“At first the pack didn’t understand why there was a ghostly looking wolf following them around, but eventually they put two and two together when the mate kept talking about dreams she had of running with the pack. Bonded Kindred mates who are infected with the venom of the shifter during an attack seem to gain enhanced abilities instead of becoming Turned.” William smiled at us then, so I assumed this was a good thing.
“So, she’s fine, and we don’t have anything to worry about then?”
“I didn’t say that,” my dad added solemnly.
I swallowed thickly waiting for the other shoe that I just knew was about to drop. “What’s going to happen to me?”
“Nothing bad will happen to you, I promise. It’s just that the females who were changed in the way you were…” he took a deep breath then. “There were complications with them breeding.”
“What the fuck?” Dre yelled at his dad. “What do you mean there were complications? What kind of complications?”
“Andre, calm yourself, I’m getting to that. The women, who were infected after becoming bonded Kindred, were able to produce female wolf pups as well as male. There have only been two known cases of it happening in the past 400 years.”
“I haven’t heard about any female wolves,” Garrett stated the same thing I’d been about to say.
My father nodded, acknowledging what Garrett was getting at. “It’s been kept under wraps, because the council had both killed shortly after their first shift.”
“WHAT?” This outburst from my mate as another question slipped from my lips. “Why?”
The council were afraid that what had been bred were actually Turned females instead of genuine female wolf pups. At least, that was their excuse. I don’t believe it, and neither do a lot of others, but I wanted the two of you to know. If you do end up breeding, the chances of you having a female are there. If you do, we’ll figure out what we do about the girl before puberty hits and the shift takes over.”
“What do you mean we figure out what to do with her, William?” I asked, my throat suddenly beyond dry as panic began to settle into my being.
“I mean we figure out how the hell to hide her from the council until we can have her shifts witnessed by others – members of other packs – in order to prove she is no Turned monster.”
“Fucking hell,” Dre muttered under his breath.
“I will kill every damn council member that ever comes for my future child. I can promise you that right now!” My words came out venomous and sent chills over my body. It wasn’t just a promise, it was a solemn vow.
“You won’t be alone there, sweet girl. I’m pretty sure our entire pack will stand behind you on that count.”
“You’re damn right they will,” Dre piped up again. “And if they won’t, they will be turned out in a permanent fashion.”
“I put in a call to Jackson when I was on my way over here. He’s been apprised of the situation, and is gone to take care of some business at my behest right now. I’ll fill you in on that later, Andre.” Dre nodded at his dad, but I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts of a possible future daughter who could shift into solid wolf form to bother listening any further.
“Garrett, we need to have a pack meeting. We also need to be able to do it in a place with soundproofing.”
“On it,” Garrett offered as he got ready to take off. Before he left he bent down to the couch and planted a quick kiss on Izzy’s head. “I’m glad you’re okay, darlin’. Don’t worry yourself about this. We will make sure you, and any little pups you bring into the family, are taken care of.” Garrett was so sweet. This is why I had wished so hard for Garrett to be Liz’s mate. It was still such a damn shame that he wasn’t.
Chapter Seventeen
~*~ DRE ~*~
“Any particular reason we’re all gathered here today in a soundproof booth, and with these getups on?” Sammy asked as I glanced around making sure everyone was actually inside and wearing what I’d requested. My father sat up in the mixing station of the place we rented to ensure no one would try to record anything we said during our meeting. He already knew what the deal was, and didn’t need to be in the room with us. Besides, the former Alpha tried to stay out of pack business as much as possible so as not to confuse our pack about who is in charge – me – and who isn’t any longer – him.
“Yup, sorry, just waiting on Garrett to join us and then we’ll get started.”
“That could be a while,” Hank huffed out. “Saw him flirting up a pretty, young thing in the hallway before I headed in here.”
“I’m here, damn, keep your panties on and un-bunched, people.”
