M adison and Karen decided to have the Christmas celebrations at Madison’s place to make things easier for Elsbeth, so Elsbeth sat by the fire while the other four brought everything over and stuffed it all into Madison’s kitchen. Sophia was no worse for the previous day’s adventure and worked far harder at her chores than usual, as if to make up for the trouble she’d caused. Madison worked quickly and cheerfully, making pies, full of nerves and excitement at the thought of seeing Brock again .
They stopped for a sandwich at lunchtime, and as they were starting up again, Brock knocked on the door, asking for the keys to the garage. His cheeks were glowing from the cold, and he looked rugged and tousled .
“We’ve got some extra meat, and it’s all ready to cook, but we figured that we’d leave it in the garage as it’ll take up too much space in the fridge,” he explained .
“Perfect. Are you guys going to come hang out with us now?” Madison asked .
“Soon. We’ve got a couple more errands to run in the town first though.” Madison’s eyes were drawn to his lips as he spoke, the memory of their snatched kiss still fresh in her mind. He gave her a smoldering look that made her nipples harden beneath her bra .
“We’ll be back soon,” he said, and he was gone again .
* * *
W hen the three guys came back a couple of hours later, laughing and joking, Karen decided it was time for more mulled wine .
“It’s to fortify us against the cold,” she explained. They all sat by the fire and sipped them, while Abbey waited impatiently .
“Are we going to play now?” Abbey demanded, the second Karen had finished hers .
“Yes, let’s go!” Karen yelled, running for her coat. Sophia rolled her eyes, but put her coat on too .
“Are you guys coming?” Madison asked .
“You betcha!” Brock said .
“I think I’ll stay and keep Elsbeth company,” Grayson said, and Elsbeth looked at him, eyes bright with delight .
“W here we going?” Brock said as they left the house at a run .
“Just to the edge of the park,” Madison yelled over her shoulder .
“And why are we running ?”
“Family tradition !”
As soon as they reached the snow-covered grass, Abbey aimed a snowball at Brock, which hit him on the side of his head .
“Hey!”
“That means she likes you!” Madison called. He laughed and shook the snow off his hair, in an instinctive, animal movement .
“Hey, Abbey!” Brock threw one back at her very gently, which glanced off her shoulder. She shrieked in excitement, and bent down, scooping up more snow to attack him again. Snowballs started coming in all directions as Karen and Riley joined in, everyone laughing hysterically, throwing them so fast that some of them weren’t even properly formed and fell apart on the way .
At one point, Brock hurled one at Madison from long distance, and it hit her right in the chest, narrowly missing her boobs. She tumbled backwards into the snow dramatically. Brock clapped his hand over his mouth and ran over to her .
“Oh God, I’m so sorry,” he exclaimed, falling onto his knees. “I don’t know my strength sometimes. Have I hurt you?” Her eyes had been closed, but now she opened them to see that his face was only inches from hers, his own eyes full of concern and guilt. She couldn’t tease him any longer .
“Nope!” she said. She brought her hand up and pressed a ball of snow against the back of his neck .
“Ow!” he yelled. “First you trick me and now you’re trying to kill me !”
“That’s just so dramatic!” she said .
“Yeah? How about this then?” He grabbed some snow and tried to put it under her scarf, but it was done up too tight. Eventually he gave up, dropping it back down on the ground, and instead, his freezing cold hand brushed her cheek. She shivered. Time seemed to stand still. Keeping his eyes on hers, Brock lowered his head, bringing his mouth closer and closer to hers, until their lips met in a soft crush. She sighed as her entire body tingled with euphoria. God, how are his lips so soft? She felt like they were melting against her own, his breath so warm in the freezing air. His lips parted and the tip of his tongue flickered against her lips, tasting her. She relaxed for a full, blissful five seconds, savoring the sweetness of his mouth against hers. And then she remembered the kids. She broke off and turned her head. Where are they? She couldn’t see any of them. They must have gone on to the ornamental garden to play hide and seek as they usually did .
“No-one’s watching,” she said, turning back to him .
“Good,” he replied, his hazel eyes burning into hers. He put his arms around her and melded his mouth with hers again. But this kiss was different. He moved on top of her, drawing her into his arms, and his mouth was fierce, hungry. His lips met hers with a biting intensity, and his tongue slid into her mouth, seeking out hers, invading her mouth deliciously. Her body cried out for him. Of their own accord, her thighs parted, encouraging him to slide between them, to put more of his weight on her. She had to stop herself from wrapping them around his waist and pulling him closer. He felt so good pressing against her, so hard and masculine. His hands were in her hair, tangling his fingers into it, tugging at it as if he couldn’t get enough of her .
