by Lola Gabriel
“Like when you’re not around?”
“Or dead,” River added, which made Quinn cringe slightly. She didn’t want to think of that possibility.
“And you can change into a wolf whenever you want?” she asked, crossing her arms.
“Yes,” he answered confidently.
Her eyes lit up with excitement. “Can you show me?”
River scowled and turned away from her. “No.”
“Why not?” Quinn asked, her excitement fading.
“Because it’s dangerous,” he told her. “Not just for you, but for the both of us.”
“For both?” She frowned. “Why? You’re the only one here with the razor-sharp claws and teeth.”
“Because I like you,” River blurted out, “and if I hurt you, I would never be able to forgive myself.”
Quinn’s eyes softened, as did her heart, and she walked over to him. “You’re just a big marshmallow, aren’t you?”
“Don’t tell anyone,” he muttered, a soft, self-conscious smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
She smiled at him and put her arms around his shoulders. “I promise not to tell.”
“Thank you,” River mumbled. Then he glanced down before looking back up at her. “Just so you know,” he said, “you’re the only one outside the pack who knows about me. You’re… the only one I feel I can be honest with.”
Quinn blushed at the honesty in his eyes, and she wasn’t quite sure of how to respond. “Wow,” she exhaled. “I… River, I’m honored.”
The self-conscious smile on River’s face turned genuine, and he wrapped an arm around her waist as they made their way out of the garage and into the living area. Quinn stared at the backyard through the large glass windows, a sudden idea popping into her head.
“Hey,” she began, “about you transforming—”
“It’s called shifting,” River corrected her.
“About your shifting,” Quinn said, “here’s an idea…”
“I’m still not sure this is a good idea,” River called out as he stood in the snowy backyard. Quinn stood inside, holding the door open.
Quinn had suggested that River shift out in the backyard while she was safely inside the house, on the other side of his apparently bulletproof glass in case anything went wrong. She had been ready to give up if River insisted on not going through with it, but he had sighed in defeat and smiled slightly at her, agreeing to her crazy plan.
Despite feeling nervous about what was about to happen, Quinn looked forward to seeing the whole thing from the safety of the living room.
“It’ll be okay!” she called out to him.
“You may not like this. You may be scarred for life!” River yelled.
“I can handle it!” Quinn said.
River took a deep breath. “Close the door.”
Quinn nodded, and she closed the door in front of her, locking it. River’s concern for her was sweet but completely unnecessary. She watched him stand in the snow through the window, waiting for him to finally shift into a wolf.
First, he removed his shirt, revealing his taut muscles hidden beneath the fabric. Quinn felt her heart beat faster as he moved his hands to the button of his pants. River looked at Quinn with a self-confident smirk before removing his pants and boxers. Quinn looked away, embarrassed. But curiosity got the best of her and she looked back at him standing fully naked against the backdrop of a snowy wonderland.
Her breath caught in her throat as she took in his majestic form. He was perfect.
River took another deep breath and lowered his gaze, straightening his shoulders. His fists clenched, and his shoulders slumped forward, but it didn’t look like a natural movement—it looked forced, like something had pulled River’s shoulders down. He dropped down to his knees, hunched over in the snow. Something snapped loudly, like bones breaking into a thousand pieces, and Quinn stared with wide eyes as River let out a deep growl, his shoulders snapping back into place.
Quinn bit her bottom lip as she watched in absolute horror how River’s body was covered in black fur, his human features changing into those of the giant black wolf she had seen in the mountains. When the transformation—shifting, she reminded herself—was finally complete, River shook himself off and turned to look intently at Quinn.
Without thinking, Quinn unlocked the door and slid it open, stepping out onto the wooden deck. River took a few steps back, as if he was afraid of her coming too close, so Quinn moved as slowly as she could toward him, her hands raised defensively.
“It’s… it’s okay, right?” she asked. She felt silly talking to a wolf, but she had to remember that it was still River.
River lowered his muzzle as she came closer, and she reached out her hand to him. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she believed with every cell in her body that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. Quinn took another step toward him, and her fingers touched the soft fur between his ears. Her breathing immediately calmed down as River let out a small noise of approval, and she laughed softly.
“You are so beautiful,” she whispered. His blue eyes contrasted against his black fur, shining even brighter. River pressed his muzzle against her arm, and Quinn had the strongest urge to hug him. “Can we go back inside now?”
River nodded, and Quinn walked back through the snow and onto the wooden deck. She went inside the house and grabbed a blanket from the couch, so River could cover up. She watched River as he shifted back to his human form. This transition seemed to be much easier and smoother, though it still looked much too painful for comfort. Quinn hurried to stand beside his crouched form with the large blanket she had kept by the door, and she draped it over his shoulders as he looked up at her.
“Are you okay?” she asked him, pulling the blanket tight around him.
“Of course,” he answered as he grabbed his clothes that he had placed in the snow.
“Come on,” she said, “let’s get you inside. It won’t be long before my mom expects us back for dinner.”
When the walked inside, River dropped the blanket and said, “We have more than an hour before your mom is expecting us, and I know just how I want to spend this time.”
