by Ryan Michele
“Holy shit,” the doctor says, reading something.
“What?” I move, sit on the bed, and pull Kenly’s body into mine, keeping her covered. Her breathing grows labored, the thump in her neck moving rapidly.
“Magic.” He turns, the color draining from his face. “It’s either witch or fairy. I have to run some more tests, but that’s what this says.”
“How can a human have magic?” I’ve been around a long damn time and each of those two groups keeps their magic strictly to themselves. Never sharing. Ever.
“Kenly, do you have any witches or fairies in your family?” She bursts out laughing, shaking so hard I release her and she sits up straight.
“Witches and fairies. You people have lost your minds!” she exclaims, shaking her head repeatedly.
“Baby, you already know that wolves exist, why would we lie about this?” I school my tone, trying not to sound defensive, but fall a bit short.
“Oh, I believe they exist. I have no doubt, especially after seeing Lily change before my eyes. What’s so funny is imagining any of my family, the conservative, uppity, walk-all-over-anyone-who-gets-in-their-way Conners being witches or fairies,” she explains, trying to catch her breath.
“No one has ever told you that you have magic in you?” I ask, pulling her back into me and loving the feel of her warmth.
“No. Never.” She pauses. “But that would explain how I got feelings when bad things were going to happen, or how I can hear things clearly that are pretty far away.”
“You do?” Puzzled. Definitely puzzled by this woman. I need to pull Lily aside soon and find out everything she learned about Kenly during their chat. I wanted to be the one to talk with her about everything, but it was in Kenly’s best interest to have her calm. Therefore, I asked Lily to.
“It’s not all the time, just when it seems to matter. Like the attacks. My gut told me that I should just go home, but I didn’t listen and went out. Then this shit happened.”
The shit that brought you to me. I try not to begrudge her comment, but a spark of anger flares.
“Doctor, run the tests and find out what magic she has,” I order. “You feeling all right?” I give a squeeze.
“I’m all right.”
“Why don’t you get dressed and I can show you around the den?” Only thing I’d love to do more is fuck her and claim her, but she’s already confused enough. She needs time to wrap her head around everything.
“Uh…”
“What, baby?”
“Do you have any other clothes for me to wear? I don’t know whose clothes I had on before but they were ginormous and I had to hold them up.”
I chuckle. “Those were my clothes so yes, they would be huge on you.”
“Max, I brought her down some of mine. They may still be a bit big, but better than yours,” Lily adds and I’m very grateful for her help.
“Thank you,” Kenly says, rising from the bed and I reluctantly let go of her. “Bathroom?”
I point to the door on the right. She steps through and shuts it with a click.
I waste no time.
“Doctor. What can you tell me?” I don’t know if he’s hiding shit or if he just didn’t want to say it in front of Kenly.
“Beta, the magic in her is strong and I don’t see how she couldn’t have known it was there. It’s not a spell. It’s actual magic from her blood. She has either witches or fairies in her bloodline and it's imperative that we find out which. They may be able to help her during the transfer process. It may be the difference between life and death.” The doctor chews his lip in thought. “Give me about twenty minutes and I should know for sure which type it comes from.”
“Fine. I expect a phone call as soon as you have answers. We’ll remain on the grounds.” Anything that deals with her life is a damn high priority.
“As you wish, Max.” The doctor gets to work with his machines and whatever else he has going on. Lily stands by the door, seeming to want to leave, but indecisive.
“Lily?” Her eyes dart to me, coming out of her thoughts.
“Sorry.” I lift my chin, urging her to continue. “I…I just don’t know why my healing didn’t work. It has never not worked. I just don’t understand.” The pain in her voice is palpable and it tightens my gut. Any time one of the wolves feels distress I ache for them.
“We’ll figure it out. Go ahead and do your day. I’m going to take Kenly around and show her the beauty of the grounds. Get some fresh air.”
