by Gale Stanley
“Kate! Kate!” Tanner screamed as the thick smoke invaded his lungs.
“I’ll take the kitchen.” Gage’s voice was hoarse, and he doubled over, coughing.
Tanner hesitated, torn between helping his lover and searching for Kate.
Gage straightened. “Go,” he gasped.
Tanner nodded once and ran for the bedroom. He found Kate cowering in the corner, hands over her head. When he pulled her arms away, she wheezed and struggled for breath. Tears had plowed a trail through the soot on her face, but she was still alive, and relief flowed through his body. “Thank God, you’re okay.” Is she? Her color was bad, and when Tanner pulled her into his arms, she was like a rag doll. “Gage!” His voice cracked, but Gage was already running through the door.
“Is she okay?” Gage croaked.
“She’s pale, and her lips are blue, probably from smoke inhalation. We need to get out of here. Now.” He scooped her up, and a worried Gage followed them through the house and outside.
Loud popping noises stopped them dead in their tracks. Frozen with shock, they watched the truck wilt as the tires liquefied. The paint had bubbled, metal was starting to peel, and the license plate had melted completely. Windows had blown out, and the frames were deformed. The truck was toast.
Fuck, fuck, fuck! Tanner set Kate on the ground and hunched down next to her. “We need to shift. It’s the only way. We’ll get through faster, and we’ll heal faster.”
Gage got on his knees next to them. “Come on, sweetheart, shift. We have to go.”
* * * *
Overwhelmed with panic, Kate sat on the dirt and shook her head from side to side. Tanner shook her, and she looked at him dumbly. Behind him, flames danced, and the thick, choking smoke invaded her body. Her head felt fuzzy, and she couldn’t think straight.
“Shift. Shift. Shift.” Kate heard Tanner’s voice through an incessant buzz, and she kept shaking her head. So tired, right this minute she felt the life draining from her body.
Gage’s face appeared in front of her, his hands gripping her arms. “Shift, Kate. Damn it, shift!”
Leave me alone. Didn’t he know she couldn’t shift?
“We’re not leaving without you.”
Go. Go and save yourself.
“If you don’t shift, I’ll carry you, and we’ll all burn in our human skins. Is that what you want? For us all to die here together?”
Why wouldn’t they listen to her? They had to go, but they weren’t moving. Her men would die here because of her. She couldn’t help her family, but she could help them. She needed to be strong for Gage and Tanner. A will to live came back, not for herself, but for them. They didn’t deserve to die.
Change begins in the mind.
The body serves the mind.
We are shaped by the mind.
Nothing. Kweo had abandoned her, but surely he wouldn’t desert these men. She prayed he would help her wake her inner wolf one more time. Help me. Help me to help these men. Show me—
Muscles contracted painfully, forcing her to hands and knees. Limbs contorted, and thick black fur spread over her sweaty, soot-covered body. Pitifully weak howls expressed her pain, and Tanner and Gage mouthed words of encouragement and praise. Wolf at last, she hadn’t realized how much she missed this side of herself. But there was no time to savor the freedom, the joy of being without self- imposed restraints.
The two males were already changing, prancing on their paws with impatience. One of them grabbed her by the scruff and pulled her toward the flames. For a second she dug in and refused to let him drag her any closer. Then the other wolf came up behind her and bit her ass. Yelping, more in embarrassment than pain, she leaped into a blast furnace, a hellfire of dancing red-and-orange flames that stole the moisture from her body. Scorching air assaulted her nostrils, along with the smell of burning fur. The engulfing heat was claustrophobic, pressing in from all directions. Just when she thought it was unbearable and she would not last another second, she sprang from the edge of the fire. The two males leaped out after her. Gage licked her blistered nose. Tanner sank his teeth into her scruff and gave her a tug, letting her know he expected her to follow them. Her suddenly submissive wolf nodded and let them lead the way.
