Shapeshifter Romance: Duty of a Lion (Paranormal Army Hero Navy Seal Shifter Protector Alpha Lion Romance) (Fantasy Military Action Adventure Urban Wolf Romance Short Stories) (3 page)

“Michael what—how did you get in here? Don’t you have like a mission you’re supposed to be preparing for?” I was beyond confused by what I’d come home to.

“I’d love to tell you about that over dinner. To answer your initial question Lina; I’m a SEAL I can look up your address and break into your house quite easily.” He spoke so calmly and frankly that I found myself rationalizing the fact that he broke into my house.

“This is crazy Michael, you could have used the same resources to look up my cell number and at least
call
first,” I told him, slightly annoyed. Michael put my jacket and bag in the coat closet and he led me to the kitchen. It smelled amazing and my stomach growled as it sensed food was near.

“You were at work. I didn’t want to distract you,” he said simply, again forcing me to rationalize his actions. I sat down behind the breakfast bar and watched him in silence for a few moments. He puttered around my kitchen as if he lived with me and therefore knew exactly where everything was.

“Plus, I wanted the element of surprise. I love this little game you’re playing, but I’ve caught you and now there’s no stringing me along Lina.” I rolled my eyes and Michael stopped what he was doing over at the stove to walk over to me. The intense way he was looking at me made it more like he was stalking towards me.

He cupped my face in his hands and nuzzled my neck. “I’ll reiterate Lina. You are mine now, get used to this,” was his frank reply. His voice had been a purr as he spoke and it sent shivers through me. Michael inhaled my scent and then a soft moan escaped my throat when his tongue met my skin. He sucked on my neck while one of his hands slid down to cup my breast. Throbbing need bloomed between my legs; if he kept this up I’d be lost.

“O—okay…yeah I can get used to this,” I said breathlessly. Michael chuckled; the sound was delicious on my senses. He pulled away a fraction and I felt loss at the absence of his warmth, of his mouth on me. I wanted him almost desperately at this point.

“I’m glad we’ve finally squared that away then. You hungry?” he asked expectantly. I simply nodded. I was hungry for more than food, that was for sure. Michael served the fajitas and salad he had made then brought them over to the breakfast bar so we could eat. I hadn’t noticed that he had set two places on top of doing everything else.

“So how is it you have so much time off? Aren’t you training for a mission?” I asked him before taking a bite of my fajita. I moaned at how good it was. Got to love a man who could cook…as well as shift into a lion.

“The operation is to extract intelligence. It’s not very complicated; we’re moving in by way of land and disappearing without a trace. We’ve done it many times before,” Michael was decidedly nonchalant about his team’s coming mission.

“When is it going to be carried out?” I asked, honestly curious. Michael gave me a look that said, I knew better than to ask that.

“Soon is all I can say. Don’t worry, it’s practically routine,” Michael said. We ate in silence for a few comfortable moments.

“You’re really a good cook…or at the very least good at making fajitas,” I said teasingly. Michael chuckled before he stole my last piece of skirt steak.

“Nope, you had it right the first time. I love to cook as a pastime. Plus it helps me get away with breaking and entering women’s houses,” Michael said smartly. He waggled his eyebrows at me and I playfully smacked his arm.

“Whatever, so you cook for lots of women then?” I asked, pretending to be upset at the realization. Michael grinned at me boyishly and I rolled my eyes at him. “As if you would need
another
irresistible attribute,” I scoffed. Michael’s boyish grin turned into a full on sexy smile.

“You think I’m
irresistible
?” he asked me with an over the top sexy drawl in his voice. I couldn’t help but laugh at him. Did he have to be so perfect? “Well that just means I know where I’m sleeping tonight,” Michael said confidently.

“Oh really?” I asked haughtily. Michael gave me a sage nod and devilish grin.

“You’re irresistible too you know, and all mine. We were made for each other.” Michael stood up gracefully and kissed me on the lips before clearing our plates and loading the dishwasher.

