Highland Shifters: A Paranormal Romance Boxed Set Read online

  “Is that really what you want?”

  As he kissed her neck, she tipped her head to the side to give him better access. “Your wolves will be joining us soon.”

  “You’re not telling me you’re shy.”

  “I’m not into exhibitionism, if that’s what you mean.” Yet she couldn’t make herself pull away from him. Instead, she melted while her brain turned to mush.

  He chuckled. With his body pressed so hard against hers, she felt the vibrations all the way to her bones. “We wolves aren’t so shy. Hard to be shy when you’ve got to get naked together on a regular basis.”

  Keira was trying to think of how to answer when she heard a yip. Beside them, a large gray wolf sat on its haunches, its tongue hanging out of its mouth.

  Lachlan sighed loudly as he released her and took a small step backward. He took the warmth with him. “That’s Colin. They’ll be ready now. Got those clothes?”

  As though she’d had time to gather clothes while he’d manhandled her. Her body continued to tingle and though she’d never admit it to him, she yearned to feel his hands on her again.

  “You should probably turn away. I need to lean over to get something from the suitcase.”

  He grunted. “You think I can’t control myself?”

  She glanced at him. “That’s exactly what I think.”

  With a deep breath, he turned his back. She quickly unzipped the suitcase and pulled out the shirt Gillian had worn the day before.

  “Underwear might work better,” he said.

  The damned man had turned back around. Also–ew. “If you think I’m giving you a pair of my sister’s dirty underwear, you need to think again.” She pushed the shirt into his hands.

  “You’re not jealous, are you? I’m not the one who’ll have his nose in it.” Lachlan smiled, the jerk.

  Keira slammed the trunk shut. “Nobody’s putting their nose in her underwear. And no, I’m not jealous.” She wasn’t. Really.

  When she turned, six wolves sat around them while Lachlan held the shirt for each one of them to smell. It suddenly dawned on her that she was about to send a pack of wolves after her sister. And how would Gillian react to that?

  “We’re good,” Lachlan said. He tucked the shirt into the waistband of his pants. “Ready to run?”

  The wolves bounded back to the gate, then snuffled around the ground trying to catch Gillian’s scent.

  She’d just have to make sure she kept up with them. If Gillian saw her, she wouldn’t be as likely to fight back.

  One of the wolves barked and all the others raised their heads. The first one jumped in place then ran off across the scrubby grass and down a hill, the others following. Lachlan ran behind. “Coming?”

  Keira quickly caught up with Lachlan but it became clear he was trailing behind for her sake. And the others–had she really thought she’d keep up with them? Being a dragon slayer meant faster reflexes and more highly attuned senses. It even meant being able to run faster than the average human–but she’d never raced a werewolf before, and for the first time in a long time, she hit her limits. Werewolves ran faster than dragon slayers.

  Damn it.

  The only saving grace in this was that it might mean the wolves could catch up with Gillian. But if she thought they were attacking her, she might kill a few of them before she and Lachlan could catch up. What would Lachlan think of that?

  Lachlan and Keira were still running when the wolves got to the top of a hill and stopped short.

  “What are they doing?” Her voice came out in puffs. To try to keep up, she was running at her top speed. “Why don’t they keep going?”

  “I don’t know.”

  By the time they got to the top of the hill a few minutes later, the wolf named Colin had changed back into a man. He stood there completely naked and didn’t even try to cover himself up. Keira worked to keep her eyes on his face.

  “Trail ends here.” Colin pointed at the ground. “You can see that a struggle went on, but then nothing.”

  The grass had been crushed in places and in one spot a gash cut into the dirt. But Keira didn’t see any blood and she wasn’t sure whether she felt happy about that or disturbed that Gillian hadn’t been able to wound the dragon.

  Lachlan pulled out his phone. “He must have taken her.”

  “What?” Keira said.

  “Damon must have taken Gill. It’s the only explanation.” He held the phone to his ear.

  Her hearing was better than human but she couldn’t hear the other end of his conversation.

