by Storm Savage
Her eyes widened in shock.
Chapter Two
Orianna simply stared, unable to say a word. This strikingly handsome man who’d rescued her from death just declared he was a wolf. Is he serious? She wondered if she should try to escape, or simply stay and listen. She didn’t sense malevolence in him so she relaxed. Nothing could be worse than what she’d left back home.
“Okay…I’ll bite. Why do you think that you’re a wolf?”
Lorcan shook his head and smiled, flashing a row of straight white teeth. “Have you ever heard of shifters?”
“Only in books.”
“By some strange chain of events I became a shifter. My animal form is that gray wolf you saved. I wasn’t really trapped. I was testing you.”
She stared into the empty cup wondering if he’d slipped her a drug, because at the moment, nothing felt real. “Testing me? Why?”
“I needed to know why you came after me, what kind of person you are. I heard you crying so I followed the sound, then saw you sitting at the window. You looked broken. I didn’t expect you to follow me when I left. I just wanted to see the woman who belonged to the sorrow.”
“Why?”
He stood up to stoke the fire. “Because your pain felt similar to mine.”
She watched his muscles flex as he stabbed at the coals. It finally dawned on her that he seemed immune to the cold, as he wore only pants and boots, no shirt. Her gaze took in his strong features. Long black hair fell in carefree layers over smoldering dark eyes set above high cheekbones, a flawless masculine nose, and incredibly sexy lips. He was very tall with a hard body deliciously poured into tight black trousers. The pills she’d taken must have worn off, because her senses stirred to life while staring at this dangerously handsome man.
“What happened to you? What drove you to live away from society?”
“People. War. Hate. Prejudice. Take your pick.” He threw more logs onto the fire, then came to sit with her. “Civilians want the soldiers to protect their freedom. But they are not willing to accept the consequences.”
“You were a soldier?”
“Four years overseas. I fought for my country, fought to come back home to my loved ones, but they couldn’t handle what the war did to me. The only place I find peace is in my wolf form.”
“I’m still very confused about this wolf thing. I don’t mean to sound rude, but I’ve never heard of anyone truly living as both human and animal.”
Lorcan leaned back on one elbow and stared up at her with eyes that captured her heart. “My unit volunteered to go in and rescue some of our men who’d been taken captive. We got in, found our soldiers, and headed back. But our vehicle got hit by an IED bomb on the way out. I remember lying in the dirt with pieces of my comrades all over me, then I blacked out.”
“I’m so sorry. That sounds horrible.”
“When I came to, I saw nothing but light. Have you ever heard of near death experiences?”
“Yes.”
His expression deepened. “I drifted between realms. While suspended in that space of the most amazing peace I’d ever experienced, I saw my fallen buddies walking by. They were going on without me. I should’ve been going with them, but I was stuck between worlds.” He paused with a distant stare. “A woman came to me. She identified herself as the Goddess Shae from the Shasta Realm. My bravery earned the favor of that realm where the spirits of all creatures converge. In that gap between the mortal and the immortal, chosen ones are given one name that embraces their animal spirit. They are also given the power to shift into their ordained animal.”
“Your name is not actually Lorcan?”
“It is now. I left my human name behind. The Goddess Shae told me that my time to die had not yet come. She gave me a way to endure the suffering headed my way, the gift of shifting. In wolf form, my demons go away.”
“What does your name mean?”
“Fierce.”
She studied him for several long moments while processing his story. He sounded incredibly sincere. Oddly, she found it easy to believe that this strange phenomenon existed. Deep in her soul, she felt a connection, but it felt like a dream she couldn’t quite recall. His mention of the Goddess Shae struck a familiar chord in her soul but she didn’t understand why.
Secretly she allowed her gaze to wander over him as he lay stretched out beside her. The cave had become cozy and warm, dimly lit by a glowing fire. His impressive abs rippled with just the slightest shift of his body. Urges she hadn’t felt in years began to surface. Is it the enchanting ambiance? His increasing allure? Or my desperation to escape that stirred these powerful feelings to life inside?
She began to imagine what it would be like to kiss him, to feel his muscled body on tops of hers, loving her, touching her. Desire she’d long pushed aside began to emerge in his presence. “Do you live here alone?” Surely a man such as him has a woman.
“Yes.”
“No woman in your life?” She felt compelled to ask.
“None.”
Their eyes met. She inwardly gasped, taken back by his heated gaze. Is he feeling the same way? Did he notice me checking him out? Heat crept onto her cheeks. She looked away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“I don’t mind. Actually I like your natural curiosity. People I used to know, family, friends, were too afraid to ask questions. They don’t want to know the ugly side of war.”
“Your family turned away from you?”
“Everyone but my mother, God rest her soul.”
“I’m sorry.” She felt sad for his loss. “No girlfriends or wives waiting at home?”
“I had a wife until I came home and found her sleeping with the neighbor. I packed my shit and left town.”
“Wow…I can’t imagine why a woman would not wait for someone like you.” She gave him a scrutinizing look. “Unless you were mean to her.”
