It didn’t take much to be swept away by the caring and protective way he held me. Kissing my cheek after lifting his head from my neck, he cradled me into his broad chest instead. His arms slightly trembled as he held me.
“If something would have happened to you, I don’t know what I would have done,” he whispered.
The strained words forced me to pull away, looking up at him. “Why?”
Pretty Boy smiled as though I should already know the answer to that. “Because you are mine, my love. You always have been.”
Stunned, I just looked into his eyes. What the fiddlesticks did one say to that? “Um. No, I’m not. I literally just met you.”
His lips twitched while he fully leaned back, sitting straighter on the bed and crossing both arms over his chest. “Okay, then I should probably not kiss you or touch you again. It’s very inappropriate.”
Stupid. I shouldn’t have said anything. “I need answers,” I admitted, holding my hands before me, suddenly feeling alone without his touch.
As though sensing my distress, he inched closer, but didn’t touch me again. “And I will give them to you.”
“Where am I?”
“High in the Blue Mountains, much higher than you have ever been,” he admitted, nodding to the houses and land I had seen through the window when I awoke. “This is the Silver Claw Pack territory, our home.”
“And you can all turn into full wolves?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t look like a Wolf Shifter.”
“Oh, you are an expert on my race now, are you?” he teased. “Why don’t I look like one? Because I’m too pretty?”
Laughter escaped him when I gave him the evil eye. “I never should have called you that. It’s getting to your head.”
“Please don’t stop. I love it.”
My lips twitched, but I looked around us instead. “How long have I been here?”
“Two days.”
“What?!” I sat up. “Impossible. I was shot. A gunshot injury takes like two weeks to heal—I mean, I’m not an expert but it should take at least ten days,” I mumbled, gesturing to my stomach. “These are almost fully healed.”
Nodding, he glanced over to the empty bag that hadn’t been discarded. “You lost too much blood, so Grandma and Violet gave you ours. Wolf Shifters can self-heal and we are universal donors. It’s the way we were created.”
“Created?” I blinked.
“By our Goddess.”
Once more I nodded, though it would take far more for me to understand everything that was happening. “So, Isabella gave me her blood?”
Pretty Boy shook his head. “They gave you my blood.”
“Why?”
“Because you are mine.”
I narrowed my eyes again. “Why?”
“Because I claimed you.”
“But why would they go along with your special brand of crazy?”
Humor captured his expression. “No one is allowed to touch or even look at the Alpha’s mate in the eyes. Let alone give you a transfusion.”
There was that word again. “And you are the pack’s Alpha?”
“I am.”
“And I’m your mate?” I asked, perplexed.
He chuckled. “I claimed you, so yes. You are my mate.”
“So, your blood healed me?”
“Only my blood would do, yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you are mine.”
I threw my arms in the air, which he clearly enjoyed because he laughed unashamedly at my frustration. “I’m sensing a pattern here.”
“Good.”
“Why did you call me your love?”
“Do I need to say it?” His eyes twinkled with mischief, while mine began to shoot daggers at him. “Mine.”
“You have got to be kidding me!” Sighing, I leaned back again, but my gaze on his became defiant. “You know, you are too sure of yourself. Cocky guys aren’t hot at all.” LYING. I was lying. Cocky guys were the Hottest. “You can’t just go around claiming people because you feel like it. How do you even know I want you?”
“Oh, I know…”
The nerve. “How?”
“Well, aside from the fact that your heart races when I’m close, you give into my every touch, and kiss me back like I’m the one thing you have been craving your entire life… I can smell it on you. The desire you feel is like an intoxicating scent crafted exclusively for me. I will never be able to walk away from you, Aria. It’s impossible.”
Holy shit. “Okay, that’s one way to answer,” I mumbled, cheeks flushing hell-fire red.
Leaning in, his grin melted against my lips when he kissed me yet again, and my entire body hummed for him. Mother Fudger. I was freaking crazy.
