“What the hell, Colin!” she screeched as he bent double and yelped. A piercing whine split the sharp air and then he howled. The sound was so mournful, Faye shuddered at the sound.
Okay, those were not good chills
She looked around worriedly at their surroundings before looking back to Colin with wide eyes. “Colin,” she whispered, “whats wrong?”
He looked up at her, his golden eyes filled with tears. A gut-wrenching sob shook him as he stared at her. His fists clenched. He grasped his hair and pulled so hard, Faye was surprised he didn't yank it out by the roots.
He beat his head with his fists, half-crawling through the snow as tears streamed down his cheeks. He couldn't even begin to explain the utter desolation and heartbreak that clamped around his soul. A hand on his shoulder stopped his half-hearted attempt to get away from Faye. What was he planning on doing anyway? Crawl away in the snow to freeze and die?
The next instant, she was in front of him, kneeling in the snow and getting her jeans all wet. Her hands were on either side of his head after she pulled his hands away.
“What's wrong?” she asked gently, a worried frown making a cute furrow between her brows.
He shook his head, panting as he tried to regain control. With a loud groan, he twisted and turned, but Faye kept a hold of him. He whimpered. His eyes pleaded with her, but she didn't let go.
“Tell me what's wrong,” she commanded.
“He's dead,” he managed, swiping the tears rolling down his face.
He snarled, and Faye let go of him, surprised. “Who?” she demanded.
Colin whimpered. “My father. I felt it. He's gone.”
Faye sat back on her heels, trying to focus on the fact that Colin had just lost his father instead on the realization that he actually felt it. That was slightly creeping her out. She mentally berated herself. She shook her head and turned her attention back to Colin. His bones cracked, and she cringed as he started yanking on his jacket.
“Off,” he managed to whimper, eyes clouded with fear.
Faye laid her hand on his chest and instructed, “Calm down. Take a deep breath.”
“Too late,” he growled, his eyes filled with sorrow.
He yanked his jacket off, beginning on the buttons of his plaid shirt, when he suddenly stiffened, his spine rigid. He howled long and loud, the sound echoing through the stillness. It was getting close to dusk. The shadows were lengthening and darkening around them.
It was over in a few seconds, much quicker than the first shift Faye had witnessed. She helped untangle him from his jeans, folding up the clothes into a manageable bundle for her to carry as he ran around frantically in his fur, whining every few seconds.
“Colin,” she tried.
His ears pricked, but he pawed at the snow and howled once more, his muzzle lifted up to the sky.
“Wolfie,” she said softly, crouching down once more in the snow. “Come here.”
He stared at her for a long moment and then barreled towards her with such force that he knocked her over. His snuffles and whimpers broke her heart as he shoved his head in her stomach and practically curled up in her lap. She bit back her own urge to cry and hugged him close, wrapping her arms around him and digging her fingers into his fur.
“Oh baby,” she whispered, stroking the snowflakes from his fur.
Faye had never heard a wolf cry before, and she quickly decided it was the saddest thing she had ever witnessed. “Let's get back to the house, okay?” she said softly. “It's getting dark, baby.”
They walked inside and Faye shed her outer garments and stoked up the fire, letting Colin have some space. Finally, she sat down in the recliner and watched as he paced back and forth, his nails clicking on the hardwood floor. He whined softly.
“Wolfie.” She patted her knee and he came to her. With a huff, he sat and laid his head on her knee, staring up at her with sorrow-ridden, dull golden eyes.
“I need to talk to you, baby.” She caressed his fur before cradling his head in her hands.
Wolfie whimpered and shook all over. He backed away from her. There was hurt in his eyes; he was upset that she wanted him to change back.
“I'll make him let you out again soon, I promise.” She ran her hand along his back, and he leaned into her touch.
He whined unhappily, and she pressed her lips to his head, smiling at the dazed look he gave her.
“Shift.”
Faye looked away as his bones cracked. Seconds later, Colin lay naked on the floor, breathing heavily. Faye knelt beside him, resisting the urge to stare at his peachy ass and covered his shivering form with a blanket.
