The beast fought for control, racking her body in tremors and convulsions harder than she had ever experienced. She was caught off-guard at the animal’s sudden outburst, and felt the transformation consuming her.
Fear ripped through her, gripping her like a vise. Autumn! Watch out for Autumn! The wolf understood, and sent her in a backflip to distance and protect their friend while she shifted mid-flight. Instead of fighting it, she accepted her wolf and landed on all fours. With a feral roar, she stood tall and proud. Her head whipped to the doorway, realizing for the first time that Logan stood propped against the frame sporting a cocky grin. Her wolf gloated, tangling her dirty thoughts and desires with Jessa’s, sending a flush of embarrassment over her. She may be in wolf form, but her human thoughts were still there. Her attention drew back to Autumn, who smiled calmly. Jessa tilted her head, hoping the woman would understand her apology and not be angry. She did a quick sweep of her surroundings to make sure nothing had been damaged during the transformation, and huffed a sigh of relief when everything seemed to be in order.
Autumn petted her head gently. “Jessa sweetheart, don’t apologize. You are the most graceful shifter I have ever known! Do you know how much furniture we go through with my two oafs living in such tight spaces? Even with our regular trips to our home, they still tend to let emotion get the better of them, and it usually costs me a sofa, a table, or something. Braden thought it would be okay to let his cat use my china hutch as a scratching post one day, and shattered my whole set of eighteenth century china and crystal.” She waved her hand in a dismissingly gesture. “I was afraid she would burst through sooner or later, and I am glad I got to see your wolf, sweetheart. You are the most stunning golden wolf I have ever seen.” She offered up a huge smile, showing her geniality through the warmth in her eyes. Jessa gave her hand a small lap, offering up the only affection she was capable of at the time. She relaxed back on her haunches, allowing her fears to drain away.
“Logan, there’s been a change in plans. Jessa is going to spend some time at my country cabin, so you can take her there when you leave here,” Autumn explained to Logan.
****
Logan was mesmerized at the stunning, shimmering, blonde wolf that sat before him. Her long coat looked to be silky to the touch, and his fingers ached to test his theory. His wolf seemed more than interested in the beauty, and he couldn’t help but agree. This girl surprised him at every turn. He loved that she was pure, and only made him want more and more to be the first she gave herself to. He felt an unfamiliar pull to her, but dismissed it as her heat strengthening his animal’s instincts to have her.
He slowly stepped one foot in front of the other, testing her reaction to his approach. She jumped up and flattened her ears, not immediately attacking, but challenging him. Her pale blue eyes never broke or faltered in the stare down she gave him. She circled slowly, testing his strength and worth. When he remained facing her, and rounded his movements to fall into step with hers, she began to growl. He didn’t show weakness or fear, but instead smiled at her. “Easy, girl. We don’t want to upset Autumn by tearing her sitting area into shreds, now do we? I don’t want to change into my wolf, but if you keep challenging me, I won’t be able to stop him. I definitely don’t want to feel your sweet body until we are flesh on flesh.” She snarled at his last statement, and crouched down into an offensive pose. In a deep commanding tone, Logan said, “Stand down, Jessa.” He felt his chest vibrate with the testosterone and puff up with dominance. He squared his shoulders, and waited for her decision. Either she'd back down, or he'd shift and make her, then take her however he could, fur or no fur. His eyes locked with hers, and he didn’t blink until after she lowered her huge blue pools to the ground and sat back down. He slowly relaxed, dismissing the events as if they had never happened. He strolled casually over to her and laced his fingers through the fur on the side of her cheek. Just as he had suspected, she was soft and silky like the finest satin sheets. He smiled, loving the way she responded to his petting. A huge tongue came swiping across his palm, and he could see the sudden embarrassment in her eyes and the battle between wolf and woman taking place.
“Well, now that that is out of the way, what do you say we get you home?” He gave her a final caress, making sure his hand left enough question in his intentions to keep her on her paws for the ride out to Autumn’s country cabin.
