Swallowing His Pride

by Serena Pettus

  “Just spit it out, Lynn. What results? I haven’t done anyth—” Her words cut off as her throat closed, making breathing impossible. No. No, no, no! I can’t be. Not now! He just came back to me, and now, this will only chase him away. He might even think I did it on purpose. But we used protection, so this shouldn’t even be happening. “How is that? But I can’t be…”

  Suddenly, everything around her slowed, voices reduced to mere hums as darkness seemed to swell up, claiming her quickly.

  * * * *

  Samantha was panicked, her fear rolling off her in thick waves and putting his inner lion on high alert for danger, then she just collapsed. Arms shooting out, Dylan managed to catch her up against his chest. Her head lolled back and exposed her lax features.

  “What the hell happened?” he barked. “What was all that about?”

  “It’s not my place to tell you. I’ll leave that to her once she’s ready,” was all the reply Lynn gave him, and that only served to piss him off.

  Liam came back into the house and froze when he saw Sam’s limp body in his arms.

  “She passed out cold after Lynn mentioned something about results,” Dylan explained.

  “Results?” Liam came closer and placed some pillows on the couch to prop up Sam’s head as Dylan laid her down once again.

  Liam sniffed, his nostrils flaring before his face went white.

  “Damn.” He looked back up to Dylan, his eyes wide and unsure before he announced, “She’s pregnant.”

  “She’s what?” Liam was wrong, had to be, but Dylan remembered that late-night sexual encounter they’d had. Fresh from sleep, he’d slid his bare cock into her warm depths and was lost.

  “She’s in danger now, Dylan. You know that some of the others don’t tolerate humans. I highly doubt they’ll welcome the fact our leader has taken one as his mate, let alone that you’ve bred her already.”

  Liam was right. They’d been fighting these narrow-minded bastards for years now, trying to keep peace between them and the humans who lived close by. Taking one as his mate, therefore making her the Pride’s Prima, would not sit well, at all. Add to that the pregnancy, and there was no telling what those deranged shifters might do.

  One thing was certain though. “She can’t stay here.”

  “I agree. There were some tracks out by the woods, and I detected the faint scent of Jag. No doubt he caught a whiff of your markings all over the place and crossed the border to investigate. Was there a single tree you didn’t leave your scent on? Geez, it’s not like anyone could miss it, but the extent you went to obviously drew attention you weren’t looking for.” Liam looked down at Samantha again. “Is she okay?”

  “I think she’s just overwhelmed. She told Lynn she was let go from her job today. She can only afford to have the tree branches done and plans to do the rest herself, but Lynn warned her against it in her condition. It sounds like she hasn’t been taking real good care of herself and neglected her body’s needs so she could work longer and finish the house.” Dylan shook his head. “The woman is amazing. She’s done so much, been so strong, yet she’s lying here, out cold, after discovering she’s carrying my child.” A disturbing thought slithered into his mind. “What if she doesn’t want the baby?”

  Liam shrugged. “I don’t see her as the type to seek an abortion, Dylan. She likely wasn’t expecting it. It’s only been a month, but then again, they don’t know about shifter pregnancies.” His brother’s eyes bore into his own. “You know you’ll have to tell her about us now. There’s no way to hide it, especially with the baby. She’ll know something is wrong as soon as the dates don’t add up from the day she conceived to how old the ultrasound will show the baby to be.”

  “What are you guys talking about?”

  Damn it all to hell! He’d been so focused on Samantha he’d forgotten Lynn was in the room, but the smirk on Liam’s face said that his brother had known she was there the whole time. “You explain it to Lynn then, genius.”

  Liam quickly lost his smug expression, but Dylan noted the determination in his eyes. “We’re not like most men,” Liam began.

  “So, what? Are you super assholes? Because any guy who treats a woman like a queen then ditches her without even a goodbye is a complete douche in my book.”

  Dylan sighed. “I already explained what happened.”

  “Yeah, and I don’t care. You hurt my friend, and I don’t tolerate that well.”

