Forever Changed (The Mystic Wolves)

by Belinda Boring

  Focus, sweetheart, the soft rebuke filtered through our link. He’d overheard my musings and, judging from the slight teasing in his tone, he wasn’t amused that my mind had wandered.

  Give me something to focus on, then. It was a blatant challenge and I all but purred as he increased the kiss’s temperature—taking it from hot to downright smoldering. Stealing my breath, his tongue danced with mine, wiping away any notion that anything existed but him.

  He pushed me back into the hanging clothes, items dropping to the floor; but I didn’t care. I couldn’t; the only thing that mattered was his hand reaching for the button on my jeans as he fumbled to get it undone. Fire lit in the pit of my stomach because I knew where this was heading. In a matter of seconds, we’d both be naked—the perfect way to spend my birthday.

  “Can I just say I hate these jeans?” He grumbled, as the button finally gave way and the zipper slid easily down.

  “Consider them gone.” Shimmying out of my pants, I was reduced to bra and panties. With a satisfied growl of approval, Mason slid his finger underneath my bra straps, dropping them down by my elbows, as he reached around for the clasp.

  “And this, too. All of it. I hate all your clothes.” Hunger consumed his voice, his eyes feasting on my bare skin, and his tongue briefly flicking over his lips as though he couldn’t wait to taste and savor.

  “And have me walk around naked?” Reaching for his belt buckle and tugging his shirt out from his pants, it was hard for me to focus, knowing what was about to happen. My fingers grazed over his tight abdomen, the muscles twitching at the contact.

  “It’s fine with me.” Mason gave me little room to undress him with all his attention centered on touching as much of me as he could as one time. His hands were everywhere; his mouth swiftly following, each blessed nip and lick causing a frenzied tension to build within me.

  With his shirt finally off, all that was left was ridding him of his boxers. His tanned skin seemed to glow beneath the closet light, a faint dusting of hair over his chest reminding me how truly glorious and masculine my husband was. He was the sexiest man I’d ever known and I couldn’t wait to start worshiping every inch of him.

  “Darcy,” he growled, grabbing my butt and hiking me up around his hips. The movements almost made me lose my mind, my body winding tighter and tighter with each passing second. “Bed. Now.”

  “Please,” I begged.

  Walking out of the closet, my gaze locked with Mason’s; there was a quick knock followed by a loud, “Oh crap.” Devlin stood in the doorway, his face blazing red as he abruptly turned around and retreated. The door clicked closed, but he’d seen enough. I couldn’t help it. I burst into laughter, even as Mason groaned in frustration.

  “Guess I forgot to tell you we planned an impromptu birthday dinner outside.” Mason didn’t put me down, holding me in place as he stared longingly at our bed.

  “You think?” Resting my arms over his shoulders, I shook my head lovingly at him.

  “Rain check?”

  “Definitely.”

  With one last lingering kiss that threatened to have me lock our bedroom door and ignore the world, we quickly redressed and left to join our friends.

  ****

  We entered the garden to a round of applause, Daniel, the obvious ringleader, stood with a large grin on his face. “Well done. I guess payback’s a bitch, you two. I’d never seen Devlin so mortified. Whatever he walked in on proves my point!”

  “That being?” Mason held my hand as we walked over to the small dinner table someone had arranged. Holding out the chair for me, I sat down, glaring at Daniel. Mason had been right—it was an intimate meal—Christina, Devlin, and Daniel the only others joining us. Everyone was casually dressed, leaning back in their seats as Daniel took center stage in harassing his best friend. If looks could kill, Devlin was on the verge of maiming him, as well.

  “You guys need a sign for your door or start locking the damn thing. I’m surprised I haven’t gone blind from the amount of times I’ve caught you and Darcy in compromising positions. And to think, poor Devlin is forever scarred now.” Lifting the water glass in the air, he toasted my uncle. “Welcome to club, bro. Send your therapy bill to the Pack, care of the Alpha.”

