by Belle Harper
I knew the pack were on patrol here after last night. I still wasn’t sure what Father had planned for Callum. Fuck. He would be punished, and I didn’t know how I felt about that. I slowed down my steps until I was turning and heading back. He would be punished, and it was all my fault. I should have tried harder to get him to wait, to understand that she needed time. I shouldn’t have told him that I was breaking the packmate bond we had. The guilt I was feeling starting to eat me up from the inside
When I came out of the forest, I could see Lexi on the green throw, and she was laughing at something Jett was saying as she held the Kindle in her hands. She reached out and touched his shoulder, and he moved closer to her. Too close. I felt a ripple of jealously, and my wolf sensed it too. Jett was flirting again, with my mate. I saw nothing but red as my wolf took over and raced towards him.
Chapter Nine
Lexi
It was awkward being in Galen’s house with so many other people. It brought back memories from the week before… when it was just Galen and me, and the almost kiss. It didn’t help having Alaric and two of the medical people in the living room messing up that nice memory. One was a woman, and she seemed nice. Up until she said, “I think it’s best we do a full physical exam.” Then I didn’t like her anymore.
Galen seemed to sense this and told me everything was up to me, that I didn’t have to do anything I didn’t want to. I guessed this was a way to find out if I was an fairy or angel as I’d suspected, but now, I was starting to fear the answer. Maybe I didn’t want to know. I’d lived almost eighteen years not knowing I was different. What was a few or ninety-nine more years?
Everyone was staring at me, waiting for an answer, in the end, I nodded. Let’s just get this over with.
“You can use my room, for privacy.” Galen showed us to his bedroom, and I followed him in. It wasn’t as big as mine, but it held dark wooden furniture. The bed was a king size like mine, but that was a far as similarities went. His comforter was a royal blue, and his walls were the color of the clear blue sky. Apparently, he liked blue in all its shades.
“Here sorry, I’ll just get out of your way. If you need me, just let me know.” He squeezed my arm and gave me a gentle smile.
“Just whisper my name, and I’ll be in here straightaway if at any time you don’t want this to continue.”
I nodded, and that smile grew bigger. I liked that he could talk to me in secret. It felt a special, just something that was for us. I just wished I could speak back to him. He closed the door behind him as he left, and I turned back to the woman.
“This won’t take long, sweetie.” I rolled my eyes. It better not if she was going to be calling me ‘sweetie.’ I was missing out on watching my sexy boyfriends strip naked and turn into wolves for this.
I walked across the green lawn to where I could see Jett standing, holding a green blanket to his chest and a huge beaming grin aimed at me. I couldn’t help but return it. I felt light and free, as I started to also skip over to him.
“I didn’t think he would actually let you leave alone.” I looked around, and my heart sped up. What the hell, was Callum out here?
“Oh, fuck. No, I meant…never mind. I just thought a certain vamp was glued to your hip is all. He’s always one step behind you.” Jett’s eyes went wide as he looked over his shoulder and back to me, then he shrugged with a smile. “Thought he was stalking me now…you know. ’Cause I’m the hot brother.” I laughed. He knew how to make me smile.
“Did you know, you’re so vain. Like that song.” Jett just winked, flexed his biceps, and laughed. I punched him in the stomach, but dang, that hurt. I waved my hand, trying to get the tingling pain to go.
“Stop hurting yourself, weak one, and I would have you know… I only check myself out a hundred times a day.” he teased again as he spread what I now saw was one of the green throws from the movie room onto the lawn.
“The grass is a little damp. Here you go, my lady. A Kindle filled with very inappropriate books my brother though you would enjoy.” I held the Kindle tablet in my hand. Jett turned it on to show me. I started looking at the titles and covers of the books and laughed.
“Oh my god, Ranger is such a dork.” I looked up to Jett who was quiet, but when the grin spread across his face he doubled over, laughing hard beside me.
“What?” I shoved him, and he stumbled back a few feet, but only because he let me shove him. There was no way I could move him like that unless he let me.
