by Cali MacKay
“You do make me happy, and I know you’re doing all you can to keep me safe—but this is all so unfamiliar to me. And…I’m scared. Scared Flint will come back, scared the bears will finally get their hands on me—and I’m scared I’ll lose you, Greyson.” She sucked in a ragged breath, sounding distraught as her eyes shimmered once more and her tears slipped down her cheeks. “Until you walked through that door and found me, I didn’t know if you were alive or dead—and that more than anything was my undoing.”
“Hush, love…don’t cry. Not even death could keep me from your side.” He cupped her face in both his hands and kissed away her tears, salty on his lips—when she let out an anguished cry and franticly pushed him away.
“Don’t.” She cringed and turned away from him, leaving him unsure of what he should do. “Flint…he’d lick away my tears…said they were his reward.”
“That sick fucking bastard…” Greyson was going to murder the fucker.
“I’m sorry... I just need a minute.” She sucked in a deep breath, and let it out before taking another. “It just caught me off guard. But…I can do this… I’m fine… And I’m not going to let that asshole continue to have a hold on me even when he’s not here.”
“Juno…talk to me, love.” He hated not knowing what might trigger a bad memory for her, though he couldn’t imagine she’d want to discuss it either, even if he hoped she would. “I need to know what I can do to help you through this, because if we can’t deal with this together, then we risk it pulling us apart.”
“What am I supposed to say that you don’t already know? Because you do know, don’t you?” She looked shattered and broken, devastated and distraught…and there was nothing he could do to make it better.
“What I know is that you’ve endured more cruelty than anyone should ever have to—and I know what men like Flint are capable of. But you don’t need to say it, love. Fuck…you don’t need to say another word about any of this if you don’t want to.” Greyson thought of telling her about her pregnancy, but knew it’d likely just make matters worse. And before long, she’d likely figure out that she was pregnant anyway.
Her gaze dropped, refusing to meet his, her arms wrapping around herself, so she looked so incredibly alone, leaving him to fight the urge to hold her, comfort her, not sure if she’d welcome his touch. “He made me doubt you…made me question what we had. And I knew that he was just messing with my head, but I couldn’t stop it. He’d hurt me and tell me how you were keeping secrets from me…how you were lying to me…”
“If there are things I haven’t told you, it’s only because I’ve been trying to protect you, or trying not to overwhelm you. My life is crazy, and you’ve already had so much to deal with.” He’d fucking hunt that bastard down…make him pay. “He was just trying to break you, Juno…”
“And he did. Over and over…” She scoffed, finally looking up at him as a fresh wave of tears fell. “You know…I used to think I was strong. That I could deal with almost anything life threw at me—even with all the recent craziness. But I was so wrong, Greyson… Because just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse…he’d force me to look at him as he found ways to make me come, even though I tried to fight it. And he just kept talking about you…kept making me think about you as he hurt me, as my body betrayed me—betrayed us.”
“It wasn’t a betrayal, love—just your body’s response to the adrenaline coursing through you.” And yet the thought of her coming at Flint’s touch left Greyson fighting a white-hot rage that had him desperate to punch his fist through Flint’s chest and rip his heart out. But this wasn’t about him. So he held onto her and tried to chase her demons away. “And you are strong…which is why we’ll get through this too. But now, you’re not alone. We have each other.”
“You’re the only thing keeping me sane, Greyson.” She ran her hand over the thick stubble on his jaw and pressed her lips to his, lingering there so he could think of nothing but taking her back to his bed, to try to erase what was done to her. She pulled away, but only enough to take him in, her eyes drifting over his face as her brow furrowed. “You know, those hours with Flint…I’d never felt so low, so desperate, in all my life. And yet I knew that, if you were still alive, you’d come for me. And you did. You were the glimmer of hope I needed to get through it.”
“I’ll always come for you, June bug. Always.”
***
Greyson knew that Juno was still having a hard time with things, but maybe what he needed to do was get her out of the house and into the woods. The fresh air might help to calm her—and maybe if she was feeling up to it, she could try shifting. Because the sooner they dealt with it, the better off she’d be, especially since the Change might end up affecting her in ways they couldn’t anticipate.
Though he’d like nothing more than to stay there with her in his arms, he knew she needed this. “Come on, love. Get dressed. If you’re feeling up for it, I think we should get out of the house for bit. Some fresh air will do you good.”
Her body stiffened in his arms, as her eyes darted toward the front door. “What about the bears? And what if Flint or his people show up? I can’t go through that again.”
“We’ll stay deep in our pack’s territory. And you have my word, I won’t let anything happen to you. As for Flint, he’s likely long gone, off to lick his wounds, and I got a call from Thayer. He still wants you to be linked to Broken Ash, so he’s willing to do all he can to keep you safe. He’s already taken care of any member of his pack who was involved with Flint, and he’s sending the rest of his pack a clear message—he won’t tolerate anyone helping Flint. They know they’ll pay dearly for it if they do, and that will have them thinking twice.” It was the only way when dealing with a pack.