“Are you hungry?”
I was about to say no, but my stomach awoke with the rage of a thousand beasts, growling loudly. Taking that as my answer, he nodded and began to pull the cables away from my body.
“What are you doing?” I asked, shocked as he gently removed the IV.
“I’m taking you home. I’ve had enough of being away from you.”
Before I could complain, his arms slipped under the sheets and he carried me—blanket and all—holding it around me tightly so no one would see my ass. Bursting through the door with me in his grasp, he ignored everyone’s protests when they realized what he was doing.
“Have you lost your freaking mind!” Violet scolded, rushing after us. “She is still healing, and she’s human. You can’t just take her with you!”
“Too bad, cause I am.”
“Can shifters claim humans?” I asked Violet while she ran after us.
“Yes, we can.” Her gaze didn’t even reach me. Instead, she zipped by us and stopped before her brother, blocking his path. “Aria needs to be monitored.”
“You can monitor her at my house.”
“Her treatment isn’t done yet!”
“You can treat her at my house.”
“Where is she going to sleep?”
“In my bed, with me!” he barked.
“Wait, what?” I squealed but they ignored me.
“Are you done? Because she is starving, and it is my responsibility to feed her.”
Glancing up like she was begging their goddess for patience, Violet dragged a hand over her face. “Fine! But you are going to have to put up with me day and night until she fully heals, because I’m not leaving her side!” she barked right back, defiantly.
“Fine!” he growled and moved past her, walking out to the beautiful clearing I had seen through the window.
My heart slammed against my ribs and I wasn’t entirely sure whether I was scared or excited by his behavior. I mean, he was totally being a dominant ass, but I couldn’t seem to mind it one bit. No one had ever protected me like this, or suffered for not being at my side, not knowing if I was okay. It was kind of special.
“Sooo, about that whole sleeping in the same bed situation…” I began, but my words fell flat when Pretty Boy threw a dubious side glance at me, and that infuriating, sexy as hell smirk of his appeared.
“Don’t.”
Don’t??? Seriously? That was his whole argument? Don’t.
My mouth opened to complain, though I wasn’t entirely sure I should. As we crossed the playground, the kids waved at him with love. People walked around us minding their own business; shifters that, like him and his family, looked entirely human. I realized then how ignorant I truly was about their race.
Men and women greeted Pretty Boy while he walked with me through the neighborhood, lowering their gazes from him in respect, and I noticed a pattern. Not one of them looked him straight in the eyes. Their attention sought his cheek or neck, no one looked straight at him. What was more perplexing, was they didn’t look at me directly either. They smiled and waved but avoided my gaze at all costs.
When I gazed ahead, I noticed we were going to a beautiful log cabin at the end of the roundabout. It was imposing but
simple, and it seemed to be the main jewel on the crown formed by the other houses.
“So, if I were a Wolf Shifter too, and you claimed me as an Alpha, what would that make me?”
“Warming up to the idea?” he asked, throwing me a sideways glance while taking the first steps up to his house.
“No!” I smacked his chest and he laughed, fully enjoying it. “I’m just uneducated about your race,” I admitted. “I only ever learned what I was told by my—” I stopped myself from saying family, my chest constricting with a different kind of pain.
“I know,” he whispered, nuzzling my cheek and kicking the door open. “If you were a shifter and I claimed you, you would be an Alpha female.”
Considering it, I glanced at the space while he closed the door. Beautifully stained pine wood covered the walls, floors, and ceiling with exposed beams that revealed how tall the roof really was. Yet, the interior had been designed like a normal house would. There were no antler chandeliers, animal heads on the walls—thank God—or moose, bear, and eagle embroidered throws or cushions anywhere.
Instead, a large, grey sectional was placed in the living/family room that faced a huge fireplace and a flat screen TV. There were all kinds of colorful cushions on it and it looked so fluffy I just wanted to jump on it. It seemed like the kind of sofa that molded to your body when you sank into it.
