by Tamsin Ley
His blood turned to ice. Was she not a shifter? He inhaled deeply, sorting through the other smells to focus on hers. His wolf insisted she was both shifter and his mate. Definitely wolf. Something like ashes. Vomit. Perhaps she was suffering a form of post-traumatic stress amnesia. Every protective urge in his body surged to full strength.
Uncaring of who might be watching from the other end of the alley, he removed his shirt and held it toward her. “What’s your name?”
“Ashlyn,” she whispered. With a trembling hand, she accepted the shirt. “Ashlyn Reed. I run the bakery.”
He blinked as understanding flooded over him. He’d stopped by the bakery a couple of times to pick up a dozen bear claws to share at the office. Why hadn’t he scented her as his mate then? Hell, he hadn’t even realized she was a shifter. None of this was making any sense. A human shouldn’t be able to become a shifter without visiting the hidden glacial spring, and he doubted that’s what’d happened here.
He glanced toward the bar’s back entrance, where Cal and the Trooper were once more in conversation. The Trooper was human, and part of Cal’s job was to keep him engaged while Kepler investigated. Most humans didn’t know about shifters, and the Shifter Council wanted it kept that way. But what about Ashlyn?
She was choking back sobs and fumbling to put an arm in the shirt he’d given her. Her entire body trembled like leaves in a storm. Until he could figure this out, he needed to protect her. Protect his mate. “You’ve obviously had some shocking experiences tonight. Let me take you somewhere safe so we can talk, okay?”
With a shaky breath, she nodded and rose, giving him a glimpse of her naked body. The mating urge was strong, and he felt his body react, despite the sordid environment. Rein it in, he told himself, keeping his lips secured over his emerging fangs and his eyes cast down to hide their unearthly glow. The last thing Ashlyn needed was a horny mate she didn’t even realize existed.
As her bare feet settled to the dirt, she looked up at him. “I—I’m not supposed to say thank you,” she said with a hiccup, then started to laugh.
He had no idea what that meant, but she was obviously not in her right mind. He had to get her away from the scene and calmed down before asking questions. Before the Trooper or any other humans spotted her, he swept Ashlyn up in both arms. No way was he putting Ashlyn into human law enforcement custody. He could trust Cal to come up with an excuse for his disappearance.
Heading toward the far end of the building, he circled the parking lot toward his Jeep. Ashlyn clung to his neck, her wildflower honey scent laced with tequila, garbage, and the ozone-like odor of magic. Does that mean she might be a rogue, too? His steps faltered as he examined her pink and blue tresses in the light of the moon. No indication of a white spot.
Relieved, he buckled her into the passenger seat and jogged around to the driver’s side. He started the engine and turned toward home. Once he had her safe, he could plan out their next steps.
Ashlyn remained silent as he drove, staring out the windshield and clutching the front of the shirt closed. He pulled into his driveway, grateful for the tall wooden fence between his yard and the neighbor’s. As he turned off the Jeep, Ashlyn seemed to come to life. “Shouldn’t you take me to the hospital?”
“Shifters don’t need hospitals.” The words were out before he thought them through.
“Shifters?” she whispered, eyes round. The smell of adrenaline flooded the Jeep.
He ran a hand over his hair. Idiot. He needed to be more subtle. She didn’t know what she’d become. What her world was going to be like from now on. “You’re going to be okay. I promise. Let’s go inside so I can explain.”
She blinked at him, as if tempted to believe him, then glanced out the window. “Where are we?”
“My house. You can clean up, then I’ll answer all your questions.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why don’t you take me to my house?”
“I can protect you better here.” He let a thread of his Alpha power infiltrate his words, hoping to reassure her he could keep her safe and also to compel her to obey. He generally didn’t use his power because it confused other shifters, making them think he was looking for a pack. Kepler preferred to run as a lone wolf, but now that he had found his mate, that was likely to change.
He opened his door and went around to open hers for her. Too late, he spotted the neighbor’s chihuahua taking a crap on his lawn as it had every day since he’d moved in three months ago. The little fucker had a complex and was in rivalry with the “big dog” next door—aka Kepler’s wolf. The chihuahua started barking.