“Of course, Max.” She spares a glance at the closed bathroom door then leaves the room, her shoulders hunched in defeat.
“Doctor, you are cleared to stay here during the duration of the change. We’ll get you a room and all settled after you get the results of the blood.”
“I appreciate the opportunity to be involved in the change.” He doesn’t even look up but I really don’t give a shit.
The door to the bathroom opens and my heart pulsates. Her long hair is pulled up into a tight ponytail that falls to the middle of her back. The clothes Lily got her are not big at all. They fit her to a T, showing me those beautiful curves. This woman is heart-stopping with clothes or without. I’d prefer without and with my dick inside of her, but all good things come to those who wait. Too bad for me I’m not a patient man.
“Ready?”
Her face glows. “Yep. I’d love to see your home.” And I’d love nothing better than to show her.
It’s not often that I get to show off our property. We don’t have many visitors around here. We like it that way. Our kind likes to be in the shadows. The humans here in Lakeside haven’t been freaked out or scared of us. At least I haven’t heard anything of the sort. We just stay in our own separate worlds, and it makes it easier to coexist. It’s just that no one is coming to our den selling cookies.
Sure, men bring their mates back here and show them everything, but me never. I’m proud of what we have accomplished and what we have gained over the years. We are one of the strongest packs around and when Zara’s father challenged us, I knew we would win. We’re good like that. That’s not cocky. We have trained our asses off to become this way. And it’s because all of us work together. There are no divides and every wolf respects the hierarchy. Alpha, Beta, Gamma and then the enforcers. Some packs only have a few enforcers, but in our pack everyone under Gamma is an enforcer. I believe this tactic is what has kept us above all the rest.
Not to mention that Xavier is a kickass alpha and now that he has Zara by his side, he’s a slight bit easier. I say slight because alphas don’t give much away. I’m proud to serve under him, no matter what gets thrown in our laps. Right now, I just need her to survive the transition or nothing else will make a lick of difference.
As I breathe in the fresh air, a whiff of Kenly slides like silk through my nostrils. She pulls the tie from her ponytail, her soft hair blowing lightly in the breeze, the smile on her face beautiful as she soaks in the sunlight.
“This is gorgeous, Max.”
I follow her gaze and find she is focused on the woods and the rock-filled waterfall. It is gorgeous and one of the main reasons this place was picked centuries ago. Back then, though, our pack didn’t have this kickass den. It was more of a cave then, but that was all that was needed. As time went on, all of us worked together and built this home. Lots of blood, sweat, and tears went into making it, but the waterfall is the ultimate beauty and focal point.
“That waterfall has been here for thousands of years and is our water supply. We have tapped into it through a pump that brings it into the den. We take a lot of precautions to keep this open and undisturbed.”
She hooks her fingers in the belt loops of her pants, pulling them away from her skin and giving me a flash of her stomach. True, I’ve seen her naked, but any form of replay I’m game for. “Do you swim in it?”
I chuckle. “Of course. Maybe later we’ll jump in.”
“Yes! That would be wonderful.” She really is the woman after
my heart.
I interlace our fingers, smiling when she doesn’t pull away, and we begin our walk of the woods.
Kenly
THIS IS THE MOST SERENE, most fantastic place I have ever had the pleasure of viewing. The trees must be hundreds of years old because there is no way I’m getting my arms around them, and I bet if you climbed one you could see for miles and miles. The way the leaves rustle and branches sway is unbelievably calming. With the sunlight shining through the trees, it looks like some fairytale, magical garden and well, I guess it kind of is.
I knew there were wolves, like Max, but to know they’re there and to actually see they’re there are two totally different things. Is it wrong of me that I want Max to shift so I can see him? That I don’t feel the slightest bit scared that I’m out in the woods with a wolf that could kill me at any moment? That him holding my hand is one of the best feelings I’ve felt in a really long time?
No. No it’s not. It can’t be. My heart is leading and I like where it’s going.