  He liked that about her. Lynn was protective of Samantha, more like a sister than a friend, and that was when Dylan realized the potential asset she could be. “She’s pregnant. My brother just confirmed that. Hell, if I hadn’t been so focused on her being unconscious, I would have noticed myself, so there’s no need to deny it. The fact she’s pregnant with my child puts her in a type of danger you won’t understand unless I explain exactly what I am to you.”

  “I’m listening, but if she’s in trouble because of you and I find out that you’re some sort of criminal, you’re going to have a problem.”

  “Really,” Liam drawled, showing his lack of fear at her obvious threat. “And what would that be?”

  “Me.”

  “Listen, I need you to sit down and hear me out Lynn. We may look human to you, but we’re far from that. Have you ever heard of a shape-shifter?”

  Lynn narrowed her eyes but nodded.

  “That’s what we are. We’re lion shifters—well, most of the clan are lions, but some are different species of cats. The animal outside last night was a black jaguar named Jag. He’s a little messed up in the head from being held in a zoo for several years. Being stuck in his animal form for so long didn’t help any either. I don’t think he meant to frighten Samantha. He was just curious because I’ve been scent-marking her property since I came back from Vegas. I realized where she lived as soon as she described her property to me, but I didn’t let on that I knew. I’ve been watching over her every night, with the exception of last night, because my brother convinced me to get a good night’s sleep before seeing her today.”

  “He hasn’t been sleeping well since she left him that night. His demeanor has gone from upbeat and generally happy, to miserable and downright cranky,” Liam explained. “She’s his mate. His lion actually took control of him briefly in Vegas and he’s marked her as his, so now, he must be near her, otherwise his inner cat will go a little crazy.”

  “You sound a little crazy,” Lynn snapped. “Does insanity run in your family? Should I warn Samantha about the chances of her child developing the same problem?”

  Liam growled, “We’re not insane. Just do me this favor. Watch my eyes for a moment.”

  “Fine, though I don’t know what you could possibly do…”

  The moment her words trailed off, Dylan knew what his brother had done. He’d allowed his eyes to shift, the pupils elongating into the vertical oval shape of his feline counterpart. Next, he watched as Liam smiled, revealing his long canines and sending Lynn into stunned silence.

  “We would never hurt either of you ladies,” Dylan quickly put in, seeing Lynn’s pulse beating wildly at the side of her neck. The last thing they needed was to have both women out cold. “Samantha is my mate, and I will spend the rest of my life protecting her and providing for her, whether or not she sees fit to let me be a part of it.”

  “He’s right. She’ll always be taken care of. Dylan is the Prime of our lion clan, so that makes her the Prima,” Liam explained.

  Lynn swayed a bit on her feet, and Liam reached out to steady her, earning him a slap to his arm. “You said she’s in danger. Explain that to me, because there’s got to be some part of this mess that makes sense.” She shook her head. “Don’t think that just because you pulled some fancy little parlor tricks on me that I’m going to believe you’re shape-shifters, either. I’ve read hundreds of paranormal books, and they don’t usually have those types of creatures living in towns and cities, let alone hanging around casinos and dance clubs.”

  Sho
wed what she knew. There were shifter communities all over the world, living in plain view of humans and mingling amongst them for the last several hundred years. With a shifters lifetime sometimes spanning twice that of normal people, they often relocated every ten years or so, unless they were lucky enough to find some remote land to settle on separate from the general population.

  Dylan and Liam were fortunate enough to belong to one such clan, and with the resort coming into play soon, there would soon be a place for their kind to stay during their transitions from one clan to another. This meant that, while it wouldn’t be necessary for Sam to move away in the future, it did bring about the fact that she would now outlive her best friend by several decades now that her life was bound to his. He wondered how Sam would take knowing she could easily live to be over a hundred and fifty years old? But now so was not the time to bring that up.

  Now, how to explain the potential danger he’d inadvertently placed Sam in. Here goes nothing. “Okay, the easiest way to explain this is for you to consider it as a form of racism. There are some shifters who think of humans as worthless and weak. These same folks will not take kindly to me—their leader—taking on a full-human as my mate, therefore elevating her to leadership status, as well. Add in that she is carrying my child, and let’s just say, things could quickly go from bad to worse.”

