Queen's Guard (Shifter Royalty Trilogy Book 2)

by S. Dalambakis

  “Be careful what you say, angel. My wolf wants nothing more than to claim you right now. Don’t think that I’m the only one. The rest want to claim you as well.”

  “What if I want you to… all of you to.”

  “Then I think we need to go into the living room and have a conversation with the rest of the guys.”

  She holds out her hand to me, and I take it, placing a quick kiss on her lips before I help her off the countertop. We walk hand-in-hand back to the living room.

  Sniffs followed by growls, can be heard around the living room. But, they are not angry growls, and the only reason I know that is because Graydon, Lucian, and Zeke are looking at Callie like she’s a whole snack.

  Lucian

  I smelled the sweet scent of Callie’s arousal the moment she stepped into the living room. I’m not the only one judging by the round of growls being heard, including the one from me. Now, I know what was taking them so long.

  “Callie has something she would like to share with the rest of the class,” Max teases.

  How can he be so calm? She is literally standing right next to him smelling like that. I’m scarcely containing myself. I look at Graydon and see he has a death grip on the arms of the chair he is sitting in, struggling for control. Zeke has the same grip on the back of the couch. His eyes flickering between his and his wolf’s.

  Callie clears her throat, bringing my attention back to her. “I want you guys to claim me.”

  “What?” I think at the same time Graydon bellows the one word.

  “I want you guys to claim me, all of you.”

  “You don’t know what you’re asking,” I say.

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Not that I’m not happy you want this, but why?” Zeke questions.

  “Because, we are mates. I love each of you. I was only a couple of seconds away from biting Max in the kitchen. It’s only because he stopped me that it didn’t happen. I don’t understand why we are waiting.”

  “You don’t know what happens when we do this,” I state.

  “Do we have to have sex or is it just a bite?”

  “Just a bite. Just a bite she says,” Graydon growls. He has now taken up residence behind the chair, pacing.

  “No sex is not required to claim a mate, just a bite. Sex will only strengthen the bond between the claimed pair. This is not something to take lightly.”

  “Sweetheart, claiming makes everything permanent. There is no going back,” Zeke reiterates.

  “I don’t have a problem with that. I want to be with you.”

  “This doesn’t seem like you. Are you sure you weren’t just caught up in the moment?”

  “No, Lucian. You guys act like you don’t want this. If you don’t, why not just tell me instead of trying to convince me not to go through with it.”

  “I told you I want this, angel.”

  “Then why don’t the rest of you?”

  “It’s not that we don’t want too, it’s just are you really ready for this? We don’t want to force you into something that you don’t want to do or are not ready for.”

  “I’m not quite ready to have sex yet, but you just said the claiming doesn’t involve that. I’m ready to claim you all as my mates officially.”

  “Then we will if it’s what you truly want.”

  “I do.”

  “Okay, but it has to happen naturally, between all of us. I will not force the issue, none of us will.” Everyone nods their heads in agreement.

  “Okay, I can agree with that.” She grabs Max’s hand and gives him a saucy wink. “Let’s go finish what we started.”

  I don’t think I’ve ever seen Max stunned into silence before. The rest of us chuckle at the longing on his face. He looks back at us one last time before Callie starts dragging him back toward the kitchen. I shake my head. This girl is going to be the death of all of us.

  Callyn

  Did Max really think he was getting out of this? Oh, no, once I made up my mind while I was kissing him, there was no turning back. If I had my way I would pull them all in here and claim them all tonight. But I agreed to let it happen naturally. This really is all Max’s fault for getting me so worked up, so he has no one to blame but himself. He knew what he was doing, the cheeky devil. I pull him back over to the counter that we had just vacated and hopped right back on it. I motion for Max to come forward and he does, settling between my legs just like we were.

  “You okay with this?” I ask.

  “Hell yeah.”

  Good, because I don’t give him any time to try to second guess himself before I pull his head down and start kissing him. Man, can he kiss. It doesn’t take long before we are right back in the same place we were before he stopped us last time. I love the feel of his lips on my neck. I can feel the tips of his canines as he drags them over the tender spot on my neck, causing me to shiver. My teeth lengthen in response. I was shocked when it happened the first time. I was angry over everything that has been happening. I was thinking about hurting everyone who keeps on trying to hurt me, and I felt the tips of my canines against my bottom lip. I didn’t know that it had happened until I almost broke the skin of my lip. I figured that since I am an avian shifter that wouldn’t happen, but my aunt said it happens to all shifters for this reason. This would only happen in my human form. Could you image teeth in a bird beak? I shudder. Talk about creepy.

  I run my teeth over his pulse point. He moans against my neck and pushes himself against me. This is a powerful feeling, knowing I have this effect on him. But I can’t hold back anymore. With my legs wrapped around my mate’s waist, one arm around his back, my hand pressed to the center of his back and my other hand tangled in his hair at the nape of his neck, I sink my teeth into my mate. A second later, I feel a slight pinch but that quickly turns into euphoria. A tremor runs through my body from the bliss.

