Love's Protection (Passion Moon 3): (A Shifter, Supernatural Romance)

by Renee Jordan

  A few more women arrived, friends of Penny that I sort of knew. They seemed a wild bunch, the type of girls that were out partying at the bars every night, but they seemed friendly enough. And they did all bring gifts.

  Penny had the music pumping. Her hips shaking to the beat, Penny brought out the delicious scones she had baked, along with fruity wine coolers. We gossiped and laughed. Penny told one of her many dating tales—she led quite the adventurous life—before we got to the presents.

  “Me first,” Penny grinned, handing me her rectangular box.

  I shook it. Something rattled back and forth. Vanessa gave a wicked laugh and shot Penny a look. I frowned. “What is it?”

  “Open it.” Penny arched her eyebrows.

  I pulled on the pink ribbon. It came off with a swish, then I tore into the wrapping paper. I blushed when I saw the packaging of the rectangular box. Penny had bought me a vibrator. My cheeks were on fire and Connie gasped, covering her mouth when she realized what I held.

  “Just a little marital aide to spice things up in the bedroom,” Penny laughed. “Want to try it out?”

  “Penny,” I gaped at her.

  “I bet she's never had one,” Penny laughed. “Oh, you are missing out. A man's great, but sometimes you just need to be alone with yourself.”

  “You are so bad.” I set the box down and reached for the next. It was from Vanessa. It looked like a clothing box. I opened it and discovered a naughty, red nightgown wrapped in tissue paper.

  “Wear that, and I know the boss will have you howling for pleasure,” laughed Vanessa.

  It was a skimpy thing, more transparent mesh than cloth. It came with a matching pair of panties that had no crotch. Red lace surrounded the opening in the gusset. I pictured Forrest between my thighs, nuzzling at the lacy opening as he devoured me.

  I grabbed my wine cooler, a hot itch forming in my jeans. My head buzzed with the alcohol. “Yeah, he would devour me,” I admitted.

  Penny's friends laughed and Vanessa had a hungry grin. Connie's cheeks grew even redder.

  I grabbed her present. It should be safe. They were a pair of wolf oven mitts and a red blouse I had eyed at her store last week. Penny's friends gave me a pair of fuzzy handcuffs, a thick dildo, and anal beads.

  “I didn't even know something like these existed,” I giggled, holding up the anal beads. The alcohol buzzed through my veins. “Oh, my god, these are so wicked.”

  Penny nodded her head.

  “You four shopped together, didn't you?”

  “Guilty,” Penny laughed. “You have got to go with us to Desire one of these times. They have so much fun stuff to play with.”

  The strippers arrived not long after the presents were opened. I was on my third, or maybe fourth, wine cooler, my head buzzing. Penny, Vanessa, and her friends clapped and cheered as two young men entered. They put on their music and danced while we clapped and laughed. They had nice bodies, but they were nothing compared to my Forrest. I tried not to laugh when they danced before me, while Connie's eyes were so wide as she stared at the stripper's cock. I think the poor thing had never seen a guy naked before.

  I watched as Vanessa ended up grinding on one of their laps while the rest of us laughed and clapped, my cheeks burning. Penny drank body shots off one of the strippers while her friends laughed. Connie and I decided to leave before it became crazier.

  My head swam with alcohol. I barely remember Connie dropping me off at my house. Forrest was already back. I stumbled up on the porch and froze; my tattoo prickled. I swayed as I peered off into the dark.

  “Hello?” I asked.

  Crickets chirped.

  “Anyone there? You can show yourself. I'm drunk, so I'm not gonna do anything to you?”

  The front door opened. “Kotie?”

  I whirled about. “There's my sexy wolf,” I grinned and stumbled forward. “You're so much sexier than those strippers.”

  “Strippers?” Forrest asked.

  “Yes,” I nodded. “But they weren't half as hot as you. My big, sexy wolf.”

  I tried to kiss him, but then the world swam and my stomach heaved. Forrest held my hair back as I emptied my stomach on the porch. What a great wolf I was marrying.