Just off to the side of the den and over a cliff is a magnificent clearing. The grass is bright green without a weed in sight, like someone took exceptional care mowing the place. It’s so large it could probably fit five football fields. “This is where we play,” Max says.
Play. “Like football?” Cause that’s a lot of space even for that.
God, I love his chuckle. “Football, soccer, all the human sports.” I cringe at his use of the term ‘human’ as it reminds me that I am one and soon I may not be, or worse, I might not be anything. I shake my rattled brain. “But we also fight.”
I gasp, my thoughts tangled. “Like, hurt each other?” I don’t care who you are, wolf or human, no one should want to intentionally hurt someone else. Well, unless they do something to you, then you knee him in the balls.
“Yeah, babe. We have to keep in shape and we have to keep our skills finely tuned. So there are days when we all come out here and battle it out. We don’t kill one another, but it is known to leave some marks and blood.”
“You really shouldn’t be doing that.” My heart pains at just the mention of him getting hurt. No. That can’t happen. He can’t get hurt.
His eyes gleam with amusement. “Babe, it is the way of our kind. Soon to be your kind. It’s something we’ll work on. One step at a time.”
Yeah, because if I die during the change all of this is pointless. Don’t think about it. “Okay.” What better way to stop talking about a subject with a man than just to agree with him.
“Over there.” He points off in the distance to what looks like a little house. Wood siding and windows even. And yes, it did get him off the subject. “Is where we keep all of our toys? One day we’ll get them out and play.”
Uh… “I’m not really the sports type of woman. I mean I’ll sit and watch a game, know the difference between offense and defense, but playing it is not really my thing.” With each step we take into the field, the sun’s rays hit, the little prickling on my skin is welcome.
“Don’t worry, babe. I bet you’re a fast learner and I can be a great teacher.” He winks and it is sexy as hell. This gorgeous, tall, sexy man is flirting with me. Duh, he says you’re his mate, remember? Oh yeah. We need to discuss this whole mate thing. I’m not too sure I’m clear on this and I’d kind of like to weigh in on the important things in my life.
“Can we sit and talk?”
He stops abruptly, tugging my arm slightly. “Of course.” He sits down right where we are standing and pulls me down. He plants me in between his legs like I weigh nothing at all.
“I didn’t mean right here. We could have found a bench or something.”
His chest moves in silent laughter. “What do you have on that beautiful mind of yours?”
How in the hell do you say this? I don’t understand this whole thing with you wanting to fuck me for centuries? This has to be one of the weirdest conversations I’ll ever have in my lifetime. I think for a moment.
“I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just blurting it out.” I pause as a spectacular bald eagle soars above us, circling and then disappearing. “I’ve never seen one of those so close.”
“We get them out here all the time. What’s on your mind because I know it’s not eagles.” His arms wrap tight around my body, pulling me closer to him. Contentment and warmth spread through me. I could sit like this for just about forever and let the peacefulness continue.
Playtime is over though. “Mating. Claiming. I need you to explain these things to me.” His chest shakes again. “What is so damn funny?” I try to move but his arms become steel, not allowing me to go anywhere.
“Thought we went over all this?”
He’s kidding, right? Right? “We touched on it, but never really talked about it. And I need you to explain it to me because it seems like I don’t have a choice in the matter.” His entire body freezes like I’ve doused him in a flash of ice or slapped him across the face. Shit. What did I say?
“You always have a choice, Kenly. If you don’t want to be with me after the change, then I deal. But you always have a choice.” His tone is harsh, teeth gritted. I really pissed him off. Shit.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m just trying to understand. You said before that you smell me and that is how you know. First, how do you do that, and second, why don’t I?” I’m pretty sure I know the answer to the second, but I need to hear it out loud.
