Hidden, Clan of the Werebear by Madison Johns Read Free Book Online

I mean mated before. A beautiful woman like you would have had to be kept under lock and key to keep the other werebears from mounting you.”
    Elaina pressed her hands against her cheeks that felt hotter by the minute. Her womanhood throbbed for Cullen’s touch, but she was too afraid to allow him to touch her. “I-I was kept locked up. I’ve never been with a werebear before, or a human either.”
    Cullen massaged his chin. “That explains a lot. So you’re a virgin, then. That certainly puts a damper on things.”
     Elaina gazed at him now, and as one lone tear trickled down her face, she hoped he just thought it was sweat. “What do you mean?”
    “I’m not in the habit of deflowering virgins. I like my women more experienced.”
    Elaina felt a stab deep in her heart that she couldn’t explain, since it made no sense. So far today, nothing this man said had pleased her. “Okay, but I never said I wanted to mate with you anyway. Damon is more of my liking,” Elaina lied, half hoping to hurt his feelings like he had hurt hers.”
    “Fine,” he snapped as he rose from the water. “I’ll go get him for you.” Cullen threw on his pants and stomped from the hut.
    “What have I gotten myself into?” Elaina said out loud.
    She felt weak now, but the last thing she wanted to do was remain naked in this pool when Damon came in. She knew she shouldn’t have said she preferred Damon, but she couldn’t stop herself, and now it was way too late to take it back. Elaina had no idea what she should do as she dressed. When she walked out from the hut, she ran straight into Damon.
    Elaina jumped back as if scorched.
    “What’s going on?” Damon asked. “Cullen told me you preferred to mate with me tonight. Is that true? Did you really say that?”
    Elaina trembled under Damon’s intense gaze. “No. Yes. I mean…” She hung her head, unable to explain what had just happened between her and Cullen.
    “Come, let’s take a walk where we can speak privately,” Damon said.
    Elaina allowed Damon to lead her away and knew why Damon had insisted that they go somewhere private. Most of the village was looking at them with interest, including Shauna, Damon’s favorite. Shauna’s eyes narrowed into slits and her lips rippled, her muscles twitching like she was about to shift.
    “Shauna!” Damon bellowed. “If you harm the newcomer, you’ll be banned from the village.”
     “You can’t make that decision, brother. It’s a mutual decision of the villagers,” Cullen said, his arm around a fiery redhead.
    “Oh, so how are we to prevent the newcomer from harm, then?”
    “Look after the cubs, Shauna. I’m sure Damon will join you later.”
    Elaina sighed. “I don’t understand any of this. Why did you bring me here, Cullen?”
    “For protection. I can’t allow another werebear to become a victim of the werewolves who lurk not far away.”
    “Since when does a werewolf kill a werebear? They can’t. Bears are much more powerful, and bigger.”
    “Because they’re pack hunters. It wasn’t so long ago that the silver-haired wolf murdered one of our own, once the rest of the pack had knocked her down a ledge.”
    Elaina shook her head. “There’s no way a werewolf would ever do that.”
    Hannah, the old one, crept forward. “And how would you know? Are you one of them?”
    “She’s all bear,” Cullen said. “I’ve seen her shift.”
    Elaina bit her tongue. She wanted to tell them that they had it all wrong about the werewolves. The pack she had spent a few days with showed no signs of being murderers. They only had shown aggression when she had shifted and were trying to protect their pups. No. Elaina just couldn’t believe that story, unless it was another pack, although the notion seemed wrong since there could only be one wolf pack nearby.
    Elaina gazed sadly at Hannah. “I’m a werebear and I’ve never met a wolf I liked,” she lied with a hint of a smile. She gave Cullen one last look and