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

by V. Vaughn

  I pull away and gaze at her as tears roll down her cheeks too. “Mine too, Opal...”

  “Please don’t cut me out completely. I don’t approve of you mating with a werebear, but I’ll never stop loving you. I’ll find a way to accept this. I’ve dreamed of being a grandmother to your kids for a long time.” She offers me a watery smile.

  “Of course, Opal. Wherever we end up, my door is always open to you.” I knew she’d come around, because even though Opal can be quick to judge, she’s a good person at heart. I kiss her cheek. “Do you think you’d be willing to help me get a head start on Zander?”

  Opal sniffs as she grabs a tissue. “What’s the plan?”

  “Can you send him on an errand and promise you’ll watch me while he’s gone?”

  “Will do. Do you need any money?”

  I smile at her kindness as I shake my head. “I love you for offering.”

  She yanks me in for one more hug and whispers in my ear, “I’m happy this Christmas you got the gift of a true mate. I always knew you’d follow a different path. Make the best of it; you deserve a fierce love. I love you, Holly.”

  I squeeze her tightly. Her forgiveness and acceptance means more to me than she can ever know. “I love you, too. Merry Christmas.”

  14

  After Opal sends Zander on his errand, I hug her and Gigi quickly before I let myself out the back door to hop in Mitch’s truck.

  He says, “Get on the floor so nobody sees you.”

  I curl up in a ball and gaze up at Mitch as he drives. “Thanks for doing this. You’re taking a big risk for me, and I appreciate it.”

  “Let’s just say I’ve come to understand the lengths one would go to for a mate.” He glances at me, and his eyes twinkle with his love for Gigi. “Besides, Luke is a great guy. I’m embarrassed to be the same species as the guys who tried to kill him. It’s the least I can do.”

  Once we get to the road that leads to Jim’s cabin, I climb onto the seat. Metal rattles and the shocks squeak as we ride over the uneven terrain.

  Mitch says, “I’m going to drop you and go. I’ve got to get back to the mountain this afternoon.”

  “Thank you so much, Mitch. I’m not sure how I’ll ever repay you.”

  The door groans as I open it, and he says, “No need. I’m sure Gigi and I will see you again. Perhaps a vacation wherever you end up. Good luck.”

  “Thanks.” I slam the door, and gravel crunches under the tires of the truck as Mitch drives away. My bag is heavy as I hoist it over my shoulder as I walk. A chill runs down my spine and when something rustles in the woods, and I turn toward the noise just in time to land flat on my back from the impact of a cougar jumping on me. Zander. My ears ring from my fall as I shift immediately to protect myself.

  I hiss as I scratch at him to get away, and he growls as we struggle. Zander is too strong for me, and his jaw opens wide as he yowls. The noise hurts my ears. He lowers his open mouth toward my neck, and ice floods my veins when I realize what he wants to do. He wants to bite me. Zander intends to mark me as his mate so that Luke has no right to me. A new surge of adrenaline rushes through me as I buck up to shake him off. In a flash, something slams into the side of Zander and releases me from his grasp.

  I scramble to my feet quickly and realize Gigi is now fighting with Zander. He pins her quickly, and I pounce on his back to sink all twenty of my claws into his flesh. He yelps in pain, but it’s drowned out by a deep roar I am sure can only be from a bear. Luke.

  I step back as Luke’s massive animal form swipes at Zander. The cougar flies into the air before he lands on his feet with a thud. His chest heaves as vapor escapes and fire flashes in his eyes. Gigi has come to my side, and she leans against me as if she’s reminding me not to interfere. When two men fight over a mate, it needs to be fair, and we shouldn’t join in.

  My body twitches with nerves as I watch Luke battle with Zander. I wince at the sight of fur from both men flying in the air along with snow as growls and roars deafen me. Every cell in my body is primed to fight, and I want to protect my mate. The ground shakes as Luke slams Zander’s body down, and I watch in fascination as he gains control of the cougar. His mouth is open wide and inches from Zander’s neck when he pauses. Luke glances at me, and I think he’s asking me if he should kill my ex-boyfriend.

