Happy Howlidays: Shifters in Love Romance Collection (Shifter in Love Book 1)

by V. Vaughn

  There was a second of silence, then a chorus of adult laughter exploded through the room.

  Dereck shook his head, ushering her out. “That wasn’t awkward at all,” he said as he pulled her into his arms and buried his nose by her ear, breathing deep.

  The soft white beard he still wore tickled her neck, making her giggle. “We better get out of sight before one of the kids—or worse, your mom—spots you doing that.”

  Dereck groaned and released her. “Let’s go.”

  Rather than lead her into the church where she was certain he’d find a place to change, he brought her outside to where his truck was parked not twenty feet away. Thankfully, none of the windows for the basement hall faced in that direction.

  “What about my car?” she asked as he opened the passenger door and helped her climb in.

  “I can follow you, or we can come back for it later,” he suggested. It was obvious he’d do whatever she wanted, but the look in his eyes told him he’d rather keep her with him.

  “We can come back. We have a lot to talk about.”

  Dereck nodded and reached for her hand. At least he wasn’t shutting her out. That was a good sign. “So, what happened? What did Kevin want?” he asked as he pulled out onto the street, heading toward the outskirts of town.

  Lacing her fingers with his, she turned to look at him. “I don’t really want to get into all of it, but basically, he wanted me back.”

  Dereck stiffened and sucked in a harsh breath.

  “I told him we were done. And I meant it,” she added, not wanting any kind of misunderstanding between them.

  He glanced her way and nodded. “Maybe we should have waited until I wasn’t driving to have this talk. My heart is trying to pound right out of my chest.”

  She lifted his fingers to her lips and pressed them to his knuckles. “We can wait until we get to my mom’s place if you want.”

  “My house is closer,” he said, leaving the sentence open for her to approve or deny him.

  “Okay.” It didn’t matter where they talked, as long as they did.

  Neither of them spoke as he drove up the winding road. It wasn’t long before they pulled into a driveway, coming to a stop in front of a gorgeous mountain home that was big enough to house most of the shifters who had been present at the party, if not all.

  “This is where you live?” she asked, unable to tear her gaze away from the view of the valley below. Off in the distance, she could make out the landscape, and sure enough, her parents’ house.

  Dereck shrugged and hopped out of the truck, rounded it, and opened her door for her before she had the chance to do anything more than slip her gloves onto her hands again. “I need to be ready to take in a pack of wolves in an emergency.”

  Jenna cocked an eyebrow up. “What could happen that might require you to do that?”

  He licked his lips. “It’s been decades since the last attack from a rival pack, but it’s possible. If it did, I’d open my doors to keep my pack safe. Mostly, this is where the pack congregates to celebrate a new life or to mourn the passing of one of our own,” he said, his tone hinting that he wasn’t sure how she’d react to that kind of information.

  “So, why have the Christmas party at the church then?”

  He grinned down at her and shrugged. “I’ve been a little preoccupied these last few days. I called in some favors and let others handle it.”

  Jenna’s heart melted a little more. He might think she’d object to his role in the pack, but the truth was, it was kind of amazing. He cared for his people. Wanted them safe. Kept them strong and happy in their little community. How could she fault him for that? In fact, everything she’d witnessed that day had opened her heart to him.

  The way he’d kept his cool and walked away when her ex had arrived unannounced, when inside, his wolf must have been driving him mad, had shown great restraint. He gave her the time and space she’d needed to deal with Kevin in her own way. Then, once she had, he hadn’t freaked out and gone all caveman-like on her. He’d sniffed her and smiled when he’d found his own scent clinging to her skin.

  And the kids. She’d never forget the way he handled them. The loving attention he’d bathed each one of them in. It showed her the man he truly was. Showed her a picture of what their own family might look like when they decided to start having children.

  He took her hand, leading her inside. The foyer was huge. A place to gather or entertain. Floor-to-ceiling windows along one wall showed the beautiful landscape of the mountain and the snow-covered forest outside, the only thing obstructing the view was the half-decorated Christmas tree standing in front of the window. It would be beautiful no matter which side you were standing on once it was done. On the opposite wall sat a huge stone fireplace perfect for hanging stockings on the mantle. It would be gorgeous with a fire blazing inside.

  “You haven’t finished decorating your tree,” she said as she walked over, plucking her gloves from her hands and slipping out of her jacket.

  He ran his fingers through his hair, a sheepish smile on his face. “I wanted to spend my time with you.”

  Jenna’s heart stuttered, then sped up again. It wasn’t the words he’d spoken or the way he’d smiled that got to her. It was the look in his eyes. The love and devotion. The need. Everything.

  “Kevin tried proposing to me earlier,” she admitted.

  Dereck’s chest rumbled with a growl, but he didn’t say anything.

  “I told him to go back to the city. In a way, I’m glad he cheated on me. It showed me who he really was and opened my eyes to what I want. What my heart needs.” She crossed the few feet of distance still between them and took his hands.

  The closer she got, the more his chest expanded as he took a deeper breath. “And what’s that?”

