by Anya Byrne
Unfortunately, his rabbit shape had its limitations, and he couldn't communicate with Connor. He shifted into his human form, eager to explain, to show, to share. "When I lived in the warren, I used to play with my siblings like that all the time. I didn't think I'd ever have something similar again. Thank you."
There were so many stories and so many memories, things that still hurt when he thought about them. But having Connor here, holding him, helped soothe that wound.
Connor brushed their noses together in a chaste Eskimo kiss. "You don't need to thank me, baby. Wait for it. When we get settled somewhere, I'll give you a real chase."
The words could have held an undeniable sensual threat, but instead, they were a warm, comforting promise. Suddenly, Dani didn't want to be here anymore. This room had been their haven, the place where they'd first made love, but Dani wanted a home, a warren for his new family.
"Come on," he said as he freed himself from Connor's embrace. "It's high time we left, don't you agree?"
Connor didn't protest, perhaps sensing and empathizing with Dani's instinct to find a place of their own. As his mate started getting ready too, Dani reached for his abandoned clothes, only to realize something he'd completely missed the night before."You tore my shirt."
Dani arched a brow at Connor, but his new mate just grinned, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "Quite. I didn't hear you complaining at the time."
The teasing words held a smug satisfaction and a relaxation that just hadn't been there the day before. Dani couldn't help but smile back, because he could see it now, how much his touch and presence helped Connor. The tension and the loneliness that had previously plagued the werewolf were completely gone. At a different time, Dani would have found it unbelievable that he could be so important for anyone, but given that he felt the same for Connor, he couldn't find it in himself to question it.
"What am I supposed to wear now? Everything else I own is dirty."
Connor reached into his own bag and found a shirt. He draped it over Dani's naked shoulders, still smirking. "You'll wear something of mine, of course."
At the back of his mind, Dani could sense the satisfaction the wolf experienced at the idea of seeing Dani in his shirt. There was also a level of uncertainty, and Dani both appreciated it and hated it. Their bond was still new and frail, and they still had a lot to learn about each other's habits and limits.
In this, though, Dani had no intention of denying his mate. He pulled the shirt on and buttoned it up. His mate's scent enveloped him, and it made him feel warm and safe. "How does it look?"
"Beautiful," Connor murmured under his breath.
Dani was not surprised in the slightest when his mate leaned over and stole a kiss. He forgot all about his previous idea, more than happy to lose himself in his mate's passion. He felt his body start getting slick again, and for once, he didn't hate the instinctive response. Now that he knew it was first and foremost a response to Connor, he could no longer loathe his nature. In fact, he couldn't wait to explore more of what it meant.
The sound of Dani's growling stomach interrupted their kiss. Connor pulled away, chuckling. "It looks like your appetite agrees with our little plan."
Dani scoffed. "Well, can you blame me? We never did eat last night."
Truth be told, Dani wasn't sure how it had happened. It was mostly his fault. Rabbit shifters were very sensual creatures once they reached maturity, and because of his banishment, Dani had never gotten the chance to embrace his sexuality. His instincts had sort of exploded, and he and Connor had ended up making love all night, until they'd finally succumbed to exhaustion at four am or so.
"Well, the salad is still good if you want it," Connor offered.
Connor had a point. Dani's salad wouldn't have spoiled overnight. He nodded, although for some reason, the idea didn't really appeal. In fact, when Connor passed him the salad, the sight of it almost made him throw up.
He shoved it away so violently the dish clattered onto the floor. The sudden action instantly alarmed Connor. "Dani? Baby, what's wrong?"
Dani didn't really know, but he immediately felt better when Connor cupped his cheek. He leaned into the caress and smiled at his mate. "It's probably nothing. Just a stomach ache."
Connor didn't look completely convinced, but finally, he nodded. "Okay, then. We'll just go and grab a bite downstairs."
Dani eagerly agreed, so much so that he cleaned up the mess on the floor even if the salad still made him wrinkle his nose. Weird. Maybe it had some sort of strange preservatives. It wasn't unusual for humans to add peculiar ingredients to their supposedly natural foods, things that a rabbit shifter's body rebelled against. Yes, that was probably it.
The explanation held until Dani realized the scent of Connor's forgotten meal appealed far more. He put it out of his mind, but the method stopped working when they actually went into the restaurant. Dani's mouth watered at the smell of freshly cooked bacon and fried eggs, and just like that, he knew.
In hindsight, he should have been ready for it. His fertility was the whole reason why he'd been kicked out of his warren. But intellectual knowledge was not the same as actual acceptance, and he'd been raised his entire life as a regular rabbit shifter.
The idea of what this meant, of the effects it would have on his life and Connor's, nearly brought him to his knees. Miraculously, he managed not to swoon—it would have been quite embarrassing since he had a good couple of months to go, time enough to faint, throw up and get fat.
For some reason, he could picture himself like that. A few days ago, the idea would have terrified him, but now, he had Connor. The question was—how would Connor react to the news? His mate might have been aware of the possibility of having a child later on, but Dani imagined Connor hadn't expected it would come so soon.
