Prideless
Page 1
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Epilogue
PRIDELESS
Copper Creek Pack Series
Max & Shelly
Kasey Belle
Copyright © 2015
Paranormal, Lion Shapeshifter, Military Heroes Romance, MF, HEA
Retired Force Recon Marine Max Granger is not your typical alpha lion shifter. He does not want a mate, his own pride, or territory, because experience taught him the easiest way to conquer a Pride, is to kill the alpha mate. It’s a lesson he doesn’t want to relive.
He may prefer his loner lifestyle, but when Max’s only friend, Copper Creek Pack enforcer and former Navy SEAL Kell Creed asks Max to help watch over a teammate’s widow, Fiona and daughter, Emma Grace. It's a favor he can’t refuse.
When the favor leads him to his destined mate, Fiona’s best friend, Shelly, Max is forced to rethink his self-imposed exile. Can he let go of his tragic past and embrace his future, a happily ever after with Shelly?
Will Max’s shy, innocent, human mate accept him once she learns he’s an alpha lion shifter who will never lead a Pride?
NOTE: This book, originally published as Max & Shelly: a novella, is a prequel to Their Cajun Queen, Copper Creek Pack Series, Book 1. It can be read before or after book one. 2500 words added to the original publication. This book contains graphic sex, adult content and language. It is intended for mature audiences over 18.
Thank you for not sharing your copy of this book. Your purchase allows you one legal copy for your own personal reading pleasure on your personal computer or other electronic device. All rights reserved. With exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without permission from the author. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior permission of the publisher and copyright owner of the book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to any file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of U.S. Copyright Law. Distribution of this-e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden.
If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer or electronic device.
If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Thank you for respecting my work.
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
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Prideless
Max & Shelly
A Copper Creek Pack Prequel Book 1
Text Copyright © 2015 Kasey Belle
First E-book Publication: December 2015 (Max & Shelly: A Copper Creek Prequel Novella)
Second E-book Publication: February 2016
Cover and art copyright © 2015 Anna Josey
Digital Formatting by Kasey Belle
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Dedication
To my family, friends, FB friends, authors, and readers, thank you for your constant encouragement and support. Without you, I would not be, Kasey Belle, Independent Author. You will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Acknowledgements
Thank you beta readers, Angie, Kandi, Cathy, and Keith. I could not do this without your eyes. They catch more mistakes than mine. Your support and honesty means everything to me. Angie I hope to see you in Vegas one day soon. Kandi I’ll see you at RT! Cathy I’ll stop by your ‘cubicle in hell’ and say hi. Keith I’ll see you bed.
To the active duty soldiers, veterans, future soldiers, and the families that love and support them, thank you.
Thank you to the people and city of New Orleans. I took some creative license with your great city, again, to make it work for my story. New Orleans holds a very special place in my heart. I grew up about an hour from NOLA and there is nothing like her heritage, beauty, diversity, and culinary excellence. My husband and I love to disappear within her borders for romantic getaways. I have had some great times and great memories. I have also had some great times with absolutely no idea what I did, where I went, or if it was legal. I just know it was fun, no mug shots were taken, and no bail was required.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Epilogue
Thank You!
About The Author
Other Works
Coming Soon!
And then my soul saw you,
and it kind of went
“Oh there you are. I’ve
been looking for you.”
-Unknown-
For my soul mate, I love you.
Prologue
Present Day
Christmas 2015
Copper Creek, TX
Shelly gazed down at the sweet little bundle in her arms. Lilian Rose would be six weeks old tomorrow, and it still amazed her that she and Max created this perfect little girl. She caressed Lily’s soft round cheek as she nursed. She smiled at the little sucking and humming “yummy” sounds Lily made as she ate. Lily Rose acted as if no one ever fed her, the way she gulped the milk down. Every feeding was the same, whether Lily was waiting two seconds for boob or five minutes for a bottle, she would fuss at Shelly for not moving fast enough. When Lily finally had a nipple in her mouth, she would close her eyes, clench up her little fists, and eat until she passed out. She was a little piglet, for sure.
The Christmas tree caught her attention again. The eight foot natural, fur stood to the right of the fireplace, nestled into a corner. She studied ornament, Fiona and Emma Grace brought over this morning for Princess Lily, as Emma Grace called her, hung front and center. The silver tiara adorned at the peaks with opal and tourmaline stones was large enough to fit Lily’s head. An engraved wide band, of smooth, polished silver, made up the base and read “Princess Lily Rose, Baby’s 1st Christmas, 2015.” According to Emma Grace, every princess needed a crown. E.G. explained, in dramatic fashion, how she picked out the ornament “forever ago” and w
as so happy to finally not have to keep that secret anymore, because it had been killing her. Shelly couldn’t wait to show it to Max. He would love it.
