Claiming Shayla, Book 6

by Zena Wynn

  He laid her gently on the bed and came down behind her, curling his body protectively around her own.

  “What the hell did you do?” she asked through teeth that chattered.

  “Forced a change,” he murmured, more interested in getting her warm than conversing.

  “How?”

  “I’m alpha. It’s one of the perks.” He chafed her skin, rubbing her arms and legs to get the blood circulating. Forced changes were painful and not something he liked to do.

  “And the thought projection thingy?”

  He had to think about that one for a minute before he understood. “It’s how we communicate in shifted form.”

  “So when I shift, everyone can hear my thoughts?” She sounded a bit horrified by the idea. He couldn’t help but smile.

  “No, only when you project them.”

  “Sooo…you couldn’t hear what I was thinking earlier?”

  He fell silent. While he hadn’t heard actual thoughts, through their still developing mate bond he could feel what she was feeling and had a pretty good idea of the thoughts rolling through her head. But he wasn’t about to tell her that. With Shay he needed every advantage he could get. No doubt, the woman kept him on his toes. She was constantly testing him, keeping him off balance. He never knew what to expect next.

  If his ma had challenged Da the way Shay had him, instead of bending over backward trying to please the man, maybe she would have gained his respect—and love. Rory froze at the disloyal thought.

  Shay rolled over. “Before you get angry again, most of that wasn’t me. It was her,” she defensively denied.

  Rory blinked. “Huh? What?”

  “Uh, never mind. What were you thinking about? That’s a strange expression on your face.” She studied him intently.

  “My parents.”

  “Oh.” She looked like she wanted to say something, but thought better of it. Shay, holding back?

  “What?” he asked again, this time suspiciously.

  “Nothing.”

  “Don’t give me that. That’s woman code for ‘beg me long enough and I’ll finally spit out what I was dying to say all along,’” he grumbled, glaring at her.

  “Fine,” she bit out. “Shannon told me about your parents, and what I don’t understand is how they ever hooked up to begin with. They sound totally mismatched. I mean, here’s Shannon telling me how you guys value and respect strength, and there’s your mother barely able to stand up to your father. What was the attraction? And how’d she end up pregnant? Can’t you guys tell when someone’s in heat? Don’t condoms work for shifters like they do humans? And who the hell told them to get married? Statistics show that marriages that begin because of an unplanned pregnancy rarely work and end up making all parties miserable, even the children.” Shay’s eyes rounded, and her mouth snapped shut. She laid a hesitant hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. That’s none of my business. I didn’t mean to criticize.”

  He stared at her, not saying anything while his mind raced. Shay brought up things he’d never considered. Silently he rolled off the bed, went into the bathroom, and began filling the tub with water. He’d always known his father took his mother as mate because it was the only way to claim him. In the shifter world, the only way for a father to claim his pup was to mark the mother as his mate. Bastard sons weren’t recognized by the pack and couldn’t inherit, no matter how exalted his parentage. And above all Rory’s father had wanted an heir to succeed him.

  But for the first time Rory wondered just how his mother had ended up pregnant. He knew Shannon had and quite a few of the pack still believed him to be infertile, but the truth was he stayed well clear of any female bearing the slightest whiff of being in heat. With his sensitive nose, he could always tell. It simply wasn’t possible to trap a shifter male through unplanned pregnancy, which, coupled with their immunity to most diseases, was why they didn’t use birth control. All pregnancies were planned and highly anticipated by both parties.

  “Rory?”

  Shay’s feelings blasted through the mate bond, the strongest he’d ever felt them outside of when they’d both been in wolf form. She thought she’d offended him or hurt his feelings and wasn’t sure how to approach him.

  “Come get in the tub, Shay,” he said as he reached down to turn off the faucet.

  “Rory,” she said his name again, standing hesitantly in the doorway. “I…”

  His beast became agitated. His mate was unsettled, uneasy, and he was the cause. It was unacceptable.

  Rory crossed over to Shay and kissed her lingeringly. When he finished, his penis prodded her tender belly. “It’s okay. I’m okay. I’m simply thinking, and you’re bruised and sore. Come get into the tub.”

