To Claim His Mate

by Serena Pettus

  Adam promised her everything she’d basically just thought, and a feeling of love swept over her. Hell, it was like a building tidal wave. Just knowing how much he loved her and their child gave her a sort of inner peace that she’d been missing for so long.

  “You just relax, and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “I’ll clean up the kitchen. You cooked so it’s only fair.” He shook his head, and her brows drew together. “And why not?”

  “Calm down. I don’t mind you cleaning the kitchen. I’d just feel like a real ass if I let you clean it up after you’ve been feeling sick. While you’re having your morning sickness, I’ll do dish duty, and when you’re over it, you can start. Deal?”

  There was obviously no way in hell he’d let her lift a finger in her current condition, and she was smart enough not to argue with him about it. Yet.

  “Eva, the baby will take a lot out of you, and you just haven’t realized that yet. A five month pregnancy means rapid growth, and any doctor will tell you that the baby takes what it needs from the mother, whether or not the mother can afford it—at least, that’s what Sarah and Stephanie have assured me.”

  “You won’t budge on this, will you?”

  “You’re catching on quick,” he teased.

  “Stubborn werewolves,” she muttered. He gave her a playful growl, and they both laughed. Adam always managed to make her smile.

  “I’ll be back as quick as I can. Call my cell if you need anything.”

  “You got it.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “So what do you think of this one?” Sarah held up a sundress roughly the color of baby food peas.

  “I think if this medicine wasn’t working so well, that would definitely send me running for a toilet.”

  “Oh fine,” Sarah huffed, hanging the dress back on the rack. “It’s not like any of this is very attractive. I take it they think pregnant women don’t want to look good. I mean, seriously, who thinks a pregnant woman looks good in overalls? And if you like, really need to pee, that’s just wasting precious time getting those things off.”

  Another shopper giggled at Sarah and nodded her agreement.

  “I just need some shorts, pants and a few tops.” Eva shrugged as she glanced through another rack. “If I don’t like the shirts here, I’ll just go buy some oversized shirts in the women’s section.”

  “We could always order online, too,” Sarah suggested. “It’s nothing to have things express shipped. I’ll bet we could find some really nice things on the internet.”

  “What do I need anything fancy for? I’m a simple kind of girl, Sarah.” They’d been shopping for a while now and still had a few stops to make before heading home. Adam had left strict instructions not to come home early unless she was feeling ill. He was so excited about his “special dinner” that Eva was determined to stick it out, though she was more than ready to go home.

  “You’re a simple girl but a beautiful one. I would kill to look like you.”

  “Are you kidding? I’m short, my hair is insanely frizzy, and if I stay out in the sun too long, you could play connect the dots with my freckles—and I mean everywhere.” She made a sweeping gesture with her hands to indicate her whole body, and Sarah just stared, wide-eyed. “Curse of being a red-head.”

  “You are petite, your hair curls into nearly perfect ringlets, and I think your freckles suit you. You look like a little fairy or a pixie. I’ll bet you were extremely popular with the boys in school.”

  “Not hardly. They were afraid of my parents, I think. They were rich and insisted I have the best of everything. They even went so far as to approve my friends and any boys who I showed interest in. I was extremely sheltered before their deaths and even more so afterward, due to my sudden wealth.” She was a little regretful that she’d lost out on a normal childhood but wouldn’t have traded her parents to gain it.

  “Well, it doesn’t matter about the boys now because you have Adam. He’s a real sweetheart when he wants to be, and I have no doubt he’ll spoil you and your kids rotten.” Sarah had such a warm look in her eyes, almost as if she yearned for a child of her own. “He’s just that kind of person.”

  “I’m glad I ended up being his mate. I actually feel like I’m starring in my own romance novel.”

  Sarah quirked one of her freshly waxed brows in response.

  “Yes, I’m one of those females who lives vicariously through those books with half-naked men on the covers.”

  They were still laughing after they’d checked out and walked from the store. Sarah spotted a red dress inside the boutique next door and was glued to the window like a puppy in a pet store.