“That’s not from Ranger. That’s a gift from Maverick, and he loaded it up with books for you. Very special books.” My eyes widened. Wow, Maverick. I smiled and held it to my chest. It was seriously an awesome gift. The books on there reminded me of some of the books I had recently started reading. I was really liking some of the love stories with shifters, even if most were totally different to how they were in real life. I sat down on the throw and smiled at Jett as he squatted beside me.
“I think it’s awesome.” I pushed his shoulder as I turned to the device full of happiness—something to help me relax for a while, forget about the last twenty-four hours, and just be a normal girl, sitting in the yard reading—
I gasped when a large gray blur came within inches of me and smashed into Jett. I screamed, gasping for air as I scrambled backwards and tried to get away. I grabbed my leg where Callum had bitten me. Was he mad I didn’t change to a wolf? When the huge gray wolf turned its eyes one me, I heard nothing but the beat of my own heart in my ears. It was racing and I gasped for breath again as I tried to scramble to my feet, only stumbling to the ground. Strong arms wrapped around me.
“I got you, sweetheart.” My body collapsed into his arms. Reaching onto him tightly while I tried to calm my breathing. Galen would protect me. He had me as I watched on.
Jett was on his feet again, and he punched the wolf right in the muzzle, causing it to yelp as it backed away.
“Fucking asshole, what’s your problem? You scared the shit out of Lexi.” Jett pulling on his hair and let out a frustrated huff. “Fucking hell, Ranger.” My eyes widened at the wolf in front of me. Th…that was Ranger? Why the hell would he do that? Why would he want to scare me? He made a whining sound as he got down to his belly and placed his head in front of me. I tried to move back but Galen still held me. His strong arms still wrapped around me made me feel safe as he turned me away from him. Ranger’s big eyes glowed as he looked up at me.
“I…I thought you were him—Callum,” I said, my shaky voice giving away how frightened I had been, still was feeling it. I wiped back some tears that had fallen and closed my eyes as I rested against Galen for strength. Galen didn’t say anything, Ranger knew how stupid that was.
When I opened them again, I was staring at an actual pack of wolves, I jumped a little in Galen’s arms. The only one not a wolf was Jett. He just stood there beside a really dark gray one and gave me a big smile.
“Your scream alerted them all, and they came running.” He ran his hand down the back of dark gray one, and he didn’t look away from me as he did so. I knew then who that was, and I smiled. The wolf’s eyes followed my smile, and I was drawn to him. He was magnificent.
“Mekhi?” I asked, and I could see the glint in his eye as he nodded his head. Jett chuckled.
“Yeah, this is Mekhi, and well, you know this dumbass is yours.” Jett nudged his boot against Ranger, who was still flat to the ground, his tail was dead still, his ears pinned back. His big green glowing eyes looked like they were pleading for me to accept his silent apology. He made a small whimper sound, and I held up my finger for him to stop. I just needed a few minutes to collect myself, and you know, hope in all of that that I didn’t pee myself. I was sure they could sense what I was feeling, and I didn’t want them to know I was still a little scared right now. I felt something brush up beside my arm, and I turned to see my red wolf with a wolfy grin.
“Raff.” I reached my arm out from Galen’s embrace and wrapped it around Raff’s furry neck. He
was so warm, and soft. I could feel his chest rumbling softly and it was calming.
Jett cleared his throat and I let go of Raff to see what he wanted.
“You want me to introduce the rest?” There were four other gray wolves here I didn’t know. They all varied slightly in color, but there was no way I could just look at one and know who it was. It was kind of intimidating having them all staring at me. I nodded, and Galen rubbed my shoulders in support.
“Yeah, that would be good. I don’t know how to tell them apart.”
Jett nodded and pointed to the far left at the one that had the larger patch of white. “That’s Saint, then beside him is…Maverick.” I felt bad that I didn’t know that was him.
He was so pretty, but he wasn’t as big as the others, which surprised me. He looked so much like Ranger in wolf form, but looking at him, I could tell it was Maverick. The way he held himself, he was an elegant wolf. I put my hand out to him, and he took a step forward, then he hesitated. Maybe he was worried I would be scared of him. He was beautiful.
