Bearing the Shifter (Shifter World - Book Four) (Series of 13 Short Stories)

“Did you get everything?” Rolando asked as he watched her check him over.

He smiled when her eyes paused at his crotch. She was checking him out, and the look in her eyes, he knows she was pleased with what she saw. He didn’t need to check her out. He already knows he’s pleased with what the Goddesses gave him.

“Let me double-check the bathroom,” she said, her eyes meeting his.

He nodded, and she ran into the bathroom.

Maddy searched the bathroom to make sure she hadn’t missed anything. She grabbed the lotion she’d forgotten on the back of the toilet, and a sparkle caught her eye. She leaned down and picked up a necklace from the floor.

“How the hell did you end up down there?” she asked the necklace, wrapping her fingers around it.

It was the only link to her past before her parents had adopted her. With a heavy sigh, she stood and went back into the other room.

“Good thing you said something.” She smiled as she held up her lotion. “I haven’t seen this sold anywhere in this town.”

Rolando smiled as he watched her. He noticed something clamped in her hand and asked her about it. She held her hand out and opened her fingers.

“I don’t know how this got on the floor in there. But I’m so happy I’d found it before we left. Because this is the most important item I own,” Maddy said, a tear sliding down her cheek.

He frowned as he set her bags on the floor and moved over to her. “Are you okay?”

She nodded and sniffled. “I’m just happy I didn’t lose this.”

He looked at the necklace. It was a beautiful silver star.

“Parents get that for you?” he asked softly.

She shook her head, then nodded. “My birth parents.”

He paused and tilted her chin up to look at him. “You were adopted?”

She sniffled. “When I was three.”

He frowned. “I’m sorry.”

She shrugged. “I had good parents until my father’s gambling got him killed. Then my mom turned to drink to numb the pain, not caring that I was a sixteen-year-old girl, missing her daddy, and not knowing what to do because mom was always drunk. Once I graduated, two months before my eighteenth birthday, I left. She never came looking for me. I always thought it was my dad’s idea to adopt me, and she only went along with it for him. And well, I got my answer the day my father died.”

She was full-on crying at this point, and he pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.

“You have a family now,” he said, holding her close.

She sniffled. “I know.”

“We may have just met tonight, but you’re mine, Maddy. And I’m never letting you go.”

Maddy nodded. She liked that thought—a lot. And she hoped he stuck to it.

“Now, let’s get out of here.” He lifted her chin and kissed her.

She moaned against his mouth, and when he pulled back, his eyes were full of something she couldn’t decipher, but it made her feel warm and fuzzy, and… loved.

“Want me to put it on for you?”

She blinked at his question. Put what on? Oh, right, the necklace…

“I haven’t worn it in years….”

“Well, maybe it’s time you did.” he smiled. “It sounds to me like your birth parents loved you very much. And I think it’s time you felt that love again.” He took the necklace from her and clasped it behind her neck. He lifted her hair from under the chain, then let her long tresses slip through his fingers.

“Thank you.” She looked up into his silver eyes and smiled.

He smiled back, then leaned forward and kissed her. When he lifted his head, he was still smiling.

“Let’s get out of here.” He grabbed her bags and lifted them.

He held his hand out to her, still smiling. Maddy didn’t pause for a second. She took his hand and let him lead her from the hotel she’d been renting for the past couple of days. In such a short time, her life has completely changed.

~🏈~

“There you guys are,” Gerald whispered when they entered the house.

“Sorry.” Rolando smiled as he led Maddy to the stairs.

Gerald followed close behind them as they headed up the stairs.

“Have you decided what to do?” Gerald asked.

Rolando nodded. “We’re going to rent a house for now or an apartment. Until we figure out what’s next.”

Gerald nodded.

They entered Rolando’s room, and Gerald closed the door behind them.

“Nice room.” Maddy smiled as she looked around at the sparse furnishings and bare walls.

Gerald chuckled. “Rolando here is a great decorator, ain’t he?”

She chuckled when Rolando scowled. “It’s okay; You have me now. I’m a great decorator.”

Rolando smiled at her.

“So, where are we going to look for a place to rent? Can’t be too far from the stadium,” Gerald said.

Rolando looked at him. “What’s this “we” shit?”

Gerald shrugged. “I don’t know. I have this feeling I should stay with you guys.”

Maddy smiled at him. “So, you get those feelings too?”

He looked at her. “Why, you get them?”

She nodded. “All the time.”

He grinned. “Seems like you should be my mate, instead of this idiot’s….” He stopped talking when a pillow hit him in the face.

Maddy chuckled.

“I’ll leave you two to get settled.” Gerald tossed Maddy the pillow and slipped out the door.

“Get ready for bed,” Rolando grumbled.

Maddy turned to Rolando, thinking he was angry, but smiled when she noticed him holding back his laughter.

She nodded, then went to her bag and dug out the nightshirt and shorts she liked to sleep in. Once she was ready for bed, she turned to Rolando, and his eyes opened wide. He was staring at her top. She looked down and giggled; she’d forgotten her favorite nightshirt sported a teddy bear.

His face became so soft she wanted to run into his arms but held herself back.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.

She smiled as her eyes roamed over his body. He was in nothing but his boxers and looked good enough to eat. His dark chocolate skin glowed in the moonlight, and she licked her lips.

“Not here.” He chuckled. “There’s no way we can be quiet enough to not wake the house.”

She chuckled. “Okay.”

Maddy took Rolando’s outstretched hand. He led her to the bed, and she snuggled against him. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep. Her dreams were filled with a future with her new mate and their many children, which all had milk chocolate skin and silver eyes.

~🏈~

Maddy woke to loud voices. ‘Who’s yelling?’ She wondered as she tried to open her eyes. ’They better stop, or they’ll get kicked from the hotel,’ she thought, then last night came back to her full force.

