Bear With Me

Bear With Me Jade Buchanan All rights reserved. Copyright (c)2010 Jade Buchanan ISBN: 987-1-60521-572-3 Formats Available: HTML, Adobe PDF, EPub MobiPocket, Microsoft Reader Publisher: Changeling Press LLC PO Box 1046 Martinsburg, WV 25402-1046 www.ChangelingPress.com Editor: Vicki S. Burklund Cover Artist: Bryan Keller

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Bear With Me Jade Buchanan When pizzly bears Christopher and Robin travel to the Northwest Territories for work, the last thing they expected was to fall for the same man. Luckily, polar bear Theo -Teddy to his friends -- has plans in mind for both.

Chapter One Theo frowned at his ticket before glancing up to look at the lady behind the counter. He wondered if there was enough time to change his seat or if he'd missed the chance already. It looked like he was definitely going to be at the back of the plane with seat 13C. Shit, why did he always have to get the crap seats? "We'll be boarding flight 1076 to Edmonton now. If I could have all passengers please line up at the front with your boarding pass and photo ID, we can get you onto the plane." Definitely too late to change his seat. Oh well, at least he should have more leg room on the flight up to Inuvik. He hoped. Unfolding his 6'5" frame, Theo stretched in place before bending to pick up his bag. It was carry-on only for him this time. He couldn't be bothered to try and check anything. He'd just have to wait for it to come off the plane on the other end of the flight, and after the flight north he'd want nothing more than to get in the car of whoever was going to pick him up and go to his parents' house. Not bothering to look around him, Theo quietly got into line and waited his turn to go through. "Thank you, sir. Have a nice flight."

Theo nodded at the lady and took out his wallet to put his driver's license back in. He made his way down the extra long hallway, counting off the gate numbers as he walked past. The short hauls that went through the Calgary airport were tucked back here away from all the other gates. A few doors were propped open, giving him a hazy view outside. A frigid blast of air greeted him every time he walked past a door. Great, they'd have to de-ice the plane before they'd be able to take off. He shouldn't complain now; he'd be a hell of a lot colder in a few hours. Good thing he liked winter. A lot. He should have gotten another cup of joe and he knew it. Flying at 6:30 in the morning was not something he relished. Add in the fact it was definitely winter, and he wanted nothing more than to lie in bed with the covers pulled over his head. Stifling a yawn, Theo glanced up just in time to see his gate looming in front of him. Taking a bracing inhale, Theo stepped outside and made his way toward the small plane. He wished he could linger outside, but he didn't want to hold anyone up. Dropping his bag on the checked baggage cart, Theo climbed the short flight of stairs and handed his ticket to the flight attendant at the top. "Good morning, sir." Theo grunted a response. "13C is right up here, sir. Enjoy the flight." Theo frowned, glancing to the left and the seats facing each other. What the... He'd never been on a plane like this before. It looked like the first twelve rows faced front like normal, but seats 13 A and C were arranged at the front of the plane, facing backward. It reminded him of the setup on a city train.

"Where's the rest of row 13?" he asked. "At the back, sir. They had to reconfigure the plane because of the washrooms. Half the planes have the washroom at the front and normal seating, but the rest have the washroom at the back which means you get to sit up here instead." Hmm. Well, could be worse. At least it looked like he'd have more leg room this way. He just hoped whoever was in 1F didn't have long legs. Slumping into his seat, Theo closed his eyes. "Shit, don't push!" "Sorry, it's cold out." "I know it's cold out. I was just out there with you." "Okay, seriously. Attitude." "Oh, here we are. Row one." Theo cracked open his lids and ended up staring right at the most delectable ass he'd ever seen. A growl slipped out of his throat before he could stop it. "Oh, hello there." Mr. Nice Ass turned around and presented Theo with an even better view. Theo grunted. He barely stopped himself from licking his lips, but his mother had tried to instill civilized behavior into him. Some of it must have stuck. He finally dragged his gaze away from the denim package he was eyeing to glance up at the face that went with it. Huh, that was just as nice. Mr. Nice Ass was short and compact. His skin was pale,

and a shock of curly brown hair capped his head. Hazel eyes gazed down at him from an Elfin face. Thin green metal frames completed the scruffy, innocent intellectual look and nearly made Theo growl again. Besides the jeans, he was kitted out in a thick brown and white sweater. That was definitely a Cowichan design, if he wasn't mistaken. A real one, not the knockoffs he saw everywhere. His aunt had started to make them for his family when she married in, so he recognized the Salish style. "Looks like we're going to be travel partners today. I'm Chris, Christopher Walls. And you?" "Are the most handsome thing I've seen in a while. Hi, I'm Rob, Robin McKenzie, at your service." Glancing over at Robin, Theo had to prevent himself from licking his lips again. Damn. Robin was nice to look at. He appeared a few years older than Christopher, but the extra years had turned what was probably cute when he was younger into just fucking hot now. Theo most definitely liked. Robin's hair was cropped closer to his head and lacked the corkscrews that Christopher had. Nutty brown eyes stared at him with more than enough heat to de-ice the plane alone. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a creamy grey sweater. As Theo watched, Robin unwound a rainbow striped scarf from around his neck and stuck it into the small bag at his feet before glancing back up with a naughty grin. "Theodore Kisoun," Theo replied. "Ohh! Theodore. I like. Can I call you Teddy?" Robin practically bounced in place. "Theo."

