Familiar smells surrounded her. The most important one being that of her mate. The masculine scent he emanated whenever she was close reminded Nova of the forest and something wild. It was uniquely Winter Blue, and that scent was the most comforting thing she had to hold on to while the pains wracked her body.
There had been times she was aware of the pain and times where she thought she’d been asleep, but the confusion she felt couldn’t distinguish when, or even if, that had happened.
A pain rolled through her jaw, and when she cried out, the sound was more of a yawl than a scream. She flexed her hand and felt warmth radiate up her arm, but froze when she opened her eyes and the room looked different…an amber haze had coated everything.
Nova felt a push inside her mind and a snarl echoed in response. And that was when she knew it was over. She gasped when she realized she was looking through the amber eyes of her panther and seeing her surroundings for the first time. Everything was sharper, scents were easily distinguishable. A panther paw came into her field of vision, causing Nova to jerk.
He’d done it! He’d changed her! A purr rumbled out of her chest and Nova’s human side laughed.
Her panther body was laid out on top of the sheets of Winter’s bed. When she looked to her left, Winter was there, sleeping soundly. His body was only inches away, and that was probably why she’d scented him when she’d first woke up.
Her panther moved slowly, belly crawling up to his side. He didn’t move when she nudged his arm. So the panther stuck her cold nose to her mate’s cheek. Winter’s eyes flew open and he gasped when his eyes cleared.
“Nova!” He smiled, letting out a long breath as the tension released from his shoulders. “Your panther is beautiful.”
Winter’s eyes roamed her body. At one point, he frowned, but quickly righted his features. She tilted her head sideways, but Winter didn’t say anything. Her panther moved closer to his side, purring when his warmth surrounded her.
“You need to shift, Nova,” Winter announced. “I need you back.”
How the hell was she supposed to shift?
“You can do it,” Winter urged. “Push your panther back. Come on, little one. Come back to your mate.”
Her heart swelled when he reached out and touched the side of her panther’s face. Nova did as he said, mentally pulling at her human side, imagining being human again.
And that was when the pain began anew.
She felt every bone break and reshape, causing her to cry out, but it was too late to stop. The shift was happening. Winter sat up on his knees, his hands held out as if he were waiting to catch her when she fell.
Laying on her side, Nova panted, squeezing her eyes closed as she felt the fur recede back into her human skin. Her canines disappeared into her gums. Her face reshaped and she felt her long hair tickle her back as it reappeared.
“It hurts,” she whimpered, curling in on herself. She felt like she’d been hit by a truck, her muscles and bones screaming in pain. “Oh, God…it hurts, Winter.”
“I know it does,” Winter said sadly, pulling her body into the safety of his arms. He let out a sigh of relief and held her just a little bit tighter. “It won’t hurt like that the next time, I promise.”
“I can’t move,” she mumbled into his chest.
“You don’t have to move, Nova,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “I will do everything for you until you can do it for yourself.”
“Thank you,” she yawned. Just as she closed her eyes, a knock at the door had Winter growling.
Dane poked his head into the room, a smile lighting up his face when he saw Nova as a human. She tried to move closer to Winter to cover her nakedness, but Dane didn’t even seem to notice.
“Food’s ready,” he announced. “Want me to bring you two a plate?”
“I’m hungry,” Nova replied, her growling stomach backing up her confession.
Dane nodded and backed out of the room. Nova tried to make a move to get up. She needed to find some clothes. “Where are you going?”
“I need clothes,” she said, falling back into his arms. “God, I hurt.”
“Let me dress you,” he offered with a smile, sliding out of the bed.
Nova was too tired to argue, allowing him to cover her with one of his soft shirts and a pair of her cotton shorts. She snuggled into Winter’s arms as they waited for food to arrive. It was only a matter of minutes before she succumbed to sleep, promising to eat when Dane returned.
“Her face healed,” Dane observed as he entered the room. Winter didn’t even want to think about the damage she’d caused to herself when her panther had started to make itself known.
Savage had honored his request, placing his sedated body next to his mate. They’d had to sedate him only once over the entire transformation. He didn’t even know how he had made it through all of those hours she’d screamed in pain. Maybe it was because he’d known what to expect. He also knew that his mate, even for as small as she was, was strong.
“I’m relieved, but her panther does have a scar,” Winter admitted, taking the tray of food from the Guardian.
“How bad?”
“Not bad, but it does cut across her cheek,” Winter sighed, casting a glance at his mate sleeping in the bed. One more look at her face and he released a deep breath. “I’ll tell her.”
“You better before her sister sees it,” Dane said. “I’ll leave you two. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Hey,” Winter called out, stopping his brother from leaving.
“Yeah?” Dane asked, his longer hair falling over his damaged ear.
“Thank you,” Winter replied, holding out his hand. Dane smiled and took his hand for a hard shake.
“Anytime.” Dane nodded as he closed the door with a soft click.
Winter turned, setting the tray at the end of the bed. The females had made meatloaf, potatoes, and steamed vegetables for a hearty meal fit for a new panther.
