Claiming Shayla

Chapter Fourteen

“Make some noise, will you? You scared the bejeebers out of me,” Shay snapped, fear giving way to anger. She put the eggs on the counter before she crushed them and then closed her eyes for a moment, trying to catch her breath.

His ears flicked forward, and his head tilted to the side. Very deliberately he lifted his right front paw and then the left. His claws made a miniscule scraping sound when they landed on the wood floor.

“A jokester. Great,” Shay said with heavy sarcasm.

His eyes laughed at her.

Shay studied him, her gaze narrowed. “Does this mean you’ve decided to join me for breakfast?”

He looked toward the stove, then back at her and nodded. The action looked so strange, for a moment Shay was taken aback. Reminding herself there was a man inside the wolf, she literally shook off her disconcertment, shaking her head so that wisps of hair flew into her face. She really needed to get a haircut, she mused.

“Fine. How many eggs do you want? I cracked three for me. You want me to add another three for you?”

One side of Kian’s lip curled up. Great, he was sneering at her. “Four?” she guessed.

The beast yawned.

With another glance that took in his size, she asked, “Six?”

Kian only looked mildly interested.

“You do realize I’m cooking more than eggs, don’t you? There’s sausage and bacon too,” she offered.

He actually rolled his eyes.

Stunned, Shay stared. How the hell had he done that? Finally she huffed and said, “Fine, but I’m not cooking more than nine for you. That’s a total of twelve eggs. That’s more than enough for any…” Man, she started to say, but trailed off, realizing Kian wasn’t a man or a wolf, but a wolf-shifter with a healthy appetite. Since Rory usually cooked, she had no idea how many eggs he went through in one sitting. “Never mind. That’s all I’m cooking. If you want more, cook ’em yourself.”

Kian flopped down on his belly and laid his head on his front paws.

The timer went off, and Shay removed the bacon from the oven. “And I’m not putting food on the floor. You want to eat, you’ll shift and sit at the table like civilized folk.” She didn’t glance back to see how he took her edict.

Shay resisted the urge to fidget as the weight of Kian’s stare settled like an itch between her shoulder blades. Determinedly, she took out a larger bowl and a huge frying pan that she needed both hands to move, cracked the rest of the eggs, then picked up the whisk and strong-armed the mix until the yolks and whites blended seamlessly together. Cooking this many eggs at one time was a challenge, but she managed to do it without any getting scorched or worse, runny. She hated slimy eggs.

Since she’d made an issue out of “civilized behavior,” Shay placed the bacon and sausage on a serving platter and the eggs in a serving bowl and set the table with plates, napkins, silverware, and cups. “You can wash your hands at the kitchen sink,” she said matter-of-factly, praying he couldn’t tell how uneasy she was.

Out the corner of her eye she caught a shimmer of light. There were a few muffled popping sounds in quick succession; then Kian stood before her in all his naked glory. And a glorious sight it was.

He stood a few inches taller than Rory but was just as heavily built. His hair was coal black and eyes a vibrant blue. Shay tried, really she did, not to let her gaze travel over the rest of him, but he was like, right there and she wasn’t dead. She could appreciate an eyeful of masculine eye candy the same as any other woman. Kian’s legs were long and lean like a runner, his ass high and tight. The way his muscles shifted as he crossed to the sink was pure poetry in motion.

Shay checked her hormone meter. Despite her appreciation of the view and her recognition of Kian’s hunky appeal, she felt not the slightest bit of sexual attraction toward him. “Well, now, I guess this means I’m good and mated,” she said aloud.

Kian turned and shot her a questioning look, and Shay saw that the front of him was just as delicious as the rear.

Shay waved a hand, indicating his body. “You’re a mouthwatering, eye-catching male, Kian McFelan, and I’m ecstatic to announce I’m not the least bit attracted to you.”

His face turned a fiery red, and Shay laughed in delight. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable. I’m surprised the women around here aren’t beating down the doors trying to get to you.”

He frowned as he took a seat at the table. I heard you tell Rory you know ASL, he signed.

“Yes, but I’m a bit rusty,” she answered.

I’m mute.