Full lips turned down into a pout. Theo had to firm his own lips to stop himself from smiling. Christopher finally got himself settled into the seat across from Theo. Their feet brushed against each other, and Theo refused to move them. He wanted to see how the little man would react. If he wasn't mistaken, that was a definite blush covering the pale cheeks. Interesting. "Where are you headed?" Robin asked, as he took his own seat beside Christopher. "Inuvik." "Really? Us too!" Both boys perked up at that. Theo had a quick thought that he shouldn't call them boys, even inside his head. They weren't young, looking closer to his own thirty-plus years, but there was something about their demeanor that reminded him of young cubs. "I'm sorry if this is rude, but are you from Inuvik?" Christopher asked in a quiet voice. "Not rude. I was born there. I'm Inuvialuit, in case you were wondering." They'd have to be stupid not to notice he was Native. It was also pretty natural to wonder if he was originally from the north since he was headed up there now. "Are you going to visit your family, then? Or do you live there?" Christopher asked. "No, I live in Calgary, just visiting my mom for her birthday. The entire family is going up so I'll be staying at the MacKenzie Delta to get away from all the noise." What was wrong with him? Why was he being so chatty? This wasn't normal for him, but he couldn't deny there was something about these two that made

him want to blurt out his life story. There was something he wasn't quite catching. Maybe once the flight attendant closed the door he'd be able to get a better idea of what was staring him in the face. "We're at the MacKenzie too. Fancy that." Robin grinned. "Have you ever been up there?" "Nope, it's our first time. We're both geologists, and we're going up to meet with our boss who's got us doing a job up there. Then we're coming back in a few days." "Prepare to be cold." "Ah, the cold weather doesn't bother us. It's in our blood. Besides, if I get chilly, I'll just crawl into bed with Chris." Theo glanced over at Christopher in time to see the intriguing blush bloom across his face again. Hmm. He liked that. He also liked the thought of these two in bed together. Theo pushed up the sleeves of his long tee and crossed his arms over his chest. Both Christopher and Robin instantly stared, mouths agape. Even better. Oh, yes. He was going to have fun with these two. It would help pass the time until they arrived in Inuvik, maybe even longer if they were up for it. It'd been too long since he'd scratched this particular itch. Work had been distracting him, which could be part of why he'd been so growly lately. A noise to his right had him glancing over in time to see the flight attendant pull up the stairs and draw a curtain across the doorway. Theo grinned. It looked like he was going to have the

front of the plane all to himself with Christopher and Robin. They were the only passengers in row one, and he didn't have anyone sitting beside him. Excellent. Theo briefly tuned in to the safety talk as they started to taxi out of the gate. Christopher smiled at Theo before pulling a book out of his bag and slipping the bag under his seat. Robin merely stared continuously at Theo, a slight grin on his face. Any hesitations he'd had about their sexuality -- or at least Christopher's -- were put to rest when Theo managed to draw his gaze away from Robin long enough to look at the front cover of Christopher's book. "Do you like her?" he asked. "Hmm?" "That author. You like her books?" "Chris loves her. Can't get enough," Robin said for his friend. "And you?" "I love having Chris read her books to me, especially the good parts." Robin's grin was decidedly cheeky now. "I'll have to tell her that next time I see her -- which will be this afternoon, actually." Christopher gaped. "Her?" "Mackenzie Meadows, the author? She's my baby sister." "Seriously? Oh my God, that is just... I can't... I mean..." "What Chris is trying to say is 'Holy shit, that's awesome,' and he wants to know if we can meet her."

"You can definitely meet her. She loves talking to people who read her books. Especially men." "Damn. Outed by Chris's reading material." Robin struck a pose. "I really love her books. She's got the coolest plots." Christopher blushed. She'd definitely love hearing that. "My sister can write about anything or anyone." Christopher perked up. "Oh, yeah? Take us? I wonder what she'd write about us." "Oh, please take us," Robin cackled. "Perv." "Prude." Christopher ended the argument by reaching up and twisting his air vent to blow on Robin. Theo suddenly froze as the movement gave him a nice whiff of the men across from him. Bears. They were bears. Delectable, sweet smelling bears. Holy shit! His sister was never going to believe this was a coincidence. Was this his lucky day or what? He barely refrained from rubbing his hands together. The two men stiffened in turn, before lifting their gazes to him. It looked like he wasn't the only one who'd just had an epiphany. "Interesting," Robin said. "Definitely interesting," Christopher echoed.

"Where did you say you were from again?" Theo asked. More than anything he wanted to have a little privacy, but that wasn't going to be possible until they hit Edmonton at the earliest. He'd never really been known for his patience. "Both our dads are from Churchill originally. My mom is from Northern Alberta --" "And mine's from Fort St. John," Christopher finished. "But we both grew up in Edmonton before moving south to Calgary to go to university." Churchill? That was polar bear country. He didn't think they were polar bears, though. You'd think he'd be able to recognize that a little better. "So, do your fathers have white hair?" Robin grinned like a maniac. "You could say that. Our moms are both brunettes, if that helps. They're a little grizzled, if you ask me." "Would that make us pizzled?" Christopher asked, cocking his head. Theo snorted, causing both men to laugh. His sister was going to be even happier. She'd been trying to hook him up with a polar bear for years now. He wondered if she'd accept a polar grizzly cross. Or two polar grizzly crosses. He felt like he was in the middle of that chip commercial. He definitely couldn't have just one. "I'm going out on a limb and guess your family has white hair," Robin said. Theo nodded silently. "Excuse me, sir. Would you like coffee, tea or juice?"

Theo glanced briefly up at the flight attendant standing beside him. "Coffee, please." "And you? Coffee, tea or juice?" "We'll both have juice," Robin piped up. "Orange, if you have it. Thank you." The flight attendant nodded before stepping around the partition behind Theo. She returned shortly with a cup of joe. Theo accepted his coffee with a nod of thanks. He couldn't keep his eyes off the two in front of him. He still wasn't quite sure what to make of them or his inordinate interest. The flight attendant handed Christopher his juice before passing Robin his. Suddenly the plane jumped as they hit a pocket of turbulence. The orange juice went flying, splashing all over Christopher and managing to hit Theo's legs. Christopher gasped and Robin started to laugh. Theo wasn't even going to guess how the juice had magically happened to miss Robin entirely. "I'm so sorry," the woman cried out. "Hey, it's okay. I'm fine. Thanks." She went back behind the partition, returning quickly with another orange juice for Robin and a packet of tissues for Christopher. Theo waited until she was busy with the next row of passengers before allowing his grin to slip out. "You look good wet, cub." Christopher blushed a fiery red. He ducked his head and sent his curls bobbing. "Yeah?"

