Contents

one

two

three

four

five

six

seven

eight

nine

ten

eleven

twelve

thirteen

fourteen

epilogue

Bonus Goodies

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About Paige Hammonds

one

“Look who I found sitting all alone at the back of the bar.” Alek escorted three oddly similar bottled blondes to the end of the bar where Lukyan and Mylo sat. They weren’t identical, but the women had definitely taken makeup and hair lessons from the same person. Each had her hair coiffed in long, honeyed blonde soft curls, and shiny lips glossed in a soft pink that Lukyan supposed was intended to look natural. Perhaps if Lukyan were drunker the effect would be more convincing.

Blonde number two unhinged herself from Alek’s arm and scooted close to Lukyan. He contemplated offering her his seat but stopped himself. That would only encourage her to stay longer. She stuck out one manicured finger and ran it up his forearm. “You look lonely.” She stage whispered the words in his ear. Lukyan wasn’t sure if she did it so that he could hear her over the din of the room, or because she wanted others to witness her pickup attempts.

He looked down at her finger, her nail was painted a frosted pink. Ugh. He hated pink. There were so many nicer colors. He listed off a few he would have preferred on the woman’s nails. Red, navy, blue, taupe, black, purple, butter yellow, teal. Anything but pink. He forced his eyes back to her face and pushed a smile to his mouth. He hoped he looked friendly. “Not lonely. I just don’t talk much.” There, maybe she would go away.

“We don’t have to talk.” She sidled closer and placed her hand on his shoulder. Her breast pushed up toward his face. Lukyan hated this part. He never quite knew where to put his eyes or hands. He grabbed his drink and held it in both hands while forcing his gaze to her face. Her eyes were encased eyelids by long false eyelashes. Eyeball prison. One more reason to find a way to convince her to look elsewhere. There was nothing worse that going to bed with a supermodel and waking up to a woman with a hairy spider look-alike on her cheek.

When he didn’t respond to her comment she tried again. “You look like you could use a drink." She smiled prettily at him. This is the part where he should say, Why yes. Would you like a drink as well? but he couldn't. He didn't want to have a drink with her. He didn't want to be here. She was not his mate and he was damn tired of trying to have conversations with women that weren’t right for him.

He held up his drink and rattled the ice. “I have a drink, thank you.” He looked at Alek. The man was a natural at flirting. Currently, he had his arms around blondes number one and three and was taking turns whispering in each of their ears. Mylo, as usual, looked disinterested. He and Lukyan were alike on that front. Lukyan’s disinterest largely stemmed from shyness, or at least it used to. Now it mostly stemmed from frustration. Mylo, however, was just stern and taciturn and unwilling to be social unless it suited him. Mylo would have preferred to stay on the slopes all night, skiing until dawn. Lukyan would much rather be looking at the stock market numbers and planning his next moves for investment.

The blonde tried again, this time sidling closer and bumping her shoulder against his. “How long are you planning to stay here?" Lukyan took a deep breath.

“We got here this morning, and we are scheduled to stay three more days, although I'm not sure if I'll make it. I have a lot of work back at the office."

“That’s a shame. I think you should take the entire three days. That’s how long we are planning to stay.” she ran her hand up and down his arm. Her touch annoyed him. He only just stopped from visibly recoiling against it. He gave her one more assessing look. There was nothing wrong with her, in fact, she was really quite pretty. She just wasn't the one. He swallowed his exasperation. The one. Ha! He had almost given up searching for his mysterious mate. There was no point in it, anyway.

Lukyan’s thoughts must have swamped him because when he looked up again the blonde had moved away from him and was standing on the other side of Mylo. Good luck with that, blondie. Lukyan was relieved that she had left him alone. He was in no mood to make an attempt to be social.

Mylo gave the girl a polite smile while she chattered away about something. Lukyan didn't bother to listen to what she had to say. He was over this already. He had tried to put on a polite face when Alek suggested that everyone meet for drinks before dinner, but he was finding it harder and harder to keep up the pleasant front. If Cate and Dimitris didn’t get here before he finished his drink he would leave.

“Sorry we’re late!” Cate swept into the group and gave everyone a big smile.

Dimitris pushed his way into the circle, pulling Cate to his side and kissing her cheek as he did so. “Yes, sorry. We had something come up.” The alpha waggled his eyebrows and Lukyan had to fight to keep from rolling his eyes.

Even less appealing than making small talk was studiously avoiding eye contact with the newly mated, and embarrassingly handsy, shifter couple. Lukyan did not begrudge Dimitris his happiness, the alpha had waited a very long time - over one hundred and fifty years - to find his mate. He deserved every single bit of the joy the Goddess had granted him; Lukyan just didn’t enjoy seeing Dimitris’ happiness expressed so freely. Not only was it uncomfortable to watch, it reinforced the emptiness Lukyan felt every time he thought of his own nonexistent mate.

Cate playfully pushed away from her mate. Dimitris pulled her back to his side and kissed her full on the lips. The two laughed at their own lovers’ antics. Lukyan pasted a smile on his face and swallowed another mouthful of his drink. He would need to order another one soon. Everyone deserves happiness, Luk. The Goddess will give you your mate… eventually.

Until Dimitris found his fated mate, Lukyan had never given finding his own much thought, but after seeing his best friend fall head-over-heels in love with a woman that he had known for less than a second, it was harder and harder to not hope that his own love story would happen soon rather than later. The thing that made it worse was knowing that Cate and Dimitris’ love for one another was only growing with the passing days. The more they got to know one another, the more evident it was how perfect a match the Goddess had made. His best friend was happier than any shifter deserved to be, and his beautiful mate practically glowed from the attention she received from her alpha. Lukyan tried not to be jealous, but it was hard to not covet his friend’s joy.

He looked back at the blonde and contemplated taking her back to his room. He didn’t have Alek’s natural charm, but he was rich and good looking, a combination that gave him a free pass with most women. The blonde caught him looking and twirled a lock of hair around her manicured finger. Ugh. An evening alone suddenly sounded better and better.

Cate turned to the blondes, “Ladies, I hope you don’t mind, but I have a table reserved and I’d like a bit of time alone with my family.” Their faces all fell in an eerily similar fashion. They must have all taken the same lessons on flirty disappointment right after they finished up sexy bed-head school.

Alek placed a light kiss on number three’s cheek before turning to number one. “I’ll find you after dinner, yes?” She smiled, pleased to have been the chosen one. A part of Lukyan wanted to tell her that she was just tonight’s choice. Tomorrow the game would begin again for Alek. Instead, he picked up his glass and followed Cate and Dimitris to a booth in the back.

“I’d like to make a toast. To Lukyan, cousin, nerd, and all-around worst skier in the family. May he forever continue to be terrible with women, otherwise, Mylo may never get laid again.” Alek held his vodka up in a mock salute. The youngest of the Volkovs, Alek was as keen on seducing women as he was on slinging a barbed comment at any and all of his family members. Lukyan was his particular favorite. Normally he took the jests in stride, but lately, they bothered him more than he cared to admit. Clearly, his irritation and discontent were leaking over into other aspects of his life.

Raising his own glass, Lukyan retorted, “To my cousin, Alek, womanizer, and all-around worst in the family.” Mylo chuckled. Though he was the serious one, Mylo always seemed to enjoy Lukyan’s and Alek’s insults.

“That’s enough of that,” Cate chided. “We are here for a much-deserved break from the real world. I finally felt comfortable enough leaving Peter with Mikaela and Yerik for a few days, and I won’t have my vacation ruined by your childish banter.” Peter was Cate’s six-year-old son from her first marriage. Dimitris had been begging her to go skiing for months, but she put him off until she felt comfortable leaving Peter at home with the pack.

Dimitris pulled Cate close and kissed her forehead. “If my mate says you have to play nice, then you have to play nice.”

Alek laughed, but Lukyan was feeling too raw to find the humor in any of this. “Speaking of breaks from the real world, I believe I will go for a run while you four enjoy dinner this evening. My wolf is in need of a little alone time.”

“Luk, your wolf is always in need of alone time, but he’ll have to get over it. My mate will be very sad to see you miss dinner. She has looked over the entire menu and has set out a list of required items for each of us.” Dimitris picked up Cate’s hand and kissed it.

Something in the look Cate launched across the table to Lukyan said she was wise to his disappearance tactics. She pulled her hand from Dimitris and patted his cheek softly. “I think if Luk wants to go for a solo run, he should. Everyone needs a little time to themselves on occasion.” She gave Lukyan a soft smile.

“That’s nonsense,” Alek chimed in. “If the weather update is to be believed we are in for one hell of a huge snow storm tomorrow evening. No one on the entire resort will be out in the weather, which means we will have the entire place to ourselves. Lukyan can do all his introverted, weird solo running then.” He sat back in the booth as if his word was gospel, which made Lukyan’s wolf paw even harder inside his body to get away from the table.

Lukyan began to mentally tick off all the reasons why he should stay in the bar with his family. One, leaving now would be rude. Two, if I’m rude to Dimitris’ mate, I may not live to find my own. Three, Alek would get too much joy out of Dimitris killing me, and I should never do anything to give Alek joy. Four, I am a bit hungry, and should probably wait until after supper to go for a run. Five, I need to get used to being near Dimitris and Cate since it could be years until I find my own mate. Six, —

“Lukyan.” He snapped his focus to Cate.

“Did you say something, Cate?”

“I asked if you are going to stay for supper. If not, I’ll change our reservation to four instead of five.”

“I’ll stay. I can go for a run after supper.” Cate smiled and sat back, curling into Dimitris’ side.

“Good. Then we can all try the pecan crusted salmon. I heard it was divine.”

The bar’s door opened, bringing in a rush of cool air perfumed by the scent of lavender and honey. Chills ran up Lukyan’s back as he inhaled deeply. As a shifter, he already found the room overheated and stuffy, but he suddenly found it unbearably hot. He looked over his shoulder to find the source of the electricity that was charging through his body. At the door, bundled up in a ridiculous number of puffy layers, stood the one woman destined to be his forever.

He ran his eyes over her body. Even with the puffy jacket, he could see that she had nice womanly curves. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold, and golden curls escaped her hat. Unlike the look-alike blondes, this woman’s hair was soft and natural and her face was unadorned by makeup. She was lovely, and she was all his. His wolf growled its agreement.

“Mine.”

Norah took off her coat and hat and then looked around until she spotted an open stool at the bar. Since it was the middle of the week she had expected the resort to be fairly empty. She hadn’t been prepared for the crush in the small space. One drink, a light dinner, and then you can go back to the cabin. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves before She pushed down her way through the tables and merrymakers to find a seat. Two stools sat empty at the end of the bar. “Is this taken?” she asked the woman behind the bar.

“It’s all yours, hon. What can I get ya?”

“How about a glass of Pinot and some water?”

“Would you like a menu, or are you planning on heading into the restaurant?”

Norah briefly toyed with the idea of eating at the bar. There was nothing more uncomfortable than eating alone in a restaurant, a bar was a moderately less uncomfortable setting. She pushed her inner introvert and resolved to eat in the restaurant like a big girl. “I think I’ll just have the drink now, thank you.”

After the bartender left, Norah turned to take in her surroundings. It was difficult to see around the throngs of skiers, but she managed to note that the bar was richly furnished in buttery leathers and dark mahogany. As far as resorts went, this one was pretty swanky. She had made the reservation in December for a romantic getaway with her then-boyfriend, Curt. But that was before. Before she told him that she was ready to move on to the next phase in their love lives. Before he freaked out and told her he wasn’t prepared for anything serious. Before he left her high and dry to spend New Year’s Eve with a twenty-two-year-old former cheerleader. Before she gave up all hope of getting the husband and house and two-point-five kids she’d been dreaming of since she was fifteen.

“For you, ma’am.” The bartender was standing before her again, with a glass and a bottle of Pinot Noir. She poured the glass and set the bottle to the right of her glass.

“Thank you, but I just wanted the one glass.” Norah pointed to the bottle. There was no way she could drink more than one glass. She hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast this morning which meant she would be lucky to walk straight after a few sips.

“It’s from the golden haired Adonis in the booth.” The bartender pointed toward the back corner. Norah turned in her seat and was shocked to see that she was looking right into the soulful stare of the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. His emerald green gaze caressed her from top to bottom. His fuck-me eye rake was a little intimidating — and hot. Oh, yes, definitely hot. Or it was right up until she caught sight of the three other men sitting in the large booth with him. And, even worse, one of the men had his wife next to him. Yep, this was definitely less hot and more embarrassing than she had originally thought. Who really wanted to get eye raped when three other men and a woman were watching? Not Norah.

Uncomfortable as she might be, she could not seem to turn around. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but he definitely had a hold on her. Perhaps it was her imagination, but she had a feeling that there was some sort of connection between the two of them. The kind of instant bonding one might read about in a book, not the kind that actually happens in real life. But here she was, sitting in a bar, totally enveloped in the gaze of a beautiful man with impossibly broad shoulders and too green eyes. It was pretty erotic, except for the fact that four other people were watching this unfold. That part she could have totally done without.

She waved at him. In her mind, it was a thank you for the wine wave, but he must have misunderstood because he stood up and started toward her. Norah swallowed down her fear and an unwelcome surge of arousal. This man was beautiful. Standing she could see that he was easily six-four. His wide shoulders caused his grey pullover to hug tight against his arms and chest before angling into his narrow waist and hips. He had an athlete’s body and a predator’s gait. She took a gulp of her wine. What could she possibly have to say to Mr. Gorgeous? He took another step just as her phone rang, the shrill buzz caused her to jump. She grabbed at the device, fumbling with the buttons. The screen indicated it was Jessie, her best friend. Norah swiped the green dot and put the phone to her ear. Mr. Gorgeous stopped in his tracks, still keeping his eyes locked on hers. She held up her finger, a silent communication that she would speak with him as soon as she finished her conversation. His jaw tightened, but after a moment he nodded and turned to sit back with his friends. The one to his left laughed about something, but Green Eyes never took his focus off her. All his attention was on her. She felt like a mouse trapped in a corner by a big, hungry cat, and she couldn’t decide if she was happy to be caught or scared for her life.

She turned back toward the bar and spoke into the phone. “So you decided you felt sorry for your best friend and were going to take some time off work to come skiing, after all.” She was pleased to note that she had managed to say the entire sentence without a voice crack. One look at Mr. Gorgeous had forced all the moisture from her mouth and into her nether regions.

“Ha, you wish! You know that I would absolutely love nothing more than to leave the city and come spend some time in the great outdoors skiing with my best girl, but I’m just too swamped here. Every woman in New York City has decided it’s time to give birth. We’re short handed and I can’t step away even for half a day, much less three.”

Norah sighed. “I know. I just wish you were here. I made these reservations months ago thinking it would be a romantic spot for Curt to propose, but you know where that went. Then I thought I would make the most of it by having a girls’ getaway, but that fell through too. I know no one at the resort, so this is going to end up being three days of me sitting in a cabin by myself, doing work on my computer that I could have done at home for free.”

Jessie laughed. “Listen, little lady, you can give me the sad Norah routine, or you can have some fun by yourself. Start by going to the bar.”

“I’m in the bar.”

“You are? Norah Robinson is in a bar, by herself, without me having to pressure or strong-arm her? What is this witchery?”

“Ha, ha.” Norah rolled her eyes.

“I can almost hear your eyes roll all the way in New York City.”

Norah rolled her eyes again. “You told me before I left that I had to go to the bar every night for one drink and then eat dinner in the restaurant. I promised I would. So that’s what I’m doing. Having a drink. All by myself. It is a very sad sight if you must know.”

“How sad? Like there’s not one single hottie in the bar, sad? Or like, you’re just being a big baby, sad?”

“I don’t think I’m being a baby.” Norah definitely thought she was being a baby but she didn’t care. Everyone deserved a little self-pity every now and again.

“You’re being a baby. And because you ignored the hottie comment, I can assume there is a very fuckable gentleman somewhere in the vicinity.”

Norah remained silent for a beat and sneaked a peek over her shoulder at Mr. Green Eyes, giving Jessie time to jump back into her line of questioning. “Yes, there is a very fuckable man nearby. Which means that you must begin the process of getting fucked.”

“Jessie, you are being ridiculous. You know that’s not me.”

“I know that has never been you before. But it is going to be you this week. For once, you are going to stop dreaming and plotting about how to catch the perfect man and immediately make the perfect baby. You are going to throw those intricate plans of yours out the window and live life. Get a little messy, everything is more fun that way. That’s why scrambled eggs are so much yummier than the boiled ones. They’re messy.”

“Scrambled eggs are yummier because they are whipped with cream and cooked in butter.”

“Well, maybe if you get lucky, you’ll get whipped in cream. Fuck the hottie. Hell, fuck two hotties. Fuck a different hottie every night you are there. If you can manage it, fuck a different hottie for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If anyone needs a good hottie fucking, it’s you, Ms. Robinson.”

“Oh my god, would you stop saying the f-word and hottie?” Norah could feel her face heating. “Thank heavens, I’m the only person that can hear you. You will never get a husband with a mouth like a sailor.”

Jessie laughed. “I’m not you, Norah. It is not my dream to marry the first guy that asks and have the requisite two point five kids. I certainly don’t want one that can’t handle my sailor’s mouth. You haven’t had fun since college. You’re always focused on finding the man, popping out babies, and building the picket fence. Live life, Norah. Enjoy life. When you do, all the things you want will come rolling your way. Until then, be wild for at least one night. Every life deserves at least one wild night.”

“Jessie, I’m not the kind of girl that can just be wild.”

“Norah, you are twenty-seven years old and you are still holding out for this idea of perfection, and it’s not going to happen. You have spent the last five years dating a string of losers thinking that somehow you can turn every single one of them into this fantasy man you’ve created in your mind. To make matters worse, I don’t think you’ve even liked half the guys you’ve dated. Curt hurt your ego, but I can tell he didn’t break your heart.”

