Finding His Passion: A Shifter Mpreg Romance (Greycoast Pack Book 4)

by Jena Wade

  My eyes welled up, the human ones, and I began to cry—not my wombat, me. We were apart again. This wasn’t fair!

  “Come and sit with us.” Ozzy took out a piece of pizza and set it on a plate for us. He’d meant for me to shift back, right? My wombat cared not at all, going to town eating it.

  “I’m glad you came to eat with us today.” Emmett sat back, his hair dripping. “We’re excited you’re here. Gio has never been happier.”

  Was he sad before? My heart hurt just thinking about that. He was such a kind and loving Beta. He deserved the best life had to give. He deserved better than a broken shifter, and yet I was what fate brought him.

  “For sure.” Cord grabbed another slice. “It’s like he ith uglve hathe.” His words jumbled as he chewed. Was I supposed to understand that?

  “What he’s trying to say with his mouth full of pizza is Gio’s more alive than he’s ever been and that’s because of you. He loves you and so does our pack.”

  “I especially love you.” Emmett shook his head. “I thought I was the only non-wolf and now boom, I’ve got a partner in crime. Want to hear something stupid?” I attempted to nod, my wombat not inclined to assist me in that matter. It turned out it didn’t matter, the question was more rhetorical than anything else. “I grew up in a shit pack—that’s not the secret. But when I came here, I thought they wouldn’t accept me, that I wasn’t good enough for them, and here’s the secret part.” He leaned in and whisper shouted, “They all like me best.”

  Cord rolled his eyes so far back I was surprised they didn’t get stuck, and Ozzy giggle snorted.

  “We like you fine enough, but best? That’s a stretch. I think it’s fair to say that honor goes to Lissy. She brings food everywhere.”

  They bantered back and forth, deciding that Lissy was in fact the pack favorite thanks to her cheesy potato casserole. Mia came in second due to her pies.

  “I need to sun.” Emmett stood up and stretched. “You two joining us in your fur?” he asked Cord and Ozzy.

  They agreed, each of them shifting. At first I thought they would want to play or something, but no… sunning it was, and I loved it. We laid there soaking in the rays, catching a few Zs, and as the sun started to move and the air cooled a bit, they shifted back and packed everything up.

  “We’re heading back, you’re welcome to stay or walk with us.” Emmett smiled kindly.

  I wanted to go home. I wanted to see Gio.

  Home. My wombat spoke to me. To me.

  I nodded my head… and it worked.

  “Then let’s go.” They carried their things and walked back, chatting away about babies and blowouts. It wasn’t my ideal conversation, but they included me in it, thankfully not asking me if I really had square poop, which I did.

  We reached my clothing and I ran to it, nudging it as a hint for one of them to grab it.

  “Whoa, you shifted on purpose! Gio is going to be so proud,” said Cord. And really, it was a thing you said to first time shifters, not grown adults, but it still had me puff out my chest a little bit.

  “Do you think you could shift back now?” Ozzy asked, and I thought about it. My original gut reaction was that I couldn’t. But then again, I was me or me-ish anyway. Maybe…

  Please shift, I pleaded as I reached in, searching for my skin. A crack, a pop, and a bit of dizziness later, there I was on my two feet. “I did it!” I clapped my hands. Yeah, it was officially little kid praise myself time and I didn’t care. “I did it!”

  “You did.” Ozzy handed me my clothes. “Let’s go tell your mate.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Gio

  I was thankful for every moment that I had Thorne with me. It had been seven days now that he had been in human form, not that he’d tried to shift again. He explained how he wasn’t really in control last time, or at least he hadn’t felt like he had full control, and I understood his trepidation to try again. He’d been stuck in his fur for so long, it was time to be Thorne.

  Some moments I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I simply stared and soaked in his glorious face, wide smile, and kind eyes.

