KNIGHT
Chapter 15
That night Alexia tossed in bed for more than an hour before deciding to get dressed and go for a long walk to clear her frantic brain. With the beam of her flashlight guiding the way, she found herself wandering down a familiar forested road, stopping at the top of a short rise.
She gazed down at the cabin overlooking the lake, wondering if Neil was sharing his bed with Eva at that moment. Not that it was any of her business. In fact, she had all but given her blessing of their union.
She only hoped Eva would confess the truth of her false pregnancy to Neil before they got married for the wrong reasons. He deserved true happiness, not some dim shadow of it.
Alexia swiped a stray tear running down her face. Dang, she was so incredibly pathetic. Pining over some wolf-hunk she had kicked away by her own stupid choice.
Too late now. He had Eva. And they would be happy.
It was better this way. She would soon be heading home to San Diego to pick up with her old life anyway, and Neil’s life was here with the Pack with his Wolf princess.
Her stomach clenched when she spotted Neil appearing at the window, gazing out into the darkness. Not wanting to be caught spying again, Alexia ducked into the woods and ran, not looking back.
Her foot caught on a tree root, and she fell forward, her flashlight smashing against a rock, winking out. Darkness enclosed around her, the clouds covering up any light the moon may have offered. Crumpled in a heap on the ground, Alexia allowed herself to weep openly, loudly.
Whoever said it was better to have loved and lost never felt the overwhelming agony gripping her now.
Tomorrow. She had to convince Erik to force Rod Bryant to let her go home tomorrow. She couldn’t stand being there so close to Neil for one more day.
Besides, she belonged with the other humans back in her old world. She would promise to keep in contact with Erik. He was family now. But she would go home and find a way to pick up the shattered pieces of her life. Make a fresh start.
Shakily, Alexia stood and carefully picked her way towards what she hoped was the direction of town. Catching the dim illumination in the distance, she quickly trekked through the woods towards the light.
She broke through the copse of trees to see that the single solar lawn lamp only led to a small, grassy clearing and a granite headstone underneath a young birch tree. Curiously Alexia stepped up to it, saw the three dried red roses sitting on top of the short slab, then read the inscription: Margaret Tova Duran, beloved, 1928-1962
“That would’ve made you only thirty-four,” she murmured.
“Yes, she was very young. Too young, even by human standards.”
Alexia turned around at Rob Bryant’s voice. He was dressed in a dark trench coat over his typical black business suit, too professionally dressed for a casual midnight stroll through the woods.
He stepped up to the graveside and brushed away the dead roses, laying three new ones in their place.
“Neil’s mother,” she remarked.
He nodded, the cold steaming in puffs from both their breaths. Alexia saw the familiar look in his gray eyes as he gazed at the granite tombstone, and it all came together.
“Does he know you’re his father?” she asked quietly.
Rob looked up to her, and quirked a slight smile. “I told him right after his mother’s memorial service here.” He exhaled a long, frosted breath. “You know, neither one of us planned for it to happen. True love comes when it chooses. Sometimes inconveniently.”
That was an understatement.
“What happened, if you don’t mind my asking?”
He shook his head. “Margaret was working in Seattle when I had come into town to attend to one of our business ventures there. It was right after the war ended. World War II, that is. Men were coming home. Fragmented families were trying to piece together what they could of their lives.”
World War II, wow.
Sometimes she forgot the longevity of were-kind.
“She and her husband Collin Duran were from one of our minor regional Packs,” Rob continued. “It was brought to my attention that he was causing trouble, a casualty from the war, a man who didn’t know how to stop fighting after it ended.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“He beat his young wife on a very regular basis,” he said, hiking a brow, fury burning even in the current darkness. “I intervened and had him sent to a place that would provide the man with our modern version of counseling.”
Rob looked off to the distance. “Then I personally tried to help Margaret in her daily life while her husband was away being treated. In the process we fell in love. It’s impossible to ignore, the true heart-mating between two wolves. I was recently married to the woman my parents arranged for me. I had just become High Alpha, and Catherine was still trying to deal with being Prima Alpha. It had been expected by everyone for years. Love was never a consideration. Then I met Margaret, she became pregnant, and my whole world changed.”
