Logan held his breath as she changed before his eyes. Her silent screams tore open his gut. With great restraint, he held back, allowing her to transform independently. There could be no other way. And within seconds, the red-haired, blue-eyed, she-wolf lay on the dirt.
“Look at you, sweetheart,” he whispered and crouched down to the ground.
Goddess, she was every bit as resplendent in her wolf as in her person. His heart constricted seeing that she’d gone into submission. With her ears backward and tail curved under her backside, she whimpered and quivered in fear. Slowly reaching forward, he held his hand out to her.
Distressed and disoriented, Wynter sniffed and licked Logan’s hand. She knew her mate. His scent, his taste. Thank God, he was still here with her. He didn’t leave. She focused on his voice and touch. Everything about him seemed to calm her and felt peaceful.
“That’s right, it’s me. I won’t hurt you, baby,” he assured her, rubbing her ears. He nodded to Dimitri, who’d stripped in preparation for his own shift. But as his friend drew closer, Wynter growled and bared her teeth. “Come on now, it’s okay. It’s just D. You know he won’t hurt you either.”
Wynter saw movement, a human. Defensively, she snarled at the incoming danger. An innate desire to protect surfaced.
Logan eyed Dimitri. “Slowly, D. She looks like she wants to bite. And considering you’re nekkid….well, go easy. You’ve got a low hanging target there,” he joked.
“Ya got that right. Geez, she may have just shifted but she’s a feisty one.” Dimitri carefully sidled up to Logan. He slid his hand down Logan’s arm, picking up some of his scent, and then presented a palm to Wynter. He knew that she’d eventually know it was him. But at the moment, the overload on her senses made it difficult for her to process.
Another hand came toward her. Cautiously, she nosed his skin. Logan. Dimitri. Yes, she knew Dimitri, cared for him. A lick of his skin cemented her acceptance. While she’d not tasted Dimitri, both his scent and touch happily appeased her wolf.
“That’s it, baby. See, told ya, it’s just D,” Logan coaxed, continuing to caress her fur.
He smiled over to Dimitri, who also had begun to pet her neck. A pivotal moment for them all, he supposed. His mate, a human, had shifted. And he and his beta had just borne witness to the extraordinary phenomenon. Both men, without jealousy or expectation, nurtured the new little wolf. As she relaxed into their calming strokes, Logan smiled at Dimitri before addressing her.
“Okay little wolf, we’ve gotta shift too. I’m gonna go first, then D. Don’t be afraid now. We won’t be able to talk to you like this when we’re shifted. But you’ll know what to do, I promise. The only thing I ask is that you stay close. Even though the ground here is firm, there’s plenty of trouble to get into, so stick with us,” he told her as he broke contact. He stood up while Dimitri continued to rub her. “This’ll just take a second.”
Logan’s tall form morphed into a large gray wolf. Towering over Wynter, he pressed his muzzle into her neck, licking her snout.
Wynter snuggled into Logan’s long and soft tongue. She relished his wolf, desiring his scent on her fur. In return, she licked up under his chin. In a blink, a second dark gray wolf nudged her alongside of her mate.
Dimitri.
Surreal as it was, she licked both wolves, her Alpha, his beta. Caring and loving, as beasts and men, they’d protected her.
Logan and Dimitri backed away from Wynter, waiting for her to stand. They both knew she’d be unsteady at first. It was expected of all new pups. Standing on four legs, instead of two, naturally would throw her for a loop. But like riding a bike, she’d never forget how to do it once she learned. It was almost painful to watch. Logan thanked the Goddess he was in wolf form so he didn’t need to hide a smile. She pushed up onto all fours only to wobble and fall. But never being one to give up, she immediately rebounded. A few steps, then within seconds, she ran joyous circles around him and his beta.
Wynter couldn’t believe how easy it was to run around like this. Sure, she’d stumbled a bit, but now she took off like the wind. It was freeing. And fun. She wondered if she’d wake up any minute to find this had all been a dream. But as she followed Logan and Dimitri and the night wore on, she became more comfortable in her newfound reality and a vigorous wave of curiosity overtook her. In a surge of confidence, she raced ahead of her boys, weaving in and out of the trees. A sound caught her attention; she stilled. Both Logan and Dimitri froze, having heard it too, a grunt echoing throughout the woods.
