by Marie Medina
Dane’s lips quivered as he smiled down at the handsome man at his feet. He’d seen other fae magically transform before, but the shift Luke went through proved far more dramatic. His eyes changed, and fur sprouted as his muscles rippled all over his body. Dane stood transfixed as the man became an animal—a beautiful gray wolf that licked its lips with a very long tongue.
Dane reached out and touched the top of Luke’s head, caressing the soft fur and feeling the warm skin beneath. The wolf licked his wrist and palm, and Dane felt a shiver go up his spine.
“You’re beautiful,” Dane said softly.
Luke stretched his limbs and sat, as if waiting for inspection. Dane touched his ears and ran one finger lightly down his snout. Luke nuzzled his nose against Dane’s hand. Dane moved around him and ran a hand down his back, and Luke rose, his tail swishing in either pride or pleasure.
Giggles sounded nearby, and Dane froze. He looked around, but the laughing fae seemed to move past them on the other side of the hedgerow, perhaps unaware of them and seeking some privacy of their own. Dane ran his hand over Luke’s back again.
“You may end up with quite an audience if anyone sees you like this,” Dane said.
Luke’s fur moved beneath his hand, and the transformation back came more fluidly, as if Luke pulled the beast inside. He looked up at Dane with those dark eyes.
“I’m sure you’re right,” Luke said, rising to his full height.
Dane looked away this time, as Luke’s cock was no longer flaccid. He held his breath as he waited, but soon Luke began to get dressed. When he looked back, he could still detect the bulge, but Luke didn’t act any different. Perhaps shifters were used to becoming aroused when someone stroked them in their animal form. Dane didn’t have the courage to ask.
Luke answered anyway, as if sensing the question. “Yes, little one, you touching me made my cock hard.” He took Dane by the chin. “You said you aren’t used to attention. That mean you don’t have a lover? An admirer?”
“No lover. No admirer.” Dane swallowed. “There’s no one like that in my life.”
“Wolves don’t court. They fuck to satisfy their needs until they find their mate. It all moves pretty fast after that. As you saw from the way Gregor reacted when he met Jared a few days ago.” Luke’s finger worked over his jaw again. “I don’t know much about courting. Wooing.”
“You could’ve fooled me.”
Luke chuckled, the sound so sexy. “I want to get to know you. See where it goes.”
Feels like it’s going to a bedroom before too long. “I think I like where it’s going.”
A hint of a smile came. “So do I.” Luke’s hand drew back, and he nodded toward a path. “I’d like to see more of your world. Learn more about you.”
“What would you like to know?” Dane said as he started walking again.
“Your favorite books. Favorite subjects to study.”
“Really?” Dane asked, trying not to laugh.
Luke nodded, the look in his eyes showing he actually wanted to know.
Dane smiled before he began. “Well, it’s a good thing this path through the garden is pretty long then.”
****
Luke woke up thinking of Dane. They’d spent the entire day together, and Luke hadn’t made it to bed until after midnight. Dane had come up on his tiptoes and kissed Luke softly on the cheek when they parted, but Luke had walked away feeling as if they’d shared a heated embrace. Dane’s eyes had seemed to be issuing an invitation, but Luke feared moving too fast. He rose from the bed and stretched as his gaze flicked to the door that connected his room with Gregor’s. The Alpha hadn’t come back last night, so they were probably in Jared’s bedroom, or perhaps still out in the forest.
Luke smiled at the thought of his friend’s happiness. That smile broadened as he began thinking about the time he’d spent with Dane. But then he heard a clicking sound and voices coming from the next room. Footsteps sounded, and he soon recognized Gregor’s soft laughter. The connecting door swung open a moment later, and Gregor came sauntering through, a grin on his face.
“You forgotten how to knock?” Luke asked, one eyebrow raised.
“I didn’t smell anyone but you,” Gregor said. “Much to my disappointment.”
Luke didn’t know how close Jared might be, so he lowered his voice as he said, “You heard what the king said. Did you really expect me to lure him to my bed right away?”
“Lure? He looked more than ready to come to it. I saw you two wander off together.”
“We were looking for some privacy so I could shift.”
Gregor’s grin broadened. “So he got you naked, at least.”
“Don’t you have a mate to get back to?”
Gregor looked back to the partially closed door. “He’s a bit worn out, but we came back to my room so I could get fresh clothes. Will we see you at breakfast?”
“I’m just going to grab some fruit or something and then take a walk.”
“With Dane?”
Luke saw no reason to lie. “If I see him, I’ll certainly ask him to join me. Now that the treaty is consummated, I doubt I really need to patrol.”
“Of course not. Enjoy your time with him. We’ll probably go home in a week or maybe a bit less. You can always stay longer if he’s not ready to come back with you by then.”
Luke sighed but hesitated before speaking. “Look, we’ve known each other one day. He’s beautiful enough to have any man or woman he wants. He might not be looking to tie himself to someone like me.”
“Someone like you?”
“Boring. Workaholic. Damaged.”
Gregor frowned. “Damaged? Just because you experienced loss?”
“All right, maybe that’s not the best word.” He paused. “Broody. That better?”
His frown fading, Gregor shook his head slowly at his friend. “Just pull him into your lap and kiss him. He won’t find you boring.”
Luke headed for the bathroom, grabbing a few things from his bag on the way. “I’m not an Alpha. And Dane isn’t a fiery half-shifter like your mate.”
“Well, I am an Alpha, and I know a good match for my right-hand man when I see it.” He turned without another word and left the room.
Luke slid into the bathroom and closed the door. Despite his frustration with Gregor, he smiled as he hoped his Alpha was right.
End of sample chapter
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