Shifter Night Box Set: Complete Set (Book 1 - 3)

by Charlene Hartnady

  “Quiet,” he whispered back.

  The meeting was in full swing. If she made a ruckus, they would interrupt.

  To make matters worse, the asshole smelled really good. Like obscenely good. He began to walk, taking big strides. She waved to Ana and mouthed ‘bye’ since the two remaining Alphas seemed to be having a heated debate on whether to stick together or to break up into three groups.

  “You can put me down now,” she said as the door to the dining hall swung closed behind them.

  He flat out ignored her and continued walking.

  “I can walk, you know.”

  He continued to ignore her, tightening his hold on her.

  “Hey!” she added, with far less conviction. Edith sighed as she clutched his shoulders. His very broad, well-muscled shoulders. She’d forgotten how buff shifters were. It had been months since she and Jacob had spent that night together. Jacob had been really cute and really big, but nothing compared to this. This was next level. It was such a pity that most shifters seemed to be fixated on one thing and one thing only. This one just happened to be a big fat jerk as well.

  4

  Gage paced outside Ana and Winston’s place. Three wolf shifters were on guard at the rear of the building and three were standing only a few meters in front of him. He’d been acting like a dick to the human. He needed to try to ease up. What had happened to Meredith five days ago was not this female’s fault. The feelings of guilt and anxiety that coursed through him were not her doing. This whole shitty situation had zero to do with her. She was most likely really nervous, and with good cause. Gage was going to be polite to her going forward. Unless of course her life was in danger, or unless she was doing something that might cause her life to be in danger, and then, all bets were off.

  Where the hell was she?

  Calm down, Gage! Calm down!

  The human finally … fucking finally … came outside, dragging a large suitcase behind her. “What the fuck are you wearing?” he snapped. It couldn’t be helped. Then he caught a whiff of her. Holy shit! “What’s that smell?” He sniffed.

  Her eyes widened in clear disbelief. “What do you mean what am I wearing? Shorts and a top.”

  “They’re too short.” He allowed his gaze to roam her lush thighs. Lush hips, lush fucking everything, he thought as his eyes settled on her plump breasts. “That top won’t work either.”

  “It’s seriously hot. There’s nothing wrong with shorts and a spaghetti strap top. I’m wearing sunscreen ‒ all over ‒ so it’s all good. I wore something similar on the way in this morning.” She shrugged like it was no biggie. This female had no fucking clue.

  “Sunblock. So that’s the smell then.” He bit back a growl. Did this human want to die? Then again, there were some things worse than death. If she was captured, she would be in deep trouble. He tried not to think about it. Steering his thoughts along that path would make him think of Alice and little Ethan. Of the twins. Of the other two females who had been taken. Anger and frustration ate at him.

  “Smell?” She sniffed her underarms. “I showered not so long ago. I used shower gel and everything. I’m not sure what you mean.” Her eyes were wide.

  “You need to shower again. You have two minutes. I’m coming in with you.” He began to usher her back towards the door.

  “What?” Her eyes were wide. “As in … in the shower with me? There’s no way—”

  “No, not in the shower, in the house.” He glanced back at the three males; despite the circumstances, they looked amused.

  “Oh,” she sighed with what seemed like relief and then turned and entered the house.

  “This time, after you’re finished, no creams, no lotions or deodorants of any kind. No perfume or sunblock. Shifters have a fantastic sense of smell and I’m sure these creatures do too. Cover your legs and arms, we will be moving at a fast pace and may need to flee. I don’t want your pretty skin to get scratched up.”

  Pretty.

  What the fuck was that all about?

  “Oh!” She blinked a couple of times. “I didn’t think of any of that. I guess I’ve never been in danger before, although this is just a precaution, right?” She didn’t wait for him to answer. “I guess covering up makes sense.” She turned towards the hall.

  “Oh, and human …”

  “Edith.” She glanced back, still moving, only much slower than before.

