Laird Fraser's Cinderella Read online

  “’Tis as I thought. You can fight it all you want, but your bear has made up his mind. It’s why you dinnae put her in the guest room to begin with.”

  “Um.” Shay lifted a hand. “Don’t I get a say in the matter? I may not know much about shifters, except what I’ve read in the romances I sometimes buy, but I know what the word mate means. I can assure you that Laird Fraser could do much better than me for a mate. I’ll accept the offer of room and board, but only until I can figure something out.”

  “You’ll no’ overstay your welcome, if that’s what you fear, lass.” Ross smiled. “I’ll no’ bring up the word mate if it will ease your worries a bit.”

  “Yes, no use of the word mate. That would be excellent.”

  “The laird never had a chance to eat earlier. I made a nice stew with biscuits, if that would suit.” Mrs. Kinley patted her hand. “You just tell me what you want to eat and I’ll make it.”

  “The stew sounds wonderful.” Shay took a seat at the table. “I haven’t eaten in quite a while. Anything hot would be welcome on such a cold day.”

  “Lass, you said you’re from America and came here because of your boyfriend. Were things so bleak back home that you jumped at the chance to come live with a stranger?” Ross asked.

  “I’ve never dated much. When Mac showed an interest in me, I admit I fell for him pretty fast. He seemed charming, and that accent didn’t hurt. He said all the right things to get me here. I’d only lived with him a week the first time he hit me. It didn’t take me long to learn what his triggers were, and if he’d been drinking, it was best to avoid him.”

  “How long have the two of you been together?” Ross asked.

  “About six months.”

  “Will you return home now that things are finished between you?”

  Shay toyed with her fork. “Honestly, I love it here. My situation was far from ideal, but Scotland is truly beautiful. I love the highlands and could see staying here indefinitely. There’s nothing left for me at home. Whether I stay or go, I’ll be starting over.”

  “I’d like for you to stay,” Ross said softly. “I cannae explain it, but my bear is very insistent that he wants you here. Will you stay?”

  “Eventually, your country will ask me to leave. I’m surprised they haven’t already. My visa was contingent on my having work. Mac decided I wasn’t working, probably to keep me under his thumb.”

  Ross frowned. “Lass, if you havenae been working since you got here, you likely already received a notice. Would he have kept something like that from you?”

  “Probably.”

  “Let me make a call. Finish your stew, and hopefully, I’ll have some answers for you in just a bit.”

  Shay nodded and went back to eating, hoping he wouldn’t find out anything bad. She didn’t think she could handle any more bad news tonight.

  Chapter Four

  Ross drummed his fingers on the desk. He’d had to call in a favor, but he’d found out that not only was Shay being deported, but she was also supposed to leave in two days. Even if she found a job tomorrow, it wouldn’t be soon enough. The immigration officer had laughed and claimed a marriage would be the only thing to save her. He had a feeling that Shay wouldn’t agree to a hasty marriage, with a complete stranger, just so she could stay in the highlands. And two days wasn’t much time to convince her. Hell, less than two days since she needed to be married by the end of tomorrow, to put a halt to her deportation.

  He tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling. There wasn’t much that he could do to help her. Even as the alpha bear, there was only so much pull he had with the officials. But if he claimed she was his mate... Mrs. Kinley seemed to think it was true. He couldn’t deny he was drawn to Shay, but was that enough for a mate-claim? She was attractive, and she definitely smelled good to his bear, but shouldn’t he feel something more if she was truly meant to be his? His parents had died before he ever got a chance to ask about mates.

  There was one person he could call...Alisdair MacLeod, the alpha of the local ambush. He’d found his mate a few years ago. While Ross wouldn’t call the other alpha a close friend, they did speak a few times a month. It wouldn’t be completely out of the ordinary for him to call.

  Ross picked up his phone and scrolled for Alisdair’s number. It only rang twice before the tiger answered.

  “Well, well. What does the mighty Laird Fraser want?” Alisdair asked.

