Claiming Ana by Brynna Curry

body. He holstered his pistol, leaned down to check for a pulse. Apparently finding none, he raised up and pinned Howl with a lethal stare.
    Ana watched Cade study them. Howl still lay on top of her, naked, her clothes disheveled and bloody. “You’ve got about three seconds to get the hell off her and explain.”
    “It’s a long story.”
    “Is he dead, Cade?” Ana asked.
    “I don’t miss. Unless you want to take a ride to the station, Howl, go put some damn pants on and tell me what the hell is going on here.”
    “Allow me.” Ana stroked a hand along Howl’s thigh. Suddenly he was clean and covered in black jeans.
    Nice power. “Thanks, sugar.”
    Works in reverse too. I’ll show you later. “You’re welcome, wolf boy.”
    Mmm. I can’t wait, love.
    Howl stood and pulled Ana to her feet. She looked down at Van’s body. As she watched, it shifted into the form of a wolf, fell still and then disintegrated into dust.
    “What the hell?” Cade’s right hand returned to his holster as if he could shoot the dust. “I shot a man. Not a wolf. I don’t understand.”
    “He was my cousin, Van Michaels. He has been hunting me for a while.” Howl tugged Ana close. “Technically, he was turning wolf when you shot him.”
    “He tried to kill me, Cade. Howl saved my life.” Ana chimed in.
    “Turning? You mean he was turned into a wolf? Like a werewolf, for crying out loud.”
    “Exactly. Howl’s family line suffered from a blood curse.”
    “When you say hunting, do you mean stalking?”
    “No. He was hunting a wolf. I’ve been under a curse. He attacked me. I reacted. Unfortunately, just a scratch while wolf is all it takes to be turned. He deserved it, the bastard. So what now? Am I under arrest?”
    “Ana, will you agree a wolf came through the doggy door and attacked you? I was dropping by to check on you for Granny, and shot the animal to keep him from killing you two.”
    “If that’s how you want to write it up,” Howl said.
    “No. It’s not how I want to handle things, but in the interest of the public, I can’t allow this kind of information to get out. People would be terrified to walk out of their houses. We’d have all kind of nutcases flocking here to see the werewolves . It’s best for everyone if they believe monsters only exist in fairy tales. Just so we’re clear. You expecting any more cousins?”
    “No.”
    “I never want to hear about this again. Keep your snout clean in my town, wolf boy .”
    “Noted.”
     
    * * * *
     
    Two hours later, Ana lay in bed snuggled to Howl’s side. She wanted to feel bad about his cousin, but something in Van had been twisted and broken. Eventually, he would have killed Howl and her if not for Cade’s intervention.
    “What are you thinking about?”
    “You. Van. How you could both come from something so horrible.”
    “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
    “Something in him was broken.”
    “I know. It’s the reason I ran each time he found me. It didn’t seem right to fight him, but I had no choice this time. He could have killed you.”
    “But he didn’t. I’m here. With you. Two days ago, I didn’t know you. Now it seems as if you were always here. How can that be?”
    “Love is like a lightning strike. Quick, unpredictable and all consuming. Why question it? So I was thinking we could spend the next fifty or so years together.”
    “Sure. We can spend it in bed, on the sofa, wherever and however you want.”
    “Sounds like an excellent plan. So will you marry me, Ana?”
    Sighing, Ana took Howl’s face in her hands and kissed him. I thought you’d never ask.
     

 
    Brynna Curry
     
    If you wander south of the Mason-Dixon line, to the small town of Bear Creek, Alabama you’ll find the real life model for Shady Creek. When I set out to write this new series, I knew I had to share the lovely Southern charm of my hometown with you. You won’t find theaters or trendy shops here, but you’ll see more trees than you