With fluid dexterity, Ashlyn shifted into a gorgeous cream-colored wolf with an amber ruff. Canines bared, she leaped past him, lunging for the dog.
Kepler tackled her just before her jaws snapped over the smaller animal.
The chihuahua scurried around the fence, unharmed, but yipping in terror.
Twisting free, Ashlyn faced Kepler, front paws set wide. Then her wolf lifted her muzzle and howled, voice resonating with power.
His veins turned to ice. She’s a fucking Alpha? She didn’t even know what a shifter was, and her animal was an Alpha, the most difficult form to control. The ice became daggers through his heart.
His mate was in real trouble.
They both were.
Chapter Three
Ashlyn’s entire body vibrated in the aftermath of the howl, a song with meaning she didn’t understand. She saw through the darkness with more than her eyes—the air smelled sharper and the sounds from nearby houses buzzed like static on a phone line. She hadn’t been able to restrain the urge to put the yipping ankle-biter on the lawn in its place. To punish it. Dominate it.
Then Kepler had crushed her against the damp grass, and she lost interest in killing. Now she wanted something else. Something just as primal. His hard muscles, sexy golden eyes, and woodsy clean scent made her want to lick him all over. Good God, she wanted to shove her nose in his crotch!
Kepler shook his head as if dizzy and demanded, “Change back.”
Power pulsed through his words, a heaviness that made the hackles on her neck and shoulders rise. His golden eyes glowed with unearthly light. A violent desire to prove she would not be controlled swelled inside her, and her muscles coiled to lunge.
“I said shift,” Kepler said again, more guttural this time, a sound she felt in her bones.
Grudgingly, her beast relinquished its hold. Ashlyn conformed back to her familiar human self, crouched on hands and knees against the cool, dewy grass, nighttime breeze caressing her bare skin. She was naked again, the shirt he’d given her scattered in pieces all over the lawn. For some reason, that didn’t bother her now. It felt… natural. She blinked, staring down at her hands splayed on the damp grass. What the hell was happening to her?
To her surprise, Kepler dropped to his hands and knees, touching his nose to hers. Despite her confusion and terror, he seemed exponentially handsome right now. Rough stubble covered his chin, not quite a beard but perfectly trimmed in a way that made her think about how it would feel against her inner thighs. She licked her lips, tilting her chin to bring their mouths closer.
His breath fanned her face. “We have to go inside.”
Next door, the neighbor’s porch light came on, spilling light over the tall fence. She stiffened, remembering the chihuahua. “Did I hurt that dog?”
“It’s fine. Come on.” He rose, dragging her to her feet.
Numbly, she followed him onto the porch. He shielded her from the street with his body as he unlocked the door and ushered her inside a small kitchen with a breakfast nook.
Whatever adrenaline had kicked in earlier was fading fast, and her arms and legs began to tremble. He’d used a word—shifter—in reference to her situation. She would never have believed him if she hadn’t just experienced the change a second time. Am I possessed? Infected? She was so confused.
Resting her weight on one hand against the counter, she breathed de
eply and blinked, staring at an empty egg carton next to a sink holding a few dishes. She didn’t want to cry, exactly, but her eyes felt watery. Weak.
Kepler put an arm around her waist, supporting her against him. “Come on. Once you’re cleaned up, you’ll feel better.”
God, he felt so good. So normal. He guided her through a sparse living area to a bathroom with outdated fixtures and a hamper overflowing with laundry. Her skin reeked like garbage, blood, and sweat, but he was wearing a musky cologne that made her mouth water. Sex ought to be the last thing on her mind right now, but she couldn’t help it. The scent was one that probably got him laid all the time.
The thought of him with another woman made the beast inside of her snarl and rise to the surface, but she used every ounce of willpower to keep it suppressed. Kepler had helped her get it under control once, but that didn’t mean he could do it again, no matter how distracting his cologne was. Plus, the last thing he’d want would be some chick he just pulled from a dumpster.
