After pulling on his jeans, he slipped out through the patio door, careful not to make any noise. Sure enough, Elias was sitting at the picnic table just beyond the porch, taking up most of the space with his arms spread out behind him and his legs sprawled in front of him. His dad looked totally relaxed, but he wasn’t fooled. Elias could explode into action in a heartbeat. Billy could also see the subtle lines of tension around his eyes and the hard line of his jaw.
The crisp bite of the air brushed his skin, but he didn’t find it cold. His body temperature remained constant, despite the fact he wasn’t wearing a shirt or anything on his feet.
“I don’t need to ask what you were doing.” Elias tapped the side of his nose. “But do you know what the hell you’re doing?”
While he appreciated the concern, he struggled to control the urge to snap at the man who’d raised him. He dragged his fingers through his hair and forced himself to calm down. “I’m doing what I need to do.”
When he patted the bench seat next to him, Billy sat, rested his forearms on his thighs, and stared at the patio door. The urge to go back inside, to be beside Addie, was strong.
“Tell me what really happened.”
There would be no glossing over the incident, not this time. He’d given the alpha the facts, but his father needed more than that. So he told him everything, about hiking in the woods and coming across Addie and the other members of her pack, about the fight, his fear, and what happened next. He made sure his dad understood that the only thing that stood between him and death had been Addie, and she’d never left him.
It took some time as he left out no details.
Elias listened in silence, nodding occasionally. When Billy was done, he finally spoke. “You know it won’t be easy, right?”
“Like falling in love with a human, mating with her, and bringing her and her son into a wolf pack was a cakewalk.” His family hadn’t done anything the easy way. Not his father or his cousins.
Elias chuckled. “Yeah, there is that.” He put his hand on Billy’s shoulder. “You may have to fight Simon. If he claims he wants to mate with her, her alpha and her father may demand you prove you’re worthy of her.”
“I’ll fight. There’s no other choice.”
“Can you shift?” Elias asked.
He’d been dreading this moment. “I don’t know.”
His father climbed off the picnic table. “No time like the present.”
Billy didn’t want to try and fail, but he was right. He needed to know what his new capabilities were, how deep the wolf in him went. “Should I take off my jeans?” It would feel weird to just strip in the middle of the day like that and stand here. It would be different if he knew for certain he could shift.
Elias shook his head. “Just close your eyes and reach for your wolf. I’m not sure how else to explain it.”
“Okay. Gotcha.” He wasn’t sure he understood, but he closed his eyes and looked inward, searching for the other presence he felt inside him. His body warmed, or maybe that was simply wishful thinking.
He concentrated harder, not wanting to fail. Something rippled under his skin. He went deeper and deeper inside himself, chasing the creature into the darkness. Like an elusive shadow, it slipped out of reach. It was there, but hidden, skulking, keeping distant enough that he couldn’t reach it.
Frustration and a keen sense of failure washed over him. He opened his eyes and huffed out a breath. “It’s like it’s there, but I can’t grab hold.”
“We’ll try again in a couple of days.” Elias patted him on the back and smiled, but he wasn’t quite able to hide the disappointment in his eyes. Or maybe Billy was just projecting his own dissatisfaction.
“I might not have that long.” He walked to the edge of the clearing and peered into the dense thicket of pine trees. “Addie won’t stay more than a few days. She doesn’t want to worry her folks, and she’s afraid if she chooses to stay here, her alpha might not let her see them again. Then there’s no telling what story Simon might have told them.”
“Pack politics can be a bitch,” he agreed. “If you can’t shift, you need to sharpen your fighting skills. Because no matter what happens, at some point you’re going to have to fight.”
The fact that his father was so calm about the situation, so pragmatic, settled some of the disappointment and feelings of inadequacy rolling around inside him. He’d wanted to shift so badly. It was an ache in his body, a yearning in his soul. He had to face the fact that he might not ever be able to do so.
He shook his head, determined not to get mired in self-pity. He was alive. That in itself was a miracle. Addie was here with him, and she was worth fighting for.
“So what do we do first?” he asked.
Elias smiled and gave a low whistle. Both Reece and Sage walked out of the woods from opposite sides. They’d obviously been keeping a watch over him and Addie. They were also both grinning.
“Time to kick your butt,” Reece told him, rubbing his hands together.
He held up his middle finger, making his cousin laugh. Then he waved him closer. “Show me what you’ve got, old man.”
Reece gave him a mock scowl. “Old man, my ass,” he countered. He moved in low and quick. Billy jumped to the side, more agile than he’d been before. He hadn’t even had to think about moving. It had been instinctive.
“You’re faster,” his father pointed out.
“Let’s see just how fast.” Reece charged and Billy jumped out of the way. He sensed someone coming up behind him and ducked in time to watch Sage’s long arm swing by where his head had been only moments before.
“Two on one,” he griped. “Not fair.”
“You expect Simon to play fair?” his father asked.
He got his point. “No. He’ll cheat if it means he can win.” Centering himself, he opened his senses and was filled with an awareness of his surroundings, the likes of which he’d never experienced before.
