A large, muscular male prowled toward her, detaching from the wall. How had Lori missed him? Menace oozed from him. His hands were tucked into a grey hoodie, and black jeans clung to his powerful thighs. With his shaved head and black goatee, he screamed thug. A smirk hovered on his lips.
“What are you afraid of, little girl?” A voice said near her ear. Startled, she swung around, reacting instead of thinking. Her fist shot out, nailing him in the stomach. A light oomph was the only indication she’d hit him. Her knuckles radiated pain, and she flexed her fingers to make sure they weren’t broken.
Her eyes widened when she realized he was identical to the scary werewolf behind her. Same hoodie, same shaved head and goatee, and same damn smirk.
“Boo,” he said, enjoying her fear and confusion.
“Kurt, Rafi, stop terrorizing her. Lori will be staying here for a while. And I doubt Derek wants a newbie babbling about a big bad wolf wanting her for dinner,” Tariq reprimanded them, and gently pulled her closer.
“Hmm, she’s cute. Maybe I do want her for dinner,” the one behind her said.
Tariq snarled and snapped his teeth. “Damn it, Rafi, keep pushing me. She’s off limits, understand?”
Lori turned her head, wondering how she’d keep the two of them straight. Rafi nodded, the smirk never dropping.
“Understood. And yes, Kurt understands, too. No more messing with the newbie. No matter how tasty she is.” He laughed, putting his hands in the air to surrender when Tariq stepped closer. “Fine, fine, no more comments. We’ll keep them between us.”
Tariq turned his attention back to Lori, his burst of temper wiped from his face. “Simone, Rafi and Kurt are Deltas. We have nine in total, more than most packs. Since Derek is a Top Alpha with around a hundred smaller packs under him, we require a wider power base in the hierarchy. Davis and Nadia are currently patrolling the city, so you’ll meet them later. Our two Betas are Sylvia, whom you met downstairs, and Zmitro.”
A soft noise distracted her from Tariq. A tall, good-looking male strode toward their small group. A friendly smile welcomed her. Once he drew closer, the scars on the side of his face became noticeable. Three of them, like claw marks, raked down his cheek. His black hair hung across his forehead, hiding how far the scars extended. They enhanced the wildness, the lethal air about him.
“I’m Zmitro. Pleasure to meet you,” he said and held out his hand. His lips twitched with amusement when he bent over to kiss her knuckles. The faint accent teased her, one familiar to her. Of course, living in Toronto, many became recognizable.
Unable to help herself, she smiled back when he straightened. “Nice to meet you, too.”
“I hope Tariq is treating you right. And don’t worry about the twins, they’re mostly harmless.” When he spoke again, she placed the accent. Russian.
“And since I’m sure your brain is now overloaded, I’ll introduce myself as well. I’m Emma,” a woman said, laughter lurking amongst her words.
Lori glanced around, wondering how she’d begin to remember everyone and spied a cute Middle Eastern woman. Bright green hair spiked around her head, giving her the appearance of a Fae pixie. All she needed was wings to complete the picture. Not that Lori ever had the misfortune of meeting an actual pixie, thank goodness. They were nasty little creatures that liked playing tricks on everyone.
“Hi. I hope no one will be insulted when I mix up or forget names.” She eyed the twins, so alike without a hint of difference between them. “You two, I will not keep straight.”
“Once you merge with your wolf, you’ll be able to tell them apart. Subtle variation in scent,” Tariq explained as he nudged Zmitro to the side. “She’s mine to train, so back off, playboy.”
Simone chuckled. “Wait until she gets a load of Davis. She won’t give any of you a second glance.”
Lori frowned at them, not understanding the undercurrent to the conversation. “What are you talking about?”
“Well, the first few changes can be intense. Many find their sex drive increases to the point where they want it almost non-stop.”
Gasping, Lori gaped at Simone. “Excuse me? I’m gonna end up a horndog?” The twins laughed, unperturbed by the furious glare she gave them. “Hell no, not happening. I don’t want anyone around me then. I’ll seclude myself or something.”
