Ella and Her Shifters: A Reverse Harem Shifter Romance (Once Upon A Shifter Book 1)

by Aria Winter

  “What is wrong?” Cash gives me a panicked look. “Why are—”

  He stops as he stares down at Finn’s hand, stained red with the blood that has seeped through the back of my dress.

  Finn’s gaze hardens. “Who did this to you?”

  I shake my head. “It’s all right. I’m used to it.”

  “Who hurt you, Ella?” Cash demands, his eyes full of fiery rage. “Tell me.”

  Ashamed, I lower my head, afraid to see their reactions. “My stepmother. But it’s all right. I’ll be fine.”

  “Cash, go back to the garden,” Finn directs. “I saw some tavan there. We can use it to make a poultice.”

  When Cash leaves, Finn grabs my hand, ushering me back to the bed where he was lying not long ago himself. As I sit, I think on how strange it is that our roles have reversed so quickly.

  His eyes are full of sadness as he kneels beside me. “I need to cleanse your wounds.”

  “I can do it,” I offer. After all, I’ve had much practice over the past few years having to take care of them myself without aid.

  “Please, Ella. Will you allow me to, at least, assess your injuries?”

  Normally, I’d be too shy to allow him to touch me. Especially since I’ve never been touched by any man before. I don’t know why, but I instinctively trust Cash and Finn. After all, they jumped in front of me when the wolf came, shielding me from the attack.

  I nod, and he carefully unfastens the top half of my dress. He inhales sharply as it falls away from my shoulders, revealing my wounds.

  Chapter 3

  Finn

  My heart clenches as I stare down at her back. Blood seeps from her many wounds. But even more disturbing are the crisscross patterns of old scars beneath them, suggesting this is not the first time she’s been hurt in this way.

  “Ella?” I clench my fists as I try to hold back the rage that I feel toward her stepmother. “How many times has she done this to you?”

  She sniffles and looks away, as if ashamed. “It’s only when I make her mad. She only does five lashes now. She used to do ten in the beginning, but she knows that takes too long to heal. As it is, I’ll be unable to work for the next few days.”

  “And who takes care of you while you recover?”

  She bites her lips and then swallows back a sob. “No one.”

  Tears sting my eyes as I think about all she has suffered, and I struggle to blink them back. She turns to me and grabs my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

  “I’m all right, Finn. I’ve had worse. I’ll be fine.”

  Her blue eyes hold mine, bright with tears, as I place my hand over hers. Despite her pain, she tries to reassure me. She is strong, and I have never admired anyone as much as I do her in this moment. The Elders did indeed choose a worthy female for us to guard. She will make a good queen. “Ella,” I breathe her name, barely managing to speak through my sadness. “Please, let me take care of you.”

  She shakes her head softly. “You don’t have to, Finn, I’ll—”

  “I want to, Ella,” I murmur. “Please, allow me to tend you.”

  After a moment, she nods. I dip a clean cloth in fresh water and drag it gently across her back to cleanse her wounds.

  A soft whimper escapes her as I carefully wipe away the blood. The lash marks are deep; I can only imagine how painful this must be for her.

  She hugs her knees to her chest as she glances over her shoulder. “Where are you from?”

  “Our people make their home deep in the forest. Our kingdom is hidden behind a veil of magic, concealing us from humans.”

  She looks out the broken window toward the estate’s forest. “How many others are there like you?”

  A grin tilts my lips. Ella is strong, I observe as she fights back her pain, distracting herself with conversation, and asking questions. “Many.”

  “How have I never seen one of you before?”

  “You probably have,” I tease, not wanting to give her all the secrets we keep from humans. She may be our future queen, but it isn’t my place to reveal everything to her. “We rarely venture out of the veil, and when we do, humans cannot tell the difference between a normal animal and a shifter.” I pause. “And when we are in our human form, we appear as one of your people.”

  She turns her head and gives me a strange look. “In the forest… I could hear your voice in my head and that of the wolf. How is that possible?”