She studied the tree with a critical eye. Shelly wasn’t sure she liked where the recent addition to their ornament collection hung. Max teased her, often, about her proper ornament placement issues. He accused her of having OCD, Obsessive Christmas Disorder. She tried to explain to him why you couldn’t have two similar ornaments together or more of a particular color on one side than the other, but he didn’t get it. Men! She giggled, as she thought back to when he witnessed firsthand her “disorder” was nowhere near as bad as Fiona’s was.
Their first Christmas together, Max teased her relentlessly about how long she took to place a few ornaments on a tree. A few days later, when Shelly was still adjusting it here and there, because it wasn’t perfect, he offered to draw schematics before the next season, so she could get it right the first time. Shelly laughed and told him if she wanted schematics, she would have asked Fiona. He assumed she was making it up when she explained Fiona’s tree mapping system, until he witnessed that madness for himself. Every year, Fiona spent a week drawing her tree diagram using rulers and graph paper, strategically mapping out every strand of white lights and every ornament to ensure perfect placement. Each Christmas, there was a new diagram, to account for ornaments purchased over the course of the year. At least Shelly could put the colored lights Max loved on her tree, without breaking out in hives.
This Christmas would be extra special, not only because it was their first Christmas with Lily, but also, because of everything that had happened over the past year. Fiona had moved past her grief and was now happily mated to Declan and Cade. Emma Grace had two daddies and a best friend doting on her, spoiling her rotten. Max had his own tattoo shop, a new apprentice, and he fit in better here, then he ever had in New Orleans or with the St. Pierre Pride. She and Fiona were raising their children together. Their family of choice surrounded them.
Never in a million years, could Shelly have imagined they would leave New Orleans for Texas, but she thanked the Fates every day for leading them here. Shelly knew if anything ever happened to her and Max, Fiona and Copper Creek Pack would always take care of Lily Rose. Lily would never face foster care, never be afraid or alone, and would always know love. It was more than Shelly could have ever dreamed.
“You are more than I could have ever dreamed.”
Shelly almost jumped out of her skin when Max spoke. She was so lost in thought she hadn’t heard him come through the door. She looked over to see Max leaning against the archway that separated the living area and the foyer. Shelly would never grow tired of the love and devotion that shone in his eyes when he looked at her.
“That’s good because I will never grow tired of looking at you or loving you.”
She narrowed her eyes and scowled at him. “Get out of my head, Max.”
He chuckled. “I’m not in your head, Mate. You are projecting.”
“Whatever.”
He smiled and walked towards her. Walked wasn’t an accurate description. Max moved with easy confidence, stalking his prize like a predatory animal. She ran her gaze over his toned, muscular body. Mmm, she wanted to lick him. She eyed his crotch and the outline of his hard cock behind his zipper confirmed they were on the same page, horny and frustrated as hell.
He leaned over and kissed Lily on her little baldhead. “Hello, sweet angel. Daddy missed you.”
He sat next to Shelly and lifted both of them onto his lap. He caressed her cheek. “Hello Doll, I missed you today, too.” He kissed her. She loved his kisses, slow, fast, reverent, or ravaging, she loved them all. She particularly loved ones like this one. They started out slow, gentle caresses of his lips against hers, dipping his tongue in her mouth for brief tastes, and then retreating. Nothing was hotter than when his barely leashed control snapped, and the beast inside him took over, like right now. That she caused this reaction in him was empowering. He never hid the animal that made up the other half of his soul, and right now, she wanted to experience the raw all-consuming need that lived inside him. He growled and buried his fingers in her hair, gripping the strands, and tugging on it the way she liked. Max ended the kiss the moment milk leaked from her unoccupied breast. Breathing heavily, he touched his forehead to hers and ran his hand over Lily’s head, who was still nursing, as if nothing had happened.
“She’s okay right? I didn’t mean to get so carried away. You undo me, Mate.”
“She’s fine. I doubt she’d notice a little extra milk. She’s a pig.”
Max smiled and his chest puffed out like the proud father he was, acting as if her milk consumption was an amazing feat. “She’s not a pig, she’s a hearty eater. She gets that from me.”
Lily squirmed and fuss. Shelly moved her to her shoulder just as Lily wailed.
“What’s wrong with her? You said she was fine?”
“Like I said, she’s a pig. She ate too fast and has a little bubble in her tummy.”
“I hate when she cries like that.”
Her big, strong, alpha diminished to a pile of worry by the cries of a tiny little girl. Just another reason she loved him. Lily let out a loud adult-sized burp. “She gets that from you, too.”
“Ha. Ha.”
Shelly noticed he didn’t deny it.
“Is she done?”
“She is.”
Max took Lily and cradled her to his chest. She stared up at Max with bright, amber eyes that matched her daddy’s. This was in the top three of Shelly’s favorite parts of the day. Every evening, when Max came home from work, he would sit on the couch, hold Lily, and talk to her, while she stared lovingly at him from the safety of his arms.
