The bear, Gage, nodded. Exhausted, she turned to head back to her room. The ladies in the doorway gave her strange and terrified looks. Kaylee, all five feet and four inches of her, had just hugged a grizzly bear. From the outside, it must have looked incredulous.
“Don’t worry about him,” she said in passing. “He won’t eat anyone, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind a snack. Just throw it at him if you don’t want to get too close.”
She heard the sounds of the women trying to make little noises as they threw food at the bear that’d broken their picnic table. It brought a smile to her lips. There was a moment when Kaylee wondered if she’d imagined it all. Could there be an actual grizzly in the back yard and she’d hallucinated its sentience?
But, as she laid her head down and fell asleep, there were no more cries of horror.
***
Part of Kaylee wondered if she’d dreamt the whole thing. Water sprayed over her face as she replayed the events of the night before. There had been a bear in the bed and breakfast’s backyard, one that looked and acted like Gage Vancourt. She looked down at her hands, remembering the way she’d seen paws. She remembered learning how to walk on four feet.
As she stared at them, the gold eyes appeared again. Something brushed her from the inside, the sensation of fur against skin forming a lump in her throat. She lurched out of the shower and grabbed her clothes.
By now, whatever had been in her system should have worn off, but Kaylee could smell the breakfast cooking in the kitchen, one ingredient at a time. When she tugged her shirt over her head, she could smell the detergent and softener on it. The chemical fragrances made her sneeze.
This was happening. Kaylee could no longer deny the events of the past few days or blame it on strange drugs. The golden eyes inside her, the brush of fur, it was real. The bear in the backyard had been Gage.
Shit, was he huge. On her way downstairs, she wondered if the other men she’d seen in the house were like Gage. They’d intimidated her in ways no men had been able to do before. The golden eyes seemed to look away, their attention on the floor when she thought about the other men.
In the kitchen, she only spared a moment to grab a muffin, unable to bear the multitude of scents and the pulse of voices. Her stomach growled at the sight of the food, so she made sure to grab several muffins, jamming them into her purse.
The women were chatting about the strangely pleasant bear that’d appeared in the back yard. The sounds made her heart race. One woman bragged about how she tossed a slice of lunchmeat at the bear only to have it land across the beast’s eyes. It brought a bubble of laughter to Kaylee’s lips that she smothered with the back of her hand before ducking out.
Gage’s familiar, beat-up car still sat on the side of the road. This time, the owner was sitting behind the wheel. She could hear the music blasting on the inside and watched him hammer his fingers against the steering wheel like a drum kit. His head shot up, how he could hear her over the music, she’d never know. He waved and lifted a fast food bag with the other hand.
The smell of greasy meat greeted her when she yanked the door open. It smelled a million times better than the packaged muffins she’d grabbed. As she stepped into the car, he handed her a wrapped package the size of his meaty fist. The contents’ scent made her stomach grumble.
“I always order double meats,” he said, handing her the package. “I find feeding the beast helps keep it under control.”
She bit into the sandwich and immediately felt her heart grow steady. The flash of gold eyes returned, gleaming with satisfaction.
So, this was her life now. There was some sort of animal living inside of her, one that she suspected could come out from time to time. She had no control over it and worried it would turn her into a shut in, but the way Gage had let out the bear the night before gave her hope.
“Am I,” she spoke between bites of food, “going to turn into a howling mess once a month and try to kill people?”
“Yes, but your kind really can’t help that kind of thing.”
Her heart plummeted into her stomach and the food turned to ash in her mouth until she caught the glimmer in Gage’s eyes.
“I mean, I’d probably try to kill someone if I was forced to bleed and be subjugated to cramps for a week.”
She smacked him in the shoulder. He feigned pain, mouthing the word “ow”.
“You’re insufferable.”
“Yeah, but at least you came to your senses.” His eyes flickered from the road to her. “No one meant for this to happen, but the least we can do is help you make the best of it.”
Kaylee waited for the worst to fall on her head. It always did in the end. She found betrayal and pain every time she turned around. Her hand clenched around the sandwich. Gage hadn’t hurt her yet, but it was only a matter of time until something broke beneath her. There was no making the best of her life, things only fell apart in her hands.
“Hey, you alright over there?”
His words yanked her back to the present, out of the fog she’d sunk into. Looking down, she found she’d put her fingers through the sandwich, rending it into a mess. She cursed under her breath.
“You aren’t going to hurt anyone, but I do want to help you learn to control the animal inside of you. If you will let me, that is. I could help you control the change and teach you how to mute the crazy heightened senses.”
“And, if I don’t want to change?” Her voice was low, almost a whisper.
His fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “Then you’re putting yourself in danger and…I don’t want to see that happen.”
“I didn’t ask for this. If I can ignore it and get on with my life, then…”
“How has ignoring it worked for you so far?”
“Perfectly fine! Nothing happened last night.”
“Oh yeah? Because the first time I found you, you were trapped in your coyote form and unable to walk far enough to feed yourself. You could have starved to death. You could have succumbed to the animal and lost your humanity.”
Her breath caught in her throat. It was all too much.
