Becoming the Enigma (The Loup-Garou Series Book 2)

by Sheritta Bitikofer

  After her fifth attempt to skate like he did, Katey remained sitting on her behind near the middle of the lake, watching him skate circles around her with an entertained grin.

  “I don’t think I’m meant for skating,” she admitted to him.

  He just chuckled. “Give it one more try,” he urged.

  Katey pushed herself up to a standing position fine enough. Then Logan maneuvered behind her and gave her a firm shove. Katey was moving forward toward the shore at a decent speed, and then she tried to push off with one foot to go faster. She thought she would lose her balance, but then regained it by shoving off with the other. She did this until she was just about to the shore, and then got brave.

  She tried to pivot her body enough to make herself turn, but that only twisted her into sliding sideways toward the shore instead of away from it. Katey tried to stop herself, but it was too late and collided with the shore, falling headlong into the bank that almost engulfed her in snow. She couldn’t help but laugh at herself and how she should have listened to her wolf from the start.

  Logan skated over and extended his hand out to help her up. Katey took it, but tugged as hard as she could, making him lose his balance completely and he fell down into the snow next to her. They both laughed at themselves and gazed up at the darkening sky that was just beginning to show a couple of faint stars in the heavens.

  Katey counted the colors that were painted across the sky and marveled at its effortless beauty. She had never taken much time before to look at the sky, not until she met Logan. She was always too busy caring about what was going on around her, the people and the things that distracted her. And just like that night in the graveyard - what felt so long ago - Katey came upon an earth-shattering revelation.

  Looking up at the sky just then made her contemplate how much time she had wasted on things that didn’t matter. It was then that she began to realize what really did matter. Logan mattered. She mattered. What was inside her mattered and how it was all connected to what they were in the middle of.

  She remembered when she had sat on the back porch back home and felt the pull to be part of the nature all around her. And in that moment, she realized that she really was a part of it. They all were. Everything around them had this special link that humans couldn’t see, but loups-garous could. No matter how far a loup-garou was disconnected from the woods, from nature, no matter how much they denied it, it was still part of them, just like the wolf was. She could feel the pull. She could feel it deep within her and she knew it was real.

  Katey closed her eyes and basked in this wondrous revelation as the edges of her lips twitched into a smile that she couldn’t explain.

  She was drawn from her musings when Logan suddenly rolled to hover half of his body over her, his hands holding him up so he could gaze down at her with amorous blue eyes. Katey could see his irises seem to crystalize a much deeper hue of blue and his face edge ever closer toward hers.

  A kiss was surely on its way, but Katey was too excited and restless for a kiss, even his.

  She grabbed a handful of snow and chucked it into his face with a giggle. Completely surprised, he rolled off of her as she scrambled to her feet and trotted a few strides away, waiting for retaliation. Her wolf was ready to play and she gladly agreed. Snow stuck to his facial hair and drooped from his nose.

  “You’re going to pay for that!” he threatened with a smile as he raised himself up from the snow bank.

  “You have to catch me first!” Katey cried out, stooping down to gather a nice chunk of snow from the ground and rolled in between her hands.

  Logan had just stood up and was brushing himself off when she hurled the snowball at him, nailing him right in the chest. He gave a grunt and looked at her in disbelief.

  Katey laughed impishly and jogged a little farther away as she saw him forming his own ammunition. They pitched ball after ball at each other, dodging what they could and enduring the ones they didn’t see coming. They ran all along the shore of the lake, rolling and ducking from the other’s rounds of snowballs.

  Katey escaped into the trees at full speed to avoid Logan’s endless barrage. It seemed to work as she hid behind a large pine tree. Then, all went quiet. All she heard were bird calls in the distance. No more snow crunching under his heavy boots or Logan’s laughter. Through her own pounding heartbeat, she couldn’t listen for his. She peeked around the tree and saw nothing out by the lake and the endlessly disheveled snow from their game. She sniffed the air, trying to find his scent again.

  She did and when she looked above her, she had just enough time to shield around her neck and chest before a huge pile of snow dumped down on her from an obliging tree branch that Logan had twisted in his hands.

  Katey laughed and shook off whatever icy snow hadn’t fall down the back of her shirt as Logan jumped from the branch he was perched on to land in front of her. He pinned Katey to the tree, pressing his body against hers, both of them panting for air.

  “Gotcha,” he proclaimed victoriously. Katey giggled and watched his face get covered in more snow that was loosened by his fall back to the forest floor.

  Logan shook his head briskly to get the snow out of his hair and turned his bright smile back to Katey as she tried to hold in her infectious string of giggles. He wrapped his arms loosely around her waist and leaned his forehead against hers as they locked eyes.

  “Are you happy here with me, Katey?” he whispered intimately.

  Katey laughed at the silly question. Didn’t Logan know that he was her whole world now?

  “I’ve never been happier in my whole life,” she replied, unable to force her smile away.

  Logan lowered his hands to rest on her hips beneath her coat as she curled her fingers around his strong arms. “I know we haven’t known each other long and just the past week alone has been hard on you... But I want to make up for it all; everything that has ever made you sad or unhappy.”

