Feline The Love: An M/M MPreg Shifter Romance (River’s Edge Shifters Book 2)

by Lorelei M. Hart

  And still I froze.

  August understood, probably better than I did. He’d been the human. He got it. And when he took the lead, I let him.

  “I’m not into sharing,” I said, reaching around my mate’s shoulders. “It’s only you.”

  “Jase—rabbit—Jase—” he stammered.

  “My mate is a shifter.” August puffed out his chest as Jase shifted back, this time clearly aroused. Stupid bunnies and their shifting horniness.

  “No one wants to see that.” I shook my head.

  “I want to see that,” August sassed.

  “You’re a...a bunny?” Ron didn’t move. That was a good sign, right? He could’ve run away and instead he was glued to his chair.

  Or maybe he was in shock.

  What a clusterfuck.

  “I’m a shifter and my animal is a bunny and Lion is—”

  “Leo’s pet cat is a person? No. That’s just...how could he do that to him? Isn’t that like...whoa, like the rat in those books. Is he a spy?” Ron stood up, arms on my shoulders as he looked around the room. I could almost hear the wheels turning. He thought I was in danger.

  “I’m pretty sure I couldn’t fuck this up any more than I already have, so it’s on you, Leo.” August took a long sip of his tea.

  Way to throw me under the bus.

  I totally deserved it.

  “Ron...I’m Lion, just like Jase is a bunny and…”

  “Ms. Patty is a bird?” he finished for me.

  “Yeah.” I stood up, needing to be face to face with him, needing to be looking in his eyes.

  “What else?”

  “What are you asking?” I took a tiny step forward. When he didn’t move, I reached out and put my hand on his chest.

  “What else is a lie? Just the cat thing?”

  Lie. I sucked. I had lied. Maybe I didn’t say I’m just a human, nothing weird here, but omission is a lie. And I’d done it so easily, just as I’d been raised to. Humans were the threat of every story told. Ron wasn’t a threat, though. My cat recognized it instantly.

  If only I had listened.

  “Umm, yeah, isn’t that enough?” Because I had feared it would be a deal breaker.

  “So you are you except for that?” His hand reached up and cupped my cheek. “The you that makes me smile in the morning as I watch you sleep, the you that can’t cook but can get a mean carryout, the you who makes me laugh, the you that supported me when things were shit at work, the you who makes me want to come home, the you who is my home.”

  “I’m me.” My voice cracked. His words were so sweet, his acceptance so complete.

  He threw his arms around me. “And you love me.” It wasn’t a question.

  I squeezed him back. “I do—so much.” There was so much more to say on that...on all of this, but for now, that would be enough. I loved him. He loved me.

  “And nothing else...right...no big surprises?” He squished his nose, his eyes doing that thing they did when he was teasing me...the little glint that had me...well, it had me in the same predicament Jase was in.

  We needed to get out of here and give them some privacy and get us some of our own.

  “None,” I promised.

  “Thank fuck.” His lips crashed into mine, and he kissed me with so much passion it was a miracle I didn’t melt into a pile of goo right then and there. The kiss only ended when Angeline started to coo over the baby monitor. I half heard one of the guys say something about getting her.

  “I was so scared I was going to have to tell you your cat was dead.”

  “So you’re not pissed or freaked out or whatever?” Because I would’ve been all those things and more. Sitting in the chair beside him, every horrible ending to me telling him had played out...every single one of them resulting in me being alone. I’d been fine being alone, but now that I knew what it was like to truly be complete...the thought was unbearable.

  “I mean, I have questions...lots and lots of questions, but you're still you—and I love you, so isn’t that just details.” God, I loved him.

  We left the farm and went back to the home that was to be ours and talked about all things, and by the time the sun had set, everything finally felt right in my world.

  Mate.

  Except maybe for my pestering cat.