  He caught her by the hand and led her over to it. Casting her a sweeping glance that noted every mar and red spot, he added Epsom salts to the water before lifting her by the waist and into the tub.

  She hissed, and her nails dug into his forearms. “It’s hot,” she complained, looking ready to climb back out.

  “It will feel good once you adjust,” he informed her as he stepped into the oversize claw-foot bathtub behind her, arm outstretched to prevent her from escaping.

  He settled against the back of the tub, one hand gripping her ankle. When she made no move to sit, he gave a jab to the bends in her knees and caught her as she fell, shrieking and cussing a blue streak. He maneuvered her into the V of his thighs and held her securely by the waist until she quit fighting.

  He was ready to hold her head under water before she finally ceased acting like a cat thrown in the bath. She gave a great big huff and, relaxing against his chest, sarcastically asked, “Happy now?”

  He merely grunted. She’d splashed out a great deal of the water. With his foot he nudged the hot water spigot, much to his mate’s dismay. She drew her legs up to her chest and turned sideways on his lap to escape the encroaching heat, squealing.

  He sighed deeply. “You are such a girlie girl.”

  Shay growled and sank her teeth into his chest.

  Grinning because he knew it would infuriate her, he said, “I know you want my cock, but you can’t have it until some of these wounds heal.”

  As she was sputtering, he abruptly slid down, leg extended to turn off the faucet. Shay gasped and clutched him around the neck. Rory’s grin grew as he chuckled aloud.

  “Evil bastard,” Shay muttered into his throat.

  “Your evil bastard,” he agreed, running soothing hands over her body.

  “Hmph.”

  After a few minutes she finally stretched out and relaxed with her body lying on his, her head on his shoulder. Rory closed his eyes, enjoying the soothing heat and his mate’s nearness. Warm, moist air filled the room like a sauna.

  He thought Shay was asleep before her voice broke the quiet. “What were you thinking about earlier?”

  Once again his mind plunged back into the past. “My parents,” he murmured. “Their story doesn’t make sense. I never really thought about it before. Simply believed what I was told.”

  “By whom?”

  As Rory reflected, he realized no one had ever told him how his parents ended up together. What he knew was speculation and conjecture gleaned from comments made over the years. “Random comments,” he admitted. “I thought I knew, but now I’m not so sure.”

  Shay tilted her head, and he could feel the weight of her stare. Looking down, he met her concerned gaze. “Does it really matter? You’re not your father, and I’m nothing like your mother. Besides, they’re both gone now. Their answers died with them.”

  No, it shouldn’t matter, Rory thought to himself, but somehow it did. His thoughts fragmented when Shay rose and straddled him, reaching for the soap. Her slit nestled right along his cock, and he had to remind himself that now was not the time. Shay was hurting and weak from her first shift, which she’d handled like a pro. He’d have to warn her about the dangers of giving her wolf too much control.

  “Let me.
” He took the bar from her and lathered his hands. Though he wasn’t able to do as his libido demanded, he could still satisfy his need to touch.

  “I can…” she sputtered, reaching for the soap.

  “Shay.” That’s all he said, and she instantly subsided. Good. She was learning.

  He washed her from head to toe, and every luscious inch in between, making no attempt to keep his actions practical and impersonal. He desired her and wanted her to know, so he stroked and fingered and lingered until she cried out her release. Satiated, her body went limp, and she fell into his waiting arms.

  Rory hauled her out of the water, dried her quickly, and tucked her into bed. She’d expended a lot of energy. A nap to recharge and food to refuel were in order. While she slept, he’d handle the food part of the equation.

  * * * *

  Someone poked her—repeatedly.

  “Get up! You’re in the alpha’s bed. He doesn’t let anyone sleep here but himself,” the female hissed.

  Tired, still more asleep than awake, Shay rolled away from the irritant.

  The poking commenced again. “Move it! You have to leave.”

