by Susan Bliler
“I’ve got a surprise for you. Planned it yesterday. Stay here.” He didn’t bother dressing. He’d get the package he’d asked Vance to deliver without the need to go outside.
Short minutes later, he padded back to the bedroom with one arm behind his back. Emma was sitting up in bed and excitement was evident in her wide eyes and expectant grin. When he entered the room and closed the door, his cock stirred at the sight of her disheveled hair and naked body barely hidden behind the sheet she had tucked under her arms.
“Well?” she exclaimed excitedly, and her enthusiasm was catching.
Hayes couldn’t stop the chuckle that left him. “Woman, I wanted to draw this out but when you smile at me like that I can’t deny you.” Pulling his arm from behind his back he hunched his shoulder against the delighted shriek that tore from Emma.
Kicking free of the covers, she raced to him eagerly, her arms already out as she focused on the little ball of black fur in his arm.
“He’s a teacup Yorkie,” Hayes was careful handing the pup off to her. “He’ll top out at about five or six pounds.”
“Oh my God, I love him!” Emma hugged the puppy up tight pulling back to pout her lips at the animal and speak in baby talk, “I wud you already my widdle boop boop!” She turned to beam up at Hayes. “Thank you. Thank you so much. This is the best gift ever! Ever, ever, ever,” she screeched.
He accepted her quick kiss and then climbed onto the bed, folding his arms behind his head, he relaxed against the pillows, crossing his ankles as he drank in Emma’s delight. “What are you going to name him?”
“Oh my gosh,” she squealed with glee as the puppy licked her face repeatedly. “He’s so tiny. I think he needs a name that fits.” She held him at arm’s length and twisted her lips in concentration before smiling. “Goliath!”
Hayes barked a laugh. “I thought you said a name that fits?”
“Goliath fits.” Emma crawled onto the bed tucking Goliath under one arm as she sat so close to Hayes that her arm was pressed up against his ribs. “A little dog needs a big name, especially if he’s going to be a part of the pack.”
Unable to stop himself, Hayes reached out and massaged her thigh a moment before noticing a chill to her skin. He pulled the blankets up over her body as she lifted Goliath out of the way. “It’s a fine name, Em.”
“He won’t be able to do much around here,” Emma brushed her nose against Goliath’s side.
“He won’t need to. That’s what you have me for, woman.” He’d intended to soothe her with the words, but when she tensed and her smile faded, he knew why.
“Hayes, I don’t want you doing everything. I don’t want to be coddled ever again. I want to pull my weight.” She lowered Goliath to her lap to pin Hayes with serious eyes. “I need to pull my weight.”
And that was hard to agree to because that wasn’t how Hayes was raised. He was taught that certain duties belonged to the male and no wolf worth his salt would permit his female to exert herself with certain chores. “Em,” he began but she cut him off.
“Losing Dean nearly ended me, Hayes. I carried such guilt over not doing more and I don’t ever want that again. Please don’t do that to me.”
If it was a matter of Emma carrying guilt and beating herself up or him allowing her to share their work, then he’d agree. “I’ll give you what you need, but there are two things you need to know.”
She eyed him warily.
“First, I’m not like Dean.” She opened her mouth to speak, but he held up his hand. “What I mean is I’m not leaving you, Emma. Not ever, not from illness anyway. Shifters carry no illness.”
When her eyes rounded, he grabbed her hand. “I’ll never get sick. It just doesn’t happen. No disease, no colds, nothing like that.” Hayes sat up straighter in the bed leaning forward as he pinned her with serious eyes. “And you won’t either.”
“Wh-what?”
“Your cancer isn’t coming back. It can’t. Mates of shifters become immune just like shifters. I don’t know how it works and hell, I don’t care, but you’re done with illness, Emma. It’s over.”
She lifted a hand to her mouth and tried to stifle the sob that broke free as Goliath tumbled from her lap and latched onto the blanket to nip at it furiously. “Hayes, you…you…”
“I’m telling you the truth. I wouldn’t joke about shit like that, woman.” He grabbed Goliath and placed him on Emma’s lap before pulling her onto his. He rocked her steadily and kissed her forehead as her arms twined around his neck while her body shuddered with her soft weeping. “No more illness, baby. I swear it.”
