Winter Craving

by Marisa Chenery

  Talon stood and glared at him. “Calm the fuck down. I know how hard this is on you, but if you go after me like that again, I will shift and fight you.”

  Their father came to stand between them. “Both of you calm down. Talon, you asked for it. You were talking about taking some highhanded measures with Cyrus’ mate. He’ll do what he think is right to protect her. And with him so close to losing his humanity, the wolf is going to have the stronger influence over him.”

  Cyrus shook his lupine head. His father was right. He was losing himself to his wolf side. Now that he’d shifted, it grew stronger. His attempt to take on his human form met with no success. The wilderness outside beckoned him. He needed to run free. The walls of his cabin seemed to close in on him. He didn’t belong there.

  He padded over to the door. Since there was no doorknob and only a latch, he had no problem going on his hind legs and using his nose to lift it and gain his freedom. As he bounded down the steps to the yard, Cyrus heard Memphis call his name. More of his humanity slipped away as he ignored him and ran into the trees.

  * * * *

  Shyla flipped through the channels on the TV, not really interested in anything. She finally settled on a daytime talk show and partially paid attention to it. As usual, her thoughts strayed to Cyrus. For the last couple weeks, she hadn’t been able to get him out of her mind. It was as if he’d become a part of her and she couldn’t push him out. And she couldn’t blame it on his scent since she hadn’t seen him. It was all her doing.

  Nancy came into the living room and shook her head. “All right, I can’t keep quiet anymore. This is getting ridiculous. You’ve been moping around here for two weeks. Snap out of it and tell me what happened.”

  Shyla wanted to tell her cousin everything, but there was no way she’d hash out the entire story with Nancy. The other woman would think she’d lost her mind. Nancy didn’t need to think she had a crazy relative living under her roof.

  Nancy sat beside her. “Talk. You can tell me anything. I know it has something to do with Cyrus since you came home from his place in this state and have been like this for days.”

  “I don’t know if I can tell you,” Shyla said with a sigh.

  “Fine. Let’s start with something simple then. How do you really feel about him?”

  “Nancy, don’t go there.”

  “I am. If you didn’t have true feelings for the guy, you would have moved on already. I think you fell for him hard. Did you two have a big fight?”

  “Not really. It wasn’t like that. I found out something about Cyrus that I’m having a hard time accepting.” That was as far as she would go to telling Nancy what had truly happened.

  “That’s a start. Was it so bad you couldn’t overlook it?”

  Shyla snorted. “When I found out, yeah.”

  “Was he married? Already had a girlfriend?”

  “No.”

  “He cheated on his taxes?”

  “No.”

  “He has a bad habit of picking his nose? Or he farts in his sleep? If it’s the latter, I think most guys do that. John can let some really loud ones rip, which wake me up.”

  Shyla couldn’t hold back a laugh. “How am I supposed to face John after knowing that? And no, Cyrus doesn’t pick his nose.”

  “If you have strong feelings for Cyrus, and it’s short of him being a murderer, can’t the two of you work it out? I will tell you this. True love doesn’t come around that often. Once you find it, you should hold on to it and never let it go. You don’t want to be an old lady and regret where your life went because you gave up on the one man who made you feel all gooey inside.”

  Even though Nancy didn’t know the reason why Shyla was avoiding Cyrus, her cousin had nailed it on the head. Shyla had been having an internal argument with herself for days. His being a wolf shifter still freaked her out a bit, but the love she’d felt while with him hadn’t faded. It was still there, and she had a feeling it would always be.

  The sound of the doorbell broke into Shyla’s thoughts. Nancy stood and went to answer it. Shyla stayed in the living room. She heard the sound of a woman’s voice which she didn’t recognize, but figured it could be someone Nancy knew.

  Her cousin calling her name had Shyla standing and going to see what she wanted. At the front door, a woman who looked a little younger than her stood in the doorway. She smiled when she saw Shyla.

  Nancy turned her gaze on her. “Shyla, she’s here to see you.”

  “You are? Sorry, but I don’t know who you are.”