Tariq scowled at Simone before he said, “You won’t need to seclude yourself. Simone is exaggerating. It only happens when you’re around someone you find sexually attractive. You will not jump the closest male just because your hormones demand you do.”
“Demand? Great, I’ll have demanding hormones. This day keeps getting better. I’d like a do-over where I stay in bed and forget any of this is possible.”
“I don’t know… she hasn’t met Davis yet. Maybe she’ll want to obey those demands.”
“Damn it, Simone, enough!” Tariq snapped at her. “She wasn’t raised like a werewolf. She has no idea what to expect, and that isn’t helping.”
Simone laughed, unfazed by his anger. “Fine, I’ll leave your little protégé alone. But she will need some female guidance, and I’m more than happy to help. I promise not to scare her.”
“You know what? I’m done. I need time by myself, away from this craziness.” Lori turned to Tariq. “Please, show me to my room.”
“Of course,” he said, crooking his arm, indicating for her to grab hold.
She wanted to refuse, keep space between them, especially after that weird possessive episode she’d had downstairs. Except she noticed how often the werewolves touched, as if second nature to them and they needed the connection. Even the twins, menacing and scary, accepted and gave causal contact.
Swallowing her nervousness, she wrapped her fingers around his bare forearm. A burst of desire distracted her, made her question exactly what changes her body would experience. The soft hairs and smooth skin on Tariq’s arm enticed her to stroke him. A need she ignored.
Walking from the room, she heard Simone snicker, “I guess Davis won’t be her choice.”
“Simone, you and I will have a talk later about your lack of filter,” Tariq tossed over his shoulder, not slowing while they descended the stairs.
“What did she mean? Is she talking about sex again?”
Tariq sighed. “Our sense of smell is heightened, and not much stays hidden from werewolves. We can scent emotions along with changes in a person’s body. Say, when they’re frightened or perhaps aroused.”
A blush stole over her throat and cheeks. Damn it, she’d forgotten that fact. Great, now all of them knew, including Tariq. Just fantastic. This day couldn’t end fast enough. And it was barely mid-morning!
“Just so we’re clear, I don’t want to jump your bones. I don’t even like you. I’m chalking all this up to weird werewolf puberty crap. So don’t think I’m gonna get naked for you,” she said, embarrassment making her cruel.
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” A quirk of his lips before he smoothed out his expression. “Here’s your room. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll come by in a few hours to escort you for lunch. Or you can wander around if you please. There are several other pack members here if you wish for company.”
“Wait, what about my job? I can’t do a no-call, no-show.”
“There’s a phone in your bedroom. Call them and quit. It sounds like your boss would test your patience, and we don’t need you attacking him in a fit of anger. Looks bad for us werewolves.”
“Ha, ha, so droll.” She stepped into the bedroom and firmly closed the door, shutting him out.
Chapter Four
When prowling around her new room did nothing to calm her nerves, Lori laid down on the bed. A few hours ago, she would’ve reveled in extra sleep. Now, her brain wouldn’t shut up. Her whole world had changed.
No longer was she in control of her life. Instead, a bossy werewolf and his demanding Alpha dictated what she could and could not do. Hell, was she even allowed outside of this damn house? Would they restrict
her movements to that degree? The idea chaffed her. She’d been on her own for over ten years.
A teeny, tiny part of her objected to these wolves paying her bills, but she ignored it. Her pride be damned. She couldn’t work because of them, so why shouldn’t they take care of her? Bankruptcy at the beginning of her soon-to-be new life? Hell no.
Crap, she thought, rolling her eyes. Call work and quit.
Not a conversation she looked forward to. Ed, the bastard, would gloat over her quitting.
Heaving her body upwards, she grabbed the phone, and then realized she had her own phone in her purse. Easier to call them on her cell, the number already programmed in it. She groaned. She’d left it downstairs in the library.
Crossing her fingers for an uneventful trip downstairs, she left the relative peacefulness of the room. Slowly and carefully, she snuck downstairs, feeling like a thief. Stopping in the foyer, listening for any sounds, she breathed easy when silence greeted her.
