“Elsie wants to be treated like a member of the pack—not some squeamish human prude.”
Zackary folded his arms across his broad chest. “That doesn’t mean you have to gape at her while she shifts and dresses.”
Hudson took a step toward him. “I’m not gaping. Why is she in wolf form, anyway? Got tired of talking to you, I suppose.”
With a snarl, Zackary started toward Hudson, stretching his arms out to grab the mongrel by the shoulders and shake him.
The sound of barking stopped him in his tracks. Elsie ran around them and barked again. Chase laughed. “I don’t think she likes the two of you fighting.”
“We’re not fighting; we’re arguing. Unless you were coming over here to take a swing at me.” Hudson sneered at Zackary.
What would be the fun in that? Zackary thought. I could snap you in half like a twig.
He kept the comment to himself, smiling menacingly instead.
The fur receded on Elsie as she began her shift. This time, Zackary didn’t have to say anything, all three males turned their backs to her, each of them going silent as they stared into the field. None of them spoke until Elsie’s cheerful voice said, “You can turn around now.”
When they did, she was standing in her white dress.
As though on cue, the gong clanged through the hollow, sounding extra loud so near the glade.
“Dinner bell,” Chase announced.
Elsie took off with Hudson, leaving Zackary to watch after them until they disappeared. Chase picked up one of the baskets full of berries and waited for Zackary to do the same before heading over to the glade. Tonight, the pack would enjoy fresh fruit after supper. Tomorrow, the little wood crates would be empty and he’d get another opportunity to fill them with Elsie.
It turned out he didn’t have to wait until tomorrow to spend more time with the beautiful witch shifter. After setting the berries out on a crude wood table in the glade, Zackary spotted Elsie sitting on a log with Justin and Wiley. Heart pounding in his chest, he hurried over.
chapter six
Elsie hadn’t been talking to Justin for long before calling bull. “Hold up. You’re telling me you killed two humans at once. How is that even possible?”
“Yeah, Justin. How is that even possible?” Wiley said, kicking his friend’s ankle.
Elsie laughed. It was the kind of warm sound that made both boys grin. They’d looked mistrustful when she first approached. All it had taken to get through their defenses was to ask for a recap of their battle against the humans. They’d loved it even more after Elsie had groaned and said she wished she could have been there. It was the truth. She really could have taken down two humans at once—more like ten. But she hadn’t been there that fateful day so she decided to be nice and let the guys recount their moment of glory.
Suddenly, Zackary loomed over them, gritting his teeth. “What’s going on over here?”
“Hey, Zack,” Wiley said, missing the dark look in his friend’s eyes.
Elsie smiled up at him. “We were waiting for you.” She held her arm up. Zackary stared at it for a couple seconds before understanding flashed in his eyes. He took her hand and helped her up. There was warmth and strength in his grip that sizzled through her veins. It reminded her of the steady stroke of his fingers through her fur that afternoon. She wanted to know what his hands felt like over her entire body.
The moment she was on her feet, he dropped her hand as though it was a flaming branch and jerked his head around, searching the glade. Elsie headed to the line that had formed behind the cauldron, Wiley jogging alongside her.
“Have you ever heard a gunshot?” he asked eagerly.
“No. Is it really loud?”
“Louder than thunder,” Justin said, hurrying to her other side.
“Deafening,” Wiley tossed in.
Elsie shuddered. Humans and their weapons made her stomach twist.
“What happened to the guns?” she asked with a grimace.
Justin and Wiley looked at one another.
“That’s a really good question,” Justin said, scratching the back of his head. “I’m pretty sure they were gathered up, but I don’t know where they were stored.”
“The council probably knows,” Elsie said. She hoped they’d destroyed the weapons. What use did wolf shifters have of such devices? Their animals could hunt and protect them. Wizards had a similar advantage with their powers that provided every advantage they required to survive and thrive. She liked to think of a world without guns or weapons of any kind. Like her father, Elsie believed civilization was better off returning to simpler times when people lived in small communities and were caretakers of the earth. She had no desire to live a life so far removed from nature that she wasn’t even aware of the moon cycles taking place above the lights of some long-ago city, or the rooftops of a subdivision.