Ouch. Talk about the painful truth. Norah sighed. “You’re right. I’m not heartbroken. What I am is lonely. You’re busy in the city, and I’m not exactly turning down invitations for dates. So, yeah, I’m lonesome, and I’m tired of coming home at night to no one. That is why I decided to skip step one and move on to step two in my plan.”

“Step two?”

“A baby. Step two is a baby. I got so focused on my plan that I forgot about my goal. My goal is to have a family, not a husband. Step three is a terrier, by the way.”

“Norah —”

“Before you say anything, just listen. I know family isn’t your big goal, but it’s all I’ve ever wanted. I’ve been focused on doing the family thing in a specific order, but I don’t have to do that. I’m a modern day woman with a good job. I can do things my own way. That’s why I decided to consult a doctor and see about having a baby on my own. So no more relationship goals for this gal.”

“I’m on board with you forgetting the relationship things, but I’m not —”

“As I was saying, no more relationship hunting for me. Just fun. Maybe even sex with the hottie. Perhaps I’ll get lucky and he’ll get me pregnant. Then I can go my way and he can go his, and I’ll get a precious little green eyed baby out of it. Plus, that would save me a small fortune in doctor’s fees.”

Jessie gave a derisive snort. “I know you are just kidding, but that isn’t funny. Listen, seriously, fuck the hottie. Fuck him over and over and over, until you can’t ski. Hell, until you can’t walk. But don’t be stupid. Use protection. Not just because you’re being overly hormonal with the baby talk, but also because you have zero damn ideas where this guy has been or who he’s been with. Then, after you get back from your trip and I can manage a day off, we will talk about the baby plan.”

“But —”

Jessie cut her off, “But whatever you do — Have. The. Sex. Have it with hottie number one. Find a hottie number two and have it with him. Hell, if you can make it to hottie number seven, just climb up that stairway to heaven. Live a little and break some eggs.”

“Got it. Eff all the hotties. Use protection. Don’t get pregnant. Break eggs. I really should write this down.”

“First, don’t be a smartass. Second, yes, break eggs. Scramble them up and make a mess of it, because you are living in a funk and it is miserable to watch. I wish I were there. If I were I would get you drunk and put you right in that man’s lap. But I’m not, so you’re going to have to cowgirl up and do it yourself.”

“You’re right. I’m just going to do it. I’m going to go over and say hello. Right after I finish my glass of wine.”

“Chicken.”

“I’m not. I just want a little extra courage before I go.”

“That’s my girl. I’ll text you in ten minutes. You better reply with a picture of you and your new best friend snuggled up in a cozy booth.”

“Okay. I mean, no. I’m not taking a picture. I mean, okay I’ll go say hello. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Bye chick. Go scramble the hell out of those eggs, and for now, forget all about those plans of yours.”

Norah clicked off the call and took a deep sip of the wine. Scramble some eggs, Norah.

Lukyan’s mate put up her hand and stalled him from approaching her at the bar.

“Oh my god. You’re fated mate, the one that is destined to love you for the next eight hundred years or so, just gave you the cold shoulder so that she could take a call. That is priceless.”

Lukyan clenched and released his hands as he watched the woman turn her back to him to talk on the phone.

“Cut him some slack,” Dimitris chided.

Cate leaned across the table and whispered, “Lukyan, I don’t want to be rude, but you smell terrible. Maybe you should go back to the room and take a quick shower before you meet your mate. I think she would appreciate it.”

All three of his cousins chuckled at Cate’s statement. “Darling, he can’t help it, it’s the mating musk. It serves as a warning to other males to stay away from his female. It won’t go away until he mates her.”

Cate gave Dimitris a stunned stare. “You didn’t smell like a bottle of one dollar cologne before we were mated.”

Alek laughed outright at that. “Oh yes, he did. He stunk a thousand times worse than old Lukey-boy. I gagged every time he walked in the room. You just couldn’t smell it because you had your human nose then.”

“Can we stop worrying about my musk and start worrying about my mate?” Lukyen glared at each person at the table. “Tell me what she’s saying, Cate.”

Cate looked uncertain. “Luk, you know I don’t like to listen in on people’s conversations.”

“Please, Cate. The Goddess gave you the gift of excellent hearing. I don’t know why she did it. Maybe it was a big cosmic joke, or perhaps it has some meaning. Maybe she gave you the ability to hear so that you could tell me exactly what my mate is saying right at this moment, and who she is saying it to.”

Cate crinkled her nose as if mulling the consequences of spying on his mate. She must have decided that the benefits outweighed the drawbacks because she sat back and turned her head so that her left ear was angled toward the bar. “Alright, be quiet so I can tune into her conversation.”

“Can’t you just tune everyone out? Why do we have to be quiet, too?”

Lukyan growl. “Alek, I swear, I cannot take any more of you tonight.”

Alek chuckled. “So serious, Luk. What are you going to do if I prattle on? Make one of your terrifying lists?”

“Yes. The reasons you should be quiet are as follows: One, I will kill you if you don’t.”

“And, what’s the next reason?”

“That’s it. There is exactly one reason on the list.”

Mylo put his hand on Alek’s shoulder. “I know you like to mess with him, but I think right now you should give it a break. He’s a bit on edge.”

“Seriously guys, if you will be quiet, I can almost hear what the person on the phone is saying.” Cate leaned a bit out of the seat toward the bar. “It’s a woman, her friend.”

“What are they talking about?” Lukyan leaned toward the bar, too, as if mimicking Cate’s posture would suddenly give him the ability to hear the conversation.

“Her friend says she needs to fuck the hottie.”

Alek clapped him on the shoulder. “See, it’s going to work out in your favor, Luk.”

Cate continued, “She should fuck all the hotties. A different hottie for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

Lukyan growled. “What does my mate say?”

“Well, for starters she doesn’t like the f-word.” Cate made air quotes with her fingers.

Mylo grunted. “That’s not gonna be fun in the bedroom, Luk.” Alek chuckled causing Cate to wave her hand at him. He mimicked zipping his lips. Lukyan rolled his eyes and turned back toward his mate.

“Okay, now she’s saying that she’s not the wild type of girl. She doesn’t want a man. She wants a baby. And a terrier. Eww, a terrier, those are annoying dogs.”

“Please, Cate, just the conversation.”

“Right.” Cate sat up straighter and ticked her head to the side. “Norah. Her name is Norah. And she’s twenty-seven. And,” Cate paused to listen, “She’s dated a string of losers and seems to think that life should be some fantasy. And now the friend is back to the idea of scrambling eggs and living a messy life.”

“Oh, lord, Luk. The first thing you're going to have to do is introduce me to the crazy friend. I like a woman who’s a little off in the head, if you know what I mean.” Lukyan ignored Alek’s comment.

Cate cut back into the conversation. “Your mate is lonely and she just wants a baby.” Lukyan looked at his mate. He would love to give her a baby. He couldn’t imagine anything more perfect than seeing her round and swollen with his child.

“She says she’s going to fuck the hottie — that’s you, I think — and if she’s lucky she’ll get pregnant. And then you will leave for wherever you are from and she will go back to wherever she is from. You will never see her again, and she’ll have a little green-eyed baby to love for the rest of her life.”

“The hell she will.”

“And now, we’re back to scrambling eggs. Honestly, I’m beginning to think her friend is just hungry.”

“Is that all?” Lukyan tore his eyes from his mate and looked at Cate.

“Almost. She said she’s going to introduce herself to the hottie — again, I’m pretty sure that’s you — and she’s going to scramble some eggs.”

“Maybe I’m the one that needs to scramble some eggs.” Lukyan stood and turned toward the bar. “If you’ll excuse me, it’s time to meet my mate.”

The group watched as Lukyan stalked across the bar toward his mate. “I hope this goes well.” Cate’s teeth worried her lower lip.

“It’s Lukyan. As much as I tease him, I know he’s too smart to mess this up.”

Cate looked at Alek. “I know he’s smart, but sometimes he’s also just a little…” she struggled to find the word.

“Shy?” Mylo offered.

“No, not shy. I wouldn’t call Luk shy at all. I would call him awkward. Sometimes he’s just a bit awkward about, well anything that isn’t facts and numbers.”

Dimitris pulled his mate close and kissed her softly. “You’re sweet to worry about him, but he won’t be awkward with his mate. I think you underestimate the power of the connection between a male and his female. It’s instant and binding. Lukyan will be just fine. Trust me.”

two

Lukyan had to force himself to walk across the bar. If his wolf had his way, he would run to her side, pull her into his arms, and carry her back to his room. He mentally chastised the beast and ticked off the reasons why man and beast should proceed slowly in pursuing their mate. One, from what Cate said, our mate is done with men. We need to romance her. Two, if she’s shy, we will only make her skittish by coming on too strongly. Three, we have the rest of our lives to be with her. Four, I want her to feel like she has a say in this relationship. His wolf growled at the last item.

Logic told Lukyan that Norah was fated to be his, neither of them had a say in the relationship. They were simply meant to be together. Still, he knew human women well enough to know that they all want to believe they have a say in their relationships. Usually, that was true, but mating a shifter was no normal circumstance. Still, it would be best to let her believe that she was setting the pace and choosing how to proceed with her mate.

When he arrived at the bar, she still had her back turned to him, slowly drinking her glass of wine. Lukyan knew she was giving the alcohol time to build some courage so that she could go introduce herself to him. He stood behind her and breathed in her lavender scent. Cate, Dimitris’ mate, was exotic in her looks and scent, but his mate was pure and natural. Her blonde curls fell down her back in loose ringlets. He briefly imagined them fanned across his sheets. He would love to see her like that, naked below him, her cheeks tinged pink from lust with her hair flowing about her like golden waves. Lukyan’s wolf responded with an appreciative howl.

“I’m not much for small talk, but this seems like a good time to use the line, ‘Is this seat taken?’”.

Norah started at his words. Turning her eyes to his face she stammered, “Ye- yes. All yours.” She blushed a deep, enchanting shade of pink. Lukyan immediately regretted his stance on the color pink. It was now one of his favorite colors.

Now that he was closer to her, Lukyan could see that her eyes were blue, a deep aqua color that reminded him of the Caribbean. Perhaps he would take her there after the mating. He could rent a villa and make love to her every night while they listened to the sound of the waves slap against the shore.

“May, I?” He gestured to the bottle of wine. She leaned in and gently pushed the extra glass toward him. He poured himself a generous serving and then held the bottle over her glass. “Would you like another?” She met his gaze and shook her head yes.

“Thank you for the wine.” Her voice was soft, a whisper in the loud bar.

“It gave me an excuse to come have a drink with you. I was worried you wouldn’t let me sit with you, otherwise.”

Norah blushed. “Is this your normal pick-up routine?”

Lukyan was genuinely shocked. He had never once used a pick-up routine. Not one for inane conversation, Lukyan generally avoided bars, clubs, and any other social event that generally favored idle chitchat over a genuine conversation. He wasn’t shy, as Alek often claimed, but he didn’t enjoy crowds or talking with people he didn’t know very well. Besides, he didn’t really need pick-up lines to get women; usually, they flocked to him. Lukyan thought of the blonde from earlier. He could have easily taken her back to his room. The thought almost made him shudder. He wasn’t vain, but he also wasn’t dumb. Lukyan knew what women thought about him. He was a good looking man, incredibly good looking according to some of the women he knew. He was never the aggressor in sexual pursuits, and he was never without company when he wanted it. No, pick-up lines were never a concern. Until now.

“No. I don’t have a pick-up routine. I can say with one-hundred percent honesty that you are the first and only woman that I have ever sent a drink to. You are the first and only woman that I have ever even approached in a bar.”

It was clear from the look she sent that she didn’t believe him. “So I’m the only woman you’ve ever sought out in a bar?” He wanted to kiss her, to wipe away all her doubt with his tongue. Instead, he nodded.

“Why me?”

He sat his glass down on the counter and turned so he was fully facing her. “Because I have been waiting a very long time for you, Norah.”

Norah choked on the wine she had been drinking. “How do you know my name?”

He smiled. “I asked someone.”

“You asked someone?” Norah looked around the bar. There was not a single person in the room that she knew. Even the bartender hadn’t gotten her name. How could this man possibly know who she was?

“Yes. You’re Norah and I’m Lukyan. Sometimes my family—” he tipped his chin to the four people in the back booth — “call me Luk.”

Norah turned and looked at the people in the booth. Apparently, she and Lukyan were tonight’s entertainment, none of them even tried to pretend they hadn’t been watching the meeting at the bar. She could feel her face heat at the realization. She absolutely hated to be the center of attention.

She turned back to Lukyan. Somehow he had edged his seat closer while she wasn’t looking. She felt crowded by him, and yet not close enough. “I don’t think I understand.” She shook her head as if the movement would lend clarity to the situation.

“There’s nothing to understand, Norah. I am here to get to know you. To sweep you off your feet. You are here to get to know me and to be swept off your feet. I suspect that this will be one of the best weeks of both our lives. And before you know it, we’ll be back here celebrating one of our future anniversaries, trying to recapture the moment.” He took her hand and kissed it. Norah’s body responded in a thousand ways to the small gesture.

Pulling her hand from his, she picked up her glass and swallowed the last of the wine before pouring more. So much for one glass. She used the time to find her voice, which had been stolen by his simple kiss on her hand. “If that is your first attempt at a pick-up line, then I’m going to tell you that it is fantastic. I’m not overly experienced with pick-up lines, but I can honestly say that I have never heard, nor heard a tale of one that could outdo yours.” She took another swallow of the wine. The alcohol was lending her courage. Or getting her drunk. But drunk courage was better than no courage at all.

Only five minutes ago she had promised her best friend that she wasn’t interested in men. Now she sat side-by-side next to the best looking man she had ever seen, while she tried to convince him that his talk of sweeping her off her feet was absolute nonsense and secretly hoped that it was all the truth.

“It’s no line, Norah. I don’t do lines. I honestly don’t know how.” He took her glass and set it on the bar, before capturing her hands in his. Her heart drummed a staccato beat. “Let’s start again. I’m Lukyan. And you are?”

She smiled shyly at his charm. “Norah.”

“Hi, Norah. Can I buy you a drink?”

She smiled again. “Yes. I would like a drink.”

“Then you are in luck. I have a wonderful Pinot Noir waiting for you.” He released her hands and handed her glass back to her. She took a small sip.

“Thank you. It’s lovely.” She kicked herself for thinking that this man’s appeal lay in his good looks. His sexy body and face made her heart skip, but his quiet charisma was absolutely heart-stopping.

“Not as lovely as you. When you walked in the bar, you stole my breath. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”

“I’m sure that’s not—” He held a finger to her lips.

“It’s not a line. Remember, we are starting over.”

Chagrined, she frowned. “I’m sorry. You were saying, Lukyan?”

“I was saying that I would like to get to know you better. How long are you planning to stay at the resort?”

Norah hesitated before she answered. Only moments ago, the three days she had planned at the resort stretched out like an eternity. Now, faced with the prospect of getting to know this man better, three days didn’t seem like nearly enough time. She was no dummy. Norah wasn’t as experienced with men as her friend, Jessie, but she was experienced enough to know that the chance that Lukyan was Mr. Right was pretty slim. She pushed thoughts of Mr. Right from her mind. Step two, Norah. Step two. Still, she couldn’t deny the intense and immediate attraction she had to Lukyan.

It was more than just his physical appearance. Yes, he was certainly beautiful with his emerald green eyes, broad shoulders, and hard muscles, but he was also charming and funny. And even though she doubted his story about never picking up women, she did get the feeling that he didn’t do this often. She didn’t peg him as shy, but she didn’t see him going out of his way to talk to women, either. Something in the way he talked to her made her feel special. And that was the crux of the problem. Norah had been searching all her life for a man to make her feel special. The likelihood that the man who could finally do it would appear out of nowhere without coaxing or coercion — well, that just didn’t seem possible. Keep it light, Norah. She silently chanted the words over and over in her best Jessie impression. No plans.

“Hey, Luk. Want to introduce us to your friend?” Lukyan gritted his teeth. He had been so absorbed in watching Norah struggle with whatever thoughts were running through her mind, he had completely missed the fact that Alek and the rest of his family had approached the two at the bar.

“Everyone, this is Norah. Norah, this is my family — Alek, Mylo, Dimitris, and Cate. Dimitris and Cate are newly mat— newly married.” Thankfully he caught himself before he said mated. Norah wouldn’t understand that yet. Lukyan thought it would be much easier to explain shifter mating after she had fallen in love.

“Nice to meet you all.” Though she held eye contact with each person in the group, Lukyan noticed that she couldn’t stop the pink heat from spreading up her neck to her cheeks. He found her flush enchanting. He reached for her hand and pulled it into his lap, stroking her soft skin with his thumb. Norah’s face got pinker.

“Hi, Norah. It’s so nice to meet you.” Cate stuck out her hand and grasped Norah’s free one. “I am so glad that you are here to keep Lukyan company while we go in for dinner.” Lukyan wondered what in the world Cate was talking about.

She rambled on, “I made a mistake when making reservations. I only got a table for four when I should have gotten it for five. Anyway, Lukyan was going to have to eat all alone. I was feeling incredibly guilty, but now that you’re here, I can stop fretting over it.” Cate shrugged as if the weight of this problem had finally slipped from her shoulders.

“I — I’m sure they can make an adjustment to the reservation.” Norah looked around the bar as if the number of the people in that room would prove how easy it would be to change the dinner reservation. She cast her eyes around the room, carefully ignoring the throngs of people stuffed in the small space.

Cate shook her head. “Nope. I tried. They are booked solid for the bigger tables.” She turned to Lukyan and gave him a sly smile. “I did go ahead and order you dinner to go. I didn’t know what you would want so I ordered several things. There’s probably enough for the two of you to share if you want to, oh I don’t know, take it back to your room or something.”

