Shifters Forsaken: Shifter Romance Collection Bks 1-5

by Mia Taylor

  He handed the phone back to Briar.

  “She wants to talk to you.”

  “Briar?”

  “What was that about?”

  “John is going to let you into the apartment. You can stay until I get back,” Berlin explained. “I’ll grab the first flight out. Hopefully it will be tonight.”

  “I can stay at my parents,” he reminded her. “I don’t have to stay here.”

  “I want you to.”

  There was so much emotion packed into that one sentence that it gave Briar goosebumps.

  “Okay,” he agreed softly. “I’ll be here when you get here.”

  The call disconnected and Briar stood motionless for a moment until John cleared his throat.

  “I guess love always wins in the end, doesn’t it?” he chuckled.

  I hope so, he thought, but he didn’t have a lot of confidence in the idea.

  Chapter Eleven

  Home Again

  She fell asleep on the ride home from the airport, her soft hair falling over her lashes as the cabbie drove. She had been far too exhausted to take her car home but she didn’t want to waste another minute getting back to Briar.

  In her dreams, she was standing on Channing Lester’s desk, her massive back blotting his view beyond.

  “Don’t kill me!” he screamed. “You promised not to kill me if I told you what you wanted to know!”

  Berlin released a loud roar which defied his proclamation and she lunged for him, a paw swiping at his face.

  The dream shifted and she stood in front of her house, the sun shining on her face.

  “Look!” she called, pointing at the horizon. “Look, baby, it’s your daddy!”

  The little girl turned her blonde curls back and giggled before taking a series of stumbling toddler steps toward her father, but Berlin realized too late that it wasn’t Briar who approached.

  It was her father.

  “Come back!” she screamed at the child but the baby dawdled forward and he strode toward her in the form of a dark shadow to scoop the child away.

  “No! Dad, don’t! I don’t want her growing up like me! Dad, please!”

  “You can’t stop it,” August whispered in her ear. “She’s ours now.”

  Berlin woke with a gasp, sweat pooling under her arms.

  “You okay, lady?” the driver called, peering at her through the rearview. She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat, her hands reaching to caress the curve of her abdomen.

  They won’t get you, she promised. You won’t be part of the Avengers, I swear.

  “We’ll be at your place in about five minutes.”

  “Thanks.”

  She sat up and looked out the window at the familiar surroundings, trying to shake off the dreams.

  As the car approached her house, she saw a Corvette parked in the drive and her brow furrowed.

  Did he get a new car?

  She tensed, wondering if August had unexpectedly stopped by but she relaxed as she read the Oregon plates.

  “Thank you,” she said again, handing the driver a fistful of bills.

  “No problem.”

  He zoomed off, leaving Berlin to stare up at her house. She gathered her thoughts as she moved toward the door, trying to think of how to tell Briar everything she needed to say.

  “Berlin?”

  He appeared at the top of the stairs instantly and she could instantly see he hadn’t slept a wink.

  His hair was dishevelled, his face covered in scruff. She wondered when he’d last shaved although as she got closer, Berlin saw it was only a day’s worth.

  She liked him like that, rugged, raw, concern glinting in his crystalline eyes.

  “Hi,” she offered as she met him on the landing. Despite his unkempt appearance, he smelled exactly how she remembered him, smoky yet spicy and very intoxicating.

  “Are you okay? You’re pale,” he mumbled, stepping aside to let her pass. “Want me to get you something?”

  She giggled.

  “This is my house, remember? I can help myself.”

  “I want to help you,” he replied gruffly. “Can you let me do that?”

  His tone was sharper than she was used to but somehow that only endeared him to her more. She beamed wryly.

  “Fine,” she agreed. “I could go for a chamomile tea while I freshen up.”

  She watched as he moved toward the kitchen and studied his broad back as he did.

  I was a fool to let him leave. My own insecurities chased him away. If I hadn’t been so defensive, he’d still be living downstairs and I wouldn’t be so terrified about raising this baby now.

  “I’ll be right back,” she told him, turning toward the stairs leading to the third floor.

  “Take your time. I’ll be here.”

  It seemed like there was a deeper meaning to his words and a shiver flowed through her.

  We’ll see if he feels that way after we talk, she thought, undressing in the ensuite bathroom. She studied her long legs and flat stomach in the mirror. There was still no trace of her bundle against the creamy skin of her belly but she knew it wouldn’t be long before she began to show.

  I don’t have to tell him, she reasoned. I could easily just leave here before the baby is born and no one would be the wiser.

  No one, not her father nor August or any of the other Avengers who would turn her child into a killing machine.

  If the Forsaken could live without a sleuth, so can I, she told herself. We don’t need a colony to survive.

  Guilt instantly touched her as she considered her own thoughts.

  A baby deserves to know its father and a child should always know its roots.

  She couldn’t imagine how hard it had been for Briar or the others, growing up without understanding who they were and why they were like that.

  Even if his adoptive parents knew about his abilities, they couldn’t have known how to deal with it.