  Chapter Four: The Father of the Bride

  The week quickly passed. In the mornings to afternoon, I worked at the Moon Tear Roadhouse. I covered the lunch rush. The miners would come in, enjoy Miss Maggie's delicious food—her steak sandwiches were to die for—and drink a few beers before heading back to work. They were boisterous, but they tipped well. Work was far more enjoyable now that the Donovon clan were all locked up or on the run. The Donovons were a pack of coyote shifters that had been responsible for most of the petty crime in Moonrise. They had helped Burt back in March, attacking Forrest and his deputies. Fiona, their leader, was in jail waiting trial for attempted murder and arson along with most of her pack.

  In the evenings, I attended to wedding business, running about town to make sure everything was ready for Saturday. Penny helped, running errands in the morning; she worked the evening shift at the bar. She was such a godsend. Forest helped out when he could, but he was the Sheriff and that kept him busy.

  I had heard some brides freak out right before the wedding. Not me. I knew I wanted to marry Forrest. There were no doubts in my mind. I just feared getting everything ready. It seemed like half the town was attending sometimes. Forrest was the Sheriff. He knew all the important people of Moonrise and they all had to be invited. My guest list was embarrassingly short compared to Forrest's. My only family was Wayne, and I hadn't bothered to invite him.

  But I was making new friends in Moonrise. A new life. Wayne and Burt were my past. I didn't want to look back. My eyes were on the future. On Forrest.

  On Thursday, Miss Maggie let me off early so I could have my wedding dress fitting. My bridesmaids were all going to be there. We'd make sure we could all fit in our gowns and were ready for the big day.

  Penny strolled into the bar. “Well, you ready?” she asked as I wiped down the counter.

  “Yep.” I walked over and gave Miss Maggie a hug. She was a stout, motherly woman. “Thank you kindly for all you've done.”

  “It was nothing,” Miss Maggie said, her embrace fierce. “Just doin' what God put me on this world to do.”

  Tears burned in my eyes. She was almost like a mother to me, the closest person I had to a parent since my momma died. That's why Miss Maggie was walking me down the aisle. I kissed her cheek and broke away before the tears started pouring.

  “And you,” Miss Maggie said, pointing her finger at Penny. “I expect you back at the start of your shift.”

  “You can count on me,” Penny grinned.

  Miss Maggie grumbled beneath her breath.

  “Come on,” I said, my heart thudding with excitement.

  “You are so eager to get married!” Penny clapped. “Ohh, you are so lucky.”

  I put my arm around Penny's shoulders. “I'm sure there's a wolf out there for you.”

  “I don't know. Maybe a nice, big bear to wrap me up with his strong arms,” sighed Penny. “You stole the best man in town. If you knew how many times I tried to get Forrest to imprint me...”

  “Yeah, wasn't your latest attempt last week,” I giggled as we walked out the doors into the sunny, June day.

  “I would never do that,” Penny laughed. “I'm not that type of girl. I just like to look. You can let me look at him, right? He's got those shoulders. Mmm, he makes me wet.”

  “I'm sure you have enough toys,” I said, my cheeks going red.

  Penny's grin grew broad. “Have you played with any of those toys?”

  “No,” I gasped. “I have Forrest. I don't need any...toys to help out. Trust me. He gets the job done.”

  “Not even the fuzzy handcuffs? I'm sure Forrest would look so sexy cuffed to the bed, squirming and trying to break free.”

  “I couldn't tie him up. Forrest is a wolf, not a lapdog. I want him
to be free.”

  Penny's look grew sly. “He can always tie you up. You can lie on the bed, all helpless and writhing, just waiting for your stud to fuck you hard.”

  That image flashed through my mind. My cheeks burned and I squirmed in my jeans.

  Penny wrenched open her truck's door, the hinges squeaking. “I know that look. You're thinking 'bout it.”

  “I am,” I admitted as I walked around her beat-up pickup truck. I opened the passenger door and climbed into the cab.

  “And?”

  “And...it might be nice.”

  Penny gave a wicked laugh as she backed up her pickup truck, the gravel crunching beneath her tires. She pulled up to Spring Drive, the main road that ran through Moonrise. The roadhouse was on the outskirts of town. She pulled out into the two lane road and raced up the street. Evelyn's Treasures was located in the heart of Moonrise, surrounded by the other quaint businesses.