  Shit! He was supposed to be polite and here he was blowing the whole damned thing. Her safety came first though. She needed to know that he was serious. “Edith,” he said.

  “Yes?”

  “Come back out after your shower in your underwear.”

  She stopped walking and turned back to him; Gage hadn't known that humans could move that quickly. She spun on her heel. There was a look of confusion on her face. "Why the heck would I do that?" She planted her hands on her ample hips and thrust out her succulent breasts.

  Breasts that were made for a male to snuggle into and maybe never come up for air, period. Head out of the gutter, Gage! It had been nearly two months since his last trip to Sweetwater. Two very long months ‒ excuse the pun ‒ hard months. He was a male after all. One with a job to do. “It’s not like that. I need to get my scent on you. All over you.”

  Edith shook her head so hard her curls bounced. She scrunched up her cute-as-a-button nose. “I’m not sure what that means exactly but I’m not game.”

  “You scent of sweet, delicious human. Those creatures will be drawn to you like a homing beacon. If I was you, I’d be afraid and doing everything I was told. I’m trying to help you, Edith.”

  She gulped and he picked up the bitter scent of fear. Damn, it wasn’t how he wanted this to go. She finally nodded once. “Okay, but don’t get any ideas.”

  “Believe me I won’t.” He held up both hands. “Please be as quick as you can. Two minutes max.”

  “I’ll do my best.” She disappeared down the hall.

  Gage huffed out a pent-up breath and ran a hand through his hair. Why me? He instantly regretted his thoughts. He wasn't usually prone to pity parties. With everything going on around them, taking the human back to Sweetwater was nothing in comparison. He wasn't missing a mate or a child or all of the above. It still didn't mean that he wanted this assignment. What if something happened to the female? What if …? He groaned. He couldn't think like this. Gage needed to force himself to put a positive spin on this situation. If it came to it, and he hoped to god it didn't, but if it did, then he was going to do everything in his power to protect the human. He would lay down his own life, before losing her to those creatures. The bastards had to be evil. There was no other way around it. Who abducted pregnant females and such tiny cubs? Gage suppressed a growl.

  Everyone would have to work together tirelessly. Whether wolves, bears or panthers. Ward had already sent word to the other ten packs. It would take a half a day to reach them with the news though. He wondered if they had been targeted too. He sure as hell hoped not!

  He heard the female’s approach and almost fell on his ass as she walked into the room. Gage cleared his throat and forced his eyes onto hers. Shit! Her cheeks were pink. By the look in her eyes and the way she was trying to shield her lace-clad breasts, he could see that she was self-conscious. No wonder. The ensemble left little to the imagination.

  Fuck! White lace. Thin, translucent and mouthwatering. He wasn't looking though. Not at her puckered nipples. Not at the flesh that was spilling over the top of the cups. Certainly not at the lace-covered snatch of fur between those heavenly thighs. This female wasn't just tits and ass; she was hips, thighs and everything in-between.

  He cleared his throat a second time. “Maybe you would be more comfortable wearing a t-shirt.” There was no way he could get through putting his scent on her without putting his dick inside her too. Deep inside. Not with her looking like that. This was no time to think of sex. Stop, Gage! Just stop!

  She nodded and leaned over her bag. He almost groaned out
loud. That ass! Oh, that ass! Two globes of utter perfection bobbed up and down as she pulled on the zipper. His hands itched to squeeze and fondle.

  He turned away from her instead, listening to her open the bag and then dig around in it.

  “Okay, all done,” she announced.

  He turned back. The shirt wasn’t as big as he had hoped but it covered enough of her to allow him to think more clearly. “I think a bed would work best.”

  Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open.

  He quickly went on. “I’m going to rub myself up against you, front and back. It will be easier on a large flat surface. We can do it right here on the floor, I merely thought that a bed might be more comfortable for you.” Her eyes widened even more. Gage held up a hand, hoping to calm her. They didn’t have time for this shit. “You’re welcome to rub up on me if you would prefer.” What the hell was he doing to himself? “If this wasn’t necessary, I wouldn’t have brought it up. You just smell that good.” It was true, she did. So very sweet and delicious. Like chocolate-dipped honeycomb.

