by V. Vaughn
Tears fill my eyes, and my vision is blurry as I enter my house. I glance at the remaining muffins sitting on my counter and let myself cry.
37
The next morning, I’m up early after a sleepless night tossing and turning as I replayed what happened with Warren and Dave a million times. Dave came here for the woman I was, but she’s gone. Perhaps my relationship with Dave prepared me for who I am today.
While my love for Warren was born from a fated bond, I think it’s real. My true mate is working on making it that way for me. I recall the muffins and the way he’s coming to terms with his prejudice against humans. I realize if he’s willing to work on us, then I need to be too.
Another event is scheduled this evening at the club, and I’m not due in to work until noon. I think I need to deal with my situation as soon as possible.
I’m hoping the muffins I make will at least get me in the door to Warren’s house. I found a decadent chocolate recipe online that may as well be cake. The aroma is so delicious, my mouth waters as I place the warm muffins in a bowl and cover it with a tea towel to trap some of the heat.
I’m also not above sex appeal to get what I want, and I dressed in a tight shirt with a low neckline and push-up bra along with a snug pencil skirt that emphasizes my curves. I’d wear stilettos too, but I’m not sure that’s such a good idea to walk across the lawn, so I settled on strappy sandals instead.
Rain fell overnight, and the grass is wet with moisture. My toes get soaked as I cross the lawn to Warren’s. I talk to myself on the way. “Boy, these muffins smell good. Nothing like a little chocolate to start off your day with the one you love.” I grin to myself as I imagine Warren rolling his eyes at me. My feet tap lightly up his steps. “I bet they would taste good with a cup of coffee.”
Warren opens the door before I get to it. He holds it for me as he steps aside to let me by without saying a word. I keep talking. “You know, when a man promises they’ll never keep things from the woman they love, it’s expected that she’ll do the same.” I hold out the bowl toward Warren. “And she would have if she’d actually remembered her ex existed.” I glance down at his crotch and take a deep breath to let out with a sigh. “Darn distractions.”
He takes a muffin, and his lips twitch before he takes a bite. I think he’s trying not to smile. I say, “She’s really sorry and needs to tell you something else.”
Now Warren raises his eyebrows, and I quickly add, “I love you. And it’s a love I never imagined was possible. I know Dave said I loved him so much it was scary, but he was wrong. It’s you I love so much it’s scary. I’d rather die than be without you.”
Warren swallows hard, and he scans me with his gaze. He does it slowly, and I squirm as desire makes me signal my attraction. His nostrils flare a bit as he says, “I may have overreacted a bit.” He sets his muffin down on the table and grabs my hips to yank me against his body. His hands are hot on my skin as he slides them under the hem of my tee and says, “Finagling?”
I lift my arms over my head and say, “Wait. There’s one more thing.”
Warren groans as he removes my shirt, and his breath tickles my skin as he lowers his mouth to my breasts and asks, “Sure it can’t wait?”
He swirls his tongue around my silk-clad nipple, and I say, “Bite me.”
He pulls back to gaze at me with an intensity that makes me happy I said it. “I want to be yours forever, Warren.”
“You’re ready to become a werewolf?”
I reach behind my back to unhook my bra, and the satin is smooth on my shoulders as the straps fall. “Yes.”
Warren pulls his shirt off over his head and says, “You understand the insatiable need for sex will only be multiplied until mating season ends.”
The zipper of my skirt hums as I lower it. “I think you can keep me satisfied.” I wiggle my hips slowly as I remove it.
“Can you call in sick to work today?” Warren steps out of his shorts, and I lick my lips as I take in his spectacular body as he says, “I’m not sure I want you going newly changed.”
The preparations are done for my event, and all that’s required is someone to supervise, so I’m sure it won’t be a problem. I say, “Yes.”
Warren holds out his hand. “Come with me.”