* * * *
Exhausted, singed, and dehydrated, Gage collapsed by the front door and watched the others sink to their bellies as well. He was never so glad to see his home, but he wasn’t sure he had the strength to shift and open the door. He needn’t have worried. The front door flew open, and Alex came through it.
“Thank God,” the Alpha whispered. He went right to the she-wolf, picked her up as if she were a pup, and carried her inside. She let out one whimper of protest then quieted.
Gage and Tanner padded inside and watched as Alex set her gently on the floor and locked the door. The Alpha brought them bowls of water, and they drank their fill. Kate was too weak, and Alex brought her a bottle and held it so she could drink. Then he sat on the floor, watching them. He placed a hand on Kate’s rump, and Gage snarled and bared his teeth.
Alex lifted a brow. “What’s that all about?”
Gage shifted immediately, and Tanner followed. “With all due respect, Alpha, you’re a little too close to our mate,” Tanner told him.
“Your mate?” Alex frowned and raised a brow, but he removed his hand. Kate crawled a little closer to Tanner, and he put a palm on her back to comfort her.
“Our mate.” Gage spoke in a voice edged with burnished steel. “What are you doing here, Alpha?”
“Did you think I didn’t know what was going on?” Alex asked, irritated. “It’s my job to know everything that concerns the pack. You’ve both been avoiding me, but you brought her scent back here, and my nose is still working, last time I checked, anyway.” He seemed to be waiting for one of them to say something, but they remained silent. “I’ve had my eye on you for a while. When were you going to come to me and tell me you’d discovered a she-wolf?”
Gage shrugged in an evasive manner. “We thought it best to take care of our mate ourselves. It wasn’t our intention to force Kate to come back with us, and we were afraid you might act differently.”
“I would have done whatever was needed to bring her here. She belongs with us.”
“Ultimately the decision is hers.”
“Not really,” Alex said sharply. “We all have a responsibility to the pack. Our number-one priority is to make sure our race survives.”
Gage snarled at him. “Our number-one priority is our mate.” From the corner of his eye, he saw Kate’s ears twitch, and he knew she was listening to every word. “Our concern is for Kate. If she decides to stay, we want her to live here with me and Tanner.” He looked over at Kate. “But it’s her choice.” Gage turned back to Alex. “If you have a problem with that, then we’re leaving, all of us.”
Chapter Ten
It was dark when Kate woke in wolf skin, and for a second, panic made her heart race. Then she smelled her mates, and their comforting scents calmed her. My mates! Gage’s words had shocked the hell out of her. She knew how she felt about them already in her mind—they were her men—but she hadn’t had a clue those same deep feelings were reciprocated.
At first she thought it was all about the sex. After all, they were attracted to Shiloh, too. Then she realized they cared, but she had assumed it was all about reproduction and the pack. Now she knew it was more, much more, and she ached to make a life with them.
It was a glorious feeling to know where she belonged. After she’d lost her family, she’d gone through life always feeling estranged, as if she didn’t fit anywhere. Thanks to her men, she’d finally figured it out. It had nothing to do with looks or strength or weakness. It was all about accepting who she was inside, aligning herself with her inner wolf, and finding peace.
That inner peace would help her when she left. Real grief covered her at the thought of leaving them, but what could she do? Gage and Tanner had each other. Shiloh had no one else, ju
st a string of one-night stands, anonymous sex. She was the anchor in his life. Their home must have burned to the ground. How could she leave him now, when he had nothing left but her?
Emotionally she might be a wreck, but physically she felt so much better, healing faster as a wolf. In fact, she felt well enough to try to shift back to her human form. It seemed so much easier now, faster, and not quite as painful. Seeing the black fur recede left a vague feeling of regret. But there was no need to miss this part of herself. She could call on it whenever she chose. Sadly, she realized it wouldn’t be so easy. Living in the human world meant always being on guard. She pushed those thoughts aside. Whether she shifted or not, her wolf spirit would always be with her, a living presence inside her.
Gage settled his big body next to hers on the floor. “You shifted.” He smiled. “You must be feeling better?”