“I’ll bet.”
“Collin figured it out when he returned,” he continued. “The man was deadly, and he wasn’t stupid. So whatever treatment our Pack offered him didn’t…help. He almost killed her, numerous times, threatened to rip her away from our Pack and our intervention which became a constant occurrence.
“I begged Margaret to leave him many times throughout the years, to come back to Timber Ridge with me. But she always refused, not wanting to stigmatize our child with the label of being a bastard in a community that would only regard her as my mistress.
“It was a different time. Traditions had to be kept. Catherine pretended not to know, while graciously performing her duties as Prima. Without her wisdom, the Pack would have collapsed. I’m sure of it now.
“In any case, I kept constant tabs on Margaret and Neil through the years,” Rob continued. “I tried to be discreet about it, but like I said Collin Duran wasn’t a stupid man. He knew from the moment Neil was born whose son he was. But instead of just leaving his wife, he made her pay for her indiscretion in bruises and bloodshed. Neil as well. I tried to stop it many times, had his Pack superiors intervene time and time again.
“Then one night I got the call. It was in the winter of ‘62. Duran had been drinking heavily, and he beat Margaret, stabbing her to death with a silver-laced knife he purposely acquired. His regional Alpha caught him before he finished off Neil too. I came immediately, took Neil directly to our hospital here.”
“Oh my God,” Alexia whispered, imagining the horrific scenario.
“The day after Margaret’s memorial, I confessed who I was to Neil. He was thirteen at the time, very thin and malnourished. I tried to explain everything to him, but I saw the betrayal in his eyes.
“He overheard too many of his parents’ fights, heard Duran accuse me of casting some Alpha love spell on his mother. I’m not sure if Neil ever believed that I would have never done such a thing to Margaret, that our love was natural and true and the very best thing that ever happened to me.
“I took Neil into our home then, offered to formally adopt him and give him my name. He refused, not wanting to bring shame on his mother’s memory. Catherine and I already had Jake and Adam by then. Luke would follow a couple decades later. The family doesn’t openly acknowledge it, and both Neil and I prefer it that way.”
“It’s not my story to tell,” Alexia reassured him.
He nodded. “As I said, Catherine knew the truth from the start, but to her credit she never said anything, accepting Neil as one of her own. During particularly nasty fights, she’s made a remark or two though, just to remind me that she hadn’t been played the fool, just decided to extend grace.
“She’s actually an amazing woman, and I think I started to fall in love with her then. Yes. Yes, that’s when it began, I believe. A different kind of love than I felt for Margaret, but equally as strong in its own way.”
“Neil said you exiled his father,” Alexia commented after a long pause.
“Yes, I had him arrested and tried for murder,” Rob said, new anger twisting his features. “I wished I could’ve executed him personally for what he did to Margaret. But it was Catherine who advised that exiling Duran instead would display to the rest of the Pack that mercy can be extended from their new High Alpha. As usual she was right. She’s been a better Prima Alpha than I deserved to be partnered with.”
“She sounds like a very wise woman,” Alexia said. “I hope to meet her before I leave.”
He leveled his eyes to hers. “You still plan to go then?”
“I have to, Rob. I don’t belong here. I never did. I understand that more than ever now.”
“I’m disappointed to hear that,” he said. “Although I must confess that my bringing you here in the first place was a selfish move on my part.”
She frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“I’ve always regretted my refusal of Erik’s request to mate-bond with Rebecca Hartford and bring her here into our community,” he said. “I assumed he would get over his human love affair in time and bond with another Wolf. But I was wrong. I know what it’s like to be forced to live apart from the woman you love, never to raise your child of that joy.
“In bringing you here, it was my hope you and Erik could finally become the family he longed for and deserved. And it was my apology for keeping him from his one true natural mate in the first place. Wolves mate for life, you understand.”
Alexia nodded slowly. “You know, Jake expressed to me how it would be nice if he could choose to love his future wife. One whom he picked for himself, not forced on him because of archaic traditions. You, better than most, should understand that.”
“They’ve broken their engagement, haven’t they?” he remarked.