  “So these psychos might try to hurt her?” Lynn asked, casting a worried look at Sam as she lay on the couch.

  The thought of any harm coming to Samantha was enough to have a snarl bursting forth before he could contain the sound. Lynn took a quick step back, eyes wide, as he vowed, “Over my dead body, I can assure you.”

  Still wearing an uneasy expression, Lynn asked the million-dollar question. “And just how do you expect to keep her safe? She’s out here alone, and one huge cat already showed up. What if others come? The one last night could have attacked her easily. She was alone, sitting on the porch when it came.”

  “I’ll speak to Jag,” Liam offered. “He’s not a big fan of humans, but he’d never hurt one unless they threatened him.”

  “Well, I plan on coming back and staying with her. I can assure you if he shows up again, he will be threatened—with the end of a shotgun. If I were you, I’d advise your buddy to steer clear,” she warned, her green eyes hard and determined.

  “Calm down,” Liam said softly. “I’ll tell him, but I also think he’d be a great asset. He doesn’t live in town with the rest of us, instead preferring to live out in the wilderness on our property. It would be perfect if he keeps a guard post on her property for when we won’t be able to be here.”

  “That’s an excellent idea, Liam,” Dylan agreed. “We’ll see if he’s interested in doing some of the outside work around here too, since he likes to work with his hands. I’ve noticed some of Samantha’s fences could use mending, and she’ll need her tractor up and running before the weeds get too high to see over.”

  “Then that’s settled. I’ll find him and get things set up.” Liam turned to Lynn. “So you know, in his human form, Jag is tall, dark-skinned and his eyes are pale blue. It can be a bit startling, but he’s a good guy once you get to know him. I just want you to know what he looks like in case he comes by while we’re gone.”

  “Okay. But didn’t you two just say he isn’t a fan of humans?”

  “Several years back, Jag was tranquilized in his cat form and spent a few years in a zoo. He was trapped in his animal body for the entire time, lest he give away the secret of our existence,” Dylan explained. “Liam’s landscaping company was hired to do some work at the zoo, and we discovered him by accident. It was no easy feat to get him out of there, and now, he distrusts humans.”

  “Well, I can understand that, even though I’m still not buying the whole cat thing. If you guys are trying to punk me, I’ll kick your asses so damn hard.”

  Liam sighed. “Should I shift right now and prove this to you? I’ll need to strip down first, since I didn’t bring any extra clothes, but if that’s what it’ll take, I’m game.”

  Lynn rolled her eyes and sighed. “Didn’t I get my point across in Vegas? You’re not my type, honey, and taking off your clothes won’t change that fact.” Her grin took the sting out of her words, and Dylan was glad to see that she could still pick on Liam. It meant she didn’t fear him. Most likely, her discomfort stemmed from her confusion over the situation.

  His brother visibly geared up for a comeback. Dylan was about to step in before Liam and Lynn really got going, but he stilled as Samantha started to come around. There was no way he wanted to spook her into passing out again, so he gave a quick slash sign to his brother.

  “Lynn?” she asked, eyes still closed. “Please tell me you got me plastered, and I’ve been passed out cold all night.”

  The sympathetic look Lynn gave her friend wasn’t missed by Dylan or Liam, but her reply broke his heart.

  “We’ll get through this, sweetie, you’ll see. I’ll be your doctor, and I’ll even write off all my services, but I can’t do anything about the hospital bill. We’ll find you a good job that won’t have you on your feet all day, and—I can’t believe I’m saying this—I’ll move in here with you so you won’t lose the house.”

  A tear rolled from the corner of Sam’s eye, and unable to help himself, Dylan pulled her into his arms. “You’ve got me, too, Sam. I’m not going anywhere. Hell, I just got you back. There’s no way I’m running now.” Never. She was his, and his lion snarled his agreement in his mind.

