Fighting the Lies

by Anna Edwards

CHAPTER TWENTY

  The early morning sunlight flooded through the window. Well, given it was the middle of winter, it wasn’t that early in the morning, but it certainly felt like it. She went to bed after midnight. Scott’s arm was still around her, and she lay draped over his chest. They hadn’t pulled the covers over them, but the heat from his body acted as a blanket. She moved, her thoughts concerned with shutting the curtains so they could get some more sleep. Scott tightened his grip.

  “No moving.” His voice was gravelled with sleep.

  “I want to shut the curtains, so we can sleep longer.” He loosened his arm so that she could move.

  “Good idea. That sun has been annoying me, but I’m too lazy to get up to shut them. I can see having you in the bedroom will be beneficial in more ways than one.”

  “Lazy arse lion.” She muttered.

  “It’s the way you love me.”

  She pushed off the bed and padded across the wooden floor to the curtains. She gripped them in both hands and readied herself to pull. The morning sun glistened off freshly lain snow. This was her home, and yesterday, she thought she would never see it again. She let go of one of the curtains and ran her fingers across the window pane. The years of her youth flooded back, days spent pouncing on bugs with Brayden, her teenage years came next. She felt the edges of her lips curl up in a smile when she remembered the time that she and a few of her lioness friends snuck out to catch a glimpse of some of the males of the pack training. They had been all muscles and testosterone. Her friends had admired the bodies while she had stood fascinated by the movements of the fight that they displayed. Lastly, a vision of her and Scott came to her. The first time they hunted together, she’d been so frustrated with him, but ultimately, they had brought back the biggest catch ever. Their baby would have all that but would have his parents also. She patted her stomach. She wanted to show him or her already. Scott groaned on the bed.

  “You’re not going to come back to bed are you?”

  She bit her lip.

  “I haven’t run in so long.” Scott sat up and pulled the shirt he still had on off. He slid his legs from the bed and dropped his jeans. She blushed when she saw his morning wood.

  “You will need to deal with this when you have the run out of your system.” He pointed to his erection.

  “Deal.”

  “Shift then.” Scott transferred into a massive lion before her. This man was perfect. His slender thighs tapered down to muscular legs, and the brown of his eyes was even deeper in this form. She looked down at what she was wearing. It was the wedding dress that Nuka had given her. She didn’t care for it so shifted without removing it. She shook the tattered remnants of the fabric away from her body and stepped out in lioness form. Her eye sight was wider. Her paws and legs strong. Her teeth sharp enough to kill. Scott let out a roar loud enough to wake the entire pack, especially as it shook the house. She responded, and then they bounded out of the room. Tyler stood in the hallway. A glare on his face.

  “Go roar in the mountains. Some of us want sleep.”

  Scott replied with another roar. This one bringing Kas out of his room. The polar bear pointed outside, and they both put their tails between their legs and fled down the stairs as quickly as possible.

  Emma was laughing in her head by the time they got outside. Scott bounded after her. She quickened her pace, and they raced up through the mountains. They were a pair of young lions in love. A rabbit crossed their paths, and they chased after it. It was quick but not quick enough. She caught it. She stepped back to give the food to her partner, just as any lioness would, but Scott nudged her forward again and urged her to eat. She did so; she was hungry. It had been so long since she’d last eaten. Scott sat and cleaned his mane, while she consumed the food. She offered him some, but he refused. They didn’t speak to each other like they could within their head. Instead, they just enjoyed the company and peace of the morning. When she finished eating, they bounded further up the mountain. A dark cloud loomed over head. She looked up at it, trying to decide if it was more snow or rain. It was certainly cold enough for more snow. Not that she minded. The fur coat kept her perfectly warm.

  “There’s one of the look-out caves up ahead. Shall we take shelter in there?” Scott’s voice entered her head.

  She mewled a yes and followed him to the cave.

  Scott shifted into human form and lit a fire. All of the caves, used as lookouts, had the supplies to start a fire within them. They also had spare clothes and blankets.