“The rest of you appears to be in working order,” Shay said. She bowed her head and said a quick prayer, then loaded food onto her plate. As she finished with each item, she nudged the platters toward Kian for him to do the same.

It doesn’t bother you?

“Why should it? We all have some type of disability. Some are more obvious than others. I prefer the ones I can see to the mental kind.” Shay glanced at him, hoping he caught her meaning. She hated prejudice of any nature and considered it to be a disability of sorts.

Kian fixed a mountain of food on his plate, his expression showing he was thinking about what she’d said. He took a few bites of food, then signed, This is good. How did you and Rory meet?

Shay laughed and had to bring a napkin to her mouth to catch the food that almost fell out. “Sorry about that. It’s funny to me now, but when I first met your brother, I thought he was the most annoying asshole of a man I’d ever met.”

Kian’s eyes widened.

As they ate, she told him their story, from the first meeting in Kiesha’s store, through the blue moon, and her recent return to Refuge for her cousin’s wedding, leaving nothing out. Kian’s eyes never left her face.

You love him.

“Yeah,” she agreed in a soft voice.

He’s lucky.

Shay sighed. “I don’t know how lucky Rory is, but I do know he’s stuck. He wanted me, I’m here, and have no plans on leaving.”

You want any more of this?

“No, go ahead. I’m not as hungry as I thought I was.” Or maybe her subconscious had known she’d planned to entice Kian out of his hole with food. “Rory showed me your bedroom upstairs. I can understand a man wanting his privacy, but dude, you live like an animal. Why don’t you have any furniture down there? I’m sure Rory would have fixed the basement up any way you like.”

Kian shrugged. I don’t like to be a bother. He has enough to worry about with the pack.

Shay pinned him with a look. “Bull. He’s your brother. Your twin. You think he doesn’t love you, worry about you? You think you living downstairs like a lone wolf doesn’t hurt him?” she asked, startled to hear a hint of anger in her voice.

The pack doesn’t like me. It’s easier if I stay out of the way.

He appeared so uncomfortable Shay decided to take it easy on him. “That’s where you’re wrong. Rory needs you. From what I can tell, your brother has a lot of…if not enemies, well, they’re definitely not his friends. Let’s call his pack full of frenemies. He needs all the support he can get. He says you’re stronger than he is. If you won’t be alpha—and really, with those clowns, I don’t blame you a bit for not wanting the top position—at the very least you should have his back, be his beta.”

He has Caleb, and I don’t like fighting.

A gentle werewolf, Shay thought. Hmm…but then, most twins tended to be opposites in nature. Looks like Rory got the aggressive gene. “Okay, I’ll leave that alone. But Kian”—she reached out and placed her hand over his on the table—“I need you. Not only do we live in the same house, you’re family. You’re my child’s uncle. No offense, but some of the Sparrowhawks are like a pack of hyenas. I think they’d turn on their own children if it would gain them something.” Then, without giving herself much time to think about it, she told him about Conor’s prophecy. Prediction? Hell, she didn’t know what to call it other than a warning to watch her ass.

You want me to protect you and the babe? He seemed surprised.

“That’s what families do,” she said simply. “We protect and look out for each other.”

He leaned back in his seat, studied her carefully. No one’s ever needed me before.

Shay shook her head. “That’s not true. You’ve been needed, by Rory and probably Shannon. They just didn’t bother to tell you. I am.”

The thought flashed across her mind that Kian might be one of the folks Conor had warned her of, but she immediately dismissed it. For one thing, she’d always had good instincts when it came to people, and her heart told her Kian could be trusted. For another, if Kian wanted to be alpha, he would be alpha. Rory might have fought his father for the pack, but she doubted he’d have fought his twin, not if Kian really wanted the position. From what Rory had told her, he’d stepped forward because there wasn’t another suitable candidate.

I prefer being in wolf form.

Shay shrugged. “So be a wolf, but don’t forget you’re also a man.”

There was silence as her words settled around them.

Going with her gut, she asked Kian, “You know these people, probably better than anyone else. People, even shifters, tend to lower their guards around those they don’t consider a threat. Who do you think I should be watching out for?”