  “I gotta try this on.” Her entranced voice made Eva giggle.

  “I’m going to put these bags in the trunk then I think I’ll come in too and give it a shot. It’s a really nice design.” The car was parked down the street, but Eva already had six bags in her hands and was getting tired of hauling them around.

  “Here,” Sarah held out her hands, “let’s combine as much as we can, and I’ll hold on to them until we’re done in here then we’ll go back to the car and park farther down before we shop any more.”

  After that was settled, the two women entered the store. They tried on anything and everything that caught their eye. Eva even decided to get a nice dress for her “special dinner” with Adam. She had no doubt the man was up to something, but if Sarah knew anything about it, she wasn’t talking.

  “That is absolutely stunning on you!” Sarah’s rather loud observation startled Eva out of her thoughts. “You should wear that the rest of the day so you can walk in the house tonight wearing it.”

  “Are you sure? It seems a little risqué.” The dress was a rich, sapphire blue with a back that was open clear down to her hips and an enticingly low v-neck in the front that showcased her cleavage to scandalous proportions.

  “Absolutely, and honey, do us all a favor and take a picture with your cell phone of his face when he first lays eyes on you. I’ll bet fifty that he swallows his tongue.” Sarah had a positively evil look in her eyes, and Eva knew this would be the topic of conversation at the next girl’s night out for sure.

  “You’re horrible, you know that?” she chuckled.

  “Nah, I’m just trying to get my giggles where I can.” Sarah shrugged and informed the saleswoman that Eva would wear the dress out of the store. “Well, let’s go. It’s almost time for me to have you home, and we still need to stop and get you some heels for that dress. Flats are all right, honey, but you need a pair of fuck-me heels for this ensemble. We’ll buy you some black ones so you can use them with other things, as well.” As Sarah spoke, they made their way to the car, continuing on about perfume, hair, makeup and underwear.

  “You know, it’s been a long time since I bought clothes just to impress a man,” Eva admitted as she placed her bags in the trunk. “It feels nice to get all dressed up for someone.”

  “Would that someone be me?” That low voice blazed an icy trail down her spine and sent fear rocketing through her system, freezing the air in her lungs. “Hey, baby. I’m so glad you weren’t hurt in those nasty accidents at your place. I was so worried.”

  Thick, hairy arms snaked around her waist, and Eva knew then why Sarah hadn’t made a move on him. Shane held a gun and had it trained on Sarah.

  “What do you want, Shane?” Eva’s phone vibrated in her purse, and she knew it was Adam, having no doubt sensed her distress, and she prayed he’d realize why she wasn’t answering.

  “Can’t a man be relieved to find his fiancée alive and well when he thought she was dead?” He made a chastising sound in her ear. “It’s not nice to hide from your man, sweetheart. I might start to think you don’t love me anymore.”

  Her breath whooshed out as he used the arm at her waist to jerk her back tighter against him. “Shane, just leave. There’s nothing more you can take from me, and you know it.”

  “What about your friend here? Is sh
e worth something to you?”

  Eva stiffened in his arms, cursing her reaction when he noticed.

  “So I’ll just take that as a yes. She can come with us. The boys will need something to entertain themselves with while we have our honeymoon night.”

  “You’re crazy! I’m never marrying you. Let me go before I scream.” They were in a parking lot that was mostly empty, but she figured some of the shoppers strolling between the shops would hear her.

  “You scream, and I shoot you both. It’s just two words, Evangeline. I. Do. That’s it, and you’ll be with me forever.” Shane let loose a cold, devilish laugh. “Well, until death do us part anyway.” He pointed the gun at Sarah. “You drive, and we’ll be in the back. And before you get any bright ideas, I’ll let you know right now I have no problem blowing your fucking head off if you cause me any problems. Got it?”

  “Crystal clear.” Sarah spoke through clenched teeth, and Eva saw the barely restrained fury in her new friend’s amber eyes. The way they kept darting to Eva’s stomach wasn’t lost on her either. The baby could be hurt or lost if things got too rough.

