slid in next to me and wrapped an arm around me.
“I do not have sea legs,” I said apologetically.
“I’m afraid we’re in for a bit of a rough ride back,” Axel said as he maneuvered the boat away from the dock. “There’s a storm coming in. I think we can beat it home, though.”
“Should we wait it out here?” I asked, eyeing the grey clouds with trepidation.
“Nah, nothing the old Grizz can’t handle.” Axel said with a tone that sounded like he didn’t take many things seriously. It was not reassuring.
We coasted out toward the sea, meeting the waves straight on. Axel wanted to hear about everything that Riker had been up to since he left the island. Riker was telling him about college and moving to the states. I tried to listen, but I was starting to feel ill despite the pill I’d taken.
“I think I’m going to head downstairs,” I said.
“Sorry, Angel. You okay?” Riker looked down at me with concern.
“Nothing another motion pill won’t fix, I’m sure.” I tried to smile.
“You can go lay down in one of the rooms if you want,” Axel said, flashing a million-dollar smile. “It sometimes helps.”
“Are there straps to keep me on the bed?” I asked, only half joking, as the boat leaned precariously to the right.
“If Riker remembers the way home, I can come make sure you don’t fall out.” Axel winked.
I blushed. I was used to flirty men, but it felt strange with Riker next to me, knowing how close the two men were.
I looked over at him with a raised eyebrow. Riker was usually the jealous type back home. But I guess not with his friends?
“Thanks, Axel, but if it comes to that, I’ll call for Riker. You guys don’t worry about me. Catch up. I’ll be fine below.”
I gave Riker a peck and moved quickly to the stairs, holding tightly to the railing.
As I walked, I heard Axel talking, “You’ve missed a lot. I wanted to get you filled in before we got to the island. Things have not been great…”
That piqued my curiosity and I almost turned around. But then we lurched again and my breakfast almost came up. I kept moving down the stairs.
The boat seemed a bit more stable as I pulled out my backpack and swallowed another pill dry. I found a cold bottle of water in the kitchenette and drank half before heading to the bedrooms.
There were a few stairs down to a normal sized kitchen with a dining table. Through these, there were several doors. I opened the first one and found a bedroom. The windows of the room I went into were at the water level. It felt eerie to be able to look under the water when the boat tipped the right way. I gulped and mentally reminded myself that we were perfectly safe. This boat was larger than the Staten island ferry. Surly it could handle a storm? However, this boat, large as it was, did not seem like a match for the ocean outside.
I pulled off my shoes and climbed onto the queen-size bed against one wall. I closed my eyes, taking slow, deep breaths. The pitching didn’t seem quite as bad down here. Lying on my back, I didn’t feel in danger of being bucked off. Still, I slid under the tight quilt just in case and squeezed my eyes shut.
I woke with a start. I hadn’t realized I’d fallen asleep.
The boat was pitching furiously. Dark waves crashed against my windows, and my heart accelerated. I glanced at my watch—3 p.m. We left the dock around noon.
The sky was black with storm clouds. Lightning flashed, illuminating angry water. Thunder followed, loud enough to feel in my chest.
I climbed out of bed, and managed to pull my shoes on without hitting my head. I left the room, holding to the side rails for dear life as the boat was tossed to and fro. At one point, the boat tipped so far to the opposite side, my legs were slipping out from under me and I was basically dangling from the bar. That could not be normal. I managed to make it to the stairs and up them without falling back down. It was much harder than it had any right to be.
Axel and Riker stood shoulder to shoulder at the wheel, both working it with a synchronicity that belied years of working together.
Somehow they heard me over the storm. Riker spun around and moved in a crooked line to me, wrapping an arm around my waist. He pressed his other hand against the glass ceiling, using it to steady us as we moved toward Axel.
Lightning slashed the sky again, illuminating a landmass ahead. I could make out lights on the island, but the rain lashing the windows made it hard to see. Windshield wipers fought valiantly against the deluge.
“We didn’t beat the storm.” I wasn’t usually scared by storms, but I’d also never been at sea during one. My heart pounded.