“I love you, Max.”
“I love you too, Doll.” Lily fussed at him. Letting them both know she felt left out. “Hey now, I didn’t forget about you.” He kissed her pudgy cheek. “I love you too, Angel.”
It didn’t take long for Lily to fall asleep. Shelly suggested Max put her in her cradle, but he refused. He said she was fine where she was, if she wanted to sleep in her cradle, she would have told him. Shelly rolled her eyes, but didn’t point out the obvious fact, Lily was six-weeks old and couldn’t talk.
He nodded towards the tree. “That’s new.”
“Fiona and Emma Grace brought it by earlier. E.G. said, she picked it out all by herself.”
“She did? It’s perfect.” Max looked at her and arched his eyebrow. “You’re thinking about moving it, aren’t you?”
“Maybe.”
“Can’t confirm nor deny?”
She shrugged.
“Seek help, if not for me, do it for our daughter.”
She swatted his shoulder.
“Hey, baby in my arms.” He kissed the tip of Shelly’s nose. “Seriously, it looks great, right where it is. Everyone can see it.”
They sat in silence for a while, her head on Max’s shoulder and Lily in his arms. She shivered and reached for the throw on the back of the couch. Max stopped her.
“You hold the princess, and I’ll build us a fire.” Max gave her a quick hard kiss on the lips before laying Emma Grace in her arms.
“Oh, that sounds nice. I wanted to build one earlier.” She pointed at the scowl on his face. “That, that right there is why I didn’t. I didn’t want you to get all butt hurt about it.”
He growled making her smile. He thought he was scary when he did that, well he was, just not to her.
“There would have been hell to pay, if you had.”
“Oh yeah? What would the big, bad, scary lion have done?”
She laughed at the indignant expression on his face.
He put his hand to his chest trying to look wounded by her words. “You know. You could pretend that I’m in charge. It hurts my lion’s feelings when you act like he’s as scary as a house cat.”
She rolled her eyes and placed a placating hand on his forearm. “Oh Max, if you wanted me to be scar
ed of you, you never should have been so kind when I eye-fucked you on Fiona’s porch.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“Oh, and you never should have saved me from the big, scary chupacabra.”
He eyes danced with humor and his lips twitched as he fought a smile. He pointed a stern finger at her. “You are a brat, and I think, you need a spanking.”
Cream leaked from her pussy at the thought of him turning her over his knee. He sniffed the air, his eyes glowed amber, and low rumble came from his chest. He nuzzled her neck. “You like that idea, do you, Mate?” He licked and nipped at a mating mark causing her pussy to tremor. Her body hummed with arousal. Any more and she would come.
Damn it! Her let-down reflex was super sensitive, and milk leaked from her breasts, again. She was constantly changing her shirt and panties around him.
“I told you to stop wearing them. I like you better without them.”
“The shirt or the panties?”
“Both.” He kissed her neck one last time. “Why don’t you go put her in bed while I start the fire? Then, when you come back, I’ll take care of you?” He leered at her breasts. “Don’t worry about cleaning up. I’ll take care of that, too.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “No shirt, no panties, in fact, no clothes. You have five minutes.”
“Max, I don’t go back for my check-up for two weeks. We can’t do anything.”
“We can’t have sex, but there are a lot of other ways for me to pleasure you. Five minutes, Doll.”
Excitement lit her veins, oh how she missed him. He helped her up from the couch. She yelped when he swatted her ass as she moved past him. She giggled as she rushed from the room.
****
Max smiled, as he watched his mate rush from the room. He loved her so goddamn much. She was his world and just when he thought he couldn’t love her more; she would do or say something that would cause the feeling to grow. He loved it when she gave him a hard time and didn’t put up with his shit. She had grown so much in the almost four years they had been together. Oh, she was still sweet, blushed easily, her natural innocence was still intact, but she wasn’t as shy as she used to be. She had no problem expressing her desires or her dislikes. Over the past few years, he had the pleasure of watching her grow and gain confidence. She was happier and more relaxed. He liked to think it was because of him, his love for her, and their bond as mates, but that was only part of it. It wasn’t until they moved to Copper Creek, he saw the biggest change. A small part of it was being away from all the memories and the places that reminded her of all she lost as a child. Part of it was because she was a mother, and her instincts had kicked in. However, the biggest catalyst was Fiona, and her newfound happiness. Fiona moving on with her life and her mates freed Shelly, to move on with hers. Fiona didn’t hold Shelly back; no Shelly did that on her own. He never brought it up because Shelly would have denied it. Then, she would feel guilty when she finally admitted, to herself, it was true. Shelly was a nurturer by nature, and her instinct was to shield and protect those she loved, even from themselves. Fiona and Emma Grace had been at the top of that list for years, but no longer, that job now fell to Declan and Cade. No longer plagued by constant worry for her best friend, Shelly’s eyes now shined only with peace, love and joy.