  “Let’s go then, ladies. I’ve got big plans for tonight.” He pushed Eva toward the back passenger side door. “Well, get in.”

  “Sarah’s keys are in my bag. I’ll pull them out and toss them to her.” She fumbled for the keys when her phone started vibrating yet again. She hit the button to accept the call and crossed her fingers that Adam would be able to hear what was going on without them getting caught. “Calm down a minute, Shane. You know I could never get to my keys quickly in my purse.”

  “Just hurry the fuck up!” he yelled, clearly losing his composure. “We need to get on the road.”

  “There. Catch, Sarah.” Eva tossed the keys to Sarah who never took her eyes away from Eva’s face. Eva made a quick phone sign with her pinky and thumb, holding it to her head as she pretended to brush a strand of hair behind her ear.

  The door locks clicked. Shane slung the door open and shoved her inside.

  “You didn’t have to push me in. You have the gun, after all. What did you think I’d do? Run so you could shoot me in the back?”

  “You seem to have nine lives, so who knows?” His irritation was hard to miss. “Now, you listen up, girl,” he said to Sarah. “If you draw any attention to this car or get us pulled over, I’ll kill you both and take my chances running.”

  “Just how much trouble are you in, Shane?”

  He pinned Eva with a glare so full of hate and malice that she actually scooted closer to the door.

  “Enough to risk coming back here, damn it. I’ve got three different men after me for money I don’t have, but once you and me are hitched, that won’t be a problem.” His smile was sickening. She literally felt her skin crawl where he’d touched her. “I’ll get a priest back at my place, and the boys will be witnesses for us. Hell, you even have a bridesmaid now.” He chuckled and pointed the gun toward Sarah again. “Turn left here. We’re going toward the old mill.”

  Sarah’s face was blank, but Eva saw her eyes in the rearview mirror and was amazed to see laughter in her eyes. What the hell? Then she remembered the phone and realized Adam was listening to all the directions.

  At least, he had been until those dreaded beeps sounded from her bag.

  The battery was dead.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Fuck!” Adam punched the wall once the call disconnected. This was bad. He had to call his brothers. He had to call Erik and let him know Sarah was in danger, too. He quickly scooped up his cell and sent a mass text that simply read, “9-1-1 come now.”

  He didn’t wait long. They showed up in wolf form, bounding out of the woods surrounding his home.

  “Shane has Eva and Sarah. He snatched them in the parking lot at gunpoint and has them heading toward the old mill.” He spewed everything he’d heard on the phone and watched as the men’s expressions turned more murderous with every word. “She’s terrified, and I think once he forces her to marry him he plans to kill her. Not right away, but not long into the future I’m sure.” He tried to swallow past the lump in his throat, his fear for Eva nearly choking him.

  Adam looked to Erik for confirmation that his mate was all right. “How’s Sarah?”

  “She’s pissed, excited and anxious. Basically, she’s ready for a fight and looking forward to it.” He smiled and shook his head. “She’s been itching to start a fight for a while now, so she’s just fine. I’ll worry about her if I feel any changes, but it’s yours we really need to focus on. She hasn’t been hurt, has she?”

  “No, but we already know violence isn’t an issue for this guy. He’s hit her before.” A collective growl rumbled amongst the still-nude men gathered on his back porch.

  “Then let’s head out. Tie some clothes so we can carry them. I have no great urge to conduct a rescue buck-ass naked.” Abraham was a man of few words, but when he spoke, it was best to listen and obey. At the moment, this man was in charge.

  Adam had approached Abraham in case an event like this occurred. Abe’s SEAL training would come in handy for safely extracting the women—as long as Sarah wasn’t spoiling for a fight. He hoped she’d sit this one out and get Eva to safety if given the opportunity.