“Almost there,” Riker murmured, brushing his warm lips against my forehead.
I held him tightly, as if he could protect me from nature.
Axel turned to me with a wild grin, the biceps on his arms flexing from the strength he had to use to keep the boat steady. “Haven’t had a run this fun in years!”
I shook my head as Riker guided me to a seat, crowding next to me to help hold me in place.
“How can we even dock in this?” I had to almost shout to be heard over the storm.
“Our dock is enclosed. It’ll be a bit bumpy, but it’ll calm once we’re inside.” Axel winked at me again. I was not amused or reassured.
The radio crackled to life. “Grizz, you lunatic. I told you to wait out the storm on the mainland!”
Axel reached for the mic. “What’s the fun in that, Mikael? I have our precious cargo, and they couldn’t wait another day to see y’all.”
“Yes, we could have,” I piped up.
Riker smiled beside me, his eyes full of love and strangely free of the worry and fear that I was sure showed in mine.
“Crazy pup, get back here in one piece so I can tan your hide for pulling this stunt!” the voice said. “Keep her on her heading. You’ll have to fix any dents you make in my baby docking.”
“There won’t be a scratch,” Axel assured him, putting the mic down.
The boat pitched violently to the right, and I only stayed in my seat because Riker held me there.
“There will likely be lots of scratches,” Axel said with a laugh after he’d turned off the radio.
I white-knuckled Riker’s arm for the next thirty minutes as Axel miraculously got the yacht into the large covered dock. When I finally let go, I’d left half-moons from my nails in his skin.
I rubbed his arm. “I’m so sorry!”
Riker gave me a squeeze. “Barely even felt it. Don’t worry about it.”
Looking out the windshield, I saw two large men with their arms crossed waiting below the boat in the shelter of the dock. One shook his head as he grabbed a thick rope and used it to lasso one of the cleats on the boat. I had no idea how he’d done that—the rope looked like it weighed a ton, and it was wet.
Axel cut the engine and tossed the keys in the air, catching them with a grin.
“Welcome to Zaya’s Island!” He beamed at us. “Your captain appreciates well-deserved tips.”
Riker rolled his eyes as he helped me up.
“My tip is to wait out the storm next time,” I grumbled, hugging Riker’s torso.
Riker laughed. Axel must have heard me because he laughed loudly as he led us downstairs.
I wanted to be angry at Axel, but I was more grateful than anything.
We grabbed our bags and headed to the gangway. Even sheltered, the water was still rough. Riker surprised me by scooping me into his arms and carrying me across.
For how wildly the walkway was moving, he was steady.
I blushed as he put me down, but from total happiness with my amazing husband.
“Thank you. I probably would not have made it.”
The two men who’d been waiting stepped forward. One was older, his salt-and-pepper hair plastered to his head from the wind. Huge like Riker, with dark brown eyes that didn’t miss much. He wore Carhartt overalls and a yellow raincoat.
The other man was younger—my age, probably. Well-dressed despite the storm in khaki pants and a button-down shirt under his blue raincoat. He had an easy smile and green eyes.
He took off his raincoat and draped it around my shoulders.
“I do,” he said with a smile before turning to wrap Riker in a tight hug.
I glanced back and saw Axel grinning. This must be one of Riker’s other close friends.
“Introductions inside,” the older man grumbled. “Let’s get your partner out of this storm.”
Riker stepped away from the other man and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me toward the door. The older man pushed it open and stood holding it.
The wind wanted to blow me away. I pulled the huge raincoat around me as tightly as I could, but rain still hit my face in icy sheets.
Riker and I ran, I hoped he knew where he was going because I couldn’t see a thing.
After just a few steps, he swept me off my feet again and tucked me into him. He began to run way faster than I could have.
I laughed through the storm as he carried us toward shelter.
A huge wood door cracked open, and we spilled into light and warmth.
I was laughing as I pulled back the hood. Still dripping wet. The three men without jackets looked like drowned rats. I looked only slightly better—the coat had protected my hair and shirt, but my face, pants, and shoes were soaked through.
