Quarterback Lion: A Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance

by Lilly Pink

  Then again, Olivia was still learning about herself and her pride. It just so happened that she was learning the majority of her abilities in the heat of the moment while she fought for her life and the lives of those she cared about.

  However, Olivia was pretty sure that what she had done when she shared her ability with Greg was a first. Everyone was staring at her like she was something that they had never seen before. In a way, she knew that was partially true. According to everyone here, she was a true queen which meant she wasn’t just a queen by mating, but by blood.

  She had been born to be a lion shifter queen, and meeting Greg had been a part of her destiny. However, she had seen the looks everyone gave her when they first got to meet her and they processed the fact that she was the first queen the lion-shifters had seen in centuries.

  The way they all looked at her after she shared her power with Greg was something more. When they all got back home and gathered around their kitchen table again, everyone looked at her differently. They had all looked at her in awe when they all first met her as the queen, but the look that she received after killing the high demon was closer to pure shock than the awe of meeting true royalty.

  “Holy shit!” Jessica exclaimed. She was the first one to say anything and run up to Olivia. “That was amazing. I mean, I don’t really know what you did, but whatever it was worked. You guys turned that jackass into a steaming pile of ash.”

  “How did you know to do that?” asked Greg. “I realize what you did, I just don’t know how you knew that it could be done. I don’t think that any other shifter has ever been able to momentarily share their power with someone else.”

  “Well,” Olivia said,” it turns out that Joseph was right.”

  “Of course I was,” Joseph scoffed. “I told you I have been around this world for a very long time. Why don’t you tell us what I was right about this time?”

  Olivia laughed at Joseph. He could come across so smug, but she had learned what a big heart he had underneath of all of that bravado. “About my premonitions. They do come when they are needed the most.”

  “Well, of course,” Joseph replied. “So, when your eyes — you were having a vision?” Greg was trying to ask her a question, but he seemed a bit hesitant.

  “Yes, I did have a vision, but what are you talking about happening to my eyes?” Olivia asked Greg. She hadn’t known anything strange had occurred with her eyes, other than when her light poured out through them, but that was old news.

  “They were blank,” Greg said. When she just stared at him, he went on, “They were completely white. All color, including your pupils, were gone. They were literally, blank.”

  “That is because she was looking elsewhere,” Marissa piped into the conversation. “Her physical form was right there with you, Greg, but her eyes were looking into the future.”

  Olivia was just staring at Marissa now, trying to wrap her mind around the idea of her eyes being some place different than her body.

  “What I really don’t understand, is how you were able to share your power with Greg. I have never heard of anyone who could do that in all of my years.” Edmund Forester asked the question that Olivia was sure was on everyone’s mind.

  “Through her bite,” Greg spoke up for her and Olivia was grateful. She was beginning to feel like she was suddenly a part of the Spanish inquisition.

  “Right,” she said, acknowledging Greg’s statement. “I pushed my light into him just as I did to the demons. The difference being Greg is light and good, so he absorbed my powers for use. However, the demons are dark and evil, so when they absorb my power, it fights against their darkness until they implode.”

  Olivia yawned, exhausted from the day’s events. “Alright, that is enough,” Greg stood up and told everyone. “Olivia needs some rest, so all of your questions will just have to wait until another time.”

  Jane stood up and moved her arms in a gesture meant to direct everyone out. “Greg is right. Besides, it isn’t just Olivia who could use some rest. We all fought in an epic battle today, which means we all need to get some rest.”

  Once everyone was out of their house, Olivia thanked Jane for assistance in getting everyone to go to their own homes. “Thanks, Jane. I love them all, but I am exhausted.”

  Jane gave Olivia a hug and a kiss on her cheek. “Don’t mention it, honey.” Jane placed a hand on Olivia’s belly. “You and my grandbabies need to get some sleep. Everyone else can get over themselves.”

  Olivia laughed. She had never been more grateful that Jane was her mother-in-law than she was in that moment.

  Greg hugged his mother and she kissed him on his cheek. “Thanks, Mom,” he told her. “Good night.”

  “Good night, darling. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Olivia and Greg walked to their room, hand in hand. When they laid down, Greg pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her, and Olivia gladly let him. She rested her head on his chest with her hand splayed out along his bare skin just in front of her face. She was exhausted and her eyes were heavy as she laid with her mate.

  “I love you, Olivia,” Greg whispered into her hair.

  Olivia smiled to herself. “I love you too, honey.”

  ***“Olivia, babe, wake up,” Greg’s voice was cutting through Olivia’s sleep fogged mind. She felt him gently shake her and finally conceded and opened her eyes to look at her mate.

  “Greg, is something wrong?”

  “You started glowing in your sleep,” he said.

  That woke Olivia up completely and she held her hands out in front of her to see that he was right. Her back was to Greg, so she rolled over to face him.

  When she got a good look at her mate her breath caught. “So are you,” she said to him.

  The expression on his face told her that he was confused. “I’m what?”

  “You are glowing, Greg.” Olivia took one of his hands and held it up in front of his face, and watched his eyes go wide.

