by Liv Brywood
She cringed. Would she make a fool of herself every night? By the time he was done teaching her, he’d probably be happy to get rid of her. “I’ll try not to be so… um, sexual tonight. I’ll try to control it.”
He pulled her close and planted a quick kiss on her forehead. “Don’t worry; I won’t take advantage of you.”
He looked down at her. Their eyes locked and a ripple of desire raced down her spine. She inched forward, drawn to his lips by the invisible connection between them. His warm, sweet breath caressed her face. She closed the gap between them.
Before she could reach him, he stepped back. “Uh, okay. So about shifting. It’s really easy once you get the hang of it. Just reach for the most feral, darkest part of your soul. Feel your most carnal desires rushing through your body.”
“It sounds very sexual,” she murmured.
He swallowed and looked away. “It can be.”
She moved closer to him and placed one palm on his chest. She knew exactly what would inflame her and unleash the wolf inside.
Touching him sparked the beginning of the transformation. The agony of change slashed through her muscles, tearing, pulling, and breaking her bones. As she reformed, fur sprouted on her arms and legs and her feet and hands became paws. Her nose elongated to become a snout and her sense of smell intensified. When the transformation was complete, she poked at Stryde’s thigh with her snout.
He smiled down at her. “You’re a natural. Follow me and do what I do.”
He shifted and then brushed up against her. Her tongue lolled out. She felt a kinship with him unlike anything she’d ever felt with another human. She wondered if she’d feel this way with the other wolves. Or was her intense attraction to Stryde special?
When she realized he’d headed out of the den, she scrambled to catch up with him. As she leapt onto the path outside the den, a thousand different scents assaulted her nose. She stopped and sniffed the ground around the den. She detected at least three distinct scents and intuitively knew they belonged to other wolves.
Stryde stood several paces away watching her. She trotted to him and brushed her face against his flank. She inhaled the scents of pine and sage on his fur. The incredible aroma blended with the forest, as if he’d been born from the very trees they stood under.
He trekked down the trail and disappeared around a bend. As much as she wanted to stop and sniff every wild flower, she didn’t want to lose him.
She rounded the mountainside and raced down the pine-needle-covered path. The thick pads on her paws kept the needles from pricking her. She liked being able to run without shoes. Nothing separated her from the natural world. She felt at home in a way she never had in her home in Joshua Village.
When they reached a lush meadow, Stryde yipped once, then sprinted across a field of lupine. The blue flowers sprung back to their full height in his wake.
Brandy mimicked his yelp, then bounded through the tall grasses. A flutter of wings caught her attention. Hundreds of butterflies burst from around the flowers. She sat in awe as they swept across the sky.
When one landed on her nose, it tickled a sneeze out of her. The iridescent green butterfly flitted off, leaving her to marvel at its grace.
Stryde scurried across the field and skidded to a halt in front of her. As he pranced around, she tried to understand what he wanted. He trotted a few yards away, then looked over his shoulder. She strolled toward him, but as soon as she got closer, he sprinted away. Well, if he wanted to be chased, he was in for it.
She lunged forward, missing him by a few feet. He grinned and ran toward the tree line. She raced for the trees. Her legs stretched and pumped as she tracked him. He never got more than a few feet ahead of her.
As they raced down a steep hill, she reveled in the wind flowing through her fur. Stryde was right; she’d never been so free in her entire life. For an hour, she was able to forget about everything.
She skirted a downed tree and leapt over a huge fallen log. When she landed on the other side, she ran right into Stryde. They tumbled down the hill in a ball of flailing fur.
When she reached the bottom, she flattened Stryde underneath her. She yipped and lapped at his face. He rolled her under him and they frolicked until she panted from exhaustion.
She padded toward a meandering stream and bent to lap at the water. The cool liquid refreshed her parched tongue. She stared at her rippling reflection. A wolf.
Instead of being frightened, she tilted her head to one side. She’d only been in her wolf form for a few hours, but she already knew she loved it.
She turned to find him standing behind her. He sauntered up to her and nuzzled her neck. She sighed with pleasure.
When he stepped back, he regarded her as if fascinated by her wolf form. She waited for him to make a move toward her. He seemed torn for a moment, but then he turned and walked away.
She hung her head as she followed him down toward the river. Too bad he only thought of her as an obligation. As much as she wanted to deny it, spending time with him today only served to inflame her desire for him.
Chapter 9
Stryde jumped into the river, hoping the icy water would shock the overwhelming desire for her from his body. It didn’t work. He’d shifted to human form and the evidence of his arousal hung thick between his legs. Damn body had a mind of its own when it came to her.
Brandy walked out of the water and stood on the beach in human form. As she wrung her hair out, sunlight glistened on her wet curves.
Her sensual body sucked the breath from his chest. He couldn’t stop thinking about her, about her lips and how soft and pliant they were when he’d kissed her. She seemed completely unaware of her effect on him, or maybe she was just being polite. Either way, he needed to keep his head together and finish the task at hand.
“Did you like running?” he asked.
She beamed. “I loved it. I want to do it again.”
He chuckled. “Maybe later. But first, I need to teach you how to hunt.”