He knew exactly where the other three men were. Visual clues were cataloged quickly, his brain giving him the potential moves they might make next. Their breathing seemed louder, and he was able to hear the scuff of a foot and react without thought.
As Sage jumped toward him, he pivoted and stuck out his foot, catching his cousin in the stomach. Before he could apologize, Sage rolled back to his feet and growled. He growled back.
Reece came at him from behind. Distracted, Billy didn’t hear him until it was too late. He fell forward but managed to catch himself on his hands and bounce back to his feet. This time he moved quickly to put himself in a better defensive position. They were holding back, testing him first. He had no doubt they could both easily hand his ass to him if they were so inclined.
“Good instincts,” Elias praised.
He started to make the mistake of looking toward his father but caught himself at the last second. Reece chuckled. “Good call.”
Billy shrugged, even though he was feeling pretty good inside.
“Now we fight for real,” Reece told him.
Shit, he was going to get trounced. Still, he wasn’t about to back down. He had to learn to fight—and well—if he hoped to protect Addie. His cousins were trying to help him. He only hoped they didn’t kick his ass too badly.
“Good,” he shot back. “I was getting tired of dancing with you. It was the side step and swoop, I think.”
Sage laughed and shook his head. “Reece is going to get even.”
He knew it but didn’t care. He grinned and wagged his fingers at his cousin. “Wanna dance?”
Reece growled and charged.
****
Addie snuggled under the blanket, all warm and toasty and content. Also very alone. She rolled over and placed her hand on the sheet where he’d been. It was cool. He’d been gone for a while.
She buried her head in the pillow to smother a groan. Crap, she’d fallen asleep after they’d made love. Not exactly what she’d planned.
Wrapping her arms around herse
lf, she couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face. I’m no longer a virgin. Laughter threatened to bubble up inside her, but she swallowed it back, holding it close and savoring the sensation of well-being. The only thing that would make it perfect was if Billy was with her.
Frowning, she sat up in bed and shoved her hair out of her face.
A sound caught her attention. She cocked her head to one side and listened intently. It was coming from the outside. After sliding out of bed, she padded toward the patio doors and eased back the edge of the drapes to take a peek, making sure to stay out of view since she was naked.
Wearing only a pair of jeans, his upper body glistening with sweat and his fair hair gleaming in the afternoon sun, Billy made her heart skip a beat. He was all lean muscle and smoking hot male. Her core immediately clenched and her nipples tightened.
Movement caught the corner of her eye. He wasn’t alone. His father was there, along with his cousins. Before she could decide if it was cowardly to retreat back to bed, Reece attacked. His fist landed against Billy’s jaw with the force of a hammer. Billy’s head rocked back. He staggered but remained on his feet.
What the hell!
She ripped open the door and shifted as she launched herself off the deck.
“Addie!” Billy yelled her name, but she was too far gone to stop. Fangs bared to show she meant business, she attacked. At the last second, Billy leaped in front of her. They slammed together and the two of them crashed to the ground. With his arms wrapped around her, he took the brunt of the fall.
Was he hurt?
She tried to get off of Billy without injuring him, which wasn’t easy in her wolf form, but he wouldn’t let her go. He was talking, his tone frantic. She forced herself to listen.
“Are you okay? Jesus, what happened? Why did you attack Reece?”
Why had she attacked? She leaned back and growled her displeasure.
Help came from an unexpected corner. “Ah, I think she thought I was attacking you for real,” his cousin offered.
Billy looked shocked. “Is that true?”
What did he think? That she randomly went around attacking other wolves? She inclined her head. Feeling stupid now that she understood they’d been sparring, she put her paws on his chest and pushed until he released her.
Quivering from an overabundance of adrenaline and emotion, she waited for his family to condemn her for attacking one of their own.
Elias grinned and offered Billy his hand. He took it and got to his feet. “That’s some woman you’ve got there, son.”
Billy, the idiot, simply grinned back. “I know.”
Addie hated feeling foolish. She’d been ready to kill his cousin to protect Billy, and they found it funny. She sniffed and turned away but found her way blocked by Reece. He wasn’t smiling.
“Thank you for protecting him.”
At first, she thought he was mocking her, but on closer inspection, he was deadly serious. She inclined her head.
Sage came up to stand beside his brother. It was still odd to see the two of them side by side, like mirror images, especially today since they were both wearing jeans and black T-shirts.
“We’re trying to see how far the change in him goes,” Sage offered. That made perfect sense. Of course, his family would want to know how the conversion had altered him. It was smart to test and discover his new limits.
And she’d interrupted them.
She started up the patio stairs.
“Addie.” Billy was right behind her. She didn’t stop, just kept going, not sure she was ready to talk to him yet. “Shit,” she heard him swear as she slipped back inside.
“I’ll be back,” he told his family.
“We’ll be here,” Elias assured him.
Billy followed her inside and shut the door behind him.
Chapter Eleven
He’d seen Addie in many moods since he’d met her, but she’d never been pissed with him before. And she had every right to be.
