Read A Mate's Submission: (Hot Paranormal Shifter Romance) (Ozark Mountain Shifters Book 4) for Free Online Page A

disappear.
    Fuck. What was he going to do when Cael got to her belly? Or what about her legs? He didn’t want him touching Avan everywhere, damn it.
    He jerked his eyes away from the scene, afraid that if he didn’t, he’d do something rash. His gaze caught on Besh. Her jaw was set, and she clenched and unclenched her small fists. Her eyes fluttered away and back, not knowing where to land. They caught his, and he could see the hurt there. This stress couldn’t be good for her pregnancy. The young growing inside her would feel everything through their bond.
    “Shakespeare. Leap year…. ” Avan’s strained melody brought his attention back to her.
    Cael’s hands were around the thin column of her neck now, softly sweeping back and forth. Lexar glared at him, breath rushing out with his anger, but the alpha didn’t notice. His expression was a look of pure concentration. In fact, he was starting to sweat.
    Avan sang louder, the lower Cael’s hands traveled. But there was something else. She stood taller. Stronger. She was getting well. The bastard was mending what was broken and the result was the return of the brave, beautiful, alpha female Lex had come to know.
    He could do this. He could keep his wolf in check just a little while longer.
    She squeezed his hand tight. Whether she meant anything by it or not, it rooted him to his spot on the floor. Reminded him why he was here. That his purpose was to help her, not focus on his emotions and how utterly fucked they were because of her.
    He was fine. He was making it. He was damn proud of himself too.
    But then Cael’s palm brushed down her flat stomach and beneath her shirt.
    Besh spun around, facing the door, her shoulders heaving.
    Cael looked like he was in pain. Physical pain, and yeah, it gave Lexar a little bit of joy. He’d be in a shit-ton more when this was over.
    Avan suddenly stopped singing. A strangled sound came from her throat, and Lexar thought he’d split apart from the inside out. If Cael didn’t get his motherfucking hands out of her shirt…
    Mine . Mine, mine, mine.
    Oh shit, oh shit. His wolf was coming out whether he wanted it to or not.
    He tried to pull his hand away, but Avan wouldn’t let him. She gasped for breath, her song completely forgotten, but all Lexar could see was his alpha’s hand touching what was his .
    He saw red. He saw black. Blinking repeatedly, he grappled for control of his animal, his emotions.
    Then Cael jerked away, his eyes looking as feral and angry as Lexar felt.
    “Enough,” Avan bit out. “You’ve done enough. Go.”
    Like fucking hell. Lexar wasn’t leaving this room. She could command him until her fucking face turned smurf, but he wasn’t leaving.
    “Go,” she said more forcefully, and Cael nodded. She was talking to him, Lexar realized.
    Cael spun to find Besh, and was across the room in half a second flat, scooping her into his arms and finding a place to nuzzle her neck.
    A growl rumbled Lexar’s chest but Cael ignored it, backing Besh out of the room. When they were in the hall, Avan went to the door and slammed it shut, leaning against it, breathing deep and slow.
    Lexar’s gaze raked her, starting from her head and working down. The bruises were gone, her skin returning to its smooth perfection. The cuts were mended. The internal injuries… he was sure they were healed too.
    It was amazing. But it did little to calm him.
    His breath came heavy and hard. He needed to touch her. He needed to erase the vision of Cael’s hands on her. But damn it, she’d made it clear his touch wasn’t welcome.
    She turned slowly. Her eyes took him in, and there was no doubting what she saw. Pure, undiluted, white hot lust. Pushing off from the door, she strolled over to him, hips swinging seductively.
    If he didn’t know better, he could never tell how injured she was just minutes earlier.
    “You want to kiss me?” Her voice was deep, sultry. Her eyes, narrowed on him, calculating.
    “Yes,” he ground