  The woman smiled. “I realize that. I’m Neha, Cyrus’ sister-in-law. We didn’t get a chance to meet earlier. I’d really like to talk to you about him.” She glanced at Nancy. “In private.”

  “I don’t know,” Shyla said.

  Neha didn’t give up. “Shyla, I went through the same thing as you are when I met Kiel.” She gave her a pointed look. “I understand what you’re feeling.”

  Nancy took her winter jacket out of the closet. “I’ll leave. There are a few things I need to pick up at the general store, anyway. I’ll take my time.”

  Her cousin put on her boots and bundled up against the weather before she walked out of the house. Shyla stepped back as Neha came inside. Once she took off her outwear, Shyla led the way to the living room.

  After they were seated on the couch, she asked, “You aren’t a wolf shifter?”

  Neha shook her head. “No. When I met Kiel I didn’t know they existed, just like you.”

  “You’re human and you let Kiel claim you?”

  The other woman tugged the collar of her shirt aside to show the mate brand on the left side of her neck where it met her shoulder. It was identical to Cyrus’, except the knot work was in color.

  “You recognize the mate brand,” Neha said. “I wasn’t sure how much Cyrus had explained to you. He’s been keeping to himself these last couple weeks. And now…”

  Shyla met Neha’s gaze. “What is it?”

  “Cyrus didn’t tell you everything. He withheld what happens to a marked male wolf shifter who doesn’t claim his mate.”

  She stiffened. She couldn’t shake the sensation that what Neha was going to say next wouldn’t be good. “And that is?”

  “The male loses his humanity. He becomes all wolf, unable to take on human form or think like one. Once the mate brand appears on his skin, he has three weeks to find and claim his mate. When Cyrus met you, his had marked him the day before.”

  Shyla quickly counted the days since then and felt the blood drain away from her face. “Cyrus has only four days.”

  “We know. He’s…just about run out of time. I would have come to you yesterday, but everyone has been busy trying to track Cyrus down.”

  “What happened?”

  “All of us confronted him about his coming to see you. Talon suggested he bring you to Cyrus whether you wanted to come or not. That set Cyrus off. He took on his wolf form and went for Talon’s throat. Afterward, he got out of his cabin and ran into the woods. He hasn’t been home since. We think his wolf side has taken control.” Neha looked her in the face. “His parents believe you’re the only one who can lure him home because you’re his mate.”

  “If I get him to come home, what then?”

  “He’ll claim you. At least we think that will happen if he’s still able to shift.”

  “To make me his mate, he’ll have to bite me.”

  “Yes. It’s not a bad thing. A wolf shifter mates for life. There will never be anyone else for Cyrus but you. He won’t cheat on you, and he’ll do everything in his power to keep you happy and protected. That’s how the males are wired. They live a lot longer than humans. They get up to a hundred and fifty years. And we think I’ll live that long as well because of the link that formed between Kiel and I after he bit me.”

  “You think? You aren’t sure?”

  “As far as we know, I’m the first human to be claimed as a mate by a wolf shifter. You’ll be number two. So there real
ly isn’t anything to go by. I do heal in a matter of seconds as they do if I hurt myself. And I haven’t been sick once after being bitten.”

  Shyla got up and paced in front of Neha. “If I don’t do this, Cyrus as I know him will no longer exist.”

  Neha stood and stopped Shyla’s movements. “At least Cyrus gave you the choice. Kiel didn’t give me one, not that I regret that now. When I first found out, I almost left him. He’d claimed me so he wasn’t going to lose his humanity, but the thought of never seeing him again, not having him hold me and love me… I couldn’t do it.”

  Shyla furiously thought through everything Neha had told her. Did she want Cyrus to lose his humanity when she was the means for him to keep it? She forced herself to picture her life without him in it. Neha had accepted Kiel for what he was. Could Shyla do the same with her wolf shifter?