You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, he signed, a hint of bitterness in his expression. No one else does.

A hint of excitement stirred inside. He knows! Kian knows who my enemy is. Shay leaned forward in her chair, her focus complete, her manner intent as she stared deeply into his eyes. “Yes I will. I’m not like the others. Rory thinks it’s a man, but I don’t think so. I believe it’s a woman,” she said carefully, watching closely for any change in Kian’s expression.

His eyes flared before he could make his face blank. They stared at each other, taking each other’s measure. Finally Kian’s hands moved in a blur of motion.

“Whoa! Whoa! Slow down. You’re going too fast. I’m rusty, remember?”

Kian’s chest moved as he blew out a breath. He started again. Shay watched closely, her mouth dropping open the tiniest bit.

“Laurie Bell?” she asked faintly, hoping she’d read wrong.

You don’t believe me. Kian’s expression went flat again.

“No, I do. Shit! The tea!” Shay shot to her feet. She could see Kian’s hands moving furiously, but she was in too much of a rush to stop and read. “Where the hell did I put it?”

The bag from the health food store was still on the countertop. She snatched it to her and peered inside. Not there. Turning, she almost bumped into Kian, who’d come to stand behind her. She tried to dart around him, but he grabbed her arm.

What is it? he demanded.

“She gave me this tea to drink. Said it was for the baby,” she shouted as she snatched her arm free. Shay ran for the stairs, barely noting Kian keeping pace behind her. She tore into the bedroom, vaguely remembering stuffing the paper the man had given her into a pocket.

Jeans, jeans, jeans! Where are they? Bathroom! Dirty clothes hamper. She raced inside and flipped up the lid. They sat right on top. Shay dug into the pockets—front right, front left, back right, back left… Jackpot!

Shay turned to dash to the phone. Kian blocked her way. “Move,” she ordered sharply.

He danced nimbly to the side as she charged him. Seconds later Shay’s cell phone was in her hand and she was dialing the shop’s number. “Please be open. Please be open,” she prayed.

“For Your Health,” a male’s voice answered.

Shay breathed out a sigh of relief. “Hi, I was in the store yesterday evening, and Ken gave me his card. Is he available?”

“This is he.”

“Ken, this is Shayla Morgan. I don’t suppose you’ve had opportunity to analyze that tea I gave you?” she asked, crossing her fingers.

“Actually I have. I was going to give you a call when we closed up for the night. Hold on, let me grab my paper. I have it here, somewhere.”

Shay clenched her fist in the bedspread while she waited. She could hear the sound of customers in the shop and, in the distance, the canned music they played in the mall. Ken answered a question or two, and then he was back. “Here it is. I need to ask, are you sure she gave you the right tea blend?”

Warily Shay asked, “She gave it to my fiancé to give to me. Why do you ask?”

“Because of some of the ingredients. She has peppermint and gingerroot—great for nausea, morning sickness, and flavor—in a base of ginseng for energy, chamomile, dandelion, and red clover. She also has red raspberry leaf and nettles, which while good for pregnancy, most herbalists, including me, recommend not be taken until your second and third trimesters,” he stated. “But there’s a few others here that confuse me.”

Shay stood and began to pace. “Like what?”

“She added black cohosh, angelica, motherwort, licorice, and a bit of rosemary to the brew.”

Shay’s wanderings brought her to the window. “And that’s bad?”

“Well…”

“Tell me, please.” It was evident he was reluctant to bad-mouth another professional.

“The herbs by themselves are good for menstrual and menopausal issues but, when taken during pregnancy, can cause miscarriage. Maybe she didn’t tell the vendor she purchased this from that you were pregnant?”

Shay dropped her hand to cover her womb. “How exactly do the herbs work?” she asked, knowing knowledge is power.

“Over time they can cause uterine contractions. Some, like angelica, force your menstrual cycle to come on. Like I said, she may not have known. I do recommend some of these herbs to pregnant women, but only those in their last few weeks. These are some of the herbs I mentioned that help speed and ease labor.” He was talking fast, trying to be reassuring. “You haven’t been drinking the tea long, have you? I think you said she’d just given it to you?”

