by Paige Tyler
Over dinner, Xander got the rest of the story, including why she’d started dating Jeremy, when she’d realized he was an asshole, and how bad everything had gone after she’d broken up with him. Although the jerk was out of Khaki’s life now, Xander still wanted to rip him a new one for what he’d done to her.
“No one would answer your request for backup because they didn’t want to get on this asshole’s bad side?” he asked.
“I guess.” She gave him a small smile as she started on her second enchilada. “It turned out okay, since that was the night I changed. If I hadn’t, Sergeant Dixon never would have offered me a job and I never would have met you.”
When she put it that way, Xander couldn’t argue. And while she might be okay with what happened, or at least pretended to be, he was pissed for her. Xander had a very satisfying vision of chasing the guy through the woods and ripping him to shreds. But even if he could, he knew Khaki wouldn’t appreciate him fighting her battles. She’d stood up to the man even before she’d become a werewolf, and handled him just fine. Of course, that didn’t make the image of him tearing out the guy’s throat any less appealing.
Xander didn’t want to spoil the rest of the night for her by talking about her jackass ex-boyfriend, so he steered the conversation back to more pleasant subjects—like what kind of training he still had in store for her over the next couple of weeks, and what the workload was going to be like now that she was off probationary status.
They also spent a lot of time talking about what they could do together outside of work. He told her about a few rodeos and sporting events he knew of that were outside of Dallas.
“They’re small enough and far enough away that it should be safe for us to go there.” He grinned. “Plus I think you’ll really enjoy them.”
Khaki casually slipped a hand under the table to rest on his thigh. The simple touch did all sorts of crazy things to his body, and he stifled a groan.
“I’m sure I will,” she said. “But in case you haven’t figured it out yet, it’s not what we’re doing that I enjoy; it’s who I’m doing it with.”
Nothing in her expression or tone indicated that she’d slid her hand up to caress his cock under the table. She had one hell of a poker face. But if she kept doing what she was doing, he wasn’t so sure if he’d be able to stay so calm. His hard-on was already straining the buttons of his jeans.
“If that’s the kind of entertainment you have in mind, maybe we should take care of the check and head back to my place,” he suggested.
The nod she gave him might have been nonchalant, but the sexy smile curving her lips was anything but. He’d say it was downright devious.
“You don’t feel like hanging around for dessert?” she asked, her fingers toying with the buttons that were keeping her from getting at his bare cock. “Because I was really looking forward to something special to end the dinner with a splash.”
He slipped his hand under the table and grabbed hers, keeping her fingers from accomplishing their obvious mission. “If it’s a splashy ending you’re looking for, then we should definitely go back to my place.”
Khaki laughed as he took out his wallet and tossed enough twenty-dollar bills on the table to cover the bill and tip.
“I don’t know if I can wait that long,” she said. “Maybe I can have dessert while you drive?”
Was she trying to kill him? The image of her giving him a blow job—or hell, even a hand job—made him so hard, it hurt. He bit back a growl and grabbed her hand, leading her out of the restaurant. Khaki was still laughing as they walked around back and hurried to his truck. Halfway there, he stopped and pulled her in for a quick kiss, then led her to his pickup.
Thinking about what she had planned for the drive back to his apartment had him so distracted he barely noticed when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. He heard her growl at the same time he sensed someone materializing from the shadows. He spun around, instinctively pushing her behind him.
A tall, blond guy dressed in a T-shirt and jeans was coming toward them. He wasn’t carrying a weapon that Xander could see, but the fact that Khaki was practically exuding anger from every pore was more than enough reason for him to be concerned.
The guy stopped a few feet away, lip curling in a sneer as he looked at Khaki. “I thought it was bad enough that you were banging the SWAT commander to get the job. But now I find out you’re screwing your squad leader too. Your friends back in Lakefront would be so proud.”
That was all it took for Xander to realize who this guy was—Jeremy the jackass ex. Fury boiled in his gut. No way in hell was he going to let this asshole get away with saying that shit about Khaki. He was going to rip off the guy’s head and shove it up his ass. Jeremy would be singing a completely different tune then.
Xander took a step toward Jeremy, but Khaki grabbed his shoulder. He felt the sting as her claws bit through the material of his T-shirt and sunk into the muscles underneath. She’d lost control and shifted again.
“That’s right, bitch,” Jeremy sneered. “You’d better control your pet caveman, unless you want to see him bleeding on the pavement.”
Khaki snorted. “You seriously think I’m holding him back to protect him? Please. The last time you tried to get physical with anyone, it was with me, and I put you down like the loser you are in front of half the Lakefront PD.”
Jeremy clenched his jaw, pissed off at the reminder. Khaki had hit a sensitive spot, for sure. Xander would have to remember to ask about it later.
“You bitch,” her ex spat. “I’ll—”
Jeremy must have thought demonstrating was better than any threat he could come up with because he lunged for Khaki.
Xander met him halfway, catching the fist Jeremy swung at him in one hand and crushing down on it as his other hand shot forward and wrapped around the man’s throat, stopping his forward momentum. Xander lifted Jeremy up until his feet were off the ground—and held him there.