  It hit her all of a sudden that she’d just thought of Cyrus as hers. She no longer could deny the strong feelings she had for him. She loved him. If she thought of him as just the human she’d spent time with, she knew he was the one man for him. So he was a wolf shifter. She could learn to get used to him in his animal form. He’d been what he was the entire time she’d been with him and not once had he given her cause to fear him. These past weeks, her life had seemed empty without him. That was why she’d moped around so much. She missed him. She’d gotten too caught up in what he’d revealed to her.

  “Will you do it, Shyla?” Neha asked. “You don’t have to feel as if you’re alone. If you allow Cyrus to claim you, you’ll be my sister. I can help you adjust to this new life. You’ll get used to seeing them in their wolf forms. They still are the same people on the inside no matter what form they’re in. And I know Cyrus loves you. Once the link bonds you two, you’ll understand just how much.”

  “I’ll do it. I love him. I don’t want to lose him like that, especially since I can do something to stop it from happening.”

  Neha smiled. “You won’t regret it. I promise.”

  Shyla hurried to the entranceway with Neha following behind her. She wasted no time getting on her boots and jacket. Now that she’d made the decision to be with Cyrus, to be his mate, a sense of urgency took hold of her. She was going to save him. There was no question of her failing him.

  Chapter Eight

  Shyla stared out the car window of Neha’s SUV and wished the scenery going by would go faster. She needed to get to Cyrus, to make things the way they were supposed to be. She just hoped she wasn’t too late.

  Neha turned onto the plowed path that led to Cyrus’ cabin. Once she parked in front of the shed, they both got out of the vehicle. Shyla looked around. There didn’t appear to be anyone around.

  “I guess Cyrus isn’t back,” Shyla said as she walked to the middle of the yard.

  “They must be still looking for him. I’ll call for Kiel.”

  Neha cupped her hands around her mouth and called her mate’s name. It wasn’t too long before a large black wolf came running out of the trees from the right side of the cabin. Shyla couldn’t stop herself from taking a step back as it slowed and walked closer.

  “It’s okay, Shyla,” Neha said with a smile. “It’s Kiel. None of them will hurt you.”

  As if to prove her words true, the wolf came to a stop in front of Neha, then turned and leaned against her. His back was almost level with Neha’s hip. The woman sank her hands into the animal’s fur and gave him a good scratch.

  “See,” Neha said. “There’s nothing to worry about.” She titled up the wolf’s head to look up at her. “Any luck finding Cyrus? Shyla knows everything now and she wants her mate.”

  The wolf’s body blurred and a man with similar looks as Cyrus’ took its place. He had the same black hair and light green eyes. The way he looked at Neha, and she at him, there was no mistaking how much in love they were. He gave his mate a kiss before he put his arm around her shoulders and turned to face Shyla.

  “Hi, Shyla. I’m Kiel. The brother you didn’t get to meet. I’m glad you came. My whole family will be, actually.”

  “Cyrus told me about you. Where is he?”

  “He’s on the property somewhere. Memphis, Gage, Rhett and Talon are trying to herd him in this direction. He’s resisting, but with you here now, I have a feeling that’ll change. He should be able to pick up your scent soon.”

  “Isn’t he too far off for that?”

  Kiel chuckled and tapped his nose. “Wolf shifters have a very keen sense of smell. We can pick up a scent trail a mile away. With you being Cyrus’ mate, once he gets a whiff, he’ll head straight for you.” The sound of a wolf howling had Kiel smiling. “He must have just picked up on it now. That was Cyrus’ howl.”

  A patch of black in the trees behind Neha and Kiel caught Shyla’s attention. She soon saw it was another wolf just as big as Kiel had been. It came to a stop at the very edge of the tree line, threw back its head and howled.

  Kiel turned in the wolf’s direction as Neha stepped to the side. “That’s Cyrus. It looks as if you might have to coax him closer, Shyla. Plus, I think Neha and I being here isn’t helping.”

  Shyla quickly made a decision. “You both can leave. Just tell me what I have to do.”

  “Are you sure?” At her nod, Kiel continued. “You need to get him inside the cabin. Once you do, if he isn’t thinking much like a man, you’ll be able to trap him there since he won’t know how to open the latch on the door. Then it’s just a matter of getting him to shift to human form. From there, nature will take its course.”

