She thought about seeing him change, the way his bones bent and shifted, the hair, everything. She imagined herself doing the same thing. An itch started at the top of her head and moved down her body. She opened her eyes as she felt something lurch inside of her.
Shane smiled. “It’s happening.”
She looked down at her arm which was rapidly sprouting course brown hair. There was a pain in her skull as the bones began to shift and move. The way the room looked changed. She assumed it was the difference between seeing things through a wolf’s eyes and a human’s eyes.
Shane reached out and ran a hand over her head. “You’re an adorable wolf. Now that you’ve changed, it’s time to try becoming human again.”
The change from wolf to human took much longer. Shane was right about the feelings and sensations. Lexi could barely keep still. The sheets felt so strange on her paws. Shane smelled so interesting. She constantly pressed her nose against his skin. He laughed whenever she did. She wished she could bottle his sent and save it for when she turned back into a human.
Finally, after an hour of padding around the apartment as a wolf, she managed to turn back. “You smell awesome,” she said.
“That smell has to do with us being mates. I don’t actually think I smell that good.”
She shrugged, and as she came back to full awareness of her human body she realized something important. She was naked.
Shane’s eyes were roaming over her body and she blushed lightly. “I want you,” he said, his voice low and full of desire.
Her eyes found his and she closed the space between them. “Take me, then.”
When they finished making love, they lay on the couch together. Just as they were drifting off, Shane’s phone rang. He moved her so she was laying down on the sofa rather than on him. She watched his firm backside as he ran to the bedroom to grab his phone. She closed her eyes and listened to the distant sound of his voice. She couldn’t quite make out what he was going to say.
She heard his footsteps and she opened her eyes. He stood in the entryway of the living room. He was wearing clothes and there was an expression on his face that made her worried.
“What’s wrong?”
“The council called. We need to go.”
Chapter 20
They drove for almost an hour before they made it to their destination. It was a small house out in the country. Lexi wasn’t sure what to expect as she followed Shane out to the enormous back yard. There was a small crowd of people milling about. She didn’t recognize anyone, but Shane did. He walked over to an older man who looked a great deal like him.
“Dad,” he said, as he embraced the man. “I’d like to introduce you to Lexi.”
Shane’s father pulled Lexi into a big, bear hug. “Welcome to the family,” he said gruffly. He released her and then introduced her to the woman standing next to him. The woman resembled Amanda so much that there was no doubt in Lexi’s mind that she was Shane’s mother.
Just as they began to talk, a hush fell over the rest of the crowd. Matt rounded the corner of the house and stepped into the center of the yard. He looked terribly smug and he nodded his head at Lexi. “You’ve healed well,” he said, a dark smile plastered on his face.
“Fuck off,” Lexi said angrily.
Matt grinned. She turned to Shane, deliberately turning her back on Matt, and then she heard the words that made her skin crawl.
“Hey, doll.”
Her heart stopped. She turned around. Adam stood right next to Matt, a matching evil grin on his face. He had a massive wound that looked like a wolf bite on his arm. And she could smell the wolf on him. After her shift, her senses were more intense. He had been changed and it seemed like Matt was the only one who would have done it.
Shane’s hand went to her back. “Get him the fuck out of here,” Shane sneered.
Matt shook his head. “He’s my second.”
Shane laughed. “You’re really chicken shit enough to have a second?” Matt scowled as Shane continued. “It’s been centuries since someone had a second.” Shane laughed. Lexi felt unconcerned until Matt turned to her.
“It’s traditional to make your mate your second in a fight.”
And then it dawned on Lexi that Matt knew exactly what he was doing. If Matt died, he wanted reassurance that Adam would try to hurt Lexi. It wouldn’t matter that Adam was supposed to fight Shane. Matt knew that Adam would go directly for Lexi.