Autumn cleared her throat before speaking, obviously hiding all she had revealed. “She wants to change back, but her wolf doesn’t seem to want to give back control at the moment.” The quick glance she threw at Jessa before continuing almost went unnoticed. “I think you should go out and take her for a run through the woods first. The boys are all on guard so it is safe, and it might calm the animal enough for Jessa to slip back into control.”
Logan smiled ever so slightly, making sure Autumn knew he was on to her little white lie. Her eyes twinkled back, and the two kept their little secret to themselves. “Sure. I haven’t had time to get exercise in a while either. It will be good for both of us.” He turned back to Jessa nodding toward the door. “Will you do me the honor of a run, Jessa?”
Her eyes narrowed in a warning, sending a chuckle to escape Logan. “I promise not to try anything. If I do, you can let loose Alan and Braden on me, deal?” The corners of her mouth tilted up in a wolfie smile, letting him know the idea of the two barbaric gargantuan Alphas beating him into a puppy puddle made her happy.
He shook his head and hugged Autumn. “Thank you, Autumn. I promise to have her back in an hour in human form. If you wouldn’t mind leaving clothes at the edge of the woods for us, I would be in your debt. I doubt Jessa wants me to see her in her birthday suit, much less prance her back to the mansion with everything on display.”
Autumn giggled. “Of course. No, I don’t think that would be a good idea. It might hurt business in the coffee shop with the humans, or worse, and bring in the wrong kind of clientele for Christina. That’s all we need in this house full of protective males. I will leave them by the edge of the meadow. You two have fun.” She reached over and petted Jessa’s head. “I will see you tomorrow, Jessa.”
The big blonde wolf barked a soft noise in response and walked over to the door where Logan now stood waiting on her. Before they made their leave, Autumn added one suggestion. “Oh, and take her out the tunnels. I don’t know if we can explain a blond wolf prancing around in the daytime. Take the hallway to the left, and it leads right into the heart of the forest.”
“Yes, ma’am. Bye.” Logan closed the door behind them, and with Jessa right on his heels, walked to the doorway to the tunnels as instructed.
Chapter Two
The second the summer sun soaked through her golden coat, Jessa stretched and reveled in its comfort and warmth. She rolled and jumped, playing like a new pup. Ever since her first shift at the age of five, she had loved the feeling of freedom her wolf brought to her. Troubles and stresses would temporarily disappear, leaving her heart light and her mind clear. When she realized Logan was standing back, sitting on his haunches watching her, she grinned. Time to play. Without warning, she took off in a dead run, weaving and winding through the thick trees with elegance and precision.
Her wolf was smaller than most, making her flexible and lithesome. She rounded a thicket of yearling trees and sticker bushes, gliding over and through them with ease. Behind her, she could hear Logan hot on her heels, until he erupted in a burst of loud whines and growls. Ha! I knew that would slow you down! Let’s see how he does along the cliff edge! She sprinted faster, barreling toward the outskirts of the tree line toward the rocky ledge.
The pads of her feet dug into the soft sward. Excitement and contentment filled her, releasing all of the pent up aggravation and anxiety that had been building for months. The miracles of the earth were the best therapy in the world. Nothing felt better, or compared to stretching out and running her animal on such a beautiful day. The visions around her were better than any painting or pho
to anyone could create. God was the only master artist, and his canvas was breathtaking. The mere sight of his work sent her troubles down the drain and set her heart and mind free.
Her peaceful moment was stopped abruptly at the loud growling and barks that echoed from behind her. Leave it to Logan to ruin the moment. Okay, Kibbles, let’s see how your balance is! Once again, she darted off in a zigzag pattern, leaving the plush grass behind. The earth grew rocky, and it took a conscious effort to maneuver over each boulder and gravel patch without slipping over the side of the cliff into the creek below. His growls and warnings got louder, signaling his distaste for her hiking location preferences. The faster and farther she went, the more his immense irritation rang through with each bark.
