Protecting His Wolf: A Hot Paranormal Fantasy with Witches, Werebears, and Werewolves (Weres and Witches of Silver Lake Book 7)

by Vella Day

  “Are you nervous?” Lexi asked.

  It might not be macho to admit it, but he never wanted to keep a secret from her. “A little.”

  “I’m excited to see you in your wolf form.”

  He chuckled. “You would be.”

  She patted his shoulder then opened the truck door. “Let’s go.”

  This was it. The evening was clear and the moon was full. He slipped out of the truck, and together they hiked up the hill. By the time they’d reached the relatively flat field, he was warm. Lexi had suggested they return here. Perhaps it was to convince herself that living on the run was finally over and that Justin Kapok was really dead.

  Sam, however, would have been happy never to go there again as that hadn’t been his finest moment. He was a trained soldier and should have put up a better fight.

  “Ready to get naked?” Lexi said with a smile.

  “I’m always ready to take off my clothes around you, but this time it won’t be for the purpose of making love. I’m slightly warm from hiking up here, but it’s still damned cold.”

  She laughed. “I promise you’ll warm up quickly once you start running.”

  “What if I can’t change?” This was the real reason for his concern.

  “Why would you say that? Elana told me it was easy.”

  He grunted. “For her maybe, but not for her brother. Brian spent a good month trying. If Jillian hadn’t been in trouble, he might never have accomplished it.”

  She lifted her arms around his neck. “Are you afraid?”

  “If you think that, then you don’t know me very well. It’s just that I’ve already had one failure in this spot. I don’t need another.”

  She kissed his lips lightly. “Having several wolves attack you and live to tell about it can never be considered a failure. Remember what happened to Jackson?”

  “Yes. He was in his bear form and nearly died after four wolves attacked him.”

  “Right and you battled two as a human and lived.”

  “If Justin hadn’t called off his men, I might not have survived.”

  She stepped away. “But he did. End of discussion. Let’s leave our clothes by the big tree over there.” She trotted over, and he followed. “I wonder if we’ll be able to communicate telepathically once you shift?” she asked as she slipped off her jacket.

  He’d spoken to Jackson about it. He said that as soon as he and Ainsley had mated, they’d been able to communicate. But since Sam couldn’t get into Lexi’s head before they mated, he suspected he wouldn’t be able to afterward. His grandfather might have been right: Wendayans with his talent couldn’t make the telepathic link with their mate. That was okay. Being able to shift would make up for it. What he did hope for was that if Lexi were ever in trouble that he’d be able to sense her need.

  “Sam? The link?” she asked.

  “Oh, sorry. It’s possible, but I’m tending more toward no.”

  She smiled. “We’ll figure it out. Now strip.”

  He laughed. He did love his woman. Once he ditched his clothes, he wanted to get moving. “So I just think about being a wolf?”

  “I thought you asked Jackson.”

  “I did, but Ainsley was already a shifter, and Kip doesn’t shift.” Now he wished he’d spoken to Elana, Izzy, or Anna.

  “Just follow me. When I shift, you should too. I hope.”

  “Go!”

  Lexi took off. While he had excellent eyesight for a human, it wasn’t nearly as good as Lexi’s. If he tripped, he’d never forgive himself. She sprinted, and he followed as closely behind as possible.

  As smoothly as could be, Lexi seemed to swirl and then transform into her wolf form, but he couldn’t. He was still running on two legs. Failure smacked him in the face.

  Think like a wolf. Clear away all negative thoughts. The last thought had been what his grandfather had always told him about focusing on a goal.

  You can do it. Sam swore it sounded like the old man’s voice.

  A strong ache began in his chest and raced through his body. The sky turned even darker, despite the white moon streaming its light across the field. He couldn’t see for a few seconds and then a tight band squeezed around his chest. Just as he thought he was falling, his hands met the ground and then his vision cleared.