He leaned over and kissed Nova’s brow. “Wake up, little one.”
“Mmm, food?” she mumbled. When she opened her eyes, Winter smiled at the ice blue color. She looked different, but still beautiful. Nova’s eyes almost glowed from the contrast with her dark brown hair.
“Yes,” he smiled, watching as she stretched lazily.
Nova ate in silence, her eyes occasionally closing from exhaustion. He knew she was beyond tired and would probably be off her feet for another day or two.
“Tell me what I missed while I was changing,” she inquired.
“Talon has put all of the males on a rotation to watch the land. He’s ordered a fencing system and cameras to be put up.” Winter frowned. “Our land is no longer secure.”
“So, he’s turning your land into a compound?”
“It’s your land too, Nova,” Winter reminded her.
“I guess it is.” She smiled, taking another bite of meatloaf.
“Even though the threat of the wolves is gone, Talon is worried that others may try to take us out since we were the ones to break the news to the humans.” Winter sighed. “It’s only a matter of time before someone comes after us again.”
“Is it safe?” she asked. Worry clouded his mate’s eyes and all he wanted to do was hold her and tell her it would be okay.
“No,” he growled. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it, Nova. Someone out there will want to harm us. It’s part of our animal nature. We have the bears on our side, but there are others out there who want their secret to stay just that.”
“Others?” she gasped. “What other type of shifters are there?”
“You’ve read your romance novels,” he smirked. “All myths come from some sort of truth, Nova. There’s more than just us out there.”
Chapter Twenty
Evie handed Calla another spoon to place in the dishwasher. Everyone in the pride had been coming in and out of Winter’s home, bringing food and helping out, since his mate, Nova, had been going through her change.
> “After we are done, would you like to go for a run?” Calla asked, staring out the window over the sink. The new girl was quiet and seemed to always want to be outside. Evie didn’t blame her because she’d been feeling the pull of her panther a lot since she’d been held prisoner.
“I’d love to,” Evie said, handing her a plate. “I’m sure Kye and your brother will want to go too.”
“That’s fine.” Calla smiled. “I don’t mind them going with us. I’d feel safer anyway.”
“The alpha is having that huge fence installed,” Evie announced, looking out over the woods behind Winter’s home. There was enough daylight left so they could spend a few hours in the woods before it got too dark. “It’ll make things safer for us.”
“I don’t like cages.” Calla shivered, but seemed to catch herself. “Sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for,” Evie said. “I understand, Calla.”
“I mean,” she paused. “I know it’s for the best, and it’s not like I’m a prisoner here either, but the idea that my panther will be limited honestly makes me nervous. And before you say anything, I know…it’s my PTSD.”
“I have the same fears some days,” Evie admitted on a whisper. She was trying to be strong for the new member of the pride, but she was still having her own issues.
“Do I need to call Kye for you?” Calla asked, her brow crinkling as she dried her hands.
“We are a pair, huh?” Evie laughed. Calla was also looking out for her. They’d become great friends in the short time they’d known each other. Kye and her brother, Malaki, had been getting along great too. “I’m fine. He’s usually not far away.”
“We are going to be okay,” Calla declared, reaching over to squeeze her hand.
“Everything okay?” Kye asked, walking into the kitchen. Evie gave Calla a little smile as Kye watched the two with sharp eyes.
“Are you up for a run?” Calla asked.
“Actually, yes,” Kye nodded. “Your brother is grabbing a shower at the pride house and should be here soon.”
Calla folded the towel and hung it over the faucet, making an excuse to give Kye and Evie a moment to themselves. As soon as Calla left the room, Kye pulled Evie into his arms and placed a sweet kiss on her lips.
“Hey,” he smiled.
“Hi,” she blushed, resting her cheek right above his heart.
“My brother has ordered a ton of supplies for this fence,” he cursed. “I will be working until next winter.”
“No, you won’t,” she giggled.
“How are you?” he asked, tucking his crooked finger under her chin. His little nudge had Evie tilting her head back.
“I’m good,” she sighed. “It’s nice to talk to Calla. She seems to understand.”
“That’s good.” He frowned. “I want you to be able to talk to me, too.”
“I do,” she promised. She just didn’t want to burden him with her issues of being alone. She felt like such a sap whenever she’d call him and ask if he’d walk with her to another cabin, or when her parents would be away from the house. She’d call Kye to come stay with her if her brother was gone, too. She couldn’t keep doing that to him.
“Ready to go?” Calla asked, walking back into the kitchen with her brother in tow.
“Come on.” Kye smiled, taking Evie’s hand. “Let’s run.”
Evie followed her friends and the only boy who would ever own her heart out into the woods surrounding their homes. Once she shifted, she let her panther go…let her run free. If only for a little while, Evie relaxed and forgot all of the hell she’d been through.
Christmas was only a week and a half away and Nova had adjusted to her new status pretty well. Winter had been nothing but loving ever since she woke from her three days of hell. He’d told her about everything that had happened and even the scar her panther sported from when she’d partially shifted, clawing at her own face. She’d shifted last week and stood on her hind legs in their bathroom so that she could see the damage for herself. The scar was only a few inches long and was mostly covered by her panther’s fur. She shook her head when she realized Winter was overreacting about the damage. Her human skin was flawless and had healed almost immediately.
