“They were shooting at us, and I took one to the hip. When it slowed me, Samson latched onto my neck, but Les has been training for years to be my Beta. She ripped his throat out before he got mine.” Her hand moved to her neck, and we all saw the scars from him biting on her collar area.
“Vel, why didn’t it heal?”
“When we made the jump into the train, I passed out without shifting. I was out too long to fix the superficial damage, but my insides healed alright. Lena got shot as we made it on the train, and that’s when I heard Maliki swear, I’d be his or dead. Once I severed his bond to me, my full power came in, and then Les gave me her blood. I gave her mine when we got to Margo’s, so it’s official.”
She became an Alpha when she denounced hers.
“Mekhi just let all this happen?” Max asked her, and she nodded while looking withdrawn.
“He’s the one who ratted me out to his daddy dearest.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were here sooner?”
“Maxie, we’ve contacted your pack a lot since I came. That boy Ethan came to check on me way too much, but he did tell me you were in training during those visits. I wasn’t going to cause your mind not to be on the prize because I knew I’d see you, like I am now.”
“You got a thing for Ethan?” Max asked her. My fists clenched, thinking about my minx with my son, causing my jaw to lock as well.
“Please, Maxie. Give me some credit after what just happened. I’m not dating for a while, and he was too whiney for my liking. If I don’t text him within the hour he does, I get like six missed phone calls. You know I like my space in a relationship.”
Max was laughing while looking at me with an evil grin.
“Yeah?”
She snorted and pulled out her phone to show him the nonstop communication on Ethan’s end. Then the last one said, ‘can’t wait til tonight, Liz’.
Oh, I was going to be sitting my son down for that one. “You seeing this Alpha? Your son is trying to get my sister, while accidentally messaging her about his plans with other women.”
“I’ll talk to him.” Once I spoke, my minx’s arms covered in gooseflesh, and her breathing quickened. When I looked up, I found the most beautiful, pale, amber eyes that stood out against her tan. Her eyes were wide and large, showing her innocence.
Fuck!
The silver streaked both our eyes. We both knew what had just happened when our wolves fought to get out. Max noticed too and delighted in the revelation. He was with my son in the anti-Olivia game, so was Heath.
“Right. Vella, this is my Alpha, Kieran Reid. Kier, this is my sister, Vella Masters. I’ll leave you two to talk while Les and I have it out. God, I missed her stubborn mouth,” he muttered that last part, walking toward the blonde bussing a table. He grabbed the poor girl by the hem of her shirt to follow him.
Heath excused himself to use the bathroom. I wanted to be straightforward with this girl because I wasn’t in the right place for a relationship.
“It’s nice to meet you, Vella, but I must tell you that I’m in a serious relationship I’m not willing to part with.”
“No problems here, Mr. Reid. Like I just said, I’m not dating for a really long time after my last relationship went too far south.”
Her words vibrated her hidden anger at me. When she went to storm off, I grabbed her arm to hash it out. She jerked out of my grip like I was a leper.
“What were you thin… GAH!” She doubled over in a sudden onset of pain, so I went to steady her again.
“Vella?” I tried to get her to talk through her rapid breathing and gritting teeth.
“I came of age three months ago, you jackass!”
Ohhh… When females hit adulthood at eighteen, they start going into heat. I had just set off her cycle from my touch as her true mate.
Her pheromones were hitting every male in the vicinity, and even my guys caught the strong smell. She couldn’t walk around town in this condition, and I caused it. Lifting her in my arms, I whistled for the boys to follow as I got her in the back of my truck.
Max was already jumping into the other side to coddle her in the back seat. By being blood, he wouldn’t be affected by her scent. Heath sat in the bed of my truck from being hit full force by an unmated female going into heat. It was a beacon for all of us to claim her, and now, she was under my protection until it was over.
Vella
This wasn’t happening.
Couldn’t be!
Gah!
Never mind, it was. From how excruciating this torture got, I knew my wolf was responding to her mate. To have an urge for some random mate to impregnate me was ridiculously comical.
