The Shifter's Gift

by Haley Weir

  Ava drew her knees up and parted her legs slightly, feeling nervousness and desire at war inside of her. She looked down at him standing there with a hungry look in his eyes as if he was the predator and she was his prey. She licked her lips and spread her legs a little further, inviting him in.

  He bent his neck, pressing his lips against her knee, then he kissed and stroked his tongue along her thigh on a sensual path toward her core. Their eyes were locked as he moved ever closer to his intended destination. He slid his tongue over her along her slit, and then parted her folds with his thumbs to gain deeper access.

  She let out a cry of pleasure when his tongue slid across her clit slowly, tentatively at first, then he flicked his tongue over the bundle of nerves more assertively. She ran her hands through his hair, unable to contain herself. This moment felt so good.

  The feeling of his mouth on her was almost too much to handle. She closed her eyes and tried to keep from moaning loud enough that her neighbors could hear. Yet that didn’t matter, did it? Maybe they’d learn a thing or two, or at least discover why they should stop spying on everyone.

  Her thoughts were thrown away from the elderly couple as Mason’s tongue stroked lower toward her entrance. She opened her eyes to gaze down at him. He watched her with a lusty hunger as he slid his tongue it inside her.

  She bit her lower lip. He used his thumb to play with her clit as he thrust his tongue within her. Her breath came out in shallow pants as he brought her closer to the edge. This was all happening way too fast. She didn’t want to go without him. She’d never been a girl who had multiple orgasms either.

  “Mason. It feels so good. I’m getting close. Come with me.” She gently tugged at his hair to get him to come up on the bed and take her, but he obviously had other plans.

  The movement of his tongue and the pressure he was using on her clit gradually increased. His eyes urged her on as if he wanted her to come for him. The delicious teasing of his tongue and thumb were too much for her to deny. She arched up, feeling pleasure crash into her wave after wave. Her grip on his hair tightened, and she gently held him to her, not wanting the sensations to stop.

  When it finally began to fade, she released her grip as he gave her one final, long lick. His eyes turned from brown to warm amber, looking almost animalistic as he crawled onto the bed, nudging her thighs apart.

  She sucked in a breath, feeling tendrils of fear spark inside her. “Your eyes...”

  “It’s my bear pushing toward the surface. Tasting you stirred him up. I could lay between your legs for hours and not get tired of drinking you in,” he admitted. “Don’t worry. I’m in control. I won’t hurt you.” He pressed a kiss to her lips, allowing her to taste herself on his mouth as he pressed the tip of his cock against her entrance.

  “I... Okay—” The rest of her words were swallowed by his kisses as he slowly slid inside of her. She wrapped one of her legs around his waist, feeling her body stretch to accommodate him. He paused a few times to let her body catch up to him. When he was all the way inside of her, he pulled back. He slowly thrust into her again, giving her time as if he was afraid he would break her if he moved too quickly.

  Mason kept with the slow, exact pace for a while, until Ava thought it was going to drive her crazy. He was doing his best to be the perfect gentleman, but this couldn’t be what he needed or wanted.

  She wanted him to be himself. He was a werebear, but she trusted him not to hurt her if he let go. “I need more, Mason, and I’m sure you do too. Stop treating me like I’m made of porcelain. I can handle it.”

  He stopped on his next thrust inside her. “I don’t want to hurt you. If I were to lose control...” He shook his head. “I’m enjoying this. I love being inside of you.”

  She pulled his face down toward hers. “You won’t hurt me. I trust you. If it gets uncomfortable, I’d tell you. Please? Take me.” She wasn’t sure if he would since he had a stubborn tilt to his jaw, but something shifted in his eyes…they had turned back to the warm amber color.

  He slid out of her, slowly before driving himself back inside of her. This time, he wasn’t as gentle. His thrusts rocked her body, making her feel gloriously alive and desired. He bent his head, kissing her hard as if he was going to ravish her mouth like he’d done to her core.