“It’s really not for me to say.”
The remark itself was probably confirmation, but Bryant was good not to mention it.
“Well, I sensed they were a bad match from the start,” he finally said. “It was ignorant of me to force them to continue the ruse for the sake of our Pack’s old world traditions. We live in the twenty-first century now, after all.”
“You should tell him. I know he would really appreciate hearing that.”
Rob cracked a slight smile, Neil’s smile. It made Alexia want to cry. “I really wish you would consider staying with us. You have a gift that far exceeds any special supernatural lycanthrope ability. You have the ability to teach an old dog new tricks.”
“That’s kind of you to say, but my home is down in San Diego. Where I belong.”
“Is it really?” When Alexia didn’t answer that, Rob nodded and looked out into the distance. “I’ll take your words under advisement. I hope you’ll take mine as well.”
“Is something wrong, Alexia?” Rachel remarked as she peered around her computer terminal. “You’ve been off all afternoon. This morning too.”
Scott stood up from his counter stool and nodded. “Yeah, I thought it was just me thinking that.” He walked over to Alexia and checked her pupils, took her pulse. “Your heart’s skipping like a jackrabbit’s.”
She waved them both off and went back to the documents she was pouring over. No doubt it was just the aftermath of her lack of sleep and midnight stroll the night before. “Probably got a touch of something. Don’t forget I’m part human.”
Rachel and Scott eyed each other, then she walked over and rolled a digital thermometer across Alexia’s forehead.
“Ninety-nine point six,” she read. “Low grade, but I’d still like you to go back to your room and take it easy. Take a couple of Tylenol.”
She chuckled. “Hydrate with orange juice too?”
Rachel grinned. “Guess you know the drill. Honestly, there’s nothing more you can do here today anyhow. If you come back tomorrow, I might have some slides ready for viewing.”
“Yeah, you don’t want to come down sick before next weekend,” Scott said. “The new Spiderman movie is finally coming out. I already bought tickets for us.”
“Right, can’t miss that. Okay then, see you both tomorrow.”
Alexia headed out of the clinic, sweat now beading her forehead. Her face and palms were cold and clammy as well. She was definitely coming down with some bug.
She planned to stop by Erik’s before they headed to his place for dinner, but when she reached his office building and saw his silver BMW sitting in his reserved parking space, she knew she would never make it through the meal.
Pulling out her cellphone, she texted him: Sorry, can’t make dinner. Came down with the flu. Raincheck?
A minute later, she read the reply: Of course, sweetheart. Hope you feel better. I love you.
Wow, that was odd. Erik had never called her sweetheart before.
Actually, he had yet to tell her openly that he loved her either. Not that it hadn’t been implied several times.
A violent roll of nausea washed over her, making her forget the text and worry about making it back to her room before she heaved right there in the street gutter. Quickly Alexia picked up the pace, her body feeling more and more out of sorts every step of the way. The sun was setting fast, shadows on the street lengthening.
The Lodge was finally in sight, but now she was having trouble putting one foot in front of the other, as if she was in some silent movie that moved in slow motion. The rushing, swishing sounds in her ears and head were like ocean waves slapping against the side of a boat. Her head ached, like it was a balloon ready to burst.
A car drove past her, but she didn’t pay it any mind, too focused on making her way towards the Lodge door that seemed even further away than before.
She froze, suddenly unable to take one more step. She leaned against the building wall and focused on breathing and keeping herself upright. Then her back slid down the brick siding until her butt hit the pavement, and she was blurrily staring at her upright knees.
It sounded like there was a locomotive in her pounding head now. Large black dots danced in front her dimming vision. All the signs of losing consciousness.
Oh, please. Not here. Not in front of everyone passing by.
She squeezed her eyes shut, her head roiling, burning.
Okay, this was it. She was going to black out.
“Alexia, what’s wrong?”
A hand gently slapped her cheek, making her open her eyes. Neil was there, squatting down, holding her face in his large, cool hands.
“Nothing that a reality check and an aspirin couldn’t cure,” she chuckled out, feeling slightly hysterical.
God, what was happening?
He lightly smelled her breath. “You haven’t been drinking.”
