by Jaci Burton
How was she going to repair this damage?
She looked down at Dylan, at the man whose life she had just irrevocably altered. She didn’t know. She thought he was her tryst, that he was sent here. She hadn’t thought anyone human would be out this time of night, in this location.
Goddamn, she didn’t know.
Brushing her fingers over the dark locks that fell over his forehead, she whispered, “I’m so sorry.”
Chapter Two
Chantal paced while Noah was in the bedroom with Dylan.
That’s all she knew about him. His first name. Dylan. The pack had retrieved him from the park, brought him to the main house and closeted him in one of the upstairs bedrooms, refusing to allow her access. She’d been cooling her heels for the past six hours, going without sleep. She looked a wreck and felt even worse.
Guilt tightened her stomach. She felt sick. What if he died? Did humans die from wolf bites? Hell, she didn’t know the physiology. She’d never done this before.
Stupid thing to do, Chantal. Where had her head been?
Easy. She hadn’t been using it at the time. She’d been thinking with her pussy.
Noah had arrived, true to his word, about four hours after she’d called him. Thank God he’d been in the States instead of out of the country and had been able to hop on one of the Devlin jets immediately. She’d given him a quick, utterly embarrassing recap of events. After hugging her and telling her everything would be all right, he’d marched upstairs and muscled his way into the bedroom where Dylan was being held, despite the two vicious guard-hounds at the door.
Like anyone would get in Noah Devlin’s way when he wanted in somewhere.
But he’d been in there an hour.
And hadn’t come out.
She chewed on a fingernail and loitered in the hallway.
Finally, the door opened and Noah walked out, his brows knit together in a very tight frown.
Oh shit. That so wasn’t good.
“What?”
“Let’s go talk somewhere.”
She led him to the room she stayed in when she visited pack headquarters, shutting the door behind her and resting her head against it. “How bad is it?”
Noah dragged his hand through his hair and sat on the bed, looking up at her through half lidded eyes. “I know him.”
“You do?”
“He’s NCA, Chantal.”
“Oh, God.” She wanted to sink to the floor and cry. “Government employee?”
“He’s an agent. On assignment, working on the wolf attacks.”
“What wolf attacks?”
‘Don’t you watch the news or read the paper? Jesus, Chantal, it’s happening right in your own fucking backyard.”
Lifting her chin, she stalked to the wet bar and poured a glass of water. “I’ve been kind of busy, Noah.” She took a long swallow and turned back to him. “What wolf attacks?”
Noah sighed. “They’ve been going on in four West Coast states for the past year. Grisly dismemberments. Mostly park attacks that the Feds and local police at first attributed to wild animals. Until forensics found human saliva in the wounds.”
“Shit. Weres?”
“Probably. But rogues. Or someone who’s gone off the deep end. We don’t attack humans, not for food or sport.”
“Of course not. Jesus, that’s disgusting.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “And Dylan’s an agent?”
“Yeah.”
“Damn.” She crossed the room and sat next to him. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know he was human. I was supposed to meet an out-of-town werewolf in the park. I just assumed…”
“I know, honey. It’s okay.” He slipped his arm around her shoulder.
She laid her head against him, needing that few minutes of comfort before she looked up at him. “Is he going to be all right?”
He nodded. “His wounds are already healing. He’s in prime shape. The change will happen soon, though.”
She sank into the chair next to the wet bar. “Oh, God, Noah. I’ve never turned a human before.”
“You’ll have to be there for him now. He’ll need you to see him through this.”
Damn. This was going to be so complicated. They were bound now, through blood. She was responsible for him. She didn’t want to be. But she had no choice.
“I can’t believe I did this.”
Noah shrugged. “You’re not the first wolf to inadvertently change a human. You’ll do the right thing.”
Whatever that was. “So now what do we do?”
“He has to be told. And knowing Dylan, he isn’t gonna like it.”
She swallowed. “I guess I should tell him.”
He nodded. “I’ll be with you. I can handle him.”
Somehow that didn’t sound encouraging. She had her own brand of strength, but one riled newly turned werewolf could be formidable. And Dylan was big.
What exactly would his strengths be? His powers? “Do you know anything about a newly turned wolf’s powers?”
“Yeah.”
She stood and walked over to face him. “Tell me everything. Forewarned is forearmed.”
His brows lifted. “Nervous? You? The great Chantal Devlin, fierce litigator, who eats prominent judges for breakfast, who fears nothing and no one?”
She shoved him. “Shut up already. This is new territory for me.”
He grinned. “That’s what you get for not keeping your panties on.”
“Jerk.” How utterly mortifying. “Now tell me what happens.”
“He’ll wake up confused and not remember what happened. Except the sex, of course. But he’ll be hungry. And really full of energy. And his sex drive will be through the roof. You’ll have to…uhhh…take care of that for him, because under no circumstances is he to be allowed to go off and fuck his brains out with the human female population. So feed him, fuck him, then tell him what you did to him and how it’s going to affect the rest of his life.”
She chewed an errant hangnail. “How soon will he make the change?”
