Nikki’s eyes flew open in surprised horror as she tore her mouth away from Aaron. Seth’s angry voice was like a splash of cold water. Aaron pulled his hands away from her, her feet hit the ground, then she whirled around to face her angry brother. Her own temper flared, partly from embarrassment, and partly from resentment at him barging into her room unannounced. She slammed her hands on her hips. “What are you doing in my room?”
“What am I doing in your room?” Seth mocked indignantly. “I was asleep in my room and thought I heard something. I just came over here to check on you and make sure you had made it back safely.” He threw his hand out toward them in anger. “I find you stuck to him like glue. Your door was standing wide open too. Honestly Nikki, have you no shame?”
She rolled her eyes. Why did she forget to close the door? She clenched her teeth together in anger. “I haven’t done anything that I need to be ashamed of except to forget to close the door. Stop preaching at me. You’re not Dad. And besides, I’m no longer a child, I’m twenty-five years old. Too old for you to be preaching at me like I’m a horny teenager. Go back to your room, and go back to bed.”
He shook his head. “I’m not leaving you alone with him.”
Nikki tried to push an unmoving Seth toward the door, and demanded, “Go back to bed, Seth.”
“I don’t think so.”
Aaron placed his hands on Nikki’s shoulders gently. “I’m leaving anyway,” he said softly.
She turned around and shook her head frantically. “No, Aaron, you don’t have to leave.”
“Yes, he does.”
“No, he doesn’t,” she snarled back at Seth.
“Yes, Nikki, I do,” Aaron said softly to her. She dropped her mouth open to protest, and he shook his head at her. “I’ll come over later, about lunch time. We’ll go over those files after everyone’s had a good night’s sleep and has a clear head.”
“What in the hell is he talking about?” Seth demanded. “What files?”
Nikki sighed tiredly. “Aaron thinks we may have been set up. There haven’t been any wolf attacks around here.”
“He’s lying!” Seth said forcefully.
Nikki shook her head. “Seth, he doesn’t have anything to gain by lying to us.”
Seth glared at Aaron. “I still don’t believe that.”
“That’s why we’re all going to sit down and look at all the files later,” Aaron said. He cupped Nikki’s face in his hands and kissed her forehead. “I’ll be back later, around twelve-thirty. We’ll all eat lunch and take a look at those files. Remember what I said. Lock that safety latch before you go to bed.”
Seth leaned against the front of his truck, crossing his arms over his chest.
Nikki smiled up at Aaron. She was very aware that she had an audience. “Yes, I’ll remember to lock the latch. Twelve-thirty sounds great. We’ll be ready,” she said, and cast a warning glare at her brother. She looked back at Aaron and smiled. “Goodnight.”
“Be sure to get a good night’s sleep, and we’ll talk again tomorrow.” Aaron said over his shoulder as he headed for his truck. He climbed in, started the engine, and drove off.
Nikki stepped back into her room, with Seth right behind her. Nikki turned on him. “Seth, I’m not in the mood for your preaching tonight. Just go to bed, and we’ll talk tomorrow.”
“No, Nikki, we’ll talk now,” he rumbled.
She huffed out a breath in frustration. “Seth, I’m tired and irritable. I need to sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Seth clenched his jaw. “We’ll talk now,” he snarled again.
Nikki plopped down tiredly on the end of the bed. “Let’s get this over with then, so I can go to sleep.”
“Nikki, he just trying to seduce you, can’t you see that?”
She shook her head. “No, that’s not how it happened at all.”
Seth raised an eyebrow skeptically. “That’s what I saw.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You would,” she said dryly. “Aaron didn’t start that. I did.”
Seth’s eyes grew wide in surprise. “What do you mean, you did?”
She shrugged helplessly. “He came inside to search my room. He wanted to make sure that I didn’t have any surprises waiting on me.” Seth shook his head and Nikki charged on. “No, really Seth, it’s the truth. He was leaving. That’s why the door was open. I don’t know what came over me, but I wanted him. I haven’t wanted anybody since Paul. You know that. So, pardon me if I got impulsive and stole a hot kiss from a willing participant.” She smiled. “I like Aaron. He makes me feel….” She flushed and laughed softly. “Well, let’s just say that he makes me feel again. I had thought that that part of my heart was dead. I thought it had died with Paul. So, for my sake, cut him some slack. He doesn’t harbor any animosity toward you. He knows that you’re just looking out for your sister.” She patted Seth’s knee. “Go to bed, and get some sleep.”
“Nikki, I still don’t like the guy,” Seth said in desperation.
She smiled. “You don’t have to like him; just don’t start a fight every time you see him. I really like him, so please don’t stand in my way. I’m just asking you to be civil. That’s all.”
Seth sighed dramatically. “That’s all? Nikki, that’s asking a lot, but I know how badly you were hurting after Paul died.” He blew out a breath. “I promise to try to be civil.”
She patted his knee again, stood up from her seat at the end of the bed, and stumbled tiredly toward the bathroom. “Goodnight Seth,” she said, and yawned. “I’m going to change my clothes and go to bed. Go back to your room, and we’ll talk again tomorrow.”
Seth stood up, went to the door, and opened it. “Lock the latch when I leave. Goodnight, Nikki,” he said softly, and closed the door firmly behind him.
Aaron pushed the speed limit on the way back to the reservation. He was angry with himself for getting too carried away with Nikki. He hadn’t meant to take it nearly that far. He had only meant to kiss her, but his inner beast had other ideas. If Seth hadn’t walked in when he did, Aaron probably wouldn’t have been able to stop. She deserved better than that.
His grandfather had told him that he would be able to recognize his true mate. He had said that when he looked in her eyes their spirits would join. Aaron had never understood, until today, exactly what he had meant by that statement.
He slowed the truck down to take the turn into the reservation. It would be another five miles into the desert mountains before he would arrive at his destination. The roads on the reservation were untended, forcing Aaron to slow the truck down to a crawl.
The beast within was clawing from the inside to be released, to be set free of this mortal body, and to roam free in the wild. It was a battle of wills to keep the beast suppressed, and with the full moon reigning high in the sky, Aaron was losing that battle within himself.
He saw his friends up ahead around a bonfire, waiting for his arrival. Pulling the truck to a stop, he cut the engine and opened the door, making an attempt to get out of the truck. His body arched forward and he hit his knees as the beast forced his way to freedom. In a matter of seconds, Aaron was no more, and in his place stood a large black wolf, the alpha of his pack.
He threw back his head and howled to his pack. Each member, in turn, morphed and joined him. They took off as a pack, and ran with free reign through the desert trails.