“Please, just sick…of all of you wolves in this super fancy den with your perfect mag cover…just go on...on…”
She was rambling like a deranged freak! She had to get a hold of herself. Had to get back to the Lodge. Now.
Neil frowned and pinched one of her eyes open wider, sniffed her neck, then one of her palms and wrist.
“Okay, so I’m a stinky human. Get over it already,” she said, trying to weakly pull from his hold. Her head began to swim viciously then. “Uh oh, what’s happening?”
“Something I suspected for a long time now,” Neil said, helping her up to her wobbly feet. “Try and walk as normal as possible. I don’t want to raise suspicion.”
“Get back…my room.”
“No, you’re coming to my place tonight,” Neil said, helping her stagger towards the direction of his cabin.
“See wolf princess again? Better not. One of us is bound to get her eyes clawed out, and it ain’t gonna be me. I’ll tell you that right now.”
He snorted. “I have no doubt about that. Come on, wolverine girl.”
“Hey, that’s a great superhero name! You should tell Scott.”
Neil guided her towards the familiar road. When they were out of direct sight of anyone, he lifted her up in his arms and jogged the rest of the way, kicking the door open and laying her on the couch just as Alexia went into weird convulsions.
“O-Oh, G-god, N-Neil! W-what h-hap—?”
The sun was gone now, and his cabin was bathed in complete darkness. He flicked on one of the lamps, and Alexia let out a blood-curdling scream, the intense light practically burning her corneas out.
“It’s okay, Alexia,” Neil soothed, flicking the light off again. “It’s off now.”
Her heart was racing now, her head pounding like thunder. Her eyes fired hot and prickly again.
It was happening again! How could this happen again? She was supposed to be in control of this now!
“N-not right…not m-mad. W-what’s…h-hap..?”
“It’ll be okay,” he said, wiping her face with a damp washcloth. “It’s a full super moon tonight. It’ll be rising over the hills anytime now. Alexia, I think your body wants to shift for the first time. And it’s going to be a little painful.”
“No, I-I can’t…c-can’t…”
“No, Alexia. The signs have always been there. I’ve seen them. You almost completely shifted in the ally when you were almost kidnapped, and then again yesterday near the clearing when you were spying on me and Eva.”
Her breathing increased rapidly. Alexia tried to slow it down, not to hyperventilate, but it was taking over. Every minute that passed increased her agitation, the itching, pulling, aching inside of her.
Neil pushed the coffee table out of the way and threw down a comforter. Then he walked over to each window and threw back the curtains. There was a blue-white illumination that slowly beamed into the room from every angle.
That’s when everything went into overdrive.
Alexia screamed as her gums split painfully from her teeth bizarrely enlarging, her mouth unable to accommodate the enormous canines. She could taste blood and spittle drooling from the breakage of skin. It felt like she was having a dozen extractions without Novocain.
Neil was at her side in a blinding second, his palm pressed against her sweating forehead. “Relax, Alexia. Let it come. Don’t fight it. It only makes it more painful.”
“I can’! I can’!” But the sound was off and strange as her tongue tried to form words around these new sabre-like teeth. “’saw it, ‘eez, ‘saw it!”
“I can’t make it stop, I’m so sorry,” he said, pulling off her shoes and socks. “You just have to let it happen. You can do this. I’ll be right here with you the entire time, I promise.”
Alexia tried to tell him to go away, but her mouth wouldn’t form the words as he carried and laid her on the comforter, then unbuttoned and slid off her jeans. She didn’t even care what he was doing, wouldn’t have cared if Eva walked in and caught him undressing her, feeling so out of control as her body refused to obey her mental commands.
Instinctively she rolled over onto her stomach and rose up on her knees, her palms finding the ground, her breath shallow and rapid.
Panting. She was panting like an animal. Like a dog.
Like a wolf!
“That’s it,” Neil encouraged, kneeling next to her. “You’re doing great, Alexia. Just let the change come on its own. Follow your natural instincts.”
She shook her head, too tired to fight it, too exhausted to go on. She collapsed on the floor, her overlarge teeth forcing her face sideways.