  Twenty-Two

  Ron

  “I was thinking about what you said...a lot.” I came out of the bathroom, a towel around my waist, Leo on our bed, shirt off, his hands on his already-rounded belly. When he told me babies, not baby, and then Doc confirmed it, I’d been floored, but it didn’t really sink in. Now that he was starting to show already, something Doc said would happen with this many babies, not that he said how many babies that was, it was starting to become real and I couldn’t wait.

  “I say a lot of things. Are you talking about the handcuffs? Because that was a joke...unless you don’t want it to be?” How did he think I was going to concentrate with him being all sexy like that?

  He pulled the blanket off him, his erection now exposed. He wanted me to concentrate on that.

  “The guys will be here in a couple hours,” I reminded him. “We still need to finish packing the kitchen.” Which I had officially deemed the worst job ever.

  Today was the day we would officially move into our new home. Jase, Doc, and Edison were all going to bring their trucks and help us get the furniture moved and then we would be home. I loved that word.

  It had been only a week since August told me about Leo being a shifter, and in that time, everything changed—or maybe not changed so much as started to make sense.

  Leo was mine and I was his, and it was more than just dating or even the engagement. It was on a cellular level. When he told me about the mate thing, he confessed his fear that I wouldn’t get it. Only thing was, I got it before then. He just put a name on it. He also made me feel less like a freak for wanting to bite him and leave a mark because that desire only got stronger with each knotting.

  “I want to be mated when we move in,” I blurted out. So much for my sexy seduction.

  “Mating is forever.” Leo climbed up off the bed.

  “I guess if you can’t promise me longer than that, I’ll have to accept forever.” I dropped my towel.

  Leo slowly walked into my arms, an intense look of affection and excitement peering back at me through his beautiful eyes. “Well, then, what are you waiting for?” He dropped over my body, his chest against mine as our hard cocks were pressed together.

  My mouth instantly went to his, kissing and licking him as my hands explored his body. I wanted to touch every inch of him, but I had to settle for his back and sides before sliding my fingers over his ass and pulling his cheeks apart.

  Leo was ready for me, and so was his cat. His hips rocked as he waited for me to enter him, joining our bodies in a way that would never be undone.

  My teeth closed around his lip and I pulled back, teasing him for what was about to happen.

  Using my hands to reposition his hips and pelvis, I moved Leo’s opening so it was right above my dick, but I didn’t press in yet. My eyes locked on his and we stared at each other for a long moment. “Forever?”

  He grinned and nodded his head. “Forever.”

  I pressed up as he pressed down, joining us in the way we both so desperately needed. I wanted this moment to last hours, days even. But neither of us were able to hold back the excitement of what we were doing.

  After only a few moments of thrusting up into him while Leo slammed down onto me, we were both precariously close to release.

  With my hand wrapped behind his neck, I gently pulled him forward and kissed him hard as I increased my pace inside his ass. When we were both ready, I dragged my lips across his cheek and down his neck until I could feel the pulsing of blood flowing beneath his skin.

  As if our bodies were fully in sync with what we needed, my teeth closed down on his tender skin, breaking through the surface and marking him in a way that proved to
the world he was mine forever.

  “Ron!” Leo cried out just before his teeth dug into my shoulder, marking me in return, as we both came in slow, deep convulsions that rocked through us.

  It was unlike any orgasm I’d ever experienced. Instead of a fleeting high with a trailing low, this felt like a lifetime of love and joy and passion and pleasure all pulled together to bring us this moment.

  My forehead rested against Leo’s as we both struggled to catch our breath. “I love you.”

  Leo tilted up just enough for his lips to brush against mine. “I love you too, alpha.”

  I woke up, the both of us having dozed off in each other’s arms, to a knock on the front door.

  “Wake up, mate.” I loved the sound of that. “They’re here.”

  He sprang up so fast. “The kitchen.”

  “It’ll get done.” I kissed the spot where I bit him, oddly proud of the mangled skin, and climbed out of bed, grabbing a pair of jeans as the knock on the door got progressively louder.