  Her core clenched around him as each thrust of his cock drove her closer to bliss. She dug her nails into his muscular back, moaning as the sound of their bodies meeting filled the room. She clung to him as he quickened the pace.

  He pulled back just long enough for them to catch their breath. He groaned, and his breath was coming out harder. She could tell they were both close to ecstasy. Pleasure washed over her again as climax drove through her again, making her body shake with each wave. His groan of pleasure echoed hers, as she felt his hot seed pump inside her. She caressed the sides of his face, drawing him down for another kiss as the glow of their lovemaking surrounded them.

  After a few moments, he rolled to his back, dragging her on top of him. She could get used to this.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Mason couldn’t be happier as the pack meeting rolled around. He hadn’t told his family much about Ava. He wanted to let the relationship grow without their poking and prodding. They had gotten to know each other, and Ava learned much more about him and his people. He felt no more negativity, no longer wracked with guilt. He focused on what really mattered: cultivating his blossoming relationship.

  “Dad, I’m pleased to introduce you to Ava Daniels. She’s the woman I’ve been dating, and…I’m in love with her. When my bear reacted to her the first time I met her, I knew it was real. It was easy to realize that she was my mate after getting to know her better. She’s the woman I’m going to spend my life with.” He intertwined his fingers with Ava’s, not feeling like a failure anymore.

  The look of surprise on his father’s face made the reveal even sweeter. Had he really thought his son was incapable of settling down? He should’ve known better not to trust him. He embodied the typical Sinclair man, after all: handsome, stubborn, and decisive.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ava. I’m glad my son has finally found someone. You’re a brave girl, stepping into our world,” he said and looked over the rest of the pack. “But we’re happy to have you.”

  The pack members gave their nods, fist pumps, and cheers. A cute pink blush stained Ava’s cheeks, and he placed his hand on her shoulder for support.

  “Thank you, Mr. Sinclair—”

  “Call me Bradley. I’m tired of that Mr. Sinclair business. I’m almost retired, after all.” He gave Mason a nod. “I’m proud of you, son. You’ve done well.”

  “Thank you, Bradley. Your son is an incredible man. Its an honor to be invited,” she said, and she squeezed Mason’s hand. He brushed his thumb over hers in reassurance.

  “Thanks, Dad.” With his father’s kind words, Mason felt a weight lift off of his shoulders. Bradley was proud of him. A month ago, he wasn’t sure if things would ever clear up between them. But everything was looking up, thanks to Ava. He was glad he hadn’t given up, even if it wasn’t easy, getting to where he was now. The work was worth it in the end.

  * * *

  The large house standing before Ava was beyond anything she had ever imagined for herself. It looked like a fancy HGTV mansion. She looked over at Mason with pursed lips. “Why did you bring me here again?”

  “My real estate agent has been keeping an eye out for me. Now that we’re officially mated, we should find a place together. I don’t know about you, but I want more privacy than my parent’s house,” he said, and his lips quirked in amusement. “It’s not as fun making love there when I’m paranoid someone could be listening in. Besides, your bills are caught up. You don’t have to stay somewhere that doesn’t make you happy, and I want to make you happy.”

  “But you didn’t answer my question,” she laughed. “This place is amazing, but it’s so big. There’s only the two of us. It’s going to be s
o empty.”

  Mason took a deep breath before clearing his throat. “About that…I don’t think there’s only going to be the two of us for long.”

  She looked over at him, meeting his gaze. “What does that mean? Are you planning on having some of your family move in with us?” The smile on her lips faded a little, and she started to lower her eyes.

  He caught her chin in his hand—forcing her to continue looking at him—and shook his head. “I wasn’t going to say anything yet, but your scent has changed.”

  “My scent changed? What…what does that mean?” Was he trying to say that she smelled bad?

  “You’re pregnant,” he admitted. The soft look on his face of pride melted her heart. “I didn’t want to spoil the surprise, but it made me think that we need our own place to raise our cubs.”