  “Your father had the gift, did he not?”

  Her mouth drifts open, but she quickly snaps it shut and nods.

  “We were told that you have it too… that the gift was passed down through his line. When you heard me in the forest, I knew it was true.”

  A faint smile crests her lips. “All that time...” She shakes her head softly. “I thought my father was telling tales. But now I know he really was able to speak to animals.”

  “Shifters,” I correct.

  A grin tugs at her mouth. “Shifters,” she repeats in agreement.

  I continue to cleanse her skin and wonder how much permanent damage will be left behind. I’ve heard that humans value unmarked skin on their mates, and I wonder if the prince will reject her because of this.

  If only we had come sooner, we could’ve prevented all of the harm that was done to her. Why weren’t we sent to gather her as soon as her father died?

  “Not all animals are shifters,” I continue. “And there are fewer of us now compared to the olden days. It is rare for my kind to reveal themselves to yours, but I know of a few who talked with your father.”

  Her eyes widen. “Did you know my father?”

  I shake my head. “I did not know him personally, but I knew of him.”

  “And what of my mother? I was so small when she died, I don’t remember her well, but was she able to speak with your kind also?”

  My heart clenches as her face lights up when she mentions her mother. Life hasn’t been fair for our Ella. I feel as if it is our fault for not coming soon enough to protect her from the evils of the world. She had to experience the loss of not one but both of her parents, all by herself.

  I think again of the terrible marks on her back. She has been left at the mercy of a vile woman for so many years.

  “No. She did not possess the gift. Only those of your father’s line have it.”

  She frowns. “I wonder why that is.”

  In truth, I know the answer, but it is not my place to tell her. At least, not yet. I should not even have revealed myself to her this soon, but the wolf made my decision for me. As it is, Nyx and Kai are going to have my head. Me and Cash. But surely after we tell them why we did this, they’ll understand. After all, if it had been Devon with her instead of us, I’m confident he would have done the same.

  “Not all have the gift,” I offer by way of explanation. “Very few can speak with us in animal form. And even fewer can also communicate with us in our minds while we are in our human forms.”

  She looks up at me, hope filling her once again. “Am I able to?”

  I close my eyes and concentrate, sending her a message. “Can you hear me?” I project with my thoughts.

  A smile curves her lips, and her eyes sparkle as she grabs my hands. “You’re speaking in my mind?”

  I nod. “Of course.”

  “That’s amazing.”

  I am glad that I can make the moment lighter for her.

  The door jerks open. Ella jumps in shock and winces from the sudden movement. A hiss of pain escapes her as she tries to cover herself up from the intruder.

  When she realizes it’s Cash, she relaxes.

  He drops to his knees beside me. “Here,” he says, handing me the small bowl of tavan. “I’ve already made it into a poultice.”

  Relief floods me that we can finally relieve her pain. Scooping some of the mixture, I look down at Ella. “This should help you heal faster, and it will take away your pain.”

  “Thank you.”

  Cash tenderly brushes her hair
forward over her shoulder so I can apply the medicine.

  As I smooth the poultice over her injuries, a small sigh escapes her. I watch in satisfaction as her entire body slowly begins to relax even more. When I finish, I find another cloth and carefully cover her back. With the poultice, her wounds should be closed entirely by tomorrow evening. “I must bind this around you, all right?” I ask because it means I might see her exposed front.

  Judging from the deep crimson coloring of her cheeks earlier, she seems rather shy about nudity. But then again, I’ve heard that most humans are.

  “I understand.”

  At first, she covers her breasts with her hands. A pink flush creeps up her neck to her cheeks.

  “We will not hurt you,” I say, trying to reassure her we will not take advantage of her in this state. It is something we would never do.

  She nods and lowers her gaze. Her cheeks bloom a deeper shade of red as she replies, “I trust you.”