“You all know I’ve claimed my Kindred Mate,” I started out without any further hesitation. A few hoots, hollers, and wolf whistles blew through the room. I held up my hand to stifle the noise. “I’ve already called Gage and Micah back from their respective gigs on the road, and as soon as they get here we’ll have an official introduction. Most of you already met Izzy, and some of you were there when she was attacked by Morris.” I swallow thickly then, trying to reign in my mixed emotions on that situation.
“Is she doing okay, boss man?” Sammy asked, true concern showing in his features.
“She’s fine, but…” hell, I had no clue where to start with this. So, I just launched into the same history my dad had spoken to us the night I first saw my mate’s spirit wolf. To say there were stunned faces in the room would be an understatement. “I want you all to look over here, just to my left.” I continued on, pointing to the seemingly empty space beside me. I knew they couldn’t see the shimmer that I did, because I had tested that theory with Garrett two days ago when we planned this meeting. It seemed I was the only one who could sense my mate’s astral presence outside of wolf form. “Now, I want you all to shift and stay put.” There were a few questioning glances, but now they understood why they were all wearing robes and going bare underneath to our pack meeting in a recording studio. Never thought that would be a scenario for our pack, but hell I was flying by the seat of my pants where my mate was concerned these days.
A few sets of howls and even a questioning bark lit up the room, but I could tell all eyes were now on the space to my left as they were seeing my mate in her spirit wolf form for the first time. “The spirit wolf you are seeing is my mate, Izzy.” As I spoke her name her wolf rubbed against my thigh. I couldn’t feel her in a physical way, but a series of tingles zinged up my body from the point of contact spreading outward. “Her physical, human form is up in the control room with my dad right now, but she is here, quite literally, in spirit with us in this room. You won’t be able to see her spirit wolf unless you shift, and once you’re in human form again she won’t be visible to anyone.” I lean into her with my leg causing more of the tingly sensation to shoot through me, and apparently her, judging by the shiver that quaked through her entire body.
“Her spirit form doesn’t have a distinct scent, which is why I wanted to introduce her to the entire pack this way.” I kneeled down beside my mate then. “Okay, babe, get back to your body now while the boys get their robes back on.” I winked at her, and we all watched transfixed as she tore off in a running leap through the window separating the soundproof room and the control room. “All right, get your asses shifted back so we can hash out any questions you may have.” Once everyone was shifted and covered back up Izzy appeared in the window and waved at everyone. Most of the pack stared at her in slack-jawed awe.
“Any questions?”
“Yeah, did that really just happen? Man, when you told us the story about…” Sammy was scraping a hand down his face as he spoke. “I didn’t think…” He glanced up at Izzy then, whose worried face shown down on us from the control booth. “She’s amazing.” That seemed to be the consensus throughout the room before I launched into the part about what would happen if Iz and I had kids, and the possibility of a daughter who could be born a shifter.
“Dre, I hope you know that none of us
would stand by and let the council, or anyone, do harm to you or yours. We’re pack, but more than that, we’re family.” Hank had spoken more words today, at this meeting, than I’d heard him utter in months. I blinked at him, and then nodded my appreciation. A ruckus round of agreements rose up throughout the room, and I glanced up in time to see Izzy wiping a tear from her cheek as my father put a comforting arm around her shoulders. Family. That was all that mattered. Everything else we would tackle as it was thrown at us. Every new thing that had been thrown our way over the past summer, hell the past three years, suddenly didn’t seem as daunting considering Iz and I had each other, and we also had our pack. I couldn’t ask for more.
~*~ IZZY ~*~
“What are you guys going to do if he knocks you up? That’s a lot to take in, Iz.” My sister was remaining awfully calm considering the bomb I’d just dropped in her lap.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. We have the pack’s backing though, so I’m not too worried.”