As the line inched toward the cauldron, Justin and Wiley continued their chatter while Zackary searched the crowd.
When Elsie placed her hand on his shoulder he stilled and met her eyes with his deep brown gaze.
“Tabor isn’t coming to dinner. He told me he and Sasha needed some private time after patrol.”
Elsie studied Zackary’s face to see how he would react. She figured he’d either relax a little or stare ahead awkwardly. He did neither. He looked directly into her eyes with a heated stare that licked down her spine. The longer he gazed at her, the hotter the flames burned and spread through her belly to her thighs.
Standing this close to Zackary’s broad sun-kissed chest fortified how very large he was. Hard, toned muscles covered every inch of his torso as densely as fur covered his wolf form. Something feral glinted in Zackary’s earth-brown eyes, a color as rich as the soil beneath her toes.
How could she have ever thought of him as a puppy? Zackary was all man, and all beast. He’d crush her. Rather than being frightened, the thought sent a jolt of excitement that struck her body like lightning.
Elsie’s nipples hardened to stone. She bunched the fabric of her dress at her thighs, tamping down the urge to caress her breasts. Everything she’d done with William had been spurred on by curiosity, never desire. Never had her body ached as it did now to be claimed by this big, beautiful shifter standing before her.
As though beckoned by her reaction, his eyes traveled down her neck to her breasts and the sharp points jabbing through the fabric. There was no pattern on her dress to hide her arousal. Zackary’s nostrils flared the moment he noticed. His eyes latched to her chest.
Justin and Wiley moved forward with the line, but Elsie stood transfixed, as though a spell had taken hold of her. In that moment, she didn’t care about her impending deadline with Brutus. Curse be damned, she wanted Zackary for herself. If his stare could stir up this kind of hunger in her, what would mating with him do to her?
She could hardly wait to find out. She had little time left to wait as it was. Seventeen days. Sixteen tomorrow.
After they dished up stew, Elsie returned to the log with the guys. Her body’s awareness of Zackary seated at her side distracted her from the banter between Justin and Wiley. Zackary didn’t talk much either. She wondered if he shared her fantasy of sneaking off for a little private time of their own. Elsie didn’t know where they would go. Not counting Jager’s crude hut, Tabor was the only shifter outside the den with a cabin. He’d inherited the place from his deceased mother. There was a communal cabin, but the place seemed too public, even though Elsie had learned that if the curtains were drawn over the windows, it meant it was in use.
Deciding tonight wasn’t the night, Elsie excused herself to spend the remainder of dinner with Kallie and Wolfrik. When it was time to sleep, she joined Lacy, Maureen, and Jolene on a mossy patch of earth beside the glade.
“You traded with Rosalie, didn’t you?” Jolene asked. She was about two inches taller than her friends with an oval face and fine, wispy brown hair. When Elsie nodded, she said, “That means your new patrol area is next t
o mine.”
Well, not exactly since Elsie had traded again, but close enough.
The three friends had warm smiles. Of all the female groups in the hollow, Elsie found them the most approachable.
“I’m on meal duty . . . well, obviously.” Lacy smiled sheepishly, and her friends giggled.
“I had meal duty last patrol cycle,” Maureen said.
“Maybe I’ll get assigned to the glade during the next pairings,” Jolene said. “Jager seems to like us to serve food.”
The females chuckled again, clearly unbothered by the placement. Elsie wrinkled her nose, not at all keen on breakfast and dinner duty. Luckily, she didn’t have to worry about preparing pack meals. She’d be mated to Zackary before Jager, or anyone else, ever had a chance to place her at the cauldron.