“Hell, no. I’d never hurt a woman.” His gaze locked on hers. “But I understand why you’d ask. I can kill him, if you like.”
She didn’t need to ask whom. The intense look in his dark eyes stared straight through her. “I don’t want to bring trouble into your peaceful life. You’ve had enough war.”
“I am war. It never goes away. I was trained to kill or be killed. The man who inflicted your wounds is an enemy of mankind.”
“I am powerless against him.” Tears filled her eyes. “And that fact alone makes me feel even weaker.”
“We all have our demons. Mine are from the past. Yours live in the present.”
“If only we all could have a Goddess Shae to help us escape,” she said with a sincere smile. “Life would be much easier.”
“You believe me?”
“Nothing else makes sense at this point. I can’t find a logical explanation for any of this.”
“Logic is overrated. One doesn’t survive by relying on logic, but by leaning on raw instinct.” He reached out and touched her hair. “What does your gut feeling tell you about me?”
She stared into the shadowy depths of his eyes for a few breathtaking moments. “That you are fiercely protective with a gentle spirit. For reasons I cannot explain, I am not afraid of you.”
“You’re the first. My friends and family wanted to lock me away when I tried to tell them what happened. I could never talk to anyone about the war or the Shasta Realm without someone reaching for their phone.”
Orianna offered him a warm smile. “I left my phone behind. You can talk to me.”
His eyes searched hers, laying bare her soul. Then he relaxed a bit and began to talk. He told her about the hell of battle, the harsh living conditions, living with death every minute of every day and not knowing if he’d be next. Watching his comrades die, witnessing acts of violence that passed the point of human comprehension and finally the guilt.
“I didn’t want to come home without my unit. We made a pact that we’d all make it out alive. I was supposed to die with my men.”
He then told h
er about his friends and the sacrifices they made to protect and serve. How they watched each other’s back. That loyalty and trust were everything. The sleepless nights, the sharing of rationed meals when in the field and more.
She watched his face as he spoke. Saw the host of mixed emotions from rage to the deepest sorrow she could fathom sweep across those rugged lines. She listened as he told her about the rejection he faced from civilians when the demons in his head surfaced. He told her things that people on the outside were never to know—acts of war that soldiers were forbidden to discuss. At times his story terrified her, yet she remained quiet until he finished.
“I still see them, my friends who died,” he said. “The doctors tried all their advanced drugs to make the delusions go away, but nothing worked. I tried drinking them away. That made it even worse. After my mother passed, I packed my gear, put my money in a different bank, and headed out to the wilderness. I only go into town for supplies. I didn’t want to kill innocent animals to survive. I saw too much innocent bloodshed in the war. So I keep the cooler stocked with food that feeds both the animal and the man.”
“Is that when you decided to use your wolf gift?” She was impressed with his integrity and his method of survival.
He nodded. “That is when the hallucinations stay away. I am a haunted man, Orianna. Does this scare you?”
“No, you don’t scare me. I have my own battles. Living with a man who beat me up for ten years left deep scars. I’m not sure if I could ever love again even if I did get free.”
“Do you want to?”
She whisked a tear from her cheek. “It would be nice, but I’d have to be free of Zale before I could even consider trying love again.”
They didn’t speak for a while, but stared into the fire in surprisingly comfortable silence, as if processing everything shared in this unexpected encounter. Even after his candid and graphic account of the hell he’d suffered, she still found him undeniably appealing. A gentle nature shone in those mysterious dark eyes and his genuine smile set her at ease. The tenderness in his touch stilled her fears. She found herself entertaining deeper fantasies about this intriguing man.
Her physical relationship with Zale had always been cold, almost ritualistic when they had sex. She never could call it making love because it did not feel like love. Zale was as brutal in bed as he was after parties. This one night away from him was the best she’d had in many years, which was a very sad fact, considering she’d left herself to die.
“What are you thinking about?” Lorcan’s kind voice broke into her thoughts.
She turned her head toward him. “You.”
Reaching up, he laid one hand lightly alongside her face and ever so gently drew her down toward him. She easily became lost in his soul-searching gaze as their lips became very close. Her heart beat faster. Flutters filled her stomach. He held her there, suspended a mere whisper’s breadth from his sensual lips, seemingly giving her time to feel safe.
Closing her eyes, she sighed when his lips touched hers. Tenderly he tugged at her mouth with his, easing her into a deep kiss before sliding his tongue into her mouth. A tiny moan escaped her. He tasted amazingly fresh and invitingly masculine. She sank into the kiss, letting her breasts press against his bare chest as she lowered her body onto his.
They kissed passionately for a long time before his arms swept up her back and he rolled her over. His hands touching the bare skin not covered by the dress sent shivers down her spine. An ache welled between her thighs and a surge of warmth dampened her lace panties. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt sexually aroused. This man stimulated feelings inside that had been buried for years.
The hard bulge in his pants pressed through the delicate satin fabric of her dress, making her want him all the more. Yet a nagging annoyance in the back of her mind refused to let go. Anxiety began to rise. Will he be rough? Will it hurt? Will he expect more than I can give? Her state of arousal came crashing down.