Lukyan had always known that Cate was smart and cunning, she would have never been fated to mate an alpha if she hadn’t been, but this bit of manipulation was sheer genius. If it weren’t for the fact that Dimitris would kill him, he would be tempted to kiss her. He smiled broadly at Cate. “Thanks for thinking of me, Cate.”

“My pleasure. I hope I ordered something you guys will like. They’ll bring it to the bar when it’s ready.”

The group bid goodbye to Lukyan and his mate and headed to the back of the bar that connected to the resort’s restaurant. Still holding her hand in his, Lukyan turned to his mate. “Do you want to have dinner with me? It sounds like there will be more than enough.”

three

Lukyan removed the plates from the table. He whistled as he scraped the excess food into the garbage disposal. If Alek could see him now he would never let him live it down. Lukyan never whistled. Never! He smiled at the thought. If things kept up at this pace, he may never stop whistling.

Dinner had been perfect. Lukyan and Norah had decided to return to her cabin to eat. She set the table and laid out the food options while he lit a fire in the grate. Cate had chosen four different dinner options, and Norah and Lukyan had sampled a bit from each. He loved that she actually ate in front of him. He didn’t take women out for dinner very often, but when he did he usually left the restaurant annoyed. Watching a woman pick at her food was beyond frustrating.

He stacked the plates in the dishwasher and grabbed a bottle of wine from the counter. The bottle opener was cheap and it took him two tries to get it properly screwed into the cork. His wolf growled his impatience. Lukyan shook the beast from his mind. He was determined to do this right, which meant giving his mate at least a few days of courtship.

“I opened another bottle of wine, I hope you don’t mind.” Lukyan walked from the kitchen to the dining area, holding the bottle aloft. “I’m not usually a wine drinker, but it’s all you had.” He handed her a glass before pouring his own.

“What do you prefer to drink?” she asked as she accepted the glass.

“I don’t mind wine with dinner, or an occasional beer, but my preference is vodka. I suppose it’s my roots.”

“Roots?”

“I’m Russian.”

She sipped her wine, and then licked the wetness from her lips. Lukyan’s focus held on her mouth, making her grow warm with desire. It was a struggle, but she found her voice. “I was trying to place your accent. I can hear the Russian now that you mentioned it, but there’s more.”

He pulled her from the table toward the fire. “Let’s sit here, it’s cozier.” He took her glass and helped her settle before sitting down next to her on the floor.

“Tell me about the accent,” she prompted, reminding him of their conversation.

“Oh, yes. I grew up in Russia. Russia is a beautiful place with beautiful people, but for some, like my family, it’s just too difficult a place. We left when I was young.” He didn’t say how young. He didn’t think telling her he was nearly eighty-years-old when he left the old country would sit well with her human brain. Not yet, anyway.

“And then what? Your accent has something besides the Russian.”

“You have good ears.” He smiled and tugged playfully at her earlobe. Yes, Alek would definitely find this Lukyan hard to believe. “Until about fifteen years ago, I lived in Scotland. That’s where I learned to speak English. I suspect that’s what is tainting my Russian-American accent.”

“You lived in Scotland? I’m jealous. I’ve always wanted to go there. Tell me about it.”

Lukyan imagined taking his mate around the world. He had already entertained fantasies of making love to her on the beach. Now he pictured her laid out on the green, green grass of his family’s estate. Her fair skin and hair would look even brighter under the Scottish sun. “Maybe some day I will take you there. How does that sound?”

He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips. His wolf howled for more, but Lukyan pulled away. He wanted to romance his mate before seducing her. She deserved all the small pleasures of courtship that he could manage. He did not want to elongate the mating process, he would love nothing more than to mate her right now, but he didn’t want to steal the pleasure of getting to know one another from her either. From what Cate overheard, his mate wanted romance. He would do his best to give it to her.

“Let’s get to know one another,” he suggested. “Tell me about yourself.”

Norah wore a dazed expression. Lukyan’s kiss was simple and sweet, and nowhere nearly enough. She wanted to climb on his lap and sample his mouth more freely. She shook the thought from her head. No matter what she had promised Jessie on the phone, Norah was not one to sleep with a man right after meeting him. She would never be brazen enough to do the things her mind imagined, but for the first time in her life, she really wished she was that girl.

“Tell me about yourself, Norah,” Lukyan caught her attention by lifting her chin with one outstretched finger. She blinked. “I think you were in a world of your own making for a second.” He smiled. Norah’s face heated.

“I— I guess one thing you should know is that I’m a little bit shy around people I don’t know very well. Or perhaps a better word would be reserved. I’m not shy, really. I don’t mind talking to people, and I like getting to know people. But I’m not the life of the party.”

Lukyan laughed. “I think people would say something similar about me. Some might even say I’m awkward.”

Norah rolled her eyes. “I know I’ve only met you, but there is nothing about you that would lead me to believe you are awkward.”

“Well, that’s just with you, sweet Norah. You are different. It’s easier to talk with you. Around others, I am sometimes awkward. I don’t like small talk and I get very uncomfortable when I’m around people that show emotion or are demonstrative in any way.”

Norah laughed. “Then you couldn’t do my job. I’m an admissions facilitator, and people cry all the time when I talk to them.”

Lukyan shuddered. “That would be horrible for me. I prefer numbers and patterns and puzzles. And lists — I almost forgot my love for list making.”

Norah laughed again, and Lukyan joined in. “Is list making a thing?” she teased.

“Oh yes. I love to make lists about everything. There are always list items running through my mind.”

“What lists are you making right now in your head?”

“Well, right now my list is concerned with the fact that you are an admissions facilitator. I have a lot of questions. One, what is an admissions facilitator? Two, how did you get into that line of work? Three, do you like it? Four, why do people cry about it? Five—” he stopped and winked at her — “I will go on and on unless you stop me.”

Norah giggled at his antics. “I think you lied about being awkward.”

“No, seriously, I am. I’m just trying very hard to be charming for your sake. Is it working?”

“Yes, I would say it’s working too well.”

He leaned his back against the couch and gave her a cocky grin. “Good. Now answer my questions before I feel compelled to start a new list.”

“Okay. Let’s see.” She drummed her fingers on her chin while she thought of the best way to begin her explanation. “I help high school students apply and get into their preferred colleges and universities. I assist them in putting together a stellar admissions packet and we practice interviews. Mostly I work to help rich kids get into schools that they probably aren’t prepared for. Usually, they are feeling pressured by their parents to follow in their footsteps. That often comes out during our conversations, which is usually when the tears start.”

“I would hate that. The crying would kill me first. The inability to just stand up to their parents would kill me second.”

“I don’t know. I bet even big bad you would feel bad for disappointing the person you most loved and respected.”

Lukyan looked at her. Although she didn’t know it yet, she was the person he most loved and respected. He would rather cut off his arm than disappoint or hurt her. Suddenly he was feeling a bit more sympathetic with the students she counseled. “You’re right. I would hate to disappoint someone I love and respect.”

“So like I was saying, sometimes my clients cry. My business has grown a lot in the past two years which is great usually, but it has its moments. Most of my clients are not local which means all of our meetings are on-line. Comforting someone in-person is so much easier than doing it over Skype. But that’s enough about me. What do you do?”

“Nothing as emotionally intense as your work. I run a financial investment firm. I am the investment wizard. I investigate the market and look for patterns. Once I see them, I make my decisions about which stocks we should buy and sell.”

“And no one ever cries in your office?”

“Absolutely no one cries in my office.” He gave a horrified looked which caused Norah to giggle.

“Even if you make a bad pick in the market and they lose money?”

He leaned over and pulled her close. “I always choose correctly.” This time he kissed her deeply, pulling her close to his chest. He relished the way her soft body melted into his chest. He held her tight, not giving her the ability to pull away until her arms slowly snaked around his neck.

His tongue delved into the depths of her mouth. She tasted of wine and he suddenly preferred it to any drink. He ran his hands slowly down her back to the round swell of her ass. Gently, he pulled her up until she was straddling his lap. His thick erection strained against his pants.

“Can you feel how much I want you?” He slowly ground his dick against her. Her hips were moving now, responding to his small thrusts. He could feel her heat growing there, could smell the musk of her arousal in the air. He moved his mouth to the tender skin of her neck and nibbled.

“Say you know that I want you. Say you want me, too, sweet Norah.”

Her hands were in his hair, fingers rhythmically clutching and releasing at his scalp. Her chest pushed against his and he could feel the hard bead of her nipples through their shirts. His wolf pranced. Apparently going slowly was no longer the plan.

“Say it, Norah,” he prompted again. “Say you know that I want you. Only you. And you want me. I need to hear it.”

She ground her hips into his, more insistently now. He was close and he hadn’t even gotten her clothes off yet. He wouldn’t last long, not the first time. “I want you, Lukyan.”

“And?” he growled, punctuating the word with a hard thrust.

“And you want me.”

“I want only you, Norah. No one else. Just you.”

His hands found the hem of her thin sweater. “Sit back, baby, I want to see you.” Norah reluctantly let go of him and sat back on his lap, giving him room to pull the cashmere up her body and over her head. She was wearing a light blue bra, its thin cups doing nothing to hide the tight peaks of her nipples. Lukyan cupped her breast in his hands. The were full and pert.

“Goddess above, you feel good.” She leaned into his hands and he massaged her, kneading and pulling at the weight of her chest.

“More,” she begged. She thrust her chest toward his mouth. Lukyan pulled the bra low allowing her dark pink nipple to escape.

“You are so beautiful,” he whispered against her skin before pulling her into his mouth. His tongue swiped against her sensitive skin, alternating swift flicks with slow, circling licks. She clutched at his shoulders and leaned back to give him better access. Her hips ground against his hard length. He needed to be inside her soon. He thrust against her and she moaned. The sound made his dick twitch.

He picked her up and moved her so that she was lying face up on the rug. Her pert tits were pushed up by her bra, still pulled low under each mound. “I want you, Norah. You’re all I want.” He pulled the bra until it fell apart, releasing her breast from their upright position. He dropped his head, kissing her left mound while slowly rubbing the other’s nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

Her hands clutched his hair and pushed him lower. He nipped at her ribs and stomach as he worked himself down to her waist. His fingers pulled the button on her waistband while his tongue slid in and out of her belly button.

Her phone rang just as he unfastened her pants. “Ignore it,” he commanded, never ceasing his mouth’s ministrations. He pulled the fabric low on her hips, exposing her blue lace panties to his gaze. The phone continued its shrill calls until it finally fell silent. She lifted her hips, an invitation to pull her pants down further, just as the phone began its second round of obnoxious shrieks.

Norah lowered her hips. “I need to get that.”

“They’ll leave a message.” He tugged at her pants, but they wouldn’t budge with her butt against the floor.

“It will just be a second. It’s probably just Jessie checking in to make sure I’m okay.”

Reluctantly, Lukyan sat back to give her room to sit up. “Be fast,” he urged with a quick kiss.

With her arms across her chest, she moved quickly to the entry table where she had left her phone. “Hello.”

Lukyan’s hearing wasn’t as good as Cate’s which meant he couldn’t hear the voice on the other end of the call. He watched as his mate talked quickly and quietly to her caller. She was half dressed with her back turned to him. She had her arms crossed tightly over her breast. Lukyan liked her modesty. He also liked that she wouldn’t be modest for long, not with him, anyway. He would convince her to never cover herself in front of him. When they were alone he would insist that she open herself to his view.

She ended the call and slowly turned back to him. She didn’t need to say a word. The look on her face told him this night was over. “That was my friend, Jessie. She just wanted to call and check on me.”

Lukyan approached her slowly, cautiously. He didn’t know what Jessie had said, but he wanted to undo whatever the woman had done to end the spell Norah had been under not two minutes ago. Norah tightened her arms across her chest, unwittingly pushing her breast up higher.

“Turn your ringer on silent, Norah.” He said it like a command, but they both knew it was a request.

She stepped back. It was a small movement, but it spoke volumes. Yes, the friend had definitely said something to Norah about Lukyan. His wolf bristled and bared its teeth. “I think that maybe we should call it a night.” Her eyes didn’t meet his.

“Why? What did your friend say? Whatever it was, I can make it right, Norah. Don’t send me away.” Lukyan inched forward and again she stepped back. He was suddenly furious at Jessie for whatever she had done.

“Jessie didn’t say anything. I just think—” she stopped, struggling to find the words. “I just think that maybe we are going too fast. This isn’t like me. I need more time.” Finally, her eyes lifted to his and he could see the beginning of tears there.

“Please don’t cry, baby. Please just tell me what it is and I’ll make it better.”

“It’s nothing,” she softly replied. “It’s just too much, too soon. I need some space. We can see each other tomorrow.”

Lukyan’s wolf growled its rage. The beast would not go willingly. “What about if I don’t pressure you. Can I stay then? I just want to be near you, to hold you.”

She shook her head. “No, I think I need to be alone for a bit.”

Lukyan wanted to howl his frustration. “Tomorrow, though? I can see you then?”

She nibbled her lower lip. “Yes.”

“Then expect me tomorrow morning. I’ll give you this evening, but that’s it. After tonight, all bets are off.”

four

His beast had been angry and in need of a run, so immediately after returning to his room he undressed and shifted. If he couldn’t be with his mate, he at least needed to be free for a while. The animal had immediately back-tracked to Norah’s little cabin. He sat under a pine tree and watched her window with unblinking patience until she finally turned out the light. Then it gave one long, sad howl before it took off at a frantic pace through the woods.

Somewhere between Norah’s cabin and the edge of the resort snow started to fall. The wolf didn’t notice, he was too caught up in his frenzied race. But now the beast was paying attention. The heavy snow that had been promised for the following day had come early, falling in big wet flakes on his fur and muzzle.

Lukyan’s wolf climbed the hill to the lodge. Lukyan had left his porch light on so the wolf could easily find his way back to the room. He would have preferred to stay in a cabin like Norah’s, but the logistics of guarding Dimitris’ mate were impossible. Cate was believed to be the Wolf Queen, the female mate sent by the Goddess to end the terrible curse. If the prophecy was true, Cate would eventually give birth to a female wolf shifter, the first of her kind in over a thousand years. Soon after her first transition, word that the Queen had been found spread across the world. One alpha was arrogant enough to try to steal her from Dimitris. He lost his life for the effort. No other attempts to harm Cate had been made since that day, but Dimitris was taking no chances.

Going forward, all vacations would be family affairs. Dimitris insisted that his best friends help keep Cate safe. Six people had accompanied the couple on their makeshift honeymoon. There was no cabin on the resort large enough to hold the couple, their friends, and the three security members that were brought along. At least there was nothing large enough that could have afforded any of them privacy.

Dimitris and Cate had taken a large, sweeping suite on an upper floor of the lodge, but Lukyan had requested a simple room on the first floor. There was more freedom in being close to the ground. He could easily walk out from his room, shift into wolf form, and leave without anyone’s notice. It also made getting back inside much easier. If he stayed on a higher floor, he would have been forced to leave a pile of clothes somewhere, or walk back to his room naked.

The wolf looked around to check that he was still alone. Quickly, he leaped up to the porch and shifted back to his human form. Sliding the door open, he walked over to the clothes he left at the foot of the bed. He caught sight of himself in the mirror. His face looked tense, worried. Was this what Dimitris felt when he was apart from Cate? He remembered his friend’s agitation during the days that followed their first meeting. She had made him wait four days before agreeing to see him again. Dimitris had been so irritable and grouchy that Lukyan told him to work from home out of fear that he would scare off all the human employees. He raised his eyes to the ceiling and said a prayer to the Goddess. “Please, if you have any care at all, do no let my mate push me away any longer than she already has.”

He looked back to his reflection in the mirror. He was naked, still. He wondered what Norah would think of his body. He had loved her lush curves and soft skin. Would she find his hard angles as appealing? He ran his hands down his abs and imagined her hands there, soft where his were rough. His hands moved lower, lightly stroking his cock. He was hard now, thinking of her touching him. He moved to the bed and sat down, never slowing the movements of his hand.

Suddenly she was before him, naked and so beautiful. He reached out to pull her close, but she pushed him away. She wanted to have her way with him, and he was going to let her. Slowly she knelt in front of him, her hands on his hips. He watched as she tentatively licked her lips. His cock, already hard, was nearly bursting, so ready was he to get her sweet, hot mouth wrapped around it.

She opened her mouth and took him slowly and deeply into her throat. Lukyan stilled. She felt so good, so warm, so soft. It wasn’t enough. He wanted her to take all of him. He wrapped her blonde curls around his fingers and pulled her head closer. He heard her gag, but then she steadied herself, opening that tight little mouth further for him. He worried that he might be giving her too much, too deep, but she didn’t resist, in fact, she seemed to enjoy sucking his cock.

Slowly he began to thrust in and out while she slid her thick, soft lips over his shaft. Her tongue worked its way up his length, snaking lazily from base to tip, tip to shaft. It felt so good. Too good. He wouldn’t last. With a loud moan, he threw his head back and came.

After a few long moments, Lukyan raised his head and looked down the length of his body. His hand was still lazily working his shaft, milking every last bit of pleasure from his fantasy. He had just jacked off to thoughts of his mate, but he refused to be ashamed. She was his, totally and completely, just as he was hers. Soon he would be able to have her as the Goddess intended. Until then, he would make due with feverish masturbation sessions.

Lukyan awoke in a cold sweat. His head was throbbing and his dick was hard. Thoughts of Norah filled his head. His need for her was growing.

It had taken a long while, but he finally drifted off into a fitful sleep hours after he had returned from his run. The lack of light in the sky told him that he hadn’t stayed asleep for long.

He clutched at his cock. It was stretched full to bursting. He entire body was on edge. Visions of Norah’s sweet, lush curves flashed in his mind. He needed to get to her, soon. He wiped the sweat from his head and sat up. A loud banging came from the hallway. “Who is it?”

“Alek. Open up. It’s important.”