  She leaned over to turn on the shower, still collecting herself as she decided what to do. It had been a no-brainer on the way home, to tell him and explain that he didn’t need to commit to her or them.

  But it wasn’t as simple as getting pregnant by a one-night stand. It was much deeper than that—the child she was carrying was a shifter and Briar still didn’t know the truth about her.

  You need to start at the beginning and tell him the whole truth, about the Avengers, about you, about what your family will do if you don’t take the baby away somewhere.

  She thought of all the hard work she’d put into her schooling and how close she was to finishing her education but it didn’t seem as important as protecting the child in her womb.

  “I’m sorry,” Briar muttered from the doorway, a cup of steaming tea in his hands. He turned away, embarrassed. “I didn’t realize you were showering.”

  She stared at him, watching as a pink tinge touched his face.

  “Come here,” she instructed him softly. He eyed her uncertainly.

  “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

  “Please?”

  He stopped and sighed, setting the cup down on the bathroom counter.

  “I’ve missed you,” she told him as he ambled closer. His head jerked up and he peered at her in surprise.

  “Really?” There was skepticism in his tone but she nodded vehemently, holding his gaze.

  “I’m sorry I pushed you away,” she murmured, extending her arms for him to come closer. “But I had good reason.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” he sighed, stepping into her. Instantly, Berlin’s body melted against him. She felt as though she had held two months of tension in her until that moment.

  “It matters,” she replied, burying her face into the crook between his armpit and chest. “It matters more than you know.”

  She cocked her head back to look at him. Silently, she willed him to kiss her but he seemed to hold back as if he didn’t trust that she wouldn’t break his heart again.

  “Kiss me?”
she asked, her tone plaintive and innocent. Whatever he read in her beryl eyes seemed to encourage him and he leaned forward to press his lips to hers.

  Heat filled her and she sighed deeply, relishing the feel of him.

  The connection that they shared had not diminished, not in the least. She had believed that with him out of sight, she would have learned to live without the memory of him on her skin but she’d been wrong.

  He’s my mate. How could I ever expect that the feeling would just fade away?

  His embrace strengthened and she gasped at the suddenness of his pull, gooseflesh exploding along the lines of her skin. His fingertips traced the lines of her figure, missing not one spot as his head dropped away from her face to follow the path he’d made.

  She moaned quietly, vaguely aware of the steam filling the room as the shower continued to run a few feet away.

  This might be the last time we’re together, she thought, choking back the misery the realization brought. He may not want to pick up and leave it all behind when he has a good life.

  “Your heart is racing,” he breathed, face dropping against the smooth flesh of her belly. Wide hands captured her hips on either side and she nodded.

  “I really missed you,” she told him again honestly. “I… I don’t know what I’ll do without you.”

  He paused for a second, turning his head up to stare at her questioningly but before he could speak, she dug her hands into his hair, forcing his mouth back to her stomach.

  There would be time for talking later. Now was a time for exploring one another.

  She reached down to remove his shirt from his barrel chest, casting it aside onto the tiled floor, and pulled him up again.

  “Into the shower with me,” she urged and he nodded, dropping his jeans quickly to follow her into the steamy glass.

  They crushed together, skin to skin. Briar’s breathing intensified, and he spun her around to splay her against the wall of the shower, his solid form holding her in place.

  When they joined together, Berlin moaned, forgetting how perfectly he fit inside her, her back arching to feel him entirely.

  The water poured over their bucking bodies, slow at first and then faster, rising to a crescendo of passion. Then, quietly, deliberately, their movements slowed, and their kisses deepened until they were only a quaking pile of limbs.

  Berlin still faced the wall and he withdrew from her, gently turning her back to face him.

  “Are you toying with me?” he asked when they stood face-to-face.

  She was aghast by the question.

  “Of course not!” she cried. “How can you ask that?”

  “I don’t understand you,” he confessed. “I don’t know what you want from me.”

  She gulped back the lump forming in her throat.

  “Come on,” she said. “Let’s get out of here. We’ve already drained all the hot water.”

  He eyed her warily and nodded.

  “Sure.”

  Briar stepped out first and found a set of towels as Berlin turned off the faucet.

  “When are you going back to Washington?” she asked him.

  He looked at her suspiciously.

  “My ticket is for tomorrow.”

  She nodded, patting herself dry, but she was very aware of his eyes on her.

  “Why did you go to Seattle looking for me?” he demanded, apparently no longer caught up in the sweetness of the moments they’d shared.

  Not that I blame him. He’s probably going out of his mind wondering what’s going on. He’s spent his whole life second-guessing everything from the moment his mother left him.

  “I need to talk to you,” she explained, slipping into the bedroom and flopping on the bed.

  Briar had secured the towel against his hips and she stared at his sculpted chest appreciatively.

  Is it possible I always knew he was a bear and never cared?

  All the signs had been there, his brooding eyes, his muscled frame. Even the intensity which flowed between them.

  “Well?”

