No doubt feeling my eyes on him, he speaks without taking his eyes off the newly changed wolves. “I love watching the change. Look how free they are now,” he says sounding wistful. Following his eyes Watch the three wolves and smile. He's right, they look free, so free it’s making me feel like joining the and experiencing it for myself.
“Boss, Can I guard Frankie tonight? Carter’s question pulls my attention away for the wolves outside and back into the room.
Jesse turns to face Carter who is twirling his pool cue in his hands nervously. “I was going to ask Nate to stick with her.” He shrugs his shoulders. “But if you want to do it, I’ve got no objections.”
Carter’s smile doubles in size at Jesse’s words. “ Let me know when you’re ready to shift, Frankie,” he says to me before turning back to his game.
I watch him break the balls on the table and turn back to the window letting my eyes roam around the drive for three wolves. They’re nowhere to be seen but the sight of new cars arriving keeps my attention outside. I feel Jesse lean against the edge of the wall I’m leaning against, his leg brushing my shoulder causing my wolf to sit up and pay attention to his energy running along my side. Together we watch the pack mates arrive and shift, not bothering to talk. We can hear the others laughing and joking as they play pool behind us, the number of voices going down as they each decide it’s time for them to shift.
“Alright guys, I’m going out to join the fun. Anyone fancy coming with me?” Kate announces to the room.
Niki and Clarissa both jump off the stools they’d been occupying by the bar and answer in unison. “I’m in.” The three girls leave and I take a good look at the guys. Nate and Kelly both seem calm and collected but by the way Carter is fiddling with his cue, chalking it’s tip until there is nothing left of the chalk block in his hand.
Unable to sit and watch Carter’s anxiety rise anymore, I speak up. “Okay Carter, you don’t look like you can hold out much longer so lead the way.” He gives me a grateful smile, hangs his cue in the rack on the wall and turns an expectant look on me.
“Wait outside, Frankie will be right out,” Jesse says from his position against the wall beside me. After a subtle nod Carter dashes out of the room. Jesse offers me his hand. “Come on, you can shift upstairs so you don’t have to get naked in front of everyone.”
I follow Jesse up the stairs and come to a stop as he opens the door to a room and gestures for me to go in with a wave of his hand. “Are you shifting because you need to, or because Carter needs to,” he asks as he follows me into the room. I can hear his footsteps on the soft carpet and feel his energy tickling my back. Teasing.
I smile, as I turn to face him. He caught me. “I’m changing for Carter. Although I want to experience that freedom everyone else is and don’t really see the point in waiting any longer.”
The smile drops off his face and his shoulders slump. “It looks like you do have the ability your mother had.”
“You aren't happy. Why?” I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me. I should really be shifting. Carter is probably wondering what’s taking me so long.
Jesse sighs deeply. “I was hoping you wouldn’t have the immunity to the moon, your mother had. Your Omega abilities are already a big enough temptation for Rick to have his eyes set on you. I’m afraid your immunity to the moon will make him even more determined to have you. He won’t be the only one either. It’s just gotten ten times more dangerous for you.”
Unable to bare the sight of the sadness on his face, I step closer to him before reaching up and placing my hand on his cheek. His stubble rough under my fingertips. “You’ve kept me safe all these years. Just you, on your own. The pack know about me now, you’ve got them to help protect me too. So it doesn't all fall on your shoulders anymore.” I stroke my fingers across his cheek andante his hair, enjoying the softness between my fingers. “I know I’ve complained about having a shadow, but I will be happy with ten shadows if it helps you.” I’ve not taken my eyes from his from the moment I started talking, hoping he can see how much I believe in him and how well he can protect me. Releasing my fingers from his hair, I drop my hand back to my side.
He laughs. “I’ll remind you of that when you complain about being guarded, next.” The smile that accompanied his laugh drops from his face and is replaced with a frown. “I just want you to have as normal a life as possible. I don’t want you to feel imprisoned with an escort twenty-four/seven, but I can’t think of any other way to keep you safe.” Jesse reaches up and strokes my cheek with the back of his index finger. “I just can't bare the thought of anything happening to you. I’m sorry.”