  Ella closes her eyes and then lifts her arms so I can begin wrapping the cloth around her. As she leans forward, the back of my hand brushes across her breast. The soft pink nipple turns into a hard bead at the contact, and she gasps.

  “Forgive me,” I tell her, ashamed. The last thing I want her to think is that I am behaving inappropriately. I am her guard. I would never take advantage of her, but she does not know this.

  My nostrils flare as her delicate scent grows stronger, and my brother looks to me, communicating with his thoughts. “She is attracted to us,” his voice whispers in my mind in wonder.

  “How do you know?” I project my question to him, refusing to allow myself to become hopeful.

  “Her scent. It is stronger now.”

  “Attracted to us?” I ask. “Or simply to me?” I tease him.

  He narrows his eyes at me but tips his head as if considering. “It is not unheard of for a female to mate one of her guards. It is unusual,” he adds. “But it has happened before.”

  My heart stops and the begins pounding. This beautiful female is attracted to me? Surely not. After all, I am not as handsome as Nyx or Kai. Once she sees them, she will surely forget me. Me and Cash, I think to myself.

  Which reminds me: “When are the others coming?”

  “Not until tomorrow.”

  I’m not ashamed to admit that this makes me somewhat happy. I miss my bond brothers, but I am glad Cash and I will be able to spend more time with her by ourselves until they arrive.

  Having sensed my thoughts, he arches a brow at me. “It is her destiny to marry the prince. We are her guards, and that is all we can ever be to her. Do you understand?”

  Reluctantly, I nod.

  “Once the others are here, they will explain everything to her,” he adds, and my mood turns sour. I’m not sure how she’ll take this news. She only just learned of our world. If her father had lived, she would have been introduced to it earlier, but because he did not... there is no way to ease her into it. We’ll just have to hope she does not have trouble accepting us as her guards and the truth of the prophecy.

  At least it seems that she already trusts us to keep her safe. She must already be feeling the instinctual pull of a female to her guards. It is not uncommon for the bonds of trust to forge so quickly.

  Ella’s eyes grow heavy-lidded once I finish, and she lies down on her side. “You can sleep, Ella. We will take care of you.”

  She gives me a faint smile. “Thank you, Finn. Thank you, Cash.” She yawns. “I’m so glad I met you. I would have been dead if—”

  Cash puts a finger softly to her lips. “Shhh. Do not think on it, Ella,” he murmurs. “You are safe now. We will protect you.”

  He looks at me and stands. “I am going downstairs to secure the tower. I will return shortly.”

  I nod in acknowledgment and turn my attention back to Ella.

  “You can lie down if you want,” she whispers, as her cheeks redden yet again.

  I’m definitely not going to argue or protest. I can think of nothing I want more than to lie next to Ella and bathe myself in her scent. I’ve heard that the bond between a female and her guards is strong, but I thought it would not be so until after she sealed it. It seems I was wrong.

  Something dark and primal stirs within me as I stare down at her smaller form. I would live for her; I would die for her. I would sacrifice everything. And I feel as if I’m the happiest of males simply because I am hers. Has a guard ever been paired with a more perfect female?

  I think not.

  I clench my jaw in frustration, for I understand what is already happening. It is known as the great temptation, according to the Elders who trained us. To be so intimately linked to a female, as her guard, is to bind one’s soul to hers.

  The Elders warned each of us: me, Cash, Nyx, Kai, and Devon. They told us we would be tempted to claim her as ours but that such a thing could never be. She is the Chosen One—the one foretold of in the ancient prophecy. She is fated to marry the prince. To unite our two kingdoms as they used to be before the great war and the divide that followed.

  My father told Cash and me that we were blessed to be chosen as her guards, but I did not understand at the time. I stare down at her delicate form as she sleeps. She is completely captivating with her silken golden hair spread out on the pillow beneath her, long lashes fanned across soft pink cheeks, and her perfect lips partially open in a small o.

  Yes, I would gladly sacrifice my life for Ella.