Lorcan eased from the kiss and stared down with heavy eyes. “Did I do something wrong? Have I scared you?”
“No…” She shook her head with teary eyes. “It’s me. I am broken.”
He smiled reassuringly and petted her hair. “No, you’re perfect. Perhaps I misinterpreted what I felt from you.”
“No, I’m definitely attracted to you. Just afraid…”
“Orianna, I have not been with a woman since before the war and that with was my now ex-wife. You are the first woman who has drawn me from my seclusion and created feelings of desire in me.”
“I guess we’re on the same page then.” She let out a nervous laugh.
“I have to admit, I’m really turned on right now, but I have amazing self-control. I will go as slow as you want.”
“This might sound stupid, but I’d feel like I’m cheating even though I hate him. If Zale finds me, he will drag me back. Technically I am still married.”
“Do you want to be married? When I found you, I saw a woman who’d given up on life. How far are you willing to go to regain your freedom?”
She considered his words carefully, especially knowing all he’d sacrificed for the freedom of others. He’d literally given his life for people he didn’t know, people like her—and Zale—people who didn’t deserve this man’s gift. If I turn back now then I am nothing more than a coward. Her fingers traced his strong jaw line, then his delicious lips.
“All the way.”
“I want you to see me, all of me.” His voice left no room for argument.
“I already have, haven’t I?”
“You didn’t know it was me. If you can embrace my animal, then you are one step closer to independence.”
“How so? I have no means of supporting myself.”
“I will keep you safe. Never again will people be able to control you. Let me take care of you.”
“Stay here with you? In the woods?” She wondered if she had enough courage to make such a drastic decision.
“Would it be that bad?”
“Are you sure I didn’t die? This is all happening very fast. We barely know each other.”
“You feel very much alive to me,” he said with a sexy wink.
She couldn’t withhold a smile. “You’re right. I haven’t felt this alive in ages.”
“And from what you told me, a divorce will not set you free. Just because I live in seclusion doesn’t mean I’m out of touch. I remember all too well how cruel people can be.”
“How often must you seek refuge as a wolf?”
A peculiar expression crossed his face. “This is the longest I’ve remained in human form since going into seclusion. Something about you, pretty lady, calms my inner turmoil.”
“You’re not feeling the need to shift, even though I backed away during the kiss?”
“I sensed your anxiety. Don’t worry about me. I’m strong. All I want is someone who can embrace my horror with me and not run away.”
Orianna heard the longing in his voice for acceptance, for love, for companionship. From what she knew about wolves, they mated for life. Perhaps nature did take its course. She thought back to how she felt after swallowing the pills. Maybe this is exactly where I am supposed to be now. An uncanny awareness rose in her spirit.
“I won’t run away from you,” she told him.
“Then let me get rid of the man who did this to you.” He ran one finger along her bruised cheek.
“Okay…” She relented at last. “If eliminating Zale is my only path to freedom, then I will not stand in the way of fate.
“Are you afraid to wait here in my den alone?”
“Not really. It feels safe here…it feels like you.”
A charming smile touched his lips. “I won’t be gone very long.”
“Will you allow me to watch you shift?”
“I have no problem with that, but it’s a rather hard thing to see. During a shift my human form disappears as I am taken into the Shasta Realm for a split second, then re
turned as the wolf. But I will return to this exact spot instead of outside if you want.”
“I would like that.”
After placing a sweet kiss on her forehead, he stood up. “Be right back.”
Orianna pushed to a sitting position and wrapped the warm blanket around her body. Lorcan vanished right before her eyes. She gasped in surprise, peering anxiously about the cave. Living here would definitely be a culture shock. She’d been raised in a very upscale community before marrying the wealthiest man around. This would be a riches-to-rags story, a crushing blow to her aristocrat family if they ever found out.
Before she had too much time to think, the same magnificent gray wolf that she’d followed into the woods appeared in the cave without making a sound. She stared in half-awe, half-fear as the large animal stalked toward her.
“Lorcan…is that you?” Her voice faltered. She swallowed hard.
The wolf circled her, sniffed her, then rubbed its head against her arm. She breathed a sigh of relief and reached out to stroke the thick fur coat. He rolled onto his back like a big dog seeking a belly rub, making her laugh.
“So this is how you charm the ladies, hm?” she teased while rubbing his furry chest. Then in the next moment he was gone.
Chapter Three
Lorcan ran through the woods, using his heightened speed and senses to arrive at the destination point before the moon had left the sky. Heavy snowfall had tapered to flurries and blustery winds. If anyone arrived on the scene after he left, the only tracks one might find would be those of a wild animal. He stealthily crept up the steps toward the door Orianna had used. This task would require a couple shifts. He said a quick prayer to summon his human form before going inside.
Once completely man, he used skills honed in war to slip inside without a sound. Orianna had not locked the door, so going in was a breeze. His keen eyesight made it easy to move about in the still dark rooms, keeping his back to the walls as he did so. Her scent greeted his senses as he slid along the wall past the bathroom. He pushed the distraction aside. His intense hunger for her would have to wait.