Instinctively Wynter crept toward the noise, but Logan quickly blocked her, contemplating whether or not they should try to attack it. A wild boar would make an excellent meal, but they weren’t the easiest prey to catch. With few natural predators, the razorbacks had become an invasive species, disrupting the natural balance of the environment. Nasty, they’d been known to attack animals and humans alike. Despite the known difficulties and dangers associated with hunting one, Dimitri and Logan loved a challenge and had eaten them many a time. A harmless bunny rabbit would have been a better choice to teach Wynter how to hunt. But on the other hand, showing her how the pack worked together to kill big prey was an important lesson that she had to learn eventually. And who better to teach her than him?
Without warning, the feral pig charged at Logan and Wynter, trying to ram them with its head and tusks. Dispersing, the trio confused the prey. Logan growled at the animal while Dimitri rounded from behind. Wynter, having never hunted, hungered for it but also innately sensed the danger. She watched as the dominant males circled the beast. In synchronicity, the Alpha and his beta assaulted the animal. Logan took it on head first, biting into its snout. Dimitri bit into the flank. Even though the boar wasn’t fast, its tough skin made it exceptionally difficult to kill. The coordinated attack continued for several minutes, until the squealing pig faltered. As it did so, Wynter cautiously approached. Logan tore off fresh meat, and made room for Wynter to participate in the hunt.
After killing and eating a good portion of the boar, the threesome padded under a tree and lay down. His little wolf had done well, Logan thought. She’d known not to interrupt when he and Dimitri made their first lunge at the wild game. Smart and cunning, she’d waited until it was on the ground to assist. Some wolves weren’t always so clever, ending up with a gouging, courtesy of the pig.
A rustle of leaves alerted Logan that the pack was approaching. His ears perked and he barked to Dimitri. In anticipation, they stood protectively flanking her. The integration into the pack was another critical task in her transformation. And for Logan, it’d been the first time he’d run with pack since he’d issued his ultimatum. If anyone challenged him, death lingered as the outcome.
Hunting had sated Wynter’s wolf. Alongside her men, she awaited the pack members. She shoved any nervous emotions aside, and assumed a dominant positioning. She may not have had much pack experience, but she knew enough that she planned on being an alpha female. And now especially, with Logan as her mate, she wouldn’t let another female, wolf or woman, touch him. Keeping her head held up and tail outward, she dared another to approach.
A black wolf padded forward.
Jake.
Strange, somehow she knew it was him. She sniffed. Yes, his familiar scent pleased her wolf. He’d been her protector. An ally. A gray wolf trailed behind him.
Zeke.
Yes, she was getting good at this. An angry presence invaded her peaceful thought. Smaller white and brown wolves padded toward them. Fiona, the brown. Luci, the white. Around them, others filtered toward them through the trees.
Wynter attempted to read them. Instinctively, she became aware of her given ability to assess the state of the pack. Concentrating, she allowed the lines of communication to spring to life. Logan was feeling protective. Dimitri felt guarded. The pack? The pack resonated with a mixture of both inquisitiveness and jubilation. They loved their Alpha. His contentment reflected their own emotions. The need to please him was paramount in their lives.
She allowed each wolf to approach her, but Logan bared his teeth preventing anyone from getting too close. Dimitri, too, remained next to her, unwilling to leave her side. Optimism rode high within her spirit until a rush of fur crashed into her, sending her flying onto her side. Searing pain shot through her flank, but stumbling, she managed to right herself.
Confusion racked her senses, and as she looked around, she quickly surmised that Luci had blindsided her. The white wolf rushed and snarled at her, and Wynter growled in response. Only seconds passed before Wynter’s wolf interpreted Luci’s action for what it was: a challenge. Grateful that her human mind didn’t have time to contemplate the complexities of the situation, her wolf raised her head, and snapped. Luci charged her and they both rolled on the ground. Wynter yipped as a white hot streak tore at her ear. Panting and staggering, the pair of fighting wolves briefly separated at the sound of their Alpha’s bark.
Wynter, surprised at her own voracity and aggression, snarled at Logan when he attempted to intervene. Rage and possessiveness drove her to continue the fight. From the very first time she’d seen Luci, she’d known that she was a threat.
Threat to me. Threat to my mate.
Wynter snapped; her lips pulled high, exposing her canines. Despite her position, Luci continued to approach, staring at Wynter, snarling. Exploding from a crouched position, Wynter rushed Luci and tore at her fur. The first drop of blood to her tongue incited her to continue her offensive strike. By the time her assault ceased, Luci laid belly up. Her wolf insisted on nothing less than death, but Logan’s voice stopped her from tearing out the white wolf’s throat. With her teeth buried deep into the flesh of Luci’s neck, she heard human words, Logan screaming, commanding her to stop.