He leads me down a hallway and to his bedroom. I take in the simple decor and dark-stained wood furniture. I notice a plant on his bedside table. I gasp when I realize it’s the one he took the day we met. “Is that my plant?”
“Someone had to save it.”
I kiss the man that saved more than my plant. He saved my hope for someone to love me the way I deserve. He saved me. We tumble to his bed, and the headboard bangs on the wall. I giggle as I recall the mark I’ll need to repair from our romp in my bedroom. Warren begins to kiss his way down my body for a taste, but I stop him. His hair is silky in my fingers as I grab his head. “No. I want you inside me when I come. When you catapult me out of the stratosphere, I’m going to take you with me.”
He crawls over me to slide his cock along my slit, and the sensation makes me lift my hips to beg for his thrust. He says, “There is so much I could teach you, Sophie.”
I slap his arm. “Then teach me, please.”
Warren slides into me slowly, and I sigh as he fills me completely. He watches me as he moves. He makes it all about me as he rubs my clit with his thumb. When I look at him, I feel the love I see in his eyes. I’m close to my climax, and I say, “I’m ready.”
I stare in awe as his wolf flashes in his eyes and his fangs grow. This time when he growls, it sends a shiver down my spine that’s pure pleasure, and I arch up toward his mouth. I whisper, “I’m yours. Forever.”
Sharp pain comes when he sinks his teeth into me, and I cry out. The burning pleasure that races through me makes me scream from ecstasy so intense, I think I might black out. When I’m coherent, I sigh as Warren laps at my wound. I glance down and notice it’s already closed up. “That’s amazing,” I say.
“My darling mate, this is only the beginning.”
“Mates.” I smile as I push hair out of Warren’s face. “I like the sound of that.”
“Do you?” A wicked grin covers his face. “I like the sound you just made. I’ll give you a minute before I make you do it again.”
“I love you, Warren.”
His smile fades, and I wonder if emotion is making his throat thick too. He speaks telepathically to me. “I love you, Sophie, my true mate.” He leans down and kisses me tenderly.
Now I don’t bother to hold back my tears, and hot moisture falls down the side of my face as I kiss my forever love.
38
The tile countertop of Warren’s kitchen is cold on my bottom as I sit dressed in one of his T-shirts and hold a carton of ice cream. The creamy flavor is so intense now with my new wolf senses that it’s almost too much. I spoon some into my mate’s mouth as I ask, “Is the full-moon thing true?”
He’s sitting next to me, and I snuggle against his chest as it rumbles with his words. “Are you feeling anything that’s making you anxious? Since tonight is the full moon, I expect it to be harder for you to control your shift. That’s why I didn’t think you should go into work.”
I’m dying to shift for the first time, but Warren wants me to wait until dark so we can go out and run. He says I’m going to need to move. Considering the lake has a number of humans on it, it’s probably best two wolves aren’t seen running around, so I agreed. “No,” I say. My legs barely notice the impact when I hop off the counter, and I reach down to feel my newly defined quads. “Whoa.” I twist and bend my knee a bit as I cock my hip in a pose. “Am I hot now, or what?”
Warren shakes his head as he grins. “You really want to know my answer to that question? I thought you said you were sore.”
I relax and frown, because he’s right. “Yeah. I thought I had magic healing powers now.”
“You do.” Warren pretends he’s looking at the watch he doesn’t wea
r. “I give you about an hour before you’ll be raring to go.”
I waggle my eyebrows at him. “Then you’d better eat up. I’ve got plans for you.” Water rushes as I fill a glass to drink.
Warren mutters, “I’ve created a monster.”
“I can hear that now.” I glance out the window at the orange sunset. It won’t be long before it’s dark and I can let my wolf out. While I wouldn’t say she’s uncontrollable, I am aware that she wants to play. I do too. I called Caroline, and she and Trixie plan to meet me tonight as wolves. Talk about a strange girl’s night out.
My stomach growls as I flip the water off, and I say, “I should probably eat protein; I’m really hungry.”