  “Sit down and shut up,” Mason joked, tossing a napkin at Daniel. “Keep this up and your future lucky someone will be in for a rude awakening. I have no problem highlighting all your delightful flaws and weaknesses.”

  “Pfft, she’ll be too infatuated with my captivating charm and rugged good looks!” Daniel beamed, puffing out his chest in mock pride.

  “So, she’ll be blind, huh? Good to know,” Mason retorted. “Now, quit hogging the limelight and wish my girl a Happy Birthday. It seems she forgot what day it was.” This earned another round of laughter and I lightly punched his leg.

  “Thanks for sharing. Whatever happened to privacy between married couples?”

  “Oh, honey, I think it’s a little late for that. In all my time knowing Devlin, I can count on one hand how many times I’ve seen him blush that deeply and be rendered virtually speechless.” Christina rose from her chair and offered me a small hug. “Happy Birthday. It’s nothing much, but I hope you’ll like it.” She handed me a small gift folded in tissue paper. Unwrapping it carefully, I gasped at the beautiful green gem lying in my palm. “It’s called a bloodstone and it blesses the owner with strength and protection. It seemed fitting this would be your first, since your powers were released.”

  “I love it,” I exclaimed, turning the stone over in my hand, studying the red veins through it. “This is so thoughtful. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Sensing Devlin was behind her, Christina stood to the side before returning to her seat.

  I tried not to smirk at him as he stammered softly below his breath. I’d seen different sides of him, but this one was completely adorable. Pulling me into a bear hug, I returned Devlin’s embrace, his lips briefly kissing the side of my head. “Happy Birthday, dear niece. Sorry for the interruption.”

  “I’m sorry you got an eyeful,” I whispered.

  “I’ll live,” he answered, chuckling gently. “I have something for you, too.” Letting me go, Devlin bent over and retrieved something from his seat. “Once everything settles down, I’ll give you lessons on how to use it, okay?”

  I gasped as he presented me with a beautifully fashioned leather sheathe, an intricate design etched into the soft casing. With shaking hands, I unfastened the clasp and slid out a throwing dagger, the sharp blade gleaming from the nearby lanterns surrounding our dinner party venue. It was a thing of beauty, fitting perfectly in my grip. Teasingly, I pointed it at Daniel, with a cocky grin on my face. “Anything else to say, Mr. Smarty Pants? I’m fine with testing out my aim.” Poking my tongue out, I turned back to Devlin, grateful for his present. “This is incredible.”

  “I made the sheathe myself. See, there’s a small inscription on the inside.” Sure enough, burned into the leather were the words, “May your aim be forever true, little warrior.” Tears blurred my vision as I deposited the knife on the table and gave him another hug.

  “I love you so much!” It was his turn to pat my back reassuringly now, our emotions at the surface.

  “I love you, too. Now let’s eat.”

  “Umm, excuse me? Don’t I get to kiss the birthday girl?” Daniel complained, snorting his disgust at being overlooked.

  “Haven’t you said enough?” Mason laughed.

  “Never!” With a roguish flourish, Daniel bowed before me, every bit the charmer. “I don’t have a gift, per se, but what I can offer is just as priceless. For one week, I will be at your beck and call.”

  “Aren’t you already?” Mason chimed in.

  “Shush, don’t interrupt me. What was I saying? Oh yeah. For one week, I’ll be your slave. Your wish is my command, milady.”

  I couldn’t keep from giggling. “Anything?”

  “Anything within reason.”

 
; Mason barked out a snort. “And there’s the loophole.”

  Daniel rolled his eyes, ignoring him as he focused solely on me. “And any mocking of your idiotic husband is a freebie. Because that’s how much I love you.”

  “Easy, second-in-command. I’d hate to ruin Darcy’s special night with a death.”

  My head kept bouncing back and forth between the pair like a tennis match. “I accept, Daniel. Thank you.” I gave him a small curtsy, inwardly looking forward to what antics he’d conjure up and excuse away as part of his gift.

  “Any time, love. You know I have your best intentions at heart.”