  “Are you staying a cat all day?” Scott pulled a blanket out and settled it on the floor. He sat on it and she came to his side. She was still in lion form so sat with her feet tucked under in contentment. “I take it that is a yes then.” He started to stroke her. It warmed her, the affection that he had for her. She purred.

  “So when am I expecting my life to be a mass of nappies?”

  “Four months.” She spoke to him telepathically.

  “"You're going to make me be at the birth as well aren't you?"

  "You helped put it in, so you can hold my hand while I push it out." Her cat mewled.

  "Damn. I was hoping it was something you women would want to do together, and I could sit and drink brandy with the guys."

  "Nope." She swished her tail so that it hit him.

  "Change back." His voice had turned full of passion. It was velvety with his need, a need that matched the huge hard on that he supported. She shifted.

  "The thought of me giving birth has made you like that?" She asked.

  "The thought of you giving birth to my baby has made me like this." He replied.

  "You’re really ok with me being pregnant? I know this is a new relationship, and the baby was formed during a time of unprecedented pressure." She didn't get any more words out, because he silenced her with a searing kiss. She melted into his arms, which wrapped around her and brought her over his lap.

  "You’re mine now. No matter what happens you are stuck with me forever." The look on his face showed he was completely adamant.

  “I like the sound of forever.” She cooed back.

  The mood in the cave turned from playful to wanton lust and need.

  “If I don’t get inside you in the next few minutes, I think I might die.” Scott spoke as he kissed down her neck and over her breasts. He brought a nipple into his mouth and sucked on it, his teeth gently skimming the sensitised flesh. She let out a longing purr. She needed him inside her as well.

  “What are you waiting for?” She gave him permission, and he held her up and positioned himself at her entrance. She already knew that she was wet. She had a feeling foreplay was going to be different for Scott and her. It would be the intimacy of the jovial attitude to each other. It would get them hot and gagging for the final act of joining together. Although, that didn’t mean that she wasn’t interested in sucking that huge cock of his. Maybe in a minute though. First, he lowered her down onto his hardness, her muscles stretching to accommodate his girth. She felt full. She felt complete. She felt like she was home. When she was fully seated, he allowed her a few moments to adjust to his size. That was all it took for the worry to flood across his features.

  “The baby.”

  “Will be fine.” She reassured him with a kiss to his lips.

  “But will I not hurt it?”

  “The baby is well protected. In fact, it will probably enjoy the endorphins that you are about to release in me.” She rotated her hips. A shard of pleasure vibrated through her body.

  “Release.” Scott paled again. “It won’t get my cum will it? I’ll have to pull out.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh at that one.

  “When we get back home, I’ll show you some pictures of what the baby will look like inside me and how it is protected by a sac that gives it all its nutrients via a tube from me.”

  He looked confused.

  “The baby won’t be affected by your cum.”

  “Phew.” He grabbed hold of he
r curvy backside and pulled her up his length before slamming her back down again.

  “I love you.” She met his mouth, and they kissed for what seemed like an eternity. The entire time he set her pace on him. When they parted, he breathlessly reiterated her previous comments and added to them.

  “Be my mate?”

  She stilled mid thrust.

  “Mate.”

  “Yes. I want my scent all over you. I want everyone to know that you’re mine. I can’t promise you that I’ll be the best mate ever. You’ll need to groom me, probably catch all the food, tidy up after me, and teach me what being a family means, but I can promise you that I will give you my unfettered devotion. I would die for you” He laughed. “Without the song this time…I’ll worship the ground that you and our children walk on. I’ll never leave you. I’ll make you laugh more than I make you cry, and the tears will only ever be happy ones.”

  What do you say?"

  She didn't need time to think about that proposal. He was everything she wanted, her friend, confidante, and lover wrapped up in an equally lazy, funny, and fucking handsome package. She didn't need to consider her answer. Her heart told her it and her head agreed.