Quick strides had her in the library within moments. Leaning against one of the couches, her burnt orange purse sat on the floor. Rummaging through it, she found her phone and unlocked it. She thumbed through the contacts until she found her office number. Acid churned in her stomach, reminding her that this call would leave her jobless and dependant on her new “family”.
With unnecessary viciousness, she jabbed at the phone icon and listened to the rings, counting them off.
“C and A Financial, Ed speaking. How can I help you?” He sounded smooth and professional, the complete opposite of how he acted in person towards Lori.
“Hi Ed, this is Lori.” She cringed at her hesitant tone. Where was her backbone? He always managed to reduce her to a doormat.
“Where the hell are you? You’re over three hours late. Get your pretty little ass in here before you’re fired.” And there was the asshole side she knew and hated so much.
“I’m not coming in today. In fact, I’m quitting,” said Lori, a bubble of happiness going straight to her head. She choked back the inappropriate giggle.
While joblessness sucked, it was better than dealing with his attitude every day, worrying when he’d explode at her again. Most days he was content to prick her self-confidence, questioning her every decision. Some days though, he’d tear her to shreds with his words, leaving her in shock.
“No, you’re not. You’re getting your fucking ass into work now. We have too much shit to deal with for you to quit. Audits have started. While you’re almost fucking useless, you’re better than nothing. I knew we should have replaced you months ago,” Ed continued, ignoring Lori’s attempts to interrupt his tirade.
Out of patience, she shouted into the phone, “Ed!”
“What?!”
“I quit, and that’s that. I’m not coming in today, tomorrow or ever again. In fact, I don’t even care about the stuff in my desk. Toss it, give it away, whatever. I don’t care. I don’t want to see you or the office again. Have a nice life.” With a vicious smile, she hung up, relishing having the last word.
“Well he certainly sounded pleasant.” A new voice from behind startled her.
How did they keep sneaking up on her? She’d have a heart attack long before merging with her wolf.
“You guys need to stop doing that. My heart can’t take all these shocks,” said Lori, turning to face the latest werewolf in her life. “Let me guess, you’re Davis?”
The newcomer smiled, the wattage blinding. “How did you know?”
Casting a critical eye, she took note of his curly blond hair and blue eyes. The tank top and joggers lovingly clung to him, showcasing his toned body. Another man whom painters and sculptors would love to pay homage to, albeit for different reasons than Markus. The blond god versus the dark god. A shame she didn’t have a single artist’s bone in her body.
“Simone inferred you’d be my choice if my hormones went crazy. I can see why.”
He winced before hiding it behind a bland, impersonal grin. “She said that, eh?”
“Don’t worry, I’m not a slave to my hormones, and I would never make a pass at someone not interested. I plan on barricading myself in my bedroom,” she said with a laugh, not entirely sure if she was joking.
“I’m sure you’ll be fine. The wolf side is very choosy, and it wouldn’t make you do anything that goes against your beliefs. Some sleep around after the Change because they want to. Merging with your wolf doesn’t mean it takes over and you’re a completely different person. You’re still you.”
The air whooshed from her lungs, and tension drained out of her body.
“Thank you. I just found out today what I am, and well, it’s been pretty scary. I have no clue what to expect.”
“Who’s mentoring you? Derek?” Davis walked closer and ran a soothing hand along her arm.
She almost flinched from the familiarity but controlled it. He had the same need for touch the others demonstrated. It meant nothing beyond friendship. That involuntary wince had already shown that he didn’t like his sex-idol status.
“No. Tariq.” The sound of his name on her lips brought forth uncomfortable thoughts.
Damn werewolf hormones. Oh shit, damn werewolf sense of smell. Think of something else. What do guys think of, baseball? Yes, that should do. Baseball, positively boring. The Jays weren’t doing so hot this year, although she rarely paid attention to sports.
A soft growl behind Davis had her peeking around him. Tariq stared at Davis, boring a hole in his back. Without turning around, Davis muttered, “Enough, man. I’m getting tired of being treated like this.”
Leaning down, he brushed his lips across Lori’s cheek. “It was a pleasure meeting you. Thank you. We’ll talk again soon.”