  Katey felt her cheeks grow hot and red as she blushed, having heard these words once before, lying on his couch back in sunny Florida when he thought she was sound asleep.

  “I’ve loved you since the first moment I met you. I knew you were the only person I wanted to spend every day for the rest of my life with... Even if that’s a thousand years or only a couple of days... I want to make you this happy for the rest of eternity...” Logan paused, his voice shaky as he took a deep breath.

  “Katey, will you be my mate?” he asked.

  She may not have been one for romance, but no words had ever sounded sweeter. Tears of joy pushed at the corners of her eyes and all doubts about their relationship melted away. The mating didn’t matter, the gathering that night, or the fact that her loup-garou blood might have been diluting as they stood there under the dusk sky. All that existed was Logan, Katey, and the bond they would share as a mated pair.

  “I will. I always will,” Katey replied softly, feeling she would burst with bliss.

  There wasn’t a happier man on earth as Logan’s face split in a grin and his eyes sparkled brighter than any star in the heavens.

  He raised his hand up to her cheek, gently wrapping his fingers around the nape of her neck, and pulled her face up to meet his. His lips were warm and soft against hers like velvet. Katey wrapped her arms around his neck, willing him to keep their lips locked as she let her nails play in his hair.

  Logan pinned her harder against the tree, their bodies flush against each other, sending shockwaves throughout her body that thrilled her. Katey didn’t mind as their kiss became more and more passionate, lips sliding against each other and tongues twisting together. She savored his taste, sweet and intoxicating.

  But this kiss was not the same as the others they had shared before. This was different, as her wolf came forward to partake. For a brief instant, their wolf spirits touched and Katey could feel something spark in her soul.

  She shared a pack bond with each of the men that had brought her into this new and strange life. Darren’s bond was
distinctly strong, as the alpha and fatherly figure that guided her in the way that she should go. Dustin’s bond hummed with the same vibrancy that marked his personality. Ben’s bond was subtle, but undeniable as she felt a kinship with him since they had both been turned by the bite and not by birth.

  But, Logan’s bond was special. Like a golden chord that linked their spirits, it outshined the rest. And as their wolves touched, the bond became stronger. As if the gold chord was coated in an indestructible metal and annealed to ensure its strength. Their bond flared red-hot and burned within her soul and then slowly cooled to produce something that no man, vampire, or loup-garou could break. The first stage of their mating was complete as her wolf retreated back into the recesses of her soul to let her enjoy their love making.

  Logan’s other hand fell back to her hips, fingering the edge of her blouse just enough to allow access underneath. Katey could feel his fingertips grazing just above the edges of her jeans along her skin. Her body shivered under his touch and craved more. Her legs felt like they would have fallen out from underneath her, buckling under the weight of their passion.

  Logan’s hands gradually made his way to her waist, his rough hands stroking along her flesh as their breathing became heavy and turning into clouds of mist around their faces. A flash of cold air drifted against her skin as her shirt slowly lifted. Logan’s thumbs grazed along her rib cage, feeling its way higher up her supple body.

  In the heat of the moment, Katey lost all sense of herself, letting her fingers get tangled in his hair, gripping his head to hers, not wanting the moment to end. She knew where this could go, but she didn’t care. If he wanted it, then she wanted it, too.

  Logan broke away from kissing her lips and let his mouth slide along her jaw and down to her sensitive neck, sending pleasurable skitters down through her spine. The sensations threatened to overwhelm her body, conquering her completely and she didn’t have the will to resist.

  He let out a satisfied growl deep from within his throat that vibrated against her skin and her body ached for more. Almost reflexively, Katey returned the same growl mixed with a whine of desire and her eyes rolled into the back of her head as her back arched to the flood of lust that consumed her.

  Logan’s hands had found their way to the under edge of her bra when another feeling interrupted them.

  Logan’s phone vibrated against her hip. He growled again, but this time in frustration. He slowly pulled back from her neck, one hand still under her blouse while the other reached into his pocket. Katey didn’t realize how dark it had gotten until she saw how the screen on his phone illuminated their faces. It was Darren.

  Logan pressed the answer button, even though he looked mad enough to smash the phone against the nearest tree. “Yes?” he answered, his voice hoarse in aggravation. Katey could hear Darren’s angry words on the other end.

  “Where are you two? We’re about to leave the lodge.”

  “We’re near the lake. We’ll be there in a minute,” he snarled, then ended the call abruptly. He turned his attention back to Katey and was about to finish what he’d started, but she put a hand on his chest to hold him back.

  “We do need to get going,” Katey said breathlessly with a pang of remorse. As much as she wanted to keep going, they needed to be there for the gathering. Both pairs of glowing red eyes stared at each other, knowing that what she said was true.

  He took a deep breath to calm himself and nodded. “You’re right,” he finally said.

  He removed his hands from under her shirt and wrapped her in a tight hug until both of them came down from the lustful high they just experienced.

  “Can you walk?” he asked once their eyes finally shifted back to their natural colors.

  “Probably not,” she replied, already feeling her knees buckle as he pulled away. He hoisted her carefully onto his back as he sped on toward the lodge. Katey wondered what would have happened if Darren hadn’t called when he did.