  "Yes, I'm all yours. Forever, for all eternity."

  Scott flipped her over, flat onto her back. He managed to keep himself inside her the entire time. She squealed as the ribbing of his cock stroked her insides, finding the spot that would send her soaring.

  "What’s with the ribbing anyway?"

  "I don't know the truth, just the old wives’ tale. It stems from the real lions that the human Moroccan Kings kept." While he was explaining, Scott rotated his hips to keep the friction between them building. "The real cats had something similar, penis flaps to keep them inside a lady. One day, one of the male lions bit the heir to the throne. He broke the skin and their blood mixed. The next day, the heir turned into a lion. When he got hard in human form, he found his penis ribbed."

  "You believe that?" She asked, her breath hitching as Scott thrust particularly deep against her sensitive spot.

  "I like the romance of it so yes I choose to. Better than a genetic mutation."

  "Then that’s the story we’ll tell our children." He kissed her and growled low.

  "Enough talking now. I'm obviously not doing something right, if you can still get breath out."

  Scott quickened his pace, the rhythm sending sparks of scorching pleasure through her body. She was near to orgasm. A thin layer of sweat beaded on Scott's brow. She could tell that he was as well. He took her nipple into his mouth again and lavished it with attention. They were hard enough to score glass, the pebble aching for his bite. His teeth skimmed the areola, and she yelled out for more. He thrust harder and harder. She was grateful for the blanket beneath her, or her back would be grazed from the rocky floor.

  "I'm going to come." She breathlessly spoke into Scott's open mouth. He brought his lips down on hers, the tips of his fangs drawing a spot of blood. That was enough to send her over. He thrust once more, and she was exploding around his rigid cock. Pleasure coursed through her body, every nerve ending alive with feeling. He slammed into her a final time, and she felt his release leave him and flood her. His cock jerk feverishly inside her, setting off another wave of her climax.

  Their eyes met. She nodded. Scott bit down on her shoulder, marking her as his. Her own fangs grew in her mouth, and before she knew it, she had done the same to him. They’d marked each other. Mated. Defied the odds. Beaten the Lies.

  EPILOGUE

  Tyler watched Scott chase after Emma. Since the lions returned to the pack two months ago, they spent a great deal of time in shifted form, chasing around the glaciers. When they weren’t shifted, they were making up for lost time physically. More than once, he’d been out on patrol and found them making out. He’d just roll his eyes and walk away. Emma already had a rounded tummy on her. Her and Scott’s baby was growing bigger every day. Jessica, who was acting as the midwife, believed she was already the human equivalent of six months. It was often difficult to tell with shifters, though, because they very rarely carried one baby, and Emma was no different. What Jessica hadn’t spotted that first day was a second heartbeat. Scott and Emma were expecting twins. The entire pack was busy preparing. Scott had moved into Emma’s bedroom, and the male lion’s old room, which was next door, had been decorated in a beautiful cream colour and fitted out as a state of the art nursery. Nothing was too good for the first cubs to be born in the heart of the pack since Brayden. Emma’s mother had moved into one of the other rooms. There was nothing the Council could do to her, so she was free to forge her own path. That path was to rebuild her relationship with her daughter. Isabella was a force to be reckoned with, as Scott was already learning, when he tried to talk Emma into going to a hospital for her birth, but Isabella insisted she have the babies with the help of the women of the pack. It was the way for shifters, the safest way. Emma had wanted the home birth, as well, but of course, she was nervous about it. Eventually, Scott relented, but Isabella had to allow him to be present at the birth, that part of the deal was changing.

  Nuka hadn't been heard from for a while. He'd vacated the lands Kas had given to him. Ciaran was still an appointed Councilman, so it would probably only be a matter of time before they came back to try to destroy the pack again. They would be ready though.

  "Hi Tyler." The upbeat voice of the new park ranger brought him out of his reflection.

  "Hi Teagan, how's things."