  “If they’re heading to the old mill, they’ll pass a lot of empty houses and shacks along the way,” Abraham explained. “I’ve run all over these woods, and there are several old hunting cabins around the area that would be perfect for them to hide inside. Most of the time, homeless vagrants shelter there then move on, but we’ll need to check the places anyway. We’ll also have to split up. Since our goal will be to make them nervous, we’ll be hunting as wolves tonight, boys. We’ll use short yips to sound an all clear and a long howl to indicate they’ve been found. Do not engage until we have ascertained the threat level to the females. Just let the men think wolves are out tonight.” Abraham bared his teeth and Adam wasn’t sure if it was a snarl or a smile, but his next words gave him his answer. “You’re with me. You ready to roll out, twinkle-douche?”

  His brother was all business when it came to running a mission, but Adam knew Abraham was trying to lessen the tension a bit. If Adam didn’t calm down some, his brothers might be forced to restrain him and leave him behind, if for no other reason than him being more of a liability than any help.

  “I’m going to kill your wife, Abraham. She’s a menace,” Adam growled as he fought a slow smile. The other men snickered, the bastards. “I’ll get Stephanie back for that little nickname. You let her know I’ll get her when she least expects it.”

  “Good luck with that.” Abraham knew it was just playful banter between the two and that Adam would never really hurt his mate. They simply enjoyed insulting each other, and she was beginning to get rather creative with her vocabulary.

  Adam’s whole focus shifted back to Eva as he noted a spike in her fear and a pain in his shoulder, which indicated she was hurting there.

  “He’s hurting her,” he snarled.

  “Where?” Erik demanded.

  “Her shoulder. It’s burning. I swear, the first thing I’ll do is rip the fucker’s arm off for that.”

  “You have to be careful. With your bond, you’re like a walking voodoo doll. She may sense your feelings, but you can also sense her physical pain as well as her emotions. It could cripple you at a critical moment, so you need to be able to block it out.” Erik tried to soothe Adam, to calm him down before he was unleashed into the woods with his fury leading him in a blind pursuit of his injured mate, and Adam appreciated his efforts. “You’re no good to us or to her if you can’t keep your head straight, are we clear?”

  A few deep breaths and Adam was able to nod without it being too jerky of a motion. “I’ll try my best. I won’t do anything to cause her harm if I can help it, and I’ll stay close to Abraham, just in case. God knows, he has no problem putting me on my ass if I need it.”

  “Anything to help out my little brother.” Abraham pa
tted Adam on the back and nearly sent him sprawling. Damn the man, he was nothing but tightly strung muscle. “Now, let’s head out.”

  With that said the men gathered their clothes, shifted and took off into the darkening woods.

  The hunt was on.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Where the hell is this turn-off you keep babbling about? I can’t see shit,” Sarah complained. Which was a lie. Eva had seen it the last two times they’d passed it, but it was obvious Sarah was trying to buy as much time as possible for the men to get there. Eva had no doubt they were coming.

  “It’s right— Stop!”

  Sarah was so startled by his scream that she stomped the brakes and sent Eva and Shane lurching into the back of the front seats.

  “Turn right, through the gap in those trees. The one with the red ribbon tied to it is the marker. Follow the trail back to the cabin.” He sighed. “Damn women drivers.”

  “I heard that!” Sarah shot back.

  “I could give a shit!” He trained his eyes on Evangeline and spoke softly. “You really do look damn fine in that dress, sweetheart.” Shane trailed the barrel of the gun up her arm, causing gooseflesh to spread and bile to rise up in her throat. “I’ll bet you have some pretty little lacey panties on too, don’t you? I’ll be snatching those off you soon, babe. We’re going to have us a nice little party after everything’s said and done. If you play nice, maybe you’ll just play with me, but if you fight or just piss me off, I’ll let the boys play with you, too. They’ll be real excited if they get you both.”

  Eva shivered. He’d do it, too. He’d wanted to share her with his friends when they were dating. She’d thought he’d been making jokes to pick on her then found out he’d been dead serious. Whenever she’d flat out denied him that pleasure, he’d simply leave and say it was her loss. Not the way she saw it. She was a one-man kind of woman and wasn’t about to let two men brutalize her against her will.