Page 12 of Claimed

He’s silent for a minute before he speaks. “I’m really glad I get to share my mate with you.”

I smile as I reach up and stroke her face. “Me too.” I’ve never admitted it to him, but I’d always feared we wouldn’t share a fated mate. And as blessed as I would feel to have a mate of my own, I love my brother and wouldn’t want to be separated from him. “I dared to dream it was possible,” I admit out loud.

“Just think, once we’ve figured out her shifting thing, we’ll get to share her. In bed.”

I laugh as I ask, “Isn’t that what we’re doing now?”

“What I had in mind would be very different,” he chuckles back. “She wouldn’t be in her wolf form, and none of us would be wearing any clothes.” I let my mind wander as I start to imagine the fun we could have with her. The pleasure we could bring her.

“Fuck, now I’m hard,” Chase curses, and I start laughing.

“You started it.”

“I know, I know. But now that I've seen her, it’s hard not to. Even if I didn’t get a good look at her yet.”

“It’s almost worse now, knowing she’s ours but being unable to hold her human body whenever we get the craving,” I tell him.

“I can settle for this version for now. As long as she’s safe, that’s all that matters,” he says, and I close my eyes and let out a sigh.

“Safe and ours.”

“Our mate.”

Chapter 4

Cherry

Islept through the rest of the day and into the next morning, only woken by the smell of bacon.

It’s when I’m seated at the table in my wolf form, chomping on my last piece of that chewy goodness, that Maddox tells me our plans.

“We’re moving to Starfall Haven. Today.”

I blink at him. Today? I knew we were going soon, but I didn’t expect it to be now.

“Before we go, if you’re up for it, we’d like you to shift, with our help, of course,” Maddox says as he looks at me across the table. I nod, feeling both nervous and excited to touch them again.

“I was thinking we do it in bed. It will be easier for us all to stay close and keep touching you.” I nod and he smiles. “Okay, good. Let’s clean up breakfast and then head up. Everyone have everything packed?” Maddox asks, looking at the others.

Everyone confirms they’re ready, and I jump off my chair and head to the back door. Bain follows me and takes me outside, staying a little too close the entire time.

When I glare at him, he shrugs his shoulders. “Not letting you out of my sight, angel.”

I can appreciate where he’s coming from. Blaze is still out there somewhere, and there is also Dr. J and his lackeys who could still be looking for me. Although Blaze is possibly working with him since he knows what they called me at the facility.

When we get back inside, the others are finishing up as Gage explains he’s selling the kitchen with everything included, so they don’t need to pack it all.

“Hey, Cherry?” Chase says, throwing a smirk my way. “I’ll race you to Maddox’s bed.” I don’t wait for the countdown; I just take off running to the stairs, and he laughs, following close on my heels.

“No running!” Bain yells, but we ignore him as we make it to the second floor, and I run into Maddox's room and jump straight up onto the bed. I turn back to watch Chase’s face when he sees he’s lost, but he tackles me onto my side.

“You’re getting really fast,” he chuckles, his tackle turning into a belly rub, which I relax into gratefully.

The other four take their time joining us until everyone is in the room, staring at me. “What are you waiting for?” Chase asks, thankfully, asking what I’m thinking.

“We need to figure out how to arrange her,” Maddox explains.

I quickly roll to my feet, realizing what he means. I’m gonna be naked when I shift, and won’t be able to move around too much, just like before. I move close to where Gage stands and sit on the bed in front of him, lifting my paw.