by Kenna McKay
Laird Fraser’s Cinderella
Highland Beasts
By Kenna McKay
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places, businesses, and incidents are from the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual places, people, or events is purely coincidental. Any trademarks mentioned herein are not authorized by the trademark owners and do not in any way mean the work is sponsored by or associated with the trademark owners. Any trademarks used are specifically in a descriptive capacity.
Cover Artist: Kenna McKay
Stock photos from Dreamstime & CanStock Photo
Edited by Ilse Shaffer
FIRST EDITION
©2016, Kenna McKay
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Laird Fraser’s Cinderella
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
If you enjoyed the character of Alisdair MacLeod, you can read more about Kenzy and him in Macleod’s Baby. The rest of the ambush, including Maddock, have stories in the Highland Shifter Tales. | If you enjoyed Laird Fraser’s Cinderella, I hope you’ll take a moment to leave a review.
About the Author
Other Books by Kenna
Laird Fraser’s Cinderella
Shay Thompson has fallen farther than ever before. Despite her poor upbringing, she’d thought moving to Scotland would be the highlight of her life, a change for the better. But the man she’s been cyber-dating isn’t who he seems to be.
Laird Ross Fraser detests men who prey on women. When he hears Shay cry out in the night, his beast urges him to answer the call. He never thought rescuing one tiny lass would end up changing his life forever.
**This is a novella – No cliffhanger!**
Chapter One
The sounds of flesh slapping flesh should have sent Shay scurrying out of the alley, but something drove her forward. The pub owner had said Mac had headed this way, but she knew he must be mistaken. Grunting and a female’s moans filled the air, telling her exactly what she’d find, but she hoped like hell she was wrong. Things were far from perfect with Mac, but she had nowhere else to go. If she walked out on him now, she’d be homeless. The couple came into view, and she couldn’t deny the tartan Mac had been wearing when he’d left earlier in the day. He had some blonde pressed against the wall while he gripped her hips tight and drove into her.
She gasped and spun to flee, but Mac must have heard her. He cursed and jerked his kilt down as he stormed after her. Shay nearly tripped over her feet trying to get away, but she wasn’t fast enough. Fear skated down her spine as Mac gripped her arm, pulling her closer. His cheeks were flushed from a night of drinking, and there was a wildness in his eyes. She could almost see the evil lurking in their depths, and she wondered what her punishment would be this time.
“Mac, you’re hurting me.” She tried to twist out of his grip, but his hold on her tightened until she feared he’d break her arm.
“Spying on me are you, lass? Did you like what you saw? Want to come join us?” His grin turned downright sadistic. “Maybe you’d like it even more if I invited some friends out here.”
Her heart raced as bile rose in her throat. She wouldn’t put it past him to make good on his threats. Every time she’d disagreed with him, there had been a beating, or he’d withheld food. One night, he’d been so infuriated, he’d stolen all of her clothes and made her go naked for a day. He was a bully and an asshole, but she didn’t know what to do. Without any money of her own, she couldn’t leave, no matter how much she wanted to.
“Mac, please don’t do this.”
He sneered at her. “You’re such a saint. Saint Shay. Like you’re too good for my friends and me to fuck anytime we want. Ailish isn’t so squeamish about it,” he said, motioning toward the woman who was watching them with interest.
If she wanted him, she could have him. Why anyone would put up with Mac Craig was beyond her. All right, so she’d put up with him, but only because she’d been without options. But she was seriously starting to think that being homeless might be a better alternative. It would only be for a few weeks, just until she found a job and could earn some cash. The pub was almost always hiring. Although, that might mean seeing more of Mac, and she wasn’t sure she was up for that.
“I’m done,” she told him.
“Done fighting me?” He grinned.
“No, I’m done with you. I’m packing my shit and leaving you, Mac. No one deserves to be treated like this. I’ve put up with it for too long, but I won’t do it for one more moment.”
His hand tightened even more and she cried out. Mac pulled her off her feet and slammed her into the brick wall of the pub. She felt her teeth rattle and her bones felt like they might snap. He slammed her into the wall twice more, until stars flashed behind her closed eyelids and she wondered if she’d remain conscious. Mac grabbed her by the throat and squeezed until she was gasping for air. Her vision began to darken and she wondered if this would be the end.
A low growl filled the alley, and a shadowy figure loomed. “Let her go.”
“Fuck off.”
There was an eerie glow that looked almost like animal eyes. The man growled again, the sound sending shivers down her spine. He advanced on them, stepping into the light. Shay would have gasped if she’d been able to breathe. Even her oxygen deprived brain registered that he was stunning.
Mac released her and she fell to the hard ground, sucking in as much air as she could. She watched as Mac faced off with the stranger, hoping her knight in shining armor wouldn’t get hurt going up against her now ex-boyfriend. Tears clouded her vision as she massaged her aching throat.
“Leave the lass alone,” the stranger said.
“And why should I listen to you?” Mac asked before spitting on the ground at the man’s feet. “If you want a fight, I’ll give you one.”