  There is a huge wave of energy that blast from us, and for a moment, it feels like I leave my body. When I come down from the high, I realize I can feel Max as a part of me now. I can feel his excitement and love. It’s a heady feeling. Holy cow. Max chuckles as he moves back so he can look at me.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “The fact that you said cow instead of shit. It’s not like I haven’t heard you cuss before. No need to be shy now.” I frown, I’m pretty sure I didn’t say that out loud. “Don’t be mad, I find it cute.”

  Cute. I don’t want to be cute.

  “How are you doing that?”

  “Doing what?”

  “I heard that last one, but you didn’t move your lips.”

  Oh, no, he’s losing it. Does the claiming make them go crazy?

  I’m not crazy, woman.

  “I heard that, but how?”

  Can you hear what I’m thinking?

  Yeah.

  Holy shit.

  Oh, now you say shit.

  I think this warrants it, Max.

  I guess it does. This is kind of cool though.

  Yeah, but how?

  “Only one person will probably know,” Max states.

  “Lucian,” we both yell.

  All of the boys coming running into the kitchen.

  “What? What happened? Are you all right? We felt that blast of energy,” he fires rapidly.

  “Slow down. We’re fine, well I think.”

  “What do you mean you think? You either are or you’re not,” Graydon growls.

  “Okay, sooo, we can kind of hear each other's thoughts.” Shock registers on all of their faces. “We were wondering if you know how this happened.”

  “I would say it happened because you claimed Max. I have heard there are a few destined pairs that get telepathic abilities. It looks like you and Max are one of them.”

  “I hope we all get it, it’s pretty cool.”

  “There is a possibility, but I wouldn’t hold out hope for it.”

  Graydon groans. “Of all the ones to get telepathy, it had to be the two who cause the most trouble. N
ow, they can have secret conversations about causing trouble, and we’ll never know.”

  I wasn’t, but now I am.

  I giggle.

  “See, they’re doing it already.”

  Oh, this is going to be fun.

  Me and Max look at each other and smirk. It’s definitely going to be fun.

  Callyn

  Being able to communicate with Max telepathically has been a blast. It made planning our latest prank on Graydon so much easier. The best part, we planned the whole thing while he was sitting in the room with us. He was right, we are causing more trouble, but it’s been nice. We have had a reprieve in people trying to kill me for the moment, but I don’t think that’s a good thing. To me that can only mean something bigger and badder is about to happen. I’m nowhere ready for that.

  The boys have increased my training schedule. This also included shifting. They were right when they said it hurt the first few times. The more they make me to do it, the easier it becomes and the faster I become at it. They are afraid something is going to happen to me when they are not around. They want me to be prepared to handle the situation on my own if I have too. It would be a great idea, but the only time they leave me to myself is if I go to the restroom and if my aunt is home. If they could, I bet they would be trying to sleep at my house.

  I can’t say I would mind. I would feel safer with them there, but as of right now there is no reason for that.

  “What has you so lost in thought? You need to be watching because you can’t miss Graydon’s reaction,” Max states.

  “I know. I was just thinking about all the things that have happened lately.”

  “Don’t stress out about it. You have the four of us, and we’ll figure out something. Right now we are doing all that we can. Plus, us having some fun at Graydon’s expense is so totally going to be worth it.”

  Right now, we are hiding out around the corner of Graydon’s house, waiting for him to come outside and see his truck. Max and I had to wait until the perfect day for this to work. That day is today. See winter is almost upon us here in Camden Falls. The temperature dropped just enough to leave frost on your cars in the morning.

  Max had woken me up early, so we could come here and place damp cotton balls all over Graydon’s truck. The cotton balls were wet just enough that they would harden from the cold temperature and stick to his truck. Max being who he is, drew a giant penis out of cotton balls on the hood. I went a little more understated, well not really.

  A sudden, quick tapping on my arm brought me back to where I was.

  “Here he comes, here he comes,” Max says giddily. Graydon reacts just like we thought he would.

  “Motherfucker. Are you kidding me? These are going to take forever to get off,” Graydon bellow. “Max,” he yells. “I know you’re nearby watching. I know you did this. I better not find out that you had Callie help you.”

  “Let’s go face the music and the grumpy bear together,” I say tugging on his hand.

  “Right, power in numbers.”

  Graydon narrows his eyes as he watches us step from our hiding spot. “Really, Callie, you helped?”

  “Uh, I take it you didn’t look at the back of the truck then.” He suspiciously walks to the back of his truck. Shock is the first thing I see cross his face, then this evil smile appears. “Uh, oh.”

  “What?”

  “Look at his face. I’ve never seen it look that way before.”

  “What did you do, angel?”

  “I wrote property of Callie.”

  “Um, I think you should run.”

  I take Max’s warning and do just that. I round Graydon’s house to the backyard, when I’m yanked off my feet. My back hitting someone’s chest.

  “And just where do you think you are going, Callie bear? You didn’t think I would let you get away, did you?” Graydon whispers in my ear, causing my whole body to shiver. He lets out a low growl before I feel his lips on my neck.