  “How is this possible?” Greg said. His voice was so low that Olivia wouldn’t have heard him had she not been lying within an inch of his face.

  “I’m not sure,” Olivia said. “Maybe when I shared my gift with you it was more permanent than we thought.”

  “That still doesn’t explain why we are both randomly glowing in our sleep without any knowledge that we were doing so.”

  “No,” she said in acknowledgment, “it doesn’t.”

  “It isn’t hurting anything, though, so I’m not sure that we need to be too concerned about it.”

  “Right,” Olivia replied. She was trying to pull her light back in as she had done time and time again. It was something she had been able to do even when she first discovered her talent with no problems. However, she was not able to make her body stop glowing this time. “Greg, I can’t control it.”

  “What?”

  “I can’t shut my light down. It’s like someone else in in control of my power.” Olivia was beginning to panic.

  Greg rubbed her shoulder and tried to calm her down. “It’s alright, baby.”

  “Can you?”

  “Can I what?” Greg was obviously confused.

  “Can you control it? The light within you. Can you make yourself stop glowing?”

  “I’m not sure. How would I do that?” Greg asked her. “Yesterday I didn’t have to do anything. The light receded on its own, which I had assumed was because you only shared enough of your gift with me to allow me to temporarily use it so we could defeat Diocholos.”

  “It will probably be easier if you close your eyes so that you can concentrate. Then, you just picture the light being pulled back inside of you, and it will be.”

  Greg closed his eyes, and Olivia watched him as the light began fading away. The fact that he was able to do what she couldn’t, and with her own power no less, made Olivia even more concerned.

  “That doesn’t make any sense,” Olivia said once Greg’s body was completely back to normal; no more glow.
“How are you able to control it, but I can’t? It’s my power so I should be able to control it for sure.”

  Olivia felt herself getting increasingly agitated. Greg took her face in his hands and made her look him in the eyes.

  “Olivia, listen to me. It is going to be okay. Besides, you look beautiful.” Greg smirked, and Olivia laughed lightly and smacked him on his shoulder.

  “You are ridiculous,” she said to her mate.

  Greg was kissing her neck, and he growled lightly in her ear. “No, you are sexy.”

  Olivia felt heat rush through her body as Greg’s breath caressed her skin. When he bit her neck lightly, she arched up into him. Greg took her mouth with his and she pushed his shoulder and rolled him over until she was on top, straddling his waist. When she made her way down Greg’s neck with her mouth, she returned the favor and bit him in the spot where his neck met his shoulder. Once her teeth touched Greg’s skin, he let out a growl in pleasure and then his whole body lit back up again.

  She pulled back so that she was sitting up. “Oh my God, Greg,” Olivia said.

  Greg sat up and placed his hands on her hips, staring into her face like he was trying to read her mind. “What’s wrong, Olivia?”

  “You are glowing again.”

  Greg looked at his arms and gave a slight nod before he looked back up to Olivia’s face. “Yeah. I guess I didn’t have a very good handle on it after all.”

  “It happened as soon as I bit your neck, but I wasn’t trying to do it this time.”

  Olivia waited for Greg to say something, but he just looked down towards his lap with his eyebrows drawn together like he was thinking really hard.

  “Greg, what if something went wrong when I shared my light power with you? Or what if some of Diocholos’ essence somehow got inside of me, or us, when we bit him.”

  “Olivia, babe, calm down,” Greg was looking at her again when he spoke. “Your light is a good thing, a beautiful thing. All of the other times, our lives were in danger and you were under great pressure to save people who you loved. Maybe the urgency of those situations helped you with your control. Now, we’re safe so your senses are not on edge so you aren’t able to control it so easily. It isn’t hurting anyone, so it will be okay. We have plenty of time to figure this out.”

  Olivia stared at him for a moment while she allowed his words to sink in. She had to admit that he had a point. The only time she had ever used her light her emotions had been high and she was saving others.

  “You’re probably right. I guess I don’t have as much control as everyone assumed.”

  She smiled and gave Greg a chaste kiss on his lips. “I guess I’m just not as extraordinary as everyone thought. I will have to take the time to master my abilities just like everyone else.”

  Greg wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her chest flush with his own, and Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck. “Oh, you are definitely extraordinary, Olivia Wilds. No one has ever held so many abilities and as much power as you, but your greatest gift of all is in here.” Greg placed the palm of his hand against her chest, just over her heart. “You have the biggest heart, and the way that you love others and fight with everything you have is amazing. What’s more, is that you were doing it long before you transformed into a shifter and discovered your magical powers. That, my love, is truly extraordinary.”

  Olivia wasn’t sure if it would show through her brightly glowing skin, but she could feel her cheeks heat up with her blush. With a coy smile on her face, Olivia said, “I think that you might be a little biased, Mr. Wilds.” She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and threaded her fingers into his hair, pressing her body more firmly into his.

  Greg dug his fingers into her hips when he replied, “Oh, I am definitely biased.” He flashed her a cheeky grin before he planted a hard kiss on her lips.