  "Pretty boring." she pouted. "All the humans are behaving, and the wildlife is just as polite. I was expecting a bit more excitement, when I took the job." She kicked at a stone on the floor.

  "Be grateful for peace while we have it. I know I am."

  "Yeah, I can imagine." She gave him that sympathetic look that she gave anyone when they even so much as implied as to what happened to Selene, Brayden, Scott, and Emma. The wild dog was a nosey one, but he'd quickly established she was completely harmless. Well, unless you brought her clumsiness into account. The woman could fall over her own feet at the drop of a hat. On her first day, she’d landed directly at his feet, just walking into the mansion. It was a great introduction. He couldn't help but find it endearing how much she blushed.

  "You alright?" She poked him with the tip of her black polished nail.

  "Yeah." He came out of his reveries.

  "Just finished the night shift and a little tired." He yawned as if to emphasise the point.

  "Go get tucked up in bed. I can bring you some food if you want?" She jumped on the spot like an eager puppy.

  "That's kind of you to offer, but Selene is on cooking duty today. She will sort it."

  "Eww. I won't be eating anything today, then, from the mansion kitchen." Teagan turned her nose up.

  "She isn't that bad a cook." He admonished.

  "It's not that. She cooks great food." The wild dog flustered over her answer. "It's the fact she's been outside to throw up three times when I was preparing the animals’ feeds, this morning. I don't really want to catch anything."

  "That isn't good. I'll check on her when I get back. Maybe cook something different." If Selene was ill, Brayden would be worried. He may also have to pull an extra shift tonight to make sure that the snow leopard could look after his mate.

  "That sounds like a good plan." The wild dog skipped off. He winced, when she nearly tumbled over a rock on the ground

  "See you later. Be careful out there." He called after her.

  "Oh wait. She stopped. I almost forgot." She skipped back, nearly catching the same rock again. This came for you this morning." She pulled an envelope out of her pocket. I thought because it was hand delivered it might be important, so I knew I would catch you here to give it to you."

  "Thank you."

  He took the letter from her, and she waved goodbye again. This time missing the rock.

  He didn't recognise the writing on the front. It just said Tyler Quinn. He stuck his pointer finger
into the slight gap between the envelop and the seal and released a claw. The paper ripped easily. He pulled a letter out. White powder tumbled all over the floor. His breath caught, and he felt himself stagger backwards. He didn't need to taste it to know what it was. Every fibre in his body was screaming at him to run. With shaking hands, he opened the letter and read,

  "I know what you did."

  THE END

  THE GLACIAL BLOOD SERIES

  CONTINUES IN EARLY 2018 WITH

  FALLEN FOR SHAME

  TYLER AND TEGAN’S STORY

  COMING SOON FROM ANNA EDWARDS

  FALLEN FOR SHAME

  Coming early 2018

  Teagan Holland left her old pack under a cloud of prejudice. Her breed, an Asiatic wild dog, considered nothing but vermin. But as the Glacial Blood Pack are about to find out she is one the kindest people they will ever meet. The accident prone dog also has a strength within her that will be needed to help stave off the now homeless Nuka Lincoln's attempts at revenge. Will she regret taking this job?

  Tyler Quinn has been a fighter for the pack since he was eighteen. He is mysterious, and nobody knows that much about why he joined them. All they do know is that he is a fantastic cook and a bit of a computer geek. Behind the man he portrays is a secret that threatens to send him on a path that he thought he had left behind. Will the white powder be his downfall?

  Fallen for Shame is the third book in the highly recommended Glacial Blood Series by the author Anna Edwards. It is set in a paranormal world full of drama, suspense and great love affairs. Plus it features a secret that must never be told for fear of the consequences.

  A family isn't always blood; it's the people that accept you for who you are.

  BOOKS BY ANNA EDWARDS

  Paranormal Romance:

  The Glacial Blood world is full of intrigue, suspense, and kick arse fights. It also features a secret that should remain untold. A family isn't always blood; it's the people in your life who accept you for what you are.