  “You. I think I’m falling for you.” It might not be the declaration of love he had hoped for or the agreement to let him bite her that his wolf was desperate to have, but it was a start. Maybe, for now, it would be enough.

  His smile started out small but grew until she couldn’t help but grin back. “I can live with that. So, you’re moving to Parrish Pointe?”

  She was nodding even before he finished the question. “It’s time to come home. I’ll have to find an apartment and set up a new business, but yeah, I’m staying.”

  Epilogue

  It was time. Okay, maybe it was way past time, but Jenna was ready, and she’d made her decision. The smells coming from her kitchen made Jenna’s mouth water. Dereck had texted fifteen minutes before, telling her he was on his way. Whatever pack meeting he’d conducted was over, and he was all hers for the night. Hundreds of butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the thought of what she was about to do. What they would do, together.

  It had been almost six months since she’d moved back to Parrish Pointe, and although she was sure he would have preferred she move straight into his house, she’d needed that time in her own place to find the pieces of herself she’d lost along the way in the time she’d been with Kevin. So what if he spent a couple of nights a week at her apartment with her, and on weekends, when she wasn’t working, she was at his mountain home. She still had her own space if she needed it, which she seldom did.

  Choosing to love Dereck had been the easiest thing in the world, but his life wasn’t simple. Agreeing to a mating? That was life changing—body changing. She would never be the same again once he’d bitten her. She’d spent some time with the pack, getting to know them and what being a wolf shifter entailed. And now? All her reservations were gone. It was time to take their relationship the rest of the way.

  Her breath hitched at the sound of his truck pulling up outside. She smoothed her hands down the front of her summer dress and patted her hair. Why she would be so nervous announcing the one thing they both wanted so much it hurt, she had no idea, but she was.

  He didn’t bother knocking when he got to the door, coming straight in. His gaze zeroed in on her as it always did, his smi
le spreading as though he’d waited forever just to see her. “You look stunning, as always,” he said as he crossed the room and took her in his arms, then captured her lips in a kiss that drove all the butterflies out of her, leaving her mostly steady once more.

  “I’ve fixed us some steaks for supper. I hope you’re hungry,” she said, still breathless from his kiss.

  He grinned and cupped her ass, drawing her closer so that she could feel the hard ridge of his cock pressing against her. “I’m starving.”

  “Our supper is going to get cold,” she said. Shaking her head, she pulled out of his grasp. She had no doubt he could have kept her right where he’d had her if he wanted to, but he let her go.

  “The steaks smell amazing, but nowhere near as good as you.” He dropped his keys on the table and turned his attention on her again.

  “And I got you some butter tarts from the bakery down the street,” she told him, smiling when his eyes lit up. She’d found out those were his favorites a few months back and surprised him with them from time to time.

  “What’s the special occasion?”

  Not wanting to ruin the surprise just yet, she shrugged. “I love you. That’s reason enough, right?”

  “That, right there, is better than the rarest steak or the sweetest butter tart. Better than anything in the world,” he admitted as he reached for her again. She should have known he wouldn’t give up that easily.

  Jenna took a step back, and another, heading into the kitchen. “If I let you get a hold of me, we won’t eat until tomorrow,” she said, giggling when he growled and followed her to the table.

  She was so nervous she barely tasted the steak as she ate. She was sure Dereck had told her about his day, but for the life of her, she couldn’t remember a single word.

  When he bit into his butter tart and moaned, then looked at her expectantly, she knew she’d missed something. Again. His brows furrowed, and he set his dessert down. “Is everything okay?” he asked for the third time since they’d sat at the table.

  Swallowing hard, she opened her mouth to reassure him that she was, but the words wouldn’t come. “I love you,” she blurted out instead.

  The worry lines in his face eased a little. “I love you, too, Jenna. More than life itself.”

  Her heart hammered against her ribs, and she sucked in a lungful of air. “I’m ready.”

  Confusion crossed his features, quickly chased away by hope. “Ready for what?” he asked, wiping his mouth with his napkin before setting it down, his gaze never leaving hers.

  She took another steadying breath. “Everything. You. Me. The mating bite. I want it all.”

  In a flash, he was up, and she was in his arms. If she’d had any doubt about how he’d take the announcement, it dissipated in that instant. His lips claimed hers as a growl rumbled out of him. He ran his fingers through her hair, deepening their kiss, pressing his hard body into hers until she couldn’t tell where he ended and she began.

  When he finally pulled his lips from hers, he leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. “Tell me I’m not dreaming,” he whispered.

  She cupped his cheeks and waited for him to look at her. “This is very real. I want to go to bed with you every night and wake up in your arms every morning.”

  “When?” he asked, his voice rough and the amber gold of his wolf shining bright in his eyes.

  “I was thinking today, but we can wai—”

  His mouth was on hers again, stealing the words from her lips as he devoured her. Without missing a beat, he lifted her clear off the floor and started walking. He didn’t stop until they both stood right next to her bed. “Now is perfect.”

  With gentle hands, he lowered the zipper at the back of her dress and peeled it from her body. He took in her cherry red panties and bra—his favorite color—with his hungry gaze and moaned as he dropped his head to her breast and sucked on her nipple through the lace.

