by S. K. Yule
She’d live longer, which was something she was immensely relieved about. Not because she feared death, but because she’d have so much more time with Kish. She’d finaly gotten Kish to confess how old he was. He’d warned her that his answer would take some time to fuly sink in. He was an ancient after al. He’d been around for decades. And when he explained that while lycans were not immortal, they had extremely long life spans. It wasn’t uncommon for his species to live for several hundreds of years.
Yes, it had been hard for her to wrap her mind around that, but once she had, it only made her happier. To find your soul mate was one thing, but to have the chance to live several lives with them was priceless.
She was also now aware of the danger she may be in from any rogues that got close enough to smel her scent, and how lucky she’d been to have never been found. But the one thing that bothered her most about the change was not the pain, not the fact that she’d become a lycan, not the fact that her whole life was about to change, but that her eyesight would most likely be restored.
She’d dreamed about being able to see Kish’s face, but now that it might actualy become reality, it scared the hel out of her. Not because she was worried she wouldn’t find Kish attractive, but because she’d never had her sight. And although she wanted her sight, it was a frightening and awing concept.
On one hand, she wanted her sight, but on the other, she was unsure of the unknown. The thought of looking into Kish’s green eyes—he’d confirmed the color for her—was what kept her nerves in check.
“You know when some people have been fortunate enough to gain their sight from surgery after years of being blind, they haven’t been able to cope.”
He put his arm around her and puled her close to him. “You wil cope just fine. I wil help you. You wil love your sight. We’l take it slow. I’m with you, okay? I won’t let anything happen to you. We’l get through this together.”
“I know.” She frowned. “I can’t help but worry.
I’m trying not to.”
“If anyone has a reason to worry, it’s me,” he muttered.
She suddenly felt foolish for her worries. She was getting a gift, and he was right, she’d cherish it, she’d embrace it, and her life would be richer with her sight.
He, on the other hand, was obviously worried about her seeing him, or more accurately, his scars, for the first time.”
She reached up and cupped the right side of his face. “Nothing wil change between us. I think you are gorgeous with or without my sight.”
He sighed. “We’l see.”
“Yes, we wil. And then you can apologize to me for doubting me al this time.”
He kissed her long and lazy. “I don’t mean to doubt you.”
“I know.”
He’d come a long way. They’d come a long way.
She couldn’t wait to show him she’d never see him as anything other than the sexy man he had always been —he always would be—to her.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.” He blew out an exasperated breath. “This is an extraordinary thing that is about to happen to you, and I’m ruining it with my insecurities. I do trust you, you know?”
“I know that too. Even if you don’t at times.” She smiled. “I don’t—” Suddenly, pain shot through her abdomen. “Oh!” She grabbed her stomach.
He puled her onto his lap, her back to his chest, and pressed his mouth to her ear. “Breathe, sweetheart. Just breathe through it.”
“I can’t! Oh God! It hurts so bad. It feels like there are hot pokers in my stomach. Kissshh!”
“Listen to me,” he said a bit more forcefuly. “Do as I say and it wil ease the shift for you.”
She nodded. “I’l try,” she groaned as tears ran down her cheeks.
“Listen to my voice. Feel my body against yours.
Take comfort from me, sweetheart.”
She panted uncontrolably as the hot pokers in her stomach grew in intensity then faded then grew time and again. Her skin began itching, and tiny needles felt as if they were protruding through every pore of her skin. She focused on Kish, his body, his heartbeat, his voice, the best she could. It did help the pain to some extent, but not enough to keep her from writhing in agony.
Sweat beaded her brow, and Kish whispered to her to breathe. She tried, but every bone, every muscle, every cel in her body contracted and then retracted then contracted over and over. She thought she might pass out, throw up, or both when suddenly, she was on the ground. The first thing she noticed was that the pain was gone, and in it’s wake was a dul throb, a reminder of the agony she’d just experienced. The second thing she noticed was that she could see.
She fel sideways, unused to the strange phenomenon of sight. Her balance was off, and even though it was nighttime, the different movements of al the strange things she was seeing for the first time overwhelmed her senses.
“Close your eyes, sweetheart. Just for a moment.”