  “What makes you think I want something?”

  Alisdair laughed. “Because it’s after ten o’clock, and you never call this late for fear of waking the children.”

  Ross scratched the back of his neck. The tiger had him there. He hadn’t thought about the time when he’d called. Maybe calling so late hadn’t been the best of ideas, but he didn’t know what else to do.

  “I have a situation here that I’m no’ sure how to handle. There’s a woman who will be deported if she’s no’ married by tomorrow night. My bear is very interested in her, and she’s attractive, but I’m no’ sure if she’s my mate. How did you ken that Kenzy was the right one?”

  “At first, I dinnae ken she was the one. We married because she was already pregnant. It wisnae until I claimed her that I realized she was my destined mate. The signs were there. I was attracted to her, more so than any other lass, but I dinnae think anything of it at the time.”

  “Shay is very pretty, and my bear wanted her close to us, so we put her in the chamber next to ours. She smells like honey.”

  “Bath products?” Alisdair asked.

  “Nay, she claims she cannae smell the honey scent, but it’s very strong. My bear is most pleased with her scent, and everything else apparently.”

  “And how does Ross, the man, feel about her?” Alisdair asked.

  “I want to save her, as much as she’ll allow. I found her in an alley tonight. Her boyfriend was trying to kill her. Which means she isn’t going to just jump right into a relationship with me, and I cannae blame her.”

  “Why no’ introduce her to your bear? Let the beast sniff her out and make the decision for you.”

  It wasn’t a horrible idea; although, he wasn’t certain how she’d react to him having to be naked in order to shift. Nudity wasn’t a big issue for shifters, but Shay was very much a human. It probably was a very big deal for her. How would he even broach the subject? Best to give her the news about her visa first, and then see what happened.

  “Thanks for the advice, Alisdair. Sorry for calling so late.”

  “Let me know how it turns out.”

  Ross ended the call and went to find Shay, hoping she was still in the kitchen. It took a bit of hunting, but he finally found her in the living area, in front of a roaring fire. She looked sleepy, curled up in the overstuffed chair with her head bobbing as she fought to stay awake.

  “I ken you’re tired, lass, but do you think you could stay awake a little while longer? We need to talk.”

  “Is there something wrong with my visa?”

  “You could say that. Because you arenae working, it’s been revoked. You have to go back to the States in two days’ time. Even if you found work now, it would be too late.”

  Her brow furrowed. “I have no belongings and no money. How am I supposed to go home? Even if I had a way to get there, there’s nowhere for me to go once I land on U.S. soil.”

  Ross rubbed his jaw. “There’s only one other alternative, lass, and I donae think you’re going to care much for it. You’ll have to get married before the end of day tomorrow.”

  “Excuse me?” She blinked at him as if she weren’t quite sure what he’d just said. “Married?”

  “I ken it’s not your favorite option. How much do you ken about shifters? You said you’d read some books.”

  “Romance novels.”

  He winced. “Well, they get the basics right, I suppose. You ken that a shifter mates for life?”

  “Yes. And there’s one destined mate for every shifter.”

  “Aye.
We’ve already established that I’m a shifter; although, you donae have proof. I did a partial shift in the alley, but would you care to see my bear? He’d very much like to meet you.”

  Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him.

  “You donae have to; it was just a thought.”

  “Do I get to watch you shift?”

  “If you want. Although, you should be aware that I have to be naked in order to shift. Will that bother you, lass?”

  Her gaze skated down his body, and she licked her lips before shaking her head.

  He smirked, enjoying the look of appreciation in her eyes as she studied his body. He only hoped she felt that way after watching him turn furry. There was only one way to find out. Ross took a step back and began disrobing, tossing his clothes onto a nearby chair. When the last stitch came off, her eyes went wide, and he could almost swear there was a hint of drool at the corner of her mouth.