  “I’m coming,” I called as I slid the jeans on and jogged to the door, opening it up to find all three men there.

  “Oh, I see that's true.” Edison brushed past me. “Is all of this being moved?”

  “You guys are…” The best friends ever. Our relationships had changed, just in the week. It was as if knowing about them opened up a new level for us. Heck, Edison had been a sometimes have pie with kind of friend and now we talked...like, really talked when he stopped by to work on mayoral business. And with all the changes, was quite frequent.

  It was nice.

  “The best.” Doc slapped the back of my shoulder. “We know. Now let's get you and your mate moved.”

  Epilogue

  Leo

  “Doc’s back in town.” Ron plopped on the couch beside me and wrapped his arm around me. “He called on my way home.”

  Doc had gone on a mysterious trip, and left Xander at the farm with Jase and August. I had a feeling it had something to do with what was inside the letters, but Doc only shared as much as he shared. At least that had been my experience.

  “That means I can get these babies outta me.” I was so done being pregnant. The little guys liked to kick like nobody’s business.

  “I kind of like you pregnant.” Ron’s hand rubbed small circles on my belly. He wasn’t even being nice either. And I thought he couldn’t keep his hands off me before. He was a walking hard-on now, which totally worked for me given I was as well. I might not have been as flexible as I was before, but I was definitely on the willing train, at least until yesterday. I’d been feeling kind of weird since then. I was pretty sure the babies had dropped.

  “Don’t even,” I teased as I pushed myself out of the couch. “I gotta walk.”

  I put my hands under my stomach, the strain of the weight starting to get to me. It hadn’t been uncommon in my pride for an omega to have three or more babies, but now that I was in their position, carrying four, I saw how amazing that feat was.

  “Feeling okay today?”

  “Yeah. I think so. I just need to walk or maybe...can we go see Doc?” I hated to do that given he’d just come home, but I needed the reassurance that this off-kilter feeling was just normal pregnancy stuff.

  “I’ll call him.” He took out his phone as I waddled over to the bathroom. Four babies on a bladder made me a frequent visitor.

  Not that I would change anything. I was so excited to be a father. Work had allowed me to adjust my caseload as my pregnancy drew closer to the due date and they were willing to be flexible with me after the babies arrived. Ron had suggested multiple times that I quit altogether, and I was considering it. But having the job waiting if I needed it was nice.

  “He said he’s voting but can meet us in a bit.”

  I was officially the worst mate in the entire universe. “Grab your keys.” I worked my way out the front door and to our van. Yes, we were those dads, complete with a minivan. It was amazing.

  I got in the passenger side seat as he reached his door. “You just want to go to Doc’s because you haven’t seen him in a while, right? Nothing’s wrong?” My poor alpha was worried. Yeah, I really was the worst mate ever.

  “I need to vote. I spaced on what day it was.” Which should’ve been impossible since I’d been the one who called the entire town one at a time and reminded them to vote for the special election. Baby brain was real.

  “I’m the only one running.” He started the engine. It was true, but it mattered to him that he had the support of the town, and I’d be damned if my vote wasn’t among them. “Let’s just get you to Doc’s.”

  “Take me to vote.” The words had more bite than I had meant them to. “Sorry.”

  “You’re growing four babies. You can be grumpy if you want.” He chuckled and drove me straight to town hall.

  Good mate.

  Town hall was lit up, a Vote Here sign on the front lawn. We didn’t have forty locations—just the one, and it kind of amused me that they had the big sign.

  “You got here just in time.” Ms. Patty handed me a clipboard. “You need to sign in here and then I’ll get you your ballot.”

  I signed and took the paper and headed back to the “booth” which turned out to be a school desk sitting behind a cubicle divider. On the way there, my stomach clenched and I froze, riding it out. I hated those stupid hicks things.

  “You okay?” Ron asked.