Lukyan scooped his forgotten pants from the floor and pulled them over his hips. His erection was obvious, but he couldn’t do anything about it now. He opened the door to find Alek standing there, shirtless and sweaty.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Don’t you feel it?” Alek’s eyes were wild.

“I feel like you need to do something about yourself, cousin. What’s wrong with you?”

“It’s Cate. She’s in heat. Can’t you feel it?”

“Heat? It’s too soon. A woman’s heat can take up to one hundred years.”

“She’s the damn Queen, Luk. I suspect nothing will go as expected with her.” Alek ran his hand through his short dark hair. Lukyan did the same to his own.

“Heat. That would explain a few things.”

Alek looked down to the front of Lukyan’s pants. “I’m the same. I need to find a woman. I should have known, should have taken one of the blondes back to my room. Cate left dinner early. She said she didn’t feel well, which makes no sense. Shifters don’t get sick.” Alek rubbed his palm against his forehead in exasperation. “I should have known then that she was ready to start her heat. If I had been thinking, I would have picked up the three Goldilocks and brought them back to the room with me.” Lukyan rolled his eyes. That was just like Alek to go from needing one woman to needing three of them in a matter of seconds. Lukyan’s mind shifted to his own Goldilocks. His wolf growled its need. He struggled with the beast to maintain control. The animal had been barely contained as it was, Cate’s heat had only made things worse.

“So it just started?” His voice sounded low and harsh to his own ears. His wolf was close to the surface.

“Apparently. Mylo called and said that he and his team are taking turns guarding the suite. I don’t know how they can stand to be so close to that smell and not fuck someone.”

Lukyan agreed. He was three floors below the couple and he was about to pop out of his skin. “Mylo won’t take a woman. He’s too strict for that. But his men will. They will take turns guarding and then fuck some willing maid until this is over.”

Alek poured a glass of vodka from Lukyan’s bar. “I came to tell you to find your mate. I have no idea if there are other shifters nearby. If there are, they will want to take a woman and they may very well find her before you can get to her.” Lukyan’s wolf snapped his teeth at the thought.

“I will kill any man or shifter that touches her.”

“Then don’t let it happen. Go to her and keep her safe. Even humans will be affected by Cate’s heat. Protect your mate.” Alek didn’t need to tell him twice. He would do everything in his power to keep his mate safe and protected.

Lukyan went to the sliding door that led to the porch. “I’ll call you in a few days. I need to find my mate.”

He turned and undid his pants. It would be faster to run to her in his wolf form.

Norah woke up to thoughts of Lukyan. She had only been asleep for a few hours, but something told her she would not be able to get any more rest this evening. In her dream he was positioned between her legs, thrusting into her body at a fierce tempo. Her body ached with want for him. His eyes had raked over her body so possessively the night before. She loved how he made her feel sexy, like she was the only woman in the world he ever truly wanted. Her pussy clenched at the memory.

It wasn’t just the heat between them that made her feel special. So far everything with him had been easy. For the first time in her entire life, she actually ate dinner on a first date. If that didn’t prove that whatever was between them was special, nothing would! Normally, she was too nervous to eat, but with Lukyan she felt no nerves. His presence put her at ease like no one else she had ever known. Most of their dinner had been spent in companionable silence. Norah imagined how her retelling of this night would go when she spoke with Jessie. Her best friend would find the silence awkward and think Lukyan weird. Norah would have to find the words to explain how comfortable and right it felt just to sit with him. Her mind drifted thinking of what it would be like to sleep with Lukyan.

If it hadn’t been for Jessie’s call, she would already know the answer. It would have been the best sex of her life, she was sure of it. But the ill-timed, or perhaps it was perfectly-timed, phone call stopped her from following through with what was likely absolute and complete relationship suicide.

“Hey, I meant to call you earlier, but I got pulled in on a delivery and just now got away. Did you work up the nerve to talk to Mr. Hottie?”

“Actually, I’m with him right now.”

“Right now! You go girl. Use protection.”

“I —”

“Uh-uh, lady, don’t you back out of this. I already told you to break some eggs, get messy, and fuck the hottie.”

“It’s not like that, Jess. This guy is different. Special.”

“Norah, don’t do this. Don’t turn a one night stand into something special. That is old Norah. Step one Norah. I want you to be fun Norah, without expectations.”

That was it. That was all it took to pull Norah out from under the spell Lukyan had cast. He did make her feel special, beautiful, perfect and wanted, but was it all in Norah’s mind? Was Jessie right about her falling in love too quickly and ruining everything? She needed to keep her mind on the goal. No more step one Norah. Instinct told her that sex with Lukyan would definitely send her spiraling over the edge toward step one faster than ever before.

Norah had looked back at Lukyan and the look in his eyes told her he knew. He knew that her friend had essentially cock-blocked him. But was he more frustrated that she wasn’t going to have sex with him, or that she was making him leave? Maybe the sunlight would bring answers. Perhaps a day with Lukyan on the ski slopes would help her determine if he was a step one guy, or just a stepping stone to step two.

Annoyed and frustrated, she got up and brushed her teeth. She had packed a smutty romance novel in her bag before she left, fearing that she would spend the entire three days alone in the cabin. She grabbed the book with the hot muscled abs on the front cover and took it into the living room. The fire was almost out, so she added some wood before sitting down on the couch to read.

She had chosen a book by an author that was known for starting her stories hot and fast. Norah was grateful for her smart decision because her body was aching for release. Half-way through chapter one, the book’s hero cornered his secretary in the office. Norah imagined that she was the secretary and Lukyan was the boss. The blue-eyed brunette in the book soon turned into a blue-eyed blonde in her mind. The boss ripped the secretary’s shirt and buttons flew across the office. Would Lukyan rip her shirt that way? Would he be rough with her? She wanted that.

As she read, Norah inched her hand down her body and under the cover she had pulled over her lap. She grabbed at her hem and pulled the gown up to her hips. Her fingers probed the edge of her panties and slipped inside. Norah continued to read as she touched herself With every thrust of the boss’s hips, Norah’s finger flicked her swollen bud. Her passage was wet, soaking her panties. The boss slammed into the secretary’s pussy. With each thrust, his balls slapped against her clit. The secretary was close, her body tightening around his shaft. Norah was close. Her hands moved faster below her panties. The secretary screamed the boss’s name as she came. Norah cried out, “Lukyan!”

Only half-sated, Norah lay boneless on the couch. She would need at least one more session before she could get up and start the day. She put her panties back in place and began to read again. She would be ready to pleasure herself again by the next chapter. Outside the wind howled. The faint yellow light from the security lamp cast enough light to tell her that it had started to snow. It must have been snowing for a while now, given how much of the white stuff was piled around her window sill. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be enough to keep Lukyan away in the morning. Despite her reservations, she wanted to see where this thing with him would lead.

Something knocked at her door. She put the book in her lap and listened. Was it just the wind? The sound came again. Something was scratching at the door. She wondered if a branch had fallen against it. She walked across the room and unlocked the door, not bothering to look out the peephole. On the other side stood a large, white wolf. Its eyes locked with hers and Norah suddenly knew what it was to be hunted. Her heart slammed in her chest. She stabbed frantically at the handle, desperate to slam the door and shut out the beast, but just before she pushed it closed he leaped forward, stopping her attempt to create a barrier.

five

Lukyan had no plans aside from going to Norah’s. His wolf had other ideas. The beast was hell-bent on claiming his mate. Racing through the woods to the cabin, Lukyan tried in vain to reason with his animal. One, she should have a chance to choose. Two, she’s gentle and delicate, I don’t want us to scare her. Three, if you force her transition now, Cate’s heat will take her, too. Four, she will go into heat and then neither of us will be able to stop. Five, she will never forgive us if we don’t allow her an opportunity to choose her path, especially when that path includes a new baby!

The wolf was inflamed with lust and would not listen. He growled away every rational reason Lukyan threw at him. Lukyan was desperate to stop the predator. He needed to shift, to take control, but the animal’s lust was too strong and Lukyan’s will was too weak. Truth be told, he wanted his mate as much as the wolf did.

The snow fell harder now than before, and the wolf struggled to see in the dim light. After what seemed like an eternity for both man and beast, they broke free from the dark forest and into the clearing by the cabin. Even through the snow, Lukyan could smell his mate’s faint lavender-honey scent. Her perfume still hung in the air from their walk earlier in the evening.

The wolf stalked the cabin, judging the building for the best way to gain entry. Lukyan fought to break free, to control the creature, but it bit at him, urging him to stay put. His wolf mocked him for his restraint. The animal was no longer willing to let Lukyan take control of this mating. He was desperate to shift his mate tonight.

A scent wafted by that got the wolf’s attention. It was faint but enticing. The animal lifted its muzzle and sniffed the air. It was Norah, his mate. He would know her scent anywhere. He sniffed again. It was his Norah, yet different. Interlaced with her normal sweet lavender aroma were heavy notes of musk and salt. His mate was aroused. He sniffed again. Very aroused.

The wolf threw back his head and yipped before launching himself through the ever deeper snow toward the cabin. Norah’s musky perfume had pushed the animal over the edge. He was driven by pure instinct now, and Lukyan was loath to stop it.

Before he could even begin to reason with his wolf, the animal began to scratch frantically at her door. Lukyan begged, pushed, yelled, and kicked to get out, to shift to his human form. She will be terrified. Do not do this to our mate! But the wolf would not listen. It dug and scratched at the door.

Without warning, the door opened, and there in a soft, cotton gown that stopped well short of her knees, was his mate. The light from the living room shone behind her, giving Lukyan and his wolf every opportunity to see his mate’s body illuminated beneath the thin material. Her tight waist was tiny compared the heavy swell of her breast and the gentle spread of her hips. The wolf licked his lips.

Standing so close, he could scent her arousal more strongly now. He breathed deeply, filling his lungs with the salty odor. He wanted to lick the aroma from her body, mark his muzzle with her odor. But a putrid scent soon overpowered the musk. His mate was afraid. The wolf hesitated, not liking the scent of fear that came from his Norah.

Lukyan took advantage of the wolf’s distraction. As he began to push his transition, she screamed and jumped back in an effort to slam the door shut. The wolf jumped, too, causing the big wooden mass to slam painfully into his side. Both man and beast felt the impact.

Norah stepped slowly away from them, talking in low tones that he was sure she hoped would calm the animal. She stumbled, falling backward to the couch. The wolf crouched, ready to pounce, to bite, to transition his mate. With great effort Lukyan burst free, shifting suddenly into a crouch between Norah’s legs.

“It’s okay, Norah. It’s me.” Lukyan gently rubbed Norah’s cheeks while he spoke the soft, low words. It was several seconds before she was able to slow her breathing and open her eyes.

“Lukyan? I don’t understand. You were just—” His beautiful face was impossibly close to hers. She ached to push her head forward and kiss him. She shifted under his weight. The movement caused her gown to hitch higher. His hard length rubbed against the naked skin of her thigh.

“I’m sorry. My wolf wants you.”

To say that Norah was shocked would be a vast understatement. She was absolutely, without a doubt, flabbergasted. “I think I’m having a breakdown. This isn’t real. You aren’t real. This is just a situation that my brain has made up to explain your attraction to me. Or it’s a coping mechanism. I— I’ve gone into some sort of fantasy land in my brain to get past the hurt of being alone.” She scrambled to a seated position, pushing him off her body. Her face pinked when she noticed his nakedness. He put his hands over his straining erection.

“I don’t know what is more terrifying, the wolf version of you that my mind created, or the fact that I am sitting here imagining the naked version of you doing very dirty things to my body.”

“I like option two.” Lukyan gave her a quick kiss and then sat back slowly. “We need to talk.”

“Talk away, fake, naked Lukyan. I’ll just be over here trying not to hyperventilate.”

Lukyan looked her up and down. “Norah, I am not fake, although I am naked. What you just witnessed was very real. I am a wolf shifter. I don’t have a lot of time to explain it. My wolf is scratching at me to get loose. There are… extenuating circumstances tonight.” She nodded as if she understood, but that was impossible. How could someone possibly understand a man jumping naked from a wolf’s body?

“I want you to go into your room and lock the door. I don’t trust the wolf to not bite you. I’ll explain this to you as soon as you go into your room and get yourself safely away from me.”

Her brain told her this was impossible, imaginary, but her heart told her it was real, that Lukyan was here to be with her. In spite of her fear, her heart sang at the knowledge.

He pulled her from the couch, picked her up and carried her to the bedroom’s door. His skin was warm against Norah’s hands and she rubbed them across his thick, broad shoulders in an effort to gauge if he was imaginary or real. He put her down and turned her to face him.

“My wolf can’t get to you behind a locked door. Go inside and lock the door. Keep it locked until this passes. Do not open this door until after I tell you everything, and then only if you want. Do not do anything you don’t want to do. Promise me.”

She was reluctant to leave him. He must have sensed it because he gently turned her toward the room and pushed her through. “Promise me, Norah.” She nodded her head. “Shut the door and lock it. I don’t know how much longer I can hold him off.”

She shut and locked the door. Then she slid slowly down the wall until she was seated on the floor. The hardwood was cold, but she was too much in shock to do anything about it.

She heard Lukyan sit on the other side of the door and imagined that they were back to back, sitting in the same position. His long, naked legs would stretch nearly the width of the hall. She thought of him there, sprawled out in the small space, trying to find the words to explain what was happening.

“I’ll try to make this quick, honey. I can feel my wolf getting stronger.”

She signaled for him to continue, but then realized the absurdity of the motion. He couldn’t see her from his side of the door. Quietly she breathed, “Tell me now. I’ve locked the door.”

He hesitated, briefly, before rushing into an explanation. “I’m a wolf shifter. Before you ask, I’m not half-man, half-wolf. I’m all man and all wolf. At all times, I’m two very different things. Wolf shifters are fated to mate with one woman in the world. The Goddess provides our mates at a time of her choosing. You are my mate. I knew it the moment you walked into the bar last night. The Goddess gave you to me and me to you. I am fated to cherish you always and forever. There will never be another woman for me. I would take you any way I could get you, Norah, but the wolf —” his voice cracked and Norah wondered if the wolf was coming back. Was he in pain?

“Lukyan, are you okay? Is something happening?” She turned on her knees and put an eye to the keyhole. He was still sitting with his back to the door. She sat back on her feet and breathed deeply. He was still a man. For now.

Long seconds passed before he answered. “I’m okay. The wolf wants out. He wants you, Norah. He will never be happy until you take your wolf form. He wants you to come out so he can force your transition.”

“Force my transition?” She held her hands out and looked at them. Could her human hands really transform into a wolf’s paws?

“He wants to bite you, to put his magic in your body so that you can shift, too.”

“Does it hurt?”

Lukyan paused and Norah could almost see him working through all the possible answers before he told her the right one. “Yes. It will hurt the first time.”

“And then what?”

“Then you become my mate. We will live for hundreds of years as a mated pair. I will protect you until the day I die and no one will come before you in my life.”

“What about children? Do wolf shifters have babies?”

“Yes. That’s what’s pushing the beast right now. Cate has gone into heat. She’s the pack’s alpha which means her heat will cause all the other pack females to go into heat too. If you transition now, you will go into heat very soon, which means we will have a baby. That’s why I wanted you to lock yourself in the room. I want you to choose. Eventually, we will be together. You are mine and I am yours. It’s fate and you can’t fight fate. If you transition now, not only will you get me for the rest of your life, you’ll also get a new baby. You may not be able to resist me, not for long anyway, but I want you to have a say in whether or not we start our lives together with a child.”

Tears pricked Norah’s eyes. She had joked with Jessie that she was going to have sex with Lukyan just to get a baby, but that’s all it had been. A joke. She wanted a baby, but she wasn’t willing to be devious to get one. And now Lukyan sat on the other side of the door telling her that in one weekend she could achieve almost everything that she ever wanted. She would get a man that would cherish her until the end of her days, and a sweet little baby to love and protect. Step one and step two. But was step one worth it if she didn’t have love?

Lukyan said that the Goddess had chosen her for him and him for her. He said he was fated to cherish her, but was that the same as love? Was this connection due to some animal attraction that she didn’t understand, or was it deeper? Norah wanted him to love her. She wanted that more than anything. She hadn’t been lying when she told Jessie she was done with men, but that was before she met Lukyan. He wasn’t other men. It wasn’t rational, but after only a few hours she loved him wholly and completely and she wanted him to love her in return. Jessie was wrong. This was special, at least it was to Norah. But was it special to Lukyan? Was she more than just a vessel for his child, and did it even matter?

Norah wiped a stray tear from her eye. She could not imagine a single day without Lukyan in it. It would be better to have him in her life, even without love, than to spend a moment without him. Mind made up, she stood and opened the door.

Her mate, as he called himself, still sat with his back to the wall. Naked, his body looked bigger and even more intimidating than it had when he was clothed, yet when he looked up to her face she saw vulnerability in his green eyes. Feeling powerful, she crouched before him. “Make me your mate, Lukyan. I want you and I want the baby.”

His bright green eyes darkened with desire. “You won’t regret this. I promise to be good to you, Norah.”

Norah would have preferred a promise of love, but she would take what she could get. For now.

Lukyan took Norah’s hand and led her to the front door. His wolf’s incessant howling and yips quieted as soon as she opened the door to him. “Usually the entire pack would gather for our mating ceremony, but given the circumstances, it will just be us.”

“I don’t mind, Lukyan. The two of us is enough for me.”

Lukyan kissed her hand. “You are a gift, Norah, but I want to do this right. When all of this is over and I have more control over my wolf, I will make this up to you. We’ll redo the ceremony in front of the entire pack the way it was meant to be.” He pulled open the door and picked her up.

“We’re going outside?” He smiled at her shriek of protest. “It’s freezing out there!”

“Don’t worry, sweet Norah. You will not feel the cold after my wolf bites.”

She sputtered her protest. “B-but i-its fre-eezing.”