His grin was mischievous and devoid of any sexual attraction. “I’d like that.”
She held her tongue until Davis left the room then hissed to Tariq, “You are so damn rude. What the hell was that about? You hurt his feelings.”
Astonishment flitted across his face. “Hurt his feelings? How did I do that?”
“By assuming he was coming on to me. Are you one of those jerks who believe men and women can’t be friends? Because I have a news flash, I have a ton of male friends, and I plan on keeping them. So you can quit with that weird possessive crap. You may have ‘found’ me, but that doesn’t mean you have any rights over me.”
“I’m sorry. My response was uncalled for. And for the record, I have many female friends. I know it’s possible to be platonic. I’ll apologize to Davis later.”
“Apology accepted!” Davis yelled, his voice coming from somewhere upstairs.
Lori crossed her arms before asking, “So private conversations, they don’t happen, huh?”
Guarding her tongue at work was one thing but having to do it in her person life as well? How did it not drive the rest of them crazy?
“Bedrooms are all sound-proof. Sometimes couples stay over, and trust me, none of us want to hear that. Derek has an open door policy with his house. Anyone in the pack can spend the night whenever they need, although right now several of the bedrooms are filled with the Betas and Deltas.”
He held out his arm, his green eyes twinkling with amusement. “Come, let us roam the backyard. There are a few acres of green space where we can explore.”
Chapter Five
“I have something to show you.” He hid a smile when she rushed to his side, showing her eagerness. While this day had knocked her sideways, she’d rebounded from the strangeness swiftly. He scented no fear from her, and she’d accepted the others with grace. He’d noticed her hesitation at casual touching, but she hadn’t rebuffed any of them.
They exited the house, and he inhaled deeply. He loved this oasis in the middle of downtown Toronto. Leading her deeper into the woods, he stopped when they were out of earshot of the pack.
“Whoa, wait a minute. Why are you taking off your clothes?” she asked when he removed his shirt.
Tariq noticed that while she berated him, she
didn’t avert her eyes. “Because, my protégé, I want to show you what the change looks like. You’ve seen some of us as wolves, but you haven’t seen the actual process. I want you to be familiar with it so you won’t be afraid when it happens for you.”
Unsnapping his jeans, he pushed them down. He’d walked out bare foot, a state most of his pack preferred. A ragged, indrawn breath from Lori had him embracing his other half faster than he wanted. Staying human any longer would’ve exposed more than just his body; she would’ve seen his desire for her.
Lori wasn’t his to claim.
He’d surprised himself with his warning growl at Davis when jealousy had slammed into him. Hard, fast and unwanted. The sweet scent of Lori’s arousal taunted him while she stood so close to another man.
Where was his calm, his ability to think clearly no matter the provocation? A few more moments, and he would’ve assaulted his friend. Over a woman he’d just met!
Prowling over to Lori, he bumped into her leg. Her hand hovered above his head, and he pushed into her palm. When her fingers combed through the fur on his back, a low rumble formed in his chest. What would it feel like to have her touch him in human form? Would she be as curious?
Her hesitancy vanished, and she dropped to her knees. Hands on both sides of his head, she rubbed at his ears, treating him like a dog. A part of him was offended. He wasn’t a pet!
However, the shameless part of him reveled in the attention.
Until she sing-songed, “Who’s a good dog? Are you a good dog? Yes you are. Such a good doggie.”
Head reared back, he stared at her, escaping those maddening fingers.
“Oops, sorry,” she said, her lips twitching. “Guess that’s not politically correct, huh? Don’t treat werewolves like dogs. Got it.”
Unable to stop himself, he licked her cheek. Shrieking with laughter, she pushed him back and fell onto her ass. “Okay, okay, really, I’m sorry! I won’t do it again. Why don’t you show me the woods?”
With innate grace, she stood and brushed off the dirt from her backside. And with a swish of his tail, he bounded along the path leading deep into the forest. Most of the pack avoided the path, preferring instead to rush through the underbrush. However, her low-heeled shoes wouldn’t fare well against the uneven ground. A broken ankle first time out, not impressive.
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