Her face screwed up. “I don’t know if I can do that.”
“We don’t have grocery stores in the forest.”
“True, but the thought of hurting another animal… I just don’t think I can do it.”
“It’s easier in wolf form. Your instinct for survival will take over.”
She stretched her arms overhead, drawing her full breasts up. His knees went weak. She was so beautiful and so completely off-limits. He had too many other problems in his life. The sooner he taught her how to hunt, the sooner he could take her to Ryker’s den.
He hated leaving her, but she’d be in good hands.
“What are we going to hunt?” Brandy asked.
“We’ll start with fish.”
Her mouth turned down. “Oh.”
“Just think of hunting as a matter of survival and you’ll be fine.”
“What do I need to do?” Although her voice quivered, she held her head high. She wasn’t someone who would back down from a challenge. He liked a woman who could face life head-on.
“After we shift, we’ll go up to the rapids. It’s easiest to catch fish while they’re in shallower water.”
“How do I do it?”
“You’ll catch them in your mouth. Don’t get discouraged if it takes a few tries.”
“I hope I can do this,” she said.
“You can. You survived being shot and left for dead.”
“Only because you came along and changed me.”
“True. But you have a fighting spirit. Tap into that while we’re hunting.”
She smiled. “I’ll try.”
“Are you ready to shift?”
“Does it ever stop hurting so much?”
He hesitated for a second, but there wasn’t any point in lying about it. “Not really. That’s why most werewolves prefer to stay in wolf form. You have a lot more physical freedom and it’s easier to hunt.”
“Well, hopefully I can catch something. How do I kill the
fish once it’s caught? I don’t want it to suffer.”
“Bite its head off.”
Her jaw dropped. “That’s so barbaric.”
He shrugged. “That’s nature. If you do it fast, the fish won’t suffer.”
Her bottom lip quivered. He stepped closer to her and grabbed her hand.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“You can do this. Let’s go.” He released her hand and shifted, welcoming the pain. He knew hunting wouldn’t be easy for her, not at first. But fishing was far easier than tracking deer or rabbits.
She shifted and followed him upstream to the rapids. He smelled her fear and hoped she’d be able to contain it. Wolves were expected to contribute to their den through hunting. He couldn’t take her to Ryker until she was independent.
When they reached the rapids, he carefully stepped onto the slick rocks. He studied the swiftly flowing rapids looking for trout. A shimmy of color caught his eye. As the fish leapt out of the water, he grabbed it with his teeth. He jumped to the side of the river and showed her how to quickly end its life.
***
Brandy watched in horror as Stryde snapped the head off the fish. Her stomach rolled for a moment, but the scent of the fresh fish had an odd appeal. She bent to sniff the fish and tentatively licked its flesh.
Stryde tore a piece off with his mouth and offered it to her. She closed her eyes and tried to pretend she was eating sushi. It wasn’t as bad as she expected. In fact, the sweet flesh was unlike anything she’d ever tasted before.
When he offered her another piece, she devoured it. She looked up to find Stryde watching. He nodded with approval and motioned with his head that she should step onto the rocks.
She padded onto the moss-covered boulders and surveyed the falls. It didn’t take long for a school of fish to spring up through the frothy water. She lunged for a fish, narrowly missing it.
She glanced back at Stryde who grinned with encouragement. She wanted him to be proud of her, so she returned her gaze to the river and concentrated. Seconds later, a huge fish splashed up the falls and into her mouth. She snapped it closed and leapt onto the riverbank.
As she deftly ended the fish’s life, her heart clenched. She grudgingly accepted her new role as predator and took a bite. She offered it to Stryde, who accepted it.
After a few more fish, she was stuffed. When he offered her another fish, she shook her head. He ate it, then padded to the river to drink. She followed him and drank her fill.
Over the next few hours, Stryde showed her how to track animals and find ripe berries. The sun dropped low on the horizon. She glanced toward the east. The moon hadn’t risen, but she hoped they wouldn’t be out in the open when it did. She didn’t want to make a complete fool of herself again, especially now. He was teaching her so much about being a wolf that she didn’t want to do anything to ruin their newfound friendship.
When Stryde turned toward the mountain path that would lead them to his cave, she breathed a sigh of relief. At least he’d keep her safe during her second night in heat. She cringed at the way she’d behaved the previous night. At least he’d been gracious about it.
Inside the cave, she shifted to her human form and waited for him to follow. After he finished shifting, she said, “Thanks for showing me how to fish and hunt. I never thought I’d be pulling fish out of the river with my teeth, but I guess that’s my life now.”
He set some logs in the fire pit. “You did a great job. You should be proud of what you accomplished today. I honestly thought it might take a few days.”
She blushed. “Thank you.”
“I don’t feel comfortable taking you to Ryker’s den until after your first heat. I hope that’s okay with you.”
It was more than fine with her. She was just getting used to being a wolf. The thought of trying to incorporate into a pack scared the crap out of her. She rested her hand on her chest in an effort to calm her beating heart. “Tell me about Ryker.”