He picked up a stray sock from the floor and dropped it into the hamper before jamming the lid closed, then leaned into the tub and turned on the shower. He urged her toward the water with a hand at the small of her back. “There you go.”
The only thing grounding her at the moment was his touch, and she couldn’t force herself to step away. She stared at the running water as if hypnotized.
Heaving a deep breath, he toed out of his shoes and stepped into the shower, pulling her after him. “I’ve got you.”
He yanked the plastic shower curtain closed, and she dimly noticed he hadn’t removed his pants. But his chest was bare, and his skin against hers felt so good, so stable, so human. Facing him, she let the water sluice over her scalp and down her back.
He picked up a bottle of shampoo with his free hand and massaged a masculine smelling lather into her hair, his touch more gentle than she expected. Picking up a bar of soap, he rubbed it between his palms then carefully cleansed the tender bite on her shoulder. One at a time, he soaped her hands, taking care to lavish each finger with attention.
She closed her eyes and let him. Although his touch wasn’t intentionally sexual, his warm masculine presence permeated the small space, and a heat was growing between her legs. His fingertips smoothed the grime from her cheeks and chin. The broad pad of his thumb brushed her lips. On instinct, she opened her mouth, flicking her tongue against his wet skin.
He exhaled sharply before pulling free. “Don’t let her control you.”
Is he talking to himself? She opened her eyes, but he turned her around with firm hands and smoothed soapy palms down her back to the top of her buttocks. His thumbs brushed the base of her spine, fingers circling around her hips, then he rubbed down the outsides of her legs. Despite his avoidance of any erogenous zones, the pressure of his touch ignited her desire. In fact, his careful evasion only made her want him more. She had no idea what was wrong with her, but she’d lost control. The funny thing was that she didn’t care.
She placed both palms flat on the tiled wall in front of her and arched her back. Behind her, his breathing roughened. She waited, abdomen tightening as she anticipated his next move.
Slowly, his hands made a return path up the backs of her legs, bypassing her ass to return to her back. “You’re making this difficult,” he grated.
A primal urge she didn’t understand rumbled through her body like thunder. Backing up a step, she rubbed her ass against him. The impressive length of his arousal pulsed hotly through his pants. She moaned. God, he felt so big. So ready. She slid a hand down between her thighs, finding her folds already slick. Her finger slid between them easily, gliding over the sensitive bud. She rocked into him in time with her finger.
A low groan escaped him and his hands dug into her hips. “Stop.”
“I need you.” Had she just said that? She’d thought Detective Kepler Stone was sexy from the first time he’d walked into the bakery, but she wasn’t usually this brazen. After the night she’d had, however, nothing could surprise her. Imagining him slamming into her was a much better thing to focus on than the other things that had happened.
He leaned forward, hard abs against her back, and cupped her breasts. Her nipples sharpened to aching points. She rubbed herself harder, the pressure inside her building. Even so, her own touch wasn’t going to be enough. She needed filled. She needed Kepler.
Turning in his embrace, she reached for his belt, struggling with the water-logged leather. She hadn’t been with a lot of guys, and she’d definitely never been this close to one with an honest to God eight-pack. The bulge in his pants promised it would live up to the rest of his body. His fingers encircled her wrists and pulled her hands up his strong chest to embrace the back of his neck. Pressing his forehead to hers, he met her gaze, the gold glow in his eyes hungry. Voice gravelly with desperation, he whispered, “You need to slow down. This means more than you realize.”
She didn’t know why, but she wanted to cry. Her loneliness since moving to Kenai faded, and in this moment, she had the distinct feeling she would never be lonely again. This moment was important. Connected. She angled her face until their lips brushed. “I want to be with you.”
Kepler inhaled deeply, chest swelling against her naked breasts, and his hands fell to her hips. He leaned in, claiming the kiss she offered. She slid one hand from behind his neck and cupped his cheek, his whiskers rough against her palm as their lips explored each other. God, he was good, the perfect balance between gentle and firm, and she felt clumsy compared to him. He sucked gently on her top lip, pivoting them under the spray until her back rested against the tiled wall.