  With the birthday wishes and gifts done, it was time to eat. Mason explained that later on, the entire pack would gather for an official party or BBQ; but I was perfectly content with the meal they’d put together tonight. Breads, cheese, salads, and cold cuts adorned the table, making my mouth water. I was starving and didn’t wait for anyone, as I filled my plate. Because we were still under threat, we all sipped on juices and iced water, needing to keep our minds unclouded.

  “Ugh, I’m so full,” I moaned shortly afterward, my eyes clearly bigger than my appetite. “I don’t think I could eat another bite!”

  “I hope you left room for dessert,” Mason asked, ignoring Daniel’s rude comment about keeping it to the bedroom. “Let me go get it.” Minutes later, he returned from the kitchen with a tub of ice cream with a candle sticking out of the top. “Remember, it’s the thought that counts, sweetheart.” Christina lit the wick with her magic and everyone watched as Mason placed it in front of me.

  “Make a wish!”

  It was a no-brainer. Taking a short breath, I blew out the flame; the only thought in my mind was I wanted this business with Julian to be over. Closing my eyes, I let the silent hope sink in, believing it with all my heart.

  “And who says wishes don’t come true?”

  Dread broke over me, followed quickly by the realization that the voice of the stranger standing behind us, watching our festivities, was none other than Julian Blackwell, himself.

  Chapter 21

  “So nice of you all to be in one place,” Julian greeted, acting as though he was a welcome guest who’d arrived late. “As much as I enjoy new experiences, I was getting a tad weary hunting you down.” His focus rested solely on me, his eyes scanning my body hungrily. “Yes, you’ll do perfectly. I can almost taste your magic from here. I believe I’m going to enjoy this.”

  Everyone broke into action, each person reaching for weapons—Mason and Daniel responding to the threat by rapidly starting the shifting process. A dagger sizzled through the air, narrowly missing Julian as he ducked to the side, the blade embedding itself in the wooden frame of the house.

  My own wolf howled, sensing the time we’d anticipated and dreaded had arrived, the call to war thrumming through her. I was ready for this. I’d prepared for this moment; and if Julian thought he’d take me without a hitch, he was as delusional as I believed him. Settling into a fighting stance, adrenaline coursed through my veins.

  “Oh, how quaint. You truly are like some Scooby gang, the way you think you can stop me.” Julian pushed away from where he stood, a confident air about him. He studied our small group like we were children standing up to an adult and it fired hope within me. Already he was underestimating us. That kind of arrogance would definitely work in our favor.

  “We won’t just stop you. We will destroy you,” Devlin promised, righteous anger burning from him. “You fooled me once and it cost me my sister, I won’t allow you to do it, again.”

  I cast a quick sideways glance, wondering why it felt like we were posturing. I wanted to eliminate the threat now—attack and be done with it. I could see Christina and Devlin were just as eager. Everything was happening swiftly and in a few more seconds, Mason and Daniel would be in wolf form. There would be no stopping Mason once that occurred. He’d been thirsting for action since everything was revealed; and the first move he’d make would be to rip out Julian’s throat.

  “Ahhh, Elynor. She was delectable. Such soft skin, so easily bruised.” He licked his lips, cruelly contorting his face into a smirk. “I wonder how long it will take for me to break Darcy.”

  “Bastard!” Devlin roared, racing forward. Mason howled in all his Alpha glory, leaping toward Julian at the same time. This battle would be over quickly. He had enraged the wrong two people.

  “Enough!” Julian blasted out a wave of magic, the first sign he’d shown signaling his power. The energy was crushing, pressing against my chest, and forcing me to my knees. I couldn’t breathe as a vile, nasty flavor coated my tongue. Even though I was still new to my witch nature, the bitter tang of dark magic was different to anything I’d ever experienced. It made my stomach heave, my own abilities recoiling with disgust. “I tire of this. Come, Darcy.”