Following words of good night, the females undressed then shifted into wolf form and curled together in a fluffy group. Elsie had never had trouble making friends at Balmar Heights. She figured it wouldn’t hurt to get closer to other she-wolves, especially now that Kallie had a mate and pup on the way. Sleeping in fur was a new experience since coming to Wolf Hollow. Elsie found she preferred it to snoozing in human form. There were no nagging thoughts to keep her awake, or worries sneaking into her mind early in the morning. Her wolf had the ability to settle into a deep, contented slumber unplagued by cursed outcomes. The nightmares had started after returning to Balmar Heights. Early every morning, she’d found herself trapped in a cave with no way out. In the hollow, her sleep was always restful—another indication that she was home.
Elsie got dressed alongside Lacy, Maureen, and Jolene the next morning before strolling with them into the glade to line up for breakfast.
Tabor and Sasha were already seated on a log eating porridge. Elsie joined them after dishing up and watched shifters as they entered the glade. Rosalie sauntered in wearing a short halter dress that showed off the swells of her boobs. Low-cut tops amused Elsie when packmates were constantly removing garments to shift. It didn’t matter what any of them wore, they all got naked every day. There was no mystery in that department. Some shifters were more private than others, like Zackary who was always trying to shield himself from her. Elsie had caught a brief flash of him the day he joined her and Kallie swimming in the pond. Like the rest of him, he was well endowed.
Warmth crept up Elsie’s neck. She swallowed down the mushy porridge, all too aware of the damp heat blooming between her legs. She had a naughty mind filled with carnal desires that would have shocked most of her coven. No matter what she did or said, they always saw a sweet girl. Well, Elsie was no longer a girl, and it was possible to be both naughty and nice. Her fantasies no longer centered on candlelit bedrooms and touching beneath covers. Now she envisioned herself naked beneath the moonlight, coupling with Zackary against the earth. This desire burned in her belly, fluttering around like a moth trapped behind a villa window. Once inside her head, Elsie couldn’t let it out. Every time she saw Zackary her thoughts turned delirious. Good thing she was skilled at hiding what went on inside her wayward mind.
Elsie mashed more porridge between her teeth and swallowed it down.
Rosalie was met by her friends Olivia and Camilla. As they walked by, Rosalie winked at Elsie, who waved. Tabor frowned at the exchange.
“Making new friends?”
“I consider all my packmates friends.”
Sasha beamed at her while Tabor pursed his lips.
“Be careful,” he said. “Not everyone is friendly toward our kind. If anyone ever bothers you, let me know immediately.”
Elsie set her bowl in her lap and sat up straight. “I’m not worried, and I can handle things myself.”
“Elsie . . .” Tabor sighed and gripped the back of his neck.
“I think Elsie is fitting in just fine,” Sasha said.
The pureblooded she-wolf really was the best pack sister. Even if Sasha wasn’t mated to her brother, Elsie would have adored her. Sasha had a worldly, kind, and commanding way about her. It was as clear as a cloudless sky that she loved her pack and would do anything for them. She was the most selfless being Elsie had ever known. Was Elsie willing to make any sacrifice necessary to save the coven she’d grown up in? If there was no other option, would she give herself over to Brutus?
Recalling their recent encounter in the forest made Elsie squeeze her eyes closed and shudder. Zackary was big, but Brutus was even bigger. The muscular bear shifter, however, did not excite her in the least. The thought of the hairy beast lazing around naked inside his cave made the porridge churn inside her stomach.
Elsie needed to make her move soon, but not so fast that she scared Zackary off. William had not appreciated her forwardness. He’d said it wasn’t ladylike.
I’m not a lady. I’m a wolf and a witch, Elsie grumbled to herself.
Their bodies were made for mating, but William had acted all weird about it, ruining the experience. He’d never wanted to try anything different, either. Always beneath covers. Always on top, bumping into her in a rush to come and get it over with before things got “out of control.” He’d never given Elsie an orgasm—not even close. He probably considered it unseemly for a woman to climax. She was glad to be rid of him.
Unable to finish her porridge, Elsie stood up—her movement drawing her brother’s attention. He stared at her with keen eyes, the same green as their father’s.
“You’re partners with Aden?” he asked.
