Claimed: A Paranormal Shifter Romance Novel (Crescent City Wolves Series Book 1)

by Bella Night

  Cali grinned. “Yep.”

  “How can you tell?”

  “I scented it last night and decided to run the blood work to be sure before mentioning anything.”

  Etti’s hand went to her stomach reflexively as she tried to wrap her mind around the fact that she smelled pregnant. “Can anyone else scent it?”

  Cali laughed. “I doubt they can this early on. I’m trained to notice things like this. And male shifters pretty much only notice the scents they want to, if ya know what I mean,” she added with a wink.

  “Would you mind keeping it a secret for a little bit?” Etti asked.

  “Of course. I’m here for ya, hun. Anything you need,” she said giving Etti’s arm a squeeze.

  41

  Etti

  Etti walked outside to find Grey waiting for her. He was wearing jeans that hugged his ass and a heather gray v-neck t-shirt that clung to his muscles. He had a pack slung over one shoulder and he smiled when he looked at Etti, lifting his sunglasses to take her in. “You ready, babe?” he asked.

  Damn. Would she ever get sick of hearing him call her babe? For the sake of this child she certainly hoped not.

  Etti hooked her arm through Grey’s and returned his grin. For once the world seemed like a very big place, full of endless possibilities, and she was never more ready to explore it than she was now, at Grey’s side.

  “I have something to ask you,” Etti said as they started into the woods.

  Grey raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”

  “How do you feel about kids?”

  It was going to be one hell of a year.

  Cursed - Book 2

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.

  Copyright © 2019 by Bella Night / Christina Benjamin

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States by Crown Atlantic Publishing

  Version 1.1

  September 2019

  1

  Etti

  Etti walked outside to find Greyson West waiting for her. He was wearing jeans that hugged his ass and a gray v-neck tee that clung to his muscles. He had a pack slung over one shoulder and smiled when he saw her. Grey lifted his sunglasses to take her in, pinning Etti with his smoldering gaze. She still couldn’t believe the sexy wolf shifter was all hers. God bless the mating bond.

  “You ready, babe?” Grey asked.

  Christ, would she ever get tired of hearing him call her babe? It made her want to crawl back under the covers with him immediately.

  Etti tried to get a grip on her lusty imagination as she hooked her arm through Grey’s and returned his grin. For once the world seemed like a very big place full of endless possibilities. Etti was never more ready to explore it than she was now, at Grey’s side. She just had one little thing to get off her chest first. Well, it was little now, but it wouldn’t be for long.

  Etti needed to get this over with before she lost her nerve. “I have something to ask you,” she said as they started their hike into the dense Georgia woods.

  He raised a dark eyebrow as leaves crunched under their feet.

  “How do you feel about kids?” Etti asked, tentatively.

  “Kids?”

  “Yeah, ya know, tiny humans?”

  Grey barked a laugh, shaking his head. “I know what kids are, Etti.”

  “Well, you were raised by wolves,” she teased, trying to add some of her signature sarcasm to cover her nerves.

  “I think kids are great. But it’s a little early to be talking about that, isn’t it?”

  Etti’s heart plummeted and before she could object, Grey added, “But our kids would be especially adorable, wouldn’t they?”

  His grin soothed her.

  “They would,” she murmured. “Especially if they got your eyes.”

  “And your hair.” Grey smiled, tugging on Etti’s long black braid.

  She couldn’t help but grin. Her heart was swelling with joy. Against all odds she’d found her mate and they’d escaped the pack of rogues hell bent on keeping them apart—for now.

  And if that weren’t enough, she was carrying Grey’s baby. She knew he would love their child. She could see it in his eyes. She just had to muster up the courage to tell him that parenthood was coming sooner than they planned.

  Before Etti could get the words out, Grey was kissing her, and then scooping her up in his strong arms. He palmed her ass, forcing her to wrap her legs around him as his kiss deepened. “I just got you back, babe,” Grey murmured. “I want you to myself for a little while before we talk kids.”

  “But—”

  Grey kissed away Etti’s objections. His kisses always unfurled a heat wave of passion within her, but today it was extraordinary. Etti didn’t know if it was the keen senses of her newfound shifter abilities or the pregnancy, but every stroke of Grey’s tongue against hers stoked a fire in her core.

  Etti ran her fingers through Grey’s thick, dark hair, clawing him all the way down the coiled muscles of his back. Mine, her body roared, as the frenzy to mark her mate took over, erasing all other thoughts from her mind. She pulled his shirt over his head so she could feel his hot skin against hers.

  “Easy, babe. I’ve got a full day of ecstasy planned for you,” Grey promised.

  “I don’t want to wait.” Etti whimpered as Grey kissed the hollow of her throat, moving slowly toward her aching breasts. Every cell of her body was screaming for his attention and she suddenly felt like her clothes were strangling her. “I want you now,” Etti demanded, unbuttoning her borrowed flannel shirt.

  She wanted to forget the frustrating little buttons and just shred the damn thing but she knew her best friend Wes, wouldn’t be too happy about it. He’d been reluctant to even let her borrow it after she’d shredded her own clothes during her shift. Etti gave up on the buttons and managed to tear the shirt over her head.