  Shay opened bleary eyes to find a young, petite, obviously fake blonde with dark brown eyes and naturally olive-toned skin leaning over her. She hated blondes, even dyed blondes, she mused. Especially ones that looked like this one, all cute and perky, even when she had a fierce frown on her face. With her hair in a high, bobbing ponytail, she looked like an escapee from summer cheerleading camp.

  Never at her best when first awakened, Shay snarled, “What is your problem?” Then, as her vision cleared and she got a better look, she added, “And where the hell are your clothes?” Damn, she did not need proof that Skipper’s blonde hair was dyed.

  Skipper frowned. Before she could answer, Rory spoke from the doorway. “Ashley, what are you doing here?”

  Ashley? It figures. A cutesy name for a cutesy girl.

  Ashley immediately dropped to her knees and, after crawling over to where Rory stood, rubbed her nude, nubile young body on his leg. “I came to clean, alpha,” she stated softly, her hands rising to clutch Rory’s upper thigh.

  Shay’s eyes narrowed at the location of said hands and found herself watching in angry disbelief as Rory patted the woman on the head as one would a puppy. “You should have been instructed not to come. Go home. Caleb will inform you when it’s time to return,” he said in a gentle tone of voice.

  “Yes, alpha,” she responded meekly. Ashley rose to her feet, managing to rub the entire length of her body against Rory’s in the process. As she turned to leave the room, she made certain her pebbled breast brushed his equally bare chest. The only reason Shay was still lying in bed and not tossing the bitch out on her ass was because although she could smell the chick’s lust from where she sat, she knew Rory barely noticed. His focus was on Shay.

  When she stepped past him, her trailing hand lightly brushed the front of his zippered jeans. Oh. Hell. No. Did that bitch just cop a feel? And had he allowed it? Shay heard growling and realized it was coming from her.

  “Since you’re awake, are you ready to eat? Breakfast is almost done. Everything’s finished but the eggs,” he asked.

  “She touched you.”

  “What?” From his expression it was evident he didn’t know what she was talking about.

  “That bitch. She rubbed all over you like a cat,” she expounded since he seemed to be clueless.

  “Ashley? She’s just a child.” He shrugged dismissively. “It didn’t mean anything. I’m her alpha. She’s a shifter. It’s what we do. Get dressed and come downstairs. You need to eat.” He turned and left the room.

  That easily, he dismissed her concern. Shay stared at the spot where he’d stood, face blank, mind racing. How Rory could have missed the smell of Ashley’s desire, she didn’t know, unless as Shannon had stated, he was so used to women throwing themselves at him it no longer registered. According to Shannon, he’d slept with half the women of the pack already. Ms. Young Thing obviously wanted to be included on that list.

  At least he’d never brought them to this bed. That’s what some women would be thinking. Shayla wasn’t inclined to be as generous. The man was a dog, and the problem with having a dog was that you never knew when you’d step in leftover shit.

  Despite her ever-increasing hunger, Shayla sat on the side of the bed pondering her situation. She was mated to and pregnant by a man she was sure she would eventually come to love, but…

  She sighed. Mated didn’t mean married. According to Kiesha and Mary Elizabeth, the true mate bond was more binding than marriage vows and more permanent than a marriage certificate. She’d thought it must be true when, just two nights ago, Rory’d declared, “I won’t let you go. You’re mine.” But twenty-four hours later he’d shown his statement for the lie it was by trying to get rid of her.

  Where was the security or permanence in that?

  She thought about her parents’ relationship. Her mother was a geek of the highest order. Not only that, she was manipulative and controlling. But her dad loved her. Thought the sun rose and set on her mother. That didn’t mean he took her shit. He put his foot down when necessary, and her mother allowed it because she knew, to the depths of her soul, that there was nothing Shay’s father wouldn’t do for her. They were in it for the long haul.

  Shay wanted the same thing for herself even though she doubted she’d ever find it. Men like her father were rare. Then along came Rory and this true mates crap and for a while, Shay had allowed herself to believe.

  “He loves you, Shay,” Shannon had told her. So had Conor. But was it love?