“Dammit, something’s blocking you,” he ground out. “Sorry, babe, but you’re just going to have to strip fully. Don’t be embarrassed.”
He rolled her over and unbuttoned her blouse, then froze.
“What the hell?” He reached down to touch her locket hidden beneath her clothes, then drew his hand back with a curse. “Alexia, where did you get this necklace?”
“Ma’,” she mumbled over large teeth.
He growled another curse, then looked around quickly, grabbing the metal fireplace poker. He used it to hook her necklace, then ripped it off her neck, tossing it across the room.
Then fire consumed every inch of her, inside and out.
She screamed as her skin stretched, pulled, elongated. She cried and screamed and pleaded for it to stop through every agonizing crack of bone and joint, replaced with an overwhelming itch as hair everywhere on her body sprung forth.
Her vision changed, hyper-focused, the color dulling to shades of gray, black and white. Her senses, every one of them supercharged where she could even hear the fly on the screen scratching its legs together.
Her body did a rough, shivering shake, and she felt the long, thick fur all over her body shake in a silky wave. She blinked at Neil kneeling in front of her, laying a hand on her head and between her now pointed ears. Alexia tried to ask him something, but it came out in a strange huffing sound, like she had peanut butter stuck in her throat.
He smiled wide. “You did it, Alexia. You’re now a very beautiful white wolf. I would’ve picked you out from any running pack.”
She whined, frustrated that she couldn’t communicate what she really wanted to say. Heck, she couldn’t even write a note with these stupid paws.
She pawed his shoulder.
He took and kissed it. “Yes, my turn. I’ll shift, and then we’ll take a quick run. You’ll love it. Just a short one though. You shouldn’t keep your shift very long the first time.”
He stood and pulled off his shirt, kicked off his boots, then unbuttoned his jeans. Alexia growled low in her chest and turned around.
He chuckled as she heard the zipper. “You’re going to have to get over the nudity thing, Alexia. It’s just a part of this. It’s not sexual.”
She growled again.
“Well, sometimes,” he admitted. “Don’t ever strip in front of Jake. I’d have to kill him then, and that would be inconvenient.”
She huffed a snicker. Even in wolf form, she loved his dry sense of humor.
Within seconds Neil had shifted, and his black wolf, much larger than her, padded up and nuzzled her nose with his, giving her a quick lick and bark. One tap with his front paw on a lever by the door opened it, something he must have rigged.
Alexia padded after him, her brightened new senses taking in the entire forest and all the wonderful sounds and smells she never knew existed. The moon was enormous and brilliant, a full super moon that lit the entire landscape. Not that she needed it with her new eyes that saw everything so focused and clear even in the dark. Her head continued to turn this way and that, detecting so many sounds she could never hear before.
It was so overwhelming. So wonderful. She had never felt so free and alive and powerful before!
Neil’s wolf barked, and Alexia turned and followed. Then with the jut of his muzzle he ran full speed into the dense woods. Instinct took over and she followed at his flank, expertly dodging trees and roots and rocks she would have normally stumbled over in clumsy human form. Together they practically flew. It was the most exhilarating sensation she had ever experienced!
After several minutes he started to round back, but Alexia was nowhere done yet. She wanted to race up the hill, howl at the full moon just because it would be so cliché and fun. Then she would run some more and…
He growled and barked again, halting her in her tracks.
What was this? Why couldn’t she move forward?
Alexia tried to break free and run away, but at Neil’s next authoritative bark her paws turned towards him of their own volition. Seconds later she was back at his side. She growled at him, barring her canines, feeling her hackles rising. He enlarged his stance, then barred his even larger teeth, growling louder and in a double-tone that shook through every fiber of her being.
Her head and upper body instantly lowered to the ground. She tried to rise, but it was like an elephant was sitting on top of her.
Right, he was the Alpha. She was just…
What? She had no idea.
He relaxed and nuzzled her ear and nose, but Alexia was ticked off at him now, so she didn’t want to make nice. He jutted his muzzle and barked to follow him.
In truth she was suddenly a little tired anyhow, her body aching and itching to shift back to human form.
They were back inside the cabin, and this time Alexia watched Neil very carefully shift back to his human self, although it was so quick she couldn’t follow everything he did. He slid on his jeans, then knelt beside her.