“Come here,” I pleaded. I wanted to stroke him, to thank him for the Kindle.
I looked down beside me and saw I’d thrown the Kindle off to the side, so I let go of Raff and reached over for it. Galen shifted with me like he couldn’t let me go, or maybe he felt safer being close to me, since we seemed to have a large amount of wolf eyes on us now.
“This is Elijah, and you know Noah.” Man, Noah was huge. I felt Galen’s chest rumble behind me, and then Jett started to laugh. I looked around, and all the wolves were looking at Noah, who was staring right at me.
“I think that was supposed to be an internal thought,” Galen said. When I looked up at Jett, he just winked as I heard Ranger growl low towards Noah. I clicked my fingers at him, and his ears flicked back to me. He stopped and bowed his head low.
“Ah, did I say that out loud?” I started laughing. “Sorry, Noah. Just, you know, you’re big in human form. I don’t know what I expected in wolf. It makes sense, I guess. Raff is smaller in human and wolf form.” Raff made a strange sound beside me, and the other wolves made whuffing sounds. Jett started laughing even more, and I realized what I had said could be taken in a different way.
I threw my arms up. “Seriously, guys? Do you only think about your dicks? Because from where I’m sitting, I can see them all. If your wolf is matching you size for size…” I cocked my head as if I was actually looking at their junk. I wasn’t, but it was fun fucking with them. “I guess dick size doesn’t go hand in hand with wolf size. But it’s okay, not everyone is blessed in that area.” I plastered my fake sweet smile on my face to really rub it in.
The sounds they made were too funny. Galen was laughing behind me. I laughed and rolled my eyes. Guys were all the same, in wolf or human form. Noah and Elijah were the first to run off together, Saint only a few steps behind them.
Maverick’s big body landed in front of me, his head resting on my feet, and Ranger crawled in closer to me. I was surrounded by my favorite people.
“You okay?” Jett asked, and I nodded. Mekhi didn’t leave, he just sat beside Jett as he continued to run his hands through his dark fur. I wondered what he looked like in human form. I bet he was gorgeous too. I really wanted to meet him.
“Yeah. I wanted to see wolves, and I got more than I was expecting.” Jett’s wicked smile had me giggling as he waved and left with Mekhi.
“Who’s a pretty puppy?” I cooed as I stroked behind Maverick’s ear, and Galen chuckled softly in my ear. I thought it would upset Maverick but he just leaned into my hand, demanding more pats. Raff was resting his head close to mine, I leaned back into him. And smiled. I was feeling better now, my heart had slowed to its regular speed and I was surrounded by pretty wolves.
Ranger made another sulky sound, I think he was feeling a little left out. Well he deserved it after he scared me.
“You’re a big bad wolf, Ranger.”
Chapter Ten
Lexi
There was a large, warm body under my head, one covering my feet, and Ranger’s big heavy wolf head was now in my lap. I won the jackpot with these puppies, so cute and warm and fluffy. I’d always wanted a pet dog, and now I had three wolves. I didn’t think they liked it when I called them puppies. But I kinda wanted to do it again just to see what they would do.
I’d spent the last hour reading from my new Kindle, inhaling their sexy smells, because when they were close, I could smell them and tell them apart. One thing I didn’t expect to be doing was pulling their fur from my mouth. Yeah, they were shedding or something. I was covered in fur.
“I can understand why Alaric doesn’t allow shifting in the house. Man, you guys have covered me in your fur.” And not to mention, they all marked me first before they settled down, Ranger being in my lap because he seemed to really be sucking up to me. Galen told me I smelled like all three of them, but I still smelled sweeter, which I guess was kinda sweet but maybe a little creepy. Like what did I smell like to them?
Galen had left to go do something while I was lazing here, safe with the guys, but my stomach was growling. And it was getting dark now and a little chilly, I needed food.
“Come on, let’s go eat.” I struggled to get up because Ranger wouldn’t let me. He kept pushing his huge head into my lap.