  Rising to my feet, I noticed something had gone horribly wrong. In the surprise of his arrival and with the response of my friends, I’d been partially separated from everyone, giving Julian the perfect chance to strike. We hadn’t planned on this scenario—deciding the best strategy was to come at him as a team; but in the commotion, I’d misjudged. Now, I was on the other side of what looked like a force field, Julian’s magic shimmering as if it mocked me.

  “What did you do?” I screamed, trying to reach Mason as I pounded on the barely visible wall.

  “A simple spell, my young novice. You’ve just proven that your education is somewhat lacking. A child could perform that with ease.” He’d yet to approach me, enjoying the way he’d disabled us already. Devlin and Christina searched for weaknesses they could take advantage of, while Mason and Daniel slammed their bodied against the barrier.

  There was no way I was going to let this happen. I would not be reduced to a willing captive, a toy for this deranged lunatic. It was up to me to act, to put an end to this, once and for all. Forgetting about fighting or using my own growing gifts, I inwardly stepped aside so my wolf could spring forward. There would be no holding her back while I searched for another way to avoid the inevitable. My skin tingled as I felt myself shift, impatiently urging her to hurry.

  “Uh uh, shame on you.” Panic struck hard and fast as I lost instant contact with my wolf. One minute she was there, snarling in preparation, and next she was muzzled as whatever spell Julian blasted me with took me over completely. I tried reaching her, taking threads of my own powers, trying to undo the constricting binds. In my mind’s eye, his magic resembled thick tar, sticking and hardening around her spirit body. My wolf snapped and growled, trying to shake it free to no avail. He’d single-handedly stopped her, leaving me human.

  “Release my wolf, you monster,” I yelled, reaching for the dagger Devlin had given me for my birthday. Disappointed, I remembered it was on the other side of the force field on the table. I curled my fingers into fists and began running at him. If I had to tear his beating heart out with my bare hands, so be it. I dug down deep for my magic, ready to give him a taste of his own medicine with a power-soaked punch.

  “But this is much more fun. Such pathetic displays of strength. I’ll enjoy making you submit, Darcy.” He softly began chanting and my body froze, my feet securely planted halfway through my attack. Smiling at his success, Julian finally approached me, his arrogance showing in his casual steps. He acted as though he had all the time in the world all while everyone else fought for a way to thwart him. “Can I say how disappointed I am by this? I expected more.” He had the nerve to trace his finger down the side of my cheek, making me desperate to recoil but unable to.

  “You’re a coward!” I snarled, snapping at his fingers with my teeth. “You have to resort to this to win.”

  “No, it’s what makes me smart and how I’ve managed to survive all this time, while waiting for you to surface. I had no idea how far forward my dear, dead wife sent my powers into the future.”

  “You mean my powers.” I glared.

  “No, I was correct the first time. You belong to me.
The fact you’ve lived this long has merely been an irritating consequence. I didn’t foresee your abilities being bound. It was quite the nuisance; but, as they say, all’s well that ends well.”

  “You won’t get away with this.” I tried twisting my body, willing my limbs to obey my commands and fight against his influence.

  “Oh, but I have.” Dismissing me, I watched as Julian waved his hand in front of the barrier and I could hear Devlin yelling and Mason’s repeated pounding against the barricade.

  “This is between me and you,” Devlin fired. “Face me as a man, you bastard!”

  “Ahhh, but you’re not a man, are you? You sold your humanity for revenge. I must say, I didn’t see that coming, either.” Julian took a gloating stance, chuckling at his captive.

  “For vengeance. To make sure I could protect my family from you and your obsession with immortality.”

  “And how has that worked out for you?” Julian retreated enough so he could lift a strand of my hair between his fingers and bring it to his nose, inhaling deeply. “I can almost smell the similarities between your sister and niece. Elynor had this unique fragrance that made me hard every time I abused her. It literally permeated from her pores, filling the air with its arousing scent. Tell me, Darcy, will you have the same effect?” He grabbed his crotch, licking his lips obscenely. “I sure hope you do.”

  “I’ll kill you before you get the chance!” Devlin threatened.