The need to be free from all of this worry flows over me. Does Jesse feel like this all the time? No wonder he watches the other wolves enjoy their freedom so intently. “Come have some fun, change with me.” It sounds too much like an order, even to my own ears. I wince ready for his anger to hit me. It doesn’t come.
“I’d love to but I have to wait until the last wolf changes. Kelly and Nate are still down stairs, and Big Mac hasn't even arrived yet. He’ll still be handing the bar over to his bar manager.” He gives me a smile and takes my hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I can come and find you when shift. If you’d like that?”
I give him a grateful smile at his offer. “I’ll look forward to it.” Jesse steps back with a nod and leaves the room closing the door behind him.
Hearing the click of the door, I remove my cloths and fold them, placing them in a neat pile on the bed, ensuring my underwear is tucked tightly into my jeans pocket before I step away. Okay, how do we do this? I ask addressing my wolf in my head. I feel her stretch leisurely in answer, clearly in no hurry help me out. Taking a deep breath I think back to the one and only other time I’ve done this. It was a life and death situation, that seemed to happen on instinct. I needed to be a wolf. I don’t have that need right now. I crouch on all fours, thinking being in the position a wolf would be in can’t hurt, and focus on how much I want to be a wolf. How much I want to feel the freedom my pack mates are feeling. I’m aware of each and everyone of them through the pack bonds. Reaching down a random one I find Kate, she’s happy. Exhilarated even. Reaching another one I come to the ragged end of Joey’s severed bond. A deep sadness runs through me and my chest hurts at the loss. My wolf charges out of me, wanting to be free of the pain and sadness too.
Standing on all fours, my skin covered in fur I look at the closed door briefly wondering how to let Jesse know I’ve shifted, when it opens. I tilt my head to a side giving him a curious look, like I’ve seen him do many times over the years, wondering how he knew I was ready.
Obviously knowing how to read wolf body language and therefore understanding my curiosity, he places a hand over the centre of his chest. “I felt your shift in the bonds.” Walking past me, and to the bed he picks up my clothes. His movement sends his delectable scent to invade my nostrils, its the strongest I’ve ever smelt it, making me realise my sense of smell is stronger in wolf form than it is in my human body. “I’ll put them in the shed at the border of the forest, that way you won’t have to walk too far naked. You will probably fall asleep out there in wolf form and wake human,” he informs me.
I’ll fall asleep in wolf form and waked up as a human. Naked! Why had no one thought to warn me about this until now. I let out a whimper at the thought and Jesse reaches down to ruffle the fur on my head playfully. “Just remember we’re all in the same boat. Some of us have just had longer to get used to it.”
And some are just perverts and enjoy it. I retort to myself, thinking I’d love him to be able to hear me.
Jesse laughs. “Yeah, well, maybe Tim,” he admits, having evidently heard me. He leads me downstairs, through the house and to a glass door letting me out into a small yard surrounded by a forest.
I stand, listening to all the wolves in the forest there’s so much to hear, playful yapping, happy howling. It’s beautiful, the sight and sounds. I watch Jesse
walk to a shed in the righthand corner of the yard, disappearing inside and reappearing minus my clothes. He runs a hand over the length of my back as he passes me on his way back into the house.
“I’ll leave the door open. If anything happens go to my office and push the door closed behind yourself. Nobody in wolf form will be able to open the door. Once you’re wolf on a full moon you can’t change back until the moon releases you.” I smile inwardly, knowing he is still thinking of ways to protect me - even from his own pack.
Mate. My wolf sends the word through my mind and I have the briefest second to consider how right she is, he’ll make the perfect mate for some lucky lady, before I feel a snout nudge at my rear.
I spin around, crouching in a defensive stance readying myself to pounce at whoever was just sniffing my arse. The wolf in question is grey with a white marking on his front right paw, it looks like almost like a sock. He faces me with no intimidation or threat in his body. I don’t know how, but deep down I know it’s Carter.
“Come on, Frankie, it’s what wolves do. We sniff each others arses.” Carter’s voice rings in my head. I don’t know if what he’s saying is true, but I know I’m not feeling any urge to sniff his arse.