  “Damn babe, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I love it,” Grey murmured, his eyes glowing as he took in Etti’s bare chest.

  Her large breasts were fuller than usual and more sensitive, too. Shit! Pregnancy hormones were no joke! The rush of cool air over her skin made her nipples pucker and when Grey licked hot circles over them she could barely contain herself. She moaned and arched her back, pushing more of herself into his mouth.

  “You like that?” Grey teased her with slow flicks of his tongue. She gasped when he sucked one nipple into his mouth gently grazing it with his teeth. “Tell me what you want, babe.”

  “I want you. Now,” Etti whispered, tugging at Grey’s belt buckle.

  He grinned, wickedly. “Then that’s what you’re gonna get.”

  Grey batted Etti’s fumbling hands away and made fast work of the rest of their clothes. Before she knew it, she was sprawled naked beneath him in the quiet woods. Goddamn, she loved her man. He was fast when necessary and slow when she wanted him to be. And she could tell from the way he was teasing her now that Grey was going to take his sweet time with her.

  She trembled with anticipation as he caressed her body with his tongue. He paused between her quivering thighs, working her into a frenzy, but never letting her go over the edge. It was a torture Etti would subject herself to daily if given the choice and she vocalized her bliss with approving whimpers that kept Grey on task.

  He was up to the challenge, following her demanding orders for more. She was throbbing with desire when Grey gazed up at her, breathing her in deeply. “Christ, I love your scent, Etti. Even more now than ever.”

  Fear swept th
rough her. Shit! Did he know? Cali had been able to scent her pregnancy. But she was a shifter nurse, trained for such things. Etti had hoped she’d have more time to get Grey to warm up to the idea of parenthood. She selfishly wanted more time with him, too—more time for just the two of them to get to know each other—more time to do this. But this pregnancy was here and now. And it was apparent from the intense sensations coursing through Etti’s body that she wouldn’t be able to hide it for long.

  “You smell like you’re mine,” Grey panted, still gazing at her.

  “I am yours,” Etti murmured.

  “Say it again,” Grey growled, crawling up her trembling body. He pressed himself hard against her entrance.

  Etti grinned impishly. “Make me.”

  Grey slammed home, sheathing his hard length inside of her.

  Etti cried out in ecstasy. She was all talk—she was screaming his name and calling him a god in a matter of seconds. She quivered around his shaft as he branded her, root to tip, over and over again. Pleasure erupted inside Etti until all she could do was cling to Grey, arching against his rigid muscles as he filled her with wave after wave of release.

  2

  Greyson

  Grey was still panting when Etti climbed on top of him with a sly grin.

  “Again?” she begged, gently peppering his salty skin with kisses.

  He fisted her silken black hair and pulled her to him, kissing her deeply. “Damn, babe. Give me a chance to catch my breath.”

  She sighed softly, her dark eyes glimmering with mischief as she stroked his length. “Keep up, old man,” she teased.

  “I’m only a few months older than you,” he growled, flipping Etti onto her back. “And I’d say I’m keeping up just fine,” Grey replied, pressing his solid length against her belly.

  Etti wriggled beneath him with excitement, stroking his ego.

  Grey grinned. How had he gotten so lucky? His mate was so incredibly beautiful and sexy. And she loved him! It was still beyond him how quickly he and Etti had fallen for each other. But that’s what happened with mates. Both novice shifters, Grey and Etti still had a lot to figure out, but this—the blinding hot sex—they had mastered.

  It made Grey thankful that he and Etti would have time to sort through everything else together. They still had a lot to learn about each other and about the shifter world. Yes, they’d escaped the hunt for now. But Grey knew better than to think the rogue shifter faction was done with them. But if they were lucky, they’d have a year before they had to worry about them again.

  Grey knew leaving the hunt wouldn’t be easy. But they couldn’t come for Etti and Grey until the next Hunter’s Moon. Even though they were a pack of rogues, the hunt still had rules to follow. The spell that bound them to the hunt ensured they could only kill without consequence during the Hunter’s Moon. It was also when they were their strongest and most dangerous.

  Much of the next year would be spent searching for a loophole—anything to escape the ruthless hunt’s punishment for Grey deserting them. But for now, Grey did his best to push that thought aside. Today was for him and Etti.

  The thought sparked a joy within Grey that he hadn’t known he possessed. He gazed down at Etti. One long blissful year of this. Etti gripped his length, tugging him back to the present moment, reminding him to enjoy her while he could.

  Grey happily obliged, caging Etti’s sexy curves with his muscular arms. He sunk into her slowly, making her gasp with pleasure. She bit her lip as he fixed her with a stare. His eyes roved over the artful black ink that twisted delicately over her smooth caramel skin. Her tattoos were almost as gorgeous as she was. It made Grey want to taste every perfect inch of her. He couldn’t get enough. “Damn, Etti . . .”

  “What?” She grinned, wiggling her hips, taking him deeper.

  “The things I want to do to you,” he growled. “I want to make you mine every day.”

