Mate Claimed (Shifters Unbound #4)(31)
Author: Jennifer Ashley

“I do, my love. Remember that.”

Iona pulled into the driveway of a long, low house with a deep front porch that looked little different from its neighbors—except that the driveway and yard of this house were full of Shifters.

In the center of the driveway, standing in front of Iona’s pickup as she halted it, was a tall blond woman who was obviously pregnant. She stood shoulder to shoulder with a Latino human, and another Latino, resembling him, stood next to him. A younger version of Eric stood at the tall woman’s other side.

Two enormous men came to flank the truck. They were accompanied by a dark-haired woman who was a bit smaller than them but no less intimidating.

Eric hadn’t called anyone after Graham had gone and before they’d left the office. He’d helped Iona roll the blueprints into the tubes, and then he’d hustled her out the door and opened the gates. That meant Graham McNeil must have alerted the Shifters that Iona was on her way.

Iona set the brake, but she didn’t turn off the truck’s engine. She doubted she’d be able to ram the truck through the surrounding Shifters, but it never hurt to be prepared.

Eric got out, unworried, and came around to the driver’s side of the cab. He reached in, shut off the truck, and took the keys, then opened the door and held out his hand to Iona.

Swallowing, Iona got out.

It was dark without the truck’s headlights, though a small porch light on this house and the one next door provided some illumination. But Shifters didn’t need light—they could see fine in the dark. Iona knew they were all scenting her, knowing she was half-Shifter, knowing she’d been all over Eric, and Eric all over her.

Eric led Iona to the younger man. “Jace,” he said. “This is Iona Duncan. Tonight, I mate-claimed her. Iona, Jace Warden, my son.”

Jace was no kid—he was a full-grown adult. He had the same hard build and dark brown hair as Eric, and he looked back at her with his father’s measuring green stare.

“Iona,” Jace said before she could speak. “I acknowledge and respect the claim.”

The next thing Iona knew, Jace had opened his arms and folded them tightly around her.

Iona started, but Eric’s hand warmed her back. “It’s all right. Hug him. You’re supposed to.”

Tentatively, Iona brought up her arms to return the embrace. Then Jace really hugged her, pulling her in so tight that her breath left her. Her nose picked up how similar his scent was to Eric’s and yet had a unique character of its own.

Jace was grinning when he released her. “Welcome to the pride, Iona. Dad, I commend your taste.”

Eric took Iona by the shoulders and moved her to the pregnant woman, who was regarding Iona with great interest.

“Cassidy Warden,” Eric said. “My sister and my second.”

“I acknowledge and respect the mate-claim,” Cassidy said, sounding delighted.

She pulled Iona to her for a warm, cushy hug, which Iona returned less hesitantly. As with Nicole, Iona breathed in the fragrance of Cassidy’s child inside her, and Iona’s sharp need to mate rose up to bite her once more.

“You’re half-Shifter,” Cassidy said as she released Iona but held her by the hands. “Your father?”

“My father was the Shifter, yes. Panther.” Somehow, Iona knew Cassidy would want to know that.

The woman’s green eyes warmed. “Welcome, Iona. This is my mate, Diego Escobar. You called him the other day, about Eric. For that, I thank you.”

Diego was very attractive—okay, he was hot—his liquid dark eyes and handsome face complementing his dusk-velvet voice. “We took care of it,” Diego said. He glanced at Eric. “Am I supposed to say the thing?”

“Technically,” Eric said.

“Then I acknowledge and respect the claim.” Diego held out his hand instead of trying to embrace Iona, but he clasped her hand between his strong, warm ones. “From one person who’s been sucked in by Shifters to another, welcome to their world. It’s a fine place.”

The second Latino man shouldered his way forward. “I’m Xavier, Diego’s better-looking younger brother. Call me Xav. I acknowledge and respect the claim, and I’m hugging you, because I like Shifter ways.”

Xavier pulled Iona into a hearty embrace. “Don’t worry,” he said, when Iona came out of it, breathless. “You get used to it.”

Iona thought she possibly might, until she got to the bears.

“This is Shane,” Eric said. “Bears don’t have last names.”

Shane was big, about seven feet tall, broad of chest, thick of muscle. He had black hair flecked with brown that looked shaggy even though he cropped it short, and chocolate brown eyes.

“Welcome to Shiftertown, honey,” Shane said. He opened his big arms and scooped up Iona, giving her a…bear hug.

Shane lifted Iona off her feet and swung around with her but didn’t let go even when he set her down again. “Keep in mind—when things don’t work out between you and Eric, come see the grizzly next door.”

“There’s two grizzlies next door, bro.” The second bear shoved his brother aside, and Iona got another enthusiastic and dizzying hug. “I’m Brody. Remember, once you go bear, you never go back.”

Eric did and said nothing while the bear brothers hugged her, but he stood close. Very close. Iona bumped into Eric’s hard body when Brody finally let her go.

They must have seen something in Eric’s face, because Brody lifted his hands in a sign of surrender. “Hey, we acknowledge and respect the claim, oh great leader. No Challenges here.”

“But keep your options open,” Shane said to Iona.

The large woman pushed herself between them. “Shut up, boys. Don’t scare her. I’m Nell, sweetie.” Nell was not as tall as the two bear males, but she looked as strong, and she shared the brothers’ black and brown mottled hair. She pulled Iona into a somewhat gentler hug. “Half-Shifter, and you’re just learning how to deal with your Shifter side, aren’t you?”

So true. Iona was ready to collapse after her long day, the wedding, her increasing hunger, kissing Eric in her office, Graham’s violent interruption, and now this sudden introduction to Shiftertown.

She swallowed. “It’s been rough, yeah.”

“Well, if it gets too bad, you come and see me. I got these two through their Transitions and their first mating hunger, and don’t think that wasn’t pure hell. Helping you will be a joy, sweetie, compared to hosing down a couple of frenzied grizzlies.”