“Madison,” he breathed, in between kisses. “You’re the most beautiful, unbelievable woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. I’ve wanted you for so long, and I can’t believe you’ve come back into my life .”
“You have?” she said, stunned .
“Ever since high school. I had such a crush on you then, but you always seemed so unobtainable. And then I heard that you’d gone to law school and got married, and it cut me. I knew that I had to put you out of my mind and get on with my life, but I never forgot about you. I was so shocked to see you when you came into our store that I think I stopped breathing .”
“Wow,” she said, temporarily incapable of saying anything more, and stroked the light stubble covering his jaw. His brow furrowed .
“Was that too full on ?”
“No, not at all. I really liked you in high school too, but you also seemed unobtainable. I didn’t know that bears would be interested in dating humans .”
“You liked me? I had no idea.” His eyes were full of wonder as he lowered his head and drew her into a tender kiss. She sighed, holding him tight, waves of bliss rolling through her body .
After what felt like hours, they drew apart. It was already getting dark, and the park was bathed in the purplish light of twilight .
“We should probably get up off the snow. You must be freezing,” he said, a flicker of guilt showing in his eyes .
“No, not at all. You’ve been keeping me warm,” she said, taking the collar of his coat in her hands. He climbed off her carefully, and extended a hand to help her up .
“Wait!” she exclaimed, trying to push him onto his back, without much success. “Snow angels!” He laughed .
“Are you serious ?”
“Of course!” She started moving her arms up and down in the snow. He watched her, transfixed, then he shrugged, lay down next to her, and did the same .
At last, she leapt to her feet, reaching out her hand to him. They surveyed their work .
“Pretty good,” he said, and tenderly dusted the snow off her back .
“Yeah. Although my angel looks ridiculously small next to yours,” she said, looking up at him. He grinned and put his arm around her shoulder, then kissed her, just by the corner of her eye .
They walked out of the park together and Brock kept his arm around her. She felt like she was walking on air as they passed onto the high street and several people gave them curious glances. He was treating her like she was his, and she loved it .
A s they neared her house, Madison wished for a fleeting moment that there was no-one else home. She wanted it to be just Brock and her, snuggling up in front of the fire, kissing for hours. She opened the door, expecting to be greeted by voices and bustle. But it was all quiet .
“Where is everybody? They can’t still be out, surely ?”
They went through to the kitchen. There was a note on the table :
“We’ve all gone over to Karen’s for a couple of hours. We’ll let you know when dinner’s ready. Love, mom xxx ”
“Oh bless them,” Madison said with a chuckle. “They must’ve seen us and decided that we’d appreciate some privacy .”
“I don’t know whether to be pleased or embarrassed,” Brock said, his voice deep and rumbling .
“Same. But since we have the fire to ourselves, we should probably make the most of it. How about I make us a hot chocolate each to warm us up ?”
“That sounds wonderful .”
She expected him to go and sit by the fire while she put a pan on the stove, but instead, he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist .
“You’re so beautiful, Madison,” he said, planting butterfly kisses on top of her head. She restrained a sigh, euphoria filling her veins again. She leaned back a little, allowing him to support her weight, savoring the feeling of being protected .
The chocolate was ready and she poured it into two mugs and sprinkled it with cinnamon. It was thick, aromatic and delicious smelling. They went through to the living room, Brock draping his arm around her waist, as if he didn’t want to be out of contact with her. She added some wood to the fire and he sat down on the sofa and folded her into his arms, like something precious that he needed to wrap up and keep safe. As the heat from the fire warmed their bodies, they kissed and kissed again, slowly at first, exploring each other’s mouths, their hands hesitant, resting on hips and waists. But soon they couldn’t restrain their hunger, and their tongues lashed at each other, their fingers snatching at each other’s clothes. Brock slid a hand beneath her sweater, and touched the bare skin of the small of her back and she shuddered. He kept going, as far as her bra strap, and she arched her back, feeling her nipples harden and push against her bra. She’d been touching him politely so far, constraining herself to feeling the incredible bulging muscles of his biceps beneath his shirt, but now her hand shot beneath his shirt and she felt his abs. His muscles rippled beneath her fingertips, like the undulations of a mountain range. Little by little, her hand moved higher, until it came into contact with his pecs. Oh my God . She’d never felt actual pecs before. Digby was slim, but he didn’t pump iron. And she knew that Brock’s muscle was all natural, honed from hunting in his bear form and physical labor in his human form, which was far, far sexier than being a gym bunny. As her fingertip brushed his nipple, he sucked air in through his teeth, and his hands bit into her hips, drawing her closer. She was now pretty much on his lap and she could tell that he was hard. The discovery increased her own arousal, and a tingle blossomed between her thighs, quickly becoming a deep ache. Brock’s mouth moved off hers and onto her throat, peppering her with light, butterfly kisses and licks, slowly driving her crazy. She yearned for him to take her clothes off and kiss her like that all over .