After the Guardians had talked with the boy, Malaki, they realized there had only been two females missing from the home the night they killed the small wolf pack and rescued the children. Talon was certain the two females had either died or had moved on to find another pack to take them in.
Winter and Noah had made it their mission to keep an eye on the news reports, hoping to hear of a body found matching the description Malaki gave of the women. It was only a matter of a few days before the news had a breaking story of two women found about thirty miles from where the wolves had been holed up. The reports stated they had been hit by a passing truck on a rural highway, dying upon impact. Nova wasn’t sure how true that story was, but she wasn’t going to pry for answers.
Nova disarmed the alarm and walked into the bar, using her newly enhanced senses to make sure she was alone. After placing her bag in the office, she set about preparing the bar for the afternoon lunch rush.
Winter was back at the security office, working on scheduling some new clients for the following week. He’d promised to stop by the bar after work so they could have dinner together. She enjoyed when he would come in on the nights she had to close down the bar. It wasn’t always feasible for them to have dinner at home, but they made things work.
Moe walked in a short time later, pausing to kiss the top of her head like he’d done for years. He caught himself before touching her, shaking his head. “Sorry, Nova. It’s going to take some getting used to.”
“I know,” she chuckled, watching as her father’s old friend headed to the kitchen he’d run for several years.
The door opened and Dane and Savage sauntered in on their lunch break. Both men were working on a new home not far from the bar. They’d been in every day for the last week, having lunch at the bar. Nova wasn’t stupid. Winter was sending them in to keep an eye on her. She really didn’t mind because she enjoyed their company.
“Any problems?” Dane asked, taking a seat at the bar. Cole sat a beer in front of each man, waving off the money Savage tried to hand over.
“No.” Nova shook her head. She glanced toward the door. “Mary Grace is late today.”
“Has she called?” Savage spoke up, his brow crinkling.
“No, not yet,” she replied. “She lives a little further away than everyone else. She might have gotten caught by a train.”
Savage nodded, but looked toward the door himself. Nova smiled at his concern. She’d like to see the Guardian with the sweet woman who’d worked for her for the past six months. Mary Grace was shy, but when she was working, Nova noticed some of her walls slipping. She wondered what Mary Grace’s story was, but the beautiful woman never spoke about anything outside of work.
Nova had just made it to her office when she heard a voice snarl out in the bar. She dropped her notepad on the desk and rushed down the hallway, only to find Savage standing over Mary Grace, his shoulders shaking from something that had happened. Whatever it was…Savage’s predatory snarl sent Nova’s feet moving.
This couldn’t be good.
Mary Grace had had enough. She’d finally kicked her asshole of a boyfriend out of her place for good this time, but not before he gave her a reminder of his oh-so-joyful-assholiness. The shiner was covered as well as she could with what makeup she had at home, but she was sure Nova or Liberty would want to know what the hell was going on the moment she walked into the bar.
But it wasn’t her bosses she encountered.
“Who the fuck touched you?” Savage roared as she entered the bar, his body almost doubling in size as he fisted his hands at his sides.
The Guardian had been flirting with her relentlessly and had even asked her out on a date. Of course, she declined, because of Frank…the asshole. And because she wasn’t beauti
ful enough to date a man as gorgeous as the shifter. No…she wasn’t his type.
“I’m fine, Savage,” she sighed, grabbing an apron from the peg by the bar. Her shift was beginning and she didn’t want to be late. Maybe she’d get a breather tonight between the waves of people coming in so she could touch up her makeup.
“You are not fine,” he growled.
Mary Grace looked over her shoulder, a soft gasp falling from her lips as she noticed that his eyes had turned completely amber and his canines had grown so thick, the points were biting into his bottom lip.
“Just leave it alone,” she begged. “I handled it.”
“It doesn’t look like you handled it very well,” he snapped. Savage lived up to his name with every breath he took. The man was ginormous and heavily muscled all over. He was tattooed up and down his arms, and Mary Grace wondered just how much more of his body was inked. That was just how Savage Corvera worked. He was the epitome of a badass. “Where is he?”
“He’s gone,” she promised, reaching a hand out to stop him, but he pulled away before she could make contact. “I’m fine, Savage. Please, just leave it alone.”
“Never,” he vowed, pulling his keys from his pocket and turning for the door.
“No!” she yelled. “Savage, you can’t!”
Mary Grace rushed toward the front door, but he was faster. She called his name, but he was already in his truck, tearing out of the lot.
“What’s going on?” Nova asked, standing behind her in the doorway.
“I think that panther is going to beat the hell out of my ex,” she said, defeated, turning around to let her boss see her face head on.
“As well he should,” Nova growled, glaring at the black eye that was almost completely swollen shut. “Come on inside. Let’s get some ice on that.”
Chapter Twenty One
Winter Solstice
Winter (Rise of the Pride, Book 2) Page 16