  I lie beside her. Allowing me to lie this close to her so soon... she must feel the pull of the bond, even if she does not recognize it for what it is. Instinctively, she moves closer to me as if seeking warmth and protection. Unable to resist, I carefully drape my arm over her and hold her closer against my chest.

  Her eyelids flutter and open. A pink bloom spreads across her cheeks. “I don’t normally sleep with strange men.”

  Something about her words fills me with a fierce possessiveness.

  She is mine to guard and protect. I would never allow another male this close to her—besides my bond brothers, of course. My thoughts turn to the prince, but I force myself to focus on something else, refusing to think about how she is fated to be his. I don’t want to ruin this perfect moment by imagining her in his arms as his mate.

  “Is this all right?” The last thing I want to do is cause her any discomfort.

  She smiles again, and I am completely enchanted. “Yes,” she breathes. “I... I trust you. And Cash. I don’t know how to explain it.” She reaches across and touches my cheek as her blue eyes search mine in wonder. “Even though we just met, I feel... connected to you somehow. Does that make sense?”

  Unable to help myself, I lean forward and place a soft kiss on her forehead. “I feel the same. And the more time we spend together, the stronger our bond as your guards will become. Soon, you may even be able to sense our thought speech without even having to try. It will simply come naturally.” I pause. “At least… that is how it is with a shifter female and her guards. So, I believe it will be the same for you as well.”

  She softly bites her lower lip. I reach out and brush her hair back from her face. “We will take care of you, Ella. You are safe with us. My vow.”

  I’m pleased when she nestles against me closing her eyes.

  I hold her close, relishing the feel of her in my arms.

  When Cash returns, he lies down behind her. His gaze searches mine a moment, as if asking permission. We share everything, he and I. We always have since we were young, but it is different with Ella. Never once did either of us imagine sharing a closeness like this with the same female.

  We knew as her guards we would protect her, but I can see in his eyes that, like me, he did not realize how strong this pull to her would become. I can sense his deep longing to hold her close, for his desire echoes my own. I nod, and he moves closer to her, draping his arm across her as well.

  She releases a soft sigh of contentment between us, and my heart fills with happiness at the knowledg
e that she already feels so comfortable with us both. This is good. Perhaps she will accept the rest of her guards as quickly as she seems to have accepted us.

  The sooner, the better, for danger is coming.

  That wolf shifter was only the first. Soon, I suspect there will be more. She will need all of us to protect her when that happens. For not all wish to see the prophecy come to pass. They see Ella as a threat and will do anything to keep her from her destiny.

  The prophecy states that the Chosen One will possess the ability to speak to our kind through the mind speech, as she has already done. It also states that she will have the power to heal the land. This will be the proof that she is the one foretold in the ancient texts.

  The Elders do not know what form her power will take. They only know that as it grows stronger, people will be drawn to the inner light of her magic, even if they do not recognize it for what it is.

  That must be how the wolf shifter knew where she was. He was able to sense her power. After all, it is how Cash and I located her. Her inner light is so strong that the moment we crossed the veil we were immediately drawn to the forest behind the estate. When we saw her in the clearing, we knew immediately that she was the one we’d been sent to guard.

  I think on the land surrounding the estate. It is green and full of life whereas all else beyond it is dry and nearly barren. On our journey here I noticed several fields full of withering crops. I wonder how long it has been this way in the human kingdom?

  In ours, only the past few years have been hard. Our leader—the wolf queen—has reassured us that all will be well. But rain is such a rare thing nowadays, many have begun to lose hope.

  My own family is struggling to survive on the meager harvest they gathered last fall. As my gaze drifts to Ella, I understand how important is our mission as her guards. She is destined to unite our two kingdoms and bring healing to our people and to our lands.

  Gently, I tug her closer to my chest. I clench my jaw as guilt moves through me. I wish I could tell her everything, but it is not my place. So much responsibility already rests on her shoulders and she does not even know it yet.