“You like it?” he asked, bringing my attention back to him just as he took the stairs to the second floor.
“It’s beautiful,” I answered honestly, not being able to truly see much else at the pace he was walking.
“It’s yours now,” he whispered, kissing my cheek and my skin flushed furiously.
Smirking like my reaction was the most adorable thing he’d ever seen, he took me through the last door—his room. It was big, but nothing extravagant. It was spacious with a lush king size bed in the middle, a large painting of a pack of wolves above it, a closet, and another door which I assumed was the bathroom.
Once he gently placed me on the bed, my eyes almost rolled back from the absolute deliciousness. “Is this a pillow top?” I asked, nearly melting. I’d heard about it but never once tried it.
Pretty Boy chuckled, lifting the pillow next to me to place it behind my head so I would be comfortable. “Do you like it?”
“Shut up. We are bonding and you are interrupting us.” I carefully turned on my side, pulling the other pillow and hugging it to my body. Mother of all shnookerdookies! How could a bed feel so amazing?
“Good, rest while I shower. Then I’ll make you lunch. I’ll be right back,” he ordered, removing the blanket and tucking me under his thick comforter.
“You are going to shower now?” I asked, half falling asleep again, thanks to the cloud I was resting on at that moment. “It’s the middle of the day.”
“It is,” he conceded, sitting next to me, and stroked my jaw with his thumb. “But I haven’t moved from the other side of your hospital room door since I brought you here, now that you are with me, I can relax.”
I blinked my eyes open to find his filled with adoration. Coming closer, he brushed his lips over mine, then pressed our foreheads together. “I promised myself I wouldn’t kiss you until you knew who I was.” A heavy breath left him, it clearly weighed on him that he’d broken his vow.
“Then tell me who you are,” I whispered as our breaths mixed, longing for his kiss again.
A slow and delicious smile tilted his lips, it was like he knew my every tell. “You already know, my love.” Standing, he pulled his T-shirt off, and walked into the bathroom.
Chapter Ten
Careful steps resounded over the hardwood floors bringing me out of my brief slumber. I had passed out in the sexy stranger’s bed. The yummy smell of braised chicken and herbs filtered into my nostrils and I pulled my eyes open, turning to the door.
Pretty Boy walked in, placing a food tray on the large night table next to me. When my eyes fell on him and he stood straight, I gasped, covering my eyes with one hand. “You are naked! Why are you naked?”
He didn’t answer but I heard him chuckle.
Widening my fingers a bit, I saw him take one wedged potato and begin to munch on it. My gaze unwillingly fell to his chest and his abs, stopping before I saw something that I couldn’t unsee.
“Why are you naked?” I asked again, lifting my eyes to his face, sneaking a peek through slightly open fingers.
“I seemed to recall a certain beautiful girl complaining because she hadn’t had a chance to see me naked. So as promised, here I am.”
I gasped so loudly I almost choked, and my hand flew to his arm, smacking him. “I did not!”
“You did too…”
“Did not!”
“Did too.” His lips quivered while he sat next to me, feeding me a wedged potato too.
Huffing, I accepted the fry, because one—I was starving. And two—I needed to distract myself from the fact that this man was butt naked in front of me. Slicing a piece of the chicken breast, he fed it to me, and I kind of let him because, hello! Sexy naked hottie feeding me.
“Aren’t you going to cover yourself?” I mumbled, my mouth filled with the yummy food while he took a bite.
“Does it bother you?”
“No... Yes!” I definitely needed to start thinking before I spoke.
“Uh-huh,” was his only answer, and he fed me another fry.
“I’m serious!” I complained, trying with everything in me not to look below his belly button. IT WAS HARD.
He sighed. “You are my mate, Aria. You are the only woman who has ever, and will ever get to see me like this. You have every right to my body. You might as well start to enjoy it.”
