by Dakota Brown
Though he had to have noticed Doc's reaction, Ash didn't act like he had.
Doc looked at the demon. "You might want to strip."
Ash tugged off his T-shirt. I couldn't help staring at his muscular torso. If I had thought I was turned on before, I about cried when his hands dropped to the button on his jeans.
The guys zeroed in on me and I realized I whimpered out loud.
Ash's eyebrows rose and I blushed hard, ducking my head. Where had that come from? I must be getting greedy, wanting all the men.
Doc licked his lips and turned his attention back to Ash. "Do you think you can change on your own?"
The slither of fabric made me clamp my lips shut against another moan as he finished slipping out of his clothing.
I darted a glance, staring at Nikolai and Allan instead of Ash. Of course, they were both staring appreciatively at the presumably naked demon.
"I don't think I can. Using magic without orders is still difficult."
Ash was having a hard time using his magic anytime he had to really think about what he was doing. More than three hundred years of conditioning had left him a little dependent on others telling him what to do. We were helping him with this, but it would take a while to undo.
"Will you let me help you? I will have to control you."
I turned to look at the two of them. Doc mostly blocked my view of Ash, but I did catch the demon's nod. Fear widened his eyes, but he submitted to Doc's mind control when the vampire took Ash's face in his hands and looked deeply into his husky blue eyes.
It took a while, but finally Ash's skin rippled. He gasped and collapsed to the ground, Doc sinking down with him. He cried out and I watched, fascinated, as his muscles bulged and twisted, his bones stretched or shrank, and white fur sprouted from his skin. It happened quickly, and except for his initial protest, it didn't appear he was in pain.
Ed quickly pulled off his clothing and began his own change so he could be there for Ash.
Ash staggered to his feet, wobbling on four legs. His head swung around, ears forward, hackles up as he worked to understand his new perception.
"It doesn't take too long to get used to," Doc reassured the demon.
Ash huffed and took a few experimental steps before Ed came over and rubbed his cheek against the white wolf's. He followed closely while Ash staggered his way around the yurt until they were at the door.
"Ed will help him get his feet under control while we get the rest of you shifted," Allan explained.
Doc offered his arm to Nikolai next. The mage wrinkled his nose but didn't hesitate to drink the offered blood. Licking Doc's wrist suggestively and pulling matching groans from me and the vampire.
"You all are killing me," I protested.
Allan laughed. "It'll be worth it. We can have the other type of fun later."
It had been a bit of a dry spell with Ash around. We would start building the new cabin soon, and then we could have some privacy. Of course, the way the guys were looking at Ash, well, to be fair, the way everyone but Ed was looking at Ash, maybe we wouldn't need the privacy.
Nikolai shed his clothing and crouched to the ground. He shut his eyes, concentrating, and after a moment, managed to shift on his own.
He also managed four legs a bit more gracefully than Ash had. I wondered if he had some sort of experience doing this before, but I would have to ask later. The dark brown wolf came over and rubbed against my leg. I ran my hand through his thick, silky fur, laughing when he licked my hand.
"Okay, your turn." Doc came over to me. "Ready for this?"
"Hope so."
He bit his wrist and offered it to me. I took his blood, moaning as the power coursed through me. I could feel Allan's energy transfer to me through the blood I drank. Our pack bond let me feel how I needed to shape it and I nodded at Doc. "I've got it."
I slipped out of my clothing and wrapped the wilderness around me, it penetrated my very being and changed me into something far more adapted to its depths than my human form.
The four legs were harder to get used to, but it didn't take long before I managed to coordinate them and it was my turn to rub against Doc and Allan. They pet me and I shivered as each hair transmitted their touch through my skin. So intimate.
I could also smell Doc and Allan's arousal. Now I knew why it caught their attention any time I was turned on. The intoxicating scent pulled me to them.
Allan laughed. "Go outside while we change. Get used to your feet so we can run."
