Shifters in the Snow: Bundle of Joy: Seventeen Paranormal Romances of Winter Wolves, Merry Bears, and Holiday Spirits

by J. K Harper

  Being with them was so unlike being with the warlock she’d left in Boston. It also didn’t help that she had Billy’s baby growing inside of her, a baby who needed love and protection but wouldn’t find that with its father. Although it seemed premature, she couldn’t help but wonder what these men would be like as parents. She’d seen how they protected her, and they didn’t even know her. Not really.

  Their energies knew each other as if they were ancient lovers just finding their connection, but Rynn wasn’t sure if that was such a good thing or not. She thought about the men beside her, and the raw, sexual attraction had to end eventually, just like every good thing ended. Learning she was pregnant would do the trick. They would disappear in the morning and both run out the door without even a backward glance at her. Her thoughts were turning negative, but she didn’t dwell on them. She didn’t want to ruin the afterglow of their lovemaking, if that’s what she could call it.

  Chapter 5

  Hendrix’s wolf felt like it was going to jump out of his skin at any minute. Ours, his wolf growled in him deep. She’s ours.

  “Stop fidgeting,” Jax said. “You’re making me and my wolf edgy.”

  Hendrix rolled his shoulders, pushing the nerves out the best he could. “I can’t help it.”

  “Are you sure it’s okay for me to come with you?” Rynn asked. “Maybe I shouldn’t be here if I’m making you uncomfortable.”

  “You’re with us.” Jax said it plainly, as if his words were truth and binding.

  “He’s right,” Hendrix said. “I just don’t want to scare you off. It’s important to me that you enjoy yourself. Our wolves can be intimidating during shifts.”

  “I’m not scared of you. What if your pack doesn’t want me here?”

  Hendrix took her hand. “No one will bother you, Rynn. We won’t let them, but based on what we’ve seen so far, you can handle yourself well.” He grinned. “Even big, bad wolves like us.”

  She laughed and held his hand tighter. “You both are very bad all right. Very bad wolves indeed.”

  Unexpectedly, Jax stopped and turned around to pull Rynn up against him. He kissed her in a hard and possessive manner that made her moan, but Hendrix felt no jealousy.

  Hendrix loved that sound and could feel his cock press against his jeans. All morning and day with her weren’t nearly enough. He wanted so much more and wouldn’t settle for less than forever.

  He was surprised at how much Jax was falling for her, too, as much as his brother had played the lone wolf card.

  This woman belonged to both of them, and although they could tell she was resisting it, they were going to convince her that they belonged to her, too.

  The three of them walked onto the Kala West pack grounds with only a few people staring in their direction. Most could definitely tell she wasn’t pack, but they meant what they said. No one would hurt her. They respected the brothers’ authority and Lance too much to start trouble, especially if they smelled them on her. That would be one final warning to keep their hands off their mate.

  Jax and Hendrix had invited Rynn to their Holiday Pack Run, a tradition for their kind to shift together and run through their territory without the concern of outsiders disturbing them or harming their wolves.

  Lance was the first one to greet them together.

  “Jax, Hendrix, I wasn’t sure if you were going to make it out tonight.”

  Hendrix chuckled. “Miss the chance to run wild? Wouldn’t think of it.”

  “Glad to hear it,” Lance said. “Who do we have the pleasure of joining us?”

  “Rynn,” she said.

  “She’s a friend of Zara’s,” Jax said.

  “Well, any friend of Zara is a friend of the Kala West Pack.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate you letting me come here.” She held on tighter to Hendrix’s hand and took Jax’s hand, too. “They tell me it’s a wonder to watch.”

  “It is a big pack feast and party, so that can be a spectacle, but don’t let how these two eat scare you off.”

  “Never.”

  She smiled, and Hendrix relaxed. A smile had never calmed him that way before, and it was refreshing.

  He was thankful for the lightheartedness their alpha leader had shown, and it helped to feel as if Rynn was less of an outsider and more like a mate who belonged there with all of them. Hendrix hoped she could feel that belonging.

  Lance had been apprehensive about letting witches and warlocks into their community at first, but he remembered how his father had wanted all paranormals to work together for a greater cause. It took some time, but he finally opened their pack up to others. As long as no one meant them harm, they were welcome into their pack. Now, it seemed even more crucial to have allies outside of the wolf packs.

  “Hey, Rynn,” Zora called, waving from one of the picnic tables set out for the feast. They walked over to meet her and saw she sat next to her son, Ty, who had already gone headfirst into a plate of pulled barbecue. “What are you doing here?”

  Hendrix could sense the tension that immediately went through Rynn. She probably wondered what to say to her friend about their relationship, when they were all still trying to get their footing straightened. Although they knew she was their mate, they also understood Rynn would need some convincing. Maybe this was a good start.

  “We invited her with us,” Hendrix said.

  “Oh?” Zara asked.

  “She didn’t have to work the bar tonight, so we invited her to experience the Holiday Run herself.”

  Zara analyzed all three of them with interest until a smile filled her features. “Glad you’re here. Grab a plate and come sit with us. Apparently, we have a lot to catch up on.”

