Free Adrian by V. Vaughn

and part of it is due to my new reflexes, but it’s never going to be enough if I’m a liability that could endanger werebear. The truth is, there’s a group of human hunters that would love to eradicate our kind, and being in the public eye is not a good idea for a rogue bear like me.
    I take another sip of my champagne and ask, “What should we do to celebrate?”
    Aaron says, “I’m going out to spread some love.”
    I glance at Adrian, and he says, “Ginny and I are going to stay in with room service.”
    Nessa says, “Noel told me there’s a great club near our hotel she likes to go to”--she stares at Aleck--“ if anyone’s interested.”
    He shrugs. “I could be persuaded.”
    Aaron hits him as he sing-songs the next words. “Aleck has a girlfriend,” and then says, “Now who’s ten?”
    Andre, Adrian and Aleck all answer him. “You.”
    Nessa and I laugh as we pull into the hotel. When I get out of the car, I take a moment to gaze out at the lights of the city. It’s a far cry from our home back in Maine, and I think about how big disappointment happens in this town. But big dreams are realized here too, and I make a wish for my mate and his brothers before I turn to follow everyone inside.

11
    B efore the plane even landed , I knew what I had to do. Tomorrow I’m going to Tori’s and throwing myself into an intense warrior-training program. If I ever hope to gain control of my shifting, I think I need to learn to embrace my fighter tendencies. Toothpaste foams in my mouth as I brush, and I gaze at myself in the mirror. My face has become more angular since I changed, and when I look at my bare shoulders in my loose tank top I wear to bed, I notice they’re more defined. I imagine they’ll be even more so once I start to train every day.
    I sigh and brace myself for the talk I’m about to have with Adrian. One of the hardest things for true mates is to be apart, and while I’ve never experienced it, I can imagine the pain I’m about to feel over the next few days. Adrian has missed a lot of work and will have to pull doubles to make up for it. Otherwise I’d beg him to come with me. Hopefully he’ll be too busy to have much time to miss me.
    When I push my way into our room, Adrian is sitting with his back against the headboard, and I close the door to lean against the solid wood as I gaze at the gorgeous specimen of man before me as my insides heat up with desire. I need to put my sex drive on hold, because I have to tell Adrian my plan before my judgment gets clouded by lust. The mattress sinks as I climb on the end of the bed and crawl up to my mate. I straddle his lap, and his hair is smooth in my fingers as I thread them through it to lean in and kiss him. He grips my hips and tugs me in tight as I drink in the flavor of the man I’ll never stop wanting.
    I pull away and say, “I have to talk to you.” I comb his hair back as I stall for time. I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. “Being a warrior is in my genes, and as much as I’ve tried to fight it, I know I have to face facts. I think I need to go stay with Tori and learn to fight.”
    “I think you’re right.”
    “You do?”
    Adrian nods. “The only way you’re going to get your bear under control is to understand her. As corny as it sounds, you need to become one with your bear.”
    “And you think warrior training can help me with that?”
    He grins at me as if it’s a stupid question.
    “But this means we’re going to be apart,” I say.
    “Only for a few days.” Adrian slides his hands under my shirt and up to cup my breasts, and my nipples harden at his touch. “I’ll come see you on my next day off.”
    I arch my back as he fondles me and sends electric currents to my core. “I plan to go tomorrow.”
    Now Adrian is nibbling at my neck, and he whispers, “Then you probably need me to give you a sendoff to remember.”
    I slide my hands down his firm chest, and when I get to his groin, I grip his