Shifters of Grrr 2

Shifters of Grrr 2

A 10 Book Paranormal Romance Bundle Anthology

By: Artemis Wolffe, Alannah Blacke, Wednesday Raven, Terra Wolf, Christy Rivers, Steffanie Holmes, Cara Wylde, Ever Coming, Annora Soule, Crystal Dawn

Stories are formatted the way the author preferred and may vary in font type, font size, and spacing.

Copyright © 2015

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

All characters are of legal age and are not related by blood.

Table of Contents

Bearing Gifts
- Artemis Wolffe

The Wolf Hunter
- Wednesday Raven

Bear in Mind
- Alannah Blacke

Secrets of the Snow Leopard
- Terra Wolf

Taming the Billionaire Bear
- Christy Rivers

Art of Cunning
- Steffanie Holmes

Aimee and the Bear
- Cara Wylde

Bearly Relative
- Ever Coming

The Alpha's Bet
- Annora Soule

Zorth
- Crystal Dawn

Bearing Gifts - Artemis Wolffe and Jenna Wilde

Copyright © 2015 by Artemis Wolffe and Jenna Wilde

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

All characters are of legal age and are not related by blood.

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Chapter One

Caleb

The room was cold and dark when I entered and closed the door behind me and for a fleeting moment, I felt as though I was trespassing, but with the florist away, it was my job to take care of the plants in the bedrooms. I felt along the wall and flicked on the switch, squinting as everything around me was bathed with a warm, yellow light.

The room looked completely different from what I'd imagined it. I'd always thought it would have a large four-poster bed draped with yards of red and gold velvet. Instead, it resembled a luxury hotel room where everything was neutral apart from the odd splashes of color in the cushions and various accessories dotted around.

I scanned the room briefly taking a step further in and spotted the plant I'd come to tend to over in the corner. I walked over to it on the desk quickly.

Get in get out. That's what they'd told me and of course a family with such big secrets wouldn't want the likes of me sniffing around their rooms for longer than necessary.

I felt the mud in the pot and watered it when, just as I was about to leave, there on the floor tucked behind the desk I saw an extremely large and thick chain.

I stopped, looking around me and make sure I wasn't being watched before I crouched down to inspect it further.

It glistened in the light and I followed it along the wall with my eyes until it disappeared behind the bed and I felt the urge to get on my hands and knees and see where it led to, my curiosity getting the better of me. Of course, it was invading his privacy, but there was a mysterious part of me that liked to believe it was something different, something odd. Could it have been connected to a secret door? Was there treasure inside?

I heard the rational voice in my head telling me to grab my watering can and go, but I hesitated.
 

I knew the answer already before I even allowed myself to think about it. I stood up and picked up the can.
 

Whatever was under there would remain hidden for now and I took another look at it nestled on the floor by the wall just as the door burst open.

I jumped, almost dropping the water on the floor.

"Quick!
Quick
!" Margie, the housekeeper ran past me as the room filled with men, arms hooked in the Prince's as they dragged him into the room.

I watched him, mouth open in horror until the housekeeper caught my eyes.

"You need to leave." She said, resting a hand on my back. "Go now."

"But what about...?" I looked back at Henry, bent over the bed.

"Leave it to us..." she pushed me back wards until I was in the corridor. "Go back to the staff flats and don't come back."

She closed the door and I stayed a moment longer, surprise and shock paralyzing me. What had just happened?

I heard shouting from the room and I turned to hurry away, getting as far away as I could but unable to get rid of the image of Henry's wide open empty staring eyes.

Chapter Two

Caleb

The early dawn sun pierced through the curtains and I stirred against the bright light. It was early still, I could tell by the silence around me in the staff accommodation.
 

I sat up, reaching for my phone, it was only six and I contemplated closing my eyes for another hour, but I knew it would be useless. I'd had a restless nights sleep and if I tried to go back to sleep, I knew I'd only lay there with the terrible image of the Prince's eyes in the darkness.

Was he okay? Was he sick?

Everyone knew the Royal family had terrible secrets and the world loved to speculate what they could be. Being from America we didn't have a royal family so I didn't know if mystery were all part of the deal.