  His gate changed, and his hands weren’t hands at all, but rather furry paws. He’d shifted! Sam couldn’t believe it. A wave of joy spread through him as he raced to follow Lexi. She’d reached the end of the field and turned left to follow the tree line. His wolf was bigger than hers, and in seconds he’d caught up with her.

  “It’s fantastic.” He sent the message in his head.

  “It sure is!

  He couldn’t believe they could communicate. Wanting to share the joy, he leapt into the air, thrilled how his body could respond so quickly to each command. If he could climb a tree, he would have. Lexi turned toward the middle of the field, and he raced right alongside her. When she reached the middle, she slowed.

  Curious what she was about to do, he drew up next to her. Lexi sniffed his face and then pawed the air, acting as if she wanted to play. He was game. Showing her he understood, he dropped to the ground and she pounced. All in the spirit of play, he batted away her attack, and she ducked from his. He had to admit, she was quite good at avoiding his paws. They rolled on the ground that was dotted with random patches of snow. He’d nip at her. She’d nip at him.

  Then in a flash, Lexi jumped off him and ran toward the line of trees where they had left their clothes. Sam chased after her and almost caught up with her just as she stopped. Her fur flew and then she was back to her human form.

  “Brr. Better shift back, unless you want me to drive you home in your wolf form.” She laughed.

  How did he do that? Sam closed his eyes to better focus. Seeing her naked destroyed his ability to do anything. His body shook and his vision turned black. Cold sliced through his body. When he regained his ability to think, he was on his hands and knees, and Lexi was clapping.

  “Good job, if not rather unorthodox.”

  “Unorthodox, huh? You could have told me how to return to my human form.”

  She handed him his clothes. “Sorry. I completely forgot about that part. So what did you think?” she asked.

  Sam donned his clothes. “Being a wolf was so much better than I ever imagined. The freedom to run that fast was astounding.”

  “Yay! I’m so glad you like it. There is nothing as exhilarating than being able to let loose.” She slipped on her jacket. “The most exciting thing was being able to communicate telepathically.”

  “It was amazing. I guess my grandfather was wrong. Come here.” He was excited to learn if she could understand him now that he wasn’t in his shifted form. But Lexi didn’t move or act as if she could hear him. “Lexi, did you hear what I just telepathed to you?”

  “No.”

  “Maybe our telepathic link only works when we are in our animal form.”

  She moved closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I don’t mind. Being able to communicate in our animal form works for me.”

  “Me too.” He held her tight. “What do you say we head back? Maybe after I show you how much I appreciate you, we can work on your newfound talent,” Sam said. “But you have to promise not to use it on unsuspecting people.”

  She smiled. “I promise only to warp the minds of evil people. But to practice, won’t we need someone else? I can’t practice on you.”

  He grinned. “That’s true, but for now, I want to keep you all to myself!”

  *

  Two months later

  Sam parked a half a block away from Kalan and Elana’s house. “I didn’t know so many people wanted to go to a one-year old’s birthday party,” Sam said.

  “Aiden is so cute and such a charmer. Everyone just loves him.”

  “True. Do you want to have children?” Sam asked.

  “I most certainly do, but I want us to wait a bit. I w
ant you all to myself for at least a year.”

  He cut the engine. “Only a year?”

  Lexi laughed. “You know what I mean. You’re going to be a great father, and you’ll want to spend time with your son or daughter.”

  “Son.” He pushed open his door and came over to her side.

  Lexi would be happy with any child. She grabbed Aiden’s present, and together they headed toward the house. All the snow had melted, and she was looking forward to spring. Noise filtered through the front window of the house.

  Sam didn’t even knock. He pressed the latch and went in. Helium balloons littered the room. Izzy and Anna were on the sofa next to each other. Izzy, who was five months pregnant, was holding Aiden and blowing in his face, making him laugh. Anna was seven months along and looked as if she was going to have twins she was so big. Elana was in the kitchen, and Kalan was with Rye and Connor.

  “I think half the town is here,” Sam said.