The men all laughed, and their voices sent a happy shiver down my spine.
I handed the coat back to the man. “Thank you. I think I still need new clothes though.”
He smiled as he took it, his eyes locking deeply with mine. “Tyler Kincaid. I’ll always give you anything you want.”
I shot my eyes over to Riker. His friends were intense .
Riker just rolled his eyes and clapped a hand on Tyler’s shoulder. “I’ve missed your dramatics, Ty. This is my wife, Charlee.”
Tyler’s eyes went wide. They moved to my left hand, and I self-consciously turned my wedding ring.
Tyler licked his lips and looked back at Riker. “You married her?”
The question seemed odd. The older man looked uncomfortable, too. Axel put a hand on Tyler’s shoulder and gave him a squeeze.
Riker cleared his throat, “I didn’t think that would be a problem. Axel just told me about Julia. He, ah, also said that the pod will want us to stay at the apartment?”
Pain flashed across Tyler’s eyes, but he tried to hide it. “Of course we want you to stay with us brother.”
I was confused. What did my marriage have to do with Julia?
I stepped forward, wanting to break the tension. “I’ve heard some pretty funny stories about you, Tyler. Pleased to meet you.”
I stuck out my hand. He took it in a firm hold and the pain on his face disappeared. He broke into a smile.
I bit my tongue and looked down at our hands. What the hell was happening?
“I’m hoping he kept the stories to the PG ones,” Tyler said with an easy smile that showed a dimple on his right cheek.
He was still holding my hand. I pulled it away, suddenly uncomfortable.
I was a social person. I was rarely uncomfortable. What was it with these men?
I swallowed and nodded with a smile. I must just be on edge meeting so many new people and being in a totally new place.
“And this old bear is Mikael. One of my dads.” Riker said by way of introduction.
The older man broke into a smile that completely changed his gruff face. He stepped forward and lifted me into a true bear hug, pulling me off the ground and driving the air from my lungs.
He seemed to breathe me in. “I’m so happy to meet you, daughter.”
His kind voice made my eyes sting as he put me back down. I wasn’t sure why, but his voice made me feel at home. I felt breathless, and a warm hand on my back steadied me.
“Likewise! Riker only ever talks about you and his family with love. I’m excited to get to know everyone.” It was a bit of an exaggeration as Rike really didn’t talk about his family. But some things are just rude to say.
Riker stepped forward, and Mikael wrapped him in a bear hug, too. Riker’s feet stayed on the ground. This time, both Mikael and Riker seemed to take a deep breath of each other. Were they doing it on purpose? Or was it just a coincidence that they breathed at the same time? I couldn’t be sure.
I suddenly realized that the hand on my back hadn’t moved; it wasn’t Riker’s.
I glanced back, puzzled, to see Tyler’s smiling face. He was very close.
Strangely, it felt comfortable. I swallowed as my face heated, and I forced myself to step away from him.
Riker’s friends were turning out to be way more touchy than I was used to. It would take some getting used to.
“Well, you all need to dry off,” Mikael said, breaking his hug with Riker. “The Alpha will want to see you in the next hour. How about we meet back at your mom’s place around six? She insisted on hosting dinner tonight.”
I looked around and realized I was actually in the entrance to what looked like the strangest apartment complex I’d ever seen.
“Are we in a cave?” I asked, mostly joking, as I looked up at stone walls and a ceiling that had to be at least twenty feet overhead. Modern wood and antler chandeliers hung from the ceiling, brilliantly lighting the entryway. A long hall stretched ahead with heavy-looking double doors along it, and there were stairs going down and up.
“I told you we lived in sustainable homes.” He gave a shrug.
“A sustainable home does not make me think of a literal cave.” I gawked at the space. The storm was barely audible as it raged outside the thick walls. It was amazing. Everything was rounded, sort of like really big hobbit houses.
His mouth slid into the smirk I loved, and he captured my hand in his. “Here. I’ll show you to our apartment, and we can get cleaned up. Later, I’ll give you a proper tour.”