"Hell yeah." Robin leaned over the seat divider between Christopher and himself, capturing Theo's attention in the process. Christopher, in turn, froze in place. Robin reached over and slowly unzipped Christopher's sweater. Now that he was paying attention, he nearly snorted at the two walking bears knitted into the design of Christopher's Cowichan. How'd he miss that? Robin must have decided he'd bared enough skin because he suddenly bent his head and licked a path along Chris's neck and up his jaw line. Theo flared his nostrils to bring in as much of their scent as he could. Spicy and sweet. A thin growl trickled out. Pulling back, Robin licked his lips. "Mmm. Nothing like BJ -- oh, sorry, OJ -- in the morning." Ah, shit. Theo was a goner. No doubt about it. *** An hour later, Theo was still doubting whether he was going to survive these two. "So, what seat are you in for the big flight?" Robin leaned against Theo, angling his head to the side. Theo pursed his lips and glanced down at the ticket he was holding before looking at Robin. He tried to inhale subtly to bring in as much of Robin's scent as he could. Shit, he'd never get tired of that scent. "I'm at the back. As always." Christopher appeared on Robin's left, adding another scent layer to tease Theo's already muddled brain. "Oh, fancy

that. So are we. Maybe we can be seat mates." "Or mate mates," Robin snickered. Okay, that definitely wasn't a coincidence now. Theo turned fully to face both men. He arched a single brow. Christopher cracked first. "Okay, we asked the very nice lady at the ticket counter what seat you were sitting in, and she was kind enough to switch us." "How does this work exactly, anyway?" Robin asked. "Are we on the milk run or something?" "Sort of. We stop in Yellowknife briefly. From there we head to Norman Wells for a short stop. Then it's on to Inuvik. They usually give us the option of getting out at Yellowknife if you need to stretch your legs. I think they still serve meals too. You don't see that very often. The last time I came up here in the summer, it was a full meal between Edmonton and Yellowknife, a hot snack on the way to Norman Wells, and then something small on the last bit." And look at him being all chatty again. His family wouldn't recognize him at this rate. "I like hot snacks." "Last time it was bannock one way and nice warm cookies on the way back." "Ooh. Warm and gooey is even better." "I bet it is." Theo shook his head. He really shouldn't encourage them. "Want to know something interesting?" Robin asked, out of the blue. The way he drawled his words had Theo intrigued. He

hoped he wasn't going to do anything that would get them kicked off the flight, but it might just be worth it, judging by the look in Robin's eyes and the squirming Christopher was now doing. Theo nodded his response. "Good morning, everyone. We'll be boarding flight 444 to Inuvik with stops in Yellowknife and Norman Wells. If I could have all passengers traveling with small children or anyone needing assistance to please line up at the front with your boarding pass and photo ID, we can start boarding." Theo had to physically restrain himself from going up to tear the lady a new one for interrupting what was sure to be a fascinating piece of information. He wasn't so sure he'd been able to restrain the growl that had tried to slip out, but he couldn't help that. "Oops. Guess you'll have to wait and find out later." Robin practically skipped away. Theo watched him go with what was sure to be a predatory glint in his gaze. Christopher lingered, stepping closer to Theo. "He's worth it. Trust me." Tearing his gaze away from Robin's backside, Theo bent his head down to Christopher. "Oh, I'll find out. Don't you worry about that. Tonight, when I'm done with my family obligations, we're going to have a little one-on-two." Lips parted, Christopher stared up at him. "Promise?" "Try and stop me."

Chapter Two Rob walked through the lobby of the Mackenzie Delta, marveling at the artwork on display. Way cool. It was no different really than any other hotel they'd stayed at except for the fact the entire lobby was full of artifacts. Tapestries hung from the walls and a glass display case sat front and centre with a variety of sculptures inside: whales, inukshuks, and figurines of what had to be Inuvialuit carrying spears and riding in dog sleds. Again, way cool. "Do you think we have time tomorrow to go shopping?" Chris asked, staring intently at the sculptures. Rob snorted. He should have known his little bear cub would be enthralled by the artwork. "Sure, we can ask Teddy where to go if we see him." "You shouldn't call him Teddy. He said to call him Theo." Chris's voice was chiding, but Rob knew him well enough to hear the thread of humor running underneath. "Yeah, but where's the fun in that?" Rob slung an arm around Chris and gave him a squeeze. He was feeling a hell of a lot more relaxed right now, but he was still wound tighter than he liked. They'd had to meet with

their boss when they arrived at one o'clock so they hadn't even been able to say goodbye to Teddy. The big bear had been surrounded by a whole pack of family the minute he'd stepped into the small terminal building, which didn't make things any easier to deal with. They'd ended up spending the afternoon familiarizing themselves with the area so they could start fresh in the morning. It'd been freezing outside, which he wasn't entirely happy about. He might have polar bear in his blood, but that didn't mean he was used to -20 Celsius temperatures. It wasn't as if they'd really been able to see anything anyway. It was so dark outside he was already missing the sun. Rob meandered over to the front desk to check in. The room was in his name so he left Chris staring at the display case while he changed their reservation from two queen beds to a single king. There was no need to waste the extra bed when they'd just be sharing anyway. Not that their boss needed to know the particulars of that. A few minutes later they were both walking up the stairs to the second floor and their room. Rob let them in, holding the door open for Chris to go through first. While Chris checked out the bathroom, Rob looked over the rest of the room. It was pretty basic, actually. A single bed, with the typical flowered coverlet, took up most of the room. Polar bears stared back at him from the pictures on the wall, making him grin in appreciation. An armoire was set up at the foot of the bed with a desk and chair between that and the window. For some reason they'd rated a microwave and sink too, and a single table with two more chairs. Interesting. They wouldn't be here long enough to use it, but it would have come in handy if they'd been on a

longer job. Rob went over to the window to see what their view was like. "Huh. Well, could be worse, I guess." "What?" Chris called out behind him. "We're looking at the RCMP building. Not the best view, but I figured it could be worse." "We won't be in here long. Besides, it's too dark out anyway." That was true. Rob shrugged. "We've got about an hour before dinner time right now. I don't think the shops will still be open but we'll check them out tomorrow." "That's fine. We can just come back to the room after dinner and get some rest while we can." They were going to have a busy couple of days. Just long enough to get their work done, and then they'd be flying back to Calgary to finish the job back in the home office. "I'm going to have a shower, okay?" Rob glanced over at Chris. He raised his eyebrows. "Sure." Chris quickly shimmied out of his clothes, tossing them onto the bed one at a time. With a saucy grin, Chris shook his ass at Rob and sauntered into the bathroom buck nekkid. Huh, that was nice. Rob wondered if he might be able to corner Chris in the bathroom and put a little more sway into those hips. The only thing that would be better would be to have