An alpha had to rule with complete authority and respect from the pack, and couldn’t tolerate anyone undermining them. If a wolf had a problem with that, they could always leave the pack and go rogue—or they could overthrow them as alpha. But no one would be allowed to stir up trouble and not pay the consequences when it could affect the whole pack. That said, Greyson didn’t want to think of what ulterior motives Thayer might have.
She looked away from him, worry lining her brow. “Does it matter that I was changed by a wolf from a different pack, rather than by you or someone else from Silver Moon?”
It did matter—though Juno’s circumstances were unique. Flint may have been rogue, but he still had the blood of the Broken Ash pack coursing through his veins, and that meant that they could claim Juno as one of their own—except that she hadn’t been a willing participant. “After what Flint did to you? It doesn’t matter one bit—and Thayer damn well knows it.”
“So it does matter, but you don’t care.” She looked up at him, chewing her lip nervously. “And Thayer would have a say, because Flint was Broken Ash?”
“He has no say—not after all you went through. And not when you’re my wife.” Cupping the back of her neck, he pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her lips.
“I know—and you know I love you. But…Thayer’s the one person who might know how being a shifter will be different for me—and at this point, I need all the information I can get my hands on. I’m not saying I want to be a part of his pack, but I can’t burn any bridges either.” She looked up at him, her eyes pleading with him, though he didn’t know what she was expecting him to do, when letting Thayer into their lives would do nothing but complicate things.
“I get that you need answers, but the last thing we need is to involve him in our business right now. Dealing with him can wait until later—especially when he doesn’t know anything more about this.” Greyson knew that the moment Thayer laid eyes on Juno once more, he’d be back to trying to manipulate her into joining his pack, and they had enough things to deal with without adding to their list. “Because if you think he’s not going to stir up trouble, you can guess again.”
“I’m just tired of not knowing what’s going to happen to me next.”
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Chapter 9
Juno tried to rein in her frustration, knowing that Greyson only wanted to keep her safe, and he was, in all likelihood, right about Thayer. She had no doubt if they involved Thayer in any way, he’d want to push the limits of what she—and Greyson, especially—were comfortable with.
She let out a weary sigh and slipped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest, feeling a lot less panicky than she had earlier. It seemed to come and go in waves, though after all Flint put her through, it’s not as though she could expect her healing process to be anything logical. And Greyson…he’d been nothing but patient and caring, even if it killed her to see him feeling guilty about what happened to her.
But no matter what she’d been through, it was clear that things were now different for her—for her body. There was a very human part of her that was trying to deal with what was done to her—and then there was the new shifter part of her that seemed to ignore what happened, in order to feed a far more primal urge and hunger. And though she felt like she was seesawing through emotions she could scarcely wrap her head around, Greyson was still doing all he could to be there for her in whatever capacity she needed him.
Leaning into him, she nuzzled him, her face brushing against his before she caught his mouth in a kiss, and bit his lip, feeling his hard length nudge against her stomach, her need for him blocking out her more recent memories of Flint. “You know what? You’re right. Maybe getting some fresh air will do me good.”
Yet just as they were about to head out, Greyson instinctively tucked her behind him, taking a deep breath before relaxing just a little. “We’ve got company, love. My uncle—Maxwell Tollund.”
“Greyson…” She couldn’t help the panic that knifed through her, even if she told herself that it wasn’t anyone who wanted to hurt her. And though she remembered Greyson’s uncle from the wedding, she didn’t think she could face his scrutiny after what happened to her. At least not at the moment. “Please, make him go away.”
“We’ll head out just as we planned, and cut his visit short.” Especially since getting pestered to challenge Kiernan as alpha was the last thing Greyson should have to deal with.
They stepped out onto the front porch, closing the door behind them, just as Maxwell approached. “Uncle…I’m sorry—we were just heading out. Is it important?”
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t. But first, how are you doing, Juno? I’m sorry you had to go through such a thing—and I’m sorry that we failed to protect you.” Maxwell’s concern seemed genuine, though Greyson didn’t look too happy to be reminded of the fact that she’d been with him when the attack occurred.
But as far as Juno was concerned, Greyson didn’t fail her—he saved her from Flint…saved her from being sold to the highest bidder—and she didn’t want anyone thinking otherwise. “I appreciate your concern—but Greyson nearly lost his life trying to protect me, and he and the pack had me back to safety within just a few hours. No one failed me—least of all my husband.”
Maxwell’s lips quirked into a smile, as he gave her a slight bow of his head. “I meant no offense. My apologies. Though the fact that you defended not only your husband but your pack brings me back to the reason for my visit. This attack is a clear indication that with Cullen stepping down, Kiernan isn’t seen by the other packs as being a strong enough leader—and as a result, it makes all of us look weak.”
“Juno’s abduction had little to do with our pack, so I’ll tell you once again, I have no interest in being alpha. And my brother will be a great alpha—if people would stop trying to undermine him.” Greyson didn’t look happy, but there was also something else there when he mentioned Kiernan…she just couldn’t put her finger on it. “Now, if you don’t mind, we were on our way out.”
