To Claim His Mate Read online

  Adam was smiling at her now. Smiling?

  “Why are you smiling?”

  “You don’t remember talking to me at the office, do you?” he asked. She shook her head in response, and he continued, “You woke up a little, and I told you I’m happy you’re having my child.” Adam pulled her to him, holding her tight, and Eva snuggled into his warmth. “I love you, Evangeline. You are my other half, the owner of my heart and soul. My God, I need you more than I need my next breath.”

  It wasn’t a dream.

  “I love you, too, Adam. So much that it hurt me so bad to even think you might not want this child or—”

  He kissed her, gently, thoroughly, leaving no doubt in her mind that he treasured her.

  “Don’t think like that, please. You’re mine to protect, cherish, love and spoil from now on.” He kissed the tip of her nose and smiled again. Man, but the look in his eyes made her want to give him everything.

  “And you are mine to love, cherish and make happy in any way I can. I’ll even let you keep trying to teach me how to cook.”

  Adam barked out a laugh, hugging her close, and Eva breathed him in, taking comfort in the spicy masculine scent that was just…Adam.

  “Deal. Are you hungry in there?” He rubbed her stomach and grinned at her amused expression. “What?”

  “You’re one of those people who loves to act all macho, but you’re a marshmallow.” He scowled and she giggled, shaking her finger at him. “Don’t even try it, buster. I know your secret now.”

  “But you’ll keep my secret, because you love me.”

  She cut him a sly smile.

  “Eva.” He lowered his voice in mock warning.

  “I don’t know. Stephanie and Sarah might be interested to know you’re a big pushover.”

  He pounced, and she squealed as he tickled her ribs. Evil man!

  “Okay, okay,” she gasped. “You’re not a pushover.”

  “Only with you.” He kissed her, the seductive power of his lips melting her, and she threaded her arms around his neck, moaned and was lost.

  He poured all of his emotions into that kiss. The fear, the joy, and the depth of the love he had for her, and she met him every step of the way. She felt their connection, and his love was like a warm balm to her soul.

  “I can feel everything,” she gasped. “Are you afraid of something?”

  “I was terrified I’d lost you today. When you were unconscious, I couldn’t feel you. I guess that’s because it wasn’t a natural state of rest—I’m not sure—but I never want that to happen again.” He cupped her face in his hands, gazing intently into her eyes, his own almost desperate. “Promise me.”

  “I’ll do my best to never scare you like that again, but you’ve got to promise me that you’ll never scare me, either. If something is wrong, we’ll face it together, no holding back.”

  “Deal. Like right now, I think we both have too many clothes on, and that’s a problem. We should fix that.”

  “Absolutely.” Yes, she needed this, too. Needed to feel connected to him in the most natural way there was.

  Quickly stripping them both, he rolled her beneath him and entered her slowly. She never got tired of the feel of him stretching her slick channel, filling her completely.

  Adam began a lazy rhythm that soon had her panting and writhing beneath him.

  Evangeline was nearing her peak. Already, her womb tightened as her release quickly approached, but she needed more. She needed him to take her, to stake his claim and make her his. She’d seen the marks on the other women. They’d explained them to her on that first girls’ night and told her how these extraordinary men claimed their mates forever.

  “Adam, I want you to claim me.”

  He stilled, panting hard above her.

  “I want to be yours.” She looked into his eyes, those gorgeous wolf eyes she loved so much. “Completely, forever.”

  “You’re sure?” He shook with the fight to take her gently, with his struggle for control, and she was ready to see him lose that battle, aching for him to set his passion free.

  “Positive.”

  Adam growled low in his throat before pulling out and flipping her to her stomach. “Raise your hips to me, Eva.” His voice was a deep rumbling growl. She obeyed instantly. “Fucking beautiful.”

  “Adam, I need you.”

  His guttural tone was sending erotic shivers through her body, and she was sure she’d never been this turned on before in her life. He gently grasped her hips then surged forward, forcing a strangled “Yes” from her lips. He pulled her back against his chest, while continuing to thrust into her tight sheath, their new position allowing him to hit some hidden nerve center within her.

