Zena Wynn - Claiming Shayla

Rory silently wished him luck. When he’d put aside his pride and gone to Alex for help, one of the issues they’d discussed was MacDougal and his discontent with the Sparrowhawks. Alex had put out feelers among his considerable contacts and discovered there was a small pack, numbering about thirty total, whose alpha was old and was looking for a strong wolf to take over. None of his males were strong enough. None of the men in Alex’s pack were interested since it meant relocating. Rory had taken the information and passed it on to MacDougal.

MacDougal was a strong wolf and had the makings of an alpha. Unfortunately he’d focused his attention on the Sparrowhawks, where he had no hope of leading. Rory had no intentions of giving up control anytime soon, and when he did, there were others higher in the hierarchy—Kian, Caleb, and should enough time lapse, his unborn son.

If everything worked out, this would be a win-win situation for them all. The Arizona pack would get a strong male alpha to take over when their leader stepped down, and Rory would have peace in his pack.

He padded into the clearing in time to hear his mate say, “Kian, now that we know what caused your muteness, you need to let Alex or someone at his clinic examine you. They may be able to fix the damage.”

It doesn’t matter. I’ve been this way this long , he signed.

“It does too matter,” Shay argued stubbornly. “Besides, you might meet a cute nurse or doctor who’ll insist on loving you back to health.”

One corner of Kian’s mouth kicked up, indicating amusement, but he shook his head.

“You might as well give in,” Rory telepathed him. “She’s not going to give up until you agree.”

“At least think about it.” Shay proved Rory right when she said it in a manner that showed she had no intention of letting the matter drop.

“Let me know when you’re ready, and we’ll get it scheduled,” Alex said.

“I’ll call Carol and make an appointment,” Shay said as though it were a done deal.

Shifting back to human, Rory laughed at the annoyed expression on his brother’s face. “Told you.”

He strode forward and lifted his mate into his arms. “Time to go.”

“You’re not waiting for the others?” she asked, eyes wide with surprise.

Rory stopped walking long enough to shove his tongue down her throat, letting her feel how much he wanted her through their bond.

“Oh!” she gasped when he ended the kiss and continued toward the truck, the perfume of her instant arousal scenting the air.

“But what about Kiesha?”

“I’m not into threesomes, and even if I were, I doubt Alex would agree,” he answered.

“You got that right,” Alex called out in response.

Shay slapped him on the back of his head. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

He pinned her with a look, allowing the heat of his lust to show. “Home or here? Your choice.”

She swallowed audibly. “Home.”

They made it to the house in record time. As soon as the front door shut behind them, Rory ordered, “Strip!”

The smile on her face should have warned him she was in a mood to tease. Shay undid the buttons of his shirt, one by one, taking her sweet time about it. By the time she reached the snap of her cargo shorts, he was panting and his claws were unsheathed.

She pulled down the zipper, then slid the tip of her forefinger beneath the slice of panties visible and gave her clit a stroke.

“Shay,” he warned, control hanging by a thread.

“Hmm?” She gazed at him under heavy lids, her face flushed.

“Mate, now is not a good time to tease.” He felt the shape of his eyes change and knew his wolf was close to the surface, as aroused as he. Her cream was driving them both crazy.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, striving to look innocent, but the devilish glint in her eyes gave her away. “I thought I’d indulge in a bit of foreplay.”

By alternating sides, Shay used her free hand to push down her shorts and panties. Rory’s gaze stayed glued to the triangle of pubic hair and her busy little finger circling her nub. When the clothing dropped to her ankles, she stepped out and kicked them to the side.

“Rory?”

He grunted, words beyond him.

“I’m naked.” Spreading her legs, she tilted her hips forward and speared her pussy with her finger. Seconds later she dragged the glistening digit through her nether lips, circled it around her clit, then plunged it into her vagina again. It made a squishing sound. Shay threw her head back and moaned.

Rory’s control snapped as with a roar, he scooped up his mate and bore her to the floor. He flipped her onto her belly, snatched her hips into the air, and like an arrow, pierced her glistening sheath to the hilt. Teeth locked onto her nape, he rode her like a bronco as she bucked, squealed, and screamed her pleasure beneath him.

After her orgasm ripped through her, he jerked free, lifted her into his arms, and carried her upstairs to their room.

“You didn’t come,” she panted.

“Not yet,” he gritted out between clinched teeth.

“Why?” she asked, sounding sated but confused.

“Bed first,” he explained, then had no more words.

He tossed her onto the mattress and followed her down. His mate’s comfort seen to, he was free to satisfy his own desires. Rory loved her until they both collapsed onto the mattress in an exhausted heap, the emotional trauma of the night forgotten.

Snuggling close, Shay murmured into his neck, “Laurie Bell deserved everything she got tonight. There’s no need for you to feel guilty.”

He closed his eyes and tugged her closer, thanking the Creator for giving him a mate who understood him better than he often understood himself. “I know.”

“More importantly, she’s no longer a threat to us or the pack.” She licked a bit of sweat off his neck.

“I know,” he agreed, running his fingers lightly down her spine. “I just…”

“Feel like you lost your mother all over again,” she completed.

“Yes,” he admitted with a sigh.

Shayla shifted until she lay on top of him and cupped his face in her hands. “The woman you thought you knew doesn’t exist. Eventually you’ll realize this and not feel so bad. Right now it makes me happy to know that you can’t do what was done tonight and not feel anything.”

“I’m alpha, Shay. Tough decisions come with the territory. It’s not the first time I’ve had to do something difficult.”

“And it’s not the first time your heart has suffered as a result. You know what this makes you, Rory?” she asked, their noses almost touching.

Eyes narrowed in suspicion, he asked a touch belligerently, “What?”

“Human.” Then she kissed him, and Rory forgot about Laurie Bell, the pack, and his justifiable actions tonight and gave himself over to his mate’s tender, healing mercies.

Rory stared at his brother, a half smile on his face.

“Your mate is a nag,” Kian telepathed.

“She loves your mangy butt. God only knows why,” Rory said.

Kian glared at him. “This isn’t funny. She keeps hounding me to let Alex’s staff at the clinic look at my throat.”

Rory leaned back in his office chair. “And…”

He knew why Kian hadn’t before, but none of those reasons were valid now. After Laurie Bell—four weeks later and Rory still couldn’t think of her without his wolf bristling—had made her confession, they knew the cause of Kian’s defect had nothing to do with genetics but was simply an injury caused in his infancy. One that could possibly be corrected. Since Refuge had a top-rate, fully equipped medical emergency center staffed with people who knew about shifters, most of whom were shifters themselves, there went Kian’s only other reason for refusing.