  Penny cut hard over to squeeze between two cars. She didn't believe in parallel parking. She would just drive her tires up onto the sidewalk to get into the space. I groaned as her shocks squeaked and the cab rocked.

  “Let's go see how beautiful you look,” Penny grinned as she turned off her engine.

  “Yeah,” I nodded and climbed out.

  “There she is,” Augustus proclaimed when I walked in. He walked over and gave me a hug, kissing both my cheeks. “Girl, you will be radiant.”

  Augustus was a fox shifter and the owner of the Moonrise Bed & Breakfast. I dearly loved him. Forrest and I stayed at his inn for a few days after Christian's attack on our house. He was dressed in a flamboyant, purple suit, a pink pocket square adding a splash of variety to his outfit. His hair was bleached-blonde, though I suspected his natural shade was a bright orange-red.

  He was also one of my bridesmaids. Of course, we didn't call him that. We really didn't know what to call him. But he was thrilled to be chosen and eager to wear the lavender suit that matched the lavender dresses of my maid-of-honor and bridesmaids. Penny was, of course, my maid-of-honor, with Vanessa and Connie as the other two bridesmaids.

  “And you look great in your suit!” I grinned at him. “Evelyn did an amazing job.”

  “Girl, if I could sew half as well as her, I would be perfect.”

  “We're all set,” Connie said, emerging out of the back room. The mousy girl was transformed by the lavender gown she wore. It left her shoulders bare and cupped her small breasts. It was tight in the waist and revealed that Connie had nice hips.

  “Oh, you are so beautiful,” I gushed, rushing over to hug the young woman. We were the same age, but she always felt more like my little sister.

  “Thanks,” Connie blushed, looking down at the ground.

  “Yes, girl, you do,” Augustus declared as he sauntered over. “We just need to do something about your hair and you'd be stupendous.”

  “Really?” Connie asked.

  “Good hair always makes someone look stupendous. Check out mine.” Augustus brushed his hair. “Aren't I just fabulous?”

  Connie giggled. “Yeah, I guess you are.”

  “A fabulous pain in the ass,” Vanessa growled as she strode in.

  “Vanessa,” Augustus said in a flat tone.

  “What bee flew in you two's bonnets?” Penny asked.

  “Vanessa is a poacher!” Augustus declared. “After I had wined and dined my Adonis, she swooped in and stole him away.”

  “He wasn't gay, Augustus,” Vanessa grinned. “Trust me.”

  “He was bi-curious. If he had just spent the night with me, he would have realized all his desires.” Augustus let out a tragic sigh. “Once again, I have had love stolen from me.”

  Vanessa rolled her eyes. “And it was a year ago. Plus, the guy's dating a girl from Olson.”

  “We would have been so happy together,” Augustus sighed. “It was a tragedy.”

  “Let's get this over with,” Vanessa growled. “Where's the dress?”

  “Back here,” Connie whispered.

  The blonde werewolf swept past. Augustus grinned as she disappeared into a changing room. He seemed pleased, like he enjoyed their little argument. I hooked his arm. “Come on, time for me to look fabulous.”

  “Girl, you will be radiant.”

  My wedding dress hung on a mannequin in the back of the store. It was so gorgeous. Tears burned my eyes as I stared at it. Evelyn, Connie's statuesque mother, beamed at me. “You will be so beautiful, child. Now let's strip.”

  I did while everyone watched. It was a little embarrassing, especially when Penny saw my red panties. “Dressing for your wolf?” she laughed. I owned a lot of red underwear. It was Forrest's favorite color.

  Vanessa appeared in her lavender dress. It softened her. She didn't look as fierce. The werewolf preferred red, slinky affairs. She nodded as I was helped into my dress by Evelyn. The back was zipped up, and the bodice was adjusted by the seamstress.

  I stared at myself in the mirror. I was just gorgeous. Evelyn held the train as I turned to look at myself from all sides. My auburn hair added vibrant contrast to the snowy dress. Penny grabbed my veil and placed it over my head. The world grew misty. I trembled, tears misting my eyes.

  “Girl, you are radiant. Your wolf is going to howl.” Augustus let out a tragic sigh. “If only I could find a man half as gorgeous to keep me warm at night.”