“You saved me three times,” she breathed.
He pulled back to look at her with questioning eyes.
“You saved me from Edric and the coven, you saved me from my own misery, and now you’ve saved me from disease.”
Lifting a hand he cupped her cheek, smoothing the pad of his thumb through the tears that stained her cheek. “Woman, you saved me. I love you, Emma. I love you more than I thought it was possible to love. You gave me hope. You give me life, and one day when you gift me pups, I’m going to make you so damn proud with how hard I work to be the best father and husband for our family.”
“I’m already proud of you, Hayes. I’m proud to be seen on your arm. I’m proud to call you mine. I’m proud you chose me.”
He shook his head. “No. You chose me and the honor is mine.”
“I love you, Hayes Morrow.”
“And I love you, Emma Morrow.”
He grinned at the excited little jitter that shook her with hearing her name attached to his. He looked down at Goliath where he’d had fallen asleep curled in Emma’s lap. Hayes lifted her from his lap and adjusted her so Goliath was cuddled in her arms as she lay down so she was spooned in the warm embrace of his body pressed against her. Huddled up like that with his woman and their dog in his arms, his pack safe across the valley, and his enemies at bay, Hayes knew complete happiness for the first time in his life.
THE END… ;o)
Ahhwooooooooooo!
Coming Soon:
Terr6tory: The Primes
Ryka and three other females are on the run from their former pack. Their new Alpha has his sights set on the youngest female in the pack, but Ryka, Ash, and Seven will fight to the death before they let any male claim the too young Kenna. Seeking sanctuary in the territory of Alpha, Wren Prime, Ryka and her girls are in for more than they ever bargained for.
Wren Prime and his four brothers have been enjoying their bachelor lives. So much so, that when a visiting shifter female seeks an audience, he sees no reason to rush the meeting. When she crashes his barbecue party with her pack of females, Wren’s Beta, Liddick, is pissed, but takes the small female to see Wren. The second Wren locks eyes on Ryka, he’s stricken and things get worse from there. His brothers rush to his aid and two of them go down as well. Ryka and her females wanted refuge with the Prime brothers, but they’re going to get more than that.
and
More in the Skin Walkers series!
About the Author
My pack territory is in Central Montana, between Stone Crow Estates and the North Fortress. Born and raised in an untamed location that bridges the gap between rolling prairies and majestic mountain peaks, I am born to a family that also bridges the gap between cultures. My father’s people boast a fiercely proud Scottish ancestry while my mother’s tribes descend from two savagely beautiful and unique nations (White Clay and Nakoda) that inspire my Skin Walker series.
I'm a huge fan of MMA, boxing, 30 Seconds to Mars, DMX, Nahko and Medicine for the People, and 21 Pilots (“…sometimes quiet is violent”). I also love to read because it encourages me to write. (I hate it when authors add that they love coffee and chocolate. Really? Who doesn't love coffee and chocolate?) Anyway, I love beer...kidding. I don't love beer but we are engaged in a very serious relationship. (Mom, please don't call me when you read this.)
Please leave feedback….well, only
if it’s positive. “Keep in mind that I’m an artist and I’m sensitive about my shit! (Erykah Badu lyrics!)
Check me out at www.susanbliler.com for updates, my blog, and for excerpts from upcoming books.
~A’hau.
Other Books by Susan A Bliler
Territory Prequel
Territory
TerrIIItory
Terr4tory
Terr5tory
Prince of Cats
Furious
King: Skin Walkers series (Book 1)
RedKnife: Skin Walkers series (Book 2)
Conn: Skin Walkers series (Book 5)
Leto: Skin Walkers series (Book 6)
Monroe: Skin Walkers series (Book 7)
Gauge: Skin Walkers series (Book 8)
York: Skin Walkers series (Book 9)
Remy: Skin Walkers series (Book 10)
Taken: Skin Walkers series (Book 11)
Angel Lost: Skin Walkers series (Book 12)