Lexi burned with rage. Matt considered her weak. That’s why he targeted her in the parking lot, why he turned her. He thought that he was going to hurt Shane. He underestimated Lexi. She didn’t mind. It happened all the time. Other surgeons counted her out because she was a woman, or because she was younger than they were. And then she performed flawless surgery to prove them wrong. This wasn’t any different. If it had been anyone but Adam, the thought of hurting someone would be appalling to her. But it was Adam. The man who abused her. The man who stole years of her life from her. The man who made her live in fear of other men and of herself.
She wasn’t going to lay down and roll over. She was going to fight, and if she had to, she was going to rip him apart.
“Obviously, I’m Shane’s second,” Lexi spat. “Enjoy having your throat ripped out, dickhead.” Lexi mentally patted herself on the back. She sounded a whole lot braver than she felt.
Shane took her hand and squeezed. She wanted to throw her arms around him and kiss him. He didn’t protest what she had said, even though the set of his jaw told her that he wasn’t happy about her proclamation. She knew he was going to do everything he could to make sure that she wasn’t going to wind up in the middle of the fight, but he was going to let her stand up for herself. And she knew he was proud of her for doing so.
“Are we going to keep talking or are we going to do this?” Matt growled. The people around them, who Lexi assumed were part of the council, took a few steps back, creating a circle that surrounded Matt, Shane, Lexi and Adam.
“Lex, stand back a bit,” Shane said quietly. Lexi took a step back, melting into the circle and watched as Shane began to transform. It was magical to watch now that she knew what it entailed.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Matt start his transformation. Shane waited for Matt to finish his shift before he leapt at him. The two wolves met in mid-air and then slammed into the ground. Shane was on top, his teeth in Matt’s belly. There was a sickening noise and Lexi turned her head. She wasn’t sure what was going on but she was sure that she couldn’t watch it happen.
Shane’s mother began to narrate everything softly for her. “Don’t worry, darling,” she began. “Shane just snapped Matt’s hind leg. Ohh, Matt bit Shane’s tail…Shane has Matt pinned to the ground…”
It went on, almost endlessly. And then Shane’s mother swore loudly. Lexi looked up and into the circle. One wolf was on the ground, not moving. And the other was walking right at her, blood on its muzzle.
She bent down and opened her arms. “Shane!” She hugged the wolf and patted its head.
Then there was a collective gasp from the crowd. Adam had turned and he moved around Shane. He was aiming for Lexi. The moment she realized what was happening, she began to shift. It had never happened so organically before, without her trying.
It started as an itch along her skin. Her arm rapidly sprouted hair and she felt her bones shift. It was amazing to feel. But just as she was appreciating the feeling of her transformation, Adam managed to break away from Shane’s teeth and head towards her. He hit her side just as the transformation was complete. She growled with the pain of his teeth sinking into her side.
She dropped to the ground, knocking him off balance slightly. She pressed her paw into his chest and was able to push him off of her completely. Her heart pounded as she turned herself over. Shane moved rapidly, so he was standing next to her. Adam stared the two down and took another lunge for Lexi but both Shane and Lexi reacted almost immediately. They jumped on Adam together and Lexi’
s teeth ripped into his stomach, keeping him pinned as Shane went for his throat.
The wolf slowly stopped twitching. Lexi let go of the flesh quickly and backed up. Shane followed her movement. He shifted back into his human form, but she couldn’t quite manage to focus on herself enough to make the change. The smell of blood was too strong. She felt sick. She had just witnessed the man she was in love with kill two people. Even though they were threatening both of them, it still made her ill.
One of the council members took a step forward. “The winner is clear. Shane is our Alpha. Lexi has proven herself to be a strong and proper mate.”
Shane bowed his head and put his hand on Lexi’s head. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
Shane must have been to the house before because he led her to the bathroom without anyone showing him where it was. She followed him, still in her wolf form. He turned on the shower and ushered her inside.
“Stay a wolf as long as you need.”