“Full moon is in three days. You’ll have to prepare him for the physiology. The first change isn’t going to be easy on him. It’s not like us. It’s going to hurt. Bad. The more you keep him fucked down and relaxed, the easier it’ll be. In fact, if you’re having sex with him when the change occurs, even better.”
She groaned. “I don’t think he’s going to want to have anything at all to do with me, let alone sex.” God, the sex had been phenomenal though. She wouldn’t mind a repeat performance. Or ten or twenty. And he’d been human at the time? God almighty. His sexual prowess would only increase as a wolf. She might not live through it.
What a way to go.
“Then I guess you’ll have to use your powers of…persuasion to convince him, won’t you?”
“You want me to chain him up in the dungeon and hold his dick hostage until he turns?”
Noah laughed. “Not a bad idea.”
“Asshole. You’re not helping.”
He held out his hand. “Come on. Time to face your destiny. He should be waking up soon.”
Why were her knees knocking? Noah was right. She wasn’t afraid of anything or anyone, had faced formidable opponents without batting an eyelash.
What she’d done to Dylan was unforgivable. How was she going to explain it to him, to get him through this? She wasn’t sure she could handle his change, let alone help him get past the next few days.
But she didn’t really have a choice, did she? She took Noah’s hand and allowed him to lead her back down the corridor, past the gargoyles protecting Dylan.
He was alone in the semi-darkened room. The shades were closed, a white sheet drawn up to his chest. Naked, his skin was tan against the bright sheets. Noah stayed near the door. Chantal moved forward and slid into a chair next to the head of the bed.
At least he wasn’t pale. There was color in his face, and now that the frenzy to screw his brains out had passed, she had a chance to study hi
m.
He was gorgeous. Thick, dark hair that he wore a little long in back, with a tiny bit of curl at the ends. She slid her fingers through his hair and brushed a lock off his forehead.
His lips were full, his nose a bit crooked which she found charming. It made him a little less than perfect. He had sharp cheekbones and a square jaw which was covered with dark stubble. She brushed her palm across it and shuddered at the sensual scraping of her skin, then gasped when his hand shot up and grabbed her wrist.
She found herself staring down into steely blue eyes.
“Where the hell am I?”
Chantal looked to Noah, who stepped forward to the side of the bed. “Hey, Legend.”
Dylan frowned. “Devlin?”
“Yeah.”
“What are you doing here? Where’s here?”
“You’re safe, so don’t worry. And this is my sister, Chantal.”
He looked to Chantal, then back at Noah. “She’s your sister?”
Noah nodded.
“I need to sit up.” He pushed off the bed and struggled. Chantal started to help him, but Noah shook his head. She kept her hands at her sides. When Dylan managed to rise to a sitting position and push the pillow behind his back, he looked to Noah. “I feel like shit. What happened?”
“Long story. Long, really fucking complicated story. And you aren’t going to like the outcome.”
“I already figured that.”
The sheet had dropped down to his waist, leaving his chest and abdomen bare. Chantal couldn’t help admiring his broad shoulders, sculpted pecs and well toned abs.
Now is not the time, Chantal. You can fuck him later.
“So which one of you is going to break the bad news?”
“I will,” she said. “Since I caused this problem.”
He crossed his arms.
She inhaled. “Last night, you and I had sex.”
He looked to Noah and back at her. “You sure you want to discuss this in front of your brother?”
“He already knows anyway.”
Shrugging, he said, “Whatever. It’s your story.”
“Anyway, it wasn’t exactly normal sex.”
“Really.”
“Really. There was a small added component at the end.” She looked down at her nails. God she needed a manicure.
“You care to elaborate on the added component at the end?”
Not really. She wanted to go back to last night and change her mind about meeting a stranger in the park. She wanted to go home instead. She wanted to erase everything. She looked at him, holding his gaze. “I bit you.”
“You did?” He felt his neck. “I don’t feel anything.”
“The wound is already healing. Anyway, it wasn’t an ordinary bite.”
Dylan looked at Noah. “Does this have anything to do what with I’m investigating?”
“Yes and no. Let her finish first and we can talk about your case after that.”
Dylan turned a now-sharp gaze to Chantal. “Go on.”
“We’re not human,” she blurted, then winced. Okay, so she probably could have finessed that a little better.
“Excuse me?”
“We’re werewolves.”
Noah leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “Way to throw it out there, Chantal.”
She half turned to shoot Noah a scathing look. “Well, there is no easy way to say it, is there?”
“Werewolves.” Dylan shook his head. “You can do better than that.”
“She’s not lying, man,” Noah said. “We’re wolves. Shapeshifters.”
“Uh-huh. Come on, Noah. We’ve known each other a long time. What’s really going on here?”
“Chantal bit you during sex. She changed you.”
“Changed me…how?”
“When I met you in the park,” Chantal started, “I thought you were another wolf, like me. I had made an arrangement to meet with someone…an out-of-town sexual arrangement. I thought you were him. I didn’t know you were human when we had sex. I didn’t know you were human when I bit you, otherwise I’d have never touched you. But because I did, you’ve been infected with werewolf blood. You’re going to become what we are.”