  “Pregnant? We’re going to...?” she trailed off. Despite the shocking news, she was excited. She gave him a tight hug before pulling back. “Wait, cubs? They’re not going to be furry are they? What will my parents say?” She’d ended up reaching out to them after the couple got engaged. It was only fair to invite them. Despite their rough patch, they were still her family. She called them, and as they caught up, she realized how much she missed having her family to talk to.

  “No, they won’t be actual bear cubs in your womb.” He chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “But when they reach six or seven, they’ll begin to develop their ability to shape shift. It might be a little dangerous until they learn to control their power, but I know everything will be fine. My father helped me through that time, and I’ll do whatever it takes to help our children get through it too.” He nodded toward the house. “Plus, as you can see, there’s plenty of room for them to run and play. A forest that backs onto the property, so we won’t have to worry about them shifting and being spotted by hunters. But I’ll be with them every step of the way.” Her head was spinning with all of this information.

  “It’s going to be okay,” he assured her. “Lets check out the house.” They walked inside, hand in hand. He turned to her as they stepped through the front door. “I hope I’m not scaring you with all of this. It’s probably a lot to take in.”

  “I’m not scared. It’s an adventure, and I feel safe with you. Actually, I’m the happiest I’ve been in a very long time. Thank you for letting me in, and not giving up when I rejected you. Thank you for caring about me, starting from the moment we met. You’ve opened so many doors for me, and helped me build a life I never thought I could have. My life is so much better with you in it.”

  He pulled her into his arms as he closed the door behind them. He pressed her against the door and kissed her passionately. He put his hands on her hips. “It goes both ways. Before we met, my life was all about work and impressing my father. I didn’t want to settle, or settle down, even though my father pressured me to. But you changed all of that. If I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t have a beautiful, smart woman in my life who warms my heart and my bed.” He laid a hand gently on her stomach. “And soon we’ll have a family of our own.” He rubbed his thumb over her belly before looking up at her. “I love you, Ava.”

  Her heart ached more and more with each word. It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her. She looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you, that means everything to me. I love you too, Mason.”

  ****

  THE END

  Liam’s Lust

  Chapter One

  When Olivia received the call to go out with her boyfriend Jared yesterday, she was ecstatic. He left her a voicemail telling her to wear something fancy, which compounded her excitement even more. Over the past few weeks, he had been incredibly busy with multiple business trips, making it impossible for them to each other. At first, their time together was a passionate, sensual whirlwind. He took her out on elaborate dates, always brought her flowers, and made her feel like a princess. These days, it felt like life kept getting in the way of all that.

  Seeing him tonight in his tailored suit and tie under the restaurant’s dim, romantic lighting made all of her frustration feel like a distant memory. The only thing that mattered in the world was her time with him now. He placed his hand over hers on the table, and flashed her a bright smile as he pulled a small box out of his inner pocket with his other hand. Was he going to propose? Was he ready to take the next step? She didn’t want to get her hopes up, but with the nice restaurant, the mood, and the box...it was hard to imagine what else could be happening.

  “Oh, Jared,” she said, her voice almost a whisper.

  She always wondered how she would react during moments like these. Would she burst into happy tears? Would she giggle with excitement? Would she accept his proposal right away? Would she give it some thought and make him wait for an answer? As those thoughts jumbled her brain, she didn’t notice the woman approaching their table.

  “Jared? What are you doing here? You said you were on a business trip,” the tall, blonde woman said as her gaze slid toward Olivia as if she just noticed there was another person sitting at the table. She sipped from a glass of red wine.

  Business trip? He told her he was on a business trip? Olivia’s heart sank into the pit of her stomach. She tried to hold back the gut-wrenching despair threatening to consume her, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. Were all the times he’d told her he was away on a business trip a lie too?

  “Missy, I can explain. The trip was canceled at the last minute. This is a friend from work. We were about to flesh out the details of next week’s audit,” Jared stammered, shooting Olivia a hard glare. He tucked the box back into his pocket and picked up the menu. “I’ll see you at home, dear. If you would, I’d like to return to my dinner.”

