Page 13 of Claimed

His eyes grow wide as he looks down at me. I’ve had the chance to hug or be held by all the others, and I want to make sure I get a chance to be in his arms this time.

Chase laughs. “I guess it’s your turn, Gage. You better take off some clothes, it will make it easier.”

Gage nods, his eyes returning to me as he pulls his T-shirt off then pulls it down over me in one smooth motion. He smirks as he pushes my head through the neck hole, then helps me move my legs into the sleeves. I take a moment to appreciate his tattoo-covered chest. Then he pulls off his pants, leaving him in just a pair of dark blue, tight-fitting boxers. I try not to glance at the bulge between his legs as he climbs onto the bed beside me and moves to lean against the headboard. “Come on, then,” he says, motioning for me to sit between his legs.

I start to walk over to him, but my back legs get caught in the shirt and I stumble. Chase chuckles as he helps pull up the slack in the shirt, allowing me to move into Gage’s lap.

Everyone settles close to us, Chase and Hunter holding my back legs and Maddox holding one of my front ones. Gage wraps his arms around my middle, over the T-shirt, as I look at Bain.

He nods at me, then reaches out to grab my free leg. I close my eyes and sigh as my body shifts to my human form. When I open my eyes, they connect with Bain’s beautiful blue ones. He squeezes my hand, and I smile at him, squeezing back.

“Hi,” I say before biting my lip, feeling a little nervous and shy.

“Hi, angel.”

“Does shifting tire you out?” Maddox asks. I feel his thumb stroking my other wrist and turn to him.

“I don’t think so,” I say as I try to assess how I’m feeling.

“A lot has happened lately, hasn’t it?” Gage asks near my shoulder.

Suddenly remembering I’m finally in his lap, in my human form, I glance at him over my shoulder before looking back at Maddox and Bain. “Can you two, maybe touch my legs so I can hug him?” I ask, gesturing over my shoulder with my chin.

Gage gives my waist a little squeeze as Bain and Maddox carefully move their hands down to my calves. I turn my upper half toward Gage and smile at him before wrapping my arms tightly around his neck and letting out a deep sigh as he hugs me back.

“I’ve been dying to do this for so long,” he whispers.

“Me too.”

Nobody talks for a few minutes, and I appreciate them letting us have this moment. As I start to pull back, Gage brushes my cheek with a small kiss, making me blush. I look at him and bite my lip as I turn back to face the others. I settle my back against his chest, and he rests the side of his face against the top of my head as I start to relax.

When nobody speaks and they all just stare at me, I whisper, “You guys are being weird.”

Chase snorts, and I look at him with a grateful smile. “Sorry, pretty girl. We’re just trying to memorize your face.”

“Oh!” I say in excitement. “Next time, can you bring a mirror so I can see what I look like?”

“I hate that you don’t know,” Maddox says with an angry frown.

“I’ll do you one better,” Hunter says with a smile as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a phone. He shuffles closer to my side as he presses something on it then holds it out in front of me.

My eyes widen when I see a woman staring back at me. “Is that me?” I gasp as I reach out and take it from him. With my free hand, I trace the features on my face as I turn side to side, trying to take it all in. “I look like Scarlet.”

“Is that your sister?” Gage asks, and I nod. “My eldest sister, yes. My other sister is Ruby, and I am the youngest. I was the youngest.”

“You all had red fur, then?” he asks, our names obviously giving it away.

“Yeah, slightly different shades, but all five of us were red.”

“I’m sorry you lost them,” Hunter says, squeezing my leg.

“It was a long time ago,” I say, still studying my face.

“And you’ve been captive ever since,” Maddox says, and I nod.

“Until I escaped.”

“Do you want to tell us about that?” Gage asks.