  Lachlan swore. “Damon, what the hell’s going on? Where’s the dragon slayer? Call me back right away.” He hung up.

  At least this time Lachlan had mentioned ‘dragon slayer.’ Even if he was wrong and Damon didn’t recognize his voice, Damon could probably figure it out.

  “We may as well go back,” Lachlan said.

  Keira pulled out her own phone so she could try Gillian. “Do you know where the dragon lives? We could go there next.”

  He stepped closer to her. “Do you know any dragons who share the location of their lair? Of course I don’t know where he lives.”

  Lachlan wasn’t quite right about that. If they’d been close friends, Damon would have shared the location with him. It made Keira wonder whether Damon really would recognize Lachlan’s voice.

  She called Gillian, but like before, she got her voicemail. Only one thing to do, and Lachlan wouldn’t like it. She needed to call her Dragon Slayer Guild contact, Harris, and let him know what had happened. He could guide her on her next steps.

  She couldn’t call Harris with Lachlan listening, though. She needed to tell Harris that Lachlan thought she was his mate. That definitely wouldn’t go over well if Lachlan listened in. She could picture it now–Lachlan ripping the phone from her hand and stomping it into bits. She needed that phone.

  So she’d wait and watch for an opportunity when she could be alone.

  #

  Lachlan signaled to Colin to change. He couldn’t be traipsing across the Highlands naked. Wolf-form would be much easier.

  Lachlan would prefer to be in wolf-form, too. Was this what it would be like to be mated to a non-wolf? She’d never know the joy of the change and he’d never be able to run with her.

  All that he could accept, if she’d just consent to the mating. Yet she held herself apart and he still felt like she was one second from bolting. The thought made his skin itch.

  “It’s nearly supper time,” he said. “Let’s eat and then we’ll try again to call.”

  She clutched her phone in her hand as they walked down the hill toward the Stronghold. “Do you think he carried her off? She’d never have allowed that. Not as long as she was conscious.” She looked back at the hill as though expecting to see a black dragon hovering over it, the limp form of her sister in its talons.

  “It looks like it. But lass, Damon wouldn’t hurt her. Not if he had a choice.” On the other hand, if Keira’s sister were hurting him, Damon would definitely defend himself. But she didn’t need to hear that.

  “But why would he take her? Why not just leave her behind?” Keira stumbled a little as she again looked back toward the hill.

  Lachlan grabbed her arm and after he’d steadied her, he didn’t let go. “You’d know that better than me. What would a dragon want with a dragon slayer?”

  “Nothing.” Her voice sounded confused. “They leave us behind as quick as they can.”

  “Why do you want to kill Damon anyway?” he asked again. Damon would have a devil of a time finding the world-walker with the dragon slayers after him.

  “That’s dragon slayer business.”

  He didn’t bother to remind her that her business was now his business. “What if I promise not to tell anyone?”

  She didn’t say anything for several long moments. “We just wanted to talk to him. We weren’t here to kill him.”

  Lachlan stopped short. The other wolves had long since left them behin
d and Lachlan and Keira stood alone, the Stronghold’s towers peeking over the next rise. “Since when do dragon slayers not slay dragons?”

  Her face hardened. “I can’t tell you that.” She stalked toward the Stronghold. The heavy lattice of the iron gate was just visible above the open archway in the gray stone curtain wall. Beyond it, the towers loomed from other side of the bailey sporting arrow slits and medieval-looking crenelation at the top.

  His lass was a tough one. How long would it take him to break down her barriers and convince her to let him in? Clearly it wouldn’t be accomplished in an afternoon.

  Lachlan followed after Keira, watching the sway of her hips and imagining what she’d look like without all that black leather covering her. Entranced by the view, he barely noticed the time passing and they reached the Stronghold gates much sooner than he’d expected. He didn’t want all his wolves to see him ogling her, so he caught up to her and slipped his arm around her waist, steering her in the direction of the door closest to the dining hall.