Jeremy tried to kick him in the knees, thighs, nuts, and anywhere else his booted feet could reach as he attempted to break the stranglehold Xander had on him. Xander squeezed a little tighter. Jeremy had said things about Khaki that made Xander madder than hell. Snapping Jeremy’s neck would have been almost too good for him.
Xander felt Khaki’s hand on his shoulder. She didn’t dig her claws in this time.
“Put him down, Xander,” she said softly.
He glanced over his shoulder at her. He could barely see the tips of her fangs, but they were out. Her eyes were still their usual beautiful brown, but he could tell she was on the edge of completely losing it. Even so, she was also aware enough to know killing Jeremy wasn’t a good idea. Xander didn’t really want to let Jeremy go just yet, but the guy’s eyes were bulging and his face was turning blue. In another minute, he’d lose consciousness.
With a growl, Xander tossed Jeremy backward, watching in satisfaction as he slid across the parking lot a few feet. Khaki ran her hand down his shoulder to hold on to his arm. He wasn’t sure whether it was because she wanted to hold him back or needed to steady herself so she wouldn’t shift even more.
“Go back to Lakefront, Jeremy,” she said. “We’re over, and have been for a long time. I’ve moved on. You need to do the same.”
Xander tensed as Jeremy crawled back to his feet. If the man came at Khaki again, Xander would end him and worry about the consequences later.
But Jeremy just spit on the ground in front of them, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. In the dark, Xander could see blood mixed with saliva. The stupid son of a bitch must have bitten his own tongue in the scuffle.
“You’re not worth the effort. You never were,” Jeremy said. “You can screw every member of your fucking SWAT team for all I care.”
Giving them one more glare, Jeremy turned and stormed off without looking back. Xander didn’t relax until the man got in his car and squealed out of the parking lot. Only then did he turn to Khaki. Her eyes might not have been
glowing before, but they were bright green now. Her fangs and claws were completely extended too.
Shit.
“Jeremy must have seen us at my place and followed us here,” she said.
“Well, he’s gone now.” Xander wrapped his arm around her. “Come on, let’s go back to my place. We need to get you calmed down or you’re going to be sleeping with those fangs and claws tonight.”
Khaki didn’t resist as he led her to his truck and helped her in. But he couldn’t miss the way she kept looking behind them as they drove back to his apartment, as if she expected Jeremy to follow them and pick another fight. If her ex was stupid enough to do that, he deserved what he got.
* * *
Khaki’s eyes were back to normal by the time they got to his apartment. Her claws and fangs were still partially extended though. The fact that she still couldn’t control those aspects of her shift, on top of the run-in with Jeremy, seemed to infuriate her even more, which only made it harder to shift back.
Xander took her hand and led her into the living room. “Come sit on the floor with me.”
“I don’t need a lesson on how to shift,” she protested, but sat down opposite him anyway. “I need to shift back.”
“I know. Which is why we’re going to do the same relaxation technique I taught you in reverse.”
Khaki looked dubious but obediently closed her eyes when he told her to. He used the same running-through-the-woods exercise he’d used to get her eyes and claws to come out the first time, but instead of urging her to run faster, he softly talked her through the process of cooling down from a long run, slowly coming up onto two legs, and getting her breathing under control, then feeling the bright sunlight on her face. It took a little while, but after thirty minutes, her claws and fangs finally retracted.
“Why the hell is it taking me so long to pick up this shifting thing?” she growled so fiercely he thought her fangs and claws were going to pop out again. But she took a few deep breaths and got her inner werewolf back under control.
“Because right now, your abilities are at the whim of your emotions, and it’s going to be that way for a while. Sometimes those emotions will bring on a shift when you don’t want it, and sometimes they’ll keep you from shifting when you want to. Until you learn to control your emotions, the wolf inside you will be in charge, not you.”
She made a face at him. “You are aware that I’m a woman, right? News flash here, women aren’t known for controlling their emotions. It tends to be the other way around.”
“Maybe,” he agreed. “But trust me, you’ll get better at controlling your inner werewolf over time. It won’t be long before shifting will be as easy as breathing for you.”
Cupping her cheek, he leaned forward and gave her a kiss. When he sat back, she regarded him thoughtfully. He hoped her mind was headed the same place his was—one where clothing was optional.
“Speaking of controlling my inner werewolf,” she said. “I heard some of the guys talking about a full shift. What does that mean?”
Clearly, they were going to be keeping their clothes on a little longer.
“It’s when a werewolf pushes the shift so far, he—or she—completely assumes the shape of a wolf.”
Khaki’s eyes widened. “We can really do that?”
“Only some of us,” he said. “While every werewolf can come to control the basics like claws, fangs, eyes, and strength, some are never able to achieve a full shift.”
“Why not?”
“Because it has nothing to do with how long someone’s been a werewolf. A full shift is a matter of how totally a werewolf accepts their inner beast.”