another interested party ravish Chris with him. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen. At least not right now. Rob had tried to get something going with Teddy when they landed in Yellowknife, but apparently the big guy was a prude like Chris. He might have said something about a flea not fitting in the airplane can let alone three bears, but Rob was sure they would have been able to make it work. Shit, some of the places he'd managed to fit inside... Yeah, that was a nice mental picture right there. Rob threw his suitcase onto the bed and started to unpack his clothes. It'd been a very long time since Rob had been all hot and bothered over anyone besides Chris. He wasn't sure what it was about Teddy, but the big bear tied him up in knots. There was something about his scent that drove Rob crazy. Still, that wouldn't have mattered if Chris had felt differently about Teddy. At least, he thought Chris might feel the same way about Teddy. Maybe this would be a good time to ask him. Hmm... Rob nonchalantly followed Chris into the bathroom, using the pretense that he was putting his toiletry bag away. Chris was already in the shower. Rob took a moment to pause and study his form behind the cloth shower curtain. It was sheer in places from the water soaking into it so he was getting the loveliest view of bare skin as Chris shifted in place to shampoo his hair. "Are you going to stand out there the whole time, or will you actually come in here with me already?" Rob grinned and let loose a barking laugh. "Well, now. Are

you inviting me in, babe?" "If you don't come in soon, I'll be all finished." "Can't have that," Rob murmured. Without pause, he began to remove his own clothes. Tossing his socks on top of the growing pile, he padded over to the bathtub and slid the curtain open. "Hi, beautiful." Chris snickered before presenting Rob with his backside. He looked damned good wet. Rob still counted his blessings for the day he'd met Chris. Of course, back then they'd still been cubs themselves and hadn't realized how tight they'd be as adults. That hadn't come until both had hit puberty and fastened their sights on each other. Rob hadn't had sex with Chris until he'd graduated from high school, though. It was then that they'd discovered they were mates. As soon as their scents overlapped and combined, it was all over for both of them. "Well?" Chris asked, looking over his shoulder. Shit, what was wrong with him? "Sorry, pister Christer. I'll snap out of it." He stepped into the tub and plastered his body against Chris's back. Nuzzling the other man, he wrapped his arm around him. "You okay?" Rob shrugged. "Yeah, maybe I'm just tired." "Or distracted." "Maybe." Chris inhaled before shaking his head and sending water droplets flying. "You thinking about Theo?"

Rob kissed Chris's shoulder lightly before pressing the edge of his teeth into the skin. He grinned when Chris let out a hissing breath. "Maybe I'm thinking about him a little. It was strange meeting him, eh?" Chris snorted. Rob rubbed his palm down Chris's stomach. "What do you think about him?" Chris shrugged. "Baby?" Chris slithered out of his hold and turned around. He pressed his back against the wall of the shower and let the water run down his front. Rob studied his face, trying to figure out what he was thinking. It felt a little strange that he didn't automatically know. He was usually able to read Chris like a book. Rob leaned in, letting the water fall down over his own body. He reached past Chris and picked up the travel bottle of conditioner that Chris had brought with him. Seeing it was still full while the shampoo was half empty, he poured out a dollop into his palm. Slicking up his hands, he lathered Chris's curls with the creamy scent of lavender while Chris closed his eyes and let Rob take care of him. "Didn't expect to see another bear up here," Rob commented. Chris shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure why I was surprised considering we're definitely in their territory, but there you go." "Hmm."

Rob rinsed out Chris's hair and picked up the travel bar of soap. It was scented with the same lavender as the rest of the toiletries. Lathering his hands up again, he started to run the bar over Chris's body. Taking his time, he drew out the experience and took advantage of the opportunity to touch his mate. He loved Chris's body. He was leanly muscled in the most perfect way. Slim but strong, he was smaller than Rob. The difference in their size sometimes made him want to treat Chris more gently, but that wasn't what the cub usually wanted. His lover had quite the little aggrieved growl when he was feeling out of sorts. Kind of like the one he'd just let out. Rob couldn't quite hold in his chuckle in time. "I thought you'd come in here for a reason," Chris grumbled. "I can wash myself." "Hmm." "Don't turn that back around on me either!" Rob laughed before leaning in and biting Chris's lower lip. "Babe. Two can play this game. I know you're withholding answers on purpose." "Maybe you should charm it out of me." "Huh. Maybe I should." Rob leaned in for one more kiss before grabbing Chris by the hips and jerking him around to face the wall. Chris grunted at the movement, his feet sliding on the slick surface of the tub. Slapping his hands against the shower wall, he glanced over his shoulder to raise a single brow at Rob. Shit, he could practically hear the words "is that all" without Chris even saying a single thing. Why did he find that so fucking

hot? Picking up the bottle of conditioner again and shaking it slightly, he silently answered Chris's unspoken question. Chris grinned toothily. Oh yeah, he loved this man. Slicking up his fingers, he teasingly drew a single digit along Chris's spine before dipping it along the crack of his ass. Chris wiggled in invitation and Rob wasn't going to wait for an engraved note. Laying his lips along Chris's shoulder, Rob touched his finger to the puckered entrance he intended to lay claim to in a few minutes. He snaked his other hand around Chris's body and found a lovely handhold to keep him busy. Chris was hard as a rock and practically begging to be held. The fingers of both hands quickly found all their favorite places to play with, and Chris was a moaning wreck seconds later. "Yee haw," Rob whispered. Chris answered with a mewl. Oh yeah, this was going to be short and fast. It couldn't be helped, but he was just a little too het up to take his time. Was a shame, really, since Chris wet was a sight to behold, and a moaning, wet and hard Chris was something that should be a pay-per-view event. Rob grinned evilly and had a quick thought that it was a good thing Chris was facing the wall right now. He stopped his hands and stepped back from Chris. "Wha...?"