“Do you no’ ken who I am?” the stranger asked.
Mac scanned him from head to toe, pausing on the tartan the man wore. Blue and green with thinner red and white lines, she didn’t see anything spectacular about the garment. She knew that certain tartans belonged to some of the older clans. Was he part of one? Did that make him aristocracy? Her thoughts were muddled as she watched to see what would happen.
“You’re him. The Fraser laird with the beast inside.” Mac retreated a step. “You killed Donny Allen.”
“He deserved it.”
Was the man a killer? Could her night get any worse? What would he do with her once Mac turned tail and ran? Because she knew her ex well enough to know that if he deemed the stranger a threat, he’d run as fast and as far as he could.
The stranger moved closer. “And aye, I’m Laird Ross Fraser. If you harm one hair on that lass’s head, I’ll tear you to shreds, much the same as Donny. I donae condone violence against women.”
“Maybe the stories arenae true. Maybe you dinnae really kill Donny, and you just want to scare me off.”
Laird Fraser opened his mouth and let loose with a roar that shook the buildings and the very ground. His eyes glowed gold, and she watched as his teeth lengthened. Her heart kicked in her chest. She’d heard the tales of shifters roaming
the highlands, but she’d laughed it off as being ridiculous. Maybe she shouldn’t have been too hasty. His muscular chest grew a fine layer of brown fur and his nails sharpened to points.
Mac whimpered before taking off in the opposite direction.
Laird Fraser approached her and Shay scrambled back against the wall. There was nowhere for her to run, nowhere to hide. As he loomed over her, she opened her mouth to scream. A paw-like hand reached for her as her fear overtook her. She barely heard the “easy, lass” that he crooned right before everything went black and she passed out.
Chapter Two
Ross shook his head, not knowing what to do with the wee lass. She seemed full grown, but she would barely reach his shoulder if she was standing. Her clothes were clean, but cheaply made. He didn’t see a purse that might belong to her, and after a quick check of her pockets, he realized she didn’t have a wallet either. Maybe that was for the best. The way the lass’s luck was running, she probably lived with the guy who’d been about to end her life.
Not knowing what else to do, Ross lifted her into his arms and carried her to the Mercedes parked in front of the pub. Easing her onto the passenger seat, he pulled the belt across her before closing the door. He didn’t know how she would react to waking up in a strange place, but he couldn’t leave her in the alley. If the arse who’d run off was her boyfriend, she probably wouldn’t be too trusting of another man anytime soon.
Ross cranked the heat since she was a fragile human. His tough bear hide could handle the colder highland temperatures. As her body warmed, her scent filled the air, teasing him. Damn if she didn’t smell like succulent honey. He licked his lips as he cast a glance her way. His bear perked up and Ross leaned a little closer for a better sniff. His beast rumbled in pleasure. Ross couldn’t remember ever smelling anything as wonderful as the woman passed out in his front seat. There was something different about her, but he couldn’t figure out what. She was just a normal human, wasn’t she?
He pulled through the gates of his property and stopped the car in the circular driveway, just outside the castle doors. As far as castles went, it was relatively small, but it always seemed to impress the ladies. He wondered if the lass next to him would feel the same way. It shouldn’t matter to him whether or not she liked his home, but for some reason, it did. His bear wanted the lass to be content with her surroundings. Ross got out of the car and went around to the passenger side. Lifting the lass into his arms, he walked up the steps.
The castle doors swung open as his butler blinked at him in confusion.
“Laird Fraser, am I seeing things or are you carrying a small lass into your home? Did your beast frighten her?”
It wasn’t far off the mark. She’d definitely been terrified as he’d approached her.
“Something like that. Would you please let Mrs. Blair know that we have a guest?”
The butler nodded as Ross passed him and went up the stairs. He paused on the landing, knowing he should go right and take her to the guest quarters, but his bear wanted her closer. Ross turned left and entered the family wing. He bypassed a half-dozen doors before nudging open the door next to his. The chamber was painted a soft lilac, and the furniture was white with gilded trim. It was befitting the lady of the castle. No one had used the room since his mother had passed.
Ross eased her down onto the bed and removed her shoes to make her more comfortable. It worried him that she hadn’t woken yet. Straining to hear her heartbeat, he assured himself that she was fine and just resting. He pulled up a chair and decided to wait for the lass to wake. The last thing he wanted was for her to wake up in a strange place all alone, although, seeing his face might not put her in the best of moods if she was still scared of him.
The lass began to stir and slowly her eyes opened. They widened as she stared up at the canopy on the bed.
“Where am I?” she asked.
“I brought you to my home,” Ross said. “American?”
“Yes. Although, I live here now. Or I did.” She frowned. “I guess by now Mac will have thrown my things in the street.”
Her gaze landed on him and her eyes went so wide all he saw were the whites.
“Easy, lass. I’m no’ going to hurt you. Despite what you may think, I’m the good guy.”
“You...you’re a shifter.”