A feral snarl stopped her dead in her tracks moments before her footing gave way and she slid off the edge, barely catching herself with her front paws before pummeling to her demise. Her heart pounded in her ears. The world spun, and nausea hit the back of her throat. Logan appeared beside her, hoisting her by the nap of her neck. Once her feet planted all fours back on solid ground, she released the gulp of air that burned her lungs. Both were panting, partly from their trollop through the woods, but more so from the scare of sudden death by cliff dive.
He nuzzled his nose under her neck, snuggling up to comfort and calm her. His affection warmed her heart. Something else sparked inside of her, warming and soothing every cell in her body. Her first reaction was to shy away, but a magnetic pull kept her in place, wanting more. She leaned against him, settling down to lay on the safe surface of the ground. He curled his body around hers, giving her a quick lick on the cheek before tucking her head under his chin.
****
Logan let her nap a good hour before he nudged her to wake up. The feel of her against him was better than he imagined. He looked down at the gorgeous she-wolf beside him, and his heart skipped a beat. She was waking something inside of him that he had never felt, and the feelings were indescribable. He could still smell her sweet perfume that lingered on her fur, and it shot sensations straight to his groin. She was so precious. She was the sexiest girl he had ever met, both in appearance and in personality. Her fire and spunk, combined with her wit and charm, made her even that more alluring.
Logan let out a deep sigh. Shit. I am getting it bad. Why the hell am I thinking about her personality when I have a hot little body snuggled up to me? Okay, a wolf tucked in close, still, if we could shift back right now, her soft curves would be pressed against me. Her soft tits would be on display, ready to be licked…. Ouch!
He yelped in surprise. When he looked to see the cause of pain to his leg, he found a very angry Jessa with her teeth dug in and pissed off growling coming from her. What the hell? She released her bite, and moved back to expose the huge boner that had been poking in her side. Awe shit. Well, at least she’s awake. His wolf ran to hide, making him shift back into human form…boner and all. ‘Oh shit! No! No! No! You coward, don’t you dare leave me naked and at the mercy of a vicious she-wolf!’ Within mere seconds, he now stood stark naked in front of her. Unfortunately, the deep embarrassment didn’t affect his appendage any, it still stood high and mighty against his stomach. With every tiny movement, he could feel it slapping above his belly button. Shit.
If he didn’t know better, he would swear she was almost drooling while her eyes stayed affixed to his now throbbing shaft. Hoping she wouldn’t chomp it off, he cleared his throat. “Uh, sorry about that…it is just the common ol’ nap woody?” He looked in her gleaming eyes, hoping she bought it. When Jessa narrowed her eyes and bared her teeth, he huffed a sigh of defeat. Damn. What now? Please, Lord, don’t let her rip Mr. Happy off. Please! Okay, time to change the subject, and in a hurry!
Logan’s voice squeaked when he spoke, “I think we need to get going. It’s almost dark. I don’t know about you, but I am starving. Do you want to stop and grab something on the way?” He looked at her, waiting for a response. When she rolled her eyes and gave a simple nod, he grinned. Whew. Good save. He glanced down at his dick that had finally started its descent, and sighed. He caught himself before he could reach down and pat it, knowing her reaction more than likely wouldn’t be as nice if she happened to witness the man-gesture. Without saying another word and risking being caught by one of her moody outbursts, he turned and walked toward the place Autumn had promised to leave the clothing. Without turning around, he heard her fall into step behind him, and together they walked in silence.
By the time they arrived at their clothes, Logan wondered if she would be able to change back or not. She had walked slower than him, and he knew she must be either sweet-talking her disgruntled wolf, or worrying about it herself. He slowed down, pretending to observe trees and plants on their path in an attempt to give her the time she needed. Anger and frustration would only keep the animal in form longer, so hopefully she could figure it out before they arrived.