River scooped Quinn up into his arms and whisked her to the bedroom.
“I’ll say, River,” Quinn’s mother told River about an hour into dinner, “I’ve never met someone as well-spoken as you!”
“Thank you, Mrs. Perkins,” he said, and Quinn had to bite back a grin. She could see how much her mother was starting to like River, which could be nothing but a good sign.
“I wish Quinn’s previous boyfriends had been as kind as you.”
“Mom!” Quinn cried in horror. Leave it to her mom to bring up her crappy past decisions at the worst possible moment. River cleared his throat, but Quinn didn’t miss the amused smile he was trying to hide behind a mouthful of food. “Can we please not go down that road and talk about something else?”
Her mother chuckled and nodded her head, turning her attention back to River. “I hope you’ve liked dinner so far?”
“Absolutely, ma’am,” River answered, shoving another spoonful into his mouth. “Quinn told me your cooking was amazing, but it’s better than I could’ve ever imagined.”
“Oh, you’re just saying that,” Quinn’s mother said, nonchalantly waving a hand, but Quinn could see her blushing, relishing the approval.
“Not at all, Mrs. Perkins,” River insisted. “Thank you so much for inviting me over.”
“You are very welcome, River. It was a pleasure to have you join us,” Quinn’s mother said with a bright smile.
After dinner, Quinn, her mother, and River sat down in the living room to talk for a while, though it was more like Quinn’s mother and River held a conversation while Quinn watched in amusement, interjecting every few minutes. She was amazed at how well River and her mother got along. Did River have some kind of charm from being a wolf that he could turn on to make people like him? He was the only one of Quinn’s b
oyfriends her mother had ever seemed to like.
Then again, Quinn had never had the best luck with the guys she had chosen to go out with in the past. Perhaps her mother was just glad that River didn’t seem to be rude, or jealous, or simply a piece of shit.
It was after eleven when River and Quinn’s mother finally bid each other goodbye, and Quinn walked him to the door so they could both step outside.
“You were quite the hit with my mom,” she said with a smile.
“You sound a little jealous,” he chuckled.
“Of you and my mom?” Quinn shook her head, letting out a small laugh. “I couldn’t be happier about it. She’s never liked anybody I’ve brought home.”
“That’s good to know,” River replied, taking both of her hands with his.
They remained in silence for a moment before Quinn spoke again. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course,” he answered. “You can ask me anything, although there’s not much left that I haven’t told you.”
“Is there some kind of charm that you switch on?” she asked, and River looked at her in surprise before a laugh made its way out of his mouth.
“I guess you could call it that.”
“I knew it!” Quinn cried with a victorious grin. “Can you turn it on at will?”
“Not exactly? It has more to do with the moon rather than with me ‘switching in on.’ Most of the time, I don’t even realize that’s what’s going on,” he explained. “We’re bound by the moon, even if we can control our shifting—our emotions, our interactions, our confidence… It especially increases our desires.”
Quinn raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really? What kind of desires?”
River made a big show of looking around them, as if he were making sure no one was listening, and he leaned in to whisper in Quinn’s ear. “I’d tell you, but your mother might hear me, and then I have a feeling she wouldn’t like me very much.”
Quinn couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped past her lips, and she covered her mouth with a hand. River closed the distance between them and kissed her, his hands squeezing Quinn’s as he pressed himself closer against her with barely restrained passion, like he wanted to take this further but knew it wasn’t the place nor the time.
Quinn felt a comforting warmth spread through her body. It felt good to be wanted, especially by someone like River. It felt good to be wanted by someone she wanted back, someone who not only made her feel safe, but who also made her feel things she never had before.
8
River ran his fingers through his hair as he glanced at Aro, who stood on the other side of the room, glaring disapprovingly at him. River really should’ve seen this coming; after all, he had told Aro about Quinn, her father, and the fact that she now knew about him and the pack. Aro, of course, had reacted exactly like River ought to have known.
Aro did not care for humans, as he believed they were disloyal and careless in their actions. When it came to his own kind, though, Aro was the most loyal beta and the best friend River had ever known. Although River had thought about keeping everything a secret from him and his other betas, he knew that anything that affected him affected the rest of the pack. Besides, his betas needed to be aware of the possible danger that lay ahead of them.
“Where are Blaze and Jax?” Aro muttered under his breath, glancing at his watch. “Didn’t you call a meeting with all of us? They should’ve been here already.”
“I asked them to come a bit later,” River answered.
“Because you wanted to lay this on me first?”
“I figured you’d be the most understanding of the three,” River said.
Aro scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Why would you think that? You know how much I hate humans.”
“I also know you didn’t always feel that way.”
River was aware that this conversation was a dangerous path to walk upon, and Aro only confirmed it with the way his glare suddenly deepened, his voice lowering until it was almost a growl.
“Don’t you dare, River.”
“I won’t,” River said. “But there’s a reason I brought it up.”
Aro’s eyes widened in surprise. “What?” he asked. “You… you imprinted on a human?”