His eyes closed, and he pushed himself up on his elbows. “Thanks,” he whispered. “He wouldn't let me have control back. Not after Father . . .”
He swallowed hard, and Faye ran her hand down the side of his face tenderly, trying to offer him some sort of comfort. At her touch, he sighed, and his shoulders sagged before he lay down again, this time with his head in her lap.
“How did you know?”
She hoped asking him wouldn't make him more upset.
He shrugged and said, “Its something family members have. It's like a part of you goes missing, and you can feel their soul separating from yours.”
“Wow,” said Faye softly.
He sighed heavily.
“Let's go to bed.”
Colin moved off of her lap so she could rise. He continued laying on the bear rug where he normally slept. He had his eyes closed. Faye stood, and he asked, “You won't eat?”
“Not hungry.”
She hesitated, shifting from foot to foot and twisting a strand of her curly hair around one finger while she bit her lip. Finally, she took a deep breath.
“Come to bed with me.”
CHAPTER seventeen
Silence wrapped around broken only by the whooshing of the snow, soft against the windowpane, and the harsh howl of the wind that was barely heard inside the calm cozy cabin. The warm firelight from the living room cast a dim glow into the bedroom, the embers snapping and crackling cheerfully as the shadows danced. Faye lay flat on her back somewhat awkwardly, every nerve ending in her body hyper-aware of Colin barely six inches away. She stared at the ceiling with bated breath.
He rolled to his side, the soft downy comforter stopping mid-chest, and showed off a delicious strip of naked skin that the firelight threw shadows over. With one arm under his head, he regarded her for a moment and then said, “This is the first time I have been in an actual bed in a long time.”
Faye giggled somewhat hysterically, her eyes tracing patterns on the ceiling as she fisted the comforter tightly. “What about Wolfie? He slept here.”
“Yeah, sorry,” he mumbled, embarrassed, thinking back to how ecstatically he had flopped down on Faye's bed.
“Don't be,” she whispered. “It was cute.”
He grinned as she turned to face him, eyes darting all over his face in an almost tangible caress before she grinned.
“You have a bubble butt.”
“Huh?”
Faye nearly choked on wild laughter at the genuinely confused expression on his face, his eyebrows dipping in the middle, resembling two bewildered slugs. “A what?”
Faye giggled uncontrollably as she shoved her flaming face in the pillows. Colin grinned at her blushing self and jabbed his fingers at her stomach, making her yell and laugh. When she caught her breath, she stared into his eyes and sobered. “I am sorry about your father.”
His eyes saddened, and he nodded. “Thank you,” he answered softly.
Faye reached for his hand and twined her fingers with his large ones as she said, “I understand.”
He clutched her hand tightly, and they lay in silence, alone with their thoughts. The pressure of her hand in his felt good. Colin marveled at how tiny and soft it was.
“Are you going to see your family?”
Colin's brows furrowed. “I don't want to change and travel all that way
in my fur,” he said unhappily. “But, yes, I am.”
Faye laughed and said, “We have something called airplanes now, you old man. We can be there in about two days. Have to get you a basic ID though.”
Colin's eyes widened and he said, “That's amazing!”
Faye smiled at the wonder in his eyes. Then she giggled mischievously and jabbed her fingers into Colin's side, gliding her fingertips as a ghost of a touch over his golden skin.
He jerked away with a surprised look on his face, and Faye chuckled. “You're ticklish too,” she hollered in a sing-song voice.
She sat up and did it again, pretending to count his ribs while he howled with laughter and tried to grab her hands to stop her. Faye giggled, happy to see the golden shine in his eyes again.
Colin felt his heart fly out of his chest at the tender look on Faye's face as she stopped tickling him and just stroked his arm with a small smile on her ruby lips. He smiled back, grasping her hips and easing a startled yelp out of Faye as he hauled her into his lap. He pushed back against the headboard of the bed so he was propped up and gently ran his fingers up and down the exposed skin on her legs as she hovered over him.