I nodded and let him pull me down the huge hallway.
Mikael walked ahead and with a wave, took a hall that branched off the main one. The doors on either side were spaced fairly far apart, each with different designs carved or painted into them. The largest doors by where we had come in had signs over them saying “Library,” “Post Office,” and “Doctor.” The doors were propped open and I was able to look into a cozy library, a long countered Post Office, and what looked like a reception office to a doctor’s office. There were a handful of people in each place and most of them looked curiously at us as we walked past. I felt a little self conscious. After all, I was dripping all over the hallway.
We also passed another hallway that looked like it led to a huge open hall. There were people there, all looking our way. That really made me feel self conscious. An entire hall with probably 50 people who all stopped what they were doing to turn and watch us. Had we been that loud? Riker pulled me past the hall. Now we turned down a smaller hall that was labeled, “Yearling Complex.” I could easily get lost in these hallways.
The doors down this hallway looked like they went to apartments. They were plain doors with names or numbers on them, and there were different welcome mats on the ground before several of them. Axel stopped in front of a grey wood door and placed his palm on it. I heard a click, and the door opened.
He stepped aside and motioned for Riker and me to walk in. I nodded my thanks as Riker pulled me inside.
We were in a normal, albeit wide, hallway with dark wood floors and greige walls.
“You repainted it,” Riker said conversationally as he pulled me down the hall.
I realized the door had closed behind me—and that Axel and Tyler had followed us in.
Riker had said Axel, Tyler, and another guy named Dom used to be his roommates. Apparently this was the apartment Rike had been talking about and we were staying with them since Dom’s girlfriend wasn’t around anymore?
“Of course. It’s been seven years,” Tyler said.
We passed a few open doors leading to bedrooms before the hallway opened into a large, open-concept living room and kitchen. The area was comfortable and well-decorated—a mix between a cabin and a modern bachelor pad. All the furniture was large and looked comfortable. Different types of woods mixed with black and bronze metal accents.
Interestingly, there were also several huge windows looking out on the woods. I wasn’t sure if this place was still in the cave or just attached to it.
“This is all new!” Riker said. “It looks great! Much more grown up than we had before.”
“Tyler redid everything after Julia left.” Axel’s voice trailed off.
I felt Riker stiffen next to me, and I moved to lean against him.
Julia had been a girlfriend to their other friend, Dom. Riker had not gotten along with her. I didn’t know the story, but I had a sense that part of his falling-out with his family had been over her.
Not sure why Riker would care so much about one of his friends’ partners, but I was trying to be supportive.
“So, did you guys turn my room into a workout room or a man cave or something?” Riker asked in a strange voice.
Tyler shook his head, water flying from his hair. “No, we updated it into a guest room for a bit. And we had given all your personal stuff to your parents. But I went and got them earlier today. I put everything back as much as I remember. Though I did not hang back up your old posters.”
Riker barked out a laugh. “Thanks for that. Those were from when I was a horny young adult.”
“I figured.” Tyler grinned, then his eyes shifted to me again.
I smiled, it would have been fun to see Rike’s old room. I followed Riker through the open area to another hallway with two doors. He opened the last door to a masculine and spacious room. It reminded me of his room in his apartment back in the city, though the quilt on the king-size bed looked like it was made of huge brown and white fur, as opposed to the grey comforter he had back home.
He dropped his suitcase against the wall, and I turned to see Axel hand him my suitcase and backpack.
“Oh, thank you!” I said, suddenly embarrassed I’d totally forgotten about my things.
“Of course. I’ll leave you both to get settled. We are going to get dried off.” Axel pulled the door closed behind him.
“The bathroom is through there,” Riker said, nodding toward one of the doors as he pulled in our suitcases.
“I’m freezing. You have to be half dead.” I shivered.
Riker put down the suitcases and came straight to me. I shrieked as he lifted me and threw me over his shoulder. He’d never done anything like this before. Honestly, it wasn’t very comfortable to have his shoulder in my stomach. But it also felt sort of great being manhandled. At 5’9” and 150lbs, I wasn’t a small woman.