“About a week,” Shay murmured, her mind working overtime.

“Well, everything should be fine. Just switch to the pills I gave you and save the tea until you get closer to term,” he said in a soothing voice.

“Can you fax or e-mail me a list of the herbs you found in the tea she gave me?”

“Sure. I have your e-mail address right here. I’ll send it to you along with our weekly specials.”

“Thank you for all your help,” Shay said politely. Inside she wanted to scream.

“You’re welcome. Glad to be of service.”

Shay pressed the Off button and rested her forehead on the window. She’d been warned, and she’d still almost trusted the wrong person. She felt the heat of Kian’s body as he came and stood close behind her.

“You heard?” She glanced over her shoulder.

He nodded.

“She tried to kill my baby, Kian. She’s smart, I’ll give her that. If something happened, if she were caught, she could say it was a simple error. But she knew exactly what she was doing. She’s a naturalist. Owns a shop.”

She hates us.

“Why?”

I don’t know. She’s always hated us. My parents too.

Rory’s parents, Shay thought. Somehow it always seemed to come back to them. “She looked right into both of our faces and lied. Not even Rory caught it.”

She’s been living a lie for years. You need to tell Rory.

“Not yet.”

He signed forcefully and with great emphasis. He needs to know!

Shay rubbed her forehead wearily. “I know, and I’ll tell him, but not yet. He trusts her! Feels guilty about killing her mate. I need proof. This is going to crush him. But first I need to know that my child is safe.”

She speed-dialed Kiesha’s house number. They should be back from their honeymoon by now. Hopefully Alex would answer. Luck was with her. After three rings Alex picked up the phone. “Shay, I’ll get Kiesha for you, but first, how are things?”

“Actually it’s you I called to speak to, Alex.” She plucked at the blind.

“Oh, what’s wrong? You don’t sound like your normal self.” In the background she heard Kiesha call out, “Is that Shay?”

That put a faint smile on her face. “I have a bit of a situation. I need you to check and make sure everything’s okay with my pregnancy. I’d come there, but Rory went to Fort Knox to pick up my vehicle, leaving me without transpo. I could call someone to bring me to you, but I’d rather no one know.”

“Don’t the Sparrowhawks have a midwife?” Alex asked.

“Yes.” She left it to Alex to read between the lines.

“I see.” He was silent. Miracle of miracles, even Kiesha was silent. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Thanks, Alex. Make sure you bring Kee.”

He snorted. “As if she’d let me leave her behind.” In a heavier tone, he added, “Shay, when I get there, I want to know what’s going on. You’re family.”

“I’ll tell you, both of you, when you arrive. Oh, and I went and had an initial workup done with Carol while you were gone. In case you need my chart or anything.”

“Yes, that will help. What exactly am I looking for, Shay?”

“I’ll tell you when you get here.” She disconnected the call.

Kian tapped her shoulder to get her attention. Alex Wolfe, alpha of the Raven pack?

Shay didn’t catch every word, but she got the general understanding of the question. “Yes, he’s mated—married—to my cousin Kiesha.”

His expression was dubious.

“Alex and Rory are friends. Have been ever since Shannon joined the Raven pack. More importantly he’s a doctor. If he says the baby’s fine, then she is.”

She?

“Yes. I’m sure it’s a girl.”

Unlike Rory, Kian didn’t immediately disagree. He simply stared at her bump.

“I need to call Shannon,” she said and suited actions to words.

Kian shifted, his expression changing to one of unease.

“What?”

She’s scared of me.

“She’s your sister. I don’t think you McFelans know the meaning of fear. She probably thinks you don’t like her, and is wary as a result,” Shay said before she switched her attention to Shannon, who’d just answered.

“Shay, what’s going on?” she asked cheerfully.

“Trouble. I need a family powwow. Alex and Kee are coming. Can you come, and bring Nikolai?”

Shannon covered the phone, murmured something to her mate, and his deep voice answered before she came back on line. “We’ll be there. Where’s my brother? I don’t hear him in the background.”