  She inhaled a deep breath, mustering the strength she would need to get through what she had to say.

  “I have some news for you.”

  “News?”

  “Yes.”

  In her mind’s eye she saw Channing Lester’s face, heard his voice as he told her what he knew about the lost children.

  “I know who you are,” she told him.

  Briar stared at her blankly.

  “Yes, so do I,” he replied, but she could see a flash of uncertainty in his eyes. “Briar Pendleson.”

  “I mean, I know who you are and what you are,” she sighed. “I know you’re a shifter.”

  His body tensed as she watched and he began to shake his head in denial.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he growled.

  “There’s no point in denying it, Briar. I saw you that night on the lawn and—”

  “I have no idea what you think you saw,” he interjected, spinning back toward the bathroom. “Is this your game? Make love, pick a fight? Is this something you take perverse pleasure in doing?”

  Berlin ignored his question.

  “Briar, I know that you are the second oldest of four brothers who were taken by your mother, Fallon, and snuck away somewhere secretly so your father couldn’t find you.”

  He froze in his tracks but he didn’t turn around.

  “What are you talking about, Berlin? This isn’t funny. I didn’t tell you about my adoption so that you could use it against me later.”

  “Look at me.”

  He didn’t move and she barked out the instruction again, springing to her feet to make him look at her.

  “Briar, look at me.”

  They gazed at one another and she watched as his face melted into a look of shock.

  “You aren’t lying?” he whispered. “This is true?”

  She nodded, wishing she could take away the hurt in his eyes.

  “You are Briar Wexley.”

  His face turned stormy.

  “I am Briar Pendleson,” he roared. “I will never be the child of some woman who threw us away like garbage.”

  Berlin bit on her lower lip, unsure if debating the issue was the right thing to do in that moment.

  He’s still going to have a lot more to process by the end of the day. Maybe that’s enough about the adoption issue for now.

  “If you want to know the details of what I’ve learned, I can tell you,” she sighed. “But only when you’re ready. I may have leads on where to find your one brother also.”

  His eyes were fraught with confusion and Berlin clamped her mouth closed.

  “H-how can you take something like this in stride?” he demanded. “The fact that I’m a freak doesn’t seem to faze you in the least.”

  Her eyes widened and she inadvertently let out a laugh which only caused his scowl to deepen.

  “I’m glad you’re amused,” he muttered, reaching down to snatch his clothes off the floor.

  “I’m just a little offended by your word choice,” she replied evenly.

  He scoffed.

  “Sorry about your virgin, politically correct ears,” he retorted, sliding his t-shirt over his shoulders.

  She shrugged. “I’ve never thought of it as a curse,” she replied softly. “No matter what other people might think. But you missed out on being brought up in a sleuth.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Briar sighed, pulling up his pants.

  “A sleuth is a pack of bears. Shifters grow up inside communities—usually.”

  A grimace formed on his lips.

  “I guess you learned that in Anthropology 101.”

  She ignored his sarcasm and shook her damp tresses.

  “No,” she replied quietly. “I learned that firsthand. Why do you think we are so intuitively connected, Briar? Have you ever felt the same with anyone else as you have with me?”

  His mouth parted but n
o words escaped. Still, she nodded as if he’d asked his question aloud.

  “Yes, Briar, I’m a shifter too. One who is pregnant with your child.”

  Chapter Twelve

  What to Do Next?

  Time froze as it seemed to do whenever he and Berlin were together. Briar was having a difficult time piecing together all he had been told in a very short period of time.

  “What?” was all he could manage when he found his voice.

  “What to which part?” Berlin asked dryly. Apparently, she was mildly tickled by the expression of shock on his face.

  “You’re pregnant?” he demanded, deciding to tackle what appeared to be the most important issue. “You’re pregnant?”

  She nodded, looking down almost sheepishly.

  “I know,” she sighed. “I wasn’t sure if I should tell you but—”

  “You weren’t going to tell me?” he snorted. “Are you kidding me? How long have you known?”

  In his mind, he tried to do the backward calculation of how long it had been but his thoughts were far too jumbled to think clearly.

  “About a week,” she replied.

  “A week!”

  He knew he sounded like a parrot, echoing her every statement, but he was in a state of confusion, unsure of what else to say.

  “You don’t need to worry about that right now,” Berlin told him and he couldn’t help but snicker.

  “Oh no? Is there something else to worry about?”

  “Yes,” she told him gently. “I have to take our baby away.”

  “What? What do you even mean by that?”

  His head was beginning to swim and for a terrifying second, he thought he might pass out.

  “Come and sit down,” Berlin urged. “I’ll explain everything to you.”

  Only because he knew his legs might give out, he made his way toward the bed and perched at her side, staring at her.

  “I grew up in Alabama, as you know, but the sleuth I grew up with are vigilantes.”

  “I’m not even going to speak,” Briar sighed. “Just tell me what you have to say because I’m beginning to feel like an idiot saying ‘what?’ every two seconds.”