“You people really believe this?” He tossed off the sheet and swung his legs over the bed, heedless of his nudity. “You’re both fucking insane and I’ve got a job to do.”
Noah rushed him, growling and partially shifting. His voice became dark and menacing as he pushed Dylan back onto the mattress with his forearm across Dylan’s throat. “Stay put!”
Dylan’s eyes widened as he took in Noah’s changed features. The eyes turning yellow, fangs where his teeth were, his voice now more of a growling snarl than a human’s voice.
Holy shit. Was he hallucinating? Had they fed him drugs or something? Noah backed off and Dylan watched him change back to human, his features softening.
“Sonofabitch,” he whispered.
“Sorry, man,” Noah said. “Had to show you we weren’t making this up.”
“I still don’t believe it.”
“It’s true, Dylan,” Chantal said.
He looked at her, his memories flooding back from last night. The woman with dark hair he’d thought was his contact. The sex. God, the sex—how could he forget that? She was still as beautiful in the daylight as she’d been in the park last night. He couldn’t believe what had happened between them. It wasn’t like him at all to forget his job and have sex with a stranger. “I don’t fuck women I don’t know.”
She nodded and dropped her gaze to her lap. “It’s in my pheromones. When I’m in heat like that it’s irresistible to human males. It’s like a drug, an aphrodisiac. It makes you drunk with desire.” She looked up at him. “I didn’t know you were a human. I never would have come near you had I known.”
He rubbed his forehead where a headache was starting. “This is all a lot to process. And still damned hard to believe. Werewolves only exist in the movies and in books.”
Noah smirked. “Apparently not.”
“And you say I’m going to change now, become like you?”
“Yes. But it’s not so bad. We lead normal lives. We belong to packs and we guard and take care of each other. You just have to be careful around humans.”
“Obviously,” Dylan deadpanned. “This is real, huh?”
“Yup.”
Dylan dragged his hand through his hair. “Holy fucking shit. Okay, I need to get up. I’d like to get dressed. Where are my clothes?”
Noah opened the closet door. “These have all been brought from your hotel. The dresser has the rest of your things. Your toiletries are in the bathroom.”
All his stuff. “Where exactly am I?”
“This is the San Francisco pack leader’s mansion,” Chantal said. “You’re safe here among your own kind.”
“Werewolves aren’t my own kind.”
“They are now,” she said in a low voice that spoke of embarrassment. She could barely meet his gaze.
God, she was beautiful. And every time he looked at her he was reminded of the wild, animalistic sex they’d shared last night. And his dick was getting hard. So not a wise thing to happen in front of her brother. He grabbed the sheet and bunched it up over his crotch. “I need a shower and to get dressed. And I’m starving. And I have a million questions.”
Noah nodded. “Take your time. One of the guards will escort you downstairs when you’re finished. We’ll meet you there.”
“Fine.” Just get the fuck out of my room. Christ, this was confusing.
Chantal stood, opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, then clamped it shut and followed her brother out the door. He locked it, walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, trying to relax under the hot steamy spray. When he was finished he stared at his reflection in the mirror, checking his neck and shoulder for marks.
Other than a faint hickey-looking mark where Chantal said she had bit him, he didn’t see anything that resembled the viciou
s bite marks similar to the ones on the bodies from the case he was investigating.
And obviously the victims had been torn apart and killed, not transformed into werewolves.
So what was the connection between Chantal and Noah and this case?
Was he really going to turn into a werewolf? And what the fuck did that mean? For him, for his career, his future? Was all this real? He’d seen Noah partly change from human to beast. That had been no illusion.
Goddamn.
He’d sure as hell had one life-changing fuck last night, hadn’t he?
Chapter Three
“This has really screwed up our pack dynamics, Chantal.”
Chantal sighed as Lamont Burkhart, the pack leader, read her the riot act.
“What were you thinking?”
“I thought he was the man Maia set me up with.”
“Didn’t you smell the human on him, for Christ’s sake?”
“No, I was too busy fucking him to think about his scent, Lamont.” And that was the truth. She hadn’t bothered to track his scent. And even if she had, all she would have scented was human. Even werewolves smelled human unless they changed or were releasing pheromones, and only the females did that. Smelling wolf on him wasn’t her primary objective last night. Getting his cock inside her was.
Lamont paced, his hands clasped behind his back. He was over six and a half feet tall and had to nearly double himself over to get in her face. “If you would mate with someone in our pack we wouldn’t have had this problem.”
“I’m not ready to mate—”
He held up his hand as he straightened. “Spare me the same bullshit you’ve been spouting for the past two years. I don’t want to hear it. Turning humans is frowned upon and you know it. It’s hard enough to keep our identities secret without bringing in outsiders. What is it with you Devlins and your predilection toward mating with humans?”
He was referring to her brothers, Jason and Max, both of whom had fallen in love with human females. But her situation was different. “I’m not the least bit interested in mating with a human or any man right now.”
“A little late for that given the situation, don’t you think?”
“It’s my fault, Lamont. I should have been more specific in my description of the were I set her up with. I should have gone with her.”