“Bad Wolfie,” she said, her words sounding breathy even to her own ears.
His lips quirked up in a half smile.
“Woof.”
Faye giggled before his hand grasped the back of her neck, gently pulling her down until she was resting her forehead against his. Their breaths intermingled, and Faye closed her eyes. Would he actually do it this time? She felt frozen in time, not daring to move or speak. He had been afraid. She didn't know what of, but she had seen the fear and hesitation warring within his golden gaze. She had backed away and let him have his space last time, not daring to take advantage of him. She couldn't do that again.
Colin breathed in her scent, the one he noticed that first night; fire and strawberries. She smelled womanly, and he groaned. She was so close, her hands resting on his shoulders, her thighs straddling his waist, her . . . He put the brakes on his train of thought, trying not to lose control. It was too close to his Heat for them to be doing this, but he wanted one little taste of her before he had to leave.
Just one.
His nose nudged hers before he slowly touched his lips to hers in a chaste kiss that exploded fireworks behind his skull. Faye made a lost noise in the back of her throat as his slightly dry lips met hers again, this time with a deeper touch. His tongue probed open the seam of her lips, and Faye trembled at the first taste of him. It was like honey, but carnal and wild and primitive yet still so strangely sweet. It was everything Colin was. He was not silent as she tangled her fingers in his hair and gently tugged, the little manly grunts and groans making Faye feel like her skin was on fire.
His hands seemed to not know where to go as he kissed her. They roamed up her back, touching and exploring, but then again, her hands weren't idle either. Faye fisted his hair gently, keeping him still so she could pull away. He whined, his fur close to the surface, as he tried to lean forward to chase her lips. But Faye wanted to see his face.
What she saw didn't disappoint. Eyes golden and hazy met her gaze as he panted for breath, the beat of his heart matching hers and pounding frantically, his mouth deliciously red and his lips open in a silent entreaty.
Beautiful.
Faye bent her head and captured his mouth with hers again, tapering off into chaste pecks, her own lips feeling puffy and swollen. Wolfie gazed back at her when she pulled away the second time, adoration clear in his gaze. He grunted, turned, and lay them both down, facing each other. She lay caged in his arms as he studied her carefully, eyes wandering over her body. She smiled at him and he growled suddenly, his chest rumbling. Faye wrapped her arms around his neck as he slowly stilled, though his chest still vibrated in a way that, strangely enough, resembled a purr.
“Mine,” he mumbled, nudging his nose to her neck and placing light kisses against her skin. “My Promise. Mine.”
Faye stroked his hair as he breathed in her scent, enough to calm his wolf though she didn't know that was what he was doing.
“What do you mean when you say I'm your Promise?” she asked after a few seconds, curiosity overwhelming her.
Faye had an idea of what he was referring to. She wasn't stupid and knew enough about wolves to guess. But she wanted to hear him say it. He needed to say it. She froze as she contemplated her own thoughts and feelings. She wanted him to say it.
CHAPTER eighteen
Faye stacked books methodically on the shelves as she daydreamed. Work was slow; there were barely any customers underfoot. As she pushed books back on the shelves, her thoughts ran to Colin.
Soulmates.
That wasn't what he called it but he might as well. He had explained she was his. And in turn, he was hers. Somehow, the knowledge didn't frighten or scare her. She supposed that, in a sense, she had been ready for love; just waiting for the right man to come along. Then again, seeing someone’s dog turn into a human made any other normally mind-blowing revelation seem dull.
Promise.
He had been calling her that for weeks, and she hadn't asked for an explanation. With her basic knowledge of wolves, she knew they had a mate. Supposedly, the wolf in Shifters did too. Faye grinned, suddenly looking down at the book in her hands as her thoughts shifted. It was one of Heidi's secret collection that Reggie didn't know about.
Turning sharply, Faye made her way around the edge of the bookshelf and up to the counter where Heidi sat, her head in a book and her feet propped up by the cash register.
“Heidi,” she called, slipping behind the counter and sitting in the other chair next to Heidi's.