Huffing indignantly, I slunk out of the yurt. Ed, Nikolai, and Ash came over to me. We all sniffed and rubbed on each other, blending our scents. The feel of belonging heightened as we spread our scents on each other.
A minute or so later Doc, now a black wolf, and my darker blond wolf, Allan, joined us and I rubbed on them. Doc wolf grinned at me, licking his lips. His canines were longer than a normal wolf's. It took a little time, but once all of us had thoroughly bathed in everyone's scents, Allan and Ed moved off into the woods.
The rest of us followed, and we started out at a light jog so the three of us not used to four legs could get used to moving. If I didn't think about it, the movements came naturally, and soon I could focus on my surroundings.
The crisp breeze brought so many new smells to my nose that I had a hard time sorting them out. Some I recognized, others I didn't understand until information filtered to me through the pack bond from the real wolves in our group. It was like learning a whole new language, but at least I had a way to cheat as I borrowed my pack mates memories and knowledge.
That musk was a rabbit, an interesting smell, but I caught the idea that the boys were after a deer tonight. The cool dry smell was an outcropping of granite, the one Allan and I had first made love on. Acrid pine tickled my nose and the recent snowstorm left its heavy smell on the air.
Sounds had more meaning now. I heard my pack mates breaths, the sounds of their pads softly covering the snow, feet spreading wide so we didn't sink in far. The soft scratches of ground rodents. The hoot of an owl. The nearly silent flutter of feathers and the squeal of a rodent's life ending. Rustling through the pine needles as the light breeze wandered through the pines.
Though not as strong as the time I had borrowed Doc's vampire vision, I became aware of heat signatures. My pack mates stood out, but soon I could sense the difference between the snow and the trees, as my ability to use my new senses expanded.
My vision dwindled in importance as my nose and ears conveyed so much more information in this form.
Ed chuffed and we all slowed. He tilted his head and I listened, trying to sense what he did. Allan's ears and nose were pointed in the same direction that Ed looked so I focused in that direction.
Heat, nervous energy, musky scent. Deer.
Hunger and excitement warred with each other as my mind caught up to what my nose already knew. The hunt. Food.
Doc shouldered me when I would have taken off after the scent. Obviously, a rookie move, but I couldn't help the step I took before he interrupted me. He gestured with his muzzle toward Ed and Allan, and I understood through the bond that they would lead the hunt.
Ash was somehow part of our shared communication and I sensed agreement from him and the others.
Following Ed's instructions, we fanned out, trotting through the snow. Doc and Allan broke off and circled around. We would attempt to drive the deer to their ambush. I had no idea if these were actual wolf pack tactics, or if they were adapting human ones for the situation, but it didn't matter.
Ash and I flanked to the right and Nikolai went left with Ed.
We broke into a lope, weaving nearly silently through the pines as we bore down on our prey.
I didn't let myself think about what we were doing or I might have faltered, simply let the wolf running through my veins take over, guide me, encourage me to hunt. Hunting was life, and it was the right thing for us to do.
Ed sent instructions through our bond and we altered our course
. Allan's fierce joy and Ed's more enthusiastic glee at hunting with a full pack filled me, lifted my paws, made my heart sing.
The deer scented us, but we had allowed that. The four of us closed in, driving the deer toward Doc and Allan. They would take advantage of Doc's vampire nature and Allan's skill to bring the deer down. With inexperienced wolves in the hunt, it was wise to put our best on the take down. Tonight we wanted certain success.
The bitter scent of fear quickened my feet, sped my heart. The deer knew we were coming. The prey sprang from their hiding space and raced away from us.
We ran for a time, driving the deer, relishing the wind rippling through our fur, the ground passing beneath our feet, the feel of pack as we worked in sync to feed the whole group.
Our energy changed as Doc and Allan actively joined the hunt, closing in, bringing us closer to our goal.
Ed ordered us to move and we altered our position moments before the deer turned, seeking freedom. Our shift cut off its escape and sealed its fate as the creature darted right into Doc and Allan's waiting jaws.
