A Bride For a Werewolf

by Rachel E Rice

  “I don’t plan on signing those papers because you know and I know that I’m not the father of your child. I’m having my own children and I’m not going to give away half my father’s company to you or anyone. It’s for my sons.”

  “Don’t be so sure about that. You’re O positive and I’m O positive and the father of my child is O positive. I name you as the father. Now who do you think they will believe? If you continue with this, I will go to the newspapers and say how you broke our engagement when you discovered I was pregnant and you disowned your child. What do you think will happen then?”

  “You can do whatever you like, but I’m not signing those papers. I came here as a courtesy, and now I’m going home, and get some rest, and I’m leaving tomorrow to be with my wife. ”

  “What do you think that little nerd of a wife will think of you when I tell her about us? She might ask for a divorce.” Elisabeth’s mouth curled up in a sly grin and her eyes lit up.

  “Emily would never divorce me so do your worse.” Elisabeth stood and threw the papers in Harper’s face.

  “I warned you,” she said. And she strutted out of the office and slammed the door with a thunderous boom. It was so loud it felt as if she had loosened the hinges. Michael and Harper watched at her and shook their heads then blew out a hard breath through their teeth.

  “She’s a piece of work isn’t she?” Michael said. “I could have someone get rid of her. I never liked her anyway.”

  “If I didn’t know you I would take you serious. Now stop with the nonsense and keep her away from me and Emily.”

  “I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side. She’s a mean one,” Michael said.

  “I know, but you aren’t, and I am, and I don’t want this to go any further. She needs money and is desperate to get it. All I need to do is sign these papers after you make her and offer. Then I can get back to Emily. I will give Elisabeth only what’s necessary, but I will not state that I’m the father. If she’s pregnant at all.”

  “You have to stay a few more days and submit to a DNA test. Then you can clear the matter up quickly.”

  “How long will it take for the test to come back?”

  “A week or two.”

  “Well, you won’t need me then, will you?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “I’m going to my father’s mansion to eat and get some sleep. If you need me for anything just call me and for heaven’s sake get Elisabeth off my back.”

  “I know. I want it to go on record that I warned you about her.”

  “Don’t start that again.”

  “A woman like that can ruin your life forever. She doesn’t stop. She comes up with one outrageous scheme after another. I know I said don’t pay her off, but I think you made the right decision because she will never give you a moments rest.”

  As Harper was leaving the Samsa building and Michael was making plans for Elisabeth, Emily had plans for Liam.

  Chapter Twenty Five

  “Liam, I want you to come with me,” Emily said. “I need you to drive me to Angela’s. She’s the shifter I told you about. Harper said it wasn’t a good idea but I said you’re a scientist and you would understand.”

  Emily stood in the library doorway, dressed in a pair of stretch pants and a long blue blouse covering her stomach and stopping at her knees. She wore a leather jacket over her blouse as a layer. She stood looking at Liam reading a book from the vast library Harper had shipped in from his father’s mansion.

  “I guess you could call me that, but some of the things you’re telling me are unbelievable. How do you expect me to accept that there are werewolves and cats and animals that can shift to different forms?”

  “That’s why I want to show you. You believe your eyes don’t you?”

  “Your eyes can lie to you,” Liam said.

  “Harper doesn’t want you to know about him and the shifters in Samsaville, but I thought it would be best because you’re going to be here when my babies are born. You will see what I’ve been trying to tell you.” He put the book on the shelf in the space where he had gotten it and stood and walked over to Emily with a broad warm smile.

  “I’ll indulge you only because you’re pregnant. And you can’t drive. I’ll drive you.”

  They walked out to the outside through the kitchen and entered the six car garage. “Why do you need so much room to park your car? You have only two cars?” Liam said looking around and helping Emily into the Range Rover.

  Turning to her Liam said, “I never had a car until I graduated from college. My parents were poor. But they had me, and I’ve done alright and took care of them financially.”

  “That could be my story. I never drove a car until my friend Stanley offered to teach me and then I didn’t drive much because I couldn’t afford anything. I had to take care of my father all my life and we moved around a lot.”

  “I guess we have a lot in common.” But they didn’t, but Liam wanted to think they did.

  “When you pass through the Samsa gates turn right and continue down that road until I tell you to turn and pull over,” Emily said turning to Liam.

  When Emily and Liam reached the Rusty Nail and came to a stop in front of the building, Liam sat up and looked at Emily. “You’re not going in there. I’m a man and I don’t want to be caught dead in there.”

  “Now you sound like my father. I don’t need a father especially as young as you. I know these people.” And Emily reached for the handle to open the door and Liam jumped out and rushed to the passenger side and helped Emily out of the car. It was the lunch crowd and some of the men who had been hired to build Harper’s town had parked their trucks out front.

  Because there were no hotels, Angela and Nero let them pitch tents near the bar. There were no restaurants for miles, so Angela and Nero had fresh meat and liquor. You could only get the meat rare with a potato. The Rusty Nail was a natural place to stop because they had to eat somewhere.