“Which one? Kian’s here. Rory’s in Fort Knox,” Shay said, looking Kian in the eyes.

“You’ve met Kian?”

“Yes,” Shay stated with a hint of impatience. “We had breakfast together.”

“He came out of his room and ate with you?” There was astonishment in Shannon’s voice and maybe a tinge of jealousy.

“Yes,” Shay said again, a little less annoyed. “We’re all one big happy family now. See you when you get here.” She clicked the phone off and tossed it on the bed. “You’re not planning on making a liar out of me, are you? You will stick around for the meeting?”

He considered for a moment. Shay could tell he was weighing the pros and cons.

“I need someone on my side. Laurie Bell comes off as so nice and friendly I might have difficulty convincing them on my own,” Shay said, although it wasn’t exactly true. Kiesha would believe her. Alex might question, but he’d have no reason to go against her. It was Shannon and Rory she was concerned about.

Kian gave one short nod.

What about Caleb?

“What about him?” she asked, puzzled.

As Rory’s second, he should be here helping with any plan of action you formulate.

Shay considered. “You trust him?”

He’s a good man. Honorable.

“All right. I’ll call and ask him to come over.”

You still need to call Rory.

“Fine, but I’m not telling him about Laurie Bell. Not yet.” First she called Caleb and told him she’d invited a few people over for a late lunch and asked him to join them. Once she had his agreement, she called her mate.

He answered the phone with, “Is everything okay?”

“All good on my end. I had breakfast with your brother.”

“Kian?”

Shay’s brow furrowed. “You have another one you didn’t tell me about?”

“No, I just…never mind. Okay, so you two had breakfast. That’s good. What’s wrong? You sound strange.”

Shay closed her eyes and forced herself to think cheerful, happy thoughts so her upset wouldn’t show in her tone. “Nothing. Just called to warn you I invited Alex and Kee, and Shannon and Nik over to the house. They should be here when you return. Have any idea when that will be?”

Rory groaned. “Shay, you know your cousin wants my liver on a platter. How could you do this to me?”

He sounded so pitiable Shay couldn’t help but laugh. “Just be your normal, charming self and Kee will get over her dislike,” she said, tongue in cheek.

He sighed heavily. “I should be home in another two and a half hours. Haggling over the price didn’t take as long as I thought. I’m just waiting on the last of the paperwork so I can leave. Riley will handle the rest of the maintenance work.”

“Great,” she said, relieved to know he was on his way home. “Now who around here can I call to deliver enough food to feed three hungry male shifters and two pregnant women?”

“Sam’s Rib Shack. The number’s online. Call him and tell him you need five slabs of ribs with all the trimmings for a meet up. He’ll put it on the pack’s tab. Or you can call Caleb and ask him to handle the arrangements. Sam’s delivers. Look, I gotta go. The insurance binder just came through. See you soon.”

“Okay. Be careful,” she said, reluctant to let him go.

“I will.”

Shay held the phone until the dial tone sounded in her ear. “It’s all coming together,” she told Kian.

He studied her, expression intent. You have a plan?

She frowned, hating the fact that she was so uncertain on something this important. “Maybe. I’m not sure it will work. That’s where you guys come in.”

What is it?

Shay bounced her ideas off Kian, trusting him to help her fine-tune her plan before presenting it to the rest of the group.

Might work.

“It better,” she said determinedly. “Now while we wait for everyone to arrive, let’s do something about your space.”

Caleb arrived first. Shay wasted no time roping him into helping her fix up the basement like a mini-apartment. While Kian and Caleb took Kian’s king-size mattress and frame apart and reassembled it downstairs, Shay went through the house earmarking items to refurbish Kian’s abode: a television, lamp, an easy chair—not Rory’s—and love seat. She tried dragging a few of the heavier items to the basement entrance to make it easier on the men and got chewed out for her efforts.

“Fine, I’ll stay out of the way,” she said.

You show us what you want moved and we’ll do it. No lifting, Kian signed.

“You are a bigger nag than Rory,” she griped.

Kian smiled and winked at her. That’s what families do.

With her own words being quoted to her, Shay could do nothing but get out of the way and let them handle things.