  She felt so small against his rather large frame. He palmed her breast with one hand while the other traveled slowly south, parting her saturated folds before brushing one calloused finger over her throbbing clit.

  That one touch had her back arching, pressing her breast tighter into his palm and pushing her hips back, forcing his cock deeper still as her orgasm approached.

  “More. Oh God, Adam,” she cried out.

  “I’ve got you, baby. Don’t worry.” He gently kissed from her ear to her jaw, down her slender neck to the tender flesh where it met her shoulder.

  His tempo increased, drawing small mewling sounds from her lips that only seemed to spur him on. Eva was strung so tight she knew she was only seconds from climax.

  As his thrusts became more frantic, he increased the pressure and speed of his rubbing on her clit and pinched her nipple between his fingers. Eva erupted in his arms as he suddenly sank his teeth into her flesh, marking her as forever his.

  Claiming her as his mate.

  * * * *

  The sun had just risen, and Eva sat at the kitchen table as she watched Adam heat chicken and vegetables in a skillet while grating cheese, warming tortillas and preparing fresh-squeezed lemonade.

  “What? Did I get something on me?” Adam asked, obviously having felt her gaze. “Did you want something to snack on while I’m cooking? I can slice some cheese and grab you some fruit. Just name it.”

  “I’m jealous,” she sighed.

  “Excuse me? I don’t think I heard you correctly.” He laughed.

  “Oh, no, you heard right. I’m completely incapable of multi-tasking, yet here you are doing four things, practically at once, while I might be able to swing two. So, yeah, I’m jealous and in complete awe of your mad cooking skills.”

  He puffed up his chest a bit as he proceeded to strut back to the stove, and she burst out laughing.

  “I love to hear that sound.”

  “I haven’t had a reason to laugh in a long time. It feels good.” Eva was happy. Being here with Adam had done her a world of good. She could almost forget about Shane and his goons…until the urge to tell her grandma about this magnificent man brought her crashing back to reality.

  “Well, I’m glad you’re happy now, and laughter looks good on you. Your eyes sparkle and your face just shines.”

  She blushed.

  “How’s your shoulder?” he asked.

  “It’s fine, I promise.”

  Adam placed a small plate of apple slices and cheese in front of her, kissed her lips then chomped into the other half of the apple as he stirred.

  “It smells great. Fajitas?” She took a bite of cheddar as she awaited his reply.

  “You bet. I’ve heard that pregnant women love Mexican food, so I figured we’d give it a try.” He shrugged. “If you crave anything, and I mean anything, just let me know.”

  “I’m not really craving anything. It’s just…” Eva grabbed her stomach. The lone bite of cheddar seemed to have bounced right back and was making its way up at an alarming speed. “Oh, God!”

  She ran.

  Adam was clearly startled by her outburst. That much was obvious as he shoved the pans from the burners and took off after her down the hall.

  “Eva?” he called from
the bathroom door. “What’s wrong, honey?”

  “No! Please don’t come in here. It’s gross and embarrassing.” She hated vomiting, but being sick in front of other people was even worse. “I’m all red and splotchy and—Blurg!”

  Cool hands settled on her neck after lifting her hair. Hadn’t the girls explained how bull-headed these guys were? Eva should have known that the sound of her retching wouldn’t deter him.

  “You don’t have to be in here. I’ll be fine in a minute.” Wow, her voice sounded horrible.

  “Not happening, sweetheart. I had a hand in this child, and I’m not letting you suffer if I can help it.” He replaced his hands with a cool, damp rag and wrapped a rubber band in her hair. “Now, please, tell me what will make you feel better.”

  “The rag has helped a lot actually. My stomach is settling down some.” She moved to stand and was lifted to her feet as if she weighed nothing at all. “Show-off,” she muttered.

  “Anything to impress my lady.” He grinned and flexed the muscles in his arms, which saw her lips curving up as well. It was impossible not to smile when he was being playful. “So what do you think made you sick?”