  He didn’t linger there, though. His arms circled her, and he reached for the clasp at the back, taking the lingerie off in a sweet, gentle way that brought moisture to her eyes. Everything he did proved how much he loved her. Not just in the bedroom, but outside of it, too. He slid his hands along her sides, over her hips, and down her legs, taking her panties with them.

  Only once they were both completely nude did he lay her on the bed. “I’ve dreamed of doing this for so long,” he admitted as he kissed her jaw and trailed his tongue down the column of her neck.

  A shiver raced across her skin. He had explored every inch of her over the past six months, but never had he lingered on her neck and shoulders. The fact that he did now made her heart skip a beat. She turned her head to the side, giving him better access.

  His body shook against her and a growl rumbled free. “I want to bite you so hard right now,” he said, his voice as shaky as his body was, his hot breath bathing her skin.

  “So, do it,” she said, stiffening beneath him. She’d never mated before, but she’d been bitten by a dog when she was a little girl, and that had hurt. But she was ready for it. It would heal, and in the end, she’d have her whole life with Dereck ahead of her to make up for that momentary discomfort.

  Instead, he pressed his lips there, kissing her softly, then licked the spot. “Soon,” he promised before moving lower, exploring her body like he had all the time in the world. He worshiped her with his lips, his tongue, and his hands, all the while, giving her little nips that made her jump with the mild sting, only to have it morph into pleasure as he ignited every cell inside her. By the time he came back up and took her lips again, she could hardly breathe with the need thrumming through her.

  “Are you ready for me, mate?” he said, his voice deeper and rougher than she’d ever heard it. The sound sent a new pulse into her, zeroing on her clit.

  “Yes, please, Dereck,” she begged, squirming against him, desperate for more of his touch, more of his lips, more of him.

  With his weight on her body, he hooked one of her legs around him, settling his cock at the juncture between her legs. She moaned at the friction of his hard shaft against her tender flesh. Still she needed more. So much more.

  He tilted his pelvis, scraping against her as he kissed down her neck and nipped at the spot he’d found before. He returned to that exact spot again and again, loving it, teasing it, giving little nibbles that sent heat rushing through her. But as she braced herself, he skimmed the skin and moved to her shoulder again.

  It was more than she could take. She needed him. Now. All of him. Without a hint of hesitation and no fear in the least, she nuzzled his jaw and kissed down his throat. Finally, he pulled his hips back far enough, positioned himself at her entrance, then plunged in.

  With a moaned gasp, Jenna found the spot she wanted and opened her mouth wide. She bit him hard enough that he jerked inside her, warning him of her intention with that act, needing to know that he was okay with it. He shuddered against her and moaned. “Fuck, yes,” he said, his voice more rumble than she’d ever heard it. “Again.”

  Pleasure streaked through her at his words. She bit him harder, but not yet hard enough to break the skin. His moan followed as soon as she did.

  “All the way, mate,” he demanded.

  This time, when she opened her mouth, she put all the need—all the love—she felt for him behind the bite. His skin gave way, and the copper taste of blood coated her lips. Dereck jerked hard, moaning for a second before he brought his mouth to that sweet spot on her neck and claimed her.

  The momentary sting of his bite morphed into white hot pleasure streaking through her as he brought his hips back and slammed into her, over and over. He took her, sending her soaring as he brought her closer to climax. She wasn’t even sure she’d survive, it was so powerful, but she didn’t care. She needed it. Chased it. Craved it.

  He released her neck, licking the abused flesh as he continued pounding into her. “Mine,” he said as she went tumbling over the edge of ecstasy. He fucked into her
a few more times before stopping with his cock buried deep inside her, then roared as his own release took him.

  Jenna couldn’t catch her breath, didn’t really care if she ever did again. What they’d shared was more than physical. It had tied them together, soul to soul. She’d swear she felt the bond snapping into place as they’d claimed each other.

  “Mine,” she repeated his claim aloud when she was finally able to utter the word, then pressed her lips to his bruised neck. Already, the broken skin was gone, and the bruise was on its way to healing. He’d told her that would happen. She’d have superior healing abilities now, too.

  Jenna reached for her own bite mark, surprised to find that it didn’t hurt. A pleasant tingle had replaced the pain even before she’d come down from her orgasm.

  “All yours,” he agreed. “Forever.”

  If his words weren’t declaration enough, the love shining in the depths of his eyes told her all she needed to know. The fates had brought them together, and now, nothing would ever tear them apart.

  If you enjoyed Angel Kisses, you’ll definitely want to check out Élianne’s other stories on Amazon!

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  Élianne Adams is a self-proclaimed tropical climate Princess, so how she managed to be born and live in snowy Ontario, Canada is a complete mystery. She loves to read (and write) romances that lure you into different worlds. The kinds of stories that suck you in until the very end. Her paranormal romance books feature sexy as sin fire breathing dragons, gryphons, phoenixes, and jaguars. If those sexy Alpha shifters aren’t quite up your alley, she’s also got larger than life wolf shifters to make melt your reading devices.

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