Why was I born a female? It was a legit question during moments like this where my biology overrode the basic functions of my brain.
Like right now, I could only think of Kieran having his bloody way with me to sate my wolf’s needs. Have I mentioned how she is going to be considered a whore from this moment on?
Yep. She betrayed me because she wants her destined mate to claim us in the most intimate and primal way. No wonder a female dog is a bitch, because I knew my inner wolf just earned her stripes in that category.
Sweat leaked from my every pore, and poor Maxie took off his tank to keep wiping my brow like a doting older brother. Too bad he was forced to go live with his father when he first shifted and ended up being a grey wolf—or timber wolf as they call themselves.
My thighs were trembling like an earthquake had set in between my legs. To be honest, that’s exactly what happened thanks to Mr. Alpha touching me.
Stupid body perked right up with his touch… just like it had for Mekhi, but even worse than then.
How was that even possible?
Now my breasts were swelling and my nipples tightened to the point of raging pain in my bra, and every nerve grew restless for his touch. He opened the floodgates, and I felt how wet I was becoming in my jean shorts with the heat boiling in my core. My heart rate was double normal standards, and I could only breath in shallow pants.
Les was rubbing my feet in her lap while I tried to get my mind off the throbbing ache between my legs that engorged my clit. “Maxie, tell me how Ralph is doing. Please keep my mind busy til we get to my apartment,” I pleaded breathlessly.
“Well, uh, he lost his sight about a year ago. Hence why I’m filling his Beta position,” he answered sheepishly. I felt the anger hit me from not being in the loop.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve helped him!” I had forgotten about the other people in the vehicle.
“We’ll talk about it later, Vella. You just need to get your heat sated.”
“Not happening,” I grunted while my cheeks flushed even more than they had been from my arousal.
“You just need someone to get your fill of, Vella. No big deal. We are wolves.” I heard Les growl at the notion, and Maxie realized the error in his words in front of his destined.
“I’m not having sex with a stranger, Maxie. I’ll be fine. I waited out the last battle with it, so I can do it this time. No biggie. I’ll have Les get me chocolates and chocolate milk… Oh! Mmm… Chocolate cake with nuts in the frosting!” I was dreaming about food and found how relieving it was for my current predicament.
“If you can’t tell, she ate about twenty chocolate cake donuts, seven giant candy bags of assorted chocolate, and we went through a lot of Nesquik with milk,” Les snickered at my craving. Every female got one when they went into heat, and mine just happened to be the best food in the world.
“Yeah and yours was anything sour. You hate sour, so I think I won in the craving contest, bitch!” I humphed at her, and everyone chuckled at me being a little aggressive over everything. “Shit! I’m going to have to avoid people ‘til this clears up.”
“You act as though your heat cycle is a break out of zits, Vel!” Les chortled some more.
“Embarrassing, annoying, and comes at the worst time… Pretty much the same thing!” I growled back and bega
n thinking my best friend matched some of those answers. My temperature kept climbing, and my need only continued to get worse.
Fudge and whiskey! This was tenfold worse than when it happened the first time. Was it because my mate brought it on, or was it going to keep getting worse with each one?
Not sure how much time passed, but we pulled up to a tiny town in the mountains. I knew we were in the shifter village mom took Maxie to when I was really little. “Am I staying with you, Maxie?” I whispered with my parched voice.
“You’ll be staying with me, Vella,” Kieran answered instead, and I shot right up to look at him in the rearview mirror.
“Excuse me?” I snarled with my makeup sweating down my face, and my nasty hair looking like that Barbie meme—the night after the binge.
“An unclaimed female in heat is not okay to leave on her own in a shifter area, and I did this to you. As Alpha, no one will fight my decision on the matter.”
“H to the no, captain of the S.S. Nutty! I am going to go to my apartment and take my sleeping pills and knock out for a week. I do not need to be near you during this process!”
Mainly because I was fighting myself not climb him like a tree, but he didn’t need to know my perverted thoughts that dealt with him ramming me everywhere… on every surface.
