by Liv Brywood
A subtle orange glow brushed the tops of the trees. In the distance, a full moon peeked over the horizon. The sight of it awakened the beast inside. The desire to transform into a wolf crept up incrementally.
Stryde said, “We should get out of the moonlight until you have more practice shifting.”
“If the light hits me, would I have any control over shifting?”
“Not yet, but in time, I’ll teach you what you need to know. It’s my responsibility.”
She padded into the room and watched as he built a fire in a small pit. She admired the strong ripple of muscles in his back as he bent and twisted to set up the wood. She sighed. Too bad he only considered her a responsibility. Not that she wanted more. She had too many problems right now to be thinking about him as anything other than a teacher.
God, what a mess she’d gotten herself into. Her whole life was spiraling out of control. Her dad sat in jail when he should have been locked up in a rehab facility. A madman intended to kill her and had almost succeeded. And on top of all that, she was a freaking werewolf.
She shook her head slightly. A werewolf. She could almost believe she’d dreamed this entire scenario, but Stryde wasn’t a dream. She was in a cave with the sexiest man she’d ever seen. As much as she tried not to stare, she couldn’t look away from his tight ass. An image of him on top of her flashed through her mind. What would it feel like to be taken by someone so strong, so wild?
She blushed. The last thing she needed right now was to fall in lust with a werewolf. She never reacted to near strangers like this, but tendrils of desire coiled in her belly. She wanted him ferociously, but knew she shouldn’t act on her carnal hunger.
Inside the fire pit, flames sparked to life and crept across the logs. The crackling sounds snapped her out of her fantasy, but not before he’d seen her lusty gaze.
He smiled. “A penny for your thoughts?”
She flushed and stared at the floor. “I don’t think you’d have much use for a penny.”
“There’s something I should warn you about.”
“I don’t know if I want to hear this.”
“The full moon, it does things to us. Even if we’re in our human form, it can make you have certain… urges.”
“Urges?” She was full of urges—wild, provocative, overwhelming urges. But she wasn’t about to confess her growing lust for him.
Now it was his turn to blush. “Desires. The moon will make you want to mate with another wolf.”
“Oh.” A parade of carnal longings marched across her tightly wound control.
“If we keep you out of the light, you should be okay… at least for tonight.”
“And what about tomorrow night? Or the night after? How long does this condition last?”
“Five days.”
“Five days!” She couldn’t imagine not jumping all over him in the next five minutes. Five days was completely out of the question. “And there’s no way to stop it but to stay out of the moonlight?”
“For a new wolf, yes. As you gain more control over your body, it gets easier to resist the impulse to mate. But the first few moons are a challenge.”
The moonlight hadn’t even kissed her skin and she already sensed the tides of desire rising between her thighs.
In the valley below, a long howl sounded in the night. A sliver of moonlight stretched into the cave as if searching for her. She wanted to bathe in it, to unleash the lust rocketing through her body.
She inched closer to Stryde. His ultra-masculine scent drove her wild with longing. Maybe if she just cuddled with him. Maybe that would be enough to satiate her.
As she tried to snuggle against him, he gently pushed her away. “I should go. I don’t want to take advantage of you. I’ll stand guard outside so none of the other wolves will find you.”
She grabbed his wrist. “But, I want you to stay.”
He pulled free and stood. He backed toward the door. “Go to sleep. The feeling will pass. I don’t want you to be filled with regrets in the morning.”
She stood and sashayed toward him. “I won’t regret anything.”
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. “You might, and I can’t take that chance.”
As she took another step forward, he yelled, “Stop.”
She froze midstep, her foot poised over the slash of moonlight on the floor. If she set her foot down, it would be bathed in the ethereal glow. Enthralled by the prospect of unleashing her primitive nature, she inched forward.
Chapter 8
Stryde stepped back until his foot reached the edge of the cliff. Moonlight caressed the curves and valleys of Brandy’s irresistible body. Her stunning full breasts and round hips beckoned. As he fought to stem his arousal, she advanced. Each sway of her hips broke another thread of his resolve. The enticing pucker of her lips and the way her eyes shimmered with lust nearly destroyed him. It was all he could do to stop himself from throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her to his bed.
But he couldn’t take advantage of the moon tides. She wasn’t thinking rationally. She was only responding to the moon’s influence. He knew that, even if it pained him to admit it.
When he reached the precipice, he had nowhere to go. “Stop!”
He held up his hands but she stepped toward him and hooked her fingers between his.
“Don’t pretend you don’t want me. Your body’s telling me otherwise.” She nodded at his throbbing cock.
“We can’t do this. You’re not thinking clearly. The first full moon will do that to you. Trust me, you don’t know what you’re doing.”
She threw back her head and silvery laughter rippled from her throat. She turned her gaze on him, igniting desire so intense, he almost forgot his resolve. She unlaced her fingers from his and placed her palms on his chest. Her touch ratcheted up the staccato beat of his heart. Blood pounded through his veins. The animalistic side of him begged to be unleashed.
Her hands caressed the hard planes of his chest. “I want you inside me.”