A hand closed around hers, gentle and warm. “I won’t let that happen. You’re going to learn how to handle this and you’re going live a great life.”
Kaylee sighed. “Sure.”
He cast worried looks in her direction, but she couldn’t care. Inside, she was struggling with the truth of her situation. If she hadn’t lived through it, she would have claimed it impossible.
Gage cleared his throat. “Why did you tell those old ladies to throw food at me? One of them nailed me in the eyes with sliced ham. I couldn’t get it off my face for the life of me.”
The image of bear Gage struggling with the sliced meat made her laugh. It created a warm light inside of her that she really needed. “I’m sure you’ll get over it eventually.” She paused, thinking. “I’m not a bear, like you. Am I?”
“No, you’re a funny little coyote pup.”
Kaylee sat up, memories coming back to her. “Wait a second. You threatened to walk me like a dog. You said people would call me an ugly puppy.”
He looked stricken. “I swear I didn’t mean it. You’re a beautiful pup.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and glanced out the window. “Where are we going? Back to your house?”
“It isn’t my house,” he snapped. He sucked in a deep breath through his nose and slowly let it out. “We’re going someplace humans won’t be able to see us. Your lessons start today.”
Chapter Five
Gage could barely bear being in the same car as her. The scent of the woman was driving him insane. The need to touch her, to pull her into him was overwhelming. So, as soon as he pulled off the dirt road and into an empty field, he jumped out of the car.
The scent of berries tickled his nose and rose through him, bringing up other body parts with it. He told himself he was only staying in Stonefall long enough to teach her to control her new animal, but a part
of him dreaded the moment when she would leave. He would leave, too. He would head back to the life he’d had before the phone call. It would be quiet and lonely without Archer, without Kaylee’s quips, but he knew that was the only future for him.
Kaylee hesitated, sitting in the seat with the same despondent look that was killing him. She’d finally realized the truth of her situation, but she couldn’t come to terms with it. He didn’t think it was all that bad, but he’d been born this way. Kaylee had lived a human life until a few days ago. There was a transition period she needed to get through.
When she didn’t get out of the car, he stepped around to her door and pulled it. “It’s much nicer out here. I promise you that.”
Her eyes narrowed as she looked up at him. But, after a few moments, she slid out to stand beside him. He stepped back, appearing to give her space when, really, all he wanted was to get away from her scent. His mind meandered, wondering what her legs would feel like wrapped around him, or how loud he might be able to make her scream. He shook his head.
“First things first, we’re going to get you to change on command. I don’t know what helped you shift back last time, but we’re going to pinpoint that feeling and use it to our advantage.”
When he turned around, he found her face brick red. She turned away from him and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Embarrassed much?”
“You don’t have to point it out,” she snapped.
Gage shrugged. “You don’t have to tell me what it was that helped you shift.” Even though every cell in his body begged him to ask. He wanted to know what made her face warm. He hoped it was about him, but he knew better. “Just remember that feeling for later when we shift back.”
“Hold on,” Kaylee stammered. “You want me to what?”
He peeled his shirt over his head. He appreciated the way her eyes travelled across his chest as he threw the shirt to the ground. “Summon your coyote. We’re going for a fun run.”
“A fun run?” Her brows were low over her dark eyes.
Gage closed the space between them. The bear was close to the surface now. It knew it would be released and waited for its chance. Gage took her wrists and pulled her close, so she had to look into his eyes. Her lips parted as she saw the animal swimming in them. He wasn’t an Alpha, not the way his father or Cohen were. He couldn’t command her animal to the surface, but he could tease it.
He was good at that.
“Run away, little pup,” he growled, letting his breath cascade over her skin. There was a rumble of threat in his words. There was no violence behind it, but he hoped that it was enough to scare the coyote out of hiding.
Her eyes flashed wide and he saw the shift of gold in them. Her lips turned into a wide O before her shoulders shook. The animal surged to the surface and made her body bend forward. Gage wanted nothing more than to capture her mouth with his, to claim the sweet taste of her in that moment, but he stepped back.
Moments later, a coyote shrugged out of a t-shirt and attempted to kick off a pair of stretchy leggings. Gage bent to help pull the last of the fabric away when Kaylee spun around and nipped his hand.
“Hey now!” He glared at her, but he guessed he deserved it. He had scared her after all.
Kaylee barked at him, a yip of a sound, before darting off. He was never going to catch up with her. In moments, his body bent, and the bear pushed free. It was a lumbering creature, lacking the speed Kaylee had. Thankfully, she bounded back around toward him.
Her body was a sleek machine made for speed. Her fur glimmered with copper highlights under the sun and she kicked up pieces of mud and dirt as she ran circles around him. A part of her maker still clung to her scent and it made Gage worry that Fredrick might have rubbed off on her. The man was his friend, but he couldn’t ignore the path his friend had taken. Would it affect her, too? Would his anger and violence rub off on this woman?
Gage shook his head. He was worrying for nothing. Kaylee seemed a bit stubborn, but she didn’t act like she wanted anything to do with Killian’s pack or their violence. If anything, she was just a tired woman who wanted her life back. He was worrying too much.
