Shifters in the Snow: Bundle of Joy: Seventeen Paranormal Romances of Winter Wolves, Merry Bears, and Holiday Spirits

by J. K Harper

  “So are you saying that you have problems with your cousin?” Marley coaxed.

  “You could say that.”

  It was really the only thing he could say about the matter. He’d been brought to Shifter Grove because he knew his hoard was here waiting for him, put aside for him as the Alpha son of a Silvertip family branch, only to find that he could not have it yet. Not without bringing his mate and child with him.

  Now, he’d done that, but Daelan couldn’t help but feel a little…grimy for it. Like he’d done Marley wrong because of it. The easiest way to deal with that thought was to channel his irritation at Donovan, so that was exactly what he did.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked, looking up at him again.

  “Probably not,” he murmured, shaking his head. “You’ll get to meet him soon enough, though. His wife Sabrina and he have also had their first child recently. She’s a human like you are.”

  “That sounds great!” Marley said, suddenly very obviously excited. “I have so many questions to ask! Someone who’s ended up in a situation like I have might actually be able to tell me how to raise a dragonling!”

  Her blush got deeper, the corners of her mouth dropping from that effervescent smile he’d enjoyed before.

  “What is it?”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply having Deon has been anything but a joy,” she rushed to say, bringing a hand to her cheek. “It’s just…you know, being alone with him was so hard in the beginning, because he grows so much faster than other kids and he’s a little dragon, for god’s sake!”

  “Hush,” Daelan said sternly, pressing another kiss on the top of her head. “You have nothing to apologize for. I should have been there from the start. I should have listened to my dragon and come as soon as you needed me, but I didn’t. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me. You should not have had to deal with it alone, regardless of the outcome.”

  Marley quieted, stilling next to him.

  “You really think that?” she asked, her voice on the verge of breaking.

  Do I? he asked himself, biting the inside of his mouth for a moment.

  “I really do,” he said finally.

  Every shifter kid deserved a father, and every shifter Alpha needed to be as close to their young as they could. Add in the fact that he had nothing but the most intense desire and love for Marley, and it was a no-brainer. The fact that he’d been hiding from what his dragon knew and what he should have known for as long as he had…well, it was not something he could ever be proud of.

  Marley’s hazel eyes were filled to the brim with tears and Daelan could see the way her lips twitched. His rational mind told him to give her space and not rush her into anything that she might not be comfortable with, but his dragon had another opinion entirely.

  When your mate’s uncomfortable, unhappy or in danger, a dragon has to be there to make it better by any means necessary.

  Without another thought, Daelan leaned in and kissed her on the lips, soft and slow.

  Chapter 8

  Marley

  The path from that first kiss to everything that followed was about as short as it had been the first time. The moment his lips touched hers, Marley was transported back to that very first night she shared together with him in Boston. From the tentative kisses to the raw, powerful blaze of lust that ignited in her, it all felt so familiar…so right.

  This is not playing it slow! she thought, kissing him hungrily and tasting his mouth.

  The thing was, though – she didn’t particularly care at that moment, either.

  All she could think about was having more of him, touching and experiencing all that he had to offer. Her hands travelled over his chest and abs curiously and Daelan made quick work of scooping her up and planting her on his lap, never breaking their kiss. Marley smiled against his lips, loving every second of it.

  Both familiar and oh so new and exciting, it made her tingle all over and forget about everything else. Somewhere in the back of her mind, that little voice that kept urging her to caution was still speaking up. The conscious decision to ignore it, even for a little, came so easily that Marley didn’t even have to spend a second on it.

  “Spirits above, you taste good,” Daelan growled, one hand on her hip and the other on the back of her neck, keeping her close to him.

  She nipped at his lower lip, tugging at it playfully. The growl that rumbled through his chest resonated through her and she grinned, turning that bite into another kiss with plenty of tongue.

  His strong hands caressed her body, groping her curves without a hint of bashfulness, like he already knew that all that she was belonged to him. The thought might have been scary at another time, but right now, Marley didn’t care. She’d had his baby, and she’d missed him every day since the last time they’d seen one another…on one level or another, she had definitely already known that a part of her was his and his alone.

  “You’re not too bad yourself,” she met with a devilish grin, making Daelan’s eyes flash with that lush, deep shade of gold that both scared and excited her.

  She’d seen it once or twice during their first weekend together, but had then played it off as her mind playing tricks on her. Now she knew for certain that the change she saw in him when it happened was his dragon. That she was not only speaking to the man but his beast as well, both hers to tame and conquer.

  “Not too bad? Woman, you’re playing with fire here,” Daelan snorted, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her ass.

  “I hope I am.”

  That came out as a whisper more than anything, as Marley’s hands slipped under Daelan’s shirt and tugged it upwards. Straddling him, she pulled his shirt off and he cooperated willingly, though he didn’t give her much time to enjoy the view. Instead of leaning back and letting her take in the magnificence of the man that he was, Daelan’s hands were already ripping off her own clothes and tossing them aside.

  She’d worn her comfiest pajamas, not expecting anything to happen when she still had sleep in her eyes and her hair was in tangles. But she should have known this dragon well enough to guess that when he got his engine going, nothing could stop him from getting what he wanted.