Her husky voice played against his control. He wanted to do the honorable thing. He’d already drastically changed her life and she hadn’t really come to terms with it. As much as she pretended to be okay with her transformation, he knew better. She might regret her choice in the morning and he didn’t want to deal with the fallout.
He peeled her hands off his chest and held her wrists. “You should get some sleep.”
“You know I can’t. You know what I need,” she demurred.
Her lips were just inches away. A strangled moan escaped him. Damn woman would be the death of him. Maybe just one kiss.
He closed the distance between them and pressed a scorching kiss against her lips. Her hands clutched his back. One leg hooked around his thigh. She ground her hips against his arousal.
He wanted to taste every inch of the sweetness of her mouth. As his tongue parted her lips, she moaned. With renewed vigor, she pawed at him. Their tongues melded into a swirling mass of erotic hunger. He groaned and sunk his hands into her silky hair. He drew her closer, licking and nipping her pouty bottom lip. He couldn’t get enough of her sensual mouth.
She broke the kiss and offered her neck to him. Without hesitation, he nuzzled the edge of her jawline and spread kisses across the hollow of her throat.
“Oh, yes,” she murmured.
He was drowning in the scent of her heat and losing his ability to think clearly. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wanted to remain honorable, to treat her with respect.
In a daze, he inhaled the musky scent of her arousal. Heat rolled off her body, inciting a ravenous need to possess her. His mouth moved over her pliant flesh. His tongue darted to taste the thin sheen of sweat on her collarbone.
She’d slowly turned him toward the bed and walked him backward. He didn’t notice until the backs of his thighs hit the cold granite.
He tore his lips from her skin and murmured, “I want you, but not like this.”
W
ith a mischievous smile on her face, she slid onto the bed. She lay back and spread her thighs. “Show me how you want me.”
He groaned. He toyed with the idea of just taking her. Screw the consequences. In seconds, he could be buried deep inside her and on his way to a state of mindless bliss.
It took every ounce of control to step back. “I can’t. You don’t know what you’re doing. It’s the moon. You have to trust me on this.”
“Screw the moon. Or better yet, screw me.” She crawled onto her hands and knees and beckoned to him with her open hand. Her breasts swayed, mesmerizing him for a moment.
He shook his head and diverted his gaze to the floor. “You’ll be furious in the morning.”
“I’ll be furious if you leave me like this,” she countered.
He backed toward the door. “Try to get some sleep. I’ll protect you from any other wolves that find their way up here.”
She threw a pillow at him. “Get back here.”
He could only think of one way to make her stop. He shifted, welcoming the tearing, searing pain. At least in wolf form he could resist her, unless she managed to shift. Fortunately, he hadn’t told her how to shift back, so he would be safe until she figured it out.
He backed toward the entrance to the cave and wished she’d stop yelling at him. If she drew too much attention, the other wolves would come for her. He could stop one or two wolves, but if a group attacked, he wouldn’t be able to protect her. Wolves operated on primal instinct during the full moon, so there wouldn’t be any way to reason with them. His status as alpha wouldn’t make any difference. When the full moon blanked the forest with light, it was every wolf for himself.
She leapt off the bed and stomped toward him. “Shift back and face me like a man.”
He lowered his head. He was doing this for her own good, certainly not for his. The ache between his legs intensified as she came nearer, but he was able to squelch the urge to shift. Even if it killed him, he would do the right thing for once in his life.
Apparently aware that he wouldn’t submit to her screaming demands, she changed her strategy. She padded over to him and stroked the fur on his chest.
In a silky voice she said, “You’re such a big, strong werewolf. I’m offering you anything you want. You can do anything and I’ll beg for more.”
He swished his tail as he backed away.
“You can just lie there and I’ll do all the work. I promise.” She twirled a long lock of hair around her finger and then dropped her hand to cup one breast. “I bet you’d like to lick and suck every inch of me.”
He growled low in his throat. He’d love to devour her. She was playing a dangerous game.
“How long has it been since you’ve been with a woman?”
He pawed the floor. Far, far too long.
“Just shift back and you can have me.”
He shook his head and growled. He couldn’t take much more of her teasing. If she didn’t stop trying to seduce him, he’d give in and do the one thing he’d sworn he’d never do again. He barely knew her, but he knew enough to know that she was the kind of woman who could steal his heart. He couldn’t risk opening himself to heartache for one heat-induced night of passion. He wasn’t even sure that she’d want him if not enthralled by the moonlight.
As she tried to rub her body against his, he bared his teeth and growled ferociously. She jumped back and gasped. Her hand flew to cover her heart. He hated himself for making her fear him, but it was the only way he could resist her feral seduction.
She scampered back to the bed and pulled a blanket over her body. With her back to the wall, she glared at him. “Fine. I get it. You don’t want me. Why am I even here right now? Why don’t you just throw me out to the pack?”
Sadness coated his heart. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. And although he had all night to decide how to explain his reluctance, he wasn’t convinced that he’d have a satisfactory answer for her in the morning.