She sat up in bed, her eyes open wide. Holy shit, she’s a Fated Mate, and her shifter mate is none other than the hot, sexy as sin—Rolando Florance.

Her father would be thrilled. He always wanted a son who excelled in sports.

“You can’t leave here! It’s in your contract!” someone was shouting.

“No!” She heard Rolando holler back. “It’s in my contract to live close to the stadium, not share a house with my teammates!”

“And you’re leaving, why? Because you banged some whore last night, and now you’re pussy whipped?!”

Maddy cringed. She wasn’t a whore…

She crawled out of bed and headed toward the hollering. Or maybe they weren’t as loud as she thought—because she can hear things she couldn’t hear before.

“You shouldn’t go down there just yet.”

Maddy jumped and turned to the voice. Gerald stood at the top of the stairs looking down at her.

“What’s going on?” she whispered.

He shrugged. “Just what I knew would happen. These assholes don’t like spending their own money. I’ve known from the beginning that Rolando and I have been paying more than our share of rent here. That’s why I jumped at the chance to move with you guys.”

“It’s not because you felt it was right?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He grinned at her. His white teeth so bright against his dark skin. “There’s that too.”

“They’re going to hate me,” she whispered.

He shrugged. “Who cares? They’re a bunch of pigs that I will be glad to get away from.”

She frowned, and he moved the few steps down to stand on the step directly above her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed.

“Maddy, this is a good thing. Trust me, okay.”

She nodded, only because she felt some kind of connection with him. Like they were meant to be close friends, or rather, family.

“Now we can go down,” he said, taking her hand and leading her down the stairs.

The yelling had stopped. Or they were taking breaths—getting ready to start all over again.

When Gerald walked into the room with Maddy, the whole room froze.

“Fuck, me,” one of the men said, eyeing Maddy from head to toe.

“You wish,” Rolando snorted as he moved over to Maddy and kissed her on the cheek. He didn’t like the way his teammates were looking at his mate.

“Introduce us, Rolando,” the quarterback said with a grunt.

Rolando rolled his eyes. “Sorry,” he whispered into Maddy’s ear.

She nodded, and he turned to his teammates. “Guys, this is my mate, Maddy. Maddy, this is the guys.”

The “Guys” grunted at the improper introduction, and Maddy held back her giggle.

“Nice to meet you---guys.” She paused between you and guys to emphasize that she didn’t give a fuck what their names were.

“Hot damn, Rolando, you didn’t tell us she’s a hot piece of ass, no wonder you want her to yourself,” one of the “guys” said, licking his lips.

Maddy clung to Rolando’s side. She didn’t like being called a hot piece of ass. Damn, that’s the first time she’s ever even been called a hot piece of ass.

Rolando growled. “Watch it, Buddy.”

She wasn’t sure if that was the guy’s name or just something he called his teammates.

“Come on, Rolando, you know the house rules,” the quarterback grinned, licking his lips. “Always share with your teammates.”

Rolando let out a terrible growl, and Maddy felt the hairs on her arms stand on end. The others seemed to feel it, too, because every face in the living room turned a pasty white.

“This is why I’m moving out,” Rolando said as he pushed Maddy behind his back.

“Watch it.” Gerald took one giant step and stood beside Maddy.

Maddy looked up at him. She hadn’t noticed it before because he’s such a sweet guy, and she never felt intimidated around him. But Gerald Copperfield is one huge man. Even bigger than Rolando, which is odd because Rolando is a bear, and Gerald is a wolf. But damn, he wasn’t someone you wanted to mess with, even if he wasn’t a strong-ass shifter.

“I take it you’re leaving too,” one of their teammates said, folding his arms over his chest.

“Yeah.” Gerald nodded. “I’m going with them.”

“So, he’s sharing with you, huh?” the quarterback asked with a snarl.

Rolando growled, and Gerald laughed as he placed an arm out to stop Rolando.

“You know you’re more my type than she is,” Gerald said with a wink.

Every man in the room, except for Rolando, gagged.

Gerald shrugged. “What can I say? I prefer her company to the lot of you.”

“I think we should go to my room,” Rolando said as he ushered Maddy toward the stairs.

“Good idea.” Gerald walked backward to the stairs, blowing kisses to the men as they moved.

“You’re incorrigible,” Maddy said with a laugh when she turned her head and watched Gerald make a kissy face at their quarterback.

Gerald turned his head and grinned at her. “Of course, Seliana.”

She frowned, and he chuckled.

“It means sister, now get your sexy asses up those stairs.” Gerald turned and gave them both a shove up the stairs.

Once they were in Rolando’s room, Gerald locked the door.

“Well, that didn’t go as planned.” Rolando scowled.

Gerald snorted. “How did you expect it to go?”

Rolando shrugged. “Wasn’t sure.”

“You two should have stayed in her hotel room.”

Rolando nodded. “Probably.”

“We should find somewhere to move today,” Gerald said, looking at Maddy’s white face. “And you should comfort your mate, man.”

Rolando turned to Maddy and frowned at the look on her face. “Are you okay, Mafilia?”

She looked at him with a forced smile. “Of course.”

Rolando frowned, not believing her.

“She just watched a bunch of men look at her like she’s a slice of beef for their eating pleasure.” Gerald snorted.

Rolando moved to his mate and pulled her into his arms. He wished she hadn’t seen those looks. But now she knows to stay away from the assholes on his team. If he could, he would transfer to another team, but he still has a year on his contract. Maybe he’ll mess up so much in the next few games that they’ll trade him.

He’d never thought about it until he found his mate and found that if he stayed with these assholes, she’d probably be in danger. He hoped they were not stupid enough to mess with a shifter’s mate.

But no one ever said these assholes were smart.