  My heart is in my throat as my instincts scream for the cougar’s death for his attempt to ruin my mating with Luke. But

  my human sensibilities won’t let me do it, and I shake my head. Gigi races over to Luke’s side as he climbs off Zander, and the cat scrambles to his feet to growl. I move to stand next to Luke too. Flanked by Gigi and me, Luke rises up on his hind feet to let out a roar that is so loud I fear he’ll shatter the cabin windows.

  Zander lowers his head and turns to run away. I nearly collapse in relief as I shift back to human form. I’m quickly scooped up by a naked Luke.

  He pulls me into a chest-crushing embrace as Gigi says, “Wow. Your bear is amazing.”

  Luke releases me to say to her, “My bear was pissed.” He turns to look at me. “Are you okay?”

  “Fine.” I smile at Gigi. “Thanks to the best friend in the world.” I turn back to Luke and place my hand on his chest. The skin has healed further, and his muscles flex under my touch. “And the love of my life.” I glance at Gigi. “What happened?”

  “Zander didn’t buy Opals lie and raced off to find you. I followed him, and I’m glad I did.”

  “Me too.”

  Gigi shakes her head. “I can’t believe Zander tried to mark you.”

  Luke combs my hair back with his fingers and says, “I can. He didn’t want to lose something incredibly precious.”

  I gaze at my mate, and his blue eyes are dark with desire. I notice something flash in them, and I imagine it’s his love for me. “I wasn’t his to lose. I belong to you, Luke.”

  A low rumble vibrates through his chest. “Yes, you do. And I think it’s time we solidified our bond.”

  Gigi chuckles and says, “I’m going to take that as my cue to leave. But before I do, promise me you’re going to do something about his hair.” She shudders.

  I glance at her as I grin. “Promise. Thanks for having my back. I owe you.”

  “Any time, my friend. Any time.” She shifts back to a cougar, and her feet pound softly as she gallops away.

  Luke stoops down to grab the backs of my thighs and lifts me up. “Wrap those legs around me, Holly. Just like I wanted you to the first day we met.”

  I hook my feet behind his back and squirm as my moist folds press against his groin. The friction between us is glorious as he walks toward the cabin, and I say, “I’m going to let you in on a secret. I wanted this too.”

  “That’s not a secret. The moment you saw me, you were a done deal.”

  I slap at his chest. “You act like you were the one in control. You forget it was my hands that felt like magic.”

  Luke takes us inside the house and stops to let me down. He grips my shoulders and twists me around. Wrapping my hair around his fist, he walks me over to the arm of the couch, and it’s hard against my thighs as he presses me against it and says, “Show me how you got that card you dropped again.”

  I recall how I bent over that first day to present my plump rear to him. I lean over the arm of the couch and sway my hips from side to side. “Like this?”

  A low growl comes from my bear as he slaps my bottom hard enough to sting. “Just like that.” He releases my hair to push my shoulders farther down as he slides his thick cock between my butt cheeks and down to my slippery channel. “Wet and ready for me, aren’t you?”

  I quiver as his hand slides around my hips and he pinches my tender nub lightly. I gasp and say, “Always, Luke. Always.”

  He guides himself into me slowly, and I let out a low purr as he seats himself deep. Luke says, “I’m going to brand you in more ways than one, Holly.” He slides back out slowly and then thrusts in fast. “You’re going to
know you belong to me inside and out.” He grips my hair again and yanks my head back as he moves his mouth over my neck. Sharp bear teeth poke at the tender skin just above my collarbone, and I tremble with the need for his mark. His breath tickles as he whispers, “You want this.”

  “God, yes.” I pant as I rock back to meet him stroke for stroke.

  Luke begins to pump harder. “Soon, baby. Soon.”

  Thick upholstery is rough in my grip as I hang onto the couch while Luke slams against me, and my cries are frantic as I reach for my orgasm. I’m so close, and when my body begins to quake, Luke shoves his cock in as far as he can go and groans when he gets there.

  He growls out, “Mine,” before he plunges his teeth into my shoulder.