  Missy shook her head and let out a burst of high-pitched, slightly hysterical laughter. It attracted stares from almost every other diner in the restaurant. Redness stained her cheeks, and she shook her head violently. “You bastard. No, you’re coming home right now.” She looked Olivia straight in the eye as she tossed the red wine into her face, instantly staining the red dress Olivia had worn to try to impress Jared.

  Gasping, Olivia nearly knocked over her chair when she staggered to her feet, looking down at her dress in horror. Who was this woman, and what was she doing here? He called her ‘dear’. He never called Olivia pet names like that. Does Jared have more than one girlfriend? Nothing was making sense, and she wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. Jared grimaced and looked between her and Missy. He stood and flagged over a waiter.

  “Napkins, please,” Jared sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose as if this was starting to become tedious to him.

  Missy didn’t look away from staring dangers at Olivia, despite the chaos surrounding them. She slowly shook her head. “You still have no idea what’s going on, do you? You’re not really his coworker. We both know that. You are just the latest toy for my husband to use for his own pleasure. I bet he was great at first. Luring you in like you’re really something special. Get this through your thick skull, girl. You’re not.” She slammed her wine glass down on the table and turned on her stiletto heel with her nose held high in the air.

  Olivia couldn’t move; she felt completely frozen in place. She barely noticed Jared pressing a handful of napkins in her hand as he jogged after his wife.

  A waitress came over after a few moments. She gently led Olivia to the bathroom, but she could not feel her touch.. Right now, she felt numb. How could she be such a fool? Her heart ached, and tears slid from her eyes. Her dress was ruined, and make-up streaked down her face. She finally came back to her senses enough to thank the waitress and clean up as much as she could before leaving the restaurant.

  She kept her gaze low as she walked through the hushed tables of patrons, not wanting to meet anyone’s eyes. It was obvious how the whole thing looked, but she was not that kind of girl. She would have never done any of this if she knew he was in a relationship. Thankfully, Jared at least paid for what little they had
enjoyed before making his escape.

  * * *

  Olivia curled up into a ball on the couch as she continued to binge whatever sappy Lifetime movies appeared on the screen in front of her. An empty bowl of ice cream and a pizza box sat before her on the coffee table. It was a Friday night, and instead of being out with “her man”, she was laying in front of the television with a stomach full of comfort food. She had a feeling her stomach wouldn’t be so comforted later on in the night.

  She thought about calling one of her friends to tell them about what happened with Jared, but none of them ever liked him in the first place.. They were suspicious of his disappearing acts and big romantic gestures, and Olivia feared they would give her a bunch of ‘I told you so’s’. That was the last thing she needed to hear.

  The worst part about the whole mess was that she still had her phone beside her on the couch on max volume in case Jared contacted her. Would he call and explain what happened? Was it all some sort of misunderstanding? Maybe the woman was a clingy ex? But she doubted that. From the look on Jared’s face, and the way the woman talked to her, it was like a nightmare come true. She was just too blind to see it before the bomb exploded in front of her.

  Olivia massaged her temples and sipped on a glass of chardonnay. A migraine loomed on the horizon, but maybe the alcohol would dull the pain long enough for her to fall asleep. Her eyelids were starting to droop a little during a commercial break. Why did she still have cable TV? Most of these movies, or at least other romantic movie options, were available on Netflix or one of the many other streaming services. But she couldn’t quite overcome the nervousness she felt about cord-cutting. One of these days she would take the plunge.

  The first commercial was an advertisement for an adult store website. Maybe she did not need a boyfriend. Maybe she would be better off without any man. Up next was a commercial for Prince Dating Agency. An ad for a sex store and then a dating agency? Seriously? Who was lining up these commercial slots? She grabbed the remote to turn off the television in disgust. The women who watched these sappy movies were probably vulnerable and recovering from similar situations to hers. Advertisers were vultures trying to prey on women like her.