He carried her a few feet off the porch where a swing had been hung from a tall oak branch. He carefully shifted his weight and wiped away the snow before he sat her gently on the seat. “When I shift, I want you to quickly take off your gown. You’ll get caught up in the material if you shift with it on.” She looked down at the thin piece of material and hunched her back against the brisk wind.

Lukyan was impervious to the weather. On a normal day, his temperature ran hotter than a human’s, but that wouldn’t normally be enough for him to ignore a day as cold as this one. Today he didn’t feel the cold, and it was all because of Norah. She had agreed to be his mate, to have a child with him. He felt nothing but his intense desire to be with her.

He knelt on the ground and scooped up a large ball of snow in his two hands. “I don’t have my friends here to help me with the ceremonial cleansing, but I’ll try my best to honor you with my version of it.”

Raising his hands to the sky he said in a loud clear voice, “Goddess, cleanse me so that I may meet my mate in purity.” He pulled the snow to his body and bathed himself in the cold. Norah gasped and Lukyan snapped his eyes to hers. She was watching him with rapt attention.

He scooped another pile of snow and raised it, again, to the sky. “Goddess, fortify me so that I may protect my mate as she deserves.” Again, he rubbed the cold snow across his body. This time he leaned back and howled, long and deep. He looked at his mate. She seemed to have forgotten the cold. Instead of curving her body to protect against the wind, she was now leaning forward, her attention focused on his every move.

He stood and looked his mate in the eyes. Slowly he urged his body to transition. As was the tradition, he elongated the change, forcing himself to endure the pain of the shift. His mate’s first transition would be painful and long. He worked to mimic that, to show her that he would willingly take the pain for her if he were able.

Gradually his body changed from human to wolf. The pain was extraordinary, but he took it without protest. He would endure anything for his mate. When he had completed his full transition, he walked to the swing. She had stood and was removing her gown. His wolf panted appreciatively at her human form. She was beautiful. He edged closer and, with as much care as he could, bit her forearm.

She stood there for a full minute, lost in what he had been told was the sheer ecstasy of the magic. Eventually, her body began to shift, gradually pulling her human form away to give way to her wolf. Her bones and sinew popped and snapped. He had witnessed many other mating ceremonies but never before had he noticed how loud the human form was when it ripped apart. Then again, it had never been his mate that was being torn apart. She cried out from the pain and his wolf whimpered. He would absolutely take this pain from her if were able.

After what felt like an eternity, his mate stood before him in her beautiful wolf form. Her fur was golden blonde, with a patch of dark across her shoulders. She walked to his wolf and nuzzled him with her muzzle. He nipped her neck, a communication that she was in control in this moment. Her wolf bounced away, jumping high and then landing in a big pile of snow. The white fluff flew up in every direction. His wolf yipped and followed her. The two played and rolled in the snow for many minutes until they tumbled together down a small hill.

Norah’s wolf scrambled to gain her footing in the deep snow, but Lukyan’s was more sure-footed. Getting to his feet, he pounced and knocked her over into the snow again. She opened her mouth, ready to play fight and wrestle with him. Again he jumped on her, covering her in the cold snow. She stood and shook it from her fur before taking off at a dead sprint toward the forest. His wolf gave chase. The two yipped as they dashed from tree to tree. Soon her wolf began to tire. The first transition was hard on a female and the ever deepening snow forced her body to work harder in order to stay afoot. Turning, she caught his eye and two began to make their way back toward the cabin. Halfway through the clearing, her wolf gave in to her exhaustion and laid down in the snow. Lukyan’s wolf watched as his beautiful mate turned from a glossy blonde wolf back into her beautiful human form.

He shifted soon after and picked up his sleeping mate. His cock immediately reacted to having her naked body in his arms but he ignored it. She was exhausted from the trauma of her first shift. She needed rest and plenty of it. He could smell her heat coming, her natural musk had deepened in just the few hours since they had taken wolf form. Soon she would be begging him to fill her slick passage.

Cradling her in his arms, he walked the short distance to the cabin. Once inside he laid her in the bed and covered her with the thick comforter. He crawled under the blanket and held her against his chest.

six

Norah awoke with a start. Her body was in agony. Sweat poured from her brow and a slow ache pounded from her temples to her toes. Yellow light was streaming through the windows now. She must have slept for hours after her wolf tired, but she did not feel rested. She felt heavy and in pain.

Lukyan rose above her. “Norah, honey, it’s okay. I’m here.”

She tried to speak to him, to tell him that she was hurting, but her body’s anguish made it impossible. Her hands moved of their own volition to his chest. She pulled him to her, mindless of why or how. Instinct pushed her actions, and instinct told her that somehow Lukyan could stop this awful agony.

“I know, baby. I know you are hurting. It’s your heat. You need me inside you. It’s the only thing that will give you relief.” Lukyan pushed the covers off them and moved his lithe body over hers. He moved down her body and settled his wide shoulders between her legs. Pushing her knees wide, he moved his mouth to her core and inhaled deeply before parting her slick folds with his tongue. A jolt of pleasure shot through her and the pain lessened a bit. He flicked his tongue over her nub and again the pain lessened. After a third quick lick, Norah pulled at his hair pulling him over her.

“Need you,” she panted.

He crawled up her body and settled his hips between her legs. His erection rubbed at her entrance causing her hips to buck. “Please, Lukyan. I can’t —”

He must have known what she needed because in one swift move he thrust into her tight passage, filling her with his thick shaft. Slowly he pulled out, allowing the tip to rest at her entrance before quickly pushing inside her once again.

“Yes,” she cried. With each stroke of his body, her aches ebbed until finally, her body experienced only pleasure. “Please, Lukyan. This is what I need. Please.”

“This is yours, baby. Only yours. Forever.” He dipped his head and nipped her neck as he drove into her with punishing thrusts.

“I need—” she panted as she raked her nails down his back.

“Tell me what you need, Norah. Do you need to come? Does your tight little passage want me deeper and harder? Tell me what you need and I’ll do it.”

“I need you to bite me. Now.”

Lukyan’s hips increased their pace as he dropped his mouth back to her neck. “Here, baby? Is this where you want it?” He nipped the left side of her neck. “Or do you want it here?” He slid his mouth to the base of her neck and nipped at the top of her shoulder. “Or here?” His mouth dropped to her breast. She arched her back and pushed the soft mound in his face.

Lukyan nibbled at the outer curve of her flesh causing her nails to once again dig into his back. “Yeah, this is what you want, isn’t it, baby?”

“Please.” She wrapped her arms around his head and held his mouth to her chest. Lukyan pumped inside her and pressure began to build. “Now Lukyan, I need it now!”

Lukyan settled his mouth on the top curve of her left breast and bit down hard enough to break the skin. The bite sent electric pulses straight from her breast to her core. Digging her heels deep into Lukyan’s thighs, Norah rode the waves of pleasure as they built. Lukyan held her tight as he pumped deep into her canal.

“Come for me, baby. Come for me. Let me feel that tight little body of yours grip me like a fist.” Wave after wave of electricity raced through Norah, and soon her body was pulsing with pleasure.

“Oh, god, you’re so tight.” Lukyan’s muscles tightened beneath Norah’s grip as he pumped hard into her. He threw back his head and howled as he shot streams of hot seed into her channel.

Lukyan collapsed on Norah and she adjusted her legs so that they wrapped tightly around his waist. Both of them were silent as they worked to catch their breath. After a while, he raised to his elbows and looked into her eyes. “You are amazing.” He leaned down and kissed her sweetly. Norah opened her mouth to him. His tongue dipped inside, tangling with hers. She moaned into his mouth. His kisses were a drug and she was an addict. Reluctantly, he pulled away.

“Are you feeling okay? Hurting?”

She shook her head no. She had awoken in such pain, but now she felt only pleasure. He shifted higher and his shaft moved inside her, causing her to tighten. He closed his eyes as if savoring the feeling, and Norah tightened again around his body. He smiled. “You’re a vixen, mate.”

He looked down at her breast and bent his head. Gently he licked the bite he had left there. “How did you know?”

“Know what?” She raised her head and watched him lave her skin.

“Know that to complete the mating cycle I would need to leave a mate’s mark on your body.”

Norah was confused. “A mate’s mark?”

“Yes, our mating ritual was not complete until I left the mark. Now that you are a shifter, you will not scar except in very specific circumstances. One of those is the mate’s mark. It is my way of marking you as my own. My mate. My Norah.” He bent again and kissed the mark. Norah could already feel the broken skin beginning to heal.

“I didn’t know. I just —” she hesitated. How did she tell him that she simply needed him to be rough, to leave his imprint on her body? “I just wanted it. Something inside me needed you to do it.”

His face softened and he smiled at her. “Don’t you know, Norah? I will do anything for you.”

Lukyan held Norah’s hand in his. It had been difficult, but he eventually found the strength to roll off his mate and lie by her side. He had not been prepared for the intensity of sex with her. Being inside his mate was like no other experience he’d ever had before. He would have happily laid on top of her until she was squirming with need for him again. He had only slid out of her slick folds when he realized that they would have another two days of her moving between contentment and extreme pain. The heat’s hold on a female was strong. Soon she would need him again, and he would be ready. Until then, he would give her time to rest. The past ten hours had been hard on her body and he would not add to that.

“Are you hungry?” He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “You haven’t eaten since last night.”

“No. I’m too tired to eat.” She tucked into his side and threw her leg over his hips.

“Norah, you need to eat. The next two days will be exhausting. I would not be a good mate if I let you get hungry.”

“I’ll eat in a bit. I just need to sleep for a little bit.” She closed her eyes and snuggled closer.

Lukyan held her close and breathed in her scent. His wolf chided him for allowing her to rest before eating. She needed sustenance. He waited until she was asleep before he gently extricated himself from her grip. She needed her rest and he didn’t want to wake her.

Naked, he walked into the living room and stoked the fire. Sometime in the night, the storm had knocked out the electricity. As a shifter, Norah wouldn’t feel cold like she did in her human form, but he wanted the cabin to be comfortable for her. During her heat, she would be extra-sensitive to her environment. Smells, sound, and even temperature would intensify her pain if she found them unappealing.

He looked outside. The snow continued to fall. No one from the lodge would be able to deliver food to their cabin in this weather. He moved to the kitchen and opened the cabinets. Norah had stocked nothing to eat other than an opened box of Cheez-Its and the leftover bottle of wine from the night before. His wolf growled. They had their mate for less than a day and already they had failed her.

Lukyan rushed to the door again and looked outside. He looked back the hall leading to their bedroom. If he left now, he might be able to rush to the lodge and get some food before Norah woke. But if he didn’t make it back in time, she could wake in need. If he wasn’t there to relieve her pain he would fail her worse than he already had.

His wolf growled again. This was not a good start to their life together. We will make it up to her. We will spend every day for the next eight hundred years making her happy and giving her everything she needs and wants. His wolf huffed in exasperation. Lukyan walked back to the kitchen and grabbed the bottle of wine and the box of Cheez-Its. It wasn’t much but it was all he had to offer his mate. When this was over, he would feed her in bed for a solid week.

Norah woke to the familiar feeling of need. For the past day and a half, she had repeatedly awakened in pain, aching to be filled by her mate. Lukyan had taken to sleeping behind her with his still-erect shaft deep inside her, which allowed her to immediately relieve herself of the pain created by her heat. She pushed back onto his thick cock.

“I’m here, baby.” Lukyan thrust slowly into her body. He pulled her head back to his and kissed her neck. She spooned her body into his and his thrust grew more insistent.

“Deeper, Lukyan. I need more.”

Quickly, he turned her over so that she was on her belly. He aligned his body behind her and pulled her hips high. In one swift motion, he entered her. “Oh my god, mate. How do you manage to be so tight?” He stopped his movement and held himself tight against her bottom. Norah pushed back hard. Her body was not ready for slow. She needed it rough and hard.

Lukyan must have understood what she wanted because he pulled out until just the tip was inside her before slamming into her hard. He repeated the motion, again and again, filling her with his rigid length.

“Tell me what you want, mate.” Lukyan’s hands gripped her hips tightly, as he ground his hips roughly against her. Norah’s wolf growled. This was good, but she wanted more.

“I want —” She struggled for the words.

“Tell me, baby. Tell me what you want and I’ll make it happen.” He circled his hips again. “You just have to say it. Don’t be shy.” But she was.

In one long breath, she gasped, “I want you to be rough and fast so that your balls slap against my clit.” Norah’s wolf sat down and wagged her tail. Norah might be shy but the wolf knew exactly what she wanted.

Lukyan grunted before altering his motions. His hips moved front to back, beating a staccato against her backside. Together they created a rhythm that was theirs alone. Norah pulled her hands under her chest and pinched her nipples.

“That’s it, baby. Touch yourself for me.” His balls slapped against her mound sending delicious sparks of pleasure throughout her entire body.

She moaned as she pulled at the tight buds of her breast. “Almost,” she hissed.

He jackhammered into her slit as pressure built. Her toes curled under and her legs began to shake. Suddenly her body pulsed around him, pulling him deeper.

“Fuck,” he yelled as spurts of cum pulsed from his shaft. He held her there, butt high against his hips as they both rode the aftershocks of their orgasms. Norah felt empty the second he pulled away from her.

She slid her hips lower and laid out on her belly. Lukyan picked up a cloth he had put on the bedside table.

“Let me clean you.” With gentle care, he spread her legs and wiped the wetness from between her thighs. Norah was shocked by her lack of shame. Normally after-care was a source of absolute embarrassment, but she felt nothing but contentment when Lukyan did it. Throwing the cloth to the floor, he crawled across the bed and nipped at her butt cheeks. He was unshaven and the day-old growth both hurt and tickled. She raised her hips off the bed, encouraging him to give more kisses. He obliged her, biting kisses up and down the mound of her bottom. Slowly, his kisses and nibbles moved up to the small of her back and then higher, following the curve of her spine, until he stopped at her neck. He was poised above her, his hips behind hers. Although her mating need had been slaked, Norah thought it would be so easy to move so that he could slip inside her once again.

She tilted her hips until his erection slid alongside her folds. “Ahh, Norah,” he exhaled. “I don’t want to hurt you so soon after we just mated.”

“You won’t hurt me.” She arched her back and his shaft slid closer to her most sensitive spot.

“You should rest.” His voice sounded tight to Norah’s sensitive wolf ears. She wiggled a bit. Lukyan sucked in a breath.

“I want you, Lukyan. I want you. Not the heat, just me. And I want you inside me because you want me, not because you are trying to ease my pain.” She tilted her hips another time, tempting him with slick heat. “Please.”

Suddenly, Lukyan sat up and flipped his mate to her back. His chiseled chest was slick with perspiration. Norah ran her hands over the curve of his muscles. He entwined her fingers with his and stretched her arms above her head. Sliding between her legs, he gently entered her. His movement was slow and intoxicating, so different from the fast passion they had just shared.

“I always want you, Norah. You are my mate. You were made for me, and I was made for you.”

With excruciating tenderness, he moved inside her. His green gaze locked on hers. She couldn’t have looked away if she wanted to. She wrapped her legs around his thighs to give him better access. His mouth moved to hers. The kiss was soul-searing. Heat rushed through her body. She had never been so thoroughly loved before. She opened and closed her fingers on his. His unhurried movements had her panting. How he could make her heart race with such languid thrusts was unexplainable. Norah wished this would never end. She wanted to live like this, under his hard body, forever. She would feed off his unrelenting gaze and gentle kisses until the day she died.

Pressure built inside her. Norah struggled to push it back. She wasn’t ready for this to be over. She needed more. More kisses. More gentle friction. More everything. Her body would not listen. Lukyan’s insistent thrusts coaxed pleasure from her. Her legs pulled him closer. She knew he could feel the small pulses beginning to form deep inside her passage. He continued his unhurried pace, working her slowly.

“That’s it, Norah. I want you to look at me when you come. I want to see those turquoise eyes the entire time.” She opened her eyes to him as wave after wave of pleasure overtook her body. He rode her slowly, pulling out the sweet agony of her orgasm until his own overtook him. He smothered his own cries with a searing kiss to her mouth.

Norah unhooked her fingers from his and wiped away a stray tear. Never had she known such tender lovemaking. A morsel of hope formed in her heart. Perhaps she could get step one, step two, and love. She didn’t think that was more than the Goddess could handle.

seven

Norah stepped out of the shower and grabbed the towel. Her body rebelled at the movement. Guess that’s what you get for sexing it up for the last two days, Norah. She blushed thinking about all the ways that she and Lukyan had made love. Even more embarrassing was the lack of reserve she had shown. She fanned her heated face with the towel. I told him to slap his balls against my clit! Never before had Norah been so free and unreserved with a man. She smiled. Lukyan seemed pretty unreserved, too. She had no way of knowing for certain, but Norah suspected that he had never lost his poise with anyone but her.

As she patted herself dry her mind drifted to thoughts of the last time the two of them had sex. Like all the other times, she awoke in a normal haze of lust and pain, but unlike before, lovemaking with Lukyan would not ease the terrible agony that she experienced. Lukyan seemed to understand what was happening, though. He picked her body up and carried her out the front door. He placed her on the stairs of the porch before he crouched in front of her. Norah shook and writhed in pain. He put his big hands on her cheeks and forced her to look at him.

“Look at me, Norah. I know you're in pain honey, but you have to focus. Your wolf needs to mate with my wolf. We can’t create a shifter child without both the wolf and human mating. It’s the only way to end your pain."

Norah tossed her head from side to side as she rocked against the overwhelming pain. “It will hurt too much.”

“Your wolf will help you.” His hands caressed her cheeks as his beautiful green eyes encouraged her to shift.

“How?” She said the words on a gasp.

“See yourself as a wolf. She’ll know what to do for you.”