  “If it’s all right with you, we’d like to show her around first,” Hendrix said. “We want her to experience it all before the run.”

  “Sure,” Zara said, grinning. “We’ll catch up eventually.”

  “We will,” Rynn said.

  They tugged her away from the crowd of people and found the buffet of food. Although it wasn’t summer, their Holiday Run had the makings of a summer barbecue in December. It had burgers, hot dogs, barbecue pork, barbecue ribs, and a whole mess of sides. They had to make sure everyone ate enough before the nightly run.

  A large bonfire had been lit surrounded by lifelike paper and wooden wolves placed in a circle around it. The multi-colored paper wolves were filled with candy and treats for the kids, so they could shift and break them open later. It was one of the things the children loved doing every year, and it had been a holiday tradition that was their primitive version of piñatas.

  “So what is this wolf run all about?” Rynn asked.

  Hendrix chuckled. “It’s a little silly, but it’s all in good fun. It’s mainly what the Holiday Pack Run is for, but are you sure you can handle it?”

  “Try me,” she challenged.

  “A week or two ago, a couple of pack members were designated as the planters. It’s their job to hide the prize for the entire pack to seek out and one winner to claim. The one who finds it wins the prize as his or hers, ending the run until next year.”

  “What are the prizes?” she asked.

  “Usually a large bird,” Jax said. “Sometimes it’s a turkey or other type of fowl.”

  Hendrix pulled her close to his side and whispered as if he had the biggest secret to share. “This year, I heard they got us a huge turducken to find.”

  Rynn arched her brow. “A what?”

  “It’s a turkey stuffed with a duck and then stuffed again with a chicken. Lance thought it’d be a fun change-up this year.”

  “That’s definitely different.”

  Not long after they finished their food, Lance stood up on one of the tables to address his pack.

  “My fellow wolves, brothers and sisters, it’s that time once again,” Lance said. “Time for us to celebrate our being here in Kala West for the holidays, while keeping some of the traditions passed down from our older generatio
ns. Although Thanksgiving and Christmas have long been human holidays, both celebrations remind us to be grateful to have each other and to give back to our community. We are privileged to have this land bestowed to us by the Kala West Elemental Board, and we shall never take it for granted.”

  The yard erupted in applause and cheers to agree with their leader. Rynn seemed to enjoy what was happening around them. Seeing her happy made Hendrix happy. He didn’t have to turn to Jax to know he felt the same way.

  They had never brought a woman to their pack before, let alone allow one to see them shift, but if she was going to be their mate, they wanted to share everything with her early on.

  “It’s time for us to run wild through these heated woods and embrace our wolves with the shifting season!” Lance shouted and let out a howl.

  Everyone hooted and howled back in reverence to the event and to their alpha leader, including Hendrix and Jax.

  Rynn laughed and applauded with everyone else.

  It was time to go bird hunting. All the shifters stood and prepared to head to the woods to begin the search.

  “You think you’re up for a run with us?” Jax asked Rynn.

  “I’m not sure if I can keep up with you,” she said.

  “We’ll help you,” Hendrix said. “Don’t worry about running.”

  They pulled her up from the table and headed out into an empty area where they could shift alone.

  “Usually, we shift together, but we’re going to take turns so you won’t be alone for it,” Hendrix said.

  “Oh,” she said, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

  “What’s wrong?” Jax asked.

  “I wanted to ask…”

  “Ask us what, beautiful?” Hendrix hoped she hadn’t changed her mind.

  “Do you mind if I see you both shift together? It’s just that I really want to see what you both look like next to each other. Call it curiosity.”

  “You want to see if our human sides match the wolves, huh?” Hendrix teased.

  “Something like that,” she said.

  “I think we can do that for her. Jax?”

  “Definitely,” he said, unbuttoning his shirt.

  Hendrix slid his tank off and tossed it on the ground before removing his pants. What he loved most was how Rynn’s eyes transferred between them. He could smell the lust growing on her, and his cock jerked at the tantalizing scent. Whether they got the bird or not, they were still coming back with the prize.

  When he was completely naked, he allowed his wolf to consume him and take over, and he said a silent prayer that the shift wouldn’t scare Rynn off.

  * * *

  Rynn had never seen two beautiful animals to match the majestic wolves that stood before her. Where Jax had been was replaced by a regal black wolf with white trim. In Hendrix’s place was an equally large and stunning gray wolf with a blending of white. The moonlight made them seem powerful and animalistic.

  Both almost came up to her chest in height and were big enough to take down any beast in the wild easily. She could see the intelligence still in their eyes, and she wasn’t sure if it would be odd to talk to them. She figured she’d go for it and see.

  “You both are gorgeous,” she said. She held her hand out for them, hoping she could feel the fur on their backs and roam her hands through it.

  They were softer than she thought, which made them come off as more dangerous to their prey somehow. Before she could fully enjoy the feel of them, they moved closer to her. Jax nudged her and looked over to Hendrix, who had his muzzle sniffing her. He got too close to her pants, poking his nose between her legs.

  “Hey!” she said. “I don’t think sniffing there is the proper thing for a wolf to do.”

  She didn’t realize she’d backed up to a tree. Both men shifted back to their human forms, naked in the moonlight.