  She finally sucked in a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. Follow me.” Edith led him through to a bedroom. From the scent ‒ or lack thereof ‒ he could tell that it was the spare room.

  The female looked apprehensive as she lay down. Her chest heaved.

  “Don’t be nervous. We’ll be done in half a minute.” He needed to respect this female. Needed to dial back on these dirty thoughts. Needed to stop thinking of her as the sum of her really magnificent body parts. He was not going to allow himself to become aroused. No damned way. Time was a-wasting here. He needed to keep his mind clear and in the game.

  The mattress dipped as he climbed onto the bed. Thank fuck he was wearing jeans.

  "You were an asshole back there." She looked him head-on. Her eyes were actually more green than brown. Not striking in any way but really pretty. Especially considering how big they were. Framed by long, thick black lashes.

  Direct. He liked that. Big time. “I’m sorry. I guess I was a bit of an asshole. The whole mythical creature thing sounded pretty far-fetched though.”

  “I said it was a theory. I made it very clear that I wasn’t sure. Hearing the description of these creatures sparked a memory. You didn’t have to be so … nasty.”

  “I said that I was sorry, and I meant it. We’re under a lot of pressure here.” He looked down at her legs. Soft, lush, smooth skin. Very fucking sexy. Not that he was looking. “I’m going to start with your feet. I need to touch you … a lot. Don’t hit me or kick me.”

  “Stay away from my … private parts and we’ll be fine.”

  5

  The sexy asshole glanced up, his dark eyes giving nothing away. “I’ll do my level best.” He pulled off his shirt, tossing it next to the bed. Her mouth went more than a little dry. Wowza! Holy freaking macaroni! Talk about wide shoulders and pecs that could bounce shit off of them. Hell, she was sure that he could bounce her with one of those babies. And his abs. Oh, sweet baby Jesus, those abs. She only wished she could unsnap his jeans so that she could see them all. All three pairs of prime real estate. Just sitting there, waiting to be staked and claimed.

  This wasn’t supposed to be fun. In fact, she was supposed to hate this. She was going to hate this, dammit. He was about to get all touchy-feely with her. At least she got the impression that he wouldn't be doing this unless he really had to.

  He picked up her feet and ran his hands over them. Edith tried hard to hold it in, even squirmed a little. In the end, she giggled. There was no stopping that baby when it burst out of her.

  His gaze snapped back to hers and his hands stilled.

  She raised her brows by way of apology. “I guess I’m a little ticklish.”

  He nodded once, moving to her calves using long, firm strokes. It was almost clinical and undoubtedly no-nonsense. It was silly, she hadn't wanted this, had been really nervous about it. Now that it was happening though, she kind of wished he would show some sort of enjoyment. All women enjoyed feeling sexy and wanted. Did she want to have sex with him? No! Not after what happened with Jacob. She wasn’t a one-night-stand kind of girl. Sex wasn’t just sex to her. It was something intimate and special, and like it or not, she attached feelings to the act. Having said that, it would be nice if he showed some sort of attraction or interest or something. Instead, she got nothing. Then again, look at him. Just look! He must have women throwing themselves at him at every turn. Why was she even thinking about sex? Maybe because a gorgeous guy was touching her. This was crazy. She needed to clear her mind.

  “I need you to part your thighs a little.” His voice was really deep and gravelly, but she didn’t think it had anything to do with her. Then she registered what he had said. Her heart went to her throat.

  “I need to get my scent all over you,” he finally explained when she didn’t respond.

  “No looking, okay?” She raised her brows.

  His jaw tightened. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” He looked like he meant it. She wasn’t sure whether to be happy or sad.

  Happy.

  Definitely happy!

  “Before you start groping me …” Why had she said that? It wasn’t like that. “Um … you know what I mean?” She cleared her throat. “I don’t even know your name.”

