Page 5 of Claiming Claire

CHAPTER 3

CLAIRE

I felt all eyes on me, waiting to see if I decided to step through or spend the rest of our marriage outside on the porch. As appealing as spending time on this porch was, I knew I had to move forward. When? Well, I hadn’t quite gathered enough nerve for that. But, it turned out I didn’t have to. Before I could even object, strong arms grabbed me from behind and swung me in the air like I weighed next to nothing.

I squealed and grabbed on to the flannel that covered the offender’s chest. I looked up into Gabriel’s laughing brown eyes. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Why, I’m carrying the bride over the threshold, ma’am.” He made a show of tipping his hat.

“I know that, but why?” I wiggled in his arms, feeling self-conscious of how heavy I must be and how close in proximity we were. “Put me down!”

His fingers gripped tighter into my body. “I can’t do that; it’s bad luck.”

I gripped his shirt tighter, terrified I would fall. “It’s bad luck in a traditional marriage, but that’s not what this is.”

He took a giant, dramatic step over the threshold before bending at the waist and placing me down. When I was positive my feet were stable, I slowly released my grip on his shirt. “You know, maybe the start wasn’t traditional, but mating is for life. Same general rules apply.”

Technically I knew that, but I tried not to think about it too hard to avoid breaking into hysterics over the predicament I got myself into. When my father found out, and he would find out, the fury would cause so much destruction. Knowing this, though, didn’t stop these men from making the purchase.

Feeling all eyes on me, I swallowed back my fear and nodded my agreement. Vix, who seemed to be the quietest of the group, rubbed his hands against the thigh of his pants. “Alright then, let me show you around and get you settled.” His eyes looked toward Jace as he spoke, “I think there is some official paperwork that Jace needs to fill out and get sent pretty quickly to make this all permanent.”

Jace nodded and walked away without saying another word. I knew the paperwork, I spent quite a bit of time filling out my side of it before standing up at the auction, but I had assumed he had done the same beforehand as well. “Hadn’t he done it before the auction as well?”

“He did some, but as pack alpha, he has additional paperwork to file with the counsels. It’s important that it’s announced throughout the whole state when an alpha takes a bride,” Laden answered for Vix.

Oh no, this was bad, this was very, very bad. “How soon will it be announced?”

As if the men in front of me already felt my despair, they all seemed to take a step closer. “It’s usually about a week, give or take a few days. But, don’t worry sweetheart. We won’t let anyone hurt you . . . if that’s what you’re worried about. Do you have enemies, Claire?”

Besides my own family? The ones I was hoping to make proud? I shook my head. “No. It just all seems so official, so fast.”

Laden shrugged. “Well, yeah, it’s not like you signed up for a courtship, doll.”

Technically, I knew this. I just thought maybe we’d have some time to get to know each other, perhaps some slow and steady friend-zoning before we jumped both feet in without looking. “I just thought there was an observation period.”

Laden snorted, “You mean like the rest of our lives?”

Gabriel used his frame to push Laden away from me. “Whatever you’re comfortable with is what we will do, right Laden?”

He gave Laden a hard stare and Laden just grinned, exposing a set of dimples. “Right.”

Vix took my hand, leading me further into the house. He showed me the whole lower level, which consisted of a half bathroom, a large family room, a kitchen that had to be twice the size of the one I grew up using, and a dining room with a large table.

I was standing between the kitchen and the dining room when he said, “What do you think? I know the table is large, but we want a big family. He won’t admit it unless confronted, but Jace built the table himself.”

I felt that continuous ball of nerves in my stomach tighten at the thought of giving these strangers the big family they wanted. That was what I was bought for, after all, to breed with them, obey them, and build them a home. Although, it seemed they had done well to build their home between them.

“How long have you guys been . . . together?” I asked curiously.

Laughter came from behind me, and I turned to see Laden wiping the tears from his eyes. “We aren’t together, love. Not together, together, anyway. We’re just good friends. Well, I guess co-mates. Is that even a word?”

“So, you’re just roommates?” I clarified.

There was a pause before someone answered, “Essentially.”

“But?” Sensing something they weren’t saying.

“No, but, I swear it.” Laden walked past me. “Now, come along little pup, we still have the rest of the place to see.”

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