"Oops, sorry, babe. Just taking a breather." Chris let slip a little growling yip that had Rob palming his own cock. He upended the last of the conditioner and slicked himself up, paying particular attention to the throbbing, leaking head of his dick. Shit, this really wasn't going to last long. Pressing back along Chris's body, Rob moved his fingers back to his hole and teased the tips of two digits along the entrance. "Need this, Chris?" "Please..." "What's the magic phrase?" "God, please. Rob, please..." "Nope, that's not it." Rob thrust both fingers into Chris's ass, making that fine body jerk and arch before pulling them back out. Beautiful. Fucking beautiful. "Rob, I need you. Please, fuck me." "Close. Not quite it, though. Come on, you know what I want. Answer the question, baby." "What question?" Chris panted. "The one I asked you before. What do you think of our friendly neighborhood polar bear?" "Mean. You're mean." Chris wiggled his ass, obviously trying to impale himself on the fingers just teasing his entrance again. "Bzzt. Wrong answer again." He licked a path up the back of Chris's neck before nuzzling his face against his throat. "I wanted him." Chris groaned loudly. "Shit, Robin. I don't

know why, but I really wanted him." Rob growled and sank his teeth gently into Chris's shoulder. Fuck, oh fuck, that just about had him coming on Chris's back. He removed his fingers and lined his cock up without any more teasing. Thank Christ they'd been together so long he didn't have to ask Chris if he was ready. Steadying himself, Rob began to press inside Chris's ass. Chris thrust back, and together they managed to work Rob's dick in to the hilt. "Fuck, Chris. Geez. Oh, shit, this isn't going to..." Rob started to thrust, holding tightly to Chris's body with one hand while he slid the other hand down his belly to grasp Chris's cock once more. Chris released one hand from the wall and threaded his fingers through Rob's hand on his stomach. The gesture nearly undid him. "I love you," Rob panted. "I need you every day. Every minute. Every second of every minute." "Mine," Chris whispered. "Fuck!" Rob closed his eyes as his orgasm washed through his body, pumping his seed into Chris. He had enough mind left to squeeze Chris's dick and send his mate into orbit. A hot wash of semen jetted out against the wall before being rinsed down the drain by the water that still streamed warmly over the two of them. Rob slumped against Chris, pressing them both into the wall with a huff. "Did you mean it?" he managed to croak out. "I meant it. I don't know why, but I can't stop thinking about him. It has nothing to do with how I feel about you, though. I mean,

I wouldn't ever..." Chris shrugged. Rob knew. It was the same way he felt. Chris was it for him. So, why was Theo causing Rob's hormones to sit up and do a jig? What the fuck was that all about? Luckily for his libido, Rob knew Chris felt the same way as he did. Hell, he'd gotten his lover to admit it when Rob was balls deep inside him, so there weren't any secrets between them at this point. The balls deep part was what had him at least partially relaxed, so it was all good. Now if only he could get his claws into a certain tall, dark and handsome man... *** Rob made his way back down the stairs to the lobby. The artwork caught his eye again, and he had to spend a moment studying the sculptures. Chris nudged him. "Come on, slowpoke. I'm hungry." "Hey, if you want to be poked again..." Chris rolled his eyes. Rob snickered but finally made his way over to the front desk. He had to wait a moment before the girl manning the desk finally looked up. "Hi there. I noticed you have the hotel restaurant. Are there any other places to eat here?" "No." "Okay, then. Thanks." Rob pursed his lips to hold his grin in. He waited until they were a sufficient distance from the front desk before he started to laugh. "Well, I guess we're eating here."

"Too bad our big bad bear deserted us earlier. I'd like to eat with him," Chris said. "I'd like to eat him." "Perv." "Prude." "Boys." Uh-oh. Rob glanced behind him to spy Teddy looming over them. "Umm. Hi Teddy -- oops, Theo." Te-Theo crossed his arms, making his chest look even wider. Mmm. That was nice. He still couldn't get over how attractive the polar bear was. He had broad shoulders and was taller than nearly anyone Rob knew. Silky black hair was cut close to his head, drawing attention to Theo's cheekbones and full lips. Rob wanted to kiss those lips. Suck on them a little, maybe bite... "Theo, are you going to introduce me or just stand there looking all tough?" Rob was kicked out of his musings. He turned to spy the tiny sprite standing beside Theo. Whoa. Was that his sister? "Are you his sister?" "I am," she said with a smile. "You just have to be the two gentlemen he flew up here with. Theo mentioned you more than a few times this afternoon." Chris grasped Rob's arm, fingernails digging in through his sweater. "He did?" "Mac, seriously." Theo rolled his eyes. "Robin and Christopher, meet my sister Mackenzie."

Rob held out his hand to her. He was pretty sure Chris was about to pass out from excitement, so this might take a while. "Hi, I'm Rob and it's definitely a pleasure. And whatever he told you, we aren't gentlemen." Mackenzie let out a single bark of laughter before covering her mouth. "Oh, I like you. I definitely like you." Rob studied the two siblings, not even bothering to hide what he was doing. Where Teddy was tall, big and bulky in the nicest way possible, his sister was just a little thing. He'd swear just looking at her that there was no way she could be a bear. Hell, her bones looked more like a bird's. Whatever it was, she was pretty. Even he could see that, and the last time he'd been attracted to a woman was, oh, right... never. Her face was round like Teddy's, and she had the same sparkling brown eyes. Long black hair was braided down her back, and she was dressed simply in a pair of jeans and a cable knit sweater. He couldn't believe they were walking around in this cold weather in nothing but jeans and a sweater. Heck, at least Teddy had exchanged his long sleeve tee for a thick cable knit that looked like the Julius Benedict version of his sister's, but still... It was fricking freezing out! Looking closely, he could definitely see the resemblance between them, besides the fact that they had the same base scent. If he'd ever questioned his sexuality before -- which he hadn't -- he knew for certain now that the same scent could do vastly different things to him. When combined with Mackenzie's personality, he had thoughts of warmth and home. When combined with Teddy's personality, he wanted to bend over and hold on to something nice and sturdy. Then stand aside while Teddy gave Chris the same heave-ho treatment. Holy cow. Hot,

that mental picture was hot. "Were you two going to get something to eat?" Mackenzie asked. Rob shook his head to clear it of a very inappropriate image. "Yep. Apparently there is a wide and varied selection of eateries, but we might just decide to stay here at the hotel. Chris isn't much for the nightlife." Mackenzie started to laugh. "You get used to it. Most folks eat at home anyway. The food here isn't bad, though, and you should be able to find something you like." "Would you join us for dinner?" Chris asked quietly. Rob blinked over at his mate, a little surprised. Chris was usually shy around other people. It was kind of cool to see him making a move. "We'd love to, wouldn't we, Theo?" Mackenzie smiled before glancing up at her brother. "Theo?" Rob followed her gaze to see Theo staring back at them intently. Oh, shit. He could cream himself just at the expression on Teddy's face. Man, and now he was sporting the mother of all hard-ons -- in front of a lady. Great. Theo grinned slightly, the corners of his mouth pulling up. His nostrils flared, and Rob just knew the big bear was scenting his arousal. It served him right if he had to smell that all through dinner. Maybe it would encourage Theo to wrap things up quickly. Rob couldn't be the only horny one around, right? Right? "You're not eating with your parents? I thought everyone was over for your mom's birthday?" Rob asked.