The water hit her fur and it felt so strange. She watched through the foggy glass as he took a wet towel and began to wipe himself down.
Minutes passed as she sat under the hot water, and then the change began to happen. She felt her bones elongate and the hair pull into her skin. When she was fully human she stood up. Shane opened the shower door and stepped inside with her.
He pulled her into a strong embrace and whispered, “I’m so sorry you had to see that, but I’m not sorry that I did it. Without Matt and Adam in this world you are so much safer and I would do anything to protect you. Anything.”
She buried her face in his strong chest, and let herself cry.
Chapter 21
The crowning ceremony was to take place at Shane’s parent’s house. The place was practically a mansion. The driveway fit multiple cars and the front door was enormous. “You grew up here?” Lexi asked, stunned by the fanciness of the building.
“Uh, for the most part. I was probably ten when we moved in. The pack owns it collectively, so anyone is allowed to stay if they need it. At some point, everyone decided that it made the most sense for the Alpha to live here permanently so that when people did need to stay here, there was someone around to actually let them in.”
“Are we going to move in here?” Lexi asked as they approached the door.
Shane shrugged. “We could if you wanted to. If not, I’m sure my parents wouldn’t mind running it for a while.”
“The second option, please.” Lexi didn’t want to live so far away from the hospital. Living with Shane already added fifteen minutes to her commute each way.
“Your wish is my command, darling.”
The door opened and Amanda guided them inside. “Everyone is waiting for you,” she said as she rushed them inside.
They followed her to a large room. There was a dais in the center and chairs surrounded it. Lexi was glad she had chosen the dress she did. She purchased it for a friend’s wedding a few years ago. It was dark blue and fell to the floor. One shoulder was exposed and a thick strip of fabric covered the other one. She wore tan high heels. Shane guided her through the room, his hand on her lower back. He was so self-assured, and he looked fantastically elegant in his suit. She hoped she looked elegant by extension.
He helped her up the steps to the small platform and they turned to look out at the crowd. Lexi stood on the small dais with Shane. His hand was in hers. She wasn’t sure if this was supposed to be like the videos of coronations she had watched online. What did wolves do when they replaced their Alphas? Was she expected to turn? Because she had no idea how to do it voluntarily. She figured that Shane would have said something if that was the case. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest.
The council stood in a circle around them. Shane’s father joined them on the platform and someone from the crowd handed him a massive knife. Lexi’s eyes bulged. What was he going to do with that?
He held out his hand, and Shane mirrored his movements. The older man brought the knife down and sliced his palm. Blood flowed freely. Shane took the knife and did the same thing to his own hand. They shook hands, mixing the blood, and when they pulled their hands from the grip, the cuts were closed. Shane’s father was saying something but Lexi couldn’t hear him over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears.
Shane turned to her and took her hand. Her mouth opened in a pained ‘O’ as he sliced her palm open and then re-opened his palm. He pressed their hands together and then leaned forward to join their lips. She reached for him with her uninjured hand, and she heard the crowd cheer.
He pulled away and released her. Her hand tingled and she looked down. The cut closed before her eyes. Shane took her hand and smiled at the crowd.
“Ladies and gentleman, I present to you your new Alpha.” The cheers and claps overwhelmed Lexi. “Dinner will be served in the dining room.”
She watched as everyone began to file out of the room. Shane leaned over to her. “Are you alright?”
She nodded. “I expected something a little more…intense.”
Shane chuckled and took her hand. “Sorry that being crowned queen of the wolves wasn’t intense enough for you.” She stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed and led her into the dining room.
The meal passed in a blur of introductions and discussions about the merits of various locations for shifting. Everyone took it upon themselves to impart bits of advice to her. She didn’t mind, but it got a bit repetitive.
Finally, everyone began to filter out and Shane took her hand and announced, “We’re tired. We’re going to head to bed.”
He led her up a long staircase and down a hallway. “I’m so happy to have you alone. You look amazing in that dress.” She grabbed his hand and rubbed her nose against his shoulder.