She lifted one leg, hooking it over his hip, and he leaned in, rolling the hard line beneath his fly against her center. She moaned against his mouth. Kepler pushed his tongue between her lips, dipping shallowly past her teeth. Ashlyn gasped and tilted her head, accepting his entry. He plunged his tongue deeper and harder, each stroke of his tongue mimicked by a gentle roll of his hips. Crushing her against the tile, he kissed her into senselessness, his erotic movements turning her insides to liquid heat.
His hand slid between her thighs. When he found her waiting heat, he buried his face against her neck, nibbling along the edge of her throat in a way that made her gasp.
Tilting into his touch, she clutched the bulging muscles of his shoulders while he worked her. His expertise made her dizzy as he ran his touch along her slick folds. One finger dipped inside her and her inner walls clenched around him. He growled and sucked hard on her neck. He’d probably made a bruise, but she liked it.
She hung on while he pushed in and out of her with his finger, drawing her toward climax. She was close. Frustratingly close. But she needed more.
She reached for his belt again. “I want you inside me.”
This time, he didn’t stop her. He pulled back enough to let her fumble with his buckle, his fingers continuing the aching rhythm that left her gasping for breath. By the time she had him free, her eyes were rolling back with pleasure. Still, she was determined to take this all the way. Take him all the way. She wrapped her fingers around his searing shaft and guided the head to her entrance. The man was enormous, pulsing and thick and hot.
Kepler exhaled, and she looked up to find his eyes on hers. The glow behind them was like a furnace, its flames ready to consume her. He bared his teeth and grated, “I can’t stop.”
“I don’t want you to.”
One large hand slid up the back of her thigh, lifting her against him. Wrapping her other leg behind him, she locked her ankles. With a snarl, he slid into her. His girth filled her, stretched her. So big. Almost too much, but it felt amazing to finally have him inside her. He held there, pinning her against the tiles, buried deep inside her. Her hands clawed into his shoulders, and her insides fluttered around him on the verge of ecstasy. She threw her head back and moaned, “More.”
Easing out slowly, he adjusted his grip under her ass and brought his chest against hers, leani
ng forward to claim her lips. His tongue plunged into her mouth in time with his next stroke. She tightened both legs around his hips, drawing him deep. His next stroke was harder. Faster. Surer. Then he was driving into her, pressing her back against the cool tiles, his mouth moving along her throat, stubble rough against her sensitive skin as he nipped and sucked. She braced her shoulder blades against the wall, finding it hard to breathe against the pressure of her building climax.
She exploded with blinding intensity and screamed his name, shuddering with the contractions of her inner walls. He slammed deep inside her again, snarling as she tightened around his thick shaft. His sudden release filled her with jets of warmth, his body bucking and shuddering against her. Her fluttering aftershocks almost made her pass out. Against her shoulder, she felt the light pressure of his teeth.
She thought of other teeth. Another bite she’d experienced only a short while ago. Yet Kepler’s teeth didn’t frighten her. He made her feel safe. Protected. She wanted—needed—him to bite her. She slid her hand to the back of his head and drew him closer. “Do it.”
Kepler’s jaw clenched, the pressure of his teeth insanely close to piercing her skin. It hurt, but she wanted it to. She wanted him to cover the horrible experience in the alley with a better memory. “Please, Kepler.”
“No,” he said under his breath, then louder, “No!”
With a suddenness that felt like a vacuum, he broke contact.
She stumbled as her feet hit the tub basin. He had stepped out of the tub and was backing into the corner between the sink and the wall. His features were dissolving in a shower of sparks.
“Get out!” he roared. Then his voice lowered to a long, echoing howl.
Chapter Four
For the first time in years, Kepler lost control to his wolf. As his body transformed, Ashlyn’s face paled. She scrambled toward the edge of the tub, one hand grasping the shower curtain for support. The plastic tore free, sending her crashing to the bathroom floor, half in and half out of the tub.