  “You’re pregnant,” Jax said. It didn’t sound like he was asking her.

  “How do you know that?” she asked. Her breathing picked up, her body not knowing how to react to his statement.

  “We can hear the second heartbeat,” Hendrix said.

  She wanted to cry because she knew what their discovery meant. They wouldn’t want her there anymore, not when she carried another man’s child.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ll go.”

  “Go?” Jax asked. “Why?”

  “Unless shifters have developed a new way to get women pregnant overnight, I’m sure you know it isn’t yours. There’s no reason for me to stay here now that you know.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Hendrix said. He stormed up to her, pressing her fully into the tree. “You’re our mate, and you’re pregnant.”

  It sounded like he was trying to explain something final that she wasn’t getting.

  “I don’t know what you’re saying.” Tears welled up behind her eyes.

  Jax came up next to her, trapping her between the two of them. “He means that since you’re our mate, that baby is also ours.”

  “Unless you prefer the father,” Hendrix said.

  “No, I don’t. He was a jackass. He drank too much and had a mean temper. I don’t want him anywhere near my baby.”

  “Good and it’s our baby now,” Hendrix said. “Did he ever put a hand on you?”

  “If he did, we’re killing him. No exceptions.” A shimmer glowed behind Jax’s eyes, showing he meant every word. It was then that she noticed they both had an animalistic glow to their eyes, as if their wolves wanted to come back out.

  “I left before it ever got to that point,” she said.

  “Then it’s settled,” Jax said.

  “You’re not going anywhere, Rynn. You belong with us, and now your child does, too.” Hendrix brushed a hand over her belly, making her feel his truth in accepting her child.

  “Just like that?” she asked.

  “Exactly like that,” Jax said.

  “What he said.” Hendrix smiled right before brushing her tears away and kissing her, and all the fight and protest that had built up inside her vanished with his mouth on hers.

  After the run was over, Hendrix and Jax passed out in bed with Rynn in between them. She had taken turns riding them during the hunt as they shifted into their wolves that were almost triple the size of regular-sized wolves.

  It was odd straddling them at first, but she got the hang of it as they darted through the woods. They ran across other wolves here and there doing their own search for the prize. It was later that a loud howl broke through the night air, and they told her that was the signal that the bird had been found.

  She felt like she had held them back from actually looking for it, but they made her forget her guilt when they got to their house and snuggled up against her in bed.

  Rynn’s head was swirling with too many thoughts to go to sleep. She needed fresh air or something to help her regain her gravity. Jax and Hendrix had swept her into a storm of their own making. As much as she was enjoying it, she still needed to figure out what all of it meant.

  She slipped out of their grip until she ended up at the foot of the bed. Maybe she should have woken them to let them know where she was going, but they looked so peaceful that she didn’t want to disturb them. She wouldn’t go far.

  The community looked so different with everyone asleep for the night and in their houses. It was a little too quiet, but she needed to walk and find some balance in all the craziness.

  She remembered seeing a small creek not too far from the outskirts of the area. It was close enough so she wouldn’t worry anyone but still away for her to let everything settle in her head.

  When she came to the small stream of rushing water, she took her shoes off and dipped her toes in. Although it was Florida, the water was still chilly for December.

  Rynn hadn’t expected the reaction Hendrix and Jax gave her when they found out she was pregnant. Of course, their sonic wolf hearing had discovered it before she could say anything. In a way, it had been a relief
for them to find out that way. She was never big on keeping secrets, and the men were already calling her their mate.

  It felt so sudden, but when they claimed her baby as theirs, a part of her felt the joy she knew she should have with being pregnant.

  The wind picked up and shook the trees above her. She was so busy looking up at them that she didn’t hear the movement behind her until it was too late.

  “I knew I’d find you,” a familiar voice said before two men covered her head with a sheet, plunging Rynn into darkness.

  Chapter 6

  It was rare when Jax dreamed, but this time, when he slept, the images that came to him felt real. Rynn was at the forefront of his thoughts. He saw her pregnant belly swollen with their child and a glow that made her even more beautiful than she already was.

  Happiness had never seemed possible for him before he met her, and seeing her that way made him and his wolf beam with pride. He meant every word he told her. It didn’t matter about blood or birth. That child belonged to both him and Hendrix. She needed to know that, and he wasn’t going to stop until it was ingrained into every part of her.

  That’s when his dream became a nightmare. The woman he was growing to love went into labor and fear shook every part of his body.

  Their mother had died while giving birth to Hendrix, and deep down they both worried the same could happen to their mate if they ever found one. Now that they had, their worst fears were realized as her face contorted in pain. Something was wrong, so wrong, and he had to wake up to fix it.

  His wolf was the one that snapped at him, forcing his eyes open and bringing him back to reality. He felt for her first. His woman. His mate. Theirs. When he didn’t feel her, it was his wolf that realized she was gone from more than just their bed.

  “Hendrix, wake up!”

  “What? What are you yelling for? It’s too early for that shit.”

  “Rynn’s gone.”

  Hendrix sat up quick enough to jerk the bed. “What do you mean gone? Where is she?”