Norah closed her eyes and began to imagine her wolf. Eventually, she felt her body start to contort. The first time she shifted it was slow and painful. The wolf took mercy on her this time and emerged quickly from her human form. When she looked up through her new eyes she saw her mate’s golden wolf standing next to her.

The mating had been swift and fierce, as she imagined it was for all wolves. Norah tried to think through the feelings she had experienced but found it too difficult to explain even to herself. Lukyan had said that he was one with his wolf but they were separate from each other as well. He was all wolf and all human. Norah felt the same. She knew what she was doing when she was a wolf, but she had little control over her actions. What the wolf wanted it got, at least when Norah was inside and the beast was exposed.

As soon as the wolves finished their mating, the heat ended and Norah felt the need leave her body. It gave her both relief and sadness. She would not miss the pain, but she would miss the time alone with Lukyan. She still knew so little about him. She had agreed to start a new life with Lukyan, but she didn’t really know what that meant. Lukyan had told her that as soon as she was in wolf form she would feel the connection between them, and he had been right. Immediately she felt a tug of attraction for him that was more than the connection she had as a human. It was more than desire or lust, it was the snapping together of two puzzle pieces. They simply fit.

Norah walked to the window and watched for her mate. He had left over forty minutes ago for the resort, to gather food and supplies for the two of them. It had been days since she had eaten. Her stomach roared its protest at the reminder. She had not noticed her hunger during her heat, but once it had lifted she was suddenly ravenous. She offered to go with him, but he didn't want her to struggle with the snowdrifts. He decided it would be much faster and more efficient if he went back in his wolf form, changed into his clothes at the resort, ordered food, and came on a snowmobile. Norah thought it was sweet the way that he always wanted to take care of her.

Norah heard the snowmobiles before she saw them. They zipped over the hill, allowing her to see that there were five traveling in a staggered line. She didn't need her wolf's eyes to know that her mate was in the front. Even her human eyes, and heart if she was being honest, could have easily picked him out of the crowd from five hundred feet away.

She waited until the five shifters arrived and parked their snowmobiles before she opened the door to greet them. Even though she was only in a short sleeve shirt and a pair of sweatpants she stepped out onto the snowy porch. It really was amazing how easily her body adapted to the cold now that she had completed her transition.

Lukyan flashed her a smile as he shut off the engine. His friends quickly shut down their machines and climbed off their seats. Norah watched as Dimitris escorted his mate through the deep snow drifts to the porch, while the men gathered a seemingly unending quantity of food from the sled hitched to the back of Lukyan’s machine.

Two sacks of food in each hand, Lukyan gestured to his mate. “Everyone, I’d like to officially introduce you to my mate, Norah.”

“Hi.” She intended the greeting for everyone, but her eyes remained on Lukyan. “I wasn't expecting all of you." She could feel her cheeks flush a deep crimson, suddenly embarrassed to share the small cabin with her mate’s friends. His pack. Our pack. She sniffed. The smell of her heat was still thick in the air. After Lukyan left for the resort, Norah had placed their bed sheets in the washing machine before she stepped in the shower. Still, the small cabin was filled with the smell of sex.

“We brought enough food to feed a small army. If you are as hungry as I am, we’ll need it.” Cate extended her hand to Norah with a warm smile.

Norah sniffed once more. She was relieved when the smell of roast beef and mashed potatoes, her favorites, filled her nose. Her stomach growled again. She clutched it, embarrassed.

“I think her belly is agreeing with you, Cate.” Norah felt her face flame again at the teasing.

Lukyan growled. “Don’t tease my mate, Alek. I don’t like it.”

Norah placed her hand on Lukyan’s forearm. His muscles jumped under her touch. “I don’t mind it. It’s just embarrassing to hear my stomach growl so loudly.” She could feel his arm relax against her hand.

“Then let’s get you fed.” He ushered her into the house in front of the others. The smell of their sex was even stronger inside the door. They could fill the room with roast beef and it wouldn’t be enough to cover it. Norah ducked her head and prayed that no one would say anything.

Norah pushed back the plate and scooted away from the table. “I’m stuffed!”

“But you didn’t even have dessert!” Norah let out a short laugh at the look of astonishment Cate gave her. “This is my second supper tonight and I’m still not full.”

“I don’t know where you’re putting it all, Cate. I feel like I’ve just swallowed a bowling ball.”

Alek chuckled, “Not a bowling ball, just Lukyan.” Lukyan growled. Norah reached out and put her hand on his forearm. His muscles jumped below her fingers.

Between bites of roast beef, Cate added, “You’re probably wise to stop eating now. I’ll keep eating until I’m ready to burst, which is going to make my transition later tonight so much harder.”

“Transition? Tonight?” Norah sent a confused look to Lukyan. The look he gave her left no doubt that she had definitely missed out on some vital information.

Cate swallowed her roast and stabbed at another bite. “For your mating ceremony. Lukyan said you guys are going to redo it.”

Norah searched Lukyan’s face for an explanation. “We’re having another mating ceremony, Lukyan?”

Lukyan placed his fork and knife down on his plate before he turned to answer her. “Of course, we need to do it right.”

“We did it wrong before?” Norah was confused and inexplicably angry.

“We did what we had to do before, but we need to do it the right way.” Lukyan spoke the words as if he had just given her the most sensible answer available. Norah wondered if he was so used to be categorized as the logical one that he had begun to think all his thoughts were logical. Norah looked around the table. Every person had stopped eating and was focused on her and Lukyan.

“Can we speak privately for a moment, Lukyan?” She rose and walked to the bedroom. Lukyan followed behind. He shut the door quietly.

“Is something wrong?”

“Tell me why you want to have another mating ceremony.” Norah sat on the corner of the bed and carefully folded her hands in her lap. Her instinct was to pace, but she wanted to maintain the impression of calm. Even though the sheets were clean she could still smell the sex in the room. The scent was not helping her composure. She tried to ignore it by breathing through her mouth.

“We didn’t do it properly before. I wanted to do it with my friends and family there.”

“Why?” Because you love me and you want everyone to witness it?

“Because that’s the way it’s always been done.” Norah’s heart ached. Her mate didn’t want to share his love for his mate with his friends and family, he wanted to honor tradition. Well to hell with tradition. Nothing about their relationship had been traditional thus far, why start now?

“I’m not doing it.” Norah stood up and walked out the door.

Lukyan rushed behind. He caught her in the hallway. “But, Norah, when we had the first ceremony I said I wanted to do it again.” His words were whispered. Norah looked over her shoulder at the group seated around the table. They all appeared to be making great efforts to ignore her and Lukyan’s conversation.

“I don’t recall that.” She made an attempt at privacy by keeping her voice low.

Lukyan gave her a bewildered look and ran his fingers through his hair. “Well, I do. I said I wanted to do it over, the right way.”

She lifted her head and looked up at his emerald eyes. “I don’t want to have another one. And let’s be honest, you don’t want to have another one, either. Not for the right reasons. You don’t love me, Lukyan, and until you do I don’t want to talk about this again.”

“But—”

“Do not say you love ne. You do not want to say it, not really, so don’t.” Norah words were a whisper, barely audible to her own ears.

“I—” Lukyan paused. Norah could see the struggle on his face. Was he looking for the words to change her mind? Was he trying to find a way to convince her that he did love her? Or worse, was he unable to speak because deep inside he knew she was right? He didn’t love her. Pain stabbed at Norah’s heart.

She turned her back to him and wiped away an unshed tear. She took a few seconds to compose herself before she returned to the table. Although she was no longer hungry she dished out another spoonful of mashed potatoes, just to have something to do with her hands. She could feel the tension in the room. The group, previously gregarious and happily talking around bites of food, now studiously inspected their plates and avoided eye contact.

Dejected, Lukyan sat down next to her. He didn’t rearrange his napkin or pick up his fork. No one spoke for a very uncomfortable amount of time. Finally, Cate cleared her throat.

“So, what gift did you get?”

Norah looked up. Gift?

“The gift from the Goddess. Lukyan, you didn’t tell her about the gift?” Cate gave an exasperated look to Lukyan.

“There wasn’t exactly time to talk about it, Cate.”

Cate rolled her eyes. “Everyone gets a gift from the Goddess after their first transition. Dimitris is a natural born leader. Everyone wants to follow him.” Norah nodded, though she understood little of what Cate was saying. “Your mate sees patterns, which is part of why he’s so very logical.”

“Has he told you about his lists?” Alek leaned forward and peeked around the sullen Lukyan. Norah couldn’t help but laugh at the eyebrow waggle Alek gave.

“Alek —” Cate pointed to her brother-in-law — “can move things with his mind. Saved this guy’s life a few months ago.” She stuck her thumb toward Dimitris, and he pretended to try to bite it, causing Cate to laugh and Norah to jump. After her giggles subsided she said, “And Mylo is super strong.” Norah looked at Mylo who was sitting at the foot of the table. He was quiet, even more so than Lukyan.

“How much can you lift?” She didn’t really know what else to say to him.

“All of it.” He said the words without an ounce of humor, but Alek and Dimitris laughed like it was the best joke they’d ever heard. Norah looked at Cate who just shrugged.

“And what about you, Cate? What’s your gift?”

Cate rolled her eyes again. “I can hear really well. It’s nonsense.”

Dimitris pulled his mate close and kissed her forehead. “I believe it was your hearing that really saved my life.”

“I guess it did.” She smiled and melted against him. “But enough about us, what’s your gift, Norah?”

Norah stuck her hands out and looked at them as they might tell her the answer. “I have no idea,” she finally admitted. “I don’t think I got anything.”

Lukyan pulled one of her outstretched hands into his lap and ran the pad of his thumb up and down the backs of her fingers. Norah couldn’t help but stare at the motion of his thumb as it caressed her fingers. The tenderness he showed her made Norah feel a little sick to her stomach. She had just embarrassed him in front of his friends and refused to entertain the idea of another mating ceremony. She pushed back the feelings of doubt that nagged at her conscience. She assured herself that this was the right decision. Until Lukyan said he loved her she would not entangle them more than they already were.

She took a deep breath to steady herself. She had rushed into this. Her desire for a family had been so great that she didn’t consider the consequences of mating with a shifter. Luckily this was a modern time and women were doing things differently. Lukyan and Norah had mated, but they hadn’t married. There was nothing that legally kept them together. Norah counted up the weeks in her head. The baby should be born in November which gave her just over nine months to find a way to make Lukyan love her. If by the end of the pregnancy, it was clear that his feelings for her were instinctual rather than real love, she would leave. It would hurt her tremendously, she knew, but she could not bear to bring a child into a one-sided relationship. She would rather be a single mother. They were both rational people and could figure out a custody agreement for the baby. Her wolf whined, at the idea.

“We’ll figure out your gift soon.” Norah tore her attention from Lukyan’s hand and looked up at Cate. “On a happier note, apparently we are both pregnant now.” Norah couldn’t help but blush.

“I guess the pack’s getting two new babies in nine months.”

“Actually, the pack will be getting a lot more babies than that!” Norah looked at her stomach. Just how many babies were in there? Cate laughed. “Not us, silly. All the females in the pack went into heat when I did, so we should have about twenty new babies. No one will get any sleep!”

Lukyan picked up Norah’s hand and kissed it. “You were wrong about the time frame, too.”

“How so?” Please don’t let it be less than nine months. What if that’s not enough time? What if I have to leave him before I’m ready?

He locked his green eyes on hers. “Fourteen months. Gestation for a wolf shifter is fourteen months.” A weight lifted from her shoulders. She had more time!

“Fourteen months? Shit!” Cate flopped back in her chair and made an exasperated face. Norah just smiled to herself.

eight

Lukyan slid quietly between her legs, his head nestled between her thighs. This was by far Norah’s favorite way to be awakened. For Norah, morning sickness had hit fast and hard. Now in the fifth month of her pregnancy, she was constantly plagued by nausea and vomiting. For most women morning sickness had abated at this point, but because of the elongated term of the shifters pregnancy her morning sickness was in peak condition.

True to his logical nature, Lukyan had approached the situation with rationality and reason. After carefully plotting the times and intensity of her nausea, he discovered that she was unlikely to suffer from sickness during sleep and sex. Unfortunately for Norah, her body had a habit of waking around six every morning, no matter how rested she felt. Her luck wasn’t all bad, though. Lukyan had paid attention and discovered that his mate’s body very much preferred to sleep after an orgasm, and so that is what he provided every morning at 6 AM. As far as alarm clocks went, Norah could not imagine a better one.

She had thought him cute when he explained his plan of attack. “I’m going to wake you every morning with an orgasm. Then you will be so relaxed that you can fall back to sleep and rest for another two to three hours.” Most mornings she was awakened just as she had been this day, with his head nestled between her legs. She always came quickly. Lukyan had a way of coaxing pleasure from her. Often she would demand more, before falling asleep for another two to three hours. She smiled to herself. Lukyan really was the most logical, kind, thoughtful and unselfish of mates. She reached her hands down her body and pulled gently at his hair.

“Just lay back and relax, baby." Lukyan lapped at her center. Norah couldn’t stop her eyes from rolling back in her head. This really was the best way to wake up. Lukyan's tongue ran from her middle to her clit and down again, stopping in the middle and inserting his tongue deep inside her. She wiggled under his touch. His hand slowly rubbed at the ever blooming swell of her belly. She'd only just started to show. Lukyan seemingly adored her new curves and the slight swell of her belly. He was constantly touching her there.

“Oh god, Lukyan. That's amazing." Norah's words were a husky whisper.

Lukyan continued to caress her stomach with his hand while gently lapping her core. His tongue flicked in perfect rhythm. The sensation caused a buzzing of electricity to flow through her body.

“Just like that." Her voice was more demanding now. Norah needed all of it. She pumped her hips against his face, as he continued to lap slow and rhythmically at her center, stopping on occasion to rub his face in her juices. “I'm going to come." Norah threw her head back and willed her body to relax so that the waves of pleasure could roll over her and through her. Lukyan still caressed her center with his mouth. When her body’s pulsing finally quieted, he sat back on his feet and looked down at her.

“Go back to sleep, baby. We have a big day ahead of us.”

Norah looked up at him. His mouth still glistened from her wetness and a cocky grin played on his mouth. If she didn't know better she would say he was a very contented man, but she knew better. The tenting of his pajama bottoms told her in no uncertain terms that Lukyan wanted more. “I’m not ready to go back to bed, Lukyan. I need more." She darted her eyes to his erection and lifted her eyebrows a little in a teasing glance that told him exactly what the more was that she needed. Lukyan looked at her questioningly.

“You don’t have to, Norah. I know you're tired a lot lately, and you need your rest."

“I know I don’t have to, I want to. I want you, Lukyan. I always want you."

Lukyan didn't have to be asked twice. Quickly he pulled his pants from his body. He covered her body with his, and pushed her gown up, quickly taking her nipple in his mouth. “Goddess above, Norah. I want you so badly this morning. So beautiful.” He said these words between gentle kisses on her nipple. It only took one flick of his tongue across her peaked, tight bud to have Norah instantly wet and ready for him again. She pulled at his head, urging him higher, desperate to have him inside her.

“No foreplay. Not this morning. I need you inside me." Norah wasn't sure what it was about Lukyan, but she couldn't get enough of him. Perhaps it was love, perhaps it was his beautiful body, perhaps it was a combination of everything. Or perhaps, as she most feared, it was simply animal instinct. Whatever it was she couldn't deny it. She needed and wanted him. Lukyan seemed to understand because he quickly thrust his thick erection into her body. Gently his hips began to push forward and back so that his dick slid in and out of her at a pace so slow it both excited and angered her. Her wetness increased. He knew what he did to her when he moved slowly like this. He could feel her body begging him for more. She tilted her hips, angling for more, angling for him to move deeper, urging him to take her harder and faster. Lukyan's slow pace continued. He was driving her insane and giving her bliss all at the same time. She could feel her juices flowing between her legs. She could feel the wetness of the sheets below them. She didn’t care.

“Faster. Lukyan. Please! Can't… take… anymore." Her words pleaded with him in slow, uneven gasps. Lukyan increased his pace, sliding in and out at a faster pace. Norah’s slick canal tightened, pulling him deeper.

“Fuck!" Lukyan half-whispered, half-grunted the word in her ear. “Goddess, Norah. You’re so tight." Norah squeezed tighter, pleasuring him with her warm, wet core. He pressed his chest closer to hers and rested his face in the crook her neck. His tongue snaked out and licked along her jawline, stopping at the tender spot below her ear where he swirled the tip in lazy circles. The sensation drove Norah wild. She clutched and his back and pumped hard against his thick length.

“I can’t last much longer, baby, if you keep this up.” Norah didn't need much longer. The fantastic pulses of her body had already begun. Lukyan must've felt them because he immediately went deeper and harder as her body started to squeeze around him. Growling he said, “Come for me.” Her body obeyed, clenching and releasing his cock. Lukyan's orgasm soon followed.

Panting, she wrapped her body around his, still connected and wet. Lukyan ran his hand up and down the curve of her spine. She closed her eyes, taking in all the sensations his touch afforded. “You need to go to sleep. I want you well rested for our outing today." Norah pulled her hands to Lukyan's chest and placed it over his heart. She snuggled her face tight in the crook of his neck.

“Today we get to see our little baby.” She whispered the words against the skin on his chest. He pulled his hand to her head and massaged her scalp.

“Yes, and I want you to be rested.”

“Do you think seeing him will help us decide on a name?”

Lukyan laughed. “I think he’ll still look like an alien at this point. We might want to hold off on our decision in case we’re inspired to name him Zarp.”

“I’m still leaning toward Jack.” She could almost feel Lukyan’s eyes roll. The night before Lukyan had listed all the reasons why Jack would be an inappropriate name for their little one. He had created a rather long list of possible teasing names a Jack might be given by the other kids.

“We can’t name him Jack. There are too many names kids could call him. Jack Off, Jack Ass, Jackamabob, Jack in the box, Jack My Cock Off, Jack Your Cock Off, Jack wad…”

Norah drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face. She loved this ridiculous, list-making man.