The scent of the trees catch my attention and I suddenly notice how sensitive my senses have become. I can smell everything. The eucalyptus trees, the palms, the soil, the wolves - all of the ones that have crossed this path and others floating in on the breeze.
“Come on,” Carter says before running into the forest, causing my instincts to kick in and chase him.
I push myself to go faster. Harder. Until I’m gaining on my prey. I nip at his hind legs managing to trip him up. He rolls across the floor and before he can get back to his feet, I run off in another direction now playing the part of the prey. We play like this for a while trading places as one of us trips up the other before I run into a clearing, bumping into Clarissa, Kate and a grey wolf whose energy and scent I don’t recognise, telling me I’ve probably never met him before. Jesse had said I would meet some new wolves tonight.
Carter breaks through the tree line behind me and comes to a stop before crashing into my arse. Clarissa instantly pounces at him, playfully nipping at him before sprinting off in to the tree line opposite us. Carter steps around me and following his instincts, he ready’s himself to chase her and I watch the conflict in his body as he decides whether he should play or not. The muscles in his hind legs tighten and I know the decision to play won out, a second before he bounds off after her. I give it to Clarissa, she was true to her word. She’d cornered me earlier today after I’d come out of Jesse's office, leaning in close to me and barely whispering ensuring no-one else could hear her. “Carter may have called things off with me, but it won’t last I’ll have him back by the end of the day.” It definitely seems like she’s going to get her way.
Kate yaps and runs off into the trees, the grey wolf snapping at her heels. Leaving me to enjoy the peace and quiet of the forest, along with the beauty it holds.
I spin on my heel as the crunch of leaves behind me breaks the peace I’ve been bathing in. Expecting it to be Carter or one of the other guys, I’m surprised to find myself confronted with a large brown wolf I’ve never met before. The way he’s stalking towards me tell’s me its anything but friendly playfulness he’s interested in. Seeing something bright pink peak out from under his pelvis tells me he has only one thing on his mind and I have no interest in that. I back away from him until I bump into another wolf, once again I spin around, just far enough to have a wolf on either side of me. So I can see them both, the brown wolf and the newcomer that has a mix of browns and greys. Colin. I can tell it’s him by the unique feel of his energy against my fur and his scent reaching my nostrils.
Another brown coloured wolf strides menacingly through the trees before me, halting the escape plan running through my mind. I look from one wolf to the other and lift my hind leg readying myself to escape through the only wolf free space there is behind me.
“That’s not going to work, sweet cheeks.” A voice runs through my mind and I turn in a circle trying to work out which wolf the voice belongs to. A grey and white wolf walks into the clearing from the place I was going to make my escape and I know I’m screwed. I’ve got no chance of escaping from four wolves.
“I’m having her first,” Colin says confusing me. Can’t we only talk to those we want to hear? Who is he talking to and why can I hear him? “No. I was the one that talked Clarissa into getting that useless waste of space out the way. I earn’t the right for first dibs.” Colin’s voice rings out in my head once again making me realise I’m only hearing is part of the conversation. Could he be so excited that he’s forgetting to block me out or does he not care what I hear?
“Carter I could really do with a guard right now,” I think focusing on picturing Carter, with everything I have, hoping he’ll get my message. The wolves before me growl at each other, obviously having a fight of wills. I take the moment to wrack my brain to come up with something that will get me out of this predicament. I let out a howl hoping someone will hear it and sense my distress through the bonds. I strain my ears to listen for a replying howl but all I hear is playful upping in the distance.
I catch sight of a grey and white blur as the wolf pounces on my behind, trying to mate me. Panic races through me as I realise that’s what they all want. They are all wanting to mate me. I kick my hind legs out trying to buck him off. He repositions himself. “Carter!” I scream in my mind.
Feeling Nate’s shift through the bonds, I call out to him knowing he’ll here me now that he’s a wolf. “Nate. Help me.”
Relief flows through me as his voice floats through my mind. “I’m on my way. Fight.”
Chapter Twenty Six
Frankie
Having Nate on his way gives me the confidence I need, to know I’ll be free from these idiots soon. No one is going to mate me without my consent. I do as I’m told and buck my back legs trying to kick off the grey and white wolf. For an instant I’m reminded of a game I used to play as a kid ‘Buckaroo’, I believe it was called.