“Madison, I want you so badly,” he murmured, his voice a purr. She drew back and held his gaze. There was such passion in his eyes .
“Mmm, me too,” she said. She bit her lip. They’d only just met – again – but she felt like they’d shared so much in the past day. And it felt so right. “Shall we take this upstairs?” she whispered .
“Yes,” he said immediately. They took a sip of their hot chocolate and giggled. It had long gone cold. Then, Brock swept her into his arms .
“I’m too heavy –” she started to say, but then she remembered how easily he’d carried her as a bear, and how tall and powerful his body was .
He carried her up the stairs in quick, athletic strides, pausing to kiss her half way .
She was glad that her bedroom was so cozy and welcoming, with a soft cream comforter on the bed. He deposited her in the center of it and knelt in front of her. Taking hold of the bottom of her sweater, he lifted it, along with the t-shirt she was wearing as an extra layer underneath. She held her breath, suddenly nervous, but he gave a deep rumble of appreciation as her soft stomach and large breasts were revealed to his hungry gaze. He cast her clothes aside and she reached for his shirt, quickly unbuttoning it. Her eyes swept over his pecs, his taut abs and the band of muscle stretching down to his pants, and she bit back a gasp. He had a gorgeous body. Totally stunning, like a work of art. But it wasn’t art, it was real. She laid her hands on him and felt the heat of his skin, its fine, velvety texture. His chest was a little hairy, just the way she liked it, with a sexy treasure trail disappearing into the fastening of his pants. And when she caught sight of the bulge in his pants, the ache between her thighs intensified and she felt lightheaded, overwhelmed with desire. He bent his head to her breasts and kissed her cleavage, reverently at first, but then more hungrily, moving onto her nipples, and licking and teasing them through her bra. She sensed that two forces were struggling inside him – the man who wanted to take his time to caress and explore her body, and the animal who wanted to tear her clothes off and take her hard. It was exhilarating, and she loved every second of it. It was like having sex with two men at the same time. The animal seemed to be gaining control as he grasped the zipper on her jeans and unfastened it. She turned onto her back and lay down flat. They were tight jeans, and difficult to take off, but he unpeeled them expertly. As usual, she was wearing contrasting underwear – a deep purple lace bra and cherry-pink panties, and there was no mistaking the approval in his eyes .
“Beautiful,” he muttered, over and over .
He reached for her bra, but at the last moment, he snatched his hand away .
“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I want this to be really special, and I want to take my time with you, but I’m having a hard time keeping my bear under control .”
“That’s ok, Brock. I want you as you are. I want you gentle and I want you rough. Please don’t hold back with me .”
“Are you sure? We bears can be rough when we mate .”
“Yes, I’m sure,” she said, and, at the same time, she snatched the waistband of his jeans in her hands and unfastened the zipper. He didn’t complain, helping her take them off, until they were both in nothing but their underwear. He was wearing black shorts, which perfectly outlined his cock. God . She wanted him inside her so bad. Wanted him to take her roughly and possess her completely. He pounced on her and they fell back onto the comforter, their almost naked bodies entwined. One of his thighs was between hers and she rode it back and forth, trying to ease the ache that had become a throb. They turned over and over, and, without her knowing it, he unfastened her bra clasp and the bra came loose, first caught between their bodies, then falling away. His hands hooked into the sides of her panties and he stopped kissing her for long enough to slip them down. As their mouths came together again, she shuddered, feeling so much more vulnerable now that she was completely naked .
He scooted down her body, her legs hooked around his waist as he bent his head and took one of her aching nipples into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around her sensitive areola and lashed it back and forth across the tip, before sucking on it. He softly kneaded her other breast with his huge, muscular hand, and she watched him pleasuring her, moving from one breast to the other, his skillful mouth drawing more pleasure out of her than she could’ve imagined .