“I am. You were right about healing faster.”
“You don’t know much about your wolf, do you?”
Kate shook her head sadly. “It was the first time I shifted in ten years.”
His eyes went wide, and he pulled her into his lap. “It will be okay. I’ll teach you.” He nuzzled her neck.
“We’ll teach you.” Tanner sat next to them and reached for her hand.
Her heart was breaking, and she blinked back tears.
“Don’t be upset.” Tanner squeezed her hand. “It’s never too late to learn.”
Her chest felt heavy, and her voice broke. “I can’t stay.”
Tanner frowned. “You don’t have to be afraid. The Alpha agreed you belong with your mates. You’ll live here with us.”
Gage held her a little tighter. “I think our woman needs a little more than that.” He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. “I love you, Kate.” Then he elbowed Tanner.
His expression tense yet hopeful, Tanner eyed her shyly. “I guess you can tell we’re not too experienced with females.” He placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “I love you, Kate.”
How could she ever bear to let them go? A lump grew in her throat and tears threatened to spill. “Hey, sweetheart, this is where you’re supposed to say, ‘I love you, too, Gage.’”
“And Tanner,” Tanner added.
“I do love you, both of you.”
Gage’s big thumb wiped tears from her cheek. “I hope those are tears of joy.”
Kate didn’t dare meet his eyes. “I can’t stay.”
When she lifted her head, their expressions made her heart twist. Gage looked like he’d been gutted. His voice shook. “I don’t understand.”
“Shiloh needs me. He’s lost everything. I can’t do that to him.”
Tanner exchanged a look with Gage. “We need to deal with this.”
Gage nodded. “Do you plan to tell him the truth?”
Kate chewed on her lip. “I…I, uh, don’t know.”
“If it were anybody else, I’d say no, don’t tell him. But I care about Shi. He deserves to know, and my gut instinct says he can be trusted. Tanner and I talked about this with the Alpha. He wants proof. He won’t allow Shiloh to come here unless we’re absolutely certain he won’t betray us.”
“He won’t.” I hope.
“Kate, I agree. Tanner and I both agree. To a point. We won’t put the rest of our pack in danger. And we sure as hell won’t put you in danger.”
“Me? What are you talking about?
“I’m talking about what happens if he hears the truth and flies off the handle.”
“He would never hurt me.”
“Again, I don’t believe he would, but we have to be absolutely sure. Did he call you before we got to the house?”
“I don’t know. I turned my phone off.” She started rocking back and forth. “God, I was so stupid. He must be worried sick.”
Tanner handed her a cell phone. “Call him. Tell him you’re okay, but don’t tell him where you are. Gage and I will make arrangements to meet him.”
* * * *
Shiloh had been worried to distraction and on his way home when Kate reached him. She barely had time to tell him she was okay before Tanner had grabbed the phone from her hand. He told the cowboy not to bother stopping at his house, suggested he check in to the hotel they’d met at previously, and hung up before he could argue. Kate hadn’t been happy about it, but neither he nor Gage wanted to answer a lot of questions over the phone. They had to see his face and his reactions in person.
So here they were at the desk, asking which room Shiloh was in. The clerk called upstairs and evidently got the okay to let them up, because he gave them the room number and pointed to the elevator.
The door stood open, and when they walked in, Shiloh was at the small table, dropping ice into a glass, followed by the contents of a small bottle of alcohol. “Okay, what’s going on?” He glanced up and took a big swallow from his tumbler. “What’s wrong with Kate? Did she get burned?” He took another drink. “Don’t lie to me. She’d be here if she was really okay.” He sat heavily on the bed and put a hand over his face. When he took it away, his cheeks were wet with tears. “This is all my fault. I never should have left her alone.”
Tanner’s heart twisted. It was cruel to let Shiloh take the blame for something that wasn’t his fault. If anything, it was their fault for not insisting Kate leave the house and come home with them. He sat next to Shiloh and put his arm around him. “She’s okay, and that’s the God’s honest truth. There’s no reason to blame yourself for anything.”
