"Lead the way, if that is what you want but why wouldn’t you show me on the computer? There isn’t one out there?"
"More room out there. What I have to show you isn’t for small confined spaces. By the way, I think we need to start over, things have gotten a little out of hand. Holding out his hand he said, “Hi, Peyton, my name is Wyatt Green, and it is a pleasure to finally meet you in person.” Winking he added, “so do you often go on vacation to underground bunkers? I think it’s kind of hot but not the usual vacation choice. I tend to go for sandy beaches and tropical weather, but this works too.”
Peyton wanted to keep her grump on for a little while longer, but she couldn’t resist the smile coming to her lips. Wyatt was a charmer, and she liked it. He was also gorgeous and a myriad of other things Peyton didn’t care to name at the moment. She would also love to see Wyatt Green in a pair of swim trunks laying out in the sun.
Playing along with him shook his hand and said Peyton said, “It’s nice to meet you as well Mr. Green, I tend to take rustic vacations although a beach sounds nice. This place has a unique ambiance wouldn’t you agree?”
"That it does pretty lady, now how about we get on with this show and step out into the common room, with your permission of course,” Wyatt said bending at the waist and motioning with a sweep of his arm.
Peyton couldn’t resist playing along," why thank you, kind sir, I would be happy to join you." Nodding her head at him, she started to walk towards the door. When Wyatt placed his hand on her lower back, she almost melted on the spot. She loved being lead this way, it made her feel safe and protected. It also made her feel cherished. Damn this man was hitting all her hot spots.
Wyatt couldn’t resist leaning in close to and nuzzling Peyton’s hair, “Shit honey, your scent has been driving me crazy for days now, warm sugar and vanilla. I got a whiff back at your place, but nothing is as good as being close and smelling it in person.”
"Huh? My scent, whatever Wyatt time to drop the animal thing. It was good at first, but you don’t want to overplay your hand. I have to admit I should have checked in with my brother but this is even overboard for his control freak nature. I should have known big brother would bring in the troops. Are the rest of the Frost crew hiding out in my woods? Bastian is so going to pay for this you know I have this tape from when he was about sixteen. He was in the shower singing that big butt song. I have been keeping that little gem waiting for just the right time to bring it out, and you know what I think that time is now."
"You're evil, you can’t keep stuff like that. Bas was worried, and no the rest of the Frost crew is not out in the woods I found you all by myself. Well with a very unique part of me. Why don’t you have a seat on the couch so we can get this over with and move on."
Chapter 15
"Fine, show me what you have got Mr. Green." Peyton sucked in a breath and then scooted up on her knees on the couch, No way in hell. Instead of Wyatt standing in front of her now, a huge ass grizzly bear stood. She didn’t know if she should stay where she was or run screaming from the room. Maybe she should get the fresh air vents tested. The bunker was old, hadn’t she read somewhere that certain types of mold caused hallucination? It could be a magic trick, but she quickly dismissed that idea. She didn’t have any smoke or mirrors in the bunker. She needed to put on her big girl panties and figure out what the hell was going on and decided rather quickly there was only one way that could happen. Unfolding herself from the crouched position on the couch Peyton planted her feet on the ground. After a couple of seconds with the big boy not moving, she decided to stand up. If this were a trick, she would find out rather quickly. Placing her hand out in front of her she walked gingerly towards the bear.
She was expecting some ripples as a result of disturbing the image of what had to be a hologram, like on Star Trek she could deal with that, there were technological advances made every day based off of ideas from movies. She could deal with that, she didn’t expect the contact of fur with her hand. Real fur soft and warm, she also didn’t expect the huge tongue to come out and lick her cheek. Stepping back shaking Peyton brought her hand to her cheek, it was wet. Shit, this wasn’t a hologram. What it was happened to be much more incredible than science fiction, Wyatt Green was a bear! In her haste to get away from him, Peyton didn’t pay attention and tripped over her own feet toppling her to the floor. Damn, she wasn’t going to make it out of this day without a shit ton of bruises at least this time it was her butt that took the brunt of the fall.
Within a blink of an eye, Wyatt was a man again. " Okay baby, I am really starting to think we need to wrap you in some kind of padding. Maybe we should get you back to base so Ryleigh can check you out. Do you have balance issues any inner ear issues that I should know about?"
Wyatt was asking those questions, and Peyton was trying to catch her breath. Trying to figure out what she just saw and knew was now was the truth. This man was a Werebear, and he was worried about her balance issues or inner ear problems?
"Dude you’re a freaking bear!"
"Yeah, I know I thought we just established that already, I can shift again if you’re not convinced."
Peyton’s mind was traveling a hundred miles a minute. Shit more like warp speed, she didn’t know what to ask first, but that didn’t stop her, she just started to blurt out questions. " Does Bastian know you turn into a bear. How are you are a bear in the first place, did you get bit? Or worse did the government decided to experiment on you like some kind of Sci-Fi movie? Fuck are you going to kill me or something because I know you turn into a bear? Do other people turn into bears? How about other animals I mean are there people out that that can turn into bunnies or something. Oh, is Big Foot really a shifter how about Nessie? Are there dinosaur shifters?"