“Uh, excuse me. Cocky much!” I complained, only because I needed to do something.
Pretty Boy grinned knowingly. “Oh, it’s an honor, let me tell you,” he teased. “I’m the Alpha…”
“The Alpha, which means you lead the entire pack...” I pondered.
His smile fell when he nodded, reflecting the weight that fell on his shoulders with that title. I followed his gaze out the large window that faced the bed, showing a gorgeous view of the hill we were on as well as all the entire compound where they lived.
My heart constricted. He was so young. How had he even become their leader? I watched him carefully while he fed me another piece of the scrumptious chicken, taking a potato for himself. “If you claimed me but I’m a human… then what am I?”
The sexy stranger’s gaze returned to me, and he smiled softly. “Alpha female.”
“The same as before? Even if I’m human?”
“Yes… although,” Pretty Boy stopped himself, like he was saying too much.
“Although, what?”
“You will be one of us after I fully claim you,” he finished reluctantly.
“What?”
“It will only take one bite from me, your mate, and the transition will be complete.”
“Complete??” I didn’t understand.
“How did you become Alpha?” I opened my mouth as he continued to feed me, seeing his expression transform.
“I’d rather not answer that.”
“I’m sorry.”
Shaking his head, he threw the plate on the bed and cradled my neck, pulling me to him. He claimed my lips somewhat desperately, hungrily, like needed me to ease the ache my question had brought to the surface. I was helpless but to give in, savoring him, and the delicious rosemary butter on his lips from our lunch. It all added to the maddening taste he already had.
“My parents were killed when I was a boy,” he whispered, our breaths mixing while he remained close. “My grandmother brought me to the high mountain with the rest of the pack to raise me and my sister. She led our pack while she trained me and I became of age, but I was Alpha then, whether I was ready or not.”
“I’m so sorry.” I kissed him that time, knowing very well what it was to feel that loss. He welcomed me, pressing me tighter to his body.
Naked. Naked. Naked!! My mind screamed and I pushed him away. “You are still naked.”
Grinning devilishly, Pretty Boy stood, placing both hands on his hips. “You are mine, but that means I’m also yours. So here I am. Do you claim me?”
“This is all a joke to you, isn’t it?”
The smile disappeared as he took my hand, pulling me from the bed, and I realized to my chagrin that I was no longer wearing the hospital gown. I was in what looked like one of his large T-shirts.
“Did you undress me while I slept?!” I screeched, seeing red from the ire that awoke in me.
Yet, he just looked at me confused, crossing his arms over his broad and very naked chest. “Didn’t I explain this to you already? You are mine.”
“Arrg!” I yelled frustratedly. “That is not an answer to everything!”
“Yes. Yes, it is!”
“I’m sorry. I’m leaving. I need to get out of here!” Whirling around, I tried to look for shoes, or pants or anything that would aid my escape.
“Aria, stop,” he grunted, seeming tired of this dance.
“No!” I yelled back like a two-year-old. “I’m trying to understand, but this is too much, Pretty Boy!” I stomped on the ground, completing my toddler style temper tantrum. “I don’t even know your name!”
Sighing, Pretty Boy moved closer, reaching for my arms. “Yes, you do. You know exactly who I am, Aria. You just haven’t figured it out yet.”
Stunned, I just looked at him while he pulled me into his arms, holding me snugly against his chest. What was that supposed to mean? “I can’t understand,” I whispered, feeling truly lost. “It’s too much. All of this is overwhelming.”
“Shhh…” he soothed, pressing his forehead to mine. “I know. I’m sorry.”
Emotion reached me and the images of the fight returned to me. “You knew it was a trap and you went anyway… why?”
“You,” he answered like I knew the rest.
“I’m yours?” I murmured, and as he nodded, something inside me recognized those words as true. How was that possible?? “Why do you feel like this?” My question came out like an anguished plea.
Falling for Shifters: A Limited Edition Autumn Shifters Collection Page 23