"Too crowded," Theo said with a hint of a growl. "Let's eat." Hot, definitely hot. If he wasn't careful, Rob might just throw himself down on the table and spread eagle. Or maybe he'd wait until Papa Bear's sister wasn't in the room. That might go over a bit better. Mackenzie grinned. "Ignore the caveman. To answer your question, our mom gave us the night off while she's spending some time with her siblings and our dad. Besides, Theo's coming back up for Christmas in a few weeks so she's okay not seeing him every minute of the day while he's here now." Mackenzie led the way to the restaurant, with the three of them falling into step behind her. Rob couldn't take his gaze off Teddy, and it seemed Theo was trying to keep both him and Chris within his eagle-eyed view. Good. He needed Theo to want them both. They came as a package, and whatever happened, they would leave as a package. It didn't take them long to be seated. He took a chair beside Chris and across from Mackenzie, getting a grateful smile from his lover. As much as Chris wanted to talk to Mackenzie, it would take him a while to relax enough and unwind. Staring straight at her over dinner was not going to help Chris relax. Looking around, the place was quieter than he thought it would be, considering it was apparently the only place to dine. Wood paneling and plain tables weren't the most up-to-date decor, but considering the artwork was again a tribute to the local culture, he liked the overall theme going. The menu was quite a bit longer than he'd anticipated too. Quite a variety of dishes: from things he'd eat to things he wouldn't touch on a dare. Good

to know. They were sitting beside a window with a view of the coolest church that actually looked like an igloo. He could barely make it out in the darkness outside, but luckily his eyesight was much better than anything a human was born with. Chris was sending him covert looks so Rob figured he should probably move the conversation along. They'd been enjoying a bit of quiet for too long now. Hell, he never knew when to shut up anyway, so he might as well start off as he meant to go on. "So, Mackenzie, Teddy said you were an author?" "Theo," Teddy growled. "Right. Sorry, Papa Bear." Rob couldn't hide his smirk, didn't want to hide his smirk if he was being honest. It was too much fun to poke and prod. Mackenzie snorted softly. "I really think I'm going to like you two. Yes, to answer your question. I'm an author, have been for a few years." "I read your books," Chris interjected. "Very cool. I love hearing that." Mackenzie's grin was just like her brother's, wide and open but with a hint of mischief. Rob wondered what he'd have to do to pull that mischief out of either of them. "Do you like them?" Chris blushed, hanging his head. "I love them." "Even better. Thanks, Christopher." "Good evening. Can I take your order?"

Rob glanced up at the waiter standing to the side of their table. He nodded to Mackenzie to get her to order first and then it was his turn. "Could I just have a burger with mustard and relish, please?" "We don't have any relish, sorry." "No relish? Well, just mustard then." Another waiter passed behind their table. "We're out of mustard too." Rob blinked. "You're out of mustard?" "It'll be coming up with Bill tomorrow, but until then we're plum out. Sorry." "Out of mustard?" How was that even possible? Mustard was a food group all on its own. Chris patted his hand. "He'll have his burger with just ketchup, please, if you have it. If you don't, he'll eat it plain." "We have ketchup." "Excellent. Then can you make that two burgers with ketchup and fries on the side? Thanks." Theo ordered something with muskox in it, nearly making Rob gag at the thought. Sure, he liked a nice piece of meat -especially when it came attached to a stud -- but he wasn't all that adventurous with trying something different. Rob shook his head. "How do you live up here?" Theo laughed. "You get used to it, seriously. I haven't lived here in years, but it hasn't changed all that much from when I was younger. Come winter, things start to get expensive. You want a

two litre jug of chocolate milk, and you're going to be paying a pretty penny for it. Probably close to sixteen bucks." "Speaking of shopping..." Chris said. "I can take you tomorrow, if you have time to spare," Mackenzie interjected. "There're a few places in town here, but the best is the Inuvialuit Corporate Centre a few blocks down. It's got all handmade arts and crafts from the people, and one of our cousins runs it so she'll give you a fair price. All the money goes back into the hands of the artists too." "I'd love to go, if you don't mind." Chris beamed at her, nearly brightening the room with his smile alone. Man, Rob loved that smile. It looked like Theo might like it too. His gaze was lasered on Chris's face, and Rob could practically feel the heat from across the table. Oh yeah, this was going to be interesting.

Chapter Three Chris sat quietly in the hotel room chair while Rob paced back and forth behind him. His laptop sat open in front of him, but he wasn't paying any attention to it. They'd also decided not to turn the TV on when they came back into their room so it was really silent. And bright. Rob had turned on every light in the place. Chris's fingers itched to go around and start flicking off switches but he knew better. It would just encourage Rob to turn it into a game, and since he wasn't sure when Theo was coming back, he didn't want to let Rob get too distracted. Although, Rob distracted was a very good thing. They'd finally said goodbye to Mackenzie and Theo and had gone upstairs while Theo drove his sister back to their parents' house. It seemed he was the only family member not staying with them tonight. Theo had said something about there just not being room what with all the relatives flying in. Rob had passed on their room number when Mackenzie went to the ladies' room, so he was supposed to just come up and knock on the door when he arrived back. Chris nervously ran his fingers through his hair. He wasn't used to this. Robin was the only person he'd ever been with, and here he was contemplating becoming intimate with someone

