His pupils were dilated, his skin flushed, his hands still on her. “I think, moyo solnyshko,” he said solemnly, “we should kiss a lot so you can become an expert.”

Silver brushed her cheek against the stubble of his jaw just to experience the sensation, drank in his groan. “I begin to understand why my race fought so hard against Silence when it was first introduced.”

Valentin squeezed the back of her neck. “Give me your mouth again.”

Silver knew it was a bad idea to escalate things so quickly, but she was discovering she had few defenses against this alpha bear. Bracing her palms on either side of his head, she kissed him with unleashed possessiveness of her own. “Will you carry my scent now?”

His smile was slow and very, very satisfied. “You’re trying to brand me.”

Locking eyes with his, she fisted a hand in his hair. “Answer the question.”

He fondled her some more. “I already carry your brand, Starlight.” A nuzzle against her before a sudden scowl marred his features. “Some durak is coming this way.”

Silver didn’t have a chance to respond before there was a knock on her door.

• • •

VALENTIN had to yell at Yakov to go bother someone else before the other man would stop his irritating knocking. Yakov yelled back, “Here I was, doing you a favor! Pasha would’ve barged in, and Stasya would’ve had a camera to capture you in flagrante.”

“Do you want me to beat you dead?”

Yakov laughed. “I smell a frustrated bear.”

“Yakov.”

Laughing without remorse, his second finally left, but not before calling out, “If you don’t come join the party, Stasya will be your next visitor!”

By that time, Silver, her lips kiss-swollen because he was a barbarian gentleman bear, had pushed off him to ready herself for the party. On the floor still, Valentin tried to think of frigid showers and mangy wolves. His erection laughed at him. So he made himself think of how Silver’s eyes had gone black, of how she’d so abruptly broken contact.

Ice trickled down his spine, took care of his eager cock.

Silver wasn’t his yet. Silence might yet succeed in stealing away his mate. His bear’s heart had known who she was to him for a long time. It was the man who’d shied away, scared of falling so hard and deep for a woman who might never look at him the same way.

But, chert, who had he been kidding? He’d been hers from day one.

Today he watched her put on her makeup; she’d already fixed the hair he’d had such fun messing up, and she’d changed into a thin green sweater with winter sparkles that Nova had given her. He knew she’d say nothing about his own T-shirt and ripped jeans—Silver saw him exactly as he was—but he was sweaty from the run to and back from seeing the cubs in the dissenting group.

“Wait for me,” he said before going to his own room.

Jumping into the shower, he washed off the sweat. That done, his wet hair rubbed dry and left to do what it would, he changed into less-ripped jeans and a clean shirt in a dark gray that he hadn’t worn before. Folding up the long sleeves, he walked over to knock on Silver’s door.

She opened it, looked him up and down. “I’m not sure I recognize you.”

Wanting to kiss her perfectly glossed lips, he spread out his arms. “How do I look in your favorite color?”

“Inexplicably respectable, though I see you still haven’t found your comb.”

Chuckling because he could tell Starlight liked his hair just fine, he held out his hand.

She gave him a cool look . . . but she took his hand, his ice queen who burned with a passionate fire.

Silver Mercant, he knew, would fight to the death, break all the rules, ignore every boundary, for those who were her own.

Valentin wanted to be one of those people.

His bear’s heart stubborn with the determination to win her, he led her to the Cavern and into the warmth and joy and chaos of a party thrown by StoneWater bears. This time, it would be a big one, as the following day was a weekend. His heart swelled. “No one throws a better party.” Silver’s touch, the happiness in this room, it took the edge off the gnawing pain that was his sundered clan.

“For some reason, I don’t see you as an impartial judge.”

Valentin grinned before holding up a hand for silence. For a clan of rowdy bears, they shushed each other very quickly. Especially after an elder or three whacked the backs of certain heads.

“Today we celebrate the birth of a new clanmate!” He held up his hand again to quiet the second round of roars, this time accompanied by foot stomping. “Before we start the party, however, I think we should know the guest of honor’s name.”

Before the noise could start up again, he hollered, “Settle down! This is a newborn bear we’re talking about, not one of you ruffians!”

Laughter, followed by more shushing, elbows being dug into the sides of the overloud. “Keep it at this volume until our littlest clanmate is back in the infirmary,” he ordered. “Or I swear I’ll crack some skulls.”

Leaving Silver with a pat on the butt that had her raising a pointed eyebrow and clanmates smirk-smiling as they tried to pat the butts of their own lovers, he turned to go bring Moira, Leo, and their cub into the Cavern.

And Silver’s hand patted his ass in full view of his clan.

Chapter 30

THE NOISE THIS time around was of a level that threatened to blow off the Cavern roof. Ridiculously pleased, Valentin looked over his shoulder and met those eyes of glorious silver that hid so much. “Can’t keep your hands off me? I knew it.”

Her gaze lit with an inward fire in answer.

Feeling happier than he had in forever, a damn puppy dancing on his heart, he said, “You calm them down before I get back here with the cub.”

He knew she’d get the job done. Clan of bears versus Silver Mercant? No contest.

He was proved right five minutes later when he returned with Moira and Leonid, Moira cradling their newborn in her arms. The baby was awake in that drowsy infant way. He’d focused on Valentin’s face long enough to know his alpha was there and happy with him, but was now blinking sleepily against his mama’s skin, Moira holding the baby to her chest, her shirt buttons open to permit it.

No one would’ve cared if she’d turned up buck naked; changelings were far more comfortable with nudity than either humans or Psy. But Moira needed to stay warm, as did her baby, so she was wearing loose fleece pants and one of her much bigger mate’s checked shirts. The sleeves were rolled halfway up her forearms, the tails hanging loosely, her hair in a careless knot.

She glowed, a woman who shone with love.

“Oooh.” The subdued sound of awe and delight whispered toward them from an otherwise silent horde of waiting bears, deathly excited tiny gangsters included.

Silver stood a little to the side, but when Valentin held out his hand, she didn’t hesitate to join him. His Starlight had made up her mind, and she’d decided on him. Valentin wasn’t giving her back. He wanted to stomp his feet and roar his defiance to the heavens. Only his alpha awareness of the baby stopped him.

“You have the floor,” he said to the new parents.

Moira, in turn, smiled up at her mate. “You tell them, honey.”

Cuddling his mate and baby to his side, Leonid said, “Our cub’s premature arrival caught us a touch unprepared with a name—but then we saw his sweet face and saw the mischief well-hidden, and we had it.” He kissed his mate on the temple. “StoneWater, meet Danil ‘Danusha’ Popov.”