He hoped he’d be able to keep his desire under control, but as she bent over, setting the table, those jeans stretched across her ass like an invitation to sin.
Werewolf, Steve. Were. Wolf.
Her shy smile as she set the table had his inner voice whimpering. He cleared his throat. “So. The wolf thing.” She grimaced, the smile disappearing, and he almost let it drop.
Almost.
“Yeah. I’ve always been a Wolf.” He could hear her emphasis on the word wolf, and wondered at it. “I was born this way.”
He shuffled his feet. Part of him wanted to get closer, to see if she smelled as sweet as she looked. The other part wanted to remain by the door in case she went all The Howling on his ass. “So all wolves are born?”
She shook her head, looking around the kitchen until she spotted what she wanted. “Nope.” She tucked an uncovered plate into the microwave, her fingers flying over the buttons. “A Wolf can be made, but most in this Pack were born.”
“Oh.” He wasn’t quite sure what to say to that. “Ben’s been one forever, then.” Once the true fear had worn off, he’d felt betrayed. He understood, but that didn’t make the feeling go away. This was a huge secret, but it was one he would have been willing to keep for his best friend.
She stared at him for a moment, ignoring the microwave when it beeped. “Ben couldn’t tell you. The Alpha wouldn’t allow it.”
He scowled. “And Ben always does what his Alpha says?”
Her brows rose. “You’ve met our Alpha? Rick Lowell? Big, scary-ass dude with long red hair and a scar on his cheek?”
Okay. She had a point. “But what about when we were kids? Why didn’t he tell me then?” Hell, he never would have been able to keep something like that a secret, especially from Ben.
She shrugged. “We’re taught from an early age to hide what we are from humans. I mean, would you want to wind up in an underground government laboratory, being vivisected?”
“That shit doesn’t really happen,” he scoffed.
She stayed silent, her gaze on him weary.
“Seriously?”
She nodded. “It happened once, a long time ago, but in the private sector.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah. Let’s just say that some very useful drugs on the market today weren’t found by accident and leave it at that.”
He took a step into the room as she took one plate out of the microwave and set the other in. “So you guys really do heal super-fast?”
She shook her head. “Nope. That’s all a myth. The legends all say that, but the truth is we’re just people. We scar, we get diseases, we get broken bones that don’t magically get better when we shift shape. We’re a little bit stronger, a little bit more resistant, and our senses are sharper than a normal human’s, but that’s about it.”
“And you get fuzzy around the full moon.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Myth. We can run in our Wolf form whenever we want.”
“Silver bullets?”
“Myth. Regular bullets work just fine, thanks.”
“Wolf’s bane?”
“Ugh. Myth. That shit’s poisonous to everyone.”
“Drinking water out of an animal print to change you into a wolf?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Ew.”
“Wearing a belt of wolf skin under a full moon?”
“Where did you read this stuff?”
He felt his skin flush and just knew he was blushing. He’d had a lot of time in the last few days to surf the Internet. “Wikipedia.”
She giggled. “Well, stop. The only way to change someone is to bite them. We release a special enzyme that mutates the DNA of the bitee.”
“Sounds painful.”
“I understand it can be, under the wrong circumstances. Most people are changed with the mating bite, and I understand that’s…” She smiled, the expression sultry. “Fun.”
He cleared his throat again. He didn’t want to think of her and fun right now, not when he was still vaguely wigged out. “Are you guys allergic to chocolate, like real canines?”
She lifted her brows and the lid on the one plate she hadn’t stuck in the microwave. Instead of the salad he half expected, there was a rich, decadent-looking Black Forest cherry cake. “Human, remember? We’re people who shift into animals, not animals who shift into humans.”
“Are any of the myths true?”
She set the warmed-up plates on the kitchen table, the smell of the meat and potatoes filling the small cabin. “We see well in the dark, better than a human does, but only when we shift our eyes to our wolf’s.”