else. He just couldn't help himself. He wasn't sure if it was his bear nature or something else entirely, but Theo was the most amazing person. In looks, sure, but also in personality. Chris hadn't wanted to stop talking to him at dinner. Even getting to meet his favorite author wasn't enough to fully draw his attention away from the big bear. What did that mean? And what kind of coincidence was it that his favorite author happened to be related to a man who could tie Chris up in knots? This whole thing seemed a little too much like fate for him to discount any of it. He wanted to call his dad and ask him what to do, but he wasn't sure how to phrase the question in a way that he didn't have to mention his attraction to the bigger man. Plus, he wasn't sure he wanted Robin to hear him being a dork and having to call his dad. Not that Robin hadn't seen him be a dork many times over the years. They'd been together as a couple for twelve years now, ever since Chris had graduated from high school. He'd known before that that he'd been drawn to Robin, but his friend had convinced them to wait to see if they might be mates. He was grateful now for the way they'd come together, and he didn't regret a single moment spent with Rob, which was why he was so nervous now. Being with Rob was as natural as breathing. They'd practically grown up together, even though Rob was a few years older than him. It had never mattered, though, because they'd always been drawn to each other. There had never been anyone else since they came together in a relationship. What would it mean if they brought Theo into it now? Rob came up behind him and smoothed a hand over his hair. "I can practically smell your brain overheating. You okay, Christopher?"

Chris leaned back in the chair until his head touched Rob's chest. "It's just different. That's all." "You sure you're okay with this? If you're not, we'll call the entire thing off and say goodbye now." Chris felt his heartbeat bump before it started to gallop in his chest. "You'd do that?" He tipped his head back until he could see Rob. Rob leaned down and pressed his lips against Chris's forehead. "I'd do anything for you, baby. You know that. You come first in my life. Always." Chris smiled. "I know. I feel the same way about you." "And I know that. So?" "So, I don't know why we're so drawn to Theo." "Do you think...?" Chris finally dropped his head down. He was getting a crick in his neck staring up at Rob. Pushing the chair out he stood up and went to sit cross-legged on the bed. "What?" Rob followed him over and perched on the side of the bed facing him. "Well, you know how we didn't know if we were mates until the first time we had sex?" "Yeah?" He wasn't sure where Rob was going with this. "Well, I've been thinking... Do you think it's possible to have more than one mate?" Chris froze. Was that possible? What would it mean if it was possible? "How?" "Well, it's just something I talked to my mom about."

"You never told me this. When did you talk to your mom?" "Baby, I wasn't trying to hide it or anything. I called home when I went to the restroom at dinner. I asked her about what it meant if we were both being drawn to the same guy. She said it might have something to do with us being mixed breeds. Face it, there aren't that many pizzly bear shapeshifters out there. We've got both polar and grizzly genes, so what if whatever matches us comes from that?" "You mean end up having a polar mate and a grizzly mate?" "Or something like that. Mom heard about a friend of a friend who was a grizzly black bear cross. Apparently she ended up with two mates. If it happened once, you think it might happen again?" Chris was silent for a moment. He wasn't sure how to process that information. "You think Theo is our mate?" "I'm not saying that. We can't tell until we have sex, anyway. I just... Maybe it's why we're so caught up on him, and why he can't take his gaze off either one of us. If it was just lust, I don't think it would feel this strong. I don't think I would want to act on it. You know?" Chris nodded slowly. Mates? Could it be possible? Two mates? A hard knock sounded on the door. Nerve endings fluttered all over Chris's body. Oh, this was either going to be amazing or scary as all heck. Rob studied him silently before leaning in and pressing another kiss to his forehead. Lips lingered for a moment before

sliding down and capturing Chris's mouth. "You okay with this?" Chris nodded again. Butterflies might be having a loud and vigorous orgy in his belly, but he was determined to discover what this all meant. He'd been brought up on stories of the old ways for too long to discount this many coincidences staring at him. Rob unfolded his lean body and sprang up to bounce toward the door. Chris watched him, his nerves shedding with every step Rob took. By the time Rob placed his hand on the doorknob, Chris was feeling the first stirrings of excitement. Excitement bloomed into full out lust when Rob opened the door and Theo stepped inside. Chris took a deep breath and let it out with a shaky exhale. Standing up, Chris managed to take a few steps forward before he had to stop. The passionate look on Theo's face had him freezing in place. A shiver worked its way down his spine and had him practically melting toward the floor. "Fuck it," Rob muttered. Chris barely had time to wonder what he meant when Rob plastered his body up against Theo's and blocked that passionate gaze with the back of his head as he pulled Theo down into a kiss. Theo wound his arms around Rob's body and lifted the other man right off his feet. They shifted to the side and Rob's back ended up pressed up against the wall beside the door. Chris whimpered. The next few minutes passed in a blur while he tried to relearn how to breathe. He hadn't thought he'd feel this way

seeing his mate practically being swallowed whole by another man. What was it about Theo that made this okay? That made this something completely different and exciting? Chris stepped backward and managed to find the chair completely by accident as his legs finally gave out. He stared at Theo and Robin as clothes started to come off and they almost fought each other to the bed. He would have kept on staring at them except Theo finally pulled back and lasered that intense stare back toward Chris. "Come. Here. Now." Chris had no idea how he managed to get to the bed, but nothing was going to stop him. He took his glasses off and left them on the desk. His clothes went the same way theirs had, and he didn't care if he ripped anything. The only thing he cared about was the touch of their hands, the press of their bodies. Time passed while he discovered the wholly unique opportunity to breathe in two scents changed by passion. They smelled so good, tasted amazing and felt even better than that. Four hands moving over his skin nearly had him whimpering in shock. He could tell the difference between them, but it didn't matter at this point. They came together almost as one. Chris woke from his near stupor when Theo pushed Rob face down on the bed and growled about lube. Chris managed to stumble over to his suitcase and pull out a bottle half by chance. If most of his clothes ended up tossed all over the room in the process, he couldn't help himself. All he wanted to pay attention to was the thick fingers now filling Rob's ass. He'd never seen anything like it, never thought he'd ever see it, but oh, he wanted to watch. Wanted to keep watching two of the most beautiful men