"Baby, are you feeling light headed, any headache or weird lights behind your eyes?"
"Come on Wyatt spill I just found out that people can turn into bears." Peyton backed up from him unable to get very far because her back hit the couch, “shit are you going to change me into a bear?”
Peyton didn’t like the sound of that in all the movies she ever watched about Werewolves they had to bite the person they wanted to change. She didn’t mind a little biting while in the bedroom, but she didn’t want to get more than an orgasm out of it. Nope, not her kind of thing. She liked just how she was, human.
Wyatt loved watching Peyton work through all her questions. Her hands waved wildly with gestures and movements. But it was her face that told all her secrets. She went from excited, to curious, to mad and scared all within a matter of seconds. Wyatt laughed, "Okay, crazy lady, let’s see if I remember everything you asked."
"Yes, your brother knows I can turn into a bear. No, I’m not going to kill you but eating you has a certain appeal." He said with hooded eyes and a very naughty grin.
Damn Peyton liked that look on this man. She should be freaking out right now trying to get away from him, but she was feeling far from that way. The man was a Werebear, and maybe she was just a tiny bit touched in the head, but that turned her on even more.
"I’m a Shifter not a Were anything. My people have been around for as long as time, and yes that means we are born this way. We can’t turn anyone else into Shifters by biting them or any other means."
Wyatt was actually getting a major kick out of Peyton’s reactions to his answers. When he said that he couldn’t turn her into a Shifter by any means her shoulders relaxed, and she let out a breath he was sure she didn’t know she had been holding. But Wyatt could also see the excitement in her eyes, her need for data rivaled his own. She was waiting for him to continue when he waited just a little too long she started flinging her hand telling him without words to get on with it.
"Okay let me see, Yeah, many other people turn into bears and other animals no bunnies that I am aware of, only Apex predators. Yes, Big Foot is a shifter, gorilla shifter to be exact, his name is John Thompson. He is a pretty decent guy he just doesn’t like the human worl
d. So, he stays in the animal form most of the time. He does like to drink though and thinks it funny to freak people out, then walk up as a man and ask them questions. I don’t get it but hey to each his own."
"Nessie is not a shifter, and I am pretty sure with the exception of dragons there are no dinosaur shifters. Did I miss anything?"
Peyton was getting more excited by the minute, she was obsessed with Harry Potter, Dr. Who and anything medieval. This was an opportunity she could not pass up. Bears were cool, but dragons were better.
"You have dragons? Oh, you so have to show me a dragon. That would be awesome!"
"Yeah, sorry baby but that probably isn’t going to happen. To my knowledge, there is only one, and he really isn’t the show and tell type. Anyways bears are way cooler. I mean we have fur. Dragons have those hard, old scales, not something you can cuddle up to on a cold winters night."
Peyton put her finger up to her lip like she was thinking really hard, she liked playing with Wyatt. " Oh, I don’t know dragons can light me a fire, to keep me warm and let's not forget they have treasure. What do bears have, a dark, musty den somewhere in a cave?"
"Oh, honey I assure you my den is quite nice, nothing dark and musty about it."
Peyton had been rolling everything he had said around in her head and had to ask, “Wait a minute the other animals can be explained. I mean even I thought you were someone’s pet but how the hell do you hide a dragon? It would have to stretch his wings somewhere why haven’t I ever heard of dragon sightings, like UFOs or aliens?"
"Okay, first off I am no one’s pet let’s get that straight right now, but I get where you are coming from, but just like John, some things are more than meets the eye. Senior is the only dragon shifter I know so you would have to ask him those question. But honey I have to warn you he isn’t exactly the sharing type. Not to mention you only need to concern yourself with one Shifter at the moment."
"I see, and who would that Shifter be?"
Wyatt lunged forward and starting tickling Peyton’s sides. " Why that would be me, Miss Carlton." He continued to tickle her until she screamed uncle.
Wyatt loved playing with Peyton, but they needed to get serious. Peyton, we are getting off topic I need you to answer a few questions and then we need to pack up and get out of here. Bas wasn’t lying, right now all of Alpha Team is in danger, and that includes you.
Damn, this guy was cute. Disheveled hair from their play, full beard, and sparkling aqua blue eyes. She had never seen eyes that color before and now that she thought about it the bear had those eyes too. How odd or interesting depending on how you thought about it. But that brought on more questions?
"Does it hurt when you shift? I mean I know you said your nothing like Were people, but your body transforms. What does it feel like? How do you keep your clothes on, shouldn’t you have to strip or something? Is the animal still you or are you the animal?"
"Shifting is like an explosion. Your body turns into pure energy, and that energy or some say magic is what allows my kind to change forms. It's sudden, a burst of mutation that happens in a blink but so much changes within and without. You go from feeling like a human. With human emotions, tastes urges to feeling like an animal with different emotions tastes and urges. Buts one things that always stays the same in both forms is that you are the same person. Sometimes you have to fight for your dominance over the animals, but really, I have been doing it for so long that the struggle is instinctual instead of discomforting or strange. "
"The first shift we have in our adolescents is often painful, but that is because everything is new. Mind over matter and all of that, you’re scared so you tense. The anticipation builds, and you get tenser. Then tension causes pain when the transformation begins and often last longer than it would without it. Over time you learn how to deal with it to the point that shift itself is as natural as walking or talking."