Oh jeez! I’ve got to get my sleeping pills and soon, with his muscular body I keep eye-fucking at the moment.
“Vel, I think he’s right on this one. You’ll need protection. With me not scenting your pheromones, his alpha power will offer that. Other males can smell your need.
“Vella, I know you barely know me but listen to your brother!” Heath yelled through the window in the back as he looked partially shifted…
Well, I just gulped from seeing how impassioned his stare was to fuck me hard.
“I’ll concede as long as you send someone to cover my shifts at Aunt Margo’s.”
“I can handle sending her one of my guys.” Kieran had his window rolled down and was trying very hard not to let my aroma overwhelm his wolf.
I looked to my brother, appearing wearier for me more than anyone else. I laughed hysterically, and he gave me a puzzled pinched brow.
“Not what I imagined our reunion being like, is all.” I kept cackling like a witch on crack. and the men shared a look of befuddlement.
“I think the fever is making her high, Kier,” Maxie clipped.
“She was like this last time, but not this delirious.” Les tried to rein me in to look at her, but I passed out. The sensation spasming in my lower abdomen and crotch became too much.
Vella
Someone was lifting me to their chest with their arm under my knees. The heat of his body surged through our contact, letting me know it was Kieran.
Lust shot through my fiery veins, and my hand kept rubbing his chest without a second thought. He felt so good under the caress of my fingertips.
From the sound of a door, I had to guess Maxie beat us to it, and a woman’s voice rang out once it opened. “Oh, Max! I wasn’t expecting you this evening!”
Evening? How long had I been out?
“Max! Did you meet the new barista at your aunt’s shop? I call dibs, no matter what… Oh hey, Heath!” Was that Ethan?
I opened my eyes and wondered why it took us so long to get here. Then I saw Les by me with grocery bags of chocolate and some boy-cut panties with tanks. She really was my soulmate in female form.
When we entered the living space of a cabin, I was amazed to see the high ceilings and red wood with white furnishings and décor.
“Kieran, who the fuck are you holding?” a woman hissed with a knife in her hand. She was gorgeous, and I instantly put two and two together—even in my diluted sexual mind—that this was his girlfriend.
“I’m Vella, your royal highness. Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Reid.” I held out my hand, but I couldn’t keep it up. Everyone was staring at me like I was a freak, so I decided to clear the air. “Sorry, your man put me in heat.”
Answering seemed like the best route with a laugh to make it a minor deal. So, why was she looking murderous right now?
“Dad, you and Vella…” I turned to see a very long-faced Ethan when he caught on. Would’ve thrown him a Scooby-Snack… if I had one.
“I told you, Ethhhan, I don’t want a relationship or sex or anything to do with a man. Kieran wants his girlfriend, so when this awful period is over, I’ll get out of your hair.” I saluted in triumph, and they were all gawking at Kieran and his lady. Ethan might even be pissed about something between them.
“You’ve been fucking her again, haven’t you?” Ethan snarled, and Maxie ripped me from Kieran’s arms like I might catch something.
“We were going to talk to you tonight, Ethan, but this crap came up…” He literally twirled his hand my way.
“Hey! I might be sweaty and gross, but I am not crap, you Alpha-ass!” I tried pointing at one of the three of him. Take that, bully!
Kieran sighed dramatically, “We will discuss Olivia’s and my relationship later. For now, let’s get Vella into my room with her… food.” He gazed at my bags of chocolate.
Les saluted, and Kieran took me back from Maxie to carry me over the threshold to his sanctuary. Damn! This room was bigger than my whole studio apartment and Les seemed to be appraising it the same way.
“I’m going to clean her up and get her into clean sleeping wear. I’ll leave when I’m done,” Les told him without allowing him to change the plan, and she gave me a quick shower to cool me down. “I’m so sorry, Vel. Who knew it would turn out like this? But hey, at least you know who the other destined is…”
“They lied. They said one would be worth my honor and the other would be my destroyer. Mekhi betrayed me, and Kieran doesn’t even want me. I bet the universe is laughing this one up,” I hollered. She shook her head, trying not to laugh at me, not with me.