His eyebrows rose. “My kind are rather common in the highlands. Have you never met one before?”
She shook her head.
“Well. I should probably introduce myself. I’m Laird Ross Fraser.”
“Shay Thompson. Formerly of Atlanta, Georgia, in the States.”
“The man from the alley. He was your boyfriend?”
She snorted. “More like the biggest mistake of my life, but I’ve been sort of trapped. We met online through a dating app. He seemed nice enough, and after we’d been talking for about six months, he convinced me to move here to be with him. It didn’t take long for me to realize my mistake, but it took all of my funds to move here. Mac never let me get a job, so I was completely dependent on him.”
“Then I take it your relationship is officially over?”
She nodded.
“Well, lass. The way I see it, you have two options. You can either stay here with me, or you can live on the streets. Now, I realize that shifters may seem scary to you, but I can assure you that I’ll never harm you, lass. You’re completely safe here.”
“You’d just let some random woman off the streets move in with you?” There was skepticism in her eyes and voice.
“My bear is rather enamored of you.” He shrugged. “You smell like honey.”
She lifted her arm to sniff and gave him a puzzled look. “I don’t smell honey.”
Ross leaned in close, his nose brushing her neck. “Aye, lass. You smell of honey. It’s a good thing. To me anyway.”
Shay shivered at the contact, and he couldn’t help but smile. It seemed she wasn’t unaffected by him, and it greatly pleased his bear. The beast had been humming happily since Ross had placed her on the bed, almost as if it wanted to keep her there. Ross couldn’t remember his beast ever taking an interest in any of the ladies he’d brought home over the years. He’d even dated someone seriously for about a year, but his bear had always yawned in her presence and presented his back. And yet, this slip of an American, without a home or much else, seemed to perk his bear right up.
“It’s getting late. Would you like a bite to eat?”
Her stomach rumbled and her cheeks flushed.
“To the kitchen! And while we eat, you can tell me a little more about yourself and what your plans are now that dear Mac is out of your life. My offer of a place to stay is still good, even if you arenae too sure about staying with a shifter.”
Shay nodded and followed him out of the room.
Chapter Three
Shay stared at everything along the way to the kitchen. There were suits of armor, a coat of arms, gilded mirrors and velvet cushioned chairs. She’d never seen a place anywhere near as beautiful as Ross’s castle. Or should she call him Laird Fraser? That meant he was a lord, didn’t it? And here she was, just little miss nobody from the trailer park. It was all a bit much to take in, but if she was dreaming, she hoped to never wake up.
Under the castle’s bright lights, she got a better look at Ross Fraser. He didn’t seem quite so scary, but then, he wasn’t showing his sharp fangs either. The white shirt he’d tucked into his kilt had come halfway unbuttoned at some point and showed off his broad chest. She doubted there was an ounce of fat anywhere on him. While walking next to him, she noticed that there was a hum whenever they brushed against one another. It wasn’t that electrifying touch that she’d read about in romance novels, but it was something. She just didn’t know what it meant.
And she smelled like honey to him? She may not have a shifter’s nose, but even she knew that her vanilla body gel couldn’t possibly smell like honey. He’d said he was a bear shifter, and watching him move, she could believe i
t. The way he carried himself was definitely predatory. Although, it was hard to imagine a huge bear being trapped in his body. He was tall, easily over six feet, and well-muscled. But weren’t bears fat?
He pushed open a door and ushered her into the kitchen. For a castle, it was a rather modern room with granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. An older woman, with gray hair and a kind smile, bustled around the room.
“Mrs. Kinley, this is Shay Thompson. She’s going to be staying with us for a while, unless she decides otherwise. She’s to have whatever she wants whenever she wants it.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Shay said with a smile.
Mrs. Kinley looked from her to Ross and then squeezed Shay so tightly she fought for breath. She patted the woman’s back in hopes of easing her hold.
“I’m happy to meet you,” Mrs. Kinley said. “It’s about time the alpha brought someone home.”
Ross scowled at her. “I brought someone around for an entire year and you didn’t seem so impressed then.”
Mrs. Kinley snorted. “Kenzie Bruce was no’ the right woman for you, and well you kenned it. Even if it did take you a while to figure it out.”
“Alpha?” Shay asked.
“Aye, Laird Fraser is also the alpha over the local bears. Disnae matter what type of bear they are, all of them report to him. You couldnae find a better mate.”
“Mate?” Shay squeaked. She’d heard that term before and knew what it meant. Surely, the woman didn’t think that Ross brought her here to be his wife.
“Mrs. Kinley, you’re scaring the lass. I dinnae bring her here to be my mate. I’m simply giving her a place to stay while she figures things out. Her boyfriend tried to kill her tonight.”
Mrs. Kinley’s eyebrows shot up. “You dinnae put just any lass in the lady’s chambers. If you dinnae intend to claim her as your mate, perhaps the blue room would be better.”
There was a soft growl from Ross and Mrs. Kinley smirked and nodded her head.