“Yeah, but this council seems to rule all the werewolves in the world.” I only nodded at her as I waited to hear where she was going with this. “So, that means they’re probably pretty powerful.” Again I agreed, and waited for her to continue. “What if the pack isn’t enough?” I sighed, because that had been my worry too. At least, it had been until William sat me down and had a conversation with me about what wolves really wanted in this world. Most were tired of having to wait, and pray that fate, chance, or whatever other mitigating factor dropped their Kindred into their laps. Then they were tired of the cases that ended as miserably as my dad’s did.
“William told me the other day that what most packs wished for on a regular basis was to have female wolves once again. Apparently, the Kindred – everything’s up to fate – mating crap wasn’t a factor with the female wolves. They are literally able to make the same level of a bond as a Kindred mate, only they can do it with any wolf of their choosing.”
“I can definitely see where that would appeal, especially when you think about our dad, and what he went through.”
“Exactly. William seems to think we could rally more troops to our cause, if need be. He said the problem with the two she-wolves that were killed in the past 400 years was that no one spoke up. We have the ability to be really loud and proud with our announcement in order to gain backing from other packs who will want to know how she-wolves can be repopulated again.”
“I guess that does make sense, especially with the ease of communication now-a-days.” Liz absently added another stack of clothes to the top of her already overflowing suitcase as she spoke.
“You know that thing is never going to close, right?”
“I know, and it sucks. How did I end up with more stuff than I brought here?” Liz lamented as she attempted to sit on the suitcase to get it to close.
“Probably has something to do with your shopping habits.” I laughed as she rolled her eyes at me.
“I don’t want to go back, but I want to finish my degree.” Her bottom lip poked out in the pout that I was usually known for.
“Okay, enough of this mopey crap. We’re going out to celebrate tonight, and then you have a day or two before you need to be on the road. We’ll make the most of it, and you’ll be right back here for fall break. Then you’ll be back again for winter break, and half the year will already be over.”
“What if I meet another wolf while I’m back at school? What if it’s my Kindred Mate, and I have to stay there, and we never see each other again?”
“What if you turn into a ghost wolf when you close your eyes, and no one sees you at all unless they can also shift into a wolf?” I’m joking about my own situation, but my sister seriously needs a reality check. Her situation isn’t that bad. “As Dre is famous for saying, ‘we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.’”
“I know, it could be so much worse, but I’m nervous. I mean, I was the party girl in school. Imagine all the disappointed men when I go back and they all realize I’m not up for a good time anymore. Hell, imagine my disappointment when I realize I’m not getting any.” I full on laugh at her now as she truly pouts about her supposed lost sex life.
“No one said you can’t get down with a wild one-nighter or whatever, Liz.”
“Yeah, I know, but imagine if my mate finds me at school and realizes just how many one-nighters I’ve actually had there?” Liz actually cringes then, and I feel a little bad for her, even though it was all her choice to begin with.
“Well, if I’m being honest, I don’t think it will matter one bit. Whoever your fated mate is going to be, the minute he feels that pull, your past won’t matter at all.”
“You think so?”
“I know so. Now, quit packing, and let’s get ready for tonight. I could use some stress relief, and besides, I need to test out my new metabolism, and see how much liquor I can put away before I get drunk now.”
Liz beamed up at me then. “This is going to be so much fun!” Her lively shriek made me regret my statement right away. “Dre is going to shit himself when he sees how plastered I get you. I can’t believe I may end up being more of a lightweight than my bookworm sister.”
Two hours later Dre pulled up in his truck and my sister rolled her eyes at me once again when she caught sight of the smoldering look he was throwing my way. “I’m going to head to the brewery. I’ll meet you guys there.”
“Wait, why are you trying to leave without me?”
She simply pointed to the big, burly werewolf eyeballing me from the front door, and smiled. “See that look on his face? Yeah, I’ll just meet you there.” I could still hear her laughter as she got in my Jeep and pulled away.
“I don’t know what she was talking about,” I sighed out quietly as my man pulled me in for a big hug and a deep kiss.