She made a note to purchase knickknacks, plants, area rugs, and accent mirrors to give the place a homey feel. While Kian was being so agreeable, she wished she had time to paint but knew none of the men would allow it. To feel useful, instead she found one of the rarely used bathrooms upstairs and stole the shower curtain, floor mats, and coordinating decor to fix up Kian’s.

When the rest of the group arrived, literally within minutes of each other, Kian’s basement retreat had been thoroughly cleaned and vacuumed and looked inviting. Best of all, Kian seemed pleased with the results.

“This doesn’t mean you get to hide down here,” Shayla warned Kian.

Kian smirked and nudged her up the stairs to greet her guests, going furry and four-legged before she could get the door open. Shay shook her head but didn’t complain. She didn’t have time. As soon as she opened the door, Shannon and Kiesha blasted her with questions.

“I’ll explain everything as soon as Rory arrives,” Shay told them. “Nikolai, Alex.” She greeted the men with a nod as they entered.

“Explain what?” Caleb asked. “I thought this was a simple family get-together.”

“So she didn’t tell you either?” Alex mused. He held out a hand. “Alex Wolfe, alpha of the Raven pack.” As Caleb gripped his hand, Alex continued with the introductions. “My mate, Kiesha Wolfe. You know Shannon, and this is her mate, Nikolai.”

“Caleb Jones, Rory’s second. We’ve seen each other but never officially met,” Caleb said as he acknowledged each one. “Looking good, Shannon.”

“Thanks, Caleb. Good to see you,” Shannon said.

“That’s Kian,” Shay stated with a flick of her wrist to indicate the pony-sized wolf hovering in the background. “Now that the introductions are over—Alex, you brought your stuff?”

In answer he held up his medical bag in one hand and her file in the other.

“Good. Let’s get this done.” Shay crossed over to the stairs and headed up. Hearing too many footsteps trailing her, she stopped and turned. Behind Alex were Caleb, Kiesha, Shannon, and Kian. Only Nikolai seemed disinclined to follow. “Whoa! Back it up. Alex, you come. Kiesha, you too. Everyone else, scat.”

Caleb shook his head. “While Rory’s away, I’m responsible for you. Where you go, I go.”

“I’m not getting a prenatal checkup with you in the room,” she told him.

When he crossed his arms, a set look on his face, Shay groaned. “You werewolves are stubborn.”

“Shifters,” half the group corrected.

Rolling her eyes, Shay said, “Whatever. If Shannon comes with me, will that satisfy you?”

Caleb eyed Shannon thoughtfully before giving an abrupt nod.

“Okay, Shannon, you’re with us. Now if we can get this over with?” She turned and started up the stairs, muttering, “Since when did doctors’ visits become a group event? That’s what I’d like to know.”

“When you became mated to an alpha,” Alex answered in a low, humor-tinged voice.

Kian came too, but somehow with him in wolf form, it was easy to overlook his presence. She headed for the master bedroom. Kian shot ahead, blocking access to the door while nudging her away from the room.

Before she could question him, Alex said, “If that’s your bedroom, pick another. Rory won’t be happy to have another male’s scent in there.”

Remembering how psycho possessive he went at the thought of Alex seeing her naked when they went to Refuge for her first checkup, Shay swallowed hard and chose another room. No sense pushing Rory’s buttons if she didn’t need to. Not about something like this.

Shannon and Kiesha stood a distance away, giving Alex the room he needed to complete the exam and Shay some semblance of privacy. When finished, he jotted down a few notes in her chart, then told her, “Get dressed and come downstairs. I’ll go over the results down there.” Then he left the room.

The two women immediately ganged up on her. “Now tell us what all this is about,” Kiesha said, and Shannon echoed with, “Yeah.”

“Gee, guys, can I at least get my panties on first. Naked here,” she reminded them with a glance at Kian, who immediately turned his muzzle in the opposite direction.

Fisted hands on their hips, Shannon and Kee stood side by side, an immovable mountain of female determination.

“Put your clothes on, Shay. But you’re not leaving this room until we get some answers,” Kiesha said.