  I learned that my mate was a bit of a chatterbox, which meant that I didn’t need to say much. I simply listened to what he had to say, reveled in the sound of his voice. It was music to my ears and lulled me into a sense of security and safety that I didn’t even know I craved. As an alpha it was my job to provide the security to the relationship. I took care of my mate, kept him safe. But with Thorne, he looked out for my well-being, my health, and my happiness. He provided me with a comfort that I loved. I hadn’t experienced that sort of care in my life since I was a young pup living at home with my parents.

  Thorne stood in the living room, near the fireplace and his pile of blankets that was his safe space when he was in his wombat form. He shuffled from one foot to the other and rolled his shoulders.

  “Everything okay?” I asked. We’d finished our dinner, and usually we took a walk through the woods or sat on our new bench to watch the comings and goings of the pack. Thorne preferred spending time outside, soaking in the fresh air.

  “I want you.” He practically moaned the words.

  My eyebrows shot up and I stopped in my tracks.

  I knew that my mate wanted me, I wanted him just as much. We had spent many hours exploring each other’s bodies with our hands and mouths, but had yet to go any further than that.

  My mate needed time, and I wanted to give that to him. He was younger than me and had spent several years held captive, unable to experience the outside world. I didn’t wish to trap him in a mating right away. Or ever, if it wasn’t something that he wanted.

  “To claim me,” he continued. “But, like, I want you in other ways too.” He wrung his hands together. “What are we waiting for?” he asked finally. His eyes pleaded with me for answers.

  I took a step toward him. “Thorne—”

  “Is it because I’m broken?” His voice cracked and his shoulders tensed as if he was bracing himself for whatever I was about to say.

  “Baby, no. I—”

  “Claim me, Gio. Please. I want that more than anything.” His voice held a grip on my heart and wouldn’t let go. My mate needed me. Not my words, not my promises. As much as I meant them, he needed the proof, physical proof that I wasn’t going to leave him, abandon him for someone different. I could give him that.

  I pulled him into my arms. My lips found his easily. This was where I wanted him, always. In my arms, my skin touching his.

  He whimpered against me as he clung to me. My mouth moved over his, coaxing his open until he allowed me in. My hands trailed down his arms and moved to his waist. I tugged at the fabric of his shirt until I was able to put my hand on the bare skin of his waist.

  He moaned and leaned into me. “Please, Gio. I need you.”

  I rested my forehead against his and sighed. “I want you so much, Thorne. But—”

  “But nothing, Gio. I’m not a delicate flower that you need to keep on a shelf untouched!”

  I chuckled at that and Thorne blushed.

  He spoke softly. “I want this more than anything. You have given me life. Shown me the light after spending so much time in the dark. But I know there’s more to this mating thing. I want that with you.”

  I kissed him and cupped his face in my eyes. I held his gaze. “I do too. But there is a risk, Thorne. If I take you to bed, it is very likely you’ll be pregnant—”

  “What’s the problem with that? I want children. Your packmates are way ahead of us, we need to catch up.” HIs hips ground against mine; I didn’t even think it was intentional, he just craved the connection.

  I groaned. “Thorne.”

  “Is it because my shifting is a hot mess?”

  I held his arms and put a few inches between us. I needed air that wasn’t saturated with his scent so I could think clearly for a moment. “Thorne. No. There is so much we don’t know about what has happened to you. I don’t want to rush or ri
sk your health and recovery for this.”

  Thorne put a hand over my mouth and stopped me from talking “I don’t want to wait. What if we don’t have tomorrow together? Gio, so much could change in such a short amount of time. I could shift to a wombat right now and not change back for another month. Do you really want to wait that long to be with me?”

  I closed my eyes and rested my forehead against his. “I’d wait an eternity for you, Thorne.”

  Thorne cupped my face in his hands and I opened my eyes to look into his. “But you don’t have to, Gio. I am right here. Right now. In the flesh. I want you. I want you to be my first, my last, my only. Claim me. Mate me. Make love to me. Please.”

  I couldn’t resist. It didn’t even occur to me to try. He was right. I wanted this just as much as he did. If not now, then when? Why risk living in regret?

  I swept him into my arms and he yelped. “Where are we going?”