he'd ever met in his life. More than that, though, he wanted to join in, and that's just what he did. He lost himself again in their taste as he licked around Theo's fingers and pulled the essence of both men onto his tongue. Theo growled and Rob whimpered, and then those big fingers were removed and the thickest cock he'd ever laid eyes on was suddenly right there. He licked along the length of it without hesitation and had Theo moaning within seconds. His head was palmed in a massive paw, and Rob was humping the bed beside them. Shit, oh, this wasn't like anything he'd ever experienced. Theo pulled Chris up and over to the side, and suddenly Rob was the one squirming as Theo placed the head of that wonderful dick at Rob's ass and started to press in. Theo moved the two of them, pulling back enough to create a Chris-sized shape in front of Rob. He gratefully took them up on the invitation and squirmed himself in front of Rob to accept his place in this. He yipped when those same big fingers that had filled Rob started to fill his own ass, stretching him for Rob's dick. He wiggled his ass in welcome and growled into the pillows underneath his head. Rob was on his hands and knees behind him, and Theo somehow managed to control him in a way that Chris had never been able to. Not that Chris was all that interested in controlling anyone, but it was still fascinating to see. He twisted his neck, trying to see behind him so he could watch the two men even as Rob started to press his cock into Chris's ass. Full, so full, he wanted more of this. Forward and back, the three men moved in unison, breath

heaving and hands trying to touch as much skin as they could. Chris felt his balls draw up and knew this wasn't going to last. Next time... Next time they'd be able to spend longer, but he wanted this orgasm like nothing else. He got his wish within minutes, coming hard and feeling like his entire body was being forced out along with his seed. The clutching of his ass must have had Rob going crazy because it wasn't long until he came inside Chris. Theo's bellow followed after, completing the chain. The force of his orgasm had the three toppling to the side but somehow still managing to stay on the bed. He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that. He must have blacked out because when he blinked open his eyes the next time, they'd managed to shift in place until Theo was lying between both Chris and Robin. What the heck was that? Wait... Chris sniffed once before the truth of what he was smelling had him sitting up with his second wind. "Oh, ohh!" Chris grinned widely, feeling like his face was about to crack with the size of his smile. He could smell them. Together. Their scents were combining together. Changing, melding. Oh, he knew what that meant. He bounced in place, just about ready to scream. "Shit. Does that... Are you?" Theo looked shell-shocked. Rob started to laugh before he practically tried to kiss every square inch of both Chris and Theo. "Yes, yes yes yes. Mates. We are mates. I knew it. I knew it. I told you! I was right." "You were right," Chris parroted, smirking. "How?" Theo sputtered.

"I told you, Teddy. We're pizzlies. That means we aren't your normal sort of bears." Rob grinned. "It also happens to mean that apparently we get two mates. Apparently it's our grizzly and polar bear natures trying to sort things out. You're stuck with us both." Chris bounced in place again. "Mine," Theo growled before pulling them both closer to his big body. Didn't take him long to get over his shock. Chris shuddered at the lusty intense look on Theo's face. He recognized that from the way Rob looked at him. It was probably the same look he got himself, but there was something about seeing that possessive face on someone else that had Chris's body waking up in renewed excitement. "Yours," he whispered. "Ours too." "Shit, Teddy. Bet your ass we're yours, but Chris is right. Ours, too." Theo snorted, leaning down and biting Rob on the shoulder. "Brat." "Damned straight." "Not so straight," Chris teased. "Yeah?" Rob lifted a brow. "I guess you're right. Although, Mr. Happy is certainly straightening out. He's probably cold. Maybe I can find a nice warm hole for him to burrow in?" "Perv." "Prude."

Theo growled again, swatting both of them. Oh, yeah. This was going to be interesting, most definitely interesting, to see how the three of them were going to come together as one.

Epilogue Theo frowned down at his ticket before glancing up at the lady behind the counter. This was taking forever, and he was getting more than a little grumpy. He wondered if it was too late to cancel the flight and just find another way home. Their plane had already been delayed for an extra hour, and he was starting to get antsy. "Man, this would be so much easier if we just rented a vehicle to take us back to Calgary." Robin fidgeted, moving around in the uncomfortable chair he was sitting in. Theo knew just how uncomfortable the damned thing was. He'd been sitting in it not ten minutes ago when Robin started to complain about his previous seat. Now Theo was standing beside the two hellions since the minute Robin had stood up to switch someone else had promptly sat their ass down in his old seat. He hated airports. Hated them. "We can't rent a vehicle and you know it," Chris said. The boy crossed his arms and sank down lower in his own seat. "I know that, and don't take that tone with me. It wasn't my fault."

"It wa --" Robin threw out a hand. "Okay, okay. No need to hash that out. So you have a demerit on your license. It doesn't mean you can't drive." "It means I'm not getting into a car with you. You scare people when you try to drive, and you know I'm not going to risk it." Okay, what the heck? What were they going on about now? "What are you talking about?" Theo asked. "Why can't you drive?" Robin turned to face Theo. He had an innocent look on his face that Theo didn't buy for a minute. "Just bear with me. He --" "It's Robin's fault," Christopher blurted out. "It is not!" "It is too!" "You were driving last time we got pulled over, so how was that my fault?" "You were jerking me off at the time," Christopher hissed before he glanced around, probably to make sure no one was paying attention to them. Theo had to rub his jaw to try and hide his grin. "Perv." "Prude." "Boys," Theo growled. He crossed his arms over his chest and tried to stare them down. Robin and Christopher both looked down at their feet

before lifting just their eyes. Oh, he wasn't buying that at all. "Maybe you should punish us?" Robin asked. "Teach us a lesson?" Chris asked, scuffing his toe along the ground. Oh yeah. Life was definitely never going to get boring with his two mates. He couldn't wait.

Jade Buchanan Jade's writing is as eclectic as her reading tastes, with over thirty gay, lesbian and bisexual novellas currently published. She's also been known to accept writing challenges from friends and family just to see their reactions. She's a firm believer that love and romance are universal concepts, no matter a person's gender identity or sexual orientation. Originally from Northern Ontario, Jade has lived in British Columbia and the Sultanate of Oman in the Middle East. Jade currently lives in Calgary, Alberta, where she's hard at work on her next story. Jade loves to hear from readers! Send her an email at [email protected].