Breakfast would have to wait, he decided. His nerves simply wouldn't let him eat, no matter how hungry he was. Nodding to himself, Dani grabbed Connor's hand and pulled him out of the restaurant.
Connor followed obediently, although he was obviously confused, and maybe concerned by Dani's behavior.
"Is anything wrong, Dani?" he asked the moment they were outside.
"I suppose it depends on your definition of wrong. I think... No, that's not it. I'm sure I'm pregnant."
Connor's eyes widened and his chest heaved as he spluttered, "But... We... It was only..."
"Rabbit shifter," Dani explained with a sigh. "Fast pregnancies. As a rule, we immediately figure it out, probably to give us time to prepare for the kits."
"Kits? You mean... More than one?"
Connor looked like he was going to faint, but he didn't seem angry or about to run away, so Dani felt encouraged. "At least three, I would say, although right now, it's too soon to tell. I'm unusual, so I might have either more or less."
Connor leaned against the wall and stared at the sky. Dani experienced a moment of uncertainty when he wondered if Connor was doubting him, doubting the fact that the kits were really his. He needn't have worried. When Connor looked at Dani again, he was smiling. "Well, it looks like I'm definitely not a lone wolf anymore. At this rate, we'll start our own pack."
Dani couldn't help it. He burst into relieved laughter, his heart filling with joy and love as he took in his mate's genuine happiness. "If you say so."
Connor shook his head, his expression sobering. "Actually, no. I think we might need some help with this, since I have no idea how you'd even deliver. We'll go to Willow Cove. Hopefully, the Lone Wolf Pack will at least explain or guide us in the right direction. And from then on... Well, the sky's the limit, baby."
Hearing Connor so enthusiastic about their new family made Dani optimistic in turn. "Sounds good. But first! Breakfast. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I could eat two pounds of bacon."
"Werewolf offspring, eh?" Connor grinned. "Whatever you like, Dani. Come on."
Dani followed his mate back into the restaurant, finally allowing himself to revel in the hope Connor had given
him. Even when he'd been on the road heading this way, he had feared facing the Lone Wolf Pack, but now that he had Connor, he wasn't afraid anymore. He wasn't afraid of anything.
He might still be a rabbit shifter, but that didn't define him any longer. He'd found something unique, special, a bond that spoke to his soul and to his body. He'd been rescued by a lone wolf with a heart of gold, and if he had his way, he'd spend his entire life proving to Connor, and to himself, that sometimes rules were made to be broken, and that no shifter could be denied a connection as deep as what they shared.
THE END
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About the Author
Anya Byrne is first and foremost a longtime fan of erotic romance. Starting to write her own stories was a natural progression of her devotion for the genre. Years after she put pen to paper in that very first book, she is just as enthusiastic and, let’s face it, somewhat obsessive about erotic romance and all that it entails. She is steadfast in the belief that there’s nothing quite as hot as an amazing hero—except more amazing heroes engaged in heroic hot lovin’, and has branched out into the field of self-publishing to convince even more readers of this fact. Hopefully, she will succeed.
For the latest news and upcoming releases please visit Anya at:
http://anyabyrneromance.wordpress.com/
Other Books by Anya Byrne
Hachti Warriors
Book 1. Sold to the Man in the Purple Fur
Lone Wolf Pack
Book 1. Pregnant with His Werewolf Baby
Book 2. Knocked Up by His Werewolf Dom
Book 3. Expecting His Alpha's Child
Book 4. A Family With His Werewolf Mate
Book 4.1. Bonded to His Werewolf Lover: A Hot Spark Short Story
Book 4.2. Reunited With His Werewolf Beloved: A Hot Spark Short Story
Book 5. A Baby Daddy for a Werewolf Silencer
Mate Wooing
Book 101. The Werewolf's Roomie
Book 102. The Beta's Kitty Cat: A Hot Spark Short Story
Coming Soon
Alpha Gathering 1. Alphas, Secrets and Surprises
The Gathering—a meeting of Alpha werewolves, a place of intrigue, secrets, clashing interests and conflicts born out of greed, pride and resentment. A place that puts no value in love and tests the bonds of loyalty—and yet, leads two men and two destinies to come together as one.
Beta Argent Hull has one goal at the Gathering, to help the Alpha he betrayed and fix at least some of his mistakes. He does not expect his path to cross that of his other half, Alpha wolf Aleksandr 'Sasha' Maximoff.
For a few seconds, he dares to hope he might have a future—until he meets Sasha's eyes and sees only ice. He knows then that his fate is sealed, and he does not deserve a mate.
Unbeknownst to him, Sasha has other concerns. The Maximoff pack is in turmoil, and Sasha fears his father's anger would target Argent. And their problems are only just beginning. There are secrets buried deep in Argent's past, and many surprises still to come. Can the budding, frail relationship between the unlike couple survive the Alpha Gathering?
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Copyright 2014 Anya Byrne
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, by any means, digital or otherwise, without the copyright holder’s express, written permission (except in the case of brief quotes marked as such and embodied in reviews). Unauthorized duplication and/or distribution, with or without monetary gain, are violations of US and international Copyright Laws and are subject to criminal prosecution.