  Chapter Five

  Shay fought the urge to wipe her chin, almost certain she was drooling. She’d seen pictures of muscular men before, but seeing Ross was enough to make her swoon. His muscles had muscles. Her gaze scanned across his broad chest and down his chiseled abs. When she looked lower, she couldn’t stifle her gasp. Not only had he been blessed in that particular department, but it seemed he was just as turned on by her as she was by him. At least, she thought it was because of her. For all she knew, it was a side effect of shifting.

  “See anything you like, lass?” he asked with humor in his voice.

  Her cheeks flushed, and she watched as his body snapped, cracked, and popped, contorting from a tall man into that of a large brown bear. The creature stared at her with eyes that seemed to see far too much. When it lumbered forward, her heart raced. Did he have bear thoughts in that form, or was he still Ross? She wasn’t about to be eaten, was she?

  The bear came closer and nuzzled her with his nose, sniffling along her shoulders, then down her torso. She blushed harder when he pressed his snout between her legs. He grunted and made a weird clicking noise before nudging her some more. Shay gripped the arms of the chair as the bear spread her legs apart. She watched in fascination as animal turned back into a man. A man who happened to have his face pressed against her in the most intimate of ways.

  Ross groaned and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Lass, you dinnae ken what you’re doing to me. Your scent is driving me mad. I cannae remember ever wanting a lass as much as I want you.”

  “Then your, um, state of arousal was because of me, and not just because you were shifting?”

  He grinned. “Lass, I’ve never gotten hard just because I was shifting. It was definitely your luscious self that caused the problem.”

  His musky scent teased her nose and made her lean into him a little. His hair was a little long and brushed his shoulders. Was it as silky as it looked? She reached up and ran her fingers through the strands. He made that weird clicking noise again and nuzzled his face into her palm.

  “You said that you didn’t remember ever wanting someone as much as you want me.” She licked her lips. “Does that mean I’m your mate?”

  “I honestly donae know for certain, but a friend of mine seems to think you could be. He said he dinnae realize his woman was truly his mate until he claimed her. They were already married, so the claiming was a formality for my kind, but he was surprised to learn she was truly his in all ways.”

  “How does a claiming work?”

  “I would bite you during sex. It would hurt at first, and then turn to pleasure.” He trailed his nose up her throat and lightly kissed her behind her ear. It sent shivers down her spine and made her nipples pebble against her shirt. “Mmm, you like that.”

  “Why do I feel this way?” she asked. “I was nearly killed by Mac tonight, someone I’d known for almost a year. I’ve only just met you, and yet...”

  “You want me to take advantage of you?” he asked with a smile.

  “I shouldn’t. You’re a stranger. A shifter. My brain is screaming at me to run the other way.”

  His hand slid up her thigh. “But your body is telling you to get closer?”

  She nodded.

  “Then it means you’re feeling the mating pull, like I am. I willnae push you, Shay. When you come to my bed, I want you to be certain. I cannae deny that I want you, but I can be a patient bear.” He smiled. “Get some sleep, and tomorrow we’ll discuss what you’d like to do about your visa. If you decide you want to marry, in order to remain here, I would be honored to have you as my wife.”

  “Goodnight, Ross.”

  He kissed her cheek. “Goodnight, sweet lass.”

  He stood and backed away, giving her room to get up and flee the room. Instead of going to her bedroom, she ran toward the kitchens, and out the French doors she’d passed earlier. Her shoes tapped across the veranda and down the stairs as she ran for the gardens. The cold air bit into her skin, but she needed time and space to think. If she remained in the castle a moment longer, she would have thrown caution to the wind and told him to claim her in every way possible.

  It was insane! She knew it was insanity, and yet, she couldn’t seem to help herself.

  Shifters! They’d always been a thing of fairy tales for her, something to read to escape the real world, and now she found herself living with one, even if only temporarily. She was also attracted to him, more so than she should be. Any woman who saw him would want him, and she was certain there had been plenty over the years. He looked older than her. Age hadn’t been discussed, and truly, she didn’t care how old he was, but if she had to guess, she’d put him in his early thirties. Not a huge difference from her twenty-two, not to her anyway.