  She didn’t pull away or protest and he took that as a good sign. For that matter, her reaction back at the car had been positive too. When he’d curled himself around her, he’d acted on instinct. When she didn’t immediately throw him off and kick him in the ballocks, he knew he affected her more than he’d realized. And then when the sweet scent of her arousal reached him...he couldn’t have let her go if he’d wanted to.

  So while he didn’t expect she’d open up to him tonight and tell him all her secrets, he nevertheless thought he might be able to get her into bed. And then all bets were off.

  The dining hall was full to bursting when they came through the doors and all heads turned to look at them. He’d known the word of his mating would spread fast but hadn’t expected so many to turn out. If he weren’t mistaken, nearly every wolf in the Stronghold sat crammed onto one of the long wooden benches, waiting to get a look at their new Alpha Female.

  Considering he hadn’t yet convinced Keira to be his Alpha Female, the situation could’ve been better. But he didn’t have a choice now. So he smiled and waved at his friends, family and pack mates as he led his recalcitrant mate to the front table to the two empty seats in the center.

  When they remained standing, the wolves in the hall quieted. “I’ve no doubt you’re all here because of the happy news,” he said. “May I present my mate, the Dragon Slayer Keira....”

  “Harlow,” she whispered.

  “Harlow.” He held her hand up and the room erupted in cheers.

  Keira shot him a glance and even though they didn’t know each other well, he had no trouble reading it. She was being polite, not contradicting him in public, but there’d be hell to pay later.

  After a full minute of cheering, Lachlan pulled her chair out and helped her sit before sitting down beside her. Iain sat on her other side while the chair to Lachlan’s left, normally filled by his sister, sat empty since Moira was away on a trip. The table was long enough for even more people and someday they’d have chairs filled with Iain and Moira’s mates as well.

  Keira leaned toward him, getting close enough that her lips brushed his ear when she whispered. Lachlan fought to keep from shaking with the urge to haul her into his lap...and then to his bedroom.

  “You owe me,” she said.

  As she pulled away, he turned his head quickly, almost but not quite touching her lips with his own. “I’ll be happy to pay,” he said softly.

  On the floor below them, his wolves cheered and called out, no doubt thinking Keira and he were engaged in some sort of sexual foreplay.

  And who knew? Maybe they were.

  Chapter 4

  Keira sat in between Lachlan and his brother Iain, unsure what her next step should be. While her mind spun, wait staff laid out platters in front of them. Although the platters were china and silver instead of wooden trenchers and their water had been poured into glasses rather than goblets and they had standard silverware, she nevertheless felt like she’d been trapped in a medieval tableau, sitting at the head table on a dais with the laird of the castle and his second, all their vassals arrayed beneath them.

  Lachlan put his hand over hers. “What would you like to eat? I’ll serve you.”

  And again, she had the sense of being thrust back in time. Serve her? Really? “I can serve myself.”

  “Of course you can. But it would be my privilege to do it for you.”

  And that was the problem. He thought having a mate meant having someone to take care of. It would be a privilege for him to take care of her. But she didn’t want anyone to take care of her. She could do that just fine herself.

  Keira almost said that to him, but something about the look on his face—so eager, so yearning—stopped her. Maybe she could meet him halfway. “You can pass me the beef. But I’ll pick my own slice.” She cleared her throat.

  “Of course.” The beef platter sat nearly on the other side of the table, but his long arms reached it easily. He held it before her with one hand, the other hand holding the serving fork. “Which would you like?”

  That wasn’t exactly what she’d meant, but she didn’t feel like arguing anymore. All of a sudden, the whole day’s events hit her and she felt tired, very tired. “That piece on the right looks good.”

  Lachlan forked the sizable piece of meat and put it on her plate. Then he handed the plate past her to Iain. “What else?”

  They went through the same pattern with the steamed vegetables and the rice. He tried to interest her in some other dishes, but she wanted something simple. When she dug in, he was still trying to convince her to try something more.

  “Haggis? How can you come to Scotland without trying haggis?” Lachlan said.