“I’m staying with Maxen, Vel. I need to figure out what I want. I hope you…”
“Honey. You do you, and I’ll always support it. Well, as long as you keep me in the picture.” I smiled, and she helped me out to dress me like a wobbling toddler.
I was lying in bed when she left, and Kieran entered with his woman. She was not happy about the sleeping arrangement but fuck her. He did this to me, and I deserved to sleep in this giant comfy bed!
I had a bullet vibrator tucked into my panties, but my hands stayed on top of the covers for them to not find out about my secret indulgence. The quickest way to stop your heat was to have orgasms and fool your body into believing a man took it.
My breathing was quick, and the sight of him was not helping in his tight tee and sexy jeans that hugged his shapely ass. Let’s not even go near his smoldering, intense turquoise eyes hidden under dark lashes. I could see the clear bulge in his pants and knew it was from me.
That gave me a smidge of joy, knowing he would be suffering some serious blue balls. Yeah, I laughed again.
“I’ll be back in an hour, Kier. Nothing better happen.” His Barbie strutted off with a fixed snarky glare on me.
Yay…
“Vella,” his tone became gravelly.
I began panting hard, and the top of the covers fell down to show him I stripped shortly after I got dressed. Oops. I picked up the blanket to hide my rack I had just flashed him. By his storming eyes, I knew he saw.
“Sorry! Well, I mean it’s not like you won’t see me naked again,” I snorted. His nostrils flared.
Shit!
“Not like that! Not with you and me in this bed… I mean us having sex. No, um, huh, no pinning each other against the wall for a hard fuck… Shit! Not right either, um, when you see me shift is what I meant.” I was drinking him in and clearly, it was clouding my functions.
“You need to rein in your arousal.” His silky voice was deep and boasted of power… Power he’d use in the bedroom… Oh fuck!
“You need to get one of those voice distorters, and something to hide your body!” I
panted feeling my flushed chest get worse while I teetered on my orgasm.
“Voice what?”
“You know, the Darth Vader thing! Your voice is doing naughty things to my mind, Kieran, and your body is what my wolf wants, dammit! Mask yourself!” It happened then. The moment of dominance we shared after I raised my voice at him.
I lost it to the throes of my passion, and Kieran just watched me self-relieve my sex with a growing lust. I’m guessing he could also smell what I just did. Snatching the bullet from my panties, I set it on the nightstand as his eyes followed the metal device. “Just trying to get this over with… without a male. Didn’t know you were coming in.”
He just nodded and left me to my own battery-operated devices.
Kieran
Ten days later…
* * *
“Ohhh… Ahh! Yes, Kier! Right there, baby!” Olivia’s legs gripped around me tighter as I screwed her in my office for the third time today. Vella’s pheromones were hitting us all in the village with how strong her smell was, and how long it was lasting.
I had to take Liv three to five times a day to get myself under control because my body was the one hers was calling to. Not only that, but I couldn’t get the image of her perfect tits out of my head from when her blanket fell and exposed them to me.
Thinking about her only made me harder, and I felt bad when Liv purred thinking it was her causing the steel of my shaft. We met our release, and she dropped from my body with her walking like a stick sat between her legs.
“Kier, I love you, but you have got to get her out of heat. Everyone is going mad, and I can’t handle your constant hard on for her.”
“What would you suggest I do, Liv? I caused her to go into heat, and now she’s suffered ten days of it. She has to end soon.”
“I go for five days in heat, so I can’t imagine how insane she must be not having sex and already doubling my misery.” She grimaced at the idea before sighing. “Look, you’ve proven how loyal you are to our relationship, Kier. If you need to sate her to end this madness, then please get it done. All the males are riled up over her, and all the females are saddle sore. Fuck her and get her out of our hair.”
Falling for Shifters: A Limited Edition Autumn Shifters Collection Page 51