“Let’s get my wife warm!” he said as he moved quickly to the bathroom.
It was a huge bathroom. The shower was easily big enough for several people Riker’s size. He put me down and went to turn on two of the showerheads to warm up.
We both stripped off our wet clothes and hurried into the warm water.
The shower was amazing. There were shower heads on the walls so we could both be in the hot water at all times.
As I shampooed my hair, Riker lathered up his hands with berry-scented body wash. With a wink, he began to gently wash my body. He started with my back, moving to my stomach. He pulled my back to his chest as his hands went in different directions. One moved up to clean and fondle my breasts, while the other went south. His soapy hand washed my inner thighs and teased around my core without actually touching it.
I was going to get turned on very fast, but we needed to talk.
I stepped under the water and away from Riker to wash myself off. “Babe, we need to talk first.”
Once I was free of bubbles, I filled my hands with a more masculine smelling body wash and began to wash Riker off, keeping it all as clinical as possible.
He sighed and stuck his head under the shower, getting his hair wet while I worked.
“Why did Tyler seem upset that we’re married?” I asked pointedly.
Riker seemed to study me for a moment. Then he reached for shampoo to wash his hair, his warm bicep brushing my arm. “It’s hard to explain.”
“Try me. Are they upset that I’m not a native girl?”
I felt a pang at the thought that Riker’s family and friends might not think I was good enough for him. I’d never worried about that before. But what else could it be?
“Damn Char, you are so astute you scare me sometimes. Unfortunately, that might have little to do with it. But not entirely. It’s more… well… my tribe is pretty traditional. All marriages are, I guess you’d call it “blessed” by the alpha before they happen.”
He worked the shampoo into a lather. He wasn’t looking directly at me, but I felt like he was still watching for my reactions.
“And you never asked for that blessing for our marriage?” I was brushing the conditioner through my hair. May as well do a full shower.
“I honestly never thought I’d come back, so I didn’t think it would matter. I didn’t tell anyone here that I was getting married.” He shrugged and looked out of the shower door. He seemed lost in thought.
“Not even your parents?!” Now I feel worried. I was going to be introduced as the girlfriend-and-wife to a group of people who didn’t even know about the girlfriend part.
“No.” He stuck his head under the water to wash out the shampoo.
“Rike! They’re going to hate me!”
He pulled his head out of the water and shook it off, almost like a dog. I laughed and gave him a small push on the shoulder. His antics didn’t excuse the situation he had landed me in. He didn’t budge, just grinned at me with those mischievous blue eyes.
“Angel, they’re going to love you. I promise. Having a wedding is not really a big deal with my family. The commitments of the heart are considered just as binding. The blessing from the alpha is equal to a marriage with our tribe. After that, people usually just go to the mainland courthouse and fill out paperwork.”
He pulled me into his arms, his warm, hard member pressing into my wet belly.
“Then why did Tyler and Axel seem so surprised?” I asked, wrapping my arms around his neck and going up on my tiptoes for a kiss.
“We are basically brothers… It’s hard to explain right now. Me getting married without including them is a betrayal of sorts.”
Riker wasn’t looking into my eyes. He felt bad for excluding them. I only had my two old roommates who I would have asked to be bridesmaids, and they were fine with me eloping. So I wasn’t sure why some dudes would care that much about being groomsmen. But we were here to reconcile with Riker’s past. I would help him anyway he needed.
“So what can we do now to make things better with your brothers and anyone else in the tribe? Will it be like a written apology, or will we need actual groveling?” I asked as I rinsed out my hair a final time.
Riker kept his warm arms around my waist, as I leaned back under the water and he broke into a smile. “You would grovel to my friends and people for me?”
I finished with my hair and pulled him down closer to me. “Babe, if it would help you, I would grovel.”
“How did I get so lucky with you?” He kissed me, and I kissed him back, letting my eyes flutter closed and pushing myself against his muscular body.