Stunned, Logan watched as Wynter launched herself at Luci. He knew all too well the need to establish dominance. After Luci initiated the challenge and Wynter successfully managed to avert the attack, he’d grown confident that she truly was alpha. He wanted nothing more than to protect her from the darkness. But being in pack meant establishing rank, something she had to do on her own. And since she’d snarled at him, indicating her wish to proceed, he wouldn’t deny her what she sought. But what he had not expected was that she’d attack Luci until she’d pinned her to the ground, intending to slaughter her. While he held no sympathy for Luci, he couldn’t allow Wynter to kill the she-wolf. Unfortunately Wynter was too far engrossed in her beast to listen to his wolf’s warnings. Shifting to human, he yelled at her to release.
“Wynter, let her go! Do not kill her!” He watched as she disengaged her jaw from the fur, but still held a firm paw to the other wolf’s belly. Logan blew out a breath.
Holy fuck, she’d almost killed Luci.
A slow burn racked the side of Wynter’s head, but she shook it off, refusing to show weakness. With a snort, she accepted Luci’s submission, removing her paw. Raising her hackles and tail, she padded over to Logan’s human form, awaiting his order. His hand on her head, his approval warmed her heart. She scanned the pack once again, registering their state. Anger? No, respect. More so, every single one of them understood her position and who Logan was to her. It was crystal clear.
Mine. He’s mine.
Logan, still unclothed, held Wynter in his arms, wrapped in a blanket. By the time they’d run back to the boat and shifted back, she’d collapsed in exhaustion. Goddess almighty, he hadn’t witnessed a fight like that between two she-wolves in a long time. And never had the challenge been about him. While he hated that she’d been injured, she’d done what she needed to do, securing her place as alpha female. No one would mess with her.
Dimitri pulled the boat alongside the swamp cabin, and Logan disembarked. While the modest structure didn’t have running water, Dimitri had set up a portable shower. Tossing the soiled blanket to the floor, Logan turned on the solar-powered contraption and stepped under the spray. He scrubbed the dirt and blood off of Wynter first and then handed her over to Dimitri who waited with an oversized towel. Allowing his beta to take her still sleeping form inside, Logan quickly finished his own shower. By the time he entered the cabin, Dimitri had already tucked Wynter into the king-sized futon and was lighting the oil lamps.
“Thanks, man.” Logan strode across the room to his mate and sat down next to her. He smoothed his hand over her hair. “She’s incredible.”
“Can you fucking believe she almost killed Luci?” Dimitri asked, still shocked at how they’d fought. He made his way back over to the door.
“No I can’t. But I have to tell you, there’s part of me that feels a little better knowing that she can protect herself. I hate to even think about it, but we both know it’s not over,” Logan affirmed thoughtfully. A day in the country wasn’t nearly enough to make him forget that Dana lay bricked into her tomb. Nor did he forget the car bomb that had almost killed Jake and Wynter.
“I made some progress with the laptop. Got some data for your girl. Let’s hope she can work her magic until this asshole pops up again or Devereoux finds his demon seed.”
“I had a lab set up in the garage today. She doesn’t know yet. I’m going to show it to her tomorrow. It’s important she can test herself, her blood. She’s worried.”
“She may be worried but she looked all wolf to me. Tonight, she didn’t seem any different than the rest of us.”
Logan cocked an eyebrow at Dimitri. “Yeah, except that she almost killed another wolf on her first run with the pack. You ever seen a pup do that? No fucking way. She’s strong…unusually so for a new wolf.”
“Can’t say I’ve ever seen it but damn glad she took down Luci. Don’t get me wrong, Luci can be a great girl, but she’s been eyeing you ever since Marcel died. You knew that wouldn’t sit right with Wyn.”
“She doesn’t want to share her mate,” Logan reasoned.
“And you do?”
“I love you, D, but not really.” Logan shook his head; his face grew tense with concern. “Listen, I don’t know how she’s going to feel when she wakes up. I mean her shift didn’t go so well. I’ve never seen a wolf shake like that. And then she wouldn’t shift. You saw what happened…I had to command her to do it. And what just went down with Luci? I guess we’ll just have to see what happens next. But I need you here.”