There were rumors of vampires, murderers and aliens floating around and even a mention of cannibals when I'd first announced my new job to people back home, but either way, the look in Henry's eyes showed just how terrified he was. It was the look of a man who was frightened at what was about to happen.

I shook away the memory and got out of bed, heading over to the bathroom where I splashed myself with cold water before heading to the kitchen for a coffee. I needed the caffeine to wake me up then I'd go out and get to work.

I threw on my dressing gown and headed to the staff kitchen.

As I approached, I could see the light was on and I heard the hushed hiss of voices through the slightly ajar door.

I crept up closer to it, straining my ears to listen.

I could hear the distinct voice of the housekeeper, Margie and someone else who sounded strangely familiar to Prince Henry, though it was near impossible. He wouldn't venture down to the staff kitchen...would he?

I held my breath and leaned closer, resting my hand on the doorframe.

"Margie, I don't know how much longer I can do this."

"You're strong. You all are."

"But who else do you know that has to go through this month after month. I'm tied."

"It stops once you've mated. You know that."

There was silence and I heard the clatter of plates.

"Drink this, it'll get your strength up for the party tonight."

"How could I forget about that?"

"Arabella will be there. She likes you. It's perfect."

"Perfect? She's only after the thrown..."

"And you're only after freedom. Her family knows
everything
. She's exactly what you need."

"A free, unhappy life or a life trapped but with the person I love..."

"Henry..."

"I can't help it. I can't stop wondering what it'd be like to just meet someone and tell them..."

"
Tell
them? You can't tell anyone. That's the whole point of the..."

I accidently kicked the door as I shifted my feet and she stopped talking abruptly.
 

I heard the chair pull back and foot steps coming towards me.

I panicked, wondering how quick and quietly it would be for me to back away from the door and run. Run where? I didn't know, but there wasn't anytime, I put my finger on the doorknob and pushed it open.

Margie, the housekeeper stood looking at me suspiciously and I glanced over at Prince Henry in the corner with a thick blanket draped over his shoulder and a steaming mug of something black in his hand.
 

"What's going on?" I asked, looking at each of them in turn.

"How much did you hear?" she asked.

"I didn't..." I wasn't sure whether to lie and ignore everything said or tell the truth and ask questions. What was the secret? Why was it so important to marry the Winchester women?

She looked behind her and lowered her voice pointlessly.

"Can you give us a moment, dear?" she asked.
 

Henry stood from the bench he was sitting on and let the blanket drop to the floor in a woolen heap.
 

"Don't worry." He put the mug down on the table and turned to face them. "I'll go. I should get ready. I have another fitting or something."

"But we haven't..."

He stopped her, by pressing his lips to her cheek and she smiled warmly.

"I'll be okay. Only a few more nights and it's over. Thanks for listening."

"My pleasure."

He looked at me, our eyes meeting for a brief moment before he nodded at me and left through the door.

We stood in silence before Margie walked over to the table and tipped away the contents of his mug.

"Is the prince okay?" I asked eventually.

"As fine as he'll ever be." She said, focusing her energy on wiping the countertop. "You're up early."

"I have a lot to do."

She stopped and looked at me, lowering her voice so I could just about hear it over the hum of the fridge.

"Caleb, you're new here. There are things going on that you won't even be able to comprehend right now. I suggest you forget about whatever you heard just now and for your own sake, leave it."

I wanted to press her for more information. Forget what? What could be so damn important?

I wanted to press her for more information. What should I forget? What was so damn important about the Prince that forced hushed discussions in the kitchen so early in the morning.
 

We stared at each other for a moment longer and I saw in her dark, old eyes that she dared me to keep going. Testing me to see whether I knew what was good for me or not.
 

Normally, I might have kept going, standing my ground but I stepped backwards holding my hands up.

Let her keep the secret. I was there to make money. Nothing more and nothing less.
 

I felt her eyes on my back as I turned and left the kitchen.

When I finally managed to get outside and tend to the flowers, ready for the night, I couldn't stop thinking about the Prince. The look on his face as they tried to drag him to the bed and the way he sat wrapped in the blanket.
 

Something was up. I knew it and as I trimmed the hedges, deep in thought, I decided that I was going to make it my business to find out.
I had to
.

Chapter Three