  “It sure looks like it. I wish Devon didn’t have to go back to Pennsylvania. I’ve grown fond of him.”

  “Well, he does run that office.”

  “I know.”

  The doorbell rang and a second later Brian and Jillian came in. He was carrying what looked like a scooter. Right behind him was Jackson with Ainsley.

  Since she’d arrived in town, Sam had worked hard to make sure Lexi met as many of his friends as possible. Given she was both a Wendayan and a shifter, she belonged to both groups.

  Elana clapped her hands, and they all turned toward her. “I want to thank everyone for coming to Aiden’s first birthday. I can’t believe how fast this year has gone by. It seems like only yesterday that we were all over at Kip and Teagan’s house watching Sam do his magic on Missy, and then Jillian had to rush me to the hospital after Aiden stopped breathing.”

  “Uh, you stopped breathing too, if you recall correctly,” Jillian added.

  “A mother’s reaction to her distressed son.” The group laughed. “Now that my brother has arrived—late as usual—how about we open the presents?”

  “Hey, I had to make sure the paint was dry,” Brian said, but she could tell he enjoyed the banter.

  The men dragged the dining room chairs to living room for more seating. Elana lifted the baby from Izzy’s arms and took the chair across from her. One by one, she opened the presents. Of course, Aiden was enthralled, mostly with the wrapping paper. The presents varied from clothing to toys. She and Sam had brought him a large stuffed wolf.

  When Brian handed her his gift, her eyes watered. “It’s wonderful.”

  “Let me show him how to use it.” Brian lifted his nephew from her arms and placed Aiden in the round seat. Immediately, Aiden began to pump his little legs and he scooted across the floor. The baby squealed in delight.

  Sam reached over and squeezed Lexi’s hand. The love and support in this room was healing most of the hurt in her life, and she couldn’t be happier.

  With so many people in the room, Aiden couldn’t get too far, but Elana retrieved her son nonetheless. He screamed for a moment until she waved something shiny in front of his face and he immediately calmed. Then they finished opening the rest of the presents.

  Sam leaned over to Lexi. “Would you mind if I make the announcement now?”

  Lexi hadn’t been sure if she wanted to take away from Aiden’s big day, but the baby was totally enthralled with his new gifts, and Elana looked so content. In truth, Lexi wasn’t sure she could keep the news to herself any longer. From the way Teagan was glancing over at both of them, she might spill the beans first. “Sure.”

  Sam stood. “We have an announcement.”

  The group quieted—everyone that is but Aiden.

  Sam helped her up and then wrapped an arm around Lexi’s waist. “Last week,” he said, “Lexi and I flew down to Florida again. While it was true that it was my Dad’s sixtieth birthday, when we arrived, we decided to do something very human.”

  The crowd seemed to think about his words, and then Missy piped up. “You got married, didn’t you?”

  Lexi couldn’t contain herself any longer. “Yes! Since Teagan and Kip were there for the birthday celebration, we thought we’d head to the courthouse and make it official.” She lifted her hand to show everyone her ring, which had a large white diamond in the middle with two smaller black onyx stones on either side. Sam said those two represented their wolves.

  The women rushed over to her, and the men slapped Sam on the back.

  “Let me see,” Missy said. “It’s beautiful. I’m so happy for you.”

  Hugs went all around. Rye tapped his glass and held it up. “Here’s to the new additions to our Clan. Welcome.”

  Being part of a loving Clan as wonderful as this one in Silver Lake, as well as being mated with Sam, was a dream come true.

  “Thank you,” Sam said. “It means the world to me to have the most amazing woman for my mate.”

  Everyone clapped and cheered. Life was so good.

  The End

  *

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  I hoped you enjoyed Sam and Lexi’s story. Up next is Missy and Zane’s story (a newcomer to the series), WAKING HER BEAR. Here’s the first chapter.