  I couldn’t help the moan that escapes my lips, or the way I tilt my head to the side giving him better access. It’s a good thing he is holding me because the second he uses his teeth to graze down the side of my neck, I’m done for. I turn to putty in his arms.

  “Shit, Callie.”

  Graydon places me back on my feet, making sure that I am steady before he lets go. I turn around to find him pacing back and forth. He runs his hands through his hair.

  “Are you okay?”

  “No,” he growls. “I almost claimed you. The only thing that stopped me was you relaxing in my hold.”

  “Oh, grumpy bear. Don’t you know I would have let you? I would have just claimed you back.”

  I could hear the rumble come from his chest. Then his eyes shift and become predatory. I have a strange urge to run, but I don’t. I stand my ground. I never really noticed the way Graydon walks, but in this moment, he is lumbering toward me like a bear. I almost giggle, but I don’t want to break this moment. I want this to happen. The second he gets close enough, I’m wrapped up in his arms.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Not a single doubt in my mind.”

  Before I can say anything else Graydon’s mouth is on mine. I could feel everything in this kiss. Everything he is feeling, he is pouring into this kiss. The feeling is heady, and I try to give him back everything that I am feeling. He coaxes open my mouth by lightly nipping on my bottom lip. Without hesitation, his tongue enters my mouth, brushing mine. Graydon changes the angle of our kiss ,but breaks the kiss long enough to lift me. My legs automatically wrap around his waist. My one arm goes around his neck, and my other hand fists his hair, tugging slightly. I place a kiss on the corner of his mouth, before kissing my way down his neck. I stop at the junction where his shoulder and neck meet, teasing the spot with the tips of my teeth.

  I sink my teeth into his neck, loving the sound he makes. I’m so distracted by what I am doing, that I didn’t notice at first that Graydon has bitten me back. That happens when I felt a pulse of energy. It caught both of our attentions.

  Wow.

  I heard that.

  Looks like we will be able to talk telepathically too.

  I wonder what the distance is on this?

  Why?

  So I can talk to you when we aren’t in the same class. Especially English. He shivers.

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “I think that is the class you need to pay the most attention in.” He huffs, but starts walking me back toward the front of the house. “Where are we going?”

  “I’m taking your cute ass back to my truck, so you can help me pull the cotton balls off.”

  I groan. “Max better help. I didn’t do this by myself.”

  “Don’t worry, Callie bear, I’ll make sure he helps.”

  Graydon was getting ready to set me down when I noticed white flakes in his hair. I reach up and brush them away. “Hey, when did it start snowing?” He looks around.

  “I don’t know. I was preoccupied.”

  “I have no idea why,” I say with a smirk.

  “Hm. Maybe I should remind you.”

  “Maybe you should.”

  And he did.

  Graydon

  “Let’s go, Callie. Just one more. You can do this.”

  “Fine, but if I can’t walk tomorrow you’re carrying me everywhere.”

  “I’m only pushing you because I know what you are capable of.” She simply nods her head and gets back into the position I showed her.

  It’s not only me but Cat also puts her through the ringer when we’re in the gym. We upped her training because of all the recent events that have taken place. Right now Cat is teaching her the defensive moves I wanted her to learn, but this one move is something she can’t get down. I know she said not to use our energy to aid her, but I think this one time she could forgive me. I concentrate on the way that I want her body to move and project a small amount of energy at her. She lands the move perfectly. Now that she knows how that move should feel, it should
help her master that skill on her own. I just hope she didn’t feel the energy.

  If she does find out, we can yell at each other and then kiss and makeup. Since we moved to that point in our relationship, whenever we get in fights, we get to kiss and makeup now. We still hug and call each other our nicknames, but now I get kisses too.

  “Good. We’re done for tonight.”

  “Oh, thank god,” she says as she collapses onto the mat. Cat sits down next to her.

  “Even I’m tired after that.” I frown.

  “Did I overdo it?”

  “Only for the right reasons, my grumpy bear. But don’t think I didn’t notice that boost you gave me on that last one.” I cringe waiting for the blow up, but it doesn’t come.

  “You’re not mad?” Why did you have to say anything? You should have just pretended not to hear that last part, because if she wasn’t mad before, she probably is now.

  “No.”

  “Why?” Stop with the word vomit, Graydon.

  “One, because I’m too tired to argue. Two, it did show me the correct way to land the move. I shouldn’t have to much trouble with it now.”

  Well, shit.

  “Alright, girly. I’ll see tomorrow,” Cat says she leans over and gives Callie a hug bye. Cats up and off the mat before I can blink. I swear sometimes I think that girl should have been a cat shifter with the way she moves. I’ve never seen a coyote shifter that moves like that. “Peace out girl scout,” Cat says as she walks out the door.

  I move and sit next to Callie. I bump her shoulder. “Are you really alright?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “We still have elemental training.” She groans.

  “What’s going on tomorrow?”

  “Nothing special. Cat is coming over for a few after school. We have been trying to spend more time together. We don’t have any classes together or even the same lunch period.”

  “So, the friendship is good then?”

  “Yeah, it really is. We have grown closer. We had the sad life story talk.”

  “I’m glad you have her. I know you need some time away from us.”