  A branch cracked somewhere behind her, and she spun, half expecting Ross to have followed her. The was a human shape lumbering toward her, but the gait was all wrong for Ross. He had that predatory prowl. This man walked heavier. Moonlight filtered over his face, and Shay squealed before taking off, further into the gardens.

  “Bitch! Did you think you could hide from me? Did you think I would let you walk away? I followed him when he carried you out of the alley and put you in the car. Then I just had to wait until you came outside alone.”

  Mac advanced on her, and Shay’s lungs burned as she pushed herself harder. The gardens seemed endless, and she hoped she was circling back toward the castle. Weren’t shifters supposed to have supersonic hearing? Maybe if she screamed, Ross would hear her? Either that or she’d just piss off Mac even more. She had no doubt he would kill her, if he could catch her.

  The castle loomed ahead of her, and she felt a burst of adrenaline. As she was nearing the veranda, she let out a piercing scream that was short lived. Mac’s hand slammed over her mouth as his other arm came around her, squeezing her tight. She kicked and struggled as he lifted her off the ground and began running toward the gate at the edge of the property.

  Shay tried to bite his hand and kick him in the shins. Anything to break free. As they cleared the gate, she was fast losing hope. If Ross had heard her, wouldn’t he have come to her rescue? She struggled as Mac threw her into the trunk of a car idling at the curb; she let out one last scream. The trunk slammed shut and the darkness closed in around her. The space was tiny, and Shay feared small places.

  As the car rolled forward, she heard a roar that made the car vibrate around her.

  Ross was coming, and he sounded pissed.

  Shay listened for any sounds of her bear coming to her rescue. Her bear? It gave her pause, but she realized it was true. It was positively crazy, but Ross was hers. If she survived this night. Another roar shook the earth, and it sounded much closer. The car slid around a corner and sped up again. The next roar was further away, and the one after that even more so.

  Her hopes sank as she realized that Mac had lost Ross somewhere along the way. And when they reached their destination, he was going to kill her.

  Chapter Six

  Ross watched the car disappear into the distance and gave an
other roar. He lumbered back toward the castle, shifting as he cleared the gates. Sweat slicked his body and his heart thumped inside his chest. Someone had dared to enter his home and snatch his mate. His bear was beyond pissed and wanted blood. If he ever got his hands on Mac Craig, the man was dead. Where the fuck would he have taken Shay? The car had been heading toward the edge of town. There wasn’t much out that way. A few homes and farms.

  He put on his kilt and the black tee he’d grabbed when he’d heard Shay’s scream. Ross had just pulled down the covers on his bed the first time she’d screamed. He hadn’t hesitated, just reacted and gone after her. When he’d reached the veranda, and saw Mac carrying her off, he quickly stripped and shifted mid-run. It smarted that a mere human had gotten away without so much as a scratch.

  Half the MacLeod’s ambush, along with the MacLeod, walked through his gates. Alisdair MacLeod crossed his arms over his chest.

  “If you’re going to wake the entire town, next time use a phone first. Kenzy thought we were under attack.” Alisdair’s eyes narrowed. “Whatever happened, we’re here to help.”

  “Her arse of an ex-boyfriend took her.”

  “Your mate?” Alisdair asked with a hint of a smile.

  “Aye. You were right. She’s my mate. Shifting for her erased any doubts I’d had.”

  “Then we’ll get her back. Did you see where he took her?” Alisdair asked.

  “Toward the edge of town. They turned left at the main road. For all I know, he kept going and they’re miles away.”

  “We’ll find her.” Alisdair cracked his knuckles. “Did you get a sniff of the car they were traveling in? Do you think you could track it?”

  “As a bear, probably.”

  “Then get to shifting. Brochan will remain human and follow in an SUV with our clothes. We willnae all be able to ride back here, but you should ride with your mate when we find her. The rest of us can walk or run in tiger form.”

  “Thanks, Alisdair. I owe you.”

  He waved a hand. “You’d do the same for me.”