“So are the rest of Pride Team lions too? Is it an actual like…pride of lions?” I asked him curiously. Michael nodded before answering me.

“Yeah, we are. There are more of us though, seeing as all the males are mated. I’m the alpha male. The pride has pretty much been pushing me to settle down already because none of their females want the stress on their mated relationships of being an alpha with me…” my eyes widened as I thought about why he told me all of that.

“You don’t have to be…born a lion shifter to be one…do you?” I was almost afraid of his answer. I so had not expected this.

“No, there is a process…it’s painful and arduous, but in the end you will be a lion shifter.” My shock intensified as he actually said it out loud. He wants
me
to be a lion shifter, to be his mate—his alpha female…holy shit. “I don’t know how I know Lina, but I just do. You’re it for me so at least think about it?” I nodded woodenly. I’d think about it, because just like him I somehow knew he was my one.

*****

“So I brought dessert too if you’re not full.” Michael stepped towards the refrigerator and I shook my head.

“The fajitas were pretty filling for me. I know you have to eat pounds of steak too keep up with those muscles.” I smirked at him and he laughed.

“You’re right, sometimes I forget normal people don’t eat half as much as I do,” Michael said. He still reached into the fridge to pull out a slice of Key Lime pie. There was another slice in the fridge and I debated taking a taste.

“I’m going to go change out of my uniform really quick,” I told Michael while sliding down from the stool I sat on. Michael could only nod as he had just taken a bite of the pie. I left him in the family room watching TV while I went upstairs to my bedroom to change and freshen up a bit. As I was stepping out of the bathroom though, I almost ran right into Michael’s chest.

“Sheesh! You can’t make a sound or something?” I asked, my heart pounding in my chest. I looked up at him accusingly and he simply laughed at me.

“Sorry, I have light steps. You startle easy,” Michael said in amusement. I sighed and shook my head at him.

“You’re just really big and I’m not used to having a guy walk around the house,” I admitted. Michael smiled, obviously pleased to hear that.

“Good. I was just exploring the house; it’s a nice place. You live here in Virginia whenever you’re not on duty?” I nodded and Michael seemed even more pleased. “You realize we work out perfectly,” he pointed out. I laughed and shrugged my shoulders.

“I suppose…it
is
hard to deny,” was my vague reply. Michael chuckled before he suddenly picked me up and walked over to the bed in two strides. He plopped me down and I looked up at him as he started pulling off his clothes. His intentions couldn’t have been any clearer. As soon as his glorious chest and abdomen came into view, the earlier heat I had felt for him blazed to life.

Michael kicked off his boots and then undid his pants before pulling them off along with his socks in one clean motion. All that was left were his boxer briefs and I could clearly see the length of his hard-on outlined by the form fitting material.

My nipples hardened under the tank top I was wearing and my sex throbbed with need. Michael nudged my legs open and climbed onto the bed, his hips nestled against mine while his thickly muscled arms held the bulk of his weight above me. My hands went immediately to his arms; my hands caressed their way up to his back and then lower to grip his waist. I needed him pressed harder against me, hell I needed him
inside
of me.

“You’re so beautiful Lina,” he whispered almost reverently. Michael’s head dipped to kiss the sensitive area just behind my ear, causing me to shiver. He trailed kisses down to my jaw and lower along my neck and collarbone. “How fond are you of what you’re wearing?” he said. My skin muffled his voice and the sound tickled. I giggled and then realized he asked me that because he wanted to tear through my clothes. It was just a tank top, pajama shorts and panties.

“Not that fond, I have replacements,” I said, feeling a bit light-headed with anticipation. Michael growled in approval and then he was ripping my tank top open. His mouth was on my breasts in less than a second. He sucked one already puckered nipple into his mouth while his fingers teased the other. Ripple after ripple of sensation expanded throughout my body and concentrated deep in my belly. My sex clenched impatiently and my clitoris was throbbing for attention.