  Business had been booming and because of that Angela hired some of her shifter friends and relatives. There were more females than males before and the men or werewolves had their choice of the were-females. Now things had changed and the were-females had their choice of men and werewolves.

  As Liam opened the door, he and Emily strode into the bar. Angela had made the bar more modern with tables and chairs and changed the floors. She even had a new counter installed. One made of granite.

  When she saw Emily she rushed to her. “How do you like it? Business has improved.”

  “I say it has,” Emily said. “This is my doctor, Liam. He’s going to be staying with us for a few months at least until the babies are born.”

  Angela touched Emily’s stomach and then turned to Liam. “It a pleasure. Emily talks about you. I hope you are taking good care of her.”

  “I’m trying to. And I heard about you. What are you some kind of witch?” Angela gave Liam a cold persistent look.

  “Liam didn’t mean that Angela. He doesn’t understand.”

  Angela warmed. “Come sit down Emily. This is the special booth. Just for you and Harper, but since you say the human is your friend, I guess he can stay.” And she led them to the booth in the middle of the room. As they passed through, the men acknowledged Emily as Harper’s wife. Some raised their caps and gave out a wide smile.

  After a polite smile they went back to eating and drinking.

  A young waitress pranced over to the table and stood before them. She wore a black and white stretch suit with a long tail and a pair of fake ears. She had pale skin and long blond hair. Her face childlike, her body thin and shapely, but she was an adult.

  She was an adult shifter. A snow leopard from what Emily had noticed.

  “Miss Samsa, I’ve heard about you and your husband.” But she had her eyes on Liam. The shifter a beautiful snow leopard appeared fascinated with Liam. Her light blond hair and bright blue eyes caught Liam’s attention as well.

  “Would you like something to
eat?” The waitress said to Liam. Emily watched as the snow leopard purred when she got near Liam. She was the perfect one to get Liam’s attention and keep it, Emily thought taking a long look at her. From what she was observing of Liam, he was taken with her and more than interested.

  “I will have just a glass of water,” Liam said nervously. He didn’t know why the young female affected him, but it was clear to Angela and Emily. They just laughed and looked at each other.

  Liam stood, “I’ll be back, Emily.” And he followed the snow leopard to the bar and she handed him a glass of water. He stood leaning at the end of the bar and talked to her as he drank his water.

  “I see your friend is interested in my cousin.”

  “It appears so.” They both glanced at them and then Angela turned to Emily, “Are you Ok. You look tired.”

  “I feel great. I just wanted to get Liam from under me. He acts like he’s my father. And Harper is jealous of him. He doesn’t want anyone to be that personal with me.”

  “That’s because he so young and he doesn’t have a girl. I can tell by the way he reacts to you that he’s infatuated with you. Which isn’t good. Usually it’s the other way around. A woman falls for her doctor.”

  “How do you know these things?” Emily questioned.

  “Because my mother was a human. My father a were-panther. Do you want something to eat, Emily?” Emily turned away from looking at Liam and turned to Angela after concentrating on what she said.

  “No. Harper hired these cooks and they are terrific. They cook my food the way I want and they stock up with everything a pregnant woman needs.” She smiled at Angela. “I didn’t know your mother was human?

  “What are you going to do in this wilderness? It drove my mother insane when I left to be with Nero.”

  “I won’t have time to think about anything because Liam says I having three boys.”

  “You will have three werewolves?”

  “Why did you say it like that?”

  “Because you will be the only human living with four werewolves. And I forgot to tell you. Shifters mature fast. Before you know it they will be yearlings.”

  “What is a yearling?”

  “Like a teenager only worse. They are somewhere between teens and adulthood. It could be trying on any human especially a mother. I would wander at night and when the full moon came Nero was there coxing me into the woods.” Angela had a blush on her cheeks. We finally left together because we couldn’t bear to be apart.”

  “I’m sure I’ll be Ok.” Angela glanced at her.

  “I hope so. Now where did that little snow leopard go? It’s getting busy and she took off with that doctor of yours. Oh well, they’ll show up later. I was like her once when I was in heat.”

  When they looked up Liam was standing near Angela and Emily. “I see you met our new waitress,” Angela said with a smirk.

  “Emily, if you don’t mind, I have a date. Can I use your truck when I take you home?”

  “Sure. I’m ready to go now.” And she said good bye to Angela, and Liam helped Emily out of the bar and into the truck. They reached the Samsa ranch much sooner than Emily had expected. It seemed Liam had a new purpose and that purpose was focused on the snow leopard.

  As Emily stepped out of the SUV with Liam’s help she said, “Do you know what she is, Liam?”

  “All I know is she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen and I think I’m in love.”

  “She’s a shifter. So be careful.”

  “There you go with that again, Emily. She’s a woman to me and if it makes you happy, I will be careful.”

  When Harper was climbing into his truck to get back to Samsaville, Liam was climbing into bed with the snow leopard.

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Kim had come into Samsaville out of the snowcapped mountains because of a visit from Angela. “Come back to Samsaville with me and you can find a mate,” Angela had said to her when Angela discovered the snow leopard’s parents had died and she was wandering around searching for food.

  “You can stay with me and Nero.”