He tilted his head in acknowledgment, though the discussion was far from over. “I won’t keep you any longer, but just know that I’m not the only one who doesn’t think Kiernan is fit to be alpha—and if he truly was, he’d have already put a stop to any and all talk of him not being the right person to lead our pack.”
“Enough.” Greyson glared at his uncle and took a threatening step toward him, his anger and frustration with the situation evident, even to her. “He’s my brother—and soon to be alpha—so I expect you to show him some respect.”
“I will, son—when he’s earned it.” With an easy wave over his shoulder, he headed off, though Juno doubted that would be the end of it.
“Your brother…he was one of the first to find me—and I can’t tell you how grateful I am for it. He was the one who went after Flint.” Tears pooled in her eyes, but she held strong and blinked them back, refusing to let them fall, even if it felt like she was trying to hold together a million broken pieces that wanted to slip through her fingers. “When Flint made a run for it, Kiernan could have gone after him, but instead he came back for me to make sure I was safe. He was nothing but caring and respectful as he covered me up and cut me free.”
“He’s a good man, Juno.” He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her close, stealing a kiss as his muscular body cocooned her in his safety. “I know my brother and I have had our differences in the past, but he’s come a long way as of late, though I don’t think he’s been given any credit for it. That said…there are other things to consider here, especially when it comes to your safety.”
***
Deep in the woods, Juno climbed off the back of Greyson’s dirt bike and pulled off her helmet, trying to ignore just how badly she wanted him. The rumble of the bike and Greyson’s scent, all while holding onto his muscular form, had stoked her need for him, and left her wondering if this new hunger would ever slow, or if it was now a part of her new reality. But it wasn’t just her hunger for Greyson...it was how her mood swung from that primal hunger to being broken and haunted.
She followed Greyson into a small clearing, barely feeling the chill of the mountain air, now that her body seemed to run several degrees hotter. But when he turned to face her, there was a seriousness about him that she didn’t fully understand. “Strip for me, Juno.”
Her back immediately went up with the remnants of her fear, even as she felt herself go wet for him. But another look at Greyson made it clear that he had something else in mind. “Why?”
He closed the distance between them, his jaw clenching with determination as his eyes flashed gold for a moment, making him look feral and lethal. “Because I need you to shift.”
“I don’t want to, Greyson.” She was trying to control her panic, but was failing miserably, her heart racing like a wild wind as her breaths quickened. Shifting was supposed to be painful—but worse still was that there were far too many unknowns when it came to her. “Please…don’t make me do this. I don’t know what will happen with my curse if I shift.”
“That’s why we need to find out.” With his hands knotting at the back of her neck, he cupped her face in both his hands and kissed her until she was leaning into him, grasping at his hips and pulling him to her so she could feel his steel-hard erection press against her. But the moment was short-lived, and he stepped away. Everything about him hardened—his stance, his gaze, his muscles—and it was clear that he wasn’t going to let this go. “Strip down and shift, Juno. Please. If you don’t shift, the energy will eventually make you crazy as it starts to build. Trust me when I tell you, this is for your own good.”
“For the record, I hate it when people say that.” Yet she also knew that she couldn’t deny Greyson anything—and most of all, she trusted him. Trusted that he only ever had her best interests at heart. Giving up her protests, she glared at him with a final note of defiance and shrugged out of her jacket. Next to go was her top and bra, freeing her breasts into the brisk air as she kicked off her boots and shimmied out of her jeans and panties. “There. Happy?”
His stern face broke into a smile. “June bug…you’re so fucking gorgeous. Now shift for me. Breathe deep and focus on the primal energy inside you—the
one that feels like a needy hunger that won’t ever be satisfied. Pull it forth so it feels like it’s rippling over your skin.”
She knew exactly what he was referring to. The need for sex, the hunger, the racing thoughts…they refused to slow—and they were impossible to ignore since it was the thing that seemed to drive her every move and mood since she awoke from her fever. “What comes next?”
With his gaze roaming over her naked body, he yanked his t-shirt up over his head, making it impossible to ignore just how damn sexy the man was. And he was all hers… Ripped abs with a trail of hair leading down to what promised to be a massive erection, broad muscular shoulders and arms, and a handsome face that had stolen her heart. “Just focus on that energy as it buzzes through your system and then picture yourself shifting into a wolf.”
“What if I picture something else?” She was just teasing him, though a part of her was also curious.
“You won’t be able to shift.” His jeans were next to go, along with what little else remained, her gaze immediately dropping to his long, hard cock and muscular thighs—a perfect specimen, not only of a man, but of a shifter, since she swore she’d never seen anyone more gorgeous. “Pull forward that energy, focus on changing, and then shift.”
She was suddenly feeling a lot more uneasy about it, her mind racing through a million questions and things that could go wrong. “But how do I change back?”
“You’ll need to relax…let go of the energy and find your center. Once you do that, envision your human form again.” He closed the distance between them and kissed the tip of her nose, making her smile, despite how stressed she was suddenly feeling. “Once you do it a few times, it’ll just happen with a quick thought.”