“I do. Now, get your ass back out of those clothes or you’ll be needing a new outfit when we do leave later.”
Dre and I had only been together a couple times since I started my recovery from the swipe Morris took at me. I had healed faster than a normal human by a long shot, but that didn’t mean it hadn’t been a drawn out, painful process. Plus, my weird dreams had been worrying him. That didn’t matter now as hungry emerald eyes were staring me down. I may not have been certain about the way things were presented to me in the beginning, the way my own family had lied to me for my whole life, but when it came to Dre, my mate, now there were zero regrets in my heart. I had been falling more and more in love with this man as time carried on. It was almost drugging to think of the way Dre cared for and protected both my family and I. When we occupied the same space I couldn’t get enough of him.
“Babe, your clothes are still on,” Dre choked out on a husky whisper.
“Sorry,” I muttered. “I got distracted.” I’m not sure what he saw in my eyes then, probably the unadulterated lust that had my lids riding at half-staff, but the answering low growl as he stalked toward me literally made me so wet I would be dripping if it weren’t for the blessed panties that were in the way to soak it all up. I tossed my shirt up and over my head then, not wanting it to get ruined when he finally got his hands on me. The heated desire in Dre’s eyes bloomed as my skirt followed in the wake of my shirt. Both were now on the floor at my feet leaving me in only my lace bra and panty set, that did nothing to hide what was beneath them, and the three inch heeled shoes my sister convinced me would drive Dre wild if I wore them.
“You look like you belong on a magazine cover like that, all sexy in your lingerie and heels, babe.” His voice was strained almost as if he was in pain, but I knew it was a good kind of pain at least. It was the kind that showed he was at the end of his rope and about to snap. I willed him to do just that and take me. He’d been so careful with my body up until now, but I craved something different today, and he must have sensed it.
I didn’t have time to react before he was across the room and had my legs thrown up around his waist as he backed me up to the wall, levering me
against it as he ripped the cups of my bra down off my breast before bending to place long, lapping lips on both of them before sucking first one, then the other nipple into his mouth and savoring the flavor of me before releasing them both with an audible pop. “I don’t think I can be gentle this time, babe.” His sex-roughened voice sent gooseflesh blooming across my skin before I took his full bottom lip between my teeth and gritted out, “I don’t want gentle, babe. I want all of you, unleashed.”
And that was all she wrote. I’m not even sure how his clothes disappeared, I just know they did. I was well aware, however, when my panties were snapped free of my body with one jerking tug on the delicate fabric. They lie somewhere beneath us, discarded, while my mate claimed me in the most primal way. Dre was not gentle when he thrust himself to the hilt inside of me, and he continued to a brutal pace that had my back banging against the wall behind me with every forward motion. Since I was somewhat held up against the wall by his body weight pushing into me he was able to work one hand around to pull and tug at my nipples in turn. Each tug matched by the inward thrust of his hips as he pumped into me with abandon.
Dre’s mouth was busy too, liking and biting up and down both sides of my neck alternating sides every time he felt the beard burn from his stubble was making my neck to sensitive. “Dre,” I moaned out his name as I felt the impending climax getting ready to swamp me. “Oh God! Dre, don’t stop, Fuck! Don’t. Fucking. Stop.”
I think he growled out a response, but everything was lost to a hazy bliss moments later when I tipped over the edge with the help of Dre’s furious pumps. He followed behind me, flooding my body with pulses of white heat as he came into me. Any worries about possibly making a baby, or a shifter pup, were lost in the moment. I had zero cares in the world. Zero.
As we finally separated and retreated to the bathroom for a quick cleanup I asked Dre about possible pregnancy results from the very unsafe sex we’d been having since the day he claimed me. “You’re not ovulating, babe.” I just glanced up at his reflection in the bathroom mirror then.
Entwined (Vukodlak Brew Book 1) Page 23