“Okay, this will be a little painful too, but only the first few times. You’ll get used to it. And if I’m right, I think you’ve inherited your father’s and great-grandfather’s instinctive shifting gene. You shifted pretty fast for a first timer.”
Alexia had no idea what to do to change back. Of course, she still wasn’t sure how she shifted in the first place.
“Focus, Alexia,” he said, laying a hand on her furry head. “Try visualizing yourself in human form. Start at your back feet and work your way up. Let it come. That’s it. You’re doing great.”
It was as painful as he promised, bones and joints cracking again, itchy fur retracting inch by inch. It took several minutes, but finally her body contorted and collapsed on the ground in human form again.
Utterly exhausted, Alexia remained on her side when her vision dulled and color bled back all around her. She pulled the comforter over to cover herself, just as her large teeth retracted back into the smaller human incisors and molars inside her still painful mouth. She was racked and achy and sore and freezing, but at least she was human again.
“Sorry, I-I’ll get dressed in a second…and get out of here. B-before Eva comes. Just need…to rest a minute.”
“Eva?”
Alexia swallowed hard and nodded, squeezed her eyes shut. She had to get a hold of herself fast, then get dressed and get out of there. She still wasn’t strong enough to see them together again. Here.
“Silly little wolf,” Neil said, combing her hair back with his fingers. “Eva won’t be coming here tonight, or any other night. We’re done.”
She frowned up to him. “But I heard her say you’re going to get married, that she’s pregnant.”
Which was still a lie.
Should she tell him? What was the right thing to do now?
“You heard that?” He raked a hand through his hair. “Yes, that’s a complication, but I don’t intend to marry her to cover up my mistake. I’ll help her in any way I can, but whatever we were, it’s over. Finally. In truth, it should never have started in the first place.”
Great relief washed over Alexia at the news. Maybe there was still a chance then.
She rolled onto her back to face him. “Eva’s not pregnant. I could smell it. I don’t know how, but I could.”
“She’s not..?” His expression darkened then. “Of course, she isn’t. It was just another one of her tricks.”
“You believe me?”
“Female wolves can often scent those hormones.”
Her heart picked up speed as she looked up at him. “So you’re weren’t planning to marry her or mate-bond or whatever it is you wolves do?”
“We wolves,” he corrected, smiling down at her. “How could I, when you’re the only one who’s got me so tied up in knots that I want to choke every male who dares look at you?”
“Really? You want me?”
“Of course, Alexia. You’re my true natural mate. I’ve known this from the first, but just couldn’t admit it to myself.” Neil chuckled adding, “Speaking of which, I was very flattered by the green-eyed monster that tracked us in the woods yesterday. Glad I heard and scented you and led you away before you tore poor Eva to pieces. She wouldn’t have known what hit her.”
Alexia’s heart raced with joy, excitement. This was her chance then, maybe her last one. She had to swallow her pride and admit everything.
“Neil, I lied when I said I didn’t want or need you. I’ve never needed anyone so much in my entire life, and I was a fool for letting you go. I know that now. I’m so sorry for kicking you out of my room that morning, and I’m even sorrier for kicking you out of my life.”
“So would just say it already silly, beautiful wolf?”
“I love you, Neil Duran. You are most definitely my one true mate.”
“Back at you then.”
Alexia smiled wide, the news too good to be true. “Really?”
Neil teased and claimed her mouth with his, slowly peeling away the blanket from her body. He gazed down at her fully exposed to him with eyes that expressed his full love and hot desire. Then he scooped her up and carried her into his bed, then slipped off his jeans and climbed inside.
“Just don’t ever pull that Alpha wolf garbage on me ever again,” she grumbled, her skin sparkling every place he smoothed and touched.
Neil pulled her against him, his nose and lips nuzzling her neck her jaw, a low, husky growl rumbling from his chest. “You needed to learn your place, little wolf.”
“Oh really? And where is that?”
“Right here, next to me.” He trailed soft, luxurious kisses along her bare shoulder. “Don’t ever leave me again, Alexia. Please. I couldn’t take it.”