The creature squealed as Doc latched onto her throat. Heavy copper scent filled the air. Saliva dripped from my jaws. I flicked my tongue along my lips, mouth open to taste the smell.
Now I had an idea of what Doc experienced when he smelled blood.
Allan leapt, grabbing the deer's haunches and between the two of them, brought the prey down. Doc ended its life quickly, as humanely as he could, lapping the blood from the deer's throat.
Allan tore at the haunches.
I growled softly and the others gave way as I stalked forward. Though I hadn't intended to push Allan off the kill, he made it clear he offered me the first bite, other than the blood Doc had already consumed.
Could I do it?
I let the wolf decide. Hesitantly, I licked at the bloody haunch. Coppery, delicious.
My teeth closed on the warm meat and I pulled. A chunk came away and I chewed, swallowed. I didn't think, just took another hunk of flesh.
That seemed to be the signal. The others dove in. Allan and Ed, well used to feasting on fresh deer, fell in with relish. Ash and Nikolai were more hesitant, but soon joined me, gorging on the steaming meat. Doc licked the blood and we made use of this feast that nature had provided.
With five full grown wolves tearing at the meat, there wasn't much of the deer left by the time we had gorged ourselves. Even Doc acted content, though I wondered how deer blood compared to human. Maybe in this form it was just as good for him.
Once we finished, we licked our lips and cleaned our paws and the sudden urge to howl came over me. I'd never heard the guys howl before, outside of the one time they had rescued me from the Andersons, and I wondered why.
As if sensing where my thoughts were headed, Ed huffed a wolfy sigh and shook his head like a human would.
I tilted mine, wondering why we couldn't howl.
The knowledge came to me. Too close to people.
I flopped on the ground and grunted. That was lame.
The other brown wolf in our group snorted and blue motes of energy rose from him. Apparently, I could still sense, and probably even use my magic, like Nikolai was. He was making a barrier.
Satisfaction came across the pack bond as he tilted his muzzle to the sky and let loose with a wailing cry.
Ed and Allan perked their ears, almost quivering with excitement. They couldn't take it any longer and both added their yipping call to Nikolai's song.
Doc and then Ash joined the song and finally I added my higher pitched call to theirs.
Though there weren't exactly words, we were communicating. While we knew no one else should be able to hear us, we sang that this was our territory, our pack, and we would defend it.
The howl vibrated through us, binding us even more tightly, until I couldn't tell where one of us ended and the other started.
We called our togetherness to the heavens until we came to a rightful end of the song and fell silent.
Ed and Allan especially, were still nearly vibrating with excitement at being able to make noise. It felt right. It was what pack did.
Ed got up from where he sat and pounced Nikolai, mock wrestling with him, to thank him for letting us experience this.
Nikolai, though new to wolf form, was still a better fighter and had Ed pinned in short order.
Doc got in on it, tackling Nikolai off of Ed and they scuffled for a while, more evenly matched. Nikolai had more skill, but Doc was far stronger, even in wolf form. Ed finally settled the matter, darting in at the last minute and pinning Nikolai to the ground.
Allan woofed slightly in laughter and Ash came and sat next to me, shoulders touching, while we watched the others roughhouse.
Finally, tiredness dragged at us, and we sensed it was time to return to our den. This time Allan led the way, and we all trotted around the edge of the property, taking a lightly roundabout way back to the yurt, marking the edges of our territory with all of our scents before heading through the woods back to where we could sleep.
I was too tired to attempt to change back on my own, and I guessed that I would shift just like the guys did, in my sleep. I nosed my way into the yurt and launched myself onto the bed. Ed, Allan, Doc, and Nikolai did the same, but Ash went over to the cot where he had been sleeping.
Allan yipped at him sharply and Ed jumped off the bed and shoved Ash toward us.
For a minute the white wolf stared, as if uncertain, but another push from Ed got him to jump on the bed and join us in one large pile of puppies.
As Ed had said at least a few times, pack should sleep together, and Ash was part of our pack.