“Eat a popsicle” Lukyan reached in the backseat and fished a cherry popsicle out of the cooler behind Norah’s seat. She groped for it, without even looking. Per the usual, her morning sickness had returned with a vengeance. She unwrapped the cold treat and stuck it in her mouth. Lukyan patted her knee. “We’ll be there soon. I know it’s harder for you in the car.” Norah was so nauseous she couldn’t even bring herself to respond. This pregnancy was really doing a number on her. According to Mikaela, one of the pack’s older females, the morning sickness would end soon. Norah could hardly wait. The sickness had started almost as soon as her heat ended, and it was still going strong. Even though her belly was beginning to curve out, she had lost weight. She could rarely tolerate much more than a popsicle on her queasy stomach.

It had been over five months since she and Lukyan had mated. In that time she had grown ever more in love with him. It wasn't just animal instinct, not for her at least. It wasn’t just his beautiful face or perfect body, or the fact that he was smart and funny, in a nerdy kind of way. It was all of the little things that he did that combined to make him the one perfect male. She loved that he was quiet. That he didn't force her to talk. That the two of them could sit together and be content to just hold hands while they watched TV or had dinner. Never before had she known such companionable silence. It wasn’t that they didn't talk, they did. There were times when the two of them would have deep and meaningful conversation, but there were also times when they were comfortably silent. She had never experienced that with another man.

There were thousands of other reasons that made her fall more and more in love with him every day. Not only did he wake her every morning with a smile and an orgasm, her very favorite way to be awoken, he also did other little things to help ease the pressure of her pregnancy. One of the small things that Lukyan had discovered was that, more than any other remedy, the cold popsicles were the best at easing her nausea. She had tried medicine, but her new metabolism ran right through the drugs, rendering them practically useless. So her options were to sleep, have mind-blowing sex, and eat popsicles, or be unbelievably and irrevocably ill for the entirety of her first trimester. As soon as he discovered that popsicles helped ease her sickness, he stocked the entire house with them. He had mini refrigerators put in every room so that she always had access to the frozen treats.

There were other things her mate did that made her smile and made her love him. Alek teased Lukyan for his logic and his love for making lists, but Norah found those things rather charming. She smiled through her nausea. She had fallen asleep this morning as he rambled on about all the reasons they shouldn’t name their son Jack. Other women might find his need for logic annoying. Cate called him a nerd. He was a bit of a nerd, but he was her nerd. She loved him to the point of agony.

Nausea hit her harder. He squeezed her knee again. “Almost at the doctors, babe.” They had been looking forward to this day for weeks. “Today we get to see our little bean.”

Our little bean. That’s what Lukyan had started to call the baby growing inside her. The baby she loved so much. The baby Lukyan loved so much. She knew he loved their baby from all the small kisses he placed on her belly, and the sweet words he spoke to her stomach when he thought she was sleeping. She sucked on the popsicle and fought the tears that threatened at her eyes. She had everything she had asked for. Many women long for great careers or fancy lives, but all Norah had ever really wanted was a family. For years she thought that meant having a husband and a child to hold and take care of. Now she had the shifter equivalent of that. She had a mate that vowed to protect and honor her for hundreds of years. She was pregnant with her first child. Despite all that, she felt incredibly worried and fearful of the unknown. She felt like a fool for realizing too late that what she really wanted all along was to love someone completely and be loved in return. In the five months they had been together, Lukyan had never once said he loved her. She knew he cared, there were too many clues to not know, but she couldn’t trust that he loved her. Not without those three words.

She had grown up with two wonderful parents who loved one another, who still loved one another, to distraction. Before she retired, Norah’s mother had been a successful educator, having gone on to be a principal and then superintendent of her school district. Despite all those successes, she once told Norah there was nothing she had done in her career that could match the joy that she got from being loved by Norah's father. That’s what Norah wanted. To be loved completely and undeniably by her mate. There were times when she believed her love for Lukyan and the baby would be enough, but deep in her heart, she knew that it wasn’t enough. She couldn’t stay in a relationship with Lukyan if he didn’t love her.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. His hand was still on her knee, but his eyes were on the road. The sunlight glinted in his hair, making it look brighter than usual. Yes, she definitely loved him, and she had nine more months to find out if he felt the same.

nine

"All right Miss Norah, are you ready to see your little baby?" Christie, the ultrasound technician, helped Norah lie back on the room’s small medical examination bed, the she pulled up Norah’s shirt so her belly would show. "First things first, I’m going to put a little gel on your stomach. Be prepared for it to feel very cold, but that will help the wand glide over your tummy so that we can see the little guy or gal that you've got growing inside of you." Norah smiled at the pretty redhead. She was excited about her baby, but nervous too.

Based on what Lukyan told her, she would grow a little boy and a little wolf in her stomach. A stray thought struck her. What if the baby was in wolf form right now? Norah felt a little sick at the thought. Why hadn’t she discussed this with Lukyan before hand? How would they play off the fact that she had a little canine in her stomach?

Christie squeezed the cold gel on Norah’s exposed skin. She jumped at the contact and gave the young woman a wan smile. Lukyan grabbed Norah’s hand to calm her. He squeezed it reassuringly.

“Ahem.” Lukyan cleared his throat and waited until he had the technician’s full attention before he began to speak. "Before you do this Christie, I would like to ensure that since we’re paying in cash this will not be recorded in our medical records."

The redhead gave him a quizzical look. "Sir, I can't promise you that. Any medical activity or service that we provide in our office has to be recorded, even if you’re self-pay."

Lukyan looked at Norah and then back to Christie. "Christie, you want to do as I say. You do not want to record the activities of today's meeting." He sat back waiting. Norah looked from her mate to the assistant. Was Lukyan trying to compel the girl to do as he wished? Was this his plan for not revealing their secret?

The pretty redhead blinked a few times at Lukyan but then shook her head as if clearing a bad memory from her mind. "Sir, I'm not sure what it is that you don't want to have recorded in the medical records, but I cannot do this unless we're allowed to keep a report of it." She looked at Norah and then back to Lukyan. "I will give you two a few minutes to talk about this. You can decide if you want to have this ultrasound, or not, it really doesn't matter to me. That said, I will not perform it unless I can maintain proper medical records of the treatment that I give you today." She reached over and squeeze Norah's hand gently while looking her directly in the eye. Norah felt a kinship with this woman. She was so sweet and kind, and Norah couldn't blame her for not wanting to do her job. Christie stood up and excused herself gently closing the door behind her.

"What was that, Lukyan?" Norah was flustered. She had been experiencing extreme nausea and sickness for the last five months. Finally, she was going to have some joy from the pregnancy by seeing the little bean.

Lukyan ran his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Norah. We should have talked about this before. As you know, your pregnancy is quite long because you're growing, essentially, two babies inside of you. The human baby takes about nine months to form, and the wolf baby takes three months to form."

"That's only twelve months, Lukyan. You're forgetting that I'm supposed to be pregnant for fourteen months." Norah rolled her eyes. She had heard the explanation before, but she felt it imperative that he explain all fourteen months that she was going to have to be with child.

Lukyan ran his hands through his hair again. Norah couldn't help but smile at his disheveled look. He was normally so neat and pulled together. "You know that the additional two months are to allow for the magic to grow so that the child can go back and forth between wolf and human. I've explained this to you. What I didn't explain was that it's anyone's guess as to which child forms first in your body. So today during the ultrasound we might see a wolf and not a human baby. At five months, we should be clear. If the wolf formed first, the human baby would appear to be approximately two months along. If the human formed first, it would appear to be about five months along. But what if the magic formed in the middle, not the end? What if the ultrasound shows a wolf, not a human? I don't want any record of that.

“Normally shifters don't have an ultrasound done for that very reason. Some are lucky enough to have a shifter in the medical world and they go to that person to have their ultrasound done. We don’t have that luxury. There are no local shifters with easy access to an ultrasound machine.” He was beginning to get worked up, so Norah reached over and patted his leg. Her gentle touch seemed to calm him. After a brief pause and a deep breath, he continued.

“I thought that I could compel this woman. Normally I can compel most humans, but some individuals are too strong-willed. It seems our little ultrasound technician is among the stubborn group."

"So instead of seeing a human baby, we might see a wolf on the ultrasound?" Lukyan nodded.

"Yes. I'm sure you can understand why it is vitally important that no medical records be kept that pertain to this child. We cannot risk our safety or our child’s safety. If I can’t compel Christie we cannot have this done. We'll have to schedule with someone else and try to find another technician somewhere that is more readily swayed." Norah patted his knee again. He was tense and worried, which was very unlike him. Usually he was the one comforting her.

"Can I try? I haven't found my gift yet, perhaps I'm able to compel people better than you are." Norah had not yet found her gift. Everyone told her she would discover it soon but it hadn’t happened yet. Cate had told her one that every pack was supposed to have one female that could compel even the most strong-willed of humans. Perhaps that was Norah.

Lukyan let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes, I don't see why you shouldn't try as well. You're right, you haven't found your gift and this very well could be it. The key to compelling someone is to phrase the command in such a way that it sounds like something they want to do. Simply say, ‘You want to…’ then follow it up with whatever it is that you want them to do. For instance, you might say, ‘Christie, you want to do as I ask. You do not want to record the medical records that you see here today.’" He squeezed Norah's hand. "Do you think you can do that?"

Norah nodded her head. “Yes, I can do that." She practiced the phrasing in her mind twice before a gentle knock sounded at the door. Before either of them had time to call out, Come in, Christie opened the door and stuck her head in.

"You guys ready for me yet? Have you made a decision?" Christie didn't even bother to look at Lukyan, choosing instead to look directly at Norah for an answer. Norah briefly felt a special kinship with her. It was clear that she wanted Norah to see her baby.

"Yes, Christie, I believe we are ready. But—” Norah licked her lip which suddenly felt dry from nerves— “before we start I just want to reiterate that you do not want to record the events of today's ultrasound. You would like to do as I say. Isn't that right, Christie?"

Christie paused for a second and sat back still looking at Norah the entire time. Norah cast a worried glance to Lukyan. Perhaps it didn’t work. "That's right, Norah. I want to do exactly as you say.” She flashed Norah a genuine grin. Norah felt an immense weight lift from her chest in reaction to the bright smile. “So glad you guys decided to come in today." Norah gave a relieved sigh and she felt Lukyan's hand relax and hers. They would finally get to see the baby, whether in its wolf or human form, and they wouldn't have to worry about pesky human medical records following them or anyone asking questions.

"Okay, Norah, now I will just help you lie back and get comfy.” Christie stood up from her rolling stool, but Lukyan was already guiding Norah back into a lying position. “Alrighty then, is seems your eager boyfriend beat me to it.” She winked at Norah. “I’m just going to put a little more gel on your belly since the first batch is starting to dry." Norah adjusted her shirt and Christie applied a bit more of the very cold gel to her stomach. "Okay are you guys ready to see your little person?" Christie beamed proudly at Norah and Lukyan. "This is always the most exciting part."

Christie turned on the machine and placed the head of the wand on Norah's belly. She moved it in a side to side motion a little bit before she found a heartbeat. Norah’s gaze was immediately transfixed on a little flashing pulse of light dead center on the screen. His heartbeat!

"Oh my, Lukyan, that’s the baby's heart!" Norah’s voice could not contain her excitement. Lukyan could only nod his head. He seemed to be at a loss for words. They held hands and gazed at the little bean’s flashing heart.

“All right.” Christie’s voice broke the spell. “Let’s see if we can get some more views of this little person." Christie moved the applicator slowly around the belly. “See this?” She clicked on the keyboard and an arrow pointed to a location on the baby. “This is the baby’s kidney. And this—” another arrow— “is the baby’s lungs. And here is the baby’s brain." Another arrow went up on the screen. “Everything looks perfectly normal for a fetus that’s five months along.”

Norah was so excited to see her baby and relieved to see that he was his human form. She would have also been happy if he had been in wolf form simply because he was her baby, but to see him in human form — that was a real treat. Her wolf growled inside her head and she mentally reached out to pet it. She loved being a shifter. It was like having a constant mental backup, but she was still pretty new at it. Plus, given that she was always so nauseated from morning sickness, she rarely shifted. It was just too much, physically, for her to contend with. So although she loved her wolf, she hadn’t yet made complete peace with the beast.

"Do you want to know the sex?" Christie looked from Norah to Lukyan and back to Norah. Norah smiled at Lukyan. Of course, they both knew that the baby would be a boy. All wolf shifter children were born as boys, or at least all wolf shifter children had been born as boys for the last many thousands of years. Cate might be the game changer that brought a female shifter child that into the world, but both Lukyan and Norah knew their baby would be a boy. Despite that she still wanted affirmation.

"Yes, Christie, we would love to know the sex of the baby." Christie moved the head of the applicator further around Norah’s belly until she zoned in on one specific body part.

"See this?” She put another arrow on the screen.

“It’s a boy!” Lukyan exclaimed gleefully as though he didn’t already know the answer.

“Actually, that means the little guy… or girl… is giving you the thumbs up.” She winked at Norah conspiratorially. “It’s this—” another arrow— “that lets me know you’re having a boy.” Christie said the words as if she was revealing something new and exciting for Norah and Lukyan. She had no idea that they both knew already that the child was a boy. And despite the fact that Norah knew the child was a boy before she even set foot in the building, seeing it on screen and hearing it from a trained medical professional’s mouth made it seem all the more real. Norah teared up.

"Thank you, Christie. I cannot imagine a moment that would be more exciting than this one.” She grasped the redhead by the hand. “I appreciate you so much. You have helped Lukyan and I experienced something so special, the opportunity to see our child before he's even born." Christie smiled and scooted around on her stool.

“I’m going to turn this off, but I’ll leave this picture on the screen for you guys. When you check out I will have a few pictures waiting for you at the checkout counter.” She looked at Norah as she stood up. “Before I go, are you getting regular checkups and updates, Norah?" Norah nodded and confirmed that she was getting regular checkups, which was absolutely a lie. Lukyan had told her repeatedly that shifters do not need regular checkups. Unlike humans, they were rarely ill or in need of medical care. She didn’t want to appear as if she were a negligent mother, however, so she pretended that she went often to her doctor’s office.

Lukyan watched Christie leave the room, and then he gently pulled Norah's shirt back down over her blooming belly. He leaned forward and cupped her face in his hands. "Norah, I lo—” he caught the word in his mouth and sent her a look of panic. Taking a deep breath he opened his mouth to start again. Say it, say it, Norah urged him silently.

“You are so special to me." He leaned forward and gently kissed her lips. It was a soft sweet gesture. Norah could almost guarantee that there was love in it. But why didn’t he tell her? Perhaps he’s one of those men that has an irrational fear of the L-word, she reasoned with herself. Perhaps I should say it first. Yes, she liked that idea. She would tell him first. Tonight.

Lukyan sat back and moved his face down to Norah's belly. He cupped her belly in his hands, his mouth above her belly button. "And you, my little bean, I love you so much." Lukyan bent and kissed Norah’s stomach through the cloth of her shirt. Norah felt a pang of sadness, and if she were truthful, of jealousy, followed immediately by a stab of shame. She was jealous of her own unborn child!

Hot tears formed in her eyes. Before she could push them away they fell down her cheeks. She was so ashamed of herself, but she could not stop the tears from falling. Lukyan looked up to her face.

"It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it darling? I almost cried myself when I saw the little guy." Norah nodded her head. He thinks I'm crying because we saw the baby. He would be so ashamed of me if he knew I was crying because I was jealous of our child.

Lukyan handed her a tissue from the box on the counter. "Here sweetie. Dry your eyes. Let’s get you out of here and get a popsicle in your hand. I can tell by the look on your face that you're not feeling well." Lukyan helped Norah sit up and guided her gently out the door.

For the first time in a long while, none of Norah’s discomfort had anything to do with morning sickness.

ten

Norah sat down on the bed and looked around the room. Her MacBook air sat open on the desk in the corner. She had quite a bit of work to do, but she ignored it. She was simply too ill, physically and emotionally, to manage client files today. She laid back on the soft pillows scattered at the head of the bed and stared at the ceiling. Lukyan almost said he loved her. She was sure that was what he was going to say before he stopped himself. Why?

Norah had thought that he was possibly one of those guys for whom I love you was just too difficult to utter, but then he confused her when he said it so easily to their unborn child. Norah felt a stab of pain. She was ashamed of herself for being jealous of their child, a child that deserved the love from Lukyan as much, if not more than she did. But, she wanted it for herself, too.

He had held her hand the entire way home. By the time they reached the gated entrance to the estate, her tears and dried, but his hand remained on hers, gently stroking against her knuckles.

"I can call into work today if you want me to stay home. You seem like you might need me." The look he gave her practically implored her to say yes. She was torn. On the one hand, she desperately wanted him to stay and comfort her; on the other hand, she couldn't bear to be around him any longer. It was a Catch 22 moment. There was nothing she wanted more than him in her life, but she couldn't stand to be near without his love.

Norah shook her head and wiped her now dry eyes. "No, it's okay. You have a lot of work to do. I will need you around the house when the baby gets here."

A gentle scratch at her door pulled her from her memories. She partially sat up. “Come in." A disheveled Cate stuck her head through the crack of the door.

“Can I come in?" Cate flashed a pretty smile. Norah waved her in.

"Lukyan called. He asked that I check on you. Are you doing okay?" Cate sat down on the edge of the bed and gave Norah's shoulders a friendly pat. The two had become quite close in the past five months. Cate wasn’t quite as open or outrageous as Jessie, but she was a pretty good stand-in for the best friend that Norah hadn’t seen for months.

"I know you've been feeling really badly lately. I wish that you were having a decent pregnancy. My first pregnancy with Peter — so easy. I felt great the entire time. This one—" she pointed to her belly — "has been an entirely different story." She rolled her eyes for effect.