“Not a chance. You’re all mine now. And I swear I’ll claw Eva’s pretty little face off if she so much as—”
He cut off her words with his hungry mouth. Her arms automatically reached around him to pull him closer, deepen the kiss, his tongue tangling and claiming hers. Neil pulled back and began another hungry search. Alexia closed her eyes, allowing his delicious, thorough exploration as he glided down her neck and throat and shoulders, hungrily tasting, then moving down tasting every part of her.
“I mean it, Neil,” she rasped out, arching when he hit just the right spot. “No more trying to control me. Promise me.”
He growled hungrily as he lightly nipped very tender flesh. “What else would an Alpha wolf like me do?”
She grinned wide, having a few ideas she planned to show him.
Alexia woke to an empty bed the next morning. Stretching lazily, she replayed all of the glorious moments of the night before, most of them in human form after their moonlight run. Her blood heated and raced with her newly awakened body and senses, which she had put to good use.
Bacon and eggs wafted from the kitchen, making her instantly gag. She may be a true Wolf now, but was still going to be the only vegetarian one in existence.
Alexia padded over to Neil’s open closet, pulling down one of his dozen or more dark tee-shirts and pulled it over her head. They were definitely going to have a talk about enhancing his wardrobe. Like the last one, it fell like a short dress to her mid-thighs. Semi dressed, she wandered into the main room to see Neil fully clothed and busy making breakfast in the kitchen.
“Good morning,” he said, smiling as he fried hash brown potatoes, a dishtowel draped over one shoulder.
He licked something off his thumb, then sent her a devilish look as if he had something else in mind. Alexia could just imagine. Over and over again.
“It definitely is,” she returned, sitting on one of the barstools at the tall counter. She picked up a piece of toast. “I’m still a vegetarian, FYI.”
He grunted. “I hoped you’d change your appetite with your first shift.”
“No such luck. I’ll take the hash browns, though. And some juice and very strong coffee. With cream.”
“Anything else, madam?”
“Yeah, how did you know my grandmother’s locket was keeping me from shifting fully?”
He reached under the counter and produced a closed plastic container with her pendant inside. “First, this is pure silver. And I’d almost bet that it’s been infused with a lot of wolf’s bane and a few other herbs that are toxic to lycanthrope wolves. You should have Rachel or Scott test it.”
“What an eighteenth birthday present. Thanks, mom.”
“Yes, about that. Alexia, she claimed this belonged to your great-grandmother, but she never would’ve owned a trinket like this. It would have burned her. Your mother knew about Erik being a Wolf, and she gave this to you on your eighteenth birthday, the typical age most wolves begin to shift. I think she was trying to keep that from happening with this. Probably tamping down your natural instincts with your diet and other things too.”
Whoa, she hadn’t put the pieces together before like that. Was he right? If so, then there was yet another thing her mother should atone for. Another trust broken.
“I still don’t get it though. You said I smell human.”
“I said you smell human to others,” he corrected. “I’ve always picked up your trace wolf scent. True mates can detect this.”
“Yes, I remember something about that.”
Neil leaned over the counter and ate from his plate, in between pulling her face towards his to give her one mind-blowing kiss after another. That could make a girl very hungry for more things other than just breakfast. Unfortunately, he looked too well-pleased with himself at her dizzying reactions, and she wasn’t about to pump anymore air into his already inflated ego.
But dang it, the man was just too hot for words!
It was in the middle of another long, delicious kiss that the door burst open.
“Neil, we’ve got to—Oh crap, sorry!”
They broke apart, and Alexia’s arms reflexively covered herself even though she was wearing Neil’s tee-shirt. Of course, only his tee-shirt.
“Jake, you have got to learn to knock,” Neil ground out, stepping around the counter and in front of her.
“Oh, I, uh…” He cleared his throat, raked a hand through his hair. “Dad wants us in his office. Now.”
Neil nodded, then turned and gave Alexia a quick kiss. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“She should come too,” Jake said, then clearing his throat. “After she dresses.”
“Why, what is it?” she asked, sliding off the barstool.
Jake frowned to Neil. “It’s Erik. He’s missing.”