Hidden, Clan of the Werebear by Madison Johns Page B

indefinitely, just until the inspection is over.”
    Klesa gave Damon a sad look. “Okay, but I don’t have a good feeling about this.” She strode away in a huff and Elaina looked on in disbelief.
    “She’ll be okay. There’s no way we’ll allow anything to happen to our cubs,” Damon said.
    “I don’t blame her. I’d be worried if I were her, too. Do you believe the clan might be a danger to me?”
    Damon stoked his chin in thought. “I’m not sure, but I believe it might be wise to take some precautions.”
    “Am I going to be sent to some cave, too?”
    Damon stepped forward and took Elaina’s face between his hands. “Not at all. Neither Cullen nor I would allow you to stray far. I know Cullen will mate with you first, but I’m struggling with trying to control myself, being so near to you.”
    Elaina’s heart thumped against her chest, but she wanted to pull away. It felt wrong to be so close to Damon when she wanted Cullen to be her first. Besides that, it wasn’t lost on her the way Klesa looked at Damon with such longing. She might have feelings for Damon, and who was she to interfere with that? She sighed as Damon sealed his lips around hers. As they moved against her own, she felt her head begin to swim. A need took over that she didn’t understand, but instead of giving in she pushed against Damon’s chest. When their lips parted, Damon’s eyes were dark and flashing. “What’s wrong? Cullen is gone, but I’m here.”
    “He’s searching for Shauna. Did you have anything to do with her disappearance?”
    He jerked away as if burnt. “Why would you think I’d do that?”
    “Besides that she was one of you favorites, you mean?”
    “Sure she was, but she tried to kill me, don’t forget.”
    “Did she really, or was I really the intended target?”
    “It’s safe to say that I was the one injured. If Shauna meant to harm you, she would have. She was jealous. I just can’t see her life ended over her mistake.”
    “Me, either. So are you saying that you released her?”
    He straightened his back and strode away, saying over his shoulder. “Not at all.”
    Elaina stared at his back. She couldn’t believe what he said, nor believed for a moment that he didn’t let her go. In fact, Klesa was more concerned with Shauna’s escape than was Damon. That spoke volumes to Elaina. She wouldn’t blame Damon for releasing Shauna, but she did worry that there might be some fallout for her escape. What if she told the clan all she knew?
     

Chapter Twelve
    Elaina wandered back to Cullen’s bed, inhaling his musky fragrance from the animal pelts. She couldn’t help but hope that he’d return soon as she ached so badly that it hurt. Her hands fingered the fur and she removed her clothing until her plump body was completely bare. She lay there for hours, feeling as uncomfortable as ever. It was still daylight when she opened her eyes again, and the sun shone down from up high as seen through the hole in the ceiling. She had no idea how long Cullen would be gone or what the outcome would be, but she wished he were here now to put out the fire raging inside of her.
    Elaina nestled onto the soft pelts, nearly crying out at the sensations that jarred her body as she shimmied back and forth across the bed in frustration. She loved the feeling against her scorched skin. Her fingers and hands then found her aching breasts and she massaged them, working the peaks of her nipples, surprised when they hardened under her fingertips. She closed her eyes again and concentrated on remembering how Cullen had elicited the same response from her not long ago.
    She felt a breeze and her eyelids snapped open, but instead of glancing up into an angry female like the night before, her eyes locked with Cullen’s hungry gaze, his muscled frame filling the doorway. A million questions formed, but she forgot them all as he approached the bed and pulled off his shirt, revealing his muscled chest. The hair of his chest