As he sat back and watched her run off her excess energy, he wondered what had made her blush earlier. He’d asked for the thought that helped her shift back to her human form, but she’d been tightlipped about it. It hadn’t been until he’d taken the coyote to bed with him, like one might take a puppy, that she’d found her human form again.
***
She was wild. She was free. The wind soared past her. It roared in her ears, all sounds drowned out. Her feet remembered the rhythm Gage had taught her and summoned the crackling energy inside of her. It seemed endless. Boundless.
Her feet were unsteady beneath her, as shaky as a new foal. After a long moment of concentration, she remembered how Gage taught her to walk. It was hard to believe this wasn’t an acid trip. It was real. This was her new life, and in the moment, she reveled in it.
She could run anywhere she wanted. She could do anything she wanted. She was free.
She could hear the crackling of a small animal in its burrow. Lowering her nose to the ground, she sniffed it out. She dropped her body to the ground and waited. The rodent shifted and moved about, teasing and enticing her. Long moments passed, but she remained patient.
Then, the rodent surfaced and she pounced. Her body arched through the air. Her jaws closed around the rodent. She gave it a shake as a bear lumbered toward her. The coyote felt a jolt of panic before the human whispered to her.
It was just Gage. She could see it in the way his eyes sparkled. She loved the way they sparkled, a darkness covered by the light of humor. The coyote pranced over to the bear and opened its jaws. She dropped the dead rodent at his feet.
It was the least she could do to pay him back for breakfast. But, he looked down at it and let out a huffing sound that could only be described as laughter. It made her heart soar.
Was this what it was like? This transformation felt nothing like the last one. Instead of trapped and bombarded, she felt free and wild. It made her want to run circles around the fluffy bear. It made her want to howl with happiness.
Which she did. Her head fell back, and she let out a howling sound. It was light and airy, nothing like the wolves she’d heard on the internet videos. The bear stood up on its hind legs and let out an earth-shaking roar. The woods grew quiet, every creature holding their breath as the giant beast passed over.
He fell to all fours and walked beside her for a long while. Eventually, she tired. It seemed the energy she’d found was not infinite. There was indeed a limit and she’d found it. Ahead of her, a narrow stream gurgled with the spring melt. Stone was cold, yet sturdy beneath her feet. She wanted to sink to the ground and fall into a deep sleep, but the bear pushed her with his nose. She looked up to find him changing back. His body bent and popped in ways that made her cringe.
Eventually, those sparkling eyes looked at her from a human face. “You need to find the thought that helped you shift back the last time. Do you remember what it was?”
She cocked her head. Shift? She wanted sleep. Her eyes drifted closed, but human hands cupped her face and gave her a gentle shake. She let out a small growl, but looked at him.
“Come on, Kaylee. Shift. Come back.” His eyes pleaded with her.
They struck something within her that made the human rise. No, the coyote was free. It would never have to deal with lying business partners. It didn’t have to come to terms with crushed dreams. Her heart thumped. The thought, the one that had brought her back last time. It came back to her through the haze of exhaustion.
Safety. She’d felt safe, curled in the wide frame of an unfamiliar man. She didn’t know why. It was clear she knew little about him, but the aura that surrounded her when she was near him whispered to her. It pulled her in and reminded her nothing could hurt her, not the past nor the present.
Not even life itself.
The human pushed forward, and she could feel her body starting to unfold. It tingled through her muscles, like a muscle that had fallen asleep. Gage’s smile widened.
“There’s my girl.”
My girl. His words rang through her mind for a moment. She looked up at him and quickly realized they were both stark naked. Her eyes dropped to his manhood dangling between his legs and felt her face warm. She couldn’t help it. The lines of his sculpted body demanded her eyes to flow in that particular direction. It wasn’t the girth of his cock that attracted her attention at all, but all of him – she liked the way he looked without his clothes on.
Kaylee could lie to herself all day. She could tell herself Gage wasn’t attractive, tell herself she didn’t want to lose herself in his eyes. All thoughts flew out the window, though, when she realized she, too, was naked. Her arms flew over her chest and Gage let out a hearty laugh.
“You don’t have to hide your breasts for my benefit. In fact, let it all hang out. I don’t mind.”
She stuck her tongue out at him. He certainly wasn’t trying to hide anything from her. In fact, if she wasn’t mistaken, it seemed like he was showing off. Kaylee tried her hardest to keep from staring at his wagging cock, a size she’d never seen before in her life. Following the lines of his tattoos seemed to help.
It brought her away from the mind of the coyote and back to the self she knew best. She studied the lines and colors, piecing together the dark and haunting shapes. Gage moved to sit beside her on the stone bank of the stream. He cocked a knee and let his arm dangle over it as he looked out over the fields.
While he wasn’t looking, Kaylee reached out and touched the ink on his skin. He didn’t move, didn’t even acknowledge her touch. She glanced up at him and found him struggling to control his breathing. So, she moved from fingertips to place her palm against his skin. Finally, he looked over at her.
“If you’re not careful, I’m going to roll you over right here and now.”
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