“Then why can’t I see her?”
Tanner took his arm away and looked up at Gage, hoping his partner would explain, because he really didn’t have the right words.
Gage took the cue but seemed at a loss as well. “It’s complicated, Shi.”
The cowboy’s features twisted. “I get it. She’s leaving me, isn’t she? I’ve been expecting it.” He lifted his glass. It was empty. “You guys want a drink? No? Well, excuse me while I have another.” He stood and made his way over to the minibar for another bottle. “I don’t blame her. I love her, but something has always been missing between us. I know who I am. I like men as well as women, but Kate…Honestly, I don’t know what Kate needs, and she won’t talk about it. I guess she just doesn’t love me enough to continue our charade anymore. I won’t try to stop her. She deserves better.” His expression anguished, he poured a drink.
Tanner heard enough. He trusted Shiloh, and he wanted to confide in him. He cleared his throat and looked at Gage, sending him a silent message.
It seemed like Gage felt the same because he responded to Shiloh before Tanner could open his mouth. “She doesn’t want to leave you, Shi.”
The cowboy stared at Gage, confusion written all over his face. “But?”
“But that something that’s been missing, well, she found it.”
Shiloh’s face turned red and blotchy. “You? Tanner?” His hands twitched involuntarily as he clenched and unclenched his fists. “You played me to get my woman.”
“It’s not like—”
Shiloh took a wild swing, which Gage easily blocked, and Tanner came up behind the cowboy and wrapped his arms around Shiloh to immobilize him. “Take it easy. Just hear us out.”
Gage studied the man struggling in Tanner’s embrace. “Didn’t you ever wonder why Kate stayed in an unsatisfying relationship?”
“I know why. She had a traumatic past. She feels safe with me. I take care of her.”
“You were her cover, just like she was yours. She’s not like you, Shi,” Gage finally told him. “She’s a Lycan.”
“A what?”
“She can shift into a wolf.”
Shiloh started laughing hysterically. “I must be drunk. I thought you said Kate could turn into a wolf.”
“I did.”
“Nobody can shift into a wolf.”
“I can,” Gage said quietly.
“So you’re a fucking werewolf, is that what you’re saying?”
“No. Not a beast like in the movies. A perso
n who can shape-shift into a wolf. A Lycan.”
“You’re fucking crazy.”
“Show him, Gage,” Tanner urged from behind the cowboy.
Gage sank to his knees and bent forward. His body contorted and popped like a crowd of people cracking their knuckles. Fur burst through his skin and grew like a film in fast-forward. In less than a minute, Shiloh was shaking in Tanner’s arms, and his astonished eyes were fixed on the immense black wolf that was Gage.
“This isn’t happening,” Shiloh moaned. The animal closed in on him, and he crumpled back against Tanner and turned his face into Tanner’s chest.
Gage shifted back to his human form, and Shiloh sagged in Tanner’s arms. “I think I’d better sit down.” Tanner helped him over to the bed and went to get him a drink. “And you’re telling me that Kate can do—that?”
“Yes. And what she’s been missing is being with her own kind. She has a chance to live with a pack and learn about her ancestry, and she wants to give it up to be with you.”
“It’s a lot to take in.” Shiloh shook his head. “But it doesn’t make any difference, you know.” He looked from Tanner to Gage. “I still love her and want what’s best for her.”
Gage sighed with relief. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
“But I want to hear it from her. I want to know it’s what she wants.”
Tanner smiled for the first time. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.” His face got serious. “But there’s a reason you weren’t invited to our home. We have justification for not trusting humans. And so does Kate. Somebody hurt her in the past, and if anyone finds out who and what she is, it will put us all in danger.”
Shiloh shook his head vehemently. “You can trust me. I’d never betray her. Or you. You have my word.”
“Let’s go then.” Gage gave Shiloh a hand up. “The Alpha will be wanting his truck back.”
* * * *