“He’s my best friend, a great man. About six months ago, he found his wife, Diana, being chased by a serial killer. He rescued her and now they live together.”
“I remember you telling me a little bit about that.”
“It’s all in the past now. Diana’s going to have a baby in a few months.”
Brandy sighed. When she was younger, she’d dreamed of having a family. She’d wanted to experience the joy of a real family, not just a broken home. She’d always thought that when she got older, she’d have a chance to realize her dream.
She studied Stryde as he lit the fire and used a stick to poke the twigs at the base. She wondered if she’d ever find someone as patient and caring as him. Too bad he didn’t want to take her with him to his den.
Stryde still had his back to her when he said, “I think you should try to stay out of the moonlight tonight. It might help things.”
“I don’t know what I was thinking last night, stepping directly into it.”
“You were compelled. I’ve never heard of a female wolf that could resist the moon’s pull during her first heat.”
“I know you consider it normal, but I’m still ashamed of my behavior. I don’t want you to think that it’s normal for me to throw myself at men. I’m not like that.”
“I know.” He sat next to her and crossed his long legs.
“So, what are your plans for tomorrow?”
“I want to show you around the forest. I’ll show you the pack boundaries so you don’t wander into another pack’s territory.”
“You’d mentioned there are more wolves.”
“Three packs in this area. My pack is further up this mountain. The humans call it Howling Mountain, probably because they hear the wolves at night.”
“How many humans know about you?”
“Not many. We try to stay hidden as much as possible. The occasional hunter will come looking for us, but it’s rare for a human to spot us. Well, until Ryker went into town to rescue Diana. The sheriff and some of his men met Ryker. They’ve been to his den, but we’ve been warned that we’re not allowed to trespass in their town. Your uncle made that very clear.”
“Why doesn’t he want the wolves in town?” she asked.
“Fear, mostly. Also, his girlfriend Luna is furious at Diana for moving in with Ryker.”
“What? Diana is Luna’s sister? My uncle didn’t mention Diana at all when I was at his house. Luna was there too and she didn’t say anything about having a sister. Although… she did get agitated when I told them that I knew you were a werewolf.”
“They probably pretend Diana doesn’t exist anymore. At one point, Luna had threatened to disown Diana if she chose to live with the wolves. She must have followed through on her threat.”
“I guess I’m not that surprised. When I met Luna, she seemed a little uptight.”
He chuffed. “That’s an understatement.”
“It’s sad that Luna would turn her back on her sister. You can’t help who you fall in love with.”
He nodded but didn’t comment. She shifted uncomfortably.
To break the silence, she changed the subject. “You mentioned you have a pack too?”
“I haven’t been to my den in a while. After Leah died, I left. I needed time to myself.”
“It’s been six months,” she said gently.
His eyes moistened. “Sometimes it seems like yesterday, sometimes it seems like a thousand years ago.”
“It still hurts, losing her?”
He sniffed and brushed the back of his hand across his nose. “Yeah, look. I don’t like talking about it.”
“It might help.”
He laughed bitterly. “What do you know about loss?”
“I lost my mother. Well, she left us, so I guess it wasn’t really a loss. She walked out on my dad. Something broke inside him that day and he’s never been the same.”
“I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “It hurts and the pain never really goes away, but you have to
find a way to move on. The only thing I regret is that I couldn’t help my dad. Drinking controls his life. It’s ruining him. Sometimes, I feel completely helpless.”
Stryde scooted closer and hooked an arm over her shoulders. “I know how you feel.”
She turned to him. Her face was close enough to his to feel his soft breath on her skin. She looked into his eyes and saw the same haunting pain she’d seen so often reflected in hers. She knew him. Granted, the pain of losing a parent and the pain of losing a lover were different. But the effect was the same.
“It’s hard to get close to people when you know how much it hurts to lose them,” she whispered.
He pulled away. “That’s why it’s better not to get close.” He stood and poked at the fire. “I’m going to check the path. I want to make sure none of the other wolves discover you. Stay out of the moonlight.”
She watched him until he disappeared into the shadowy night. Maybe she’d been wrong about him the whole time. Maybe he did want to be with her, but was too afraid to act on his feelings.
She shook her head. Wishful thinking.
She stared into the flickering flames and sighed. She shouldn’t overthink her relationship with him. He was only with her out of obligation and she knew better than to open her heart to someone so closed off.
Chapter 10
Stryde kicked a rock and listened to it clatter down the cliff. He didn’t know why talking to Brandy and revealing his feelings came so naturally. He didn’t want anyone to know the depth of his pain, but somehow she saw right through him.
He’d have to tread carefully. He already had trouble resisting her luscious curves. If she wiggled her way into his heart, he’d be a goner. A woman like her deserved someone who could commit to her fully. He didn’t know if he’d ever be able to commit to someone again.
As he paced up and down the path to the cave, he wondered how he’d get through another three nights. Last night had been an exercise in torture. Trying to resist her had taken every ounce of his strength.
Tonight, he intended to stay as far away from her as possible, while still keeping her safe. As long as she stayed out of the moonlight, he’d be fine. But if she went into full-blown heat, he didn’t know if he could resist her.