Kish’s voice was soothing inside her mind, and she did what he asked. Fur rubbed against her body, and she was instantly aware that Kish had shifted with her. Even in wolf form, he was much larger than she was.
“Now that you know it’s me, look at me.”
She slowly opened her eyes and focused on Kish.
So that’s what a wolf looked like. Her balance was stil off, and she kept tripping over her own feet—uh, paws. He was gorgeous. His fur was thick and luscious and she wanted to run her fingers through it except she didn’t have any.
“You’re beautiful. What color are you?”
“Reddish brown. You are blonde, nearly the same color as your hair.”
“I want to see your eyes, Kish.”
He looked at her and her legs nearly buckled underneath her. This was the man she loved. This was Kish. Damn, he was lovely. She now understood what people meant about eyes being the windows to one’s soul. She was positive she could see a milion pairs of green eyes and be able to pick his out of them al in an instant. She was confident there would be no one that had eyes exactly like his. She couldn’t explain it, but these eyes were Kish’s and his only.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. It’s going to take some time to get used to seeing for the first time, but I’m okay.”
She now knew what worry looked like because it burned brightly in his eyes.
“We can’t run tonight, sweetheart. Not until you get used to your sight.”
She nodded in agreement. “How do I shift back?”
“Easy. Just relax and picture yourself, your human self.”
It wasn’t quite as easy as he indicated, but she accomplished it in the end. She was as unsteady on two feet with her restored sight as she had been on four.
She looked up at Kish in awe of the man standing in front of her. She couldn’t be any more thankful that they were both nude. She didn’t want anything between them the first time she saw him. She reached out to touch him, and she didn’t miss the way he seemed to flinch when she touched the scarred side of his face.
“You are amazing,” she breathed as she ran her fingers over him, learning what he looked like for the first time with her eyes. “You’re so big.”
“I think you’re just smal, and you are the one that’s amazing.”
He winced again when she ran her fingers over the scars on his shoulder.
“The scars didn’t matter to me when I couldn’t see, and they don’t make a difference now. They in no way make you less of a man in my eyes or detract from your sexiness one tiny bit.”
He growled, and she sucked in a breath. “They do glow,” she whispered.
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Only when you have strong emotions?”
“Yes, which means right about now I’m about to throw you down and take you right here on the ground.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks and between her legs.
“I’d rather make out in your truck like a teenager.
You promised me we’d do that sometime.
Remember?”
He nodded. “Yep.”
She squeaked when he picked her up. Damn, the man was glorious, and she couldn’t wait to get a closer look at certain parts of him. Up close and personal.
Within a couple minutes, he had her inside the truck and pinned under his big body. She ran her fingers over every part of him she could reach and he groaned.
“I know you want to explore, sweetheart, but right now I need to be inside you.”
She nodded. “I’d like that very much.”
He took her mouth, and she threaded her fingers through his thick, reddish-brown hair. The stubble on his face chafed her skin as he kissed her, and she loved every minute of it. As he sank inside her body, she opened her legs wider and arched her hips to welcome him home.
She had so much to look forward to. Exploring her new wolf side, her newly gained sight, and Kish. No matter how long they were together, she’d never grow tired of exploring him.
She moaned as he drove his hips deeper and she dug her nails into his shoulders.
“I love you sweetheart,” he rasped.
“I love you too, Kish. Always and forever.”
Epilogue
Did they actualy think they could catch him? At this point, he hoped they did because he was tired of running for being labeled something he wasn’t. He was no rogue. He was an ancient who chose to live his own life. He never went against the lycan laws, but he refused to answer to anyone. He was his own man, always had been, always would be.
Sanctuary was a place run by his kind, mostly ancients and their mates, a place where rogues who were thought fit enough to reform were taken. Now he had been labeled a rogue, and had been relentlessly chased for the past six months. The few times he’d tried to talk some sense into his pursuers, they hadn’t wanted to listen to him. That put him in a difficult situation. Run or fight his own kind. And if he chose the latter, things wouldn’t turn out wel for them.
He didn’t want to be responsible for kiling any of his species. He’d done enough kiling in his lifetime, but he’d about had enough of this chase the rabbit bulshit. If they’d give him a damned second to explain, they’d realize he was probably older then al of them put together. He’d been around a long time.