  “Why not a sexy fox?” I asked.

  “Oh, no,” Augustus shook his head. “Even straight fox shifters are as vain as me. Imagine if there were two of us? No. I have to be the fabulous one in the relationship.”

  I giggled.

  “You do look amazing, Kotie,” Vanessa sighed. It was almost envious. I thought she was happy with her man-hunting. She never seemed to take the same man to her bed twice. Was she lonely?

  “I know,” Penny nodded, tears brimming in her blue eyes. “Oh, you will be the most beautiful bride.”

  “Yes, you are gorgeous,” a man said, clapping his hands as he strode into the back room. My breath caught. He had green eyes.

  “Customers are not allowed back here,” Evelyn said. “If you would please wait out front.”

  “I'm no customer,” the Traveler said. He was as handsome as my mother always described. He stood tall in a black leather duster and dark shirt. A pair of worn, faded jeans and black, scuffed cowboy boots completed his look. “I'm here to see the bride.”

  “Who are you?” Vanessa growled, her green eyes glinting.

  “The father of the bride.”

  I trembled as I stared at my father. My stomach twisted into knots. Burt's dying words echoed in my mind. “I was just...protecting you...like he...wanted...” Had Burt's last words been about my father? Was my father Burt's master? Burt had said I was special, that my father needed something from me. What?

  Vanessa moved before me. She growled again.

  “Put your dog away,” my father growled back.

  “Why are you here?” I asked, fighting the trembling that threatened to overtake my body.

  “You're getting married, Dakota,” he smiled. “What father wouldn't come to be with his daughter on such a special day?”

  “Why are you here?” I repeated, folding my arms beneath my breasts. “You've had my entire life to visit me. You left my momma pining after you every day of her life while I had to be raised by an abusive step-father.”

  “Like I told your mother, I'm a Traveler, Dakota. I never could stay in one place.” His green eyes deepened. “Hell, I didn't even know I had a daughter until recently. I'm just so happy to meet you. You have your mother's looks. Bessie was a beautiful woman. What a night we had.”

  My cheeks blushed. My momma always spoke glowingly of the night I was conceived. My father seemed so sincere. His eyes seemed so caring. But Burt's words echoed in my mind. He had to be lying. Burt knew about him.

  “No. I think you've known about me for some time.”

  My father looked around. “Do you all mind giving me some privacy w
ith my daughter?”

  “I do mind,” Vanessa growled.

  “It's okay,” I told her. I had my magic. Penny and Vanessa were here. “Just wait in the store. Within earshot.”

  Vanessa threw a look over her shoulder. I kept my gaze level. I was mated to her Alpha. I had to be commanding. If I was strong, she would instinctively obey. Vanessa's jaw tightened, and then she nodded her head. “I'll be right out there,” she growled to my father as she walked by.

  “Be careful, girl,” Augustus said and Penny nodded in agreement.

  Everyone left. It was just me and my father. Questions tumbled through my head.

  “You've grown strong and confident,” my father said. “You have a lot more fire in you than the last time we met.”

  “The night you tattooed my totem on my back?” I asked.

  “You were pretty drunk that night. I wasn't sure if you'd remember.”

  “I remembered your eyes.” I swallowed. “I've fixed the spell you put on the totem. Burt triggered it, but I overcame it.”

  His face hardened. “That boy messed things up, huh?”

  “I'm sure he ruined all your plans,” I nodded. “I'm on to you, Father. You let that monster abuse me for three years.”

  “I did.” He leaned against the wall. “It would have been perfect. You hated Burt. You were aching to be rescued from your misery. Imagine how happy you would have been to have your mysterious father swoop in, rescue you, and show you that you're special.” He laughed. “I missed you by a week.”

  I shuddered at his matter-of-fact tone. “Didn't you care that he beat me? Or that he used magic to make me fall in love with him?”

  My father shrugged. “It was necessary. The boy just did what he was told.”

  “You...told him to do that?”

  “In a way. I shaped him to be the perfect tool. I taught him the magics. I just told him you were special and that he had to protect you at all costs. I made him think you were his if he could claim you. And then I made him fear my anger if he failed.”