  “Promise?”

  “You know I do,” he whispered, sliding his arms under her back and pulling her on top of him.

  Grey settled his mate astride him and Etti gasped as she adjusted to the new position. He liked her on top, where he could see all of her. He splayed his hands over her breasts, caressing them before sliding his fingers down her sides to her voluptuous hips. His hands held her firmly in place when she tried to rush things.

  “We have plenty of time for this,” he said. “I want to explore each other, just the two of us.”

  “We might not have as much time as you think,” Etti said quietly.

  Grey stilled. “What do you mean?” Etti paled and Grey scented her fear. “Etti, if you’re worried about the hunt—”

  “It’s not the hunt,” she said, suddenly angry. She climbed off of him in a huff and grabbed her clothes.

  Grey was stunned. It took him a moment to catch up to Etti’s sudden mood swing. One minute they were having mind-blowing sex, the next she was storming away! By the time he got to his feet, Etti was dressed.

  “Babe . . .” he started. “What’s wrong?” Because from the way Etti was pacing, it was evident something was definitely wrong.

  She was normally calm and level-headed—something he loved about her. But she was currently chewing her lip and wringing her hands, while he quickly pulled his pants on—since it seemed sex was off the table.

  “Etti,” Grey said, taking hold of her shoulders so she would stop pacing and look at him. “What just happened?”

  There was so much fear in her dark eyes that Grey worried whatever Etti was about to say would cripple him. He hated seeing his mate so upset. Instinct made him pull her into his embrace even when she fought it. “Etti, please talk to me. You know whatever it is we’ll get through it together.”

  She shook her head and tears spilled from her watery eyes.

  Shit! This was bad. In the short time Grey and Etti had known each other, she’d been hunted, shot at and nearly poisoned, yet she’d barely shed a tear. That’s why the fact that she was currently bawling like a baby made Grey slightly terrified. But he sucked up his fear and did his best to be there for his girl.

  Grey took her face gently in his large hands. “Etti, sweetheart. I love you. And I promise, whatever it is, we can handle it. It’s me and you, babe. Forever. Okay?”

  “But it’s not!” She cried harder and pushed him away.

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s not just you and me anymore! And I’m sorry because I know this isn’t what you want right now, but it’s not like I planned for it either!” Etti yelled.

  What the hell was she talking about? Nothing Etti was saying was making sense, but Grey’s wolf was snarling inside, wanting out to fight off whatever had his mate so agitated.

  Grey was at a loss, but he kept trying. “Etti, I don’t understand . . .” he reached for her but she grabbed his hand and pressed it to her stomach.

  “I’m pregnant,” she whispered.

  Icy fear stabbed Grey in the chest. Etti’s words made him stumble. He sunk to his knees, his hand still on Etti’s smooth belly. “Pregnant?” he mumbled, barely able to repeat the word as it sunk in with alarming speed.

  She couldn’t be. Not now! How could he even think about bringing a child into the world when a cursed group of shifters was hunting them?

  This was bad. Real fucking bad.

  Grey couldn’t catch his breath, and as much as his brain tried to deny it, as soon as he felt his mate’s stomach he knew it was true. He added a second trembling hand to Etti’s belly, sliding it low, beneath the waist of her pants. It seemed to swell beneath his touch. Christ, could he already feel the heartbeat? How fast did shifter embryos grow?

  “Please say something,” Etti whispered, her voice full of fear.

  Grey pulled his hands back and ran them through his hair, squeezing the back of his neck as he sank back on his heels. “Shit.”

  “Shit? Really? Shit is all you have to say about your child?”

  “Christ, Etti. I don’t know.
It’s a lot to take in, alright?”

  “No shit! Why do you think I’m freaking out? What are we going to do?”

  Grey blew out a breath. “There’s not really anything we can do, is there?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know what you want me to say. Nothing’s gonna make this situation any better.”

  “So that’s what it is to you? A situation?”

  “Etti, no—”

  “No, it’s fine,” she hissed cutting him off. “I was stupid to expect anything different. I mean we’ve only known each other a few weeks and we didn’t plan this. But at least I know where you stand. So don’t worry, I won’t bother you with my situation again.”

  3

  Etti

  Etti shifted before giving Grey a chance to respond. She hadn’t even realized she wanted to shift, but instinct took over. So much for Wes’s shirt. She shift-shredded it to rags, but she couldn’t worry about that now. Her wolf needed out. She needed to run and get as far away from her mate as she could before any more damage was done.

  As it was, Etti’s heart felt broken and she didn’t want to break down in front of Grey again. If he didn’t want her and her child now, seeing her have an epic meltdown wasn’t going to help.

  She ran aimlessly through the woods, her lungs burning from exertion and despair. Etti kept picturing the grave look on Grey’s face when he realized she was pregnant. She’d expected him to be shocked, but had hoped he’d still be supportive. She’d only had a few hours for the news to sink in herself, but already she’d grown attached to the idea of having a baby with the man she loved. But that false hope evaporated when she’d seen the look on his face—this wasn’t what he wanted.