  The moment her top came off, Daelan’s lips were travelling down the skin of her neck and then her chest, while his big palms cupped her breasts. She gasped as his thumbs glided over her nipples, making them tighten into pink rosebuds under his touch. His mouth found one of them and Marley groaned audibly, throwing her head back.

  “Shh, baby,” Daelan whispered, his lips still sucking on her nipple. “We don’t want to wake up Deon.”

  Marley simply nodded, too lost in her own need to really spare it much rational thought. She knew that the moment Deon made a sound, she’d click right out of her current lustful interlude and go full on into mom-mode. Right now, though? She only had enough attention to deal with what her body was telling her and what she wanted to do to the man making her squirm and gasp.

  Her hands slipped between their bodies, feeling the thick, long outline of his cock. Her pussy pulsed with expectation, remembering exactly how perfectly he fit her. She rubbed her palms over his hard-on, before pulling the waistband of his sweatpants back. That cock that had ruined her for any other man for the rest of her life sprung free, the head beaded with precum.

  Her mouth practically watered as she carefully rolled her fingertips over the head, letting the precum coat them. When she brought the fingers to her mouth and tasted his salty taste, Daelan snarled, lust pooling in his eyes.

  With surprising gentleness, considering the way his body was practically vibrating with need, he lifted her off of him and then took his pants off. Hers followed next, torn off her hips along with the pink panties she wore.

  Daelan took a deep breath as he stood in front of the couch in all his delicious hotness, his body rippling with muscles and his cock so hard. Marley’s breathing was becoming faster as she sat up a little on the couch, taking the sight of hi
m in. He wore this sexy smirk on his lips and his thick black hair was falling on his forehead slightly, making him look all the more inviting.

  She’d missed those tattoos, the sleeves having more details now than before. They didn’t take away from how attractive he was, only adding to that bad boy appeal he had. One that she knew hid a far gentler heart than Daelan Silvertip may have liked to let on.

  “You’re so gorgeous…I’ve fucking missed you, baby,” he said roughly, leaning down and lifting her chin with two fingers.

  She met him in a kiss that was careful but passionate, before his strong hands locked around her and turned her around on the couch quickly. Marley landed on her knees, her hands on the backrest of the couch. Daelan made her scoot toward the edge of the seat, so when he stood behind her, his cock was already pressed against her wet pussy.

  “Have you missed me?” he asked, slowly and torturously rubbing the head of his thick cock up and down her slit. “Have you missed this?”

  “Every second of every day,” she gasped, her fingers digging into the upholstery in anticipation.

  “What do you want?”

  Marley knew that he had to be teetering on the verge of losing all self-control just like she was, which made it all the more frustrating that he could prolong it like this. That he could keep from her what she wanted so badly.

  Looking over her shoulder, her wild hair tumbled over her face a little and she felt how flushed her cheeks were. But there was no shame there, and definitely no remorse. She was exactly where she wanted to be, with the man she thought she’d never see again…doing something that no one did quite as well as he did.

  “I want you to fuck me, Daelan,” she said, keeping her voice completely level and meeting his gaze.

  Those jade pools flashed a deep gold immediately and she read that snarl that crossed his expression perfectly. Not only was the man losing control, but so was his dragon. She had them both exactly where she wanted them, and Daelan must have known that he had that and even more control over her as well.

  Without another word, he plunged into her, filling her pussy roughly with that huge cock of his. Marley wanted to scream out, but she bit down on the couch instead, muffling her moans as she squeezed her eyes shut. She knew the pain would pass in a moment, but the initial shock was as fierce now as it had been before.

  Being so wet for him, it only took a few strokes for all of that pain to dissipate. By then, Daelan’s mouth was on hers as well, kissing her deeply while he ground his hips into hers, going deeper and deeper with each thrust.

  Marley’s world spun as he split her open, his cock ramming into her and his hand slipping off her hip to gently stroke her pussy. His fingers settled into a rhythm over her clit, making slow circles over it even when his pace was rough and harsh, just the way both of them wanted it.

  Her moans disappeared in his mouth, mixing with his growls and grunts as they rode one another toward the inevitable release. She was holding onto the back of the couch, craning her neck to kiss him.

  Every thrust, every touch made Marley feel like she was about to explode, like she’d never even really known what sex could be like before she’d had Daelan in her, showing her what her body could do.

  Oh my god…

  Shivers ran down her spine and her fingers dug into the upholstery harder, nails threatening to break through. When he sucked her tongue into his mouth, it was all over. With her pussy milking him desperately, Marley came, moaning into his mouth. Her world threatened to turn black as the orgasm shook her, but what brought her back was the way he clutched her and the way his chest rumbled against her back when he blew his seed into her.

  Marley squeezed her eyes shut, wishing that moment of utter bliss and oneness could continue as long as possible. Only when Daelan pulled her against his strong body and brought them both down to sit on the couch did she open her eyes again.

  Resting against his chest, Marley breathed heavily, her chest rising and falling as quickly as his was. Daelan was smiling down at her, one hand playing with her hair again.

