Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
“Sis?” I hear over the phone.
Linc. They patched him in from the village.
When I don’t immediately reply, he clips, “Should’ve moved the fuckin’ camera in there!”
Jared’s wolf starts growling, looking for where the voice is coming from.
“It’s okay. I’m okay. I’ll take the restraints off. Not the mask, just the restraints. See how he is.”
I hear Linc let out a frustrated growl through the phone.
Jared’s wolf growls in response, eyes now on the shelf where the phone is.
“Shush up on the phone. I’ll settle him first.”
“It’s okay,” I say and take a step closer, holding out my hand.
Jared’s wolf is sniffing the air while continuously emitting a low growl. I feel his unease in our connection.
“You’re not growling at me. You’re trying to figure out if someone else is here,” I say, for the benefit of those on the phone. “I can feel you in my chest. You’re protecting me. I’m okay.”
I get closer and closer until he’s sniffing my hand and his tail is wagging again. The feeling in my chest improves.
I slowly lift my hand to the top of his head and pet him.
His eyes close. He lies down.
I feel elated as I sit on the floor with him. He stretches to nuzzle my neck, near the mate mark, sniffing. I hug him, tears springing up in my eyes. He knows me. We’re going to be okay.
He puts his head on my lap, and his tail keeps thumping against the floor.
I’ve got the keys, so I get into a squat and undo the restraints, one by one.
When he’s free, other than his mask, he holds out his paw. I shake it with a laugh. He lifts it again, pawing at his face. He wants the mask off. He knows I can get it off him.
I search our connection, looking for signs it’s safe. I feel nothing but safe right now.
Jared told me not to take this off. Not this time. But if I don’t, I’m showing distrust and Jared’s wolf could feel that. It could hurt our budding connection.
I reach behind his head and undo the first of three straps.
He’s waiting. Nothing feels wrong in my chest. I undo the second strap, then the third.
The mask falls to the floor.
Jared’s wolf licks my face and knocks me on my backside.
“Ouch!”
He barks.
“I’m okay,” I say.
He nuzzles my mate mark and licks it.
“Whoa, buddy,” I whisper, sifting my hands through his fur and trying to ignore the tingling sensation at my neck.
He sniffs the air and now he’s nosing between my legs.
He barks.
Shit.
He barks again and noses between my legs again. Light flares in his amber eyes. Uh oh.
There’s intention and an unspoken command in our connection. It’s unspoken but I know exactly what he wants.
“Whoa, no. Not in this shape,” I tell him firmly. “No. Only when I’m shifted. Not like this. All this is for Jared. Not you.”
Unless I go into a lunar heat again, then I probably won’t care.
He barks.
And I could swear in my chest I’ve got the sense that he wants me to know he is Jared. But I know he’s only part of Jared.
“I’m fine,” I say for the benefit of those on the phone as well as for my mate’s wolf. “But I’m gonna have to shift. I’m hanging up for now.”
I hope they don’t speak and set him off again.
I take the utility belt off, pull the bracelet off, and set them both on the floor as I step out of my flipflops.
Jared’s wolf waits. Panting. Purring.
Light flares in his eyes again.
Holy shit. I’d better hurry. He’s not going to be patient for long.
I hurry out of my clothes and shift.
33
JARED
I’m back. I’m back and I’m lying on the sleeping bag in the bunker with Cicely. No restraints. No muzzle.
“He listened,” she says, gleefully, looking like she’s about to burst from excitement. “I told him to shift, and he listened to me and now you’re back. Did you feel him?”
I felt something during the shift. Something I don’t know how to decode, but I’m left with a sort of settled feeling.
“What happened?” I ask. “Why are you nude and touching me when I was just wolf?”
She smiles wide and she tells me all about it. She tells me she was shifted, she tells me they were intimate. She also tells me my wolf doesn’t seem to have a preference of what shape she’s in while they’re intimate.
And this makes me laugh. But fuck… he still feels like a separate entity. One I’m obviously gonna have to share my mate with. He shared her with me last night and though he didn’t share this time, I have a strong suspicion that at times… he will. There must be a connection with us, he must be part of me, because I would not fucking share her with anyone.