“But really, I think it’s time you told me about why exactly you left. I’m afraid I’m navigating more of a cultural minefield than I anticipated here.” I said between kisses.
“I’ll tell you everything. I promise,” he said as he continued to kiss me, his hands beginning to wander again. “Tomorrow.” He whispered as his hand found just the right place between my legs.
I gasped into his mouth. My traitorous body didn’t give a crap about what we needed to talk about. It was already on fire.
He pulled me back a step, and we were under the water again. My skin pebbled as he turned the water hotter. “I love you, Rike,” I whispered against his lips.
His throat rumbled as he attacked my lips anew. He lifted me, and I wrapped my legs around him, settling onto him with a happy groan.
“Babe, we need to meet with your leader or alpha or whatever,” I protested even as he leaned me against the cold wall and began to move. I used my legs on his backside to pull him in deeper.
“We better be fast, then.” He growled as his hand went between us to press my clit.
Stars started to spark in my eyes already. Damn, he was so good at playing my body.
All I could do was nod as I held on.
I didn’t have time to dry my hair all the way. I scrunched some curl cream into it and pulled it into a loose ponytail. I bit my lip as I glanced in the mirror at Riker as he dropped his towel to pull on his clothes.
I loved being married to this man.
I’d gotten dressed in some nice, comfortable jeans and a navy-blue blouse that tied in a bow at the neck. I’d pulled on cognac-colored high boots and finished with some light makeup.
Riker had on a pair of jeans and a grey henley that I loved on him. It showed off his muscular figure. He glanced in the mirror and ran his fingers through his still-damp hair. It fell into place for him.
I nodded and stood, needing to touch him again. I took his hand.
Axel and Tyler were both standing in the kitchen when we came out. They’d both showered and looked incredible.
I managed to only spare them a glance, though I wanted to stare.
Axel had on a black t-shirt with jeans that hugged his thick thighs just right. That’s a man who didn’t skip leg day. He had on his black boots.
Tyler had on an oatmeal v-neck sweater with slacks and a blue t-shirt underneath. His hair was longer and fell to the side in a sexy way. He also had on glasses that he hadn’t worn before. Probably took them off because of the rain.
They had totally different styles but were both really attractive.
I needed to introduce them to my single friends, I thought. Which thought made me then feel a bit angry and possessive. I would not examine that feeling too closely.
“Where is Dom?” Riker asked the other two men. “He’s on-island, right?”
“Yeah.” Axel rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sure he’ll be with the Alpha or at the dinner. The, um, continental conference is being held here next week. We’ve all been working overtime to prep for the island to be inundated.”
Riker nodded, wrapping his arms around me.
They followed us out of the apartment. To my surprise, Riker stepped forward and walked next to Axel, leaving Tyler to walk next to me.
Riker usually held my hand everywhere we went. Maybe he wasn’t comfortable with our normal PDA now that we were at his home?
I tried not to be annoyed and told myself to just go with the flow.
“So what do you think so far?” Tyler asked kindly. Riker and Axel were both talking about the island and hunting ahead of us.
“It’s very different from how I thought it would be,” I admitted. “But it’s really cool. So you’re the one who decorated the apartment?”
“Yeah.” Tyler smiled, and it seemed to light up the hallway. I tried to keep from blushing at his attention, but I wasn’t sure it was working. “I have a small obsession with interior design. It’s my hobby that allows me to keep sane.”
“Riker said you’re an engineer?”
“My undergrad degree is in mechanical engineering, but my MBA is in technology management. So I do more management than actual engineering these days.” Tyler explained. “What do you do?”
“Oh, I work in business, also management. I work for Colgate-Palmolive. I’m in the oral care division. So if you ever have any questions about toothbrushes, toothpaste, or dental devices, I could probably bore you with information for hours.” I laughed.
“I have a feeling you could make it interesting,” Tyler said with a smirk that sent tingles down my spine again.
I raised an eyebrow at him. Was he flirting with me while we were right by Riker? My mind was telling me this was a red flag. My body, however, was warming under the attention of his warm brown eyes.