At last, he drew back and sat up, regarding her with his burning eyes. She lay on her back, lips parted, totally exposed to his gaze. She was usually self-conscious about her larger-than-average body, but the expression on his face made her feel confident and sexy. His eyes lingered all over her, from her erect, caramel-colored nipples, to the small dark triangle above her slightly parted thighs. She fought the urge to squeeze her legs together, to hide herself, but he was kneeling between them, keeping them spread. He reached out and cupped her breasts with his huge hands, giving them soft, feathery caresses, as his cock brushed her labia. Unable to control herself any longer, she reached out and touched it. His abs flexed and his whole body jolted, and a kind of growl escaped his lips. He’s a bear , she told herself, as if she’d temporarily forgotten. His animal felt close to the surface, as if it could break out of him at any moment. The thought sent a shiver through her body .
“I don’t think it’s fair that I’m the only naked one here,” she said, keeping hold of his pulsing cock. It was big, really big, and rock hard with his desire for her .
“You have a point,” he said, giving her a dirty smile, and he pulled his undershorts off in a swift movement. She gasped at the sight of him fully naked, the absolute essence of masculinity. He crouched in front of her and grasped her thighs, spreading them wider. She squirmed, half uncomfortable, half crazily turned on. He made her feel submissive, in a way she never felt in day to day life. She loved the feeling of giving up control to him, of letting him do whatever he wanted to her .
Keeping her very still, he dipped his head and tasted her, running his tongue along her delicate inner labia. Her hips bucked as the touch she’d yearned for finally came. He circled her clit, but didn’t touch it, teasing her maddeningly until she began to thrash and moan and whisper, “please” . At last, he obliged, sliding his tongue right over the super-sensitive tip. Her hips gave a bigger jolt and she muffled a scream with her hand. He let out a little purr, and began to suck on it, as his tongue moved back and forth across the tip. God, he’s so good with his mouth , she thought, incapable of any other thought as the pleasure in her clit radiated all over her body, as if her nerve endings were thrumming from head to toe. The ache inside her became a burn of need, a fierce hunger to be filled by him. She laced her fingers into his hair, tugging on it unconsciously. She couldn’t take it any longer; she had to have him inside her .
“Please, Brock, I need you inside me!” she murmured. No sooner had she spoken than his tongue shot inside her, deeper than she would have thought possible, and she moaned, her pussy muscles fluttering. “Oh my God!” she whispered as his long, agile tongue slid in and out of her, inflaming her, deliberately teasing her. As her breath began to come in pants and her hips bucked rhythmically, she sensed that an orgasm wasn’t far away. As deliciously amazing as he was making her feel, she wanted to come with him on top of her, his cock buried deep inside her .
“Brock!” she cried. He lifted his head, his eyes full of mischief .
“What?”
“I need your cock. Inside me. Now !”
In a flash, he climbed up her body, until he was arching over her, huge and powerful, his cock like a dangerous weapon, inches away from her pussy. He kissed her lingeringly, his tongue plunging deep into her mouth, hinting at what was to come. She sucked at it, enticing him to go deeper and deeper. Keeping his mouth on hers, he spread her labia with his hand and began to enter her. She drew her head back and gasped as his broad girth gradually filled her up. There was so much of him that she wasn’t sure if she could take it all. Her thighs tensed, but then he was in, his cock buried in her to the hilt, and her muscles spasming hard as they learned to yield to him. Her eyes fluttered open to see him watching her with concern, as if worried that he’d hurt her .
“You haven’t hurt me,” she whispered. “You feel so good .”
“You do,” he replied, his voice a sexy growl. “You’re so sexy, Madison. Such a beautiful woman .”
He began to move inside her, gently at first, each stroke setting her insides on fire. She wrapped her arms around his broad, strong back, feeling his muscles rippling as they tensed and relaxed. An orgasm was close, but he wasn’t going to let her come easily. Despite his size, he moved with such precision, sliding in and out of her achingly slowly, keeping her right on the precipice, and she moaned and sighed. As the sensation built and built, he stopped suddenly and pulled out of her .
“I’m not going to let you come just yet,” he growled. “I’m going to take you every which way, until I’ve fully claimed you as my own. And then you can come.” She gave a little gasp, surprised to hear such words coming out of his mouth. Her clit throbbed. He’d be lucky if he managed to restrain her orgasm .