“Come on, I want food. And a long hot bath.” I really needed to just relax and have some time alone. Just…to catch my breath. Things had moved so fast, I just needed to reset myself.
Maverick nipped at Ranger’s flank, and he yelped. That gave me a chance to jump up and brush the fur from my clothes.
“Okay, shift back for dinner.” Raff and Maverick must have been feeling a little shy, they grabbed their clothes in their mouths and ran off just to the tree line not too far from us. Ranger, on the other hand…well.
“You like what you see?” I rolled my eyes as a now human Ranger spun in a circle…completely naked. And dang… Okay yeah, I liked… I liked a lot. He paused and smiled. Ah fuck.
“You don’t have to tell me. I can smell how much you like it.” His brows wiggled, and I rolled my eyes as I started toward the house.
When I got to the house, I could smell what the two packs were having for dinner. We didn’t have to eat with Pack Bardoul, since they were having the meal in Alaric’s office for privacy. But I was hungry, and I was hoping there were maybe some leftovers.
“My lady.” A white bag appeared in front of my nose. I inhaled the scent of burgers.
“Galen, oh my. Yes!” I swung around and wrapped him in a big hug, then snatched the bag from him.
“I got twenty burgers, since I wasn’t sure what everyone liked.” He shrugged, but that was a great idea. A mixed bag of burgers sounded amazing to me.
Ranger walked into the kitchen, his sweats hanging very low, that sexy V making my body tingle thinking of where it led too. And I know what it led to… I just seen it.
I reached in and grabbed a burger, and Ranger swiped it from my hand. He jumped up on the dark granite countertop and unwrapped it.
“That,” I swiped the burger back as he put went it to his mouth, “was mine, asshole. Get your own.”
I took a big bite and danced away from him. I could see the playful glint in his eye. He wanted to play, Ranger was always wanting to play and tease but he was too hungry and grabbed another burger.
“Which one is yours, Galen?” I asked as he watched Maverick and Raff now devouring burgers, and Ranger was somehow onto his second one.
“It’s okay, you eat. Enjoy.” He didn’t sound okay, and it wasn’t okay if they ate his burger. That wasn’t right and he could tell them.
“Shit, did one of them eat your burger?” All eyebrows went up as they watched me go through the bag and pull out a few different types, showing him.
“No, no. I…got onion rings.” He held out a different bag full of fries, and inside, I saw the onion rings. I pulled them out and handed the fries to the boys.
“So what
do you think they taste like?” I asked, and now everyone was interested in this. Galen smiled, and it was cute as he pursed his lips, thinking.
“Well, they are fried. I’ve never had fried food before. No KFC back when I was human. So, I would think they’d be oily?”
I nodded, and the others agreed. Yeah, there was oil in the fried food, but it was still so good and so not healthy but it was okay to have them once in a while… like every other day.
“Okay, so raw onions taste nothing like onion rings.” I popped one in my mouth and started chewing. It was almost sweet, the onion, and I liked them cooked or raw.
“It’s soft in the middle. The onion is cooked, so the outside is crispy and tastes so good, but yeah, it’s a little more oily.” I pulled another up to eat, and a hand reached out and snatched it.
“Hey.” It was Jett, and he had a huge grin as he popped it in his mouth and started to chew loudly.
“Fuck off, Jett,” Ranger grumbled out, but Jett was like out babysitter. What was he supposed to do? He was always around at the moment, but he wasn’t too bad. He was letting us sneak around and do more than we were supposed to. But still, Ranger was jealous and moody with him. Ugh, I thought I would have problems with him and Raff, or even Maverick, because they were my actual boyfriends…the ones I’d kissed. Not Jett.
“I think they taste wicked Galen, nice choice. See ya later.” Jett winked and walked up the stairs. I watched as Ranger’s face grew tighter, like he was going to explode into a wolf or chase after him and hit him… or both.
“Hey, hey.” I pointed over to Ranger, and I felt everyone’s eyes on me. “Yeah, you. Stop it, or we’ll be having a big talk about this. He’s shit stirring with you. You do it too, so stop it.”