When that didn't get her attention, Faye jiggled Heidi's arm. Heidi's gray eyes looked up irritatedly before widening on the book Faye held up.
With blushing cheeks, Heidi slapped the book down on Faye's lap and looked around furtively. “What are you doing with that?” she hissed, glancing anxiously at the back door that Reggie had disappeared out of not five minutes before.
He would be back in a minute. Faye laughed.
“Found it in the back room. Heidi, do you want to tell me something?”
Heidi's blush deepened and she stumbled for words as she pleaded, “Please don't tell Reggie. I'll never live it down.”
Faye waggled her eyebrows and asked innocently, “Tell Reggie what? That his beautiful, pure, gorgeous wife reads erotic romance?”
Heidi slapped her hand over Faye's mouth and asked frantically, “What do you want?”
Faye laughed and said, “Calm down. I just want to borrow it.”
Heidi sank back in her chair with a sigh of relief as Reggie stepped in the back door, brushing snowflakes out of his beard. “Nippy out there,” he grumbled. He walked over to the small kitchen counter and poured himself a cup of coffee.
Seconds later, he turned and eyed the two girls suspiciously with their wide-eyed and innocent smiles. “Something you want to tell me?” he asked gruffly.
“Nope,” answered Heidi at the same moment Faye chirped, “Not at all.”
Reggie grunted and moved back to the stock room, opening up a crate of new books. Heidi breathed a sigh of relief as Faye eased the book out from under her rear end with a giggle. Seconds later, Heidi whacked her over the head and grumpily joined her husband, leaving Faye to rub her head with an injured air.
Hours later, Faye pulled up in her driveway to see Colin in the chicken coop. Her mind immediately flashed back to the eaten chicken several weeks ago. She sped into the shed she used to keep her car out of the elements and hopped out.
“Colin?” she called, suspicion clear in her voice.
She jogged over to him but doubted he heard her over the racket the chickens were making. Faye would bet her last dollar that the chickens sensed the predator in him. As a result, they flapped and squawked pathetically in the coop as they tried to dodge him. He appeared frustrated as he tossed out a handful of grain just like he had
seen Faye do numerous times. Faye leaned up against the post by the door, content in watching him now that she was sure he wasn't planning on killing another chicken. They needed to talk about when they were going to see his family.
Colin looked up as his nose caught her scent, the feeling of warmth and caring that he associated with Faye blanketing his soul. He had been alone the whole day. Well, except for the chickens. And he sorely missed her.
He smiled at her, watching as her already pink-tinted cheeks flushed a rosier red. Her curly hair escaped the pony tail she had it in and flew about wildly as the blustery wind caught it and made a wild havoc out of her curls.
He turned back to feeding the chickens, finishing up and making his way out of their pen. Then he pulled Faye into his arms and soundly kissed her, loving the way she melted into his arms—the way her body felt so right against his own. She was made for him. He coaxed her mouth open and then groaned when she bit his bottom lip, tugging it into her mouth and sucking on it before laving the sting away with her tongue. Without another word, she grabbed his arm and tugged him towards the house. She slammed the door open and pushed him inside, scrambling to kick her boots off and tear her jacket.
Then she paused.
Colin felt his fur roll to the surface as he panted, his skin on fire underneath his heavy coat. She wasn't even showing skin yet; just the simple act of her removing her outerwear had him aching for her. He would take whatever she could give him, yet he knew it was dangerous. He sensed her hesitation before her mouth landed on his again, her hands tugging gently at his hair. He moaned then, lost in her touch and her beautiful mouth—lost in her. Her sweet little kisses were soft, lacking their earlier fire. It was a decision they made and they both needed to respect. She looked apologetically at him, and he shook his head. She wasn't ready. And he wasn't either.
So much more needed to be discussed before they jumped into bed with each other. His fur howled with disappointment as he adjusted himself in his jeans and turned to stoke up the fire.
Once she was his, they would have eternity together. He had waited this long; he wouldn't lose her now.
Under An Alaskan Moon: A Shifter Romance Page 7