  “Well, I can’t make love to you in front of the fireplace. At least, not the first time.”

  I bypassed the bedroom and took him straight to the bathroom. This wasn’t going to be a quick, one and done event, this would be an experience and it would start right now.

  I placed Thorne on his feet in the bathroom, then quickly turned on the shower. I knew exactly where to set it for the right temperature.

  I set to work on undressing my mate. He tried to help, to speed the process along, but I stopped him. “My way, Prickles. We’re going slow.”

  He rumbled his irritation, but stood still for me. I started with his shirt, tugging it over his head and tossing it to the floor. I kissed his shoulder blades as I walked around his body. I’d seen him naked before, but hadn’t spent the time necessary to worship every inch of his skin. I lightly trailed my fingertips over his neck, where my claiming bite would go. Not tonight, but someday.

  He shivered under my touch, though the room had heated up significantly.

  He leaned into my touch as I trailed down to the waistband of the sweats he wore. I quickly pulled them down, and his long cock sprang free. Not quite as thick as my own, but not on the small side by any means. My mouth watered and I sank to my knees.

  Steam filled the room. I could barely see my mate’s face, but I heard and felt every reaction he had.

  He jerked when I licked from the tip of his cock to his balls, and his cock twitched as I cupped his balls in my hand. I licked along his shaft once more; his moans reached my ears and vibrated down my body.

  My dick hardened and pressed against the zipper of my pants. It would have been smart for me to get naked as well, but I wasn’t stopping now.

  I swallowed Thorne whole. The length of him filled my mouth and the mushroom head of his dick touched the back of my throat. My eyes watered, but I didn’t let up. I wanted all of him. He needed to be pleasured and brought to the brim of ecstasy. He deserved all of that and more.

  I gripped his hips, using my hands to guide him on how to fuck my face. He caught on quick and soon he didn’t need my hand, he moved on his own.

  I let go of him and shoved at my pants to free my leaking cock.

  Thorne thrust in and out of my mouth while I fisted my cock. His grunts and groans of pleasure spurred me on. He could use me how he wanted, I was his to please and be pleased by.

  Cum filled my mouth, almost choking me, but I drank it all down.

  “Gio,” Thorne shouted.

  I caught him as he collapsed, his knees weakening with his release. His breath came in heavy pants as I held him against me.

  I kissed his cheeks, his neck, his chest and whispered to him as I held him in my arms.

  After a moment, he said, “What about you?”

  I chuckled. “I took care of me, sweet mate. But don’t you worry. That was just to take the edge off. Now we’ll shower, and move this to the bedroom.”

  He shuddered. “I can’t wait.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Thorne

  Boneless.

  I’d never understood that phrasing before and now… I was boneless… and happy. It wasn’t even that I was just blown by the sexiest man in the world. It was that Gio had decided that he was ready to take the next step. He’d been holding back. I’d been holding back. But not anymore.

  It wasn’t until that day in the woods when I realized that I might never have full control of me, but that I might be able to come to terms with it and take my moments as I could, that things really had changed for me. Gio had made it clear from the beginning that I was his, even when he couldn’t sense me. I was his, full stop.

  And what did I do? I dragged my feet, not wanting to burden him, not seeing that to him nothing about me was a burden. Was everything sunshine and buttercups? Absolutely not, but we were meant for each other. Fated mates.

  “I’m…” I held him tight underneath the cascading water. “I’m sorry I didn’t—I’m just sorry…” The words couldn’t come, the feelings too complicated. “I’m so glad fate brought you to me.”

  “Oh sweet mate, there is nothing for you to feel sorry about.” He pressed warm kisses on my neck. “Nothing.”

  “I should have let you in earlier.” There was more than that, but at the end of the day that’s what it boiled down to.

  “You let me in when you were ready…when it was time.” He nibbled on my earlobe. “Are you sure you’re ready?”

  “That’s what I mean.” I held him tighter. “I didn’t let you see how ready I am and you, being the amazing, kind, sexy as hell alpha that you are… do not doubt for a second that I am ready and that this… this is everything I want.”