  “You know I don’t like Nero. He’s a werewolf and we don’t get along,” Kim said remembering an encounter with him when she was just a cub.

  She had attacked him not knowing he was a friend of Angela’s. He had gone looking for Angela and ran across Kim. Nero tried to chase her away, but she waited for him and jumped on him from a tree and scarred him across his face and back before Angela stopped Nero from killing her, or before Kim snatched out Nero’s eyes.

  Since then they had very little to say to each other, but for Angela’s sake, Nero took her in and gave her a job. But he didn’t want her at their cabin and she didn’t want to be there.

  So she pitched a tent behind the bar to open it up early for the men working different shifts in Samsaville, where they could get a drink or food before they went to work on the new buildings Harper had commissioned to be built in Samsaville.

  “I know you don’t care for Nero, but he’s different now. I wouldn’t have invited you here if he wasn’t and you need a place to find food and the humans here aren’t bad either. In your area there aren’t any snow-leopard shifters. The humans and shifters have respect for each other in Samsaville. They have laws and rules to follow. Harper Samsa drew up the laws himself and if any one breaks them, they can’t live in Samsaville.

  Kim couldn’t help but think about that day which brought her here and when she first glanced up and saw Liam. Tall and lean and sure of himself. He was what she was looking for if she didn’t have someone of her same species.

  She turned to him before she walked into the tent.

  “I’ve never met anyone like you,” Liam said. He placed his hands to her small delicate face as he let her step into the tent first. Lowering his head he walked behind her.

  Bending down he helped her undress in a small tent outside of the Rusty Nail in the middle of a large forest.

  She slipped out of her black and white body suit with a long tail. She tossed her fake cat ears to the side. Liam’s eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped. His raised eyebrows smoothed and he took a deep breath wondering how he got so lucky.

  Liam too tall to stand in the tent slid down and sat on her rather large cot. She sat near him nude. He had never seen anyone that comfortable without clothes. All the women he had seen in his practice hid behind a sheet and even then their bodies were tense. Maybe it was his age he thought.

  Maybe she was comfortable with him and they both knew why he had followed her to the tent—he desired her and he expected to make love to her and she wanted him also.

  “My name is Liam,” he said his eyes raking her from her hair down to her small frame. Her hair long and blond almost white. Her mouth small and pursed round.

  “I know your name is Liam because you’ve told me over and over.”

  “But you never said your name.”

  “Kim,” she purred and eased her body up against his. His hands down to the side, he wasn’t sure what he should do with them. She reached for them and placed one over her breasts. He touched them as a doctor would. No amount of feeling. She turned to him.

  “Don’t you want to feel me?” She placed her hands over his resting on her breasts. His hands sent a wave of desire as her body craved his hands.

  “Of course I do,” Liam said with his hands holding firmly on her breasts. Her nipples extending with a shiver of pleasure coursing through Liam’s body. His breathing intensified.

  “Do you know what I am?” She said in a low voice as she opened his shirt.

  “Yes. But don’t tell me you’re under age?” Liam said with a huff of disappointment.

  “No. I’m not. I’m a full grown snow leopard.”

  “But you’re not a snow leopard. You’re a human. A woman,” he said as Kim leaned and bit his ear then kissing his neck and face as she opened his shirt. She raked her sharp claws over and down his chest.

  “I was afraid this would happe
n.” She turned away to find her clothes. “Just when I’m attracted to a human he doesn’t know what I am. You will have to leave.”

  “But why. I like you a lot.”

  “I like you too,” Kim said as Liam pulled her to him and sat her on his lap. She felt the throb of his manhood beating as if it was his pulse. He wanted her. But she needed more than that. She didn’t want to be just another shifter for a human looking for a rough night and a good fuck. She wanted to be his mate, and she would save herself until she met the right human or shifter.

  She may have been the last of her kind in this area and she would be protective of whom she select to be her mate. She thought she had found the most prosperous of men. One that could protect her and her cubs once she became pregnant.

  “I can’t be with you tonight because you’re a human.” He opened his eyes wide. “A human who knows little about a shifter’s ways.”

  Liam trying to remember what Emily said to him. “I know that you shift and your human form isn’t fixed. You can walk on all fours if you’re excited or if you are threatened. You will have pups instead of babies.”

  “Just as I thought,” she said, “When I get pregnant, I will have cubs not pups.”

  “I should have known that,” Liam said.

  “Yes, you should. Now it’s time for you to leave. I have to go back to work and get up early to hunt my food.”

  “I knew that. I know you hunt your food but with me, you don’t have to do that.”

  “It’s what I do. I hunt my food. I don’t need you to feed me.” Kim turned away from Liam. He liked her independent spirit. He liked her and he had to find some way to keep her.

  “If you give me a chance to learn about you and your lifestyle I’m sure you will find me suitable for you. You fascinate me. I can’t let you get away from me.”

  It was then Liam knew that he would do anything to have her. Yet he didn’t completely believe her because he hadn’t seen anyone become a shifter. He tried to believe, but deep down it didn’t make any sense to him. After all he was a doctor and a scientist. Things like werewolves and shifters didn’t exist in his world.