He snatched her up in his arms, turning onto his back and pulling her on top of him. “Sit on me,” he said. She propped herself on her arms, but he pushed her back until she was in a kneeling position. Taking his cue, she began to lower herself onto his cock, as he watched her intently. She cried out as he filled her again, the sensation so different with all on her weight on top of him. He held her hips as she began to move up and down, her muscles gripping him tightly. He lifted his hands and cupped her breasts, teasing her over-sensitized nipples .
Before long, his hips began to move and he thrust in and out of her, his tempo increasing little by little. His features became harder, the bones in his cheeks and jaw seeming to broaden. She was looking at his animal, she realized, as the fingers pressing against her flesh seemed to become a lot sharper .
Abruptly, he lifted her off him .
“I can’t control it,” he muttered from between clenched teeth. “Turn over.” She did as he told her, lightheaded with the thrill of being told what to do. She felt deeply vulnerable on her hands and knees, exposed to his gaze. He spread her labia with his hand, opening her up before sliding his cock into her once again. As he entered her, he gave a low growl .
“Mine,” he said, close to her ear. “My mate. You’re all mine now.” He thrust hard, filling her all the way up until his pelvis bumped against her ass, and she made a sound – part way between a moan and a scream. It was almost too much. Her pussy throbbed and she felt like she was being stretched to her limit by his cock .
Brock held her hips as he began to fuck her, moving slowly at first, but quickly increasing his tempo. She was helpless, barely capable of holding herself up on her hands .
“You’re all mine, now and forever,” he muttered, saying the words over and over, like a blissful chant, which sent her mind into a spin. He wrapped his arms around her, one around her breasts, the other her waist, as he drew her up into an embrace. She arched her back a little, helping him to stay inside her. His teeth nipped at the side of her neck as his hand slid down her belly. When his finger found her clit, she jumped as if she’d been electrocuted. Picking up her wetness, he made light circles as he plunged in and out of her, his cock driving her to the brink .
“My beautiful mate,” he murmured as his tempo increased again. “I’m going to take care of you and protect you forever.” His words cut through the fog of ecstasy in her brain and spoke to something deep inside her, something she’d long repressed as the independent woman she was. She did want him to protect her, this huge, powerful, gentle bear-man. In that moment, she opened herself up fully to him, body and mind, totally surrounded by him. Her vision darkened and her clit throbbed out of control beneath his fingers, and the little tremors in her body turned into an explosion that ripped right through her, leaving her helpless and trembling in his arms. Her pussy muscles gripped his cock as she orgasmed again and again, and he kept moving inside her, fucking her, until every drop of her climax was spent. Satisfied that she was done, he pushed her forward gently, until she was lying flat on the bed, then he fucked her hard, with abandon, pounding into her relentlessly. At last, he came with a roar, pushing himself into her, his body heavy on top of her, as he filled her with his seed .
“Mine,” he muttered, over and over .
T hey didn’t move for a long time, content to lie and listen to each other’s breathing. Madison could smell the light, fresh scent of Brock’s perspiration and the heavier mingled smell of their mating. At last, he turned onto his side, scooping her into his arms. She nestled her face in his light scattering of chest hair, perfectly relaxed .
“I feel like we’ve been here for hours,” she mumbled at last. She reached out for her phone and saw that she wasn’t wrong. It was already 9.30pm .
“I’m sure everyone will be wondering where we’ve got to,” Brock said, nuzzling his face into her neck .
“I’m sure the adults have a pretty good idea,” she said with a chuckle. “Which is more than a little embarrassing .”
“Mmm, but totally unavoidable,” he said, planting tiny kisses on her cheek. “Do you think we could just stay here all night and catch up with everyone tomorrow ?”
“As much as I love that idea, I think they might be a little offended. Let me just find out what’s happening with dinner.” She texted Karen, and they snuggled into each other’s arms, kissing tenderly while they waited for her to reply. Five minutes later, her phone beeped .
“Karen says ‘we just got takeout, and some for you as well. It should be here in a few minutes, so come and get it !’”
“That’s so lovely of her,” Brock murmured, as he circled Madison’s belly button .
“Stop!” She laughed and pressed her hand over his. “We won’t be going anywhere if you keep that up !”
“I guess I am kind of hungry,” he said, and right on cue, his stomach rumbled .