  Maybe Rory did love her. But was he committed to her the way Alex was to Kiesha and Hugh to Mary Elizabeth? That’s what she needed to find out.

  * * * *

  Ashley eased down the stairs and stood quietly at the bottom, out of sight but listening. As soon as she heard Rory heading her way, she crept out the back door, shifted seamlessly to wolf, and took off running. Cutting through the backyard, she entered the woods and kept running full-out until she reached her destination.

  Taking a moment to catch her breath, she made sure she wasn’t seen before approaching the door. The knob pushed down under the weight of her paw, and the door opened easily.

  “Well?” he asked, one brow lifted expectantly.

  She changed back to her human form and pushed the door closed with her foot before walking over to where he stood, a cup of coffee cradled in his hands. “The rumors are true. The human female was in his bed.”

  He studied her, his gaze dropping to her taut nipples before flicking back to her face. “Did Rory see you?”

  Ashley slowly glided her wet tongue around her lips, smiling inwardly as his eyes followed. “He caught me in his room.”

  His gaze sharpened. “Did he suspect?”

  “No, alpha. I told him I was there to clean. He believed me.” She shifted her balance from one leg to the other, and the scent of her arousal rose. His nostrils flared.

  “You did good. Ready for your reward?”

  “Oh yes,” she moaned.

  “Get on the table. Let me see how ready you are.”

  Ashley stepped backward until the edge of the table hit the back of her thighs. She hopped on top and scooted so that she was no longer balanced on its rim, then lowered her body to its surface. Slowly, teasingly, she drew her knees up, exposing her needy snatch.

  “My, you are ready.” He rubbed his cock from balls to head as his gaze centered on her slit. “Hungry for me, my sweet?”

  “Yes, alpha.” She reached a hand between her legs and parted her nether lips enticingly.

  “Is that where you want me?” His hand continued its stroking. “Does your greedy little pussy want my big, thick cock?”

  He was big, and thick. His penis slanted up at the tip, capable of doing magnificent things when plunged inside her body. “Please,” she responded, ready to beg.

  “You want me t
o ram this thick piece of meat into your sopping pussy, don’t you? Look how wet you are for me. I’m the only one that knows how to fuck this cunt properly, give it to you nasty, the way you like, aren’t I?”

  “Yes, alpha. Just you. Give it to me, please.”

  He approached where she lay and ran his finger down her center from clit to anus. She arched into it with a hiss. “You are needy, aren’t you? Here, let me give you what you want.”

  Lining the bulbous head with her opening, he rammed it inside, not stopping until he was fully embedded. She let out a keening cry at the delicious pleasure-pain of it. “You like that, don’t you? Take more.”

  He withdrew and slammed home again, and again, until he was pounding inside her. It still wasn’t enough. He lifted her legs and instantly went an inch deeper.

  “Harder. Fuck me harder, please,” she demanded.

  He gave her what she asked for, plunging rapidly inside her with the full force of his body. Ashley screamed and clawed the table as she came. He kept battering at her, wringing out another orgasm.

  As she came down from her high, she felt his body tense as his cock expanded. “Pull out,” she quickly reminded.

  Another two pumps of his hips and then he pulled away, shooting his seed on the floor. She rose onto her elbows. “Did you get any cum inside of me?” They couldn’t afford for his scent to be recognized on her.

  He stood there shuddering as he jerked on his erection, loosing the last of his release. Gazing at her through slitted eyes, he admitted, “I’m not sure. But just to be on the safe side…” He went to his knees and buried his face in her cunt.

  * * * *

  Shay clumped down the stairs sporting a red T-shirt and red and black cammies, mind still troubled. If their relationship was to work, Rory would have to learn not to disregard her insights and to respect her opinions. Simply because she was a novice at being a shifter didn’t make her an imbecile. She was highly intelligent and had good instincts. She knew what she saw and what she smelled. Ashley’s actions weren’t simply that of one shifter seeking ordinary affection from another.

  Shay had watched enough nature documentaries to know that wolves in the wild often rubbed against other pack members for affection, belonging, and as a means of identification. Pack had a smell. What she’d seen was none of that.