The feel of sharp teeth biting into my back wipes the game from my mind. I try to kick my legs again but his teeth in my back strengthens the hold he has on me, making me unable to lift my legs under the weight of his body.
A blur of cream flies past me as the weight of the grey and white wolf leaves me. Nate, the cream wolf snaps at the other wolf who he’d thrown across the clearing, trying to get him to submit. The wolf gets to his feet and snaps back. Remembering there were another three wolves here I turn to find them, knowing Nate can’t possibly take them all on at once, on his own.
The grey wolf is nowhere in sight, no doubt having known he’d already lost his chance and deciding it was better to flee. Colin and the big brown wolf turn their attention from the two wolves fighting and I see a spark in the brown wolf’s eye as he now obviously realises he still has a chance to get what he came here for. I watch his hind legs bend as he pounces towards me, digging my paws in I brace for the impact, knowing he isn’t at the right angle to jump straight on my back. He’ll be wanting to take me down and reposition us first. A black and tan wolf comes flying out of trees between us and taking the impact of the big brown wolf. Tim.
I jump to the side to avoid the rolling wolves on the floor and turn to face the only threat left. Colin. Knowing I’m more dominant than him from our confrontation in front of my bike the other day I don’t give him the chance to run. I pounce on him, my snout open in a snarl ready to sink my teeth into his flesh. There’s no resistance, I’d expected the skin to be tough and hard to break but it’s like a knife going through butter. The warm blood, pouring from the wound is surprisingly nice. I rip a chunk of flesh away and bite into him again before the sound of someone approaching catches my attention, releasing my prey from my teeth I snap at the newcomer. This is my food. Seeing Tony stood before me, I stop mid snap. Leaving Colin where he lays, I drop to
the floor as flat as I can possibly get to show my submission to Jesse, My Alpha.
“Get up Frankie, it’s over. I’ll deal with them now.” His voice almost vibrates as it flows through my head. He brushes his head against mine as I do as I’m told and get up, before turning to face the others who had been round up, even the grey wolf who’d ran away was cowering before Jesse. Nate and Tim, both snarling at the group of wolves. “Nate, do not let Frankie out of your sight.” Jesse’s voice rings in my head and it makes me appreciate him even more. He didn’t have to let me hear his words, but he knew I needed to feel safe and what better way to make me feel safe than to let me know Nate would be watching over me all night.
Nate pads towards me, brushing against me with the length of his body as he passes. “Come on Frankie.” My eyes flick to Jesse in concern.
“Go. Nate will keep you safe,” he states, setting my lingering worries to rest.
Knowing he was right, I turn and find Nate waiting for me in the tree line. We run through the forest for hours, hunting scrub turkey’s and rabbits, until finding a tree to curl up under and drifting off into a contented sleep wrapped in Nate’s calming scent.
I slowly become aware of the beating of a drum. Upon opening my eyes a crack I realise the beating drum is Nate’s heart as my head is resting on his bare chest. An arm resting over my side squeezes me gently as it hold me tightly against him.
“Morning,” he whispers with a gruff voice full of sleep, before releasing his hold on me. Allowing me to sit up. The situation becomes ten times more awkward when I spot Big Mac curled around our feet, in his birthday suit. I lift my eyes to my knees not wanting to catch sight of parts of Big Mac I’d rather not see. I’m hyper aware of the fact that Big Mac isn’t the only naked person here, I don’t raise my hands to try and cover myself knowing that it’s too late to hide anything that my hands could cover. Nate’s hand drops into my line of sight and I realise in my moment of panic, Nate must have stood up as He’s now leaning over me offering me a hand to help me up. “Come on let's get you some clothes. I remember how strange it is the first few times you wake up in the middle of the forest naked.” Holding my hand in his he leads me on a short walk through the forest until we reach a shed. He opens the door and I step in the shed to see my neatly folded pile clothes sat on top of a cabinet. “I’ll wait here while you get dressed,” he states as he turns his back to the door allowing me the privacy of the shed to get dressed in.
Releasing the Wolf (The Rossi Pack Book 1) Page 15