“You and I both know we have no control over it,” River replied. Even if he could somehow control it, he wouldn’t, but admitting that it had happened in the first place made it somewhat more real to him.
“When exactly did this happen, River?” Aro asked.
“About seven years ago,” River answered. “She moved here with her mother.”
“You waited seven years to talk to her?”
“Talk to who?”
Aro and River glanced at the doorway, where Jax and Blaze were standing, and River’s jaw clenched.
“You’re early,” River muttered.
Jax glanced at her watch with a scowl, and she was about to say something, but Aro shook his head, willing her not to.
“What’s going on, River?” Blaze asked.
“I’ve imprinted on a human,” River told them. His other two betas seemed shocked at the news, and while he could’ve delivered the news a bit more gently, perhaps being straight-forward now was his best option.
“This is going to be a disaster,” Blaze sighed.
“It’s Quinn, right?” Jax asked, tucking her black hair behind her ears.
Aro scowled at her. “You know her?”
“I am surprised you don’t. There aren’t that many beautiful young women who live in this town,” Jax said with a shrug.
“She knows about me,” River said, ignoring her last comment. “I told her everything.”
“What?” Blaze exclaimed.
“Are you insane?” Jax demanded at the same time. “Why would you do something like that, River? Telling humans about us is both irresponsible and dangerous! Not just for us, but for them as well!”
River kept his voice calm and even. “I’m not going to hurt her.”
“You know you can’t promise something like that,” Blaze murmured.
Before he could respond, Jax threw her hands in the air in exasperation, angrily shaking her head. “This is so unlike you, River!”
“Oh, so I’m not allowed to imprint?” he asked. He hadn’t expected for this meeting to be a smooth conversation, but he had also hoped his betas would have a little more faith in him.
Jax sighed, her anger deflating. “That’s not what I said, River.”
“Then what did you say?”
“That this won’t end well,” Aro said instead. “For either of you,” he told River. “Or for any of us,” he added, gesturing to Jax, Blaze, and himself. “I’ve been through that, River, and this will not end well. I can assure you that.”
River’s posture softened. “That won’t happen with Quinn.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought, too,” Aro mumbled.
River pressed his lips into a thin line. A long time ago, Aro had fallen in love with and imprinted on a human girl named Jessica. Just like River had done with Quinn, Aro had told Jessica the truth about himself, except that, unlike Quinn, Jessica had gone to her father, sending the entire town after Aro. She had tried to stop the townsfolk from killing him, but she had ended up in the crossfire, and she was killed instead. Aro had to watch the love of his life die in his arms because he had revealed his greatest secret to her, and she had betrayed his trust.
Ever since, Aro had had nothing but resentment, rage, and blind hatred toward humans, locking his joy and empathy away in a box he refused to open again.
“We can’t decide who we imprint on, Aro,” River sighed.
“But we can decide whether we tell them about us or not,” Aro argued.
“Quinn won’t betray us.”
“You can’t know that,” Blaze said, furrowing his brows.
Jax’s eyes widened, and she turned toward the door, sniffing the air. “River?” she called. “Did you…?” Her eyes narrowed before they wide
ned again, and she whirled on River. “You invited her here?”
“What?” Blaze and Aro yelled at the same time.
Well, there was no use trying to delay the inevitable. River nodded his head and headed to the door. “I did. She’s in the middle of something and she needs our help. Now, I’m going to get her, so please, just try to be nice.” He glanced at them over his shoulder. “That’s an order.”
He heard his betas mutter under their breaths, but he paid them no notice. When he opened the door, Quinn had just gotten out of her truck, and she smiled at him as she walked up the wood-laid path leading to the door.
“Did you hear me coming?” she asked.
“Not exactly,” River answered. “Jax recognized your scent.”
Quinn frowned at him. “Jax? I know a Jax from school. What is she doing—? Wait, she’s a werewolf?”
“They prefer to be referred to as betas, actually,” he said.
“The ones who are second in command, right?”
“The same ones,” River confirmed as he led Quinn into the house, where his three betas waited for them. Quinn gasped softly as her eyes lay on Jax, who waved at her in greeting.
“Hey, Quinn,” she said. “Fancy seeing you here.”
“Hi, Jax,” Quinn said, waving back at her. “I… huh. I never would’ve guessed.”
“We don’t usually tell anyone who we are, you know,” Aro mumbled, just loud enough for Quinn to hear him, and River shot him a look of disapproval.
“That’s Aro,” he introduced them. “Don’t mind him.”
“Nice to meet you,” Quinn told him anyway. Aro only nodded slightly, his gaze indicated that he was carefully studying her, like he wanted to confirm that she was trustworthy himself.
“This is Blaze—” River motioned to Blaze, who nodded his head in acknowledgment, “—and you already know Jax.”
“Thank you all for having me here,” Quinn said, smiling, though River could see it was a forced gesture. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Quinn glanced at River and then let out a deep sigh. “Look,” she started, looking at each of his three betas, “I can tell by your faces that you don’t trust me, especially not with your secret, but I promise that I won’t tell anyone about all this. It’s not my story to tell.”