  Chapter One

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  Missy Berta rushed out of the Crystal Winds Spa in need of some herbs to help heal her good friend, Anna Fairchild, who was expecting her first child next month. Anna had come down with a fever, and while Missy knew just what she needed to help her and her baby, only one of the two required ingredients was readily available. Natalie Fremont, the owner of the local herb store carried the ginger root but not the Reishi mushrooms, and the only place to get those was south of town near the caves. Not wanting to waste any time, Missy gathered her herb bag and headed out of town.

  Thankfully her mom and her cousin Teagan told her they would cover for her while she went on her search of the needed medicine. No one questioned the fact that Anna’s health came first.

  Once in the car, Missy rolled down the windows to breathe in the fresh May air, willing her pulse to slow. She was confident her magic could help Anna, but only if she could find the precise ingredients.

  Normally the beginning of summer in Tennessee was Missy’s favorite time of year, but her worry over Anna’s condition tainted her joy. The sunshine, the chirping birds, and the scent from the new blooms of flowers always centered her, but not today. Something besides Anna’s illness was bothering her, but Missy couldn’t put her finger on what that was. For some reason, she was experiencing a sense of impending doom. Missy didn’t usually have premonitions. That honor belonged to Teagan, but nonetheless Missy’s nerves were jittery today.

  When she reached the entrance to the hillside where the caves were located, she cut the engine, grabbed her canvas bag, and jumped out. She probably should have stopped at home for her hiking boots, but she wouldn’t be climbing the hill for more than half a mile and her sandals would be sufficient for the short trek. Besides, time was of the essence.

  With her herb kit slung over her shoulder, she began the journey up the rocky mountain trail. By the time she reached the peek, her sense of foreboding no longer had a tight grip on her emotions.

  She’d often located these mushrooms in a cave that was only a short walk along the ridgeline. Needing a drink of water before she proceeded on the last leg of her journey, she pulled out her bottle and drank half of the contents. After returning her bottle to her bag she hurried along the path. Between the ginger, the mushrooms, and her magic, Missy was certain she could bring down Anna’s fever without harming the baby.

  The vista of Silver Lake never failed to stun her in its beauty, but today she didn’t have the luxury of admiring the view. Finding the mushrooms had to be her top priority.

  Near the mouth of the caves, she spotted a clu
mp of Reishi mushrooms, and Missy mentally pumped a fist. She picked them quickly, and the relief at finding at least these few helped settled her nerves further. Unfortunately, she needed a lot more to make the right strength potion.

  Hurrying, Missy located the three-foot wide cave entrance without any problem, but as soon as she stepped inside, a strange vibration rattled her bones. Respecting her sixth sense, she stopped and looked around. Anticipation and a sense of unease battled for her attention.

  Her heart beat way too fast and that was never a good thing. “Hello? Is anyone here?” she called, her voice a little shaky.

  Missy had never encountered anyone in this cave before, but it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that someone might be there. In bad weather, campers often sought refuge inside, but perhaps this summer day had brought out two lovers who wanted some privacy.

  When no one answered, Missy figured it was her imagination. Retrieving her flashlight from her bag, she flicked in on, expecting the tightness in her body to release, but it didn’t. Most likely, she was just worried about finding enough mushrooms.

  Swinging the light around, she searched for her prize, but nothing appeared to be in the main entrance area. That meant she’d have to continue deeper into the caves. It wasn’t that she feared something bad would happen to her, but it was always possible a wild animal might have decided to seek the coolness of the caves and attack if she scared him. Thankfully, part of Missy’s Wendayan powers included exuding an aura of safety that seemed to calm even the most outraged beings.

  Careful not to trip on any protruding rocks, Missy did a slow grid search to make sure she didn’t miss any of the much-needed fungi.

  Aha! Luck was on her side. About a hundred feet in, she spotted what she’d been searching for. Thrilled her search had been short, she squatted down and carefully pinched off the caps then placed them in a plastic bag. She’d extracted about ten of them when a growl came from deep inside the cave. From the low tone, it was most likely a bear. While a bear shifter wasn’t a threat, a real bear with cubs would be.