After making a deliberate detour to grab a drink from the fresh spring, and picking berries off a shrub, Jessa spoke, startling him. “Thank you for trying to help, with your sudden obsession with nature and all.” His head snapped around in shock, meeting her shy look.
His heart melted into a puddle. He offered her some berries, and a small smile. “I have no idea what you are talking about. I happen to like nature, and I am starving. Some cute little she-wolf ran me around without food or drink for a long time.” She took the berries and smiled back with relief spreading across her features like the crystal-clear creek in front of them. Hoping she wouldn’t scare off, he carefully slipped her hand in his and waited for the slap. When she didn’t leave a handprint on his manly good looks, he unclenched his eyes and walked. He wanted to sneak a peek at her but knew it would blow all of the progress he was making, so he resisted. They arrived shortly at the piles of clothing, and both dressed in silence.
Only after she was fully clothed did Logan finally look at her. Her expression held a mix of surprise, and confusion. Why is she confused? What, did she expect me to try to mangle her while she was nekkid? I am going to have to treat her like a skittish deer instead of a wolf. Is she scared about all of this? Did someone try to hurt her? His mind whirled with unanswered questions. One thing was for certain—only time would tell.
He opened the door to his bright yellow pickup truck, and carefully boosted her up into the cab. The lift kit made it hard for anyone under six foot to get in, making it easy for his six foot four, two hundred pound frame to get in with ease and any potential dates would need assistance. It had been a carefully planned added feature. It assured close contact with any girl that rode with him, and an excuse to let his hands ‘accidently’ slide down their butt while he helped them up. Once she was on the step rails, her foot slipped and sent her toppling back into his awaiting arms. “I gotcha. Are you okay?”
Instead of the normal irritation that usually projected from Jessa, she met his gaze with a small smile. “Yeah, sorry. I don’t know why I am so clumsy lately. Thank you.” She snaked one arm around his neck and leaned in closer to him.
He was more than surprised, and decided to test the waters while the small window of opportunity was open. “You are probably exhausted, Jessa. I can’t imagine how hard all of this is for you. Listen, I know that you think I’m like the rest, but I’m not. I am here for you, okay?” He crossed his fingers, and hoped for the best. When she hugged him, he had to hold in a groan. The sweet smell of lilacs drifted up his nose, sending an electric current straight to his cock. He tried to keep the reaction his body was having to himself but couldn’t resist catching a stray strand of her golden hair and tucking it behind her ear. The simple brush against her cheek made his wolf go wild. The subtle shiver that ran through her was also a delightful surprise. She feels it too. Damn, I am so going to get punched for this, but I have to give it a try. As if in slow motion, he lowered his lips to her cheek and placed a soft kiss. When she released a breathless moan, his balls loaded up and threatened to blow in his jeans.
Fuck! Keep it together! One wrong move and she will lock up tighter than Alcatraz. Okay. Think Bambi. She is like a scared fawn.
Instead of taking her mouth like he wanted, he lifted her gently into the truck. Her reaction was priceless. Her face was twisted up in confusion, as if she had expected him to rip her jeans off and take her right there just because of the simple moment they had just shared. Hoping she would continue gradually letting her guard down, he flashed a sweet smile and gave her a wink before he walked around and climbed into the driver’s side. She still stared wide-eyed, and he pretended not to notice. “Okay, what do you want for dinner? Burgers or pizza?”
After a long pause, he looked over at her. She hesitantly answered, “Chinese. I would kill for some Chinese right now.”
“Chinese it is. Do you want to go in and eat, or get take-out?”
“Let’s get take-out. We can eat it at the house.” She glanced around the floorboard looking for something. “Shit. I didn’t grab my purse. Never mind, I can just find something at the house. I totally forgot about it.”
“What, were you going to carry it in your teeth? You were on all fours, remember?” His eyebrow cocked up in a teasing mock. “Look under the seat. I had Braden bring it, along with a duffle bag of your things from your apartment.”
Rush Against Time Page 3