I cleared my throat and redirected the conversation to Tyler. “I think Riker said you didn’t grow up around here? How did you end up here?”
“Oh, that’s a long story.” Tyler seemed a little less comfortable.
“You don’t have to tell me. Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m just sort of an outsider around here, so I tend to get defensive when people ask me about it. But I know you don’t mean anything by it. I actually met Dom in a bar in Ensenada, Mexico. I was a bit of a drifter, but he convinced me to hang out with him and Riker for a bit. I didn’t realize at the time that I was… eh… a brother. But Dom said he could tell from the start.” He gave me a smile and a shrug.
“The men in this culture seem to take their friendships pretty seriously.” It all seemed a bit odd to me.
Tyler barked out a laugh that made me smile. “You have no idea.”
“You don’t seem like you’re from Mexico, though.” I pointed out.
“I’m not. I was born in upstate New York, actually. Once I was old enough to live on my own, I moved away. I’d been moving around for a few years when I ran into Dom and Riker.” Tyler explained.
“Oh, bad family situation?” I asked innocently.
“You could say that. I love my family, and we’re actually pretty tight. But I have a much better relationship with them now that I don’t live so close.” He shrugged.
I was distracted from our conversation by the hall we were walking down. It seemed rougher and older than the other ones. I also felt like we’d gone deeper underground. There were reliefs of bears, deer, and ocean creatures carved into the walls.
“Whoa!” I gasped as I moved to examine a particularly detailed carving of a bear. It was a grizzly, up on its hind legs with its front paws raised, letting out a roar. I felt like I could almost hear the sound. It was huge—likely at least twice my size. I couldn’t stop staring at it.
I was suddenly aware that the air around me had thickened with tension. No one was talking.
I pulled my eyes away from the carving to see a man standing in the hallway behind us.
He was dressed in jeans and a light grey linen button-down. His dark hair was shorn close to his head, and he had a beard the same length. His jaw was tight, and he was looking straight at me.
Even down the hallway, I could tell his eyes were hazel. I felt myself swallow.
He wasn’t huge, but he had a magnetic aura. The light of the hall seemed to bend toward him. That couldn’t be.
His arms were crossed, and his eyebrows moved down slightly as he looked at me. His eyes moved to my left hand, and his eyebrows drew down even more.
I suddenly felt like something was physically pushing me down. My hand shot out to steady myself on the wall. My legs began to wobble.
I couldn’t see anything pushing me, yet I was very literally being crushed by the air.
“Dom!” Riker was suddenly at my side, his arm around my waist.
Dom blinked, and the crushing feeling went away instantly. I sagged into Riker’s arms.
“What the hell?” I whispered as I looked up at him.
But I only saw his clenched jaw. He wasn’t looking at me. He was looking at the new man.
“Rike.” The man’s voice was commanding, and it sent a chill down my spine. I gulped.
“This is Charlee Maddox, my wife,” Riker said stiffly.
Dom’s eyes flicked back to me. I straightened in Riker’s arms, no longer leaning against him. I was used to being in boardrooms with intimidating people. I had no idea what was going on, but I also wasn’t going to look weak in front of a bully.
“So I see.” His eyes went to my wedding band.
Okay. Fourth roommate was not a fan of mine. That much was obvious.
Well, too bad for him. I couldn’t care less what his sexy self thought of me.
Tyler and Axel both looked back and forth between me and Dom.
“Are we going to be late?” I asked Riker.
He turned and gave me a blank look, but I could tell the wheels in his head were turning.
“Yes. Alpha is waiting.” He turned me around, and we kept walking down the hall.
I didn’t let myself get distracted by the carvings anymore.
Tyler and Axel stepped to the side, and Riker and I walked past them. I was aware of the three men following us.
I looked up at Riker and rubbed his arm. He gave me a stiff smile.
Seeing Dom again had upset him. I wasn’t sure why. Bad blood still over the ex-girlfriend? That was years ago, though, wasn’t it?