  “It’s Gage, and I promise not to be inappropriate in any way.”

  Pity.

  She bit her tongue, because for a moment, she almost said it out loud, which was crazy since he was about to take her on a perilous journey home. Since nothing about this whole situation was normal or nice in any way. Or it shouldn’t be nice. He was such a hunk though. Stop! It was all just the nerves talking. "Okay," she said when she realized that he was waiting for an acknowledgment. "Good to meet you, Gage."

  He didn’t say anything.

  Asshole.

  Using the same firm strokes, he rubbed her up and down her thighs, even using his chest a little as well. Oh goodness! So hard. So darned masculine, even though the vast expanse of his torso was hairless and smooth. There was a smattering of black hair from his bellybutton which disappeared into those snug-fitting jeans. Not thinking about that!

  “Still okay?”

  She nodded. He pushed her legs back down and moved his big body over her. Only a couple of inches above her but not touching her in any way. Her breathing hitched. How could it not? Six and a half feet of pure muscle was poised above her. Those golden flecks around his irises made his eyes really beautiful. They were locked with hers. This whole moment felt oddly intimate even though it wasn’t. Not even close.

  “Pull up your shirt for me.”

  She sucked in a breath, wanting to argue but stopped herself. He didn’t look in the least bit aroused or interested. He was doing this to help her. As a favor. He was ultimately doing his duty. Edith licked her lips and tugged up her shirt until it was just covering her boobs.

  “Is it all the way up?” he asked, not breaking contact with her eyes for a moment.

  She shook her head.

  “Needs to be all the way,” he said, looking bored.

  She pulled it up further, until the material was bunched under her armpits, and then nodded. “Yes,” she said the word on a huff.

  “I’m sorry about this,” Gage said as he lowered himself. Then hot, heavy male rubbed up against her. All his hard planes against her soft, curvy ones. It somehow almost felt right, yet very, very wrong.

  She lifted her eyes to the ceiling, biting on her bottom lip to hold back a moan. Her nipples decided they liked the attention. The hard, hot friction. This, despite the situation they were in, and the fact that she didn’t know this shifter from Adam. Would he be able to feel her pebbled flesh? She hoped not.

  Gage lifted himself. “Turn around,” he instructed.

  Her cheeks burned, she avoided eye contact and moved onto her belly.

  His chest vibrated as it connected with her back. He made what sounded like a growl. Soft, but angry. Was he angry? If so
, why? His jeans abraded her ass and legs. She tried not to think about it too much. Just kept her eyes squeezed shut. Tried not to enjoy it, even though she was embarrassed to her core. Note to self, buy a set of full, cotton underwear for this type of situation. Hopefully it never happened again. A lace G-string and lacy bra were not going to cut it for activities like this.

  Then he was lifting himself off of her. “Get dressed,” Gage commanded as he got back up. She noticed that he left the shirt lying right there on the floor. “Long pants, closed shoes and a long-sleeved shirt. I’d prefer it if that shirt stayed on as well. It has my scent on it.” He glanced at her chest and straight back up, locking with her eyes. “We’re at least fifteen minutes behind schedule, so I would appreciate it if you could be really quick. No perfume or any of that other stuff.”

  “Got it.” Apprehension coiled within her. “Am I really in that much danger?”

  He clenched his jaw.

  “I mean, it can’t be that bad, can it?” She heard the hesitancy in her own voice. Had she underestimated how much danger she was in?

  Gage didn’t say anything, which spoke volumes. “Oh shit!” Up until this moment, she’d somehow convinced herself that this was just a precaution. That all would be well. She’d been an idiot. Done the whole ‘bury her head in the sand’ thing. She was good at that.

  "I'll take care of you, Edith. Of that, you can be certain."

  “Like you took care of that other woman?” It came out before she could stop it. It was a terrible thing to say. Edith instantly regretted it. She covered her mouth with her hand. It wasn’t like she could unsay it.