He took a step closer, drawn by the easy way she spoke and the hunger that gnawed at his belly. Since he’d holed up in the cabin, he’d been living off granola bars and bottled water. “What about the whole man-wolf thing? Is that real?”
She shook her head. “Nope. Tigers do that.”
“T-tigers?” There were more of them?
Graciela didn’t seem to notice his unease. “Yup. The rest of us just turn into animals.” She finished getting all the food prepared while she spoke. “There are Wolves, and Pumas and Tigers, and lots of other shifters out there, each with a unique gift. And the one who rules over us all is the Leo.”
“Who?”
“The Leo.” She took a seat, her hands on the table where he could clearly see them. It was obvious she was doing her best to make sure he was as comfortable as possible with her presence. “He rules over all shifter kind. He’s always a Lion, and he runs the Senate, the ruling body of shifters. He’s the only white Lion shifter, and he has the ability to order even an Alpha like Rick around. So when that white Lion is born, they park his ass on the throne and pray he’s not a complete cabrón.”
He gulped and sat down at the table with less grace than he’d planned. “I thought I heard a mountain lion the other night.”
She nodded. “Remember Belle? She’s a Puma. There’s a town a few hours away that’s run by Pumas, and it has a college campus nearby. Several different types of shifters go there, as it’s one of the few campuses in an area that’s shifter-run in the United States.”
“How many of you are there?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure. That’s not one of my jobs, you know? But probably more than you’d believe, less than you fear. We’re just people, Steve, trying to live our lives like everyone else.”
“No, I meant how many different kinds? Wererabbits? Weresharks?” He shivered. “Weredinosaurs?”
She picked up her knife and fork, gesturing for him to do the same. He did, trying to ignore how badly his hands were shaking again. At least he didn’t think he was in danger of passing out this time. “Well, there are Wolves and Pumas, Foxes, Bears—”
“Bears? Like, grizzlies?”
“And black, and kodiak, and Kermode. Yup.”
He wasn’t certain he wanted to hear any more, but he got the feeling he’d need to. Now that he knew about Ben and the rest of them, he had to know. “And?”
“Lions, Tigers—” He felt himself sway a bit in his seat, “—Cheetahs, Coyotes. There are a lot of us, but we all seem to be predators of one kind or another, and always mammals.”
“So no werebunnies.”
“Nope.” She tilted her head and smiled. “Unless they’re Bear bunnies.”
“Do I want to know?”
She took a bite of steak and moaned. “One of the Pack members living in Halle is mated to a Bear whose nickname is Bunny.” She shrugged. “So. Werebunny.”
He actually laughed a bit at that, but he was feeling overwhelmed. He took a bite of steak, hoping to distract himself.
It worked. He moaned at the flavor that burst across his tongue. “Oh my God. I think I’m in love.”
She growled, the sound inhuman. Wolfish.
He carefully put the knife and fork down. “Or maybe not.”
She winced. “Sorry, sorry. It’s just… You’re my mate, and I don’t like hearing you say you
love someone else.” She shrugged, blushing darkly. “Or something.”
He blinked. “Mate.” He’d heard that term before, and been way too wigged out to think about it much. And he’d had enough girlfriends to understand what that term meant.
She bit her lip and nodded. “Mate.”
The next thing he knew, his head was between his knees and Graciela was begging him to breathe.
Chapter Five
Okay. So maybe this wasn’t going quite the way she’d hoped it would. She’d planned on answering all his questions, yes, but she had hoped she wouldn’t terrify him.
Again.
Damn it.
Why had he followed them the other night? The man should have stayed inside and sipped hot cocoa laced with Tia Maria or something; anything but see something he wasn’t quite ready for.
Gah. What a mess.
“Steve?”
He looked up at her, his face pale, his eyes wild. “Mate?”
She nodded. “We know the moment we hear your voice, get a whiff of your scent. It’s…” She breathed deep, his musky scent wrapping around her like a warm cloak. “It’s delicious.”