“Ok, let’s go,” she said, pulling herself up into a sitting position, and shivering as she lost the heat from Brock’s body. They rifled through their clothes, scattered all over the bed, disentangling them from each other’s. Madison got dressed quickly, wishing she had time for a shower. She was certain they both smelled of sex. Then she went into the bathroom to freshen up quickly. She was startled at the sight of herself. Her hair was a little mussed, but she was glowing. Her eyes were like lasers and her cheeks were flushed. That’s because you’ve just had the best sex of your life , she told herself, and she couldn’t prevent a dirty grin from lighting her face .
T he moon was bright as they went out onto the street, its reflection gleaming onto the snow. The sky was clear and it didn’t look like it would snow again tonight. The wind had also dropped completely, and although it was well below freezing, it didn’t feel cold at all .
“What a perfect night,” Madison commented .
“And a perfect woman to spend it with,” Brock replied, putting his arm around her waist. She nestled against him, slipping under his arm. She loved that he was so much taller than her; she’d never felt as small and delicate as she did when she was with him, and she was starting to like that feeling. She couldn’t stop thinking about the things he’d been saying to her while they were mating – things like ‘you’re mine’ and ‘forever’. Does he really mean it, or is it something bears say when they’re mating? she wondered. Forever . She’d known Brock for such a short time, but she already had the strongest sense that he was the one. She’d never had that with her ex-husband. She’d always felt like they were two individuals, both working hard at their careers side by side. They were companions. But with Brock it was different. When they were together, it was as if nothing else existed. If someone had told her yesterday that she’d wind up rolling around in the snow with him in the middle of the park, she would’ve laughed. But there she was today, the two of them acting like teens, right in front of the kids. And she didn’t regret it one bit .
They arrived at Karen’s house and crunched through the snow to the front door. Abbey let them in. Her face was flushed with excitement .
“Come and look!” she yelled, grabbing Madison’s hand and dragging her through to the living room .
The Christmas tree, which was even bigger than Madison’s, had a lot of gifts piled underneath it, stockings were hanging up, the room was lit with fairy lights, and all the furniture had been draped with white blankets, to resemble snow. Grayson was wearing a Santa hat and he was sitting on a sofa next to Elsbeth, and they seemed to be holding hands. Madison did a double take, and her mom met her eye and grinned bashfully. Karen had reindeer’s antlers on her head, and she was sitting a polite distance away from Riley, but there was no mistaking the energy between them .
“We’ve made a Santa’s grotto!” Abbey announced .
“I can see that. You’ve done a great job,” Madison replied .
The doorbell rang, and Riley went out and came back with a stack of pizzas .
“You guys made it just in time!” he said as he distributed them .
Soon everyone was eating hungrily and discussing plans for the next day. Madison was quiet, sitting next to Brock on the sofa, feeling the warmth of his thigh against hers, and drowsy with utter contentment. She loved being with the family, but she also couldn’t wait to go back to bed with him .
“We saw you in the snow this afternoon,” Abbey said, breaking through a lull in the conversation. Madison narrowly avoided choking on her pizza. Damnit. She’d assumed that Karen had managed to herd them away from her .
“Oh, yeah, Madison tripped. I was just helping her up,” Brock said coolly. Abbey gaped at him .
“But –” she began .
“Abbey, stop being nosey and eat your pizza,” Karen said. Abbey sighed dramatically, but did as she was told .
W hen they’d finished eating, they sat around talking, no-one in any rush to go to bed. Madison thought how weird, but great it was that they felt like a family. There were comfortable pauses in the conversation, and everyone was casual and jokey with each other, instead of treating the guys like guests .
Suddenly, there was a flash of orange light from outside the window. Sophia went over to see what it was .
“I think they’re doing the Christmas Eve celebration!” she said. Madison went over to the window too. There were three families from the town standing outside, carrying orange lanterns and plates of food .
“Yes they are!” she said. Karen whooped .
“First time in about eight years! Ok, let’s go. We can take out one of the pumpkin pies we’ve baked.” She went into the kitchen and cut the pie into slices while everyone else put their coats on .
“Don’t worry about me – I’ll stay indoors,” Elsbeth said as they prepared to leave .
“No you won’t,” Grayson said, his voice soft. “Riley will give me a hand with the chair, and we can find a good spot to set it down outside.” With that, he helped her into her coat, then he and Riley lifted the chair and carried her outside like a queen in her chariot .
“I’m usually pretty energetic, you know,” Madison heard her mom saying to Grayson. “I’ll be up and about, hiking mountains again before you know it .”