One minute, he’d been rocked back by the force of Reece’s fist. The next, all hell had broken loose. She’d attacked in her wolf form, charging in and ready to fight. Damn, she’d been magnificent with her fangs gleaming and lithe body flying through the air, claws poised to do the most damage.
He’d barely caught her in time.
Not that Reece would have hurt her. No, he would have taken whatever punishment she’d been able to inflict, all while trying to stop her without doing her any harm.
When she’d thought he was being hurt, her instinct had been to protect him. That’s why he’d laughed. Not because it was funny, but because of the joy that had welled up inside him. Once again she had fought for him.
In her wolf form, she curled up on the bed with her back to him. She was upset, probably embarrassed, too, although there was no need for it.
When he sat down beside her, she curled tighter, turning her nose away.
“I’m sorry.”
She raised her head and stared right at him, her disbelief plain. Billy ran his hands over his face, frustrated at himself for not responding better to the situation.
“I wasn’t laughing at you,” he assured her. She actually snorted. He barely managed to swallow back a grin. That wouldn’t get him out of the doghouse any faster.
“It just meant a lot that you’d want to protect me.” Taking a chance she wouldn’t bite it off, he ran his hand over her spine, letting his fingers sink into her luxurious fur. She truly was a beautiful wolf with her multi-hued brown fur and honey-brown eyes.
“I’m worried.” It was easier to admit his fears when she was in this form. “I don’t know what will happen in the days ahead, but I don’t want to lose you. I want to be able to protect you.”
She pulled her body around until her head rested in his lap and gave a small whine.
“I know you can take care of yourself. Hell, you’ve been taking care of me since we met.” It didn’t feel the least bit strange to be talking to a wolf. His unique upbringing certainly helped. He’d been talking to Reece, Sage, and the others in their wolf form since he was a kid.
He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, the fur tickling his skin. “I couldn’t shift.” Fear ate at him. Would she see him as flawed, as not good enough? “I tried, but it just didn’t happen. That’s why Reece and I were fighting. They were working with me. I have to be stronger, faster, and smarter if I’m going to fight Simon. I am stronger than I was,” he assured her. “I just can’t shift.”
Her body began to shimmer as she went through the transformation from wolf to human. It was beautiful to watch, awe inspiring. More than anything in the world, he wanted to be able to take the form of a wolf, but that didn’t seem to be in the cards.
He’d deal. The same way he had with everything else life had thrown at him.
Fur receded and her bones reshaped, her jaw becoming shorter. It took little more than a couple of heartbeats. Curled up naked beside him with her head in his lap was his Addie.
“You don’t need to fight Simon.”
His jaw tightened and he shook his head. There was no way he wasn’t going to have to deal with the threat. No way was she facing the man on her own. “Yeah, I do.”
If he didn’t accept the challenge, he wouldn’t be worthy of her.
****
Addie hadn’t expected him to lay out his fears, to be that honest about his insecurities. No male in her acquaintance would do so. But he wasn’t like other wolves. She shouldn’t have expected him to act the same.
She could only imagine how frustrated he must be, wanting to reach his wolf, trying his hardest, only to have it remain just out of reach.
“I’m sorry you can’t shift.” Better to focus on that than to remember she’d made an idiot of herself in front of his family. But since he was being brave and honest, she could do no less. “I’m also sorry I almost attacked Reece.”
“I’m not.” He smiled and ran his hand over her hair. She loved his touch. It wa
s soothing and stimulating at the same time. He had such big, strong hands. “It’s good to keep him on his toes,” he continued.
“I’m sure he won’t see it that way.” She sat up in bed and wrapped her arms around her legs, conscious of her nakedness. It was different when they were making love. “I’ll apologize.” She didn’t want to cause problems between Billy and his family.
“It’s not necessary.” He grabbed his shirt off the back of a chair and draped it over her shoulders. She slipped her arms into the sleeves and tugged it around her. “But if it will make you feel better, go for it.”
She nibbled on her bottom lip. “He really wasn’t mad?” Male wolves had an ego … and a temper.
“He’ll be more concerned you might have been hurt when I stopped you.”
“But what about you? Wouldn’t his first concern have been you?”
“Nah, he knows I can take a pummeling. I’ve been sparring with them and the others for years. They’ve pulled their punches some but not too much.” He rubbed his jaw. “I’ve taken my share of hits.”
“But you don’t heal like they do. Or you didn’t, not before.”
“They considered it a learning experience.” He shrugged, but there was a twinkle in his eye. “And sometimes they’d get in trouble with my mom and the other women.”
She could only imagine what happened next. “And you played it for all it was worth.”
“You bet I did.” The memory made him smile. It made her wish she could read his mind, share every detail of his past with him. “Elise—that’s the alpha’s mom—she makes the best pies, and she’d always make one just for me. Reece and Sage would have to watch me eat it.”
“You didn’t share?” She loved this mischievous side of him. She’d been seeing him as pretty much perfect, and that wasn’t fair to either of them. It had also been intimidating, making her feel inadequate, which was nothing more than her silly insecurities talking. They were both simply people with strengths and weaknesses.
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