  “Yeah. Sorry. Be back in a second.” I walked around the barrier and filled in my dot just as one of the babies rolled or kicked or whatever they did in there, and a warm wet sensation ran down my leg.

  “Umm, Ms. Patty, can you come here?” I called out, not wanting to not get my vote turned in. “I have a question on this.”

  “Sure thing, honey.” Two seconds later, she was by my side. “What do you need to know?”

  “Here’s my ballot and ummm, has Doc voted yet?”

  “I can’t tell you who...ohhhh...no. Not yet.” Her eyes widened as they fell to the floor where there was currently a mess. How embarrassing!

  “Did someone say my name?” Doc teased.

  “Make him vote first,” I whispered, and she nodded, scurrying off with my ballot.

  “Here you go, Doc. You can just fill it out right here. Ron, just turn your head.” That didn’t sound fishy. Not at all.

  Except by the sounds of things, they were just doing as she said.

  “Thanks, Doc. I’ll just run this through the ballot box.”

  “We were just coming to see you. Leo was thinking he wanted to double-check on the babies.”

  “I think you should go see him now,” Ms. Patty spoke so calmly, but there must’ve been some gestures along with it because the next thing I knew, both Doc and Ron were flanking me and talking to each other about what they should be doing.

  I didn’t process one single word of it because a shooting pain ripped through me. It was similar to the Braxton Hicks contractions, but on crack, and for the first time since I discovered I was pregnant, I wasn’t sure if I could do this.

  “Honey, we’re going to get you home.” Ron’s hand cupped my cheek. “Do you think you can do that?”

  “Home...yes...home.” I needed to be home. If I went to a hospital, all the human interventions would slow down my birth. The good thing about being a cat was that my delivery would come fast. Shit. It would come fast. I needed to get out of there. “Get me home.”

  Ron and Doc got me back to the van and home in record time, the contractions already at an evil level, and as much as I tried to bite back the pain to keep Ron from stressing and worrying more than he was, I couldn’t.

  “We’ll get his clothes off and get him on the bed.” Doc sounded far less worried than I felt.

  Finally on the bed, all I wanted to do was to curl up in the fetal position, not that I could curl all the way. But I did my best, and it helped a lot. I’d never been present for a birth, but pride sex-ed class gave me some guidance about what to expect. Stu
pid internet only talked about human births. Doc just kept insisting it would become natural. There was nothing natural about being ripped in two.

  “You’ll probably want to push soon. Trust your body.”

  I trusted nothing.

  Poor Ron looked helpless, something he hated being. “Should I boil water?”

  “Only if you want tea.” Doc chuckled. “How about you get the swaddle clothes I had you prepare ready. We’re about to catch some babies.” He wasn’t wrong.

  A half hour later, after pushing, cussing, and wondering if I was strong enough, our daughter Grace was born, followed by our son Travis, our son Aiden, and our daughter Francis.

  “We have four babies.” I sobbed, tears of joy flowing from my face as I held two babes to my chest and Ron held the other two by my side. “We did this.”

  “You did this, mate. You grew four perfect little—” He looked down at Doc. “What’s wrong?”

  Doc took the two babies from me and barked something about Ron putting the others in their bassinets.

  “What’s wrong?” Give me my babies back...except the last words didn’t come out because I was...fading.

  Something sharp pricked my arm. I couldn’t flinch. I couldn’t do anything but listen.

  “Doc?” I’d never heard Ron sound so frightened.

  “There’s one more. I need to get them out before he bleeds out.”

  Ron kissed my forehead, his lips shaking. “You’ve got this, mate. You’ve. Got. This.”

  I wished he sounded more sure.

  The pain—the pain was so much—different than before—sharper—like I was being cut open. I was being cut open...in my bed...in my home...awake but not. And just as I was about to fade into blackness, I heard a cry, a new cry, and everything was suddenly worth it.

  “Wake up, love.”