  Hot pain shoots though me, but it’s quickly followed by intense pleasure as I explode with my orgasm. Now it’s my screams that just might shatter the windows as I nearly black out from the sensations. Luke roars behind me as hot seed splashes in me to mark me inside too.

  I feel like a rag doll when Luke lifts me up and carries me to the bedroom. He lays me down and laps at my wound. I sigh as tingles of pleasure run through me. Luke moves on from my shoulder to my breast, and I’m amazed at how I respond. I must have a well of energy that was just tapped, because it won’t take much for me to be ready for round two.

  “Luke, what are you doing to me?”

  He stops to gaze up at me. “Loving you. Is that a problem?”

  I grasp his head, and singed hair is rough against my palms. I suppose it does look ridiculous, but everything about this man is making my heart sing right now. “Not a one. But it’s my turn.” I sit up and order, “Lie down.”

  His eyes are wide as if he’s afraid, but the glimmer in them is playful, and he takes my place.

  I hover over him as I lick my lips slowly. “Where to begin.” I trail my finger down his chest and swirl it around his navel as his stomach quivers. “I know.” I raise my eyebrows as I dart my eyes down to his cock and then back to his gaze. “So many tender places to bite. However will I choose?”

  Luke’s brow knits for a second. “Ah, be gentle?”

  I chuckle as I position myself to suck his cock. “You mean the way you just were?” I grip his dick in my hand and begin to stroke as I say, “Because I think I may be missing a few locks of hair.”

  He sighs as his hips lift up. “Fair enough. Do as you must.”

  I place my tongue at the base of his shaft, and the sweet flavor of our musk assaults my tongue, making me want more. I drag it up to the tip and nip at the mushroomed head of his cock. He flinches, and I gaze at him to say, “I will.”

  I apply myself with gusto, and when Luke is on the brink of his orgasm, I pull away. As tempted as I am to mark the tender flesh of his groin or upper thigh, I need to mark him where everyone can see. Sliding his pulsing cock into me, I sigh as if I’m home. And I believe I am, because no matter where we live, Luke is all I’ll ever need to be content. I ride him until he’s about to explode, and when I bring my cat to the surface, she’s happy to bond with our mate for life. The final thread of our forever connection is attached when I sink my teeth into the meaty flesh of Luke’s shoulder. The metallic taste of his blood is delicious, and I savor it as he thrashes beneath me in his mind-altering climax.

  Once we’ve both regained composure, I slide off my satiated mate to lie next to him and say, “We should probably go. I don’t trust Zander and his friends.”

  “Me either, although I’m tempted stay and show them who they’ve been messing with.”

  I sit up. “No. Please don’t. There is nothing you need to prove to me.”

  Luke sits up too. “You’re probably right. If you want the ability to come back some day, I don’t want to make it harder on you.”

  I don’t think I’m ever going to want that, because I know this place is no longer where I belong. I lean in close and whisper, “Take me away, Luke. I’ll go wherever you say.”

  “We’re going home, Holly. Home.”

  15

  Once Luke and I hit the road, he tells me he came from Maine, and as we drive there I finally begin to get excited about Christmas. I say, “I hope your family decorates for the holidays.”

  “We do.”

  “Does your mother bake? Because I love to make cookies.”

  He chuckles. “Not really, she’d rather have the chef do it, but my sister will love you.”

  “You have a sister?”

  “Two. My twin is named Lucy and my half-sister is Carly.”

  “Wow. What else should I know?”

  He glances over at me with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. “That’s all for now.”

  “Tell me about your family’s traditions.”

  Luke tells me stories as we drive, but it quickly becomes clear the both of us are exhausted from the fight earlier, so by dinner time we decide to stop at an inn for the night. When we end up at a posh place that appears to cost more than a week of my salary for a night and Luke whips out a shiny credit card, I begin to understand his cryptic messages about his financial status. My mate is rich with a capital R.

  I sink down on the fluffy white duvet cover of the bed in our room, and the softness makes me think of a cloud. “Wow. You must have been a good lawyer.”

  The bed sinks as Luke crawls up next to me. “I’m not a lawyer yet. I still have a year of college to finish before I even go to law school.”

