Page 24 of Claimed

“This isn’t even a sexy scene,” Hunter says. When I glance at him, I see he’s frowning at the screen.

I don’t tell them it was me who caused her to get excited, but I preen a little inside with the knowledge. I wish I could do something about it. I wish I could run my hand under that large T-shirt and bring her pleasure she’s never felt before.

I quickly shift my hips further away from Chase, not wanting to actually poke him.

“Cherry?” Maddox asks out loud.

“Yeah?” she says, turning those bright blue eyes to him.

“I was wondering if you want me to try to help you with your shifting tomorrow? I don’t have to use my alpha command, but maybe there’s another way I can help, now that you can feel more of your magic?”

“Yes!” she says so excitedly, she almost pulls her head from Gage’s stomach. Luckily, he had his fingers on her neck, and he eases it back down to lie on him. “I’d love that. Thank you, Maddox.”

“Don’t mention it,” he says with a smile.

But that just has her shaking her head. “No, seriously. The fact that you’re all trying to help me‌ means a lot.”

Maddox reaches up and trails his fingers over her cheek, making her scent grow strong again. “We’d do anything for you, little mate.”

“Except seal the bond,” she says with an adorable pout.

“Oh, we most definitely plan on sealing our bonds with you, Cherry. We just want to make sure we can all enjoy it properly and don’t have to worry about you shifting in the middle of it. We want it to be special. Perfect.”

Her scent gets so potent that I have to squeeze my eyes shut tight, trying to think of something not sexy. A bird taking a shit. A bug splattering across a windshield. A⁠—

Suddenly, she shifts back into her wolf form, her four furry legs in the air, leaving me grasping her paw.

“What the fuck?” I ask as I hear a door slam somewhere. I lift my head and see the back end of Hunter disappear into the hall, and Chase is already gone from view.

I grin, realizing their faces were right by her crotch and they couldn’t take that sweet, smoky, dark cherry vanilla scent any longer.

“Never mind them,” Maddox tells Cherry as he sits up. “Why don’t you get comfortable to sleep now?”

When she finds a comfortable spot, after circling the bed three times, I make sure to take the spot right at her back, my hand on her side. I feel an extra need to be close to her tonight. We are in a new place, and the safest place for my mate is in my arms.

Chapter 8

Cherry

The bell chimes as Hunter pushes the door open. Cool, air-conditioned air greets us as we step inside the realtor’s office.

“Hi, welcome!” a lady who looks to be around forty says as she rises from the only desk and greets us. She smells similar to the waitress. Not a shifter, but something other.

She steps around her desk and smiles as she moves toward Hunter. “I’m Peggy Brown.” She lifts her hand to shake his in greeting, and I find myself darting in front of Hunter, my back legs pressed against his as I let out a soft growl.

I’m not even sure what just came over me, but the thought of her touching him set my hackles on edge.

She gasps and jumps back as Hunter squats down and wraps his arms around me as I sit down at his feet.

“I’m so sorry!” she says as she moves back behind her desk, her hand on her chest as if I scared her.

Good.

“It’s fine,” Chase says as he steps up to our side.

“No, my apologies. If I realized you had a mate, let alone that she was here, I never would have tried to shake your hand.” She looks down at me, her eyes full of apology as she tells me, “Truly, I’m so sorry. I promise to keep my hands to myself around your mate.”

I dip my head to acknowledge her apology, and she gives me a slightly strained smile.