A damned long time.
“Whenever I find that little punk-ass motherfucker, I’m going to rip his fucking head off,” he muttered.
He’d make an exception about kiling his own kind then.
Terrance. The little whiny bitch he’d had a run-in with nearly a year ago was the reason for al of this.
He’d had lots of time to figure out who could have labeled him a rogue, who could have set Sanctuary on his ass, and every path led back to Terrance. The rogue had been taken to Sanctuary a little over eight months ago. He didn’t believe it was a coincidence that al of his problems started shortly thereafter.
From little bits of rumors he caught, he’d put enough pieces together to figure out that Terrance had taken revenge against him by teling the ancients at Sanctuary that he, Galen Soloman, had been his leader. That he was a ruthless rogue. One that had committed atrocious acts against his own kind and their potential mates. Thus, the amped up man—wolf —hunt.
He’d lost his last pursuers over a week ago and had covered his tracks wel. It would take a long time for them to find him. For now, he was tired, pissed off, and hungry. Just as he thought he’d be sleeping on the cold ground another night, nibbling on what little berries and bugs he could find, he came to a clearing.
He stood at the tree line staring at the somewhat large cedar-shingled farmhouse. He sniffed the air.
Suddenly, every muscle in his body tensed. His wolf franticaly clawed at the surface for release, and a deep rumble emanated from his chest.
“Fuck no. Why now?”
His mate. He’d found her. She was here. He couldn’t see her, but her scent was strong. He’d longed for a mate, yearned to meet the one woman who was fated for him, who he was fated for, for more years than he could count. Several years ago, he’d come to the conclusion that he would never find her or that if she did exist, someone else had gotten to her first.
His stomach clenched in a big bal of knots. The thought of someone else laying a finger on his mate sent murderous thoughts through his head, sent bony fingers of jealousy slithering through every cel of his being. He was not prepared to find her now. Over that last few years, he’d become a hard, bitter man.
He wasn’t gentle, and his mate deserved a man with a big heart, a man that would show her romance, tenderness. He was not that man.
At one time? Maybe. Now? No. Nonetheless, every single fiber of him answered to her cal. He had iron-clad wilpower, and not even he had a hope in hel of resisting. He had to see her, had to hear her voice, see her lovely face. An invisible force puled him in her direction. He came into the clearing and approached the farmhouse with caution and determination. The whole way, he swore he’d only get a glimpse and move on, but when he laid eyes upon her for the first time . . .
Inky black hair so dark it looked blue was swept off her head and knotted in a messy ponytail. Her skin, turned golden from the sun, was smooth and flawless, and when she turned toward him and finaly noticed him watching her, the breath whooshed from his lungs. Her blue eyes with a hint of violet widened, and her ful lips formed an O. He was a lost cause.
She was his, and she didn’t even know it. And one glimpse would never be enough.
Yep. I’m fucked.
The End
About the Author S. K. Yule’s love for reading started in high school, and finaly inspired her to try her hand at writing. Once an outlet was discovered for an overactive, and at times overwhelming, imagination a passion for creating stories for others to enjoy was born.
You wil most often find S. K. Yule tapping away on her laptop in her farmhouse located in a tiny Midwestern town with a population of one hundred fifty. She lives with her real-life hero, her husband, and plans to have the happily ever ending with him that she so often writes about.
Their children consist of three yorkies and three miniature schnauzers, al of which are spoiled rotten.
S. K. Yule’s previously published, bestseling Romance works include:
Darkest Hours, Darkest Book I Darkest Desires, Darkest Book II Darkest Intentions, Darkest book III Lycan Lover
Lycan Lust
Lycan It
Lycan Heat
Lycan Vengeance Lycan Christmas Demon Scorned
Jericho’s Revenge Breaking The Cowboy Three Lovers For Lucy Second Chances Melandra’s Men S. K. Yule loves to hear from readers and other authors/writers. You can find more information about her and contact information at: www.skyule.com www.facebook.com/skyule www.facebook.com/skyuleauthor Table of Contents Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One
Epilogue
About the Author