He shuddered, the ever-present hint of fear spiking again. “I’m gamey. And stringy. And have I mentioned I taste like ass?”
She bit her lip, trying to hold back her laugh. “Tasted a lot of asses, have you?”
The color came flooding back into his face, embarrassment pouring off him in waves that nearly made her dizzy. “That’s more Ben’s kink.”
Her laugh broke free, and she could feel his delight, his happiness. He liked making her laugh, and the knowledge gave her hope. “If it makes you feel any better, Ben and Dave are mates.”
That quickly his pleasure disappeared. “I feel like I’m in a dream, and I can’t decide if it’s a nightmare or a comedy.”
She schooled her features as best she could. “Definitely comedy. Think Keystone Cops.”
The small smile she received wasn’t what she’d hoped for, but she’d take it. “I could see Dave wearing one of those stupid-looking domed hats.”
“And Ben falling all over himself and everyone else.”
“And Rick yelling at all of them?”
She nodded and helped him up. That little dose of silliness had gotten him over at least some of the fear, and he no longer looked ready to pass out at any second. “The food’s getting cold.” Above all else, the urge to take care of her mate was strong.
“Yeah.” He picked up the knife and fork and eyed her warily. “Are you going to get pissed if I moan?”
She shook her head, trying to appear small and unthreatening. She even hunched in her seat a little. “No.”
He sighed and took a bite, but some of his enjoyment seemed to have disappeared. “You don’t have to be afraid of me.”
She sat up straight. “Not you, your reactions. I don’t want you to be scared of me.” Not now, not ever. She’d defend Steven Hoode with her very life. She bit her lip and hoped she wasn’t about to push his boundaries too hard. “I could prove that we’re mates.”
“How?”
She watched him take another bite, enjoying his reluctant shiver of pleasure. Her mate was a sensual creature. She’d enjoy feeding him in the future. “If I give you the mating bite, you’d feel the pull.”
His eyes went wide. “Bite?”
She nodded.
“Um. If you bite me, will I change into…?” He waved at her, and she understood.
“Yes.”
“And if I’m not your mate?”
He was remarkably patient, her mate. He only tapped his foot as she rolled on the floor, laughing her ass off. He didn’t once yell at her to get up or anything.
She wiped a tear away from her eye as she took her seat once more. “Trust me. We’re mates.”
Thank God amusement seemed to be taking over from the fear. Apparently he found her funny. “And this bite will prove it?”
“Yup.”
“And your Alpha approved this.”
“He already accepted you. You’re one of us now, a protected member of the Pack.” Mate or not, the moment Rick had howled his recognition, Steve had been theirs. Rick would eviscerate anyone who tried to harm him without a second thought.
“So…one of you would be biting me anyway to change me.”
Oh, he was bright once he got over his fear. She liked that, even if some of his questions made her want to laugh. Silver bullets? Really? “Ben would probably do it, since he’s the one who first petitioned for you to become a member.”
He blinked, his expression utterly horrified. “I’m not his mate too, am I?”
Again, all he did was tap his foot while she laughed hysterically.
“I’m glad you think this is funny. No, really. Seeing Ben’s hairy, naked ass the other night wasn’t traumatizing enough, now you have to tell me he could bite me and make me crave cock.” He gagged, making her laugh harder. “No offense to Ben or Dave, but I really like boobs. They’re soft, and squishy, and the owner makes such interesting noises when you—”
“Steven!” He’d cupped his hands in front of his chest, his fingers flexing, and she couldn’t stop laughing.
“What? This is important. The last thing I want to do is look at Rick and think mmm, redhead.”
Steven Hoode was going to be the death of her. “No, silly. Even if Ben changed you, he can’t mate you. The enzyme for mating only releases with the person who is our mate. No one else. You can’t force someone to mate.”
“So if I said no?”