We all curled up in a tangle of limbs, resting on each other, comfortable and falling easily into sleep.
Chapter 15
Ed
Waking up in a pile of naked men would have been weird if it weren't his pack, Ed reflected the next morning, feeling more content than he had in a long time. Someone was jabbing him in the back with some morning wood, but he didn't really care. His head rested on Sofia's thigh, and her scent intoxicated him.
He tilted his head so he could look at more than her hip. Ash had curled up around Sofia, his platinum blond hair draped over her chest, covering one breast almost completely. Doc lay curled around Ash. Nikolai was curled up on the other side of Sofia and was the one pressed into Ed's back. Allan had squeezed in and was using her other hip as a pillow.
Judging by the breathing, he was the first one to wake up. He recalled that Doc tended to sleep longer after running with him and Allan and he guessed the other three would, too. It was not something their bodies were used to, and they would probably feel a little hung over today.
He hoped that they wanted to run again. He hoped taking the deer hadn't turned any of them off. Even Ash. Having Ash in the pack felt right, and he wanted the demon to stay, wanted him to run with them again soon. And Nikolai…thinking to cast the spell so they could howl? Ed hadn't been able to howl like that in years. He sighed contentedly, full of love for his pack.
He was drifting back to sleep when Nikolai bolted upright.
That woke everyone else, though Sofia was still buried.
"What's wrong?" Doc grumbled.
"Someone tripped wards," Nikolai said warily.
"Fuck." Doc scrambled out of bed.
Nikolai waved his hand and cast his cleaning spell over all of them. That was probably just as well since they probably all smelled a bit earthy. Ed didn't mind, but he was a werewolf.
Everyone dressed quickly while Doc and Nikolai slipped out of the yurt.
A quick glance at the comforter showed that they really needed to clean that, too. Probably before they had guests in the yurt. Wolf hair, some streaks of mud, and he smelled a hint of deer blood.
"Hey, Sofia." His heart stuttered when she turned her gray eyes on him. Lavender motes from the magic she held danced through them. Her lips curled into a pleased smile and he wanted to melt into a puddle at her feet.
"Yeah?"
"Could you clean the comforter. It's a bit, uh, wolfy."
Her eyes crinkled in amusement as her smile broadened and she nodded, waving her hands over the bed. For good measure, she included the rest of the yurt.
Sofia's easy expression reassured him. She didn't act upset or repulsed by the run the night before. If anything, she looked relaxed despite the unexpected visitor.
He heard a trio of footsteps trudging through the snow. Doc was nearly silent, and he might not have noticed the vampire if he hadn't been accompanied by the quiet, but still human Nikolai and someone else. The third person didn't even attempt to walk quietly.
"You live in a big tent?" The voice belonged to Doc's old friend Adriana.
What was she doing here? He had known the pack wouldn't be done with her, but he had hoped the real world wouldn't intrude on them until at least after the new year. Couldn't they have waited until afternoon? He growled under his breath.
Sofia put her hand on his arm and squeezed sympathetically.
"It is a yurt," Nikolai replied stiffly.
"You live in a yurt?" Adriana rephrased her question.
"Temporarily," Doc said as he threw back the flap that covered the entryway and gestured for Adriana to enter.
"Why?"
"Because we are redesigning Doc's cabin. We will rebuild shortly," Nikolai snapped.
Ash flinched, but only Ed noticed. The four of them were all standing there staring, almost like they'd gotten caught doing something wrong. It was pretty awkward, and he cast about for some way to make it better.
His stomach grumbled. Food. He could make food. The non-werewolves might not be hungry after the feast last night, but he and Allan were.
He rushed over to the small kitchen area and put the kettle on to boil while he started everything else. Allan, probably understanding what he was doing, dove in to help.
Ed listened while he went through the familiar routine of making breakfast.
After a quick greeting, Adriana jumped right into why she was visiting. Or at least part of why, by the glances she kept darting toward Doc. She really wanted to know something about him, too.