“How does steaks on the grill sound?”
“Like dinner,” I say. “I’ve got things for a salad next door.”
Warren gets down from the counter, and I slide my arms around his waist and reach up on my tiptoes to kiss him. “I’ll be right back.” I notice his touch is no longer hot, and I miss it a little until he tugs me in tighter and gives me a kiss back that makes me forget what I was going to do.
When he releases me, I hurry off before we get too distracted to eat. I step into my cottage with a new perspective. Not only do I notice dust I’ve never seen before, but the scents I detect make me aware of how obtuse I was as a human. No wonder Warren knew what I was thinking most of the time. I left so many clues. It occurs to me that he’s known about my attraction to him since the very first time we met, and it wasn’t just the words he overheard. He could smell my arousal and probably hear my heartbeat race.
I smile as I open the fridge, and cold blasts at my face. I think he was attracted to me too, and even though it was futile to avoid his true mate, Warren chose to ignore it until we touched at Paul and Caroline’s. I imagine how things might have played out if we had made contact that first day. With an armload of vegetables, I make way across the lawn and fantasize about a soaking-wet version of Warren in the laundry room.
Before I get to the door, I say, “I sure hope it rains soon. Do you remember the day we first met?”
Warren turns to me. “Why do you think I didn’t speak?” He grabs peppers from my hands. “Your scent overwhelmed me in a way I’d never felt before. I had to get away so I wouldn’t ravish you on the hood of your car.”
“Really?” I dump the rest of the food on the counter with a thump then shove it out of the way as I say, “Hmm, we might have to act that out.” I stretch my arms out over the counter and press my chest on it to present my bare butt to him. I glance over my shoulder. “Or maybe we could just practice the hood-of-the-car thing right here.”
Warren growls as he strips off his shorts. “I love mating season.”
After a bit of exercise and dinner, it’s time for me to make my first shift. Warren strips in front of me as we stand behind his house. A howl sounds in the distance, and the soft cotton of my shirt brushes over my skin when I remove it to hang on a hook. I ask, “How many wolves will I meet tonight?”
“Dozens. You’re a big deal.”
“How so?”
Warren takes my hands. “The pack has waited a long time for the alpha and beta to find a mate. Paul has Caroline, and now I have you.”
“Yes. You do.” I reach up and stroke his cheek, and a dusting of silver stubble shines in the moonlight.
He says, “Tonight is only the beginning of the celebration we’ll have. Just wait until our next pack meeting.”
I think about how my sister spent weeks making curried shrimp in order to compete with the other women of the pack. I scowl, because it sounds sexist to me. “I’ve heard about the best-dish thing. Do I really have to do that?”
Warren grins at me. “I’m going to tell you a little secret. There are plenty of men that do the cooking, but their mates present the dish. We can do ours together if you want.”
I smile up at him. “How about muffins?”
He chuckles and then pinches my butt, making me squeal. “Enough talk,” he says. “It’s time to shift.”
I take a deep breath. “I’m ready. What do I do?”
“Watch me.” Warren walks in a small circle, and I mimic his movements as he says, “Now focus on your wolf and let her come out.”
I imagine the pressure of her presence growing, and I experience a sensation that feels likes stretching, stinging, and joints popping all at the same time before I realize I’m on all fours. I gaze at my feet and find creamy-white fur tinged with black. “I’m a wolf.”
“A very beautiful one.”
I glance over at the massive brown wolf across from me. His blue eyes are vivid against his fur. “You’re incredible.”
“Come, my mate. Let’s run.”
I follow after Warren with the energy of a teenager. My body is supple, and my limbs are powerful as we gallop. I wonder if my werewolf-infused human form might be the same, and I hope so. I may even take up jogging if it is.
He leads me through sparse woods to a large clearing. Multiple wolves are there, and they form a semicircle in front of us when we arrive. Two wolves stay near us, and I gaze at them to realize they’re Paul and Caroline. My sister nuzzles me, and even though we can’t speak, I know she’s happy for me.