  “All I had was a bite of cheese.” Eva quickly rinsed her mouth in the sink and brushed her teeth, needing to get the wretched taste out before it set her off again.

  “So, no more cheese then. I’ll keep that in mind when I’m cooking, and if you discover anything else, let me know.”

  Eva nodded at him in the mirror and noted a little pink still staining her cheeks.

  Adam moved up behind her, bringing his arms around her waist and resting his open palms over her stomach. “Sarah texted my phone while you were showering earlier. She wants to go shopping for clothes with you.”

  “We just went shopping, and I don’t really need any more clothes, Adam,” Eva reminded him. The man had already bought her so many outfits she still hadn’t worn most of them.

  “Maternity clothes, I think.”

  She did a sort of slow blink, as she allowed her mind to process what he’d just said.

  “You’ll be starting to show very soon, but if you’re not feeling up to it, I’ll just tell her it’ll have to wait.”

  “You’re okay with me going to town again? With just Sarah?” Eva was glad for the freedom but still felt better with a larger crowd.

  “Sarah’s a werewolf, Eva, and a born fighter. Don’t let the fact she’s small fool you, because that girl’s mean as a snake when she’s pissed. I have total faith in her to keep you safe.”

  “I’m not sure I want to shop today though. Would she want to go tomorrow?” Eva was afraid of getting sick again and preferred to vomit in a toilet where she knew whose ass had sat on it. “I think I’ll call Stephanie too and see if there’s anything I can take for this nausea. It’s cruel to be so hungry but terrified to eat.”

  “Well, you have to eat. I’ll call Stephanie now and see what I can find out.” He’d already dialed, and there was an unmistakable hint of amusement in his voice when he spoke. “Abraham? I need to speak to Stephanie.”

  She could hear the deep, not-so-nice voice on the other end of the call and felt bad for having disturbed them so early in the morning. It was only six-thirty for crying out loud!

  “It’s about Eva. She’s throwing up again and—” He paused, grinning like a naughty child. “Well if you don’t want to hear about vomit, put your wife on the line. I can hear her in the background.”

  “Just don’t worry about it right now. I’ll be all right.” Eva tried to reach for the phone, but he blocked her attempts and covered the mouthpiece.

  “Are you kidding? I love pissing off Abraham. This is a bonus.”

  “Erik wasn’t kidding. You guys are like a bunch of kids.” Eva just shook her head. “I’m going to lie down for a few minutes then I’ll try to eat. It just smells so good.”

  “I’ll bring you some in bed,” he promised before returning to his call. “Yeah, Stephanie, I’m wondering if there’s anything Eva could take for her nausea? She’s only had a bite of cheese and threw it up, but she’s hungry and I know she needs to eat and I can’t stand to see her sick like this—”

  “You’re babbling, dumbass,” Stephanie cut in groggily. “It’s morning sickness, and yes, I realize it’s a stupid thing to call it since it tends to happen all day, but it’s normal and will pass soon. I’ll call something in to the pharmacy for her in the meantime.”

  “Thank you.”

  “She’s not in any pain, is she? No cramping or stabbing pains?”

  “No, just the nausea.” Thank God. “Hurting would be bad right?”

  “Yes, twinkle-douche, hurting is very bad.” An exasperated sigh came over the line. “Just call my cell if you need anything, and I’ll make sure grouch-ass over here doesn’t answer.”

  Said grouch-ass growled in the background, and Adam laughed, but what had she called him? “Twinkle-douche? What the hell is a—”

  “Bye now!” Click.

  Adam closed his phone and shook his head. The insults that woman pulled out of her ass amazed him at times.

  He peeked in on Eva, who was lying on her side with a pillow hugged to her chest. She looked so small like that. “Want to try some food?”

  “Yes, I’m starving. If I get sick again, I’ll stop, I promise. Just no cheese.”

  “You got it, princess. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  He gathered everything he thought she might like to eat and loaded the tray. On it he had some already made fajitas, rice, beans, lemonade and a few cookies.

  He made his way down the hall while listening to the clicking of wolf claws on the floor behind him. He knew they were following for the food and glanced back at the pair. “Beggars.”