He turned and stepped onto the ledge. He curled into a ball and rested at the entrance to the cave. His ears pricked up, alert for the sounds of approaching wolves. He couldn’t make love to her, but he could do everything in his power to protect her.
***
The next morning, sunlight streamed into the cave and with it came the melody of songbirds. Brandy lifted her head from the pillow and stared at Stryde. He lay curled up at the entrance to the cave, his head tucked under one paw. He looked so adorable that for a second, she forgot how stupid she’d acted the night before.
She hung her head in horror. She’d thrown herself at him and he’d rejected her. She didn’t know what hurt worse, his rejection, or the thick, unquenched longing between her thighs. She’d never acted so wanton, so desperate. She didn’t need a man to complicate her already disastrous life.
Yes, he’d saved her and she owed him her life, but she didn’t intent to repay him like a tramp. She wasn’t that kind of woman. She’d actually only been with one man. Jimmy, her ex-boyfriend, had wooed her in high school and had said all the right things to get into her pants. Once he’d taken her virginity, he’d lost interest. He’d dumped her for one of her friends.
Her lack of experience made her behavior the previous night even more bizarre. How would she endure four more nights of full moon heat? She’d barely survived the night. As soon as Stryde woke up, she intended to apologize for her behavior.
Across the room, Stryde stirred. He stretched his front paws forward and his back paws out behind him. As he yawned, his sharp canine teeth glistened. She shook her head. If a creature like him could resist her in heat, then either he didn’t find her attractive, or he had nerves of steel. As much as she wanted to ask which it was, she kept her mouth shut.
Stryde lumbered toward her and rested his head on her lap. She stroked the fur behind his ears. “You probably think I’m an idiot for the way I acted last night.”
His gray eyes stared up at her. She knew he couldn’t speak, which was probably a good thing. He wouldn’t be forced to totally humiliate her.
He rubbed his head against her thigh and sighed. Apparently, it had been a long night for him too.
“I’m sorry about last night,” she whispered.
He stepped back and shifted to his human form. He ran a hand through his hair but didn’t look at her as he spoke. “It wasn’t anything you had control over. I’ve seen it before; I understand.”
She couldn’t think of anything to say, so she let the silence stretch between them. Finally, she said, “Now what?”
He picked up a gourd and handed it to her. “Drink some water. Since I changed you, I’m responsible for making sure you can survive on your own.”
“My own? You’re going to leave me alone?” Trepidation blasted away any remnants of sleep.
“No, I’d never do that. After I teach you the skills you need to survive as a wolf, I’ll take you to my friend Ryker’s den. His wife is human. You’ll be happy living there.”
“But I live in Joshua Village. I can’t live in the woods.”
His eyes flashed a warning. “You’re different now. You can’t ever return home. And why would you want to? You have a crazy man hunting you. He thinks you’re dead now, so he won’t come looking for you. If you go home, he’ll find you and no one will be around to protect you.”
She shivered. “What about my family and friends? Will I ever be able to see them again?”
He shook his head. “Not if you want to stay alive.”
She took a sip from the gourd and set it down beside her. She hadn’t considered the full implications of becoming a werewolf. She’d have to leave everything and everyone she knew behind. Granted, she didn’t have a lot of friends, but she considered the girls at the diner amongst her friends. They’d be worried about her if she went missing.
Stryde took her hand in his. “I know it’s a lot to process, but you’ll be happy with Ryker and Diana. They’re good people and they run a friendly, safe den.”
“
What about you? Will you be living with them too?”
“No. I have my own den. I’ve been away for a long time and they need me to return.”
Her heart dropped. “Can’t I go with you to your den?”
He shook his head. “That’s not a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“It’s just not. I have enough to deal with at home without having to bring a new wolf into the pack.”
She considered his excuse. If he really wanted her, he’d figure out a way to make it work. A twinge of pain sliced through her. “Will I ever see you again?”
“Maybe.”
He stared at her with what looked like sadness. But maybe she was mistaken. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d misread him. Last night, she could have sworn he wanted her too. His body had certainly responded, but maybe it was an expected reaction to her heat.
She sighed. At least he wasn’t planning on sending her off on her own. “So, what do I need to learn?”
He rubbed his thumb across the palm of her hand. “We’ll start with something fun—running. You’re going to have so much fun racing through the forest. It gives you a sense of freedom unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.”
She forced a smile. “I’ve never been much of a runner.”
He gently tugged her to her feet. “Maybe not as a human, but as a wolf, I have a feeling you’ll love every second of it.”
She gazed into his sparkling gray eyes. He wasn’t even gone and she already missed him.
Stryde said, “You did a good job shifting from wolf to human. But the shift from human to wolf is harder for new werewolves.”
“Why?”
“You’re not in touch with the rabid, animalistic side of you yet.”
“You could have fooled me last night,” she blurted.
The corner of his mouth turned up. She wanted to sear the memory of his lopsided grin into her mind so she’d have something to remember him by.
He said, “Don’t worry about last night. It’s expected. We just have to get through four more nights.”