The large black wolf that I’m sure is Paul lets out a howl. It’s loud and powerful, and when everyone joins in, I’m filled with the warmth of belonging. I open my mouth when I notice Warren does, and we add our voices to the pack.
When it’s finally silent again, I communicate with my mate. “That was amazing. I felt as if I’m connected to everyone in the pack.”
“Because you are, Sophie. There isn’t one member of the Silver Lake Wolves that won’t have your back.”
I think I understand now what Trixie and Caroline were telling me when they said once I’m a werewolf I’ll wonder how I could have been happy as a human. Another female wolf comes to stand near me, and when she nuzzles Caro and me, I’m sure it’s my niece. I nip at her and run so she’ll chase me like when she was a small child. She takes me up on the offer, and my sister joins in on the game too.
When my frolicking is over, Warren finds me, and I communicate with him to say, “I’m exhausted. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun.”
I lean against my true mate, and he replies, “I’m glad. Come on home with me now. Let’s end the night in each other’s arms.”
I lick his snout. “There’s no place I’d rather be.” As we make our way home, I realize that my hope for a man to love me as much as I love him has been more than answered. I’ve found a family in the pack, and never again will I ever crave love I can’t have. Because now, I have it in spades.
39
Warren hoists the large basket out of my car, and the hatch slams shut as I stand and stare at the building before me. The Silver Lake Lodge is where the pack meets once a month for business and a potluck dinner. The cedar shingles are weathered gray with time, and a wrap-around porch is scattered with a few werewolves in conversation.
I suppose I should be nervous that this is my night to be presented to the pack, but I’m not. Ever since the evening I joined in on the full moon ritual gathering, I’ve felt nothing but welcomed by the werewolves. Now that I am one, my scent is like a calling card that lets every other wolf in town know who I am. Warren was right; as the beta’s mate, I am a big deal, and everyone I run into congratulates me and spends time finding out who I am.
Heat rises from the asphalt as we make our way to the lodge. Warren says hello to a few of the men on the porch, and they nod to me before we go inside. Caroline must have been watching for me, because she heads over to us right away and grabs Trixie as she comes. “There she is,” says Caro. She takes my arm and says to Warren, “Go do the leader thing with Paul. We’ve got this covered.”
Trixie takes the basket from my mate, and he kisses my cheek as he communicates telepathically, “Call me if it gets too overwhelming.”
“I’ll be fine, thanks.”
“They’re nothing special,” I say. “I decided to let everyone else shine. Competition isn’t my thing.”
“Nonsense,” says Caroline. “They look scrumptious. Everyone will love them.”
Trixie sets the basket down as I’m so overcome with the odor of so much yummy food that my stomach growls.
“Katie!” calls Trixie. I glance in the direction she’s looking to see a dark-haired girl with a crying toddler on her hip. She hands the child to an older woman and makes her way toward us. I notice Trixie’s babies with the group of ladies that I assume are the pack grandmothers. My niece says, “Katie, this is my Aunt Sophie. The one that rented your parents’ place.”
The girl holds out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. We’ve all been waiting for Warren to find the one.” She diverts her attention from me to wave at someone, and three other women come over.
I’m introduced to Devon, Raven, and Kayla. Kayla lived in my cottage at one point too and tells me a story about how Warren saved her. I learn though our conversation that these women used to be human too, and I realize I’m part of a special group.
Talk turns to motherhood, and two more women named Andi and Mia join us. I discover that the girls all think they conceived this year. Five of them, including Caroline, know for sure. I can’t help but place my hand on my stomach and wonder if in the few short weeks I’ve been with Warren I’ve managed to get pregnant too.
Trixie asks me, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if the three Quinn women had babies at the same time?”
I shake my head and say to Caroline, “I almost feel too old to do this.”