  When he swiped his tongue along her bottom lip, Olivia opened up to him and he put his tongue into her mouth. When Olivia moaned into his mouth, Greg growled and she felt it vibrate throughout her body. Then he flipped her over and plunged inside of her.

  “Greg!” she cried out, breathy and needy.

  Her whole body was burning with need for her mate, and she arched up into Greg, matching each of his thrusts.

  With every wave of pleasure, Olivia and Greg both glowed brighter and brighter, until the room was lit up like it was in direct sunlight. Greg closed his mouth over Olivia’s and kissed her passionately while he moved deep inside of her, growling his pleasure into her mouth over and over again.

  Olivia wrapped her legs around him and dug her nails into his back while pleasure racked her body. Greg released her mouth and lifted up, grabbing her legs and holding them in front of him spread out, with his hands wrapped around the back of her thighs. His thrusts became more powerful, and urgent.

  Olivia could feel her pleasure building up inside of her every time Greg moved. Greg lifted her leg up by his mouth and lightly bit down on her calf. The sensation sent shockwaves of pleasure through Olivia’s body. She arched up, and her body lifted off the bed as her pleasure peaked and her climax tore through her body, sending pleasure through every inch of her body.

  At the same time, Greg called out her name through his clenched teeth and she felt his release inside of her. When their pleasure peaked, both of their lights shot out in a bright flash, before receding back into them so that they were both no longer glowing.

  Greg laughed. “Well, I guess that is one way to get the light under control.”

  Olivia laughed too.

  “I wouldn’t mind putting it out like that every time,” Olivia told Greg, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. “I don’t really need to figure it out on my own, right?”

  They were both laughing again, and within a short time they had fallen back to sleep in each other’s arms.

  CHAPTER 14

  Greg

  Greg and Olivia relayed their experience waking up glowing and the fact that Olivia had been unable to draw her light back in on her own. Greg also mentioned his theory that it had to do with the fact that she wasn’t using her power out of necessity anymore, and without the added desire to save the people around her, Olivia was not tapping into her gifts as strongly. They just left out the part that led up to them actually getting the light to go out.

  “It is definitely interesting,” his mother replied, “especially since Olivia’s power took over while she was sleeping, but I think Greg makes a valid point.”

  “Actually,” Joseph spoke up, “it is most likely the babies who are messing with your gifts.”

  “My babies?” Olivia said. It was more of a question than a statement. “How would my babies be controlling my power?”

  “They are a part of you right now, so they have access to everything that makes you, you. There is also the possibility that the light power from this morning was one of theirs, and not your power at all. That would explain why you couldn’t control it, but Greg could once you were not touching him.”

  Greg knew that Joseph was being serious, but he couldn’t imagine that their babies were already big enough to have their own powers. It was still very early in Olivia’s pregnancy.

  “Joseph, the babies are still only fetuses at this point,” Greg said, addressing the biggest hole in Joseph’s theory. “How could they already be manifesting powers? That is unheard of.”

  It was actually Greg’s mother, Jane, who responded this time. “No, son, it is not impossible,” she said. “It is something that occurs in very rare situations, however. Considering how unique and powerful Olivia is, it would stand to reason that your children would be extraordinary as well.”

  Greg hadn’t thought of it like that, but he still had never heard of any child’s gifts manifesting while they were still in the womb.

  “It is possible,” said Marissa. “I have seen it in panther-shifter children as well. If it is truly your children’s power shining through already, then they are going to be remarkably gifted
.”

  Greg smiled; already he was the proud father of two gifted children and they weren’t even born yet.

  Olivia looked at him and smiled widely and said, “Well, that certainly isn’t bad news. I have to admit I was freaking out about losing control when all of this happened earlier.”

  His mother laughed, and when he looked at her she was shaking her head. “Oh, honey,” said Jane with a smile. “It doesn’t matter if your children obtain their abilities while still in the womb or not. The moment a woman becomes pregnant she loses control of her body. That is something you should just go ahead and get used to now.”

  “Oh, she is definitely right about that,” said Marissa.

  Greg watched as all of the women shared in their laughter and began swapping pregnancy stories. He was watching Olivia as she took in everything they were saying, and when they told stories of the horrible ways their bodies betrayed them while they were pregnant.

  Whenever the other women mentioned things like that, Olivia’s eyebrows would draw together and she looked a little frightened. Greg leaned towards her and placed his hand on her belly. That was all it took to bring her out of the thoughts that the other women had planted in her brain about the horrors of being pregnant, and she was back with him.

  She looked down at her belly, then placed her hands over his and looked up and smiled at him. Greg felt a small flutter under his hand, and when Olivia’s eye grew wide he knew that she had felt it as well. He quickly looked down at her belly. If she hadn’t reacted to the movement as well, then Greg would have thought that he was imagining things.

  There was no way that she was far enough along for the babies to be kicking. While Greg was staring down at Olivia’s belly, he felt the movement beneath his hand again. Then, Olivia’s belly began to glow and light was beginning to shine out from her. The light started at her belly, then made its way up her body until Olivia was completely lit up again. When Greg felt a familiar warmth enter him from his hand, he looked down at Olivia’s belly again and found that the light was now entering him.