  “I can’t believe I ever left,” he said casually.

  “I can’t—” she started saying, but right then, she heard the telltale sounds of a little boy waking up, the pitter-patter of tiny feet rushing down the hall toward them.

  She’d never gotten dressed quite as quickly as she did then.

  Chapter 9

  Marley

  The past week had been absolutely blissful, as far as Marley was concerned.

  Not only had she spent all her time with her baby boy and his father, but she’d been having fun during it. After the hot morning she and Daelan had shared, all the tension seemed to have flown out of the window. She didn’t miss it one bit.

  Their days had been filled with exploring Shifter Grove and the surrounding areas, just the three of them. Enjoying everything around them came so easily, especially in such good company.

  Marley had kept fearing that the ‘magic’ would disappear. That somehow, she’d wake up one morning and Daelan just…wouldn’t be interesting anymore. Having sort of put him up on a pedestal for so long, it was a valid fear. But every day, she found herself more and more compelled by the complex, dark man.

  He seemed to be returning the favor, too, which Marley couldn’t deny felt so good. Finally, she could see that sometimes, daydreams could turn out to be reality, and they wouldn’t come crashing down around her ankles.

  Not only was Daelan great with Deon, but he was absolutely fantastic with her as well. Affectionate, attentive, and fiercely protective, he was everything a woman could hope for from the father of her child. For lack of a better term, she felt blessed.

  Which was why it was so odd to see him getting tense and agitated again during the drive up to his cousin’s place. Daelan’s knuckles were practically white as he clung to the steering wheel, maneuvering the Camaro up the narrow, precarious path that led up to Snarling Dragon Mountain.

  It was one of those drives where it was smarter to not look out the window, so Marley found herself concentrating worriedly on the riled up form of the man she’d come to feel so comfortable with.

  “Are you okay?” she asked for maybe the fourth time during the drive.

  “I am,” he confirmed blankly, but it didn’t sound convincing at all to Marley.

  “I get that you two have problems, but…you’re family, you know? Blood’s thicker than water and all that.”

  “In this case, I’m worried if the blood isn’t maybe too thick. Sometimes I get the feeling that there hasn’t been any blood flow to Donovan’s thick head in a couple of years,” Daelan snorted.

  Marley raised her brows, her hand moving reflexively over Deon’s arm as he sat in her lap. He seemed to be enjoying both the altitude and the dangerous twists and turns for the both of them.

  “Sorry,” Daelan muttered, slicking a hand through his hair in evident frustration. “I’m just not looking forward to this as much as I could be.”

  “I understand,” Marley said, trying to smooth out her expression.

  Well, I don’t, but I haven’t met the guy yet. Maybe he’s as horrible as Daelan lets on?

  “Just…promise me, whatever Donovan tells you, you’ll give me a chance to explain.”

  The look Daelan gave her was chilling. He looked honestly worried and a little bit haunted.

  “Do you have skeletons in your closet that I should know of?”

  “Everyone does. I’m a dragon, so yes, I have more than your fair share of them.”

  His expression was grim as he returned his green gaze to the road. Marley mulled it over, settling back in her seat with trepidation pooling in the pit of her stomach. She didn’t have too much time to consider it all, though, because they rounded the corner and a modest, but impressive mansion came into view.

  Not that any mansion was really modest by any definition of the word, but it didn’t exactly boast single stone towers and the other fantastical nonsense that one might have
expected from the home of a dragon.

  The driveway had been shoveled, as had been the long road up. Marley had spent time trying to figure out how one could even clear the narrow road, until Daelan had told her. Donovan had simply flown over it in the morning and melted the ice with his dragon fire.

  Apparently that was a perfectly reasonable thing to do as a dragon when the snow got too annoying.

  Daelan parked the Camaro close to the front door. He leaned back in the seat for a moment instead of making a move to get out of the vehicle. Marley stilled as well, looking at him. To her, it seemed obvious that he wanted to tell her something.

  But before he could get the words out, the front door was flung open and a smiling woman with a bouncing baby boy in her arms stepped out. She was followed closely by a tall man, who looked remarkably like Daelan. When she got a closer look, though, Marley decided that the two of them were really very different from one another. It was like they’d been cut from the same cloth, but sewn together by very different hands.

  “We should go,” Marley said gently, undoing the seat belt.

  “We should,” Daelan agreed reluctantly, glancing at his relatives. “Promise me you’ll give me the benefit of the doubt.”

  “I…okay.”

  Marley nodded. It seemed to be enough to at least get Daelan moving, so he got out of the car and then rushed around to help her out as well. Sabrina Silvertip – Daelan had prepped her with names before they started driving – came to meet the two of them. She was smiling wide and the hug she pulled Marley into, awkward as it was with both of them holding their kids, seemed nothing but genuine.

  “I’m so glad you’re here! I’ve been nagging Donovan to have you two over since I heard you’d arrived in Shifter Grove! I can’t believe Donovan didn’t even wake me when Daelan came to visit the first time.”

  Sabrina tossed a playfully chiding look at Donovan Silvertip, who looked like the picture of sternness. He shrugged his wide shoulders slightly and Sabrina waved him off with a roll of her eyes.