She blew out a breath, making her bangs flutter. “That leaves me out, I guess.”
“Maybe not.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “The important thing to remember is that being able to do a full shift doesn’t mean a werewolf is any more valuable to the SWAT team or the Pack.”
Khaki nodded, but Xander wasn’t sure if she believed him.
“Can you do it?” she asked.
He hesitated, not sure if he should tell her the truth or not. He didn’t want to make her even more bummed about not being able to do it herself. But she’d find out sooner or later.
“Yeah,” he admitted. “But it took me years to figure it out, and I can only do it when I’m completely calm. Only Sergeant Dixon, Cooper, and Jayden can do it quickly—‘on the fly’ we call it. Most of us have to take our time, which is why it isn’t something that serves much purpose in SWAT. But it’s something we work on together regularly, and we’ll help you try it too.”
“Can you show me?” she asked. “Just so I can see what it looks like.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” he said. “It’s freaky as hell to watch. There are some cracking and popping noises, not to mention some fur growing. That can be a little disconcerting the first time you see it. You sure you’re up for something like that?”
“Definitely!”
She looked so excited that he couldn’t say no.
“Okay. Just don’t freak out when I’m halfway through and tell me to change back. It’s not something I can turn on and off.”
“I won’t,” she promised.
Xander stood, tugging her up with him. He moved the coffee table out of the way, then reached over his head to yank off his T-shirt.
Khaki’s gaze caressed his bare chest, then settled on his hands, watching as he unbuttoned his jeans. “Not that I mind the view, but why are you taking off your clothes?”
He flashed her a grin. “You ever see a wolf wearing 501s?”
She laughed. “In that case, let me get comfortable.” Sitting on the couch, she tucked her legs under her, then threw him a saucy look. “Okay, you can finish getting naked now.”
Did she miss the part where he said he needed to be completely calm to do a full shift? Because the blatant desire in her eyes was turning him on like crazy.
Ignoring his rapidly hardening cock, he took off his jeans, then got down on his hands and knees and began taking long, steady breaths. He’d done this in front of the guys a lot of times and never felt nervous, but doing it in front of Khaki was different. She didn’t say anything, but he could feel her gaze on him as he stretched his muscles, preparing for the shift.
He hadn’t been kidding when he said a full shift looked freaky. What he hadn’t mentioned was that it felt a little freaky too. Transforming his muscles and bones into a different shape required the movement of a lot of stuff. It had felt bizarre and a little scary the first few times he’d shifted, but he’d done it enough to be comfortable with the strange sensations that came with a full shift.
When the bones of his hip and back started to break and pop out of place, he relaxed and breathed through it. Luckily, the same werewolf powers that made gunshots feel like bee stings prevented the breaking bones and tearing muscles from making him pass out from excruciating pain.
Even so, Xander didn’t look at Khaki during the change. He didn’t want her seeing his face twist and contort as he shifted from human to wolf. Just seeing the rest of his body go through that kind of a transformation was going to be traumatizing enough.
Khaki hadn’t run screaming from the room yet. That had to be a good sign.
When he was done, Xander lifted his head and was shocked to see Khaki sitting on the floor beside him. He searched her face, but it was impossible to read her expression.
She slowly ran her hand down his flank. Her touch was tentative at first, then became more confident, her fingers burying themselves in his thick fur. Soon enough, she was running her hands all over him, caressing his fur, exploring his thick chest muscles with her fingers, using her sensitive nose to memorize every square inch of him.
When she got to his head, she went up on her knees to grab his ears and tug him down for a closer look, her eyes full of amazement. He had an irresistible urge to lick her face with his big, wet tongue, but he controlled himself. She seemed to be
comfortable with his full wolf form, but there was no reason to push it.
Gently holding him in place, she moved her face closer until her forehead was touching his much broader one. The position put them almost eye to eye and she stayed like that for a long time, looking at him in wonder.
“You have to teach me how to do this,” she said softly. “Seriously, like right now.”
Xander chuffed, the closest he could come to a laugh. He should have realized a woman like Khaki wouldn’t be scared off by seeing him shift into a wolf. It would just make her want to try it herself.
He wished he had the ability to speak. If he could have, he would have told her that he’d teach her everything she wanted to learn. There was no reason to rush any of this. Now that he’d found his One, he wasn’t ever letting her go.
Chapter 13
“Okay,” Hale said as he showed her how to get a grip on his wrist and shoulder in preparation for a jujitsu-style body throw. “Remember to get your hip into my groin before you twist or you won’t have the leverage to throw someone bigger than you without having to rely on your werewolf strength.”
Khaki moved slowly through the motions of the martial arts move the team’s resident black belt had been teaching them for the last hour. Xander and Trevor were in the office doing paperwork, but the rest of the squad was standing outside watching, already having taken their turn.
She eyed Hale skeptically. He easily had a good eight inches of height and about a hundred pounds of muscle on her. Nobody her size should be taking on a dude as big as he was without having access to werewolf muscles. “So, why can’t I rely on my werewolf strength again?”