As for my clothes honey, I keep on telling you we are nothing like the books or movies have shown. Our history doesn’t really give us much information, but there are plenty of theories revolving around why we have our abilities. It is just a matter of genetics, and even that is a fluke of nature. Some children born to Shifters have the ability while others don’t. I tend to believe it’s just magic and accept the gifts I have been given. We are stronger, live longer and have abilities no other species have but for us, it is just the way it is. Would you ever ask a blind person what if feels like to not see? Or to explain a color that they have no physical reference to?"
Peyton felt kind of bad, Wyatt was right, she let her excitement and shock get the better of her but damn a person didn’t get the chance to witness let alone ask these types of questions every day. He had to understand her curiosity, didn’t he?
Placing her hand on his chest, Peyton said," Wyatt I get that this isn’t new to you, but for me, it has all come as a shock. You have had your whole life to come to terms with your being. I have only had a couple of minutes. I hope you understand that I’m not belittling what and who you are it's just in my nature to question. To collect the data and formulate it in my mind so that I can effectively formulate proper conclusions."
"Peyton, believe me, I get it but honey, you have known a Shifter for most of your life. You can’t tell me that during that time you never once noticed any differences."
"Wait, what? Who do I know that’s a Shifter?" Peyton knew it was a stupid question as soon as the words crossed her lips. " Bastian?" It made a weird kind of sense he was different. It also brought an uncanny clarity to Peyton. At the beginning of this little adventure, she couldn’t figure out why anyone would be after her brother or his teammates. Now that she knew about their abilities it infuriated her. If those men and her mother were after Wyatt and Bastian because of their shifting ability to do God only knew what to them. Peyton was even more determined to never let that happen.
Shifters if found would be put under a microscope to be studied. Dissected and dismantled like objects instead of people. Or worse if those thoughts weren’t bad enough.
"Yeah, honey, Bas, his father. Shit all of NAC. We are all Shifters."
"Why are you telling me all of this Wyatt? You said your species has been around for a long time and even though Were people are depicted in movies and books there has never been any concrete proof of your existence. I’m sorry, but I cannot believe that I am being given this opportunity without something for your people to gain as well. As you have said, Bastian is my brother and never once has he mentioned any of this to me. Why now?"
"Shit, listen I understand your confusion and your right, you are getting this information for a particular reason. Your association with Bas and NAC has placed you in a vulnerable situation. Your work for us has allowed you to have information regarding our whereabouts, cases and now our status. The Team decided that it was only right you had all information and to bring you in as quickly as possible. Peyton, I wasn’t supposed to show you my bear. That was meant to happen in a controlled environment. Where the Team had the ability to answer any and all of your questions. I screwed that up but honey, I don’t regret it."
"We may have only just meet, but we have been dancing around each other for months now. I feel things for you I can’t really explain, and I have a feeling you might have some of those feeling for me. I wanted to be the one to give you this, to answer your questions and alleviate some of your fears."
Chapter 16
Peyton didn’t really know what to say to Wyatt’s confession, she had been drawn to him. Couldn’t get him out of her mind even for a little while. When she tried he only made appearances in her dreams, Peyton had thought she made him up, but her dream version and the real thing were so close she had to wonder if did, in fact, possess more magic than he thought. Now finally meeting him in person she knew those dreams would never stop, but the reality could be so much better.
Brushing his finger down Peyton’s hot cheek he couldn’t resist adding just a little more for her to think about, "
Baby, you are so much more than I ever dreamed. But right now, isn’t the time to explore any of that as much as that might kill me. NAC has factions coming at them from all sides. Our secret has been revealed, and some pretty fucked up people have that information. As much as I would like to put all that aside and explore this thing between us, we have to focus on the danger that is knocking at the door. I could sit here with you for weeks and still not even scratch the surface of all the things you need to know or will want to ask."
Damn Peyton was trying as hard has she could to sit still and listen to Wyatt when she really wanted to jump up and down like a preteen yelling, “He likes me, he really, really, likes me.” It didn’t make any sense, but damn she had said she needed a change. A couple of days or even hours with this hot as hell man would definitely be a change in her routine. But that didn’t modify the situation they had both found themselves in, there was a time to be selfish and a time to get to work. As much as she regretted the choice now was not the time to be selfish.
Peyton had to stop ogling the sexy man. She still had a ton of work to do, and he was a distraction she didn’t need. No doubt about it Wyatt Green was definitely distracting her, making her head all fuzzy and butterflies had invaded her stomach.
"Sorry, Wyatt but we can’t go back to your base. I need to stay as far away from Bastian as possible right now. I have to keep him safe even more so now that you gave me all this new information. You guys have your things going on, and so do I. I will not put any of you in danger, and until I can determine if the threat I think is out there isn’t one, I’m not going anywhere."
Wyatt: NAC & The Holly Group (Alpha Team Book 3) Page 13