  His lips crashed into mine, only breaking as the angle slanted just perfectly for water to trickle down my nose.

  “It’s fair to say showers are for washing,” I chuckled after a very sexy choke snort.

  “Then let’s get you clean so I can dirty you up again,” he growled. Growled. Was there a more direct line to my cock on this planet?

  He reached around me, grabbing the shampoo, and I stepped out of the way, thinking he needed the more direct stream of water. He guided me right back under it as he popped the top. “How am I to wash your hair if you’re over there?”

  Just when I thought he couldn’t get any sexier.

  He lathered my hair, massaging my scalp as he did, then rinsing it gently. The way he took care of me melted me. I was putty in his hands. Whatever he wanted of me, he could have.

  “My turn.”

  “It’s my turn to pamper—” I cut him off with a kiss as I worked his hair under the water, kissing him every time he tried to argue. This wasn’t a one sided affair. I wanted to have him feeling every bit as pampered, as treasured, as needed as he made me.

  We took our time, slowly washing each other from top to bottom, our cocks more than ready for another round.

  “I’m so ready for you,” I pleaded as he angled me so the water rinsed off the last of the suds. “Take me now.”

  “My sexy omega, a very wise man once said, ‘Showers are for washing’.” He shut the water off, a shiver running through me, not from the cold, but from the way his body looked, the droplets of water slowly traveling down the planes of his muscles. Fixing roofs for pack members had left him with sun-kissed skin and muscles for days. Every inch of him was chiseled perfection.

  “Let’s get you dried off.” When he said he wanted to take his time, he wasn’t kidding. He toweled my hair off, then the rest of my body… slowly teasing me as he did. By the time he took out the hairdryer I could no longer wait.

  “Nooo,” I whined. “Don’t make me wait so long. Please! I need you.” Like my next breath.

  The last thing I expected was for him to break out into a full belly laugh, but that was exactly what happened. He dropped the dryer where it was and scooped me into his arms. “I don’t even know if that thing works.” He kissed the tip of my nose.

  “You are awful.” I nestled into him, the man who was the exact opposite of awful.

  “Awfully hila
rious.” He pushed the door open with his foot. “Now what was it we were about to do next? Tea? Am I making tea?” He set me down in front of the bed and removed my towel. “No. It wasn’t tea.” He raked me with his eyes.

  “No. Not tea. A drink of tall, dark, and sexy.” I ran my finger down his chest.

  “You stole my line.” He rolled his eyes as his towel dropped to the floor. “Next thing I know you’re going to try to steal a kiss.”

  I took the hint, sealing my mouth to his, sighing as he deepened it, our mouths dancing, our cocks pressed together, my slick seeping from my hole. Soon it would trickle down the back of my thighs.

  Gio stepped back enough to pick me up and gently settle me on the bed, settling himself beside me, his fingers tracing paths down my arms, his smile and hooded eyes telling me everything I needed to know.

  “I need a second or this will be over too soon.” He intertwined our fingers.

  “You know we can do it more than once.” And I planned to, all night long and tomorrow and the day after that. “I’m so slick.”

  “Slow.” He pressed a small kiss to my lips. “I want to savor every second of being inside you.”

  I reached between us and wrapped my fingers around his hardness, “I think the best way to accomplish that is by… you know… being inside me.” I gave him a jerk. “Don’t make me beg.” Which I was more than willing to do.

  “I think on some occasions a little begging could be fun.” He guided me onto my back, slipping a pillow underneath my hips and settling between my legs. “But now’s not the time for that.”

  His chest pressed against mine and he began to kiss me again, this time not deepening as completely, instead breaking off from my lips and kissing and nibbling a path down my neck, taking time to suck and nibble my nipples on his way down and down. Unlike earlier, his lips ignored my cock, instead traveling further until he reached my needy hole. He let out a slow breath and chuckled at the way I squirmed. “I can see how slick you are for me.” He swiped my entrance with his tongue. “So needy. So ready.”