“You look pretty darn good in that tux.”
He stopped outside of a door and turned the handle. He let her enter first and then followed her inside. The room was beautiful. There was a large four-poster bed and the comforter looked thick and soft. The wooden furniture was masculine-looking but the small touches, like the pillow on the chair by the window, all seemed softer and more feminine.
The second the door closed, Shane had her up against the wall. His hands went to her wrists and pushed them up above her head. His mouth devoured hers. Kissing Shane made her feel like she was losing herself to him, like he was absorbing her. It was simultaneously terrifying and beautiful. His hands roamed down her body, over her clothes. Even though he let go of her wrists, she kept them up. She knew he would want her to stay like that. He liked the control. And she loved giving it to him.
His mouth trailed across her jawline. He nipped at her before moving down her neck. “You smell so good.” He licked a line down her neck. “I can taste the adrenaline and strength on your skin. Fuck. How did I get so lucky to have you as my mate?”
She laughed. “You got shot.”
“Lucky me,” he mumbled into her collar bone. “You looked gorgeous tonight. Regal.”
“I guess that fits. I’m queen of the wolves now, right?”
He laughed. “You are.” His hands moved up her thigh, gently lifting the dress. “And I’m stuck between wanting to rip this dress off of you and wanting to see you wear it again at some point.”
“Keep the dress, rip the panties.”
He groaned. “You are full of good ideas.” He bunched her dress up at her waist and ran his fingers across her lace-covered slit. Her hips bucked against him. “Needy girl,” he whispered. She nodded. He yanked the dress up and off of her, revealing her surprise that lay underneath.
“If I had known you were wearing this, I doubt we would have made it to the coronation.” She bought a half-shelf bra that left most of her breasts exposed, but pushed them up.
Two thin straps crisscrossed around her back and came around her front, ending at the bottom of her rib cage. Her underwear matched. Most of it was strappy and barely covered anything. She slid under his arm and skipped to the bed.
She jumped onto the bed and slid down so her butt was in the air and her torso was flat on the soft comforter. She gave him a moment to look at her before she slid down completely and rolled onto her back. She had never felt so sexy, or so confident.
She spread her legs and ran a hand up her thigh. “What are you waiting for?”
He walked towards her, and stopped at the edge of the bed. He took her ankle and put her foot up against his shoulder. He ran his hands up her leg and then took her other foot. He pressed his thumbs into her arch and then placed it flat on the bed. He bent down and licked a line up her thigh.
His lips pressed against her pussy and he licked her through the lace. One finger slid under the lace and he pressed his forefinger against her clit. Her hips bucked as she silently demanded more. She wanted him so much. The way he worked to protect her made her so hot.
She hooked her free leg around his waist, trying to get him closer. She so wanted to feel him against her. He lowered his hips against hers and pressed close. His hand slid between their bodies and down into her panties. “So wet,” he muttered.
He worked one finger into her wet pussy. He slid it out almost all the way and circled her entrance. She squirmed. How could it be that the very start of her was so sensitive? He circled one more time before penetrating her again. He added a second finger and separated the two fingers, stretching her. “I need more,” she whined. “I need your cock.”
He chuckled, the rumble reverberating deep in his chest. “Say it again.”
“I need your cock.” He slid his fingers out of her and put them in his mouth, tasting her. He yanked her underwear off her hips and down her leg. He ran his nails up her legs and his head dove between her legs. His tongue fucked her shallowly as his thumb pressed up against her clit.
Her toes curled as the start of an orgasm moved through her. Her eyes fluttered shut and her hands took hold of his hair, pushing his face even deeper into her. Her heart pounded and her stomach clenched as she came again. His fingers joined his tongue, pleasuring her unrelentingly. It was almost painful, the pressure on her clit. It made her ache deeply.
Bears of Burden: STERLING Page 28