“I don’t doubt that at all,” he replied .
The rest of them followed and they joined the other families outside. Soon, more and more people gathered together, each bringing plates of sweet things to share with each other .
Together, they formed a loose circle, with all the neighborhood kids in the middle. Some of the kids started singing a Christmas carol, and soon they all joined in, their sweet young voices piercing the crisp winter air as they sang of Mary and Joseph walking into Bethlehem, and shepherds watching their flocks, and wise men traveling from afar. Elsbeth was watching the kids, her eyes glistening with emotion, while Grayson was crouching down next to her, holding her hand. On Madison’s other side, Karen and Riley were standing next to each other, their hands firmly in their pockets. Madison stepped close to Karen .
“Why don’t you two take a moment to relax?” she whispered. I’ll watch Sophia and Abbey and make sure they don’t get up to any mischief .
“Thanks, sis,” Karen said, her face lighting up with gratitude. She whispered something to Riley and they slipped away from the crowd together .
Brock stood behind Madison, enfolding her in his arms. She felt so happy that she thought she must be glowing, radiating the strong feelings she had for Brock. Sophia was talking to three other teenage girls at the edge of the circle, and Abbey was right in the middle, singing her heart out .
“The kids are adorable, aren’t they?” Brock said, his breath warm on the top of her head .
“They are,” she said, feeling broodier than ever .
“Want to have some one day?” he asked, his tone uncertain .
“Yes,” she replied, with no hesitation. He placed a hand on her stomach .
“I thought so. And something tells me you won’t have long to wait .”
“What do you mean?” She looked up at him over her shoulder .
“Well, I can tell that you’re fertile right now, and I have a very strong suspicion that our mating has been, uh, successful.” She gasped .
“What, you mean – you just made me pregnant?” He smiled .
“I think so .”
“You know that because you’re a bear, right ?”
“Yup. A combination of animal instinct and a very strong sense of smell .”
“Wow,” she breathed, placing her hand over his .
There was a pause in the singing, and someone shouted “it’s Christmas!” then, everyone shouted “it’s Christmas!” and there were whoops and cheers. Someone let off some fireworks and the sky was filled with multicolored stars .
“How do you feel about that?” Madison asked, her head spinning .
“Like the luckiest guy in the world,” he replied .
“Really?” she murmured, her heartbeat slowing down .
“Are you kidding me? The woman I’ve wanted my entire life – who I thought I’d lost forever – has come back to town. She’s become my mate, and she’s most likely carrying my cubs. How could I not be?” Checking that Sophia and Abbey were safely occupied, Madison turned to face him, her throat constricting with emotion .
“We’re mates, officially?” she said. He laughed .
“Of course. Did you not realize that ?”
“I guess I haven’t fully grasped the ways of bears,” she said, with a nervous giggle .
“Ok, let me make it formal,” he said. He dropped down onto the snow, kneeling on one knee and took her hand .
“Madison Armstrong, will you become my lifelong mate, and join with me in a formal mating ceremony in the very near future?” he said. Stars of excitement shot through her body .
“Yes, I will!” she said, grinning down at him. He drew her head towards his and kissed her tenderly on the lips. She closed her eyes, tingling with emotion. Several people standing around them clapped and cheered. Brock got to his feet and hugged her against his body .
“You make me so happy,” he murmured in her ear .
“And you make me so happy,” she said .
Just then, Karen returned with Riley. They were both flushed and bright-eyed. Karen gave Madison a secret smile .
“Did we miss anything?” Karen said .
“Oh, not much. But I think I just got engaged to be formally mated,” Madison replied .
“Oh my God, that’s amazing!” Karen exclaimed and hugged her .
“Things seem to be going well with you guys?” Madison said .
“Yeah. Riley is amazing. And he’s the best kisser ever !”
“Did you – just now ?”
“Uh huh. He spotted some mistletoe in a neighbor’s garden and led me over to it. What could I do in a situation like that ?”
“Excellent. I’m so happy for you, sis,” Madison said .
“And me for you .”
“And for mom –” Madison broke off as they turned to glance at their mom. She was currently lip-locked with Grayson .
“Wooh. And for mom,” Karen echoed and they burst out laughing .
“How is it that all of us were single three days ago, and we’ve now all found someone, right on the eve of Christmas ?”
“I think it has something to do with three handsome bears, and a touch of Christmas magic,” Karen replied happily .