Elsie glanced across the glade to where Rosalie stood beside Aden, playing with the ends of her long brown hair. She chewed on her lip and returned her attention to Tabor.
“I switched partners with Rosalie.”
“Switched?” Sasha’s forehead wrinkled as though she’d never heard of such a wild notion.
Aden had been open to switching, but he said he wouldn’t lie if anyone asked. It hadn’t taken much convincing, not when Aden still appeared preoccupied with the human he’d left behind at Balmar Heights. Elsie had fed him the same story she shared now.
“I didn’t want to be on hunting duty.”
Tabor leaned forward, green gaze locked on hers. “Who is your new partner?”
“Hudson.”
Tabor relaxed on the log and nodded. This time, Sasha frowned.
“You can’t just switch like that. Jager paired you and Aden together.”
“Sasha leave it,” Tabor said. “The old man barely leaves his hut. What difference does it make?”
Sasha jerked sideways and glared at him.
Uh-oh. Elsie didn’t want to be the cause of a fight between them. But she had to stay the course. She took a step backward.
“So, anyway. I’m headed off to duty. Will I see the two of you at dinner?”
“Yes,” Sasha said at the same time Tabor said, “No.”
“Um, okay. So maybe?” Elsie spun around, leaving the mated pair to work things out.
When Elsie and Hudson entered the small field by the river, Chase and Zackary stood waiting with smiles.
The boys were soon gone, leaving Elsie alone with Zackary. She walked over to the baskets and looked down. Finding them empty, she grinned.
“You waited for me.”
Zackary gave an amused grunt. “It didn’t seem fair for me to get a head start.”
Elsie’s eyes lit up. “Oh, so this is a race to see who can fill their basket first.”
“Um, no. That’s not what I meant.” Zackary rubbed his jaw.
She could see he hadn’t intended it as competition, but Elsie’s pulse quickened in anticipation. She scooped up a basket.
“If I win, I want a kiss.”
Zackary’s lips parted, and his eyes went to her mouth.
She’d tried to get one out of him at the pond last moon cycle before Jack and Kallie put a stop to it. They’d meant well, she supposed, but she should be free to make her own decisions. There was no one to stop them today.
Zackary looked around as though expecting a packmate to storm in and p
ull them apart. Early morning sunlight tickled the blades of grass in the quiet field. There wasn’t so much as a breeze whispering at them to take caution. Birds whistled merry encouragement, darting low across the field before disappearing into the bushes.
“What do you want if you win?” she asked before he could object to her terms.
Zackary’s large fingers slid from his jaw to his chin as he studied her. He didn’t seem particularly scared. What would he ask for? What if he wanted the same reward? Would that mean she could kiss him now? Elsie bounced on the balls of her feet, impatient for his answer.
“If I win . . .” Zackary’s smile faltered.
“Yes?” Elsie coaxed, standing on her toes.
Zackary lowered his arms, a mask of confusion settling over his face.
“If I win, you tell me why you want to kiss me.”
“That’s it?” Elsie asked, disappointed. “That’s the reward you choose if you win?”
Zackary nodded.
“I can tell you right now, you know.”
“No,” he said quickly. “A bet is a bet.” He grabbed his basket and began plucking blackberries with a determination that made Elsie’s heart sink. It looked like he wanted to win so he wouldn’t have to kiss her.
That sobering thought took the fun out of the task. A weight pressed against Elsie as she picked berries, deep in thought. Beside her, Zackary emptied the bushes of their burden with quick efficiency. Every time she looked over, her stomach hollowed out a little more. She was getting such mixed signals from the burly shifter. One moment he seemed to only have eyes for her, the next she felt like a pest he wanted to avoid.
The sun lifted above their heads. Soon, Zackary was two wooden crates ahead of Elsie. She wasn’t racing him, though, not when he so obviously wished to avoid her lips. It wasn’t even midday yet when Zackary set his basket down and announced, “Done.”
The triumph in his voice hurt worse than thorns piercing through flesh.
Moon Cursed (Wolf Hollow Shifters Book 4) Page 6