  Sniffling loudly, Samantha raised her red-rimmed eyes to him, and Dylan instantly knew that whatever she was about to say, he wouldn’t want to hear it. “I need to go on the record now as saying that you don’t have to do anything Dylan. You don’t have to be all noble and sweet just because there’s a baby involved. We can work out things like visitation and stuff.”

  Yup, he didn’t want to hear it. Didn’t she realize he already had feelings for her? He understood she knew nothing of their mating bond, as it had little effect on humans, but for crying out loud.

  “Sam,” Lynn cut in, saving him the trouble. “You really need to have an in-depth conversation with these two before you say anything else. I think you both should take this slowly,” she emphasized, glaring at Liam and Dylan. “Get to know each other better. A lot better than you did in Vegas.”

  “Lynn!” Samantha screeched, her face blazing with her embarrassment.

  “Not like that.” Lynn rolled her eyes, but Dylan caught her meaning. She wanted to make sure they explained what they were to Sam.

  “I think she’s right,” he agreed. “I’d love to take you out on a date again, somewhere a bit calmer than the places we went before. Hell, a picnic, a quiet drive, I’d even settle for grocery shopping.”

  Sam giggled, the bubbly sound giving him hope and lifting some of the crushing weight the fear of her rejection had brought.

  “Men hate shopping,” she replied, a small smile still curving her lips.

  “But I’d do it with you.”

  “That’s big, Sam,” Liam cut in. “That’s like the equivalent of a marriage proposal to some men.”

  “Yeah, but would they buy the feminine products, too?” Lynn put in, her brows raised in Liam’s direction.

  “I’ll answer you with a line from the 90s hit by my man, Meatloaf. I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that.” Liam sang, making everyone laugh and lightening the mood even more.

  “In all seriousness though,” Dylan said. “I have a few things to tell you, but you’ve had a rough day, and I’d rather have you rest and take it easy. Liam and I will work outside on the tree and getting the palms planted—”

  “No! I can only do the tree. I’ll plant the other things later, but until I find another job I’ve got to be careful with my money. I put a huge portion of the divorce settlement into the property to keep my payments and interest low, so my cushion isn’t quite as comfy as I’d hoped.” Samantha struggled to sit up, and Dylan put his
arm around her shoulders to help. “Thank you.”

  “I’d love to do all of this for you, Sam. I don’t think working in this heat is the best thing for you now. If you’ve been dizzy and faint, the heat might only make it worse.” Dylan exhaled in relief when she nodded. He certainly didn’t want to come by one day and find her lying in the yard after passing out cold.

  “You’re right. I’ll have to really watch what I do now, start thinking about the baby, too.” She shook her head and raised her brilliant blue eyes his way. “It’s still so crazy to think that I could be pregnant.”

  Lynn moved closer but kept her eyes on Liam as she came. Was she scared of him? A deep inhale revealed only a slight wariness, but he could see her curiosity, as well. After all, it was a trait with which all felines were well acquainted.

  “He’s right, Sam. We’re in the height of the summer heat here, and these triple digit temps will sap your energy fast. You need to relax and take it easy for a bit. Your hormone levels are going through a major fluctuation, so that’s part of the reason for the dizziness, but I’ll need to get some blood work to make sure that’s all it is,” Lynn gently explained. “I’m going to bring you into my office for some tests, then in a few more weeks, we’ll get an ultrasound.”

  Samantha nodded, her eyes downcast and seemingly focused on her hands as she twisted her fingers in her lap. She appeared so lost, the pale tone of her skin against the vibrancy of her hair leaving her looking more fragile than the finest china. He absolutely hated the fact he’d allowed his stubborn pride to keep him from her this long. If he’d come around sooner, perhaps he would have been able to smooth the way for her a little.

  While he could do nothing about the loss of her job, he could help her to work on her home and be with her as much as possible. Now, all he had to worry about was whether or not she would reject him once she discovered his feline side.

  “I’d love to take you to your appointment, if it’s all right with you,” he offered. “I realize this is sudden, and I apologize, because it’s all my fault, but I can’t say I’m unhappy you’re having my baby. I think you’ll be an amazing mother.”