Primal Claim by Marie Johnston

nature and our bodies. You’re human, but our baby,” he paused on those words, an unreadable look flitting across his face, “will be a shifter. Look in on yourself and see if you can feel something wrong.”
    How was she supposed to do that? Closing her eyes, letting the warm sun’s rays melt into her, she concentrated on the area in her abdomen where the little one grew.

Chapter Six
    It was a breathtaking sight. Dani, with her face turned up into the sun, eyes closed, a half smile almost overtaking the worry he’d scented from her just a moment ago. Her messy ponytail hung down her neck, caressing her delicate skin in place of his tongue.
    He’d had a taste of her and wanted more. She’d let him into her body and he wanted deeper. He wanted to explore every inch of her skin, inside and out with his hands, his tongue. He wanted to feel her heat and moisture wrapped around him. Instinctively, he knew he hadn’t been missing anything. Kissing and touching wouldn’t have felt the same with anyone else. He couldn’t stand the thought of other women touching him any more than they had to. He just knew it was something to be saved for his mate. As a Guardian, mates aren’t found very easily and his rocky start in life, and difficulty tolerating people, didn’t give him much hope of finding his.
    Before he started sporting another massive, painful erection he decided he’d better do something. She was worried about their baby. Their baby. Would he ever get used to that? He wasn’t allowed consent or the pleasure of her body, neither was she, to make this baby. Regardless, a baby was made from them and she was scared.
    He concentrated on her lower belly, zeroing in like he had x-ray vision. As she went inward, he went outward.
    A warmth spread through his mind, lighting up dark corners he’d given up hope on. A soft gasp came from Dani as if she felt him too, like he was feeling her. Tied to her presence was the tiny kernel of awareness he’d come to associate with his young. A thrill went through him, then a dawning comprehension of dismay.
    “Did you feel that?” she asked breathlessly, her eyes glittering excitedly in the sun. “I didn’t think it would work, but then I felt you and it was like a booster pack and I swear I could feel it.”
    Shoving this new information to the back of mind so he could talk with Commander Fitzsimmons later, he gave her a forced smile.
    “We’d better get you some food before we meet the others.”
    The excitement drained from her face and made him want to growl at himself. She must not have felt what he did. Fucking Sigma.
    They entered through the back door of the lodge and wove their way to kitchen. Another Guardian, Mason, was sitting at the table, scrolling through his tablet, chewing on some bacon. The males glared at each other since Mercury could feel the man’s distaste of his mate. Sitting Dani at the far end so she didn’t have to be next to the infuriating male, Mercury started rummaging through the cabinets for food. Grabbing the rest of the bacon and some toast he sat across from Dani and dished out their food.
    Stiffly she chewed her food, sensing the unease between the males, which wouldn’t be hard even for a human. Mason had been difficult lately, and with a human “visitor” they knew very little of, he anticipated nothing but antagonism from his fellow Guardian.
    Kaitlyn breezed into the kitchen. The tall female’s coppery red hair was braided down her back and she wore the standard Guardian black shirt and black tech pants.
    “Mornin’ bitches.”
    Mason grunted, Mercury muttered his greetings. Slamming doors and cupboards as she ruthlessly searched for her cereal and raided the fridge for milk, Kaitlyn was a force to be reckoned with in everything she did. Plopping down across from Mason, a couple chairs away from Mercury, she smiled over at Dani.
    “So, you’re Mercury’s mate we know nothing about?” Her tone was teasing, not insulting, and