  “All right. I’ll do my best.”

  Shyla remained where she was until both Neha and Kiel got into the SUV and drove away. Once she and Cyrus were alone, she slowly walked toward him. He didn’t try to run. He stood in place and intently watched her. After about a minute of that with him doing nothing, she spoke.

  “Cyrus, I know you’re in there somewhere. I came here to be with you, to have you claim me, so you need to shift.” He cocked his head. Good, he was listening. She just didn’t know if he understood what she’d said. She shivered. “Neha told me male wolf shifters feel they have to protect and keep their mates happy. Well, I’m freezing. We should be inside the cabin where it’ll be warm.”

  Shyla took a chance as she turned her back on him and slowly headed toward the cabin. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Cyrus followed a short distance behind. Once she climbed the steps to the porch and opened the door, he stopped at the stairs.

  She tried another tactic. “Cyrus, get your furry butt inside the cabin right now. I’m not going in until you do. It’ll be your choice if I freeze or not.”

  He put one paw on the step, then another and another as he took them one at a time. He whined once he stood on the porch.

  “Now, Cyrus.”

  Cyrus walked toward her. He rubbed his head along her hand and gave it a lick as he stepped by her and into the cabin. Shyla quickly followed him in and closed the door, making sure the latch fell into place.

  There was no fire going in the woodstove. Shyla kicked off her winter boots, went over to it and set to work building a fire. After she had it burning enough to throw some heat, she headed to the bedroom. Cyrus followed her, still in wolf form.

  She had a roaring fire going in the fireplace before she took off her jacket and turned her attention on the wolf. Shyla slowly closed the distance between them. She reached out, touched the top of his furred head and scratched. His tail wagged back and forth.

  “You like that, huh?” she asked with a smile. “If you shift, you’ll like even more what I’ll do to you.”

  He cocked his head again, and she had serious doubts as to whether or not he understood her.

  “Come on, Cyrus. You have to shift.” Shyla kneeled on the floor and ran her hands down his back. “I know you’re just about out of time when it comes to your humanity, but you can’t have lost it completely yet. You have to fight for control. Come back to me.”

  Nothing happened. He sat on his haunc
hes and wagged his tail again. How the hell could she entice Cyrus to take on his human form? It wasn’t as if she could strip for him and turn him on. If he was more animal than man right now, it’d have no effect on him at all.

  Shyla wrapped her arms around his furry neck and kissed his head. “Don’t do this to me. I know I took it hard about what you are, but I’ve come to terms with it. You have to shift and claim me. If you don’t, and you lose your humanity, I’ll feel guilty for the rest of my life. It’ll be all my fault. There won’t be anyone else for me. I’ll move into your cabin and live out the rest of my days here just so I can be close to the wolf who owns my heart. It won’t be a happy life, I can tell you that. I’ll mourn every day what could have been.”

  She laid it on kind of thick, but she didn’t know how else to play on his need to keep her happy. If the guilt trip worked, all the better. She wasn’t above playing it up. He had to shift, no matter what.

  Her knees were getting sore from kneeling on the hardwood floor. Shyla stood. “If this is going to take a while, I’m going to get comfortable.”

  She went to the bed and climbed up on it. As she propped a pillow against the headboard and leaned back on it, Cyrus jumped up next to her. He lay down and put his head on her lap. Shyla didn’t think twice about petting him. Maybe her touch would help bring him around.

  While she petted him, starting at the top of his head and running her hand down his back, she said, “Since I’m going to live here one way or the other, the first thing I’ll do is get electricity. I can understand why Neha wanted it in hers and Kiel’s cabin. We city girls are used to the modern conveniences. Plus, I’d miss watching television. I don’t watch tons of it, but I do like to relax at night with it on.”

  She was rambling, but it seemed weird sitting there in silence with a big wolf next to her. Shyla looked down to find Cyrus’ gaze fixed on her. He seemed to be listening, but she didn’t see any understanding in his eyes.