Michael’s mouth moved from my breasts to suck and nibble a path down to my thighs. He tore my shorts and pulled them off effortlessly. Michael’s thumb found my clitoris through the thin lace of my panties and he started to rub it in tight circles. I cried out in relief that he was finally touching me where I needed it most. I closed my eyes just as his mouth found my neck and slid up to capture my lips with his. I kissed him feverishly, my tongue exploring his mouth as his thumb continued to rub against my clit. My hips had a mind of their own as I arched into his hand and moved against him for more much needed friction. I whimpered against Michael’s lips, as I grew increasingly sensitive to his touch.

“Come for me baby, I know you need to,” Michael whispered hoarsely against my lips just before I experienced a sharp orgasm. I shuddered underneath him just as he was tearing away my panties and his own underwear. “I’m going to push inside you now baby,” he whispered to me. He slowly pushed the head of his beautiful penis inside my swollen sex. He gasped as he slid into me completely.

He felt so good inside me that my eyes nearly rolled back. My sex tightened around him involuntarily and Michael cursed. His hips started to move with his thrusts and I held onto his shoulders, feeling his muscles ripple with every movement. I couldn’t control my moans of pleasure when his pace quickened and he plunged harder into me.

My next orgasm was even more devastating than the first. It caught me by surprise so all I could do was hold on to Michael as wave after wave of pleasure coursed through me. Michael groaned, the sound almost pained, as my sex clenched around him. He took my hands and pinned them above my head before his pace quickened again. I cried out at the new waves of pleasure taking over me, I was lost in sensation and completely at Michael’s will. Before I could fully come down from my previous orgasm another crested over me. I screamed Michael’s name as my sex became hypersensitive and started to spasm around him.

“Please baby, I can’t come again, I can’t…” I begged him breathlessly, but Michael simply let my hands go so he could hold my legs apart. His sex pushed deeper and I cried out again as he began to massage a much more sensitive area inside of me. I would pass out if he brought me to orgasm again, I was sure of it. Michael roared as his climax finally took him. He pumped into me hard and soon I was spiraling into another orgasm. I wasn’t aware of much as I shuddered underneath him, the shocks of my orgasm still pulsing through me.

I was pretty sure I took a three-minute nap afterwards. I opened my eyes to find it was dark and Michael was in bed with me, still gloriously naked. He pulled me against his warm chest and I curled up against him contentedly.

* * *

I woke up late the next morning and to an empty bed. Michael left a note on the pillow next to mine. It read, ‘had to leave to carry out the mission, don’t worry about me. I’ll come back to you soon. Love M.’ I briefly panicked at the thought of him going into a highly dangerous situation. I didn’t even get to kiss him goodbye or wish him good luck.

I hurried out of bed to shower and get to the clinic. All I could think about was the possibility that Michael might not make it back from his mission unscathed.

*****

“Lina! You’re not usually late, everything okay?” Dell picked up almost instantly on the worried look on my face.

“Yeah, I’m great, no worries. I woke up late and got flustered is all,” I made up the excuse so Dell wouldn’t pry, and went to put my things in my locker. I was anxious all morning and not even my favorite Chinese takeout at lunch could settle my nerves.

“Honestly Lina, what’s up?” Dell asked as he lounged behind the nurse’s station. I was too keyed up to sit. What if Michael didn’t come back at all? I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that wormed its way into my heart after I read the note he left me. I know Pride Team was the most skilled SEAL team on the base, but I just had a bad feeling that I couldn’t shake.

“Well…you know I’m dating a SEAL, right?” Dell nodded his head for me to continue. “He’s out there now, carrying out the mission and I just…I have a
bad
feeling.” Dell was just about to reply when the doors to the trauma wings burst open and two military officers walked in at a fast clip.

“Officers Ross and Strapp, we need you at the main medical center right away. SEAL Team Thirteen is coming in; three of them have serious injuries.” I moved into action as soon as the officer said they needed us. We all piled into the truck outside and sped to the main hospital on base. Everything moved in fast-forward as I gowned up to deal with whatever injuries were coming my way. There were seven trauma surgeons in the emergency room all together as we waited for the team to arrive.