This was all not okay. Riker needed to explain to me what was going on already.
Riker stopped in front of two huge double doors that looked to be made of stone. They were also carved with scenes of bears in the woods and the sea. He raised his hand and knocked twice.
One of the doors swung silently open. A huge man stood in the doorway, filling it completely. He had black hair and a shaggy black beard. His brown eyes smiled, though, as he stepped back.
“Riker! Welcome home! Come in, come in!” The man’s voice boomed into the hallway.
Riker let go of me to clasp the man’s forearm. “Thorne, thank you.”
Thorne pulled Riker into a hug. He breathed in my husband.
Ok, this was definitely a strange greeting.
Riker’s eyes looked a little wet as he stepped back and put an arm around me again.
I held out my hand to shake his. However, like with everyone else, Thorne’s eyes went a little wide. He lifted a hand to rub his chin, and his eyes moved behind me.
I looked back to see Tyler, Axel, and Dom standing behind us in the hallway. Tyler and Axel both looked pained. Dom looked furious.
Thorne took my hand and gave me a hesitant two-pump handshake.
“You’d better come in. Alpha is waiting.” He said it with a kind smile.
I wasn’t sure why, but my heart was pounding. This whole situation was making me feel on edge. This was like the worst meet-the-parents thing ever. I felt like I was walking into a trap.
Riker must have noticed my trepidation because he took my hand and gave it a squeeze.
“It’s fine, babe,” he whispered to me. “I promise.”
I didn’t have time to respond as Thorne opened another door.
We stepped into a large office that had four heavy old fashioned wood desks in it. Three had people seated at them, the other was empty.
A tall, curvy woman stood up from behind the center desk. She gave off an aura of power—it was almost something you could feel. She had long, deep brown hair with threads of silver through it, pulled back in three thick plaits to the middle of her back. She was likely six feet tall and thick in the best way. Her eyes were chocolate brown, and they seemed to smile a lot.
She seemed familiar. Who did she remind me of?
Two other older men stood from desks to the side.
The three individuals moved around the desks toward us. Thorne went to stand by the woman.
The door closed behind us with a sound like a tomb sealing.
I’d been in high-stakes meetings before. Boardrooms where million-dollar decisions hung in the balance, where one wrong word could tank a career. I knew how to read a room, how to spot the power players, how to stand my ground.
The woman behind the desk didn’t just command the room. She was the room. The air itself seemed to bend toward her, thick with an authority I could feel pressing against my skin like a physical weight.
And every instinct I had was screaming at me to run.
“Riker Maddox.” Her voice rolled through the space like distant thunder. “Seven years ago, you left the island, turning your back on your family and your people. You sent an email three days ago asking for permission to come back and bring an outsider. Tell me, why should I let you back into the embrace of the tribe?”
Three days ago? Rike had just spoken to me yesterday. My heart sank.
She was not happy we were here. Did Riker’s conflicts extend beyond his roommates? What did this mean for us?
This could be awkward. As far as I knew, the storm was still going outside. It wasn’t like we could just drive to the closest airport if the Alpha didn’t want us here.
Riker glanced at the other men, then back at the Alpha. I squeezed his hand, and he squeezed mine back.
“Alpha Bearheart,” Riker said respectfully. “I never turned my back on my people or our ways. Even after I left, I have continued to pay my respects to my people and kept all our laws and covenants. I have worked to increase the holdings of our people—holdings that you have accepted and used for the benefit of all.
“I left because of a disagreement with my brothers. Out of respect for their decisions and wishes, I have stayed away. But I was not aware that I had been banished or would not be welcomed back. Did I miss something?”
The Alpha studied him for a long moment.
And I realized with a sinking feeling that whatever was about to happen, I was at the center of it.
Riker finally looked at me—really looked at me—and something in his eyes made my stomach drop. Not guilt, exactly. More like… resignation.
Like he knew exactly what was happening to me.
Like he’d been expecting it all along. Whatever Riker had been hiding from me, I was about to find out.
And somehow, I didn’t think I was going to like it.
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