  Eva was just sitting up when he came into the room. Her sweet face already seemed to glow from pregnancy, and he was once again awestruck by her beauty. She was so very precious to him, and all Adam wanted to do was wrap her in his arms and take care of her forever.

  “Are you sure that you wouldn’t rather have some toast or something like that?” Adam wasn’t so sure her stomach would tolerate the seasonings and feared it would make her ill again. The last thing he wanted was to be the cause of that.

  “Oh, no. That smells delicious, and I want to try it, at least.” She eyed the food-laden tray like a woman starved.

  “Are you positive? I’ve already got some toast going,” he jabbed his thumb over his shoulder and toward the kitchen, “just in case.”

  Eva narrowed her eyes and gave him the meanest look he’d ever seen on her. “Adam, if you take that food out of here, I swear I’ll make Stephanie look like a Sunday school teacher by the time I’m through yelling. I’m starving, miserable and determined to try that food so put it down now.” Her usually non-existent temper flared, and for some reason, Adam found it totally hot. A moment later, she sighed, looking as if she might actually cry. “Look, I’m sorry…”

  “Don’t be. Honey, after all you’ve been through you can have whatever you want. I’ll bring the little garbage can over here in case you need it, okay?” She’d been dealing with everything that was thrown at her with such fine grace and composure. Sure she got upset and cried, mourning her loss, but she’d have to be made of stone to go through all of the disasters in her life and not show any emotion.

  The woman truly amazed him. She had a will of iron and would be the perfect mother to his cubs. Werewolf children tended to be a rowdy bunch and seriously headstrong, but after that little outburst, he had no doubt she’d be able to set them straight.

  When he returned to the bedside with the wastebasket, she was busy eating some of the rice with an utterly content expression upon her face. “So? How do you feel? Think it’ll stay down?”

  “Like I’ve died and gone to heaven,” she groaned. “This is so delicious. You know, you could open a restaurant and make a ton of money.”

  Adam laughed. “Well, I’m glad you like it, and thank you for
the compliment.”

  “You’re welcome.” She held up a rolled tortilla. “Want some?”

  “No, thanks. I’m going to clean up the kitchen then pick up your prescription. Do you want to come, or would you rather stay here?”

  “I’d rather stay here, if you don’t mind. I’d hate to barf all over your truck if I get sick again.” He grimaced at the mental image and she chuckled. “I’ll be fine.”

  “I know. I just hate to leave you here if you’re not feeling well.” He bent and gave her a chaste kiss. “I love you, Eva.”

  “I love you, too, Adam.” Her warm smiles did funny things to him, and he wanted to be the only one she shared them with. Damn but he was turning into one selfish bastard when it came to this woman.

  “Listen, while you’re out with Sarah tomorrow, I’m going to swing into town to pick up a few things. We’re going to have a special dinner. Just the two of us, so don’t let Sarah or anyone else invite themselves over. Tomorrow evening, you’re mine, all right?” He took her hand and kissed the heart of her palm before leaning his cheek into it. “Do you have any idea how happy you’ve made me, Eva? In the last month, I’ve gone from wondering if I’d ever find my mate, to not only finding her but starting a family, as well. You’ve given me so much, and I want to give you something special in return.”

  “But you have,” she insisted, sitting up a little straighter.

  “How do you figure?”

  “Adam, you’ve protected me, laughed with me, loved me, and…you’ve given me a family again.” Moisture gathered in her eyes. She hadn’t realized just how much she’d missed being a part of a family until meeting him and his siblings. They were the type of close-knit family unit she’d longed for as a child.

  She loved her parents to the depths of her heart but had always wished they’d been able to do more together. Work had always come up or business trips had stolen vacations. However, thanks to them, Eva now had the financial means to spend every second with her children, and she made an unspoken promise to her baby that they’d be a tight family unit no matter what.

  As if he’d read her mind, Adam said, “We’ll be good parents, Evangeline. This baby will want for nothing in this life. Camping, travel, sports, building tree houses and forts…whatever he or she wants.”