  I lift up on my elbow to gaze down at him. He’s wearing a ball cap, and I lift it off his head. He still needs to shave off the matted mess of hair attached. I inspect his eyes and notice that he only has a hint of wrinkling in the corners. A flicker of panic passes through me, and I ask, “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-two.”

  “What?” I scramble off the bed. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I don’t wait for an answer as I being to pace. “Unbelievable, Luke. First I don’t know you’re a werebear, and now I find out I’m thirteen years older than you?”

  Luke is sitting now and rubs his head as he grins. “You’re a cougar, right? Fitting, don’t you think?”

  “Oh my god.” I glare at him when he starts to laugh. “It’s not funny!” I grab a throw pillow from the chair and smack him with it.

  “Of course it is.” Luke grabs me by the waist and pulls me into his lap. “C’mon, baby, you should be thrilled that we’re both in our sexual prime.” He nips at my neck as my body floods with desire in response.

  “How could you not care? You realize I’m going to be old and wrinkly well before you are.”

  “And I’ll still love you as much as I do now.” He lets out a low growl as he hooks a finger in my shirt to look down at my breasts. “Probably more.”

  I push his hand away. “What are your parents going to think?”

  “They’re going to accept and love you for what you are, Holly.” He shakes his head. “Trust me, they’ll be thrilled with you.”

  Luke is only beginning to share his past with me and I have a feeling there’s a lot for me to know. “I guess I’m not like your last girlfriend.”

  “You’re right. But none of that matters. What matters is you need to know I’m not as wonderful as you think.”

  I get up off his lap and move to sit in the chair across from the bed. I recall how he said he stays away from drinking, and I wonder if he’s done awful things because of alcohol. I can’t imagine Luke being evil, but I find I’m holding my breath, so I let it out and say, “You can tell me anything. I’m in this for life.”

  Luke scratches at his scalp. “I used to long for power, and I’ve done things I’m not proud of in pursuit of it.” He sighs. “I feel as if that was so long ago, Holly. Ever since I met you, none of my past even matters.”

  I think about how before I met Luke I felt unsettled, as if I didn’t belong where I’d been happy for most of my life. Now I think it’s because I was supposed to leave my past behind for a new life. “I feel the same way, Luke. It’s as if the day we me
t, my life really began.”

  “I hope you’re ready for a little crazy. Not only do I come from money, but my mother is the alpha of my clan, and my half-human sister is the heir.”

  “Really?”

  “Really, and the human element is a problem, because we’ve just discovered there’s a band of human hunters that wants to eradicate us.”

  I know Luke is telling me something he thinks I should fear, but I’m not afraid of the new world that awaits me. Not if I have him by my side. “So you have mixed breeds in your clan. Is it just humans or more?”

  “Just humans.” He leans forward to reach for my hands. “And now cougars.”

  He winks at me, and I scowl. “I’m not going to enjoy the age jokes.”

  Luke gets on his knees to place himself between my legs and slides his hands up my jean-clad thighs to stop at my waistband. “You’re like a fine wine, baby.”

  My button pops as he yanks at it. He slides a hand into my pants, and I recall how I did this to him the first time we were together. Luke’s fingers enter me, and I let out a small noise before he removes his hand again.

  He leans down to my crotch and inhales deeply before he says, “Better with age.”

  Sunlight from the moon roof in his car glistens off Luke’s freshly shaven head. He went with completely bald, saying it makes him look older. I just think it’s sexy. I glance ahead at the mansion that was revealed when we turned the corner and suppress my urge to gasp. Luke’s family home is huge. Snow covers the lawn like a fluffy cloud and his home, adorned in boughs of pine and gold ribbons sits nestled in it like a dream. The window hums as I lower it to breathe in more fresh air. Something about the oxygen in this part of the country soothes me, and when I inhale, I feel as if I’m finally getting enough of whatever it is I need to breathe.

  Luke’s warm fingers grasp mine. “Please don’t be nervous. My mother will be formal but nice. My father will be charming.”

  When I was in the shower this morning, Luke called to tell his parents we were on our way. But I don’t know what else was said. I ask, “Do they know what I am yet?”