  Even though they nearly crossed that line one more time, she grinned as she felt their fresh mating bond harden even further. Now, every loup-garou at the gathering would know who she belonged to. All that was left was to prove that she belonged amongst them, too.

  21

  When Logan and Katey finally arrived at the lodge, their pack, along with John’s, was waiting outside near the drop-off lane and ready to go. The passenger van they had ridden to the civic center rumbled to life as steam spouted out the tail pipe, ready to get going.

  Everyone possessed a look of anxious eagerness and Katey couldn’t tell if it was about the fact that they arrived back far later than expected, or if it attributed to the fact that the sunlight was fading quickly and a few bright stars were twinkling in the late evening sky.

  “Come on, you two!” Darren shouted as they began to pile into the van.

  Logan let Katey down from his back and she found that she had the strength to walk again. They exchanged furtive glances as they approached the van. It was a struggle to not reminisce on the beautiful, yet dangerously sensual moment they had together in the woods just a few moments ago.

  “And where were you?” Dustin asked accusingly as he held open one of the back sliding doors for them. Noah was in the driver’s seat again with John beside him. His three other brothers sat near the back while Darren and Ben sat together in the first row of seats.

  “By the lake,” Logan said, still a little breathless from the run. He climbed in and held Katey’s hand to assist her in. They had the middle seats to themselves.

  Dustin looked to Katey and a slow grin crept across his face. “I see someone said yes.”

  Darren looked over his shoulder and must have sensed the bond. All eyes in the vehicle turned to her and congratulations were passed around for the two of them. Katey looked to the front seat and saw a different look in Noah’s eyes. One of hesitance and maybe a hint of disappointment. Katey blinked back any speculate thoughts and cuddled into Logan as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

  As Dustin sat beside Ben, he paused and squinted at Logan. “I still see a little pink in your eyes, Logan,” he teased.

  The three in the back heard the comment and let out an obnoxious laugh and Logan growled at his grandfather. Katey slipped her hand into his and wove their fingers together.

  As the van sped off toward the park, John turned around in his seat to look at Katey and Logan. “Are you ready, Katey?” he asked with a kind smile.

  She nodded, feigning confidence as her heart thrummed hard against her rib cage and up into her throat. There had only been a few times in her life that she had been this nervous.

  “What am I smelling?” Liam suddenly asked as he sniffed the air.

  “Probably Katey,” Blake muttered to him.

  “Oh, you naughty girl,” Aiden quipped from the back and the brothers erupted in more laughter. Noah gave a reprimanding look through the rearview mirror, but not even John scolded them for their obscene joke.

  Katey turned hastily to Logan, her eyes wide. “What?” she asked.

  Logan leaned in close. “Pheromones. Don’t worry, it’s not that bad,” he whispered in her ear. There was an undercurrent of nervousness in his voice, despite his brush-off.

  Katey paled and buried her face in Logan’s shoulder out of embarrassment. She hoped the smell would fade before the gathering. Their bond was set in place, but would a loup-garou smell the remnants of her arousal and decide to take her for himself, regardless if she was claimed?

  She could feel her stomach twist as she thought about what would happen that night. The closer they drew to the park, the more tension built among the other loups-garous in the car, despite their initial lewd behavior. The swell of emotions finally made it real for her. There was no turning back, no chickening out at the last minute. She would change and run like a wolf for the first time.

  Darren had said the change would be painful, but how could she judge pain for a loup-garou? He had told her once that they still feel pain,
but just not as intensely as humans did. At the time, she was still human and unable to comprehend how pain can be felt differently amongst species. She remembered breaking her arm during training and the fiery pain of the shoulder grab from earlier that day, but how would it compare to her entire body morphing into another form?

  And under the suspicion that her loup-garou blood might be slowly fading without her conscious awareness, the change may have been even more painful than Logan described. Katey’s heart nearly stopped when she thought about how the change may be too much for her and she could die.

  To have found a family and a lover so suddenly and lose them in one evening due to her own defectiveness was not what she had in mind. Katey had to remind herself that she somehow survived a lethal car crash, walking away without a single bone broken, might be evidence to her resiliency. It was all she had to hang onto, that even her human side might be indestructible somehow. It was a naïve thought, but Katey didn’t want to think about dying. Not tonight.

  “Okay, Katey,” John began, turning around in his seat again, “this is how it’s going to work. Darren and I don’t want you to be around everyone when you change, just as a precaution. We’re going to pull you away from everyone and coax you to change if we have to. It shouldn’t be hard since it’s your first full moon. It does have some sway, but it’s not significant for us. Once you’re changed, we’ll take you to everyone else. This may be awkward, but you will be naked once you change back in the morning and we have a robe in that duffle bag for you. If you don’t change, we’ll take you back to the lodge because you shouldn’t be around everyone else in your human form.”

  A bead of sweat trickled down her back. “What do you mean if I don’t change?”

  It wasn’t a surprise to Katey. Darren had mentioned the possibility and it had constantly come up in her own thoughts over the last few hours, but she had hoped that perhaps they would do the shoulder grab on her to force the change. They might have been willing to give up on her so easily, but she wasn’t.