He inhales deeply then tightens around me, his nose in my hair. Yep, kind of like that too. “Wolves have special abilities. We are stronger and faster than any humans. We can also hear, smell, and see things that the human eye cannot. Such as I can see in the dark with no lights. My eyes adjust and allow me to keep going on my way. I can hear things miles away and I can smell quite a ways away also. Wolves release a pheromone.” Like humans when they’re horny? “Kind of like humans.” Answers that one. “But it is a particular kind that only one select wolf of the opposite sex can smell. It is unique, and very special. When I first inhaled your scent, I knew right away.” I lift my arms and sniff under my arms. Not great, but not horrible either. His body shakes again. “Not that smell. That just adds to you. It’s hard to describe and I’ve never had to so I’m at a bit of a loss.”
I have to give the guy a reprieve. “Okay, so it’s something special and unique that only two wolves in the world will smell and when they do, they are mated.”
“Well, that was a lot easier to say.”
“But the doctor said that you smell me because the other wolves bit me. That their DNA is changing me. How do you know that you aren’t smelling one of them? That one of them isn’t your mate.” This has been plaguing me ever since he brought up the smell thing. Then with what the doctor said about the DNA, it didn’t fit.
“Two things,” he says without a thought. “One, I know because the three wolves that attacked you, were all males. Second, because my nose knows. It wouldn’t deceive me like this.”
I ponder his words and strangely, I feel a bit relieved by his answer. “And I can’t smell you because I’m human?”
“Unfortunately, that is correct. With the wolf saliva waking up the change, I smell it plain as day. You will more than likely not until you turn wolf.” My insides clench and a question is on the tip of my tongue and I want to ask it so damn bad, but I’m also afraid of the answer.
We sit quietly for a few long moments, and I will my backbone to straighten. “Max, if I’m your mate, what happens if I die during the transition?”
The tightness in his body returns, only this time, he’s stone and I don’t like it one damn bit. “First, this will be the last time I hear you say that you are going to die. Do you get me?”
At his shocking tone, I answer quickly. “Yes.”
“Second. I don’t want to think about that as an option. So, I’d rather not discuss it.” His words are precise and leave me no room for argument. Shit.
I change the topic quickly. “So, what
does mating or mated mean?” It’s sex right? I mean, any dick and pussy can mate. Hell, they can mate if they’re the same sex, just can’t procreate.
Some of the tension in Max releases. “It’s what it sounds like. Sex, babe. But it’s different for wolves. When the mating bond happens something inside of you changes. I don’t know exactly because I haven’t gone through it, but from what others tell me it’s like nothing you’ve ever felt before.” He gives me a soft squeeze. “And I can’t wait to find out with you.”
“But you’ve known me a whole what, less than twenty-four hours? I mean, I could be a raging bitch and I am during my time of the month, mind you. Or I could have a horrible dick of a father who will want to kill you for even coming near his daughter. Or I could really—”
“Lily told you. In our world it’s about smell. That is our tell all. Everything else falls into place like a magic puzzle. Will we fight? Hell yeah. Will we like everything each other does? Hell no. But at the end of the day, we have each other. True, there may not be love at first, but hopefully, as time goes on that last piece of the puzzle will click into place.”
A thousand different scenarios roll through my head. One being this guy is batshit crazy. I mean, yes, I feel attracted to him, but he’s hot, it’s expected. Yes, he comforted me and calmed me when Lily couldn’t. But I don’t know, what about the dating for years and finding out he’s the one, then getting married and doing all that? It’s like we skip right to marriage with no lead up.
I’m not sure I’m okay with that. “So, we’re supposed to get married?” It comes out in a breathy whisper.
“Well, our kind don’t get married the way humans do, but we have a mating ceremony that is kind of like it. We vow to each other, but there is no exchanging of rings.” I’m not sure I like that either. I’ve always thought I’d get a beautiful engagement ring that I’d show off to my friends and then a big, white wedding with all the bells and whistles. Looking back, it looks rather petty and too flamboyant and not really me. What would I tell my friends anyway? I’m getting married to a wolf—oh, and by the way, I’m one too.