  “I’ve come to Scotland many times and so far I’ve managed to avoid eating haggis. I don’t plan to start now.” Though she said it with an acerbic tone of voice, both Lachlan and Iain laughed.

  “You’re a wise woman,” Iain said. “I don’t suppose you’ve a sister you could hook me up with?”

  Keira stiffened. She knew he didn’t mean anything by it but didn’t want to be reminded of Gillian. “My sister’s not for you.”

  While Iain sputtered an apology, Lachlan reached behind her and socked his brother in the arm. “Smooth.”

  “I forgot,” Iain said. “I wasna thinking.”

  “Clearly.” Lachlan rested his hand against her back. “Don’t let it happen again.”

  “I’m all right,” Keira said. More than that, she was used to fighting her own battles. And this one wasn’t worth fighting. But his protectiveness was sweet, if unnecessary.

  And then she had to do a double-check. Had she really just thought his protectiveness was sweet? What the hell was happening to her?

  “On a more somber note,” Iain said, “I’ve got the status on our mobilization. We should discuss it after dinner.”

  That’s right—Lachlan’s burgeoning war with the English werewolves. She’d never been involved in war preparations before, though she’d read plenty about them. This might be just the thing to keep her mind off Gillian until she could get her sister on the phone.

  Keira still wanted more than anything to go out searching but she’d get nowhere until she could get free of Lachlan. And in the meantime, she’d rather keep busy than to continue dwelling on her problems. “I could help.”

  “Help with what?” Iain said.

  “Your war plans,” she said. When Iain paused far too long, she said, “I’m a fighter. And I’ve studied many wars.”

  Iain gazed past her at his brother. “Lachlan. You’re not really going to let your mate in on something like this. She’s a female.”

  “You’re stuck in the past,” Lachlan said. “Greer would box your ears if she heard you talking like that.” As an aside to Keira, he said, “Greer’s the elder of our two sisters. She’s older and tougher than Iain, though he hates to admit it.” He put his hand on her thigh. “And I’d be happy to have you look at the mobilization plans
with me.”

  Warmth spread from his hand to spots nearby. Keira swallowed. He was making everything so difficult. It would be so much easier to ditch him if she didn’t feel so attracted to him.

  She was about to push his hand away when he removed it and damn it all if she didn’t feel suddenly cold with the loss of his warmth. “Good,” she said. “We can look at that after dinner.” And maybe by then she’d have a handle on her riotous emotions. “But there’s one thing I want to know. If Greer is tougher than Iain, why isn’t she your second instead of him?”

  The corner of Lachlan’s mouth turned up. “She could be.”

  “Could not,” Iain said.

  “She could,” Lachlan said forcefully. “But she doesna want it. She wants to be the English Alpha. So she lives down in London under some notion that some day she’ll take Sebastian’s spot.”

  “Never happen,” Iain said.

  Keira was missing something. “How could she be the English Alpha? She’s Scottish.”

  “Nay, lass. Our father was the Scottish Alpha, and his father before him. But our mother was the daughter of the English and UK Alpha. He had two daughters and we’ve never had a female Alpha, so when he died, the UK Alpha position came down to me as his eldest grandson.”

  Lachlan put his arm around the back of her chair and leaned into her as he continued. She felt the heat of him all along the side of her body. “I was already the Scottish Alpha when I became UK Alpha. I could have become the English Alpha, but only if I’d moved there–and that would’ve meant giving up the Scottish Alpha position. So I passed on being the English Alpha.”

  “I was next in line,” Iain said. “I could have been the English Alpha but I didn’t want to live in England either. So I passed as well.”

  “And that’s how Sebastian, our cousin, ended up as the English Alpha. But if women could be Alphas, then Greer would have been in line after me. And she’s more angry than you can imagine that she got passed over.”

  “I can imagine,” Keira said. “I’d be livid. There’s no reason a woman can’t lead.”

  Lachlan put his hand on the back of her neck, his fingers stroking her. “I think you and Greer will get along well.”