She winced. Ouch. The last thing she wanted to hear was that he was thinking of denying her. “I would walk away, and Rick or Ben would bite you.” She’d die inside a little every day until she went feral, but she would give him what he needed.
His eyes narrowed. “So you’re saying that either way I’m going to wind up wolfing out.”
She nodded. She didn’t want to lie to him, not about something as important as this. “Rick accepted you. It’s inevitable. The only thing that isn’t is our mating.”
He contemplated her for a moment, and she just knew he was turning everything over in his head. “Will it hurt?”
“The bite, you mean?”
“No. Wolfing out.”
She smiled. That was an easy question to answer. “It’s more like flowing into something new. It’s…indescribable. There’s no screaming agony, no crunching of bones. Just a pleasant tingle.”
That seemed to ease Steve. “Anything else I should know?”
“You’d be under Rick, subject to his commands, like every other Wolf in the Pack.”
“I figured. Anything else?”
“Ah.” She tugged on the end of her ponytail. “There’s a mild side effect of the mating bite.”
He sagged. “I knew it.”
“You’ll get so horny you’ll be blind with it.”
He cleared his throat and sat up straight again. “So…I’ll jump anything that moves and hump it like a dog.”
Chela growled. “No. You’ll only hump me.”
“If Ben bites me?”
“That bite would be different. It’s only a changing bite, not a mating bite.” She shrugged. “It will hurt, but you won’t wind up chock-full of lust either.” And if that was the route he wanted to go, she’d allow it. He’d feel the pull once his wolf woke up, and they’d be mated later rather than sooner.
Now that the mate dreams had started, she didn’t think she’d be able to keep away from him. She just prayed he didn’t want Ben to change him, that he accepted she was the one who was going to give him the bite. So she played her last card and hoped it worked. “Do you want Ben kissing your neck?”
The way his eyes went wide would have made her laugh again if this weren’t the moment she’d been waiting for. She held her breath, praying with everything in her that Steve chose her.
He stared down at his half-eaten steak, his expression grim. His emotions were all over the place, making her di
zzy. But when they finally settled down, when his blue eyes finally met hers again, she nearly sagged in relief. He’d made his decision.
Steven nodded once. “If you’re telling me the truth, then I’d rather you bite me.”
Chela stood. She could barely keep the smile off her face. “You won’t regret this.”
He grimaced. “There’s a lot of questions I still have, but…” He sighed. “Ben has never once hurt me. I have to trust in that, if nothing else.”
That wasn’t exactly what she’d hoped to hear, but she’d take it. She’d work on winning his heart after he’d accepted the bite.
She was patient.
She opened her mouth so he could watch her fangs grow in. She wanted him a part of this, to see everything that was about to happen. Her eyes changed, going over to her wolf’s. Her vision changed as she lost the red-green spectrum. His red shirt now appeared to be deep mustard yellow, but his blue eyes darkened, sharpened. His blond hair appeared lighter, almost white.
He looked ethereal yet strong, a fairy warrior come to life just for her.
“Holy shit. What big teeth you have, Grandma.”
She wasn’t fooled. The sight of her fangs had made him fearful again. “This won’t hurt, I swear.”
“You can say that, but you aren’t the one facing the fangs.”
She tried for humor once more. She shook her head and tsked. “Just because you’re a virgin…”
He glared at her. “I am not.”
She put her hand on her chest and fluttered her lashes. “Oh, it’s so big. I… I don’t think it will fit.”
“I hate you right now.”
Except she knew he didn’t. She could feel it, the uneasiness, but there was no hatred. Hatred burned, was acrid against her senses. Even when his fear had been at its highest point she hadn’t felt that. “At worst, it might sting a little, like getting a shot.”
“Have I mentioned I hate needles?” He stood, towering over her. “Just…” He sighed, his emotions all over the place again, a jumble of nerves and fear and desire making her head spin. “Let’s get this over with, okay?”
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