Despite her nausea, Norah snorted. "What, it's not normal to walk around in a bathrobe because your pregnant body urges you to shift into wolf form every five minutes? You do realize your weird pregnancy craving is to be a wolf, right?" Cate laughed. Where Norah had suffered the first five months of her pregnancy with debilitating morning sickness, Cate had experienced pregnancy in a totally new way. Early on, she had stopped wearing normal clothing and had taken to walking around the estate in a robe because she could not stop herself from shifting at the most random time. Dimitris, ever worried that someone would try to harm his mate, or as most referred to her, the Wolf Queen, had asked his entire security crew to also wear robes. If Cate shifted unexpectedly, they needed to shift as well. Cate had a simple desire to run in her wolf form on a regular basis, and her security needed to be near her at all times.

Wearing the robe was an absolute source of shame for Mylo, for whom Alek had purchased a silky flowered kimono. It was one of the few moments in Norah's pregnancy that gave her joy. Walking through the house and finding Mylo in his short red robe dotted with big white flowers was a sight to behold. He was such a dignified man in such an undignified outfit. She giggled at the thought.

Cate sat up and looked frantically around the room. "Oh no, Norah, I'm getting the feeling again.” She rubbed her belly as if coaxing the growing baby to let her rest for a while.

“Why don’t you come for a run with me? I don’t think you will feel as queasy in your wolf form, and I don’t think I can stay here much longer. I have to let this little wolf out on a regular basis or else she will just pop right out at the most inopportune of times."

Norah waved off the suggestion "Cate, I am just too nauseous. I don't think my body can handle both the sickness and the pain of transition. I can’t do it."

Cate stood and looked at her friend. "Norah, you will feel much better if you let your wolf out to play. I think that is part of your problem. You’ve been keeping her inside too much. I know that sounds ridiculous coming from me, I've only been a shifter or for a few short months, but I think it's true. I think you should allow yourself to transition and let your wolf take over. You will feel much better." Cate tilted her head to one side and gave Norah a thoughtful look. "And I'm not just talking about your morning sickness. There's something sad about you, Norah. This should be the happiest time in your life. You just found your fated mate and you are bringing a new baby into the world. I think you would not be so sad if you let your wolf take over for a bit and stop being human for a few minutes."

Rolling waves of nausea washed over Norah. Cate was right, it wasn't just morning sickness that was bringing her down, it was her very human desire for Lukyan's love. Norah didn't believe that shifting into a wolf would answer her question, her wolf wanted love from Lukyan as much as she did. She looked up at her friend. Cate was still waiting. She seemed to believe that Norah would simply acquiesce to her wishes. Alphas! Funnily enough, Norah did want to do as her alpha female requested.

"You're right. I will probably feel a lot better if I can just be my wolf self for a little while." She stood up from the bed but had to steady herself on the nightstand. Her wolf may need to come out more often, but her human-self was still very much fighting the dizziness and nausea that followed her everywhere she went. "I’ll be down in just a minute. Wait for me.”

Cate’s wolf arrived at the little house first and stood on the porch. Norah’s wolf sprinted up the stairs behind her and immediately pawed at the door. The door was closed tight and would not budge without the use of an opposable thumb. Looking around, she ensured no one was looking before shifting back to her human form. She quickly grabbed the handle and shoved the door open. Ivan, Cate’s assigned security guard, was still in his wolf form and followed closely behind. Norah felt confident he had seen her naked body. The heat of embarrassment washed over her. She hid her body behind the door and stuck her head around the edge.

"Cate, shift out of your wolf and get in here. I want to shut the door." Cate’s wolf just looked at her. “Hurry up,” Norah urged, impatiently. Slowly the beast began to change and Cate's body emerged from the animal.

"Shit! I can never get my damn legs to shift. Stuck— every time." Norah peeked around the door. A naked Cate laid across the porch, struggling to free her legs from the wolf’s body.

"Hurry!" Norah was exasperated. Really, Cate had been a wolf shifter for four months longer than Norah. Shouldn't she be able to shift out of her wolf form by now? Especially after the practice she had gotten lately. Norah estimated she shifted into her wolf form five or six times a day.

“Help me, Norah. I can’t seem to master this.” Norah cast her gaze along the tree line. Ivan hadn’t come out yet. She knew he was there, but was staying back to give them some semblance of privacy. She clutched her arm across her breast and ran out the door to Cate. Bending, she put her hand on Cate’s back. “Just concentrate. You can do this.”

Cate took a steadying breath. "My legs do this every time."

“You just need to relax so you can be fully human. Breathe through it.” Norah forced her voice to maintain a soft and soothing tone.

Cate took another breath and suddenly her legs were human once again. She stood nonchalantly and walked in the door as if nothing ever happened. She turned when she got inside the threshold and looked at Norah, still crouched on the porch. “Are you coming?” Norah rolled her eyes and followed Cate through the door.

Just as Cate suspected, the shift from human to wolf had helped Norah's morning sickness. For the first time in months, she was feeling rather good, or as good as one can feel with a broken heart. She looked around the room. The front door opened into a small, cozy kitchen which was connected to a comfortable living room that ran the length of the house. Norah thought it an odd entrance to the home but said nothing.

“Where's the robe?" Norah opened the pantry and was disappointed to find it filled with canned food and boxes of cookies, rather than something to cover her body.

"Honestly, Norah, I don't keep robes in the kitchen.” Cate gave an exaggerated eye roll, “They are upstairs where civilized people keeps robes.” Cate led the way through the house and up the stairs to a bedroom that was far larger than Norah had imagined for the little cottage. The house was settled just on the northern edge of the estate. According to Cate, Dimitris had bought the home about five years ago when the previous owners put it up for sale. Norah knew this was Cate’s daily destination. She often ran here from the estate house and relaxed for a while before her wolf urged her to go for another run.

When it became clear that Cate’s need to be in wolf form was unlikely to subside, Dimitris had stocked the house with food and several robes so that Cate and whichever female accompanied her could lounge around without fear of being seen by their security team. Lukyan had also told her that Dimitris had also had new security cameras installed. One could never be too careful with the safety of the purported Wolf Queen.

"According to Dimitris this is all pretty much as the previous owners left it. He bought it furnished, so everything you see here belonged to them. See there" she pointed to a chest of drawers in the corner of the bedroom. "They left all of their perfumes and body sprays. I mean, who does that?” Norah had to agree. It was very weird that a couple would leave so quickly and not take any of their personal items.

“Dimitris has someone come in to clean every week. He says it's better to have the house looked lived-in as opposed to leaving it empty. He’s probably right. I think all the knick-knacks and personal items make it feel more comfortable for me. Perhaps that’s why my wolf likes to run here every day.”

Cate opened the door to a walk-in closet and handed out a short purple robe. Norah took the fluffy wrap and quickly put it on. She sat down on the bed and watched her friend. Cate rummaged through the various robes as if she were trying to find just the right one. Norah rolled her eyes. The only woman she'd ever known that was as comfortable in her own skin as Cate was her best friend, Jessie.

"Can I ask you something, Cate?"

"Of course. Shoot." Cate picked out a green robe and pulled it over her arms.

"When did Dimitris first say he loved you?” Norah crossed her hands in her lap and attempted to look as if she was just curious and not asking for personal reasons.

"Hmm. Let’s see.” She tapped her chin with her fingers. “I’d say we had known one another for approximately two hours before he dropped the L-word on me." Cate laughed at the absurdity of it. “At the time the man honestly believed he was being cool about the whole thing, like I should have just thought it was normal that a man I'd known for two hours told me he loved me."

"Two hours? That’s incredibly fast." Norah tried to do the math on how many hours she had known Lukyan at this point. Almost four thousand, Norah. Four thousand hours without an I love you.

"What’s all this about, Norah? Has Lukyan told you he loves you?” Cate walked from the closet toward the bed.

Norah shook her head to ward off this conversation. She did not want to talk about this with Cate. She chastised herself for bringing this up in the first place. "Did I tell you my good news?"

"Don't change the subject, Norah. Tell me about Lukyan." Cate had her hand on her hip and was doing the alpha stare that Norah had grown to know meant I want answers and I want them now.

Norah continued, "So it turns out that I have the ability to compel humans. Today, during our ultrasound, Lukyan tried to compel Christie into not retaining any medical records, but she would not do it. She is apparently one of those rare strong-willed humans who is immune to the powers of compulsion. She rolled her eyes at him and told us to decide whether or not we wanted to go through with all of this. Lukyan was pretty much convinced that we were not going to have our ultrasound today, but I asked him if I could try. When she came back in I told her what she wanted to do, and it worked!”

Cate looked at her dubiously. "I know what you're doing. You are trying to change the subject. Lucky for you, this one time I'm going to let you, for no other reason than I just have to say, ‘How fucking sad it is that I can hear stuff really well, and you get to compel people?’ Once again we discover that I, the supposed Queen of all wolf shifters, gets to eavesdrop on conversations when all the other shifters around me have a really cool gift." Norah smiled. She perhaps had not been able to completely sway Cate from the subject of love, but she had at least pulled her attention far enough away that she wouldn't revisit it for a while.

"So, are you planning on getting an ultrasound, Cate? You could go back to where I went and I could compel Christie into letting you guys get one without medical records as well."

Cate looked lovingly at her own little swelling belly. She ran her hands along the growing bump. "As much as I would love to see the little guy or gal, Dimitris and I both decided that it would be a bad idea for me to get an ultrasound. We really don't want anyone to know what we are having. Clearly the entire pack, no make that the entire wolf shifter world, wants us to have a girl. They want me so desperately to be the Wolf Queen, the one that ends the curse against all wolves, the one that finally gives birth to a female child. But what if she's not a female? What if she is a he. I don’t want anyone to be disappointed by the child I bring into the world because I won’t be disappointed. I will love him or her no matter what.

“That’s why we decided to wait. We figured that no one would be upset when the baby arrived, even if it’s a boy. How can you be upset when a happy, healthy baby is staring back at you?"

Norah couldn't argue with Cate. Although it was a little sad that she and Lukyan could never have a daughter if Cate wasn’t truly the Wolf Queen, the fact was there was no pressure on them either. She could not imagine the pressure that Dimitris and Cate felt by her supposed Wolf Queen status. There had to be a lot of fretting and worry that went along with her title. The really interesting thing was that no one even knew if she really was the Wolf Queen, at least not yet. Until a female shifter was born, no one could know for certain if the curse would be broken. Norah looked up at her friend. Cate might prefer to have been given Norah’s gift, but Norah was certainly glad she was not chosen to carry the burden of Wolf Queen.

The heavy thoughts weighed on Norah. She rose from the bed and began to explore the contents of the room. A gold bangle bracelet had been carelessly thrown on one of the bedside tables. She picked it up and tried it on. "I can’t believe all the stuff the former owners left here. Who would leave nice jewelry? It's one thing to leave Axe body spray, but is another thing entirely to leave a gold bracelet." She held out her arm to show Cate. For once, the alpha looked a bit demure.

"Umm, actually that's mine. Dimitris and I don't only use this place as a rendezvous point for my wolf runs. Sometimes we just need to get away." For the first time ever, Norah witnessed a sheepish Cate. Was she embarrassed that she and her mate ran away to have trysts at the little home on the edge of the estate? Norah found it charming. She wondered if she and Lukyan would ever know the same luxury?

Cate tilted her head to the side. "Shh. Did you hear that? What am I talking about? Of course, you didn’t.” She waved her hands at Norah, a visual cue to stop talking. If Norah wasn’t suddenly so spooked, she would have thought it funny. She hadn’t spoken for at least two minutes. “Shhh," Cate hissed again. Norah wondered what the alpha female was talking about.

"What is it?"

"I think someone's here. It sounds like –" Cate tilted her head further to the side and listened harder. Norah could see the concentration on her face. "It sounds like someone just hit Ivan and is trying to tie him up." She paused. “Shit! They are looking for me. Hide!” Sweat broke out all over Norah's body. What did someone want with Cate, and what did he do to Ivan? Norah ran her hands down the sides of the purple robe.

Fast thinking, Cate ran to the chest of drawers and grabbed a can of Axe body spray and sprayed it in thick clouds all over the room. Soon the room smelled just like a high school locker room. Gag. Norah thought she might die. In her human form, the scent would be overpowering, but as a shifter it was nauseating. Cate pushed and pulled at Norah before pointing frantically to the walk-in closet. The alpha ran towards the door and waved Norah to follow behind her. Norah could not move. She was frozen stiff with trepidation.

"Come on, Norah," Cate hissed before she slinked in the closet and cracked the door. Norah willed her legs toward the closet, but they would not budge. Her wolf bristled her fur and showed her teeth. It seemed the two of them were truly backed into a corner now.

The sound of heavy boots clattered on the wooden stairs. Someone was coming.

eleven

Norah stood stock-still in the middle of the bedroom and waited. Cate had crept away and was hiding in the walk-in closet, but Norah could not bring herself to move there. Cate had waved frantically urging her to come inside; Norah ignored her. Her eyes remained frozen on the open door. Her wolf whimpered inside her head. She didn’t need to be a dog whisperer to know that the whimper was both from fear and frustration. She could almost hear the mournful sound sing-song the word Idiot. She didn’t disagree with the beast one bit.

From the sounds of the footfalls on the wooden steps, Norah surmised there were two men. She didn't need a super hearing to also know that the men had restrained Ivan. They must've hit him and knocked him out because he had been quiet for a while, but now she could hear his struggles from below stairs. Norah mentally cheered him on. If he could escape he would save them.

Still frozen in place, she listened to the men as they checked the various rooms on the top floor. The door to the adjacent bedroom opened and someone rummaged around the space. She could hear the man’s grumbles through the thin walls. He did not sound happy. It would not be long until he and his accomplice brought their unhappy selves in this room. An involuntary shudder ran through her body. Her hands clutched at her belly. I will keep you safe, little guy.

"Found her." The man standing in the doorway was large and dark. His long hair fell in disheveled waves across his forehead down to his shoulders. Norah looked at him. If she weren't so frightened and he wasn’t so uninvited, she might have found him attractive. Her wolf growled at that. No man who threatened a woman was attractive.

"Hey little lady, we ain’t going to hurt you. We’re lookin’ for the Queen." Norah stood her ground, unblinking. The second one joined the first at the entrance. He was shorter and wider. His thickly muscled shoulders were almost as wide as the door frame. Both men were dressed in bright yellow sweatshirts, worn jeans, and heavy leather work boots. Norah had seen this outfit before on the local telephone employees. She suspected that these men had acquired the clothes, and perhaps a short-term job to blend in and gain access to the little house.

"Where's the Queen, bitch?" The short man had spoken this time. Norah refused to speak. Inside her head she chanted, Do not look at the closet. Do not look at the closet. She did not want to physically give away Cate's whereabouts. Clearly, the men were looking for the Queen, not Norah. It was Norah's duty to protect her alpha and friend.

The second one inched closer. Norah couldn’t smell him over the scent of body spray that perfumed the air, but instinct told her he was a wolf shifter, like her. Her wolf growled and bared her teeth at the man. Norah tensed as he drew closer.

"Listen, lady, we don't wanna hurt you, we don't wanna hurt the Queen, neither. We just need to see her." Again Norah refused to speak. She looked from the first man to the second and back to the first. She had a sneaking suspicion that the first man was the more tolerant of the two. The second man truly frightened her. She silently willed him to step away from her.

"Give her just a second to calm herself, James." The first man pushed the shorter man, James, out of the way, then he placed his hands on Norah's shoulders. "Lady, we don't want to hurt anyone, we just need to see the Queen. We know she's pregnant, just like you. You wouldn't have that belly if it weren't for the Queen. We just need to know what she’s having. Is it a girl or a boy? The whole shifter community wants to know. It's really important that we find out." He stood back and looked at Norah expecting her to speak. She remained quiet, she would not give these men the pleasure of a reply.

The short man moved around the room. He walked over to the chest of drawers where the perfumes and body spray had been placed. "Were you the one that sprayed this shit? I can't smell nothing because of it. That's my gift to you know? A heightened sense of smell, but now I can't smell nothing because of you." The more agitated he became the thicker his accent. Norah could hear hints of Kentucky, perhaps Tennessee, in his voice. His accent reminded her of her kind grandfather who had grown up in the Appalachian Mountains. The man paced the room, agitated. He might sound like her grandfather, but she had a suspicion there was little of her grandfather’s gentleness in this stocky shifter.

The first man tried again, this time pulling Norah a bit closer and putting more pressure on her shoulders with his tight grip. "Listen, lady, I’m going to ask you one more time, real nice like. Where is the Queen?” He said the words in a staccato rhythm, emphasizing each one so that every word sounded like it’s own question. Norah raised her eyes to his and shrugged her shoulders indicating that she had no idea. A look of sheer anger unfurled across his face. In that moment, Norah knew true fear. She rubbed gently on the swell of her stomach.

"Bitch, you're gonna tell me where the Queen is. We know she's here, we been watching this house for weeks. This was our first opportunity to get in here. You only have one security guard this time." Norah looked over at the second man as he was rising from the floor. He must have been looking under the bed for Cate. He snarled at her as he stood.

"Maybe she's in the bathroom.” He walked across the room and opened the door to the restroom. "Shit!" He stepped out of the bathroom clenching his hands in frustration and anger.

"Is she having a girl?" he screamed at her. “Is our curse over or not?” Norah fought the instinct to shrink away from the man. She pasted a disinterested look on her face and shrugged her shoulders once again. She would not use her voice. Being quiet gave her and Cate more time to find a way out of this mess.

The short man stepped closer and shoved the taller one of the way. "We need to know. Boy or girl? The shifter community is not happy. We were sent here to find out even if that means we have to take the Queen to get an ultrasound. It's that simple."

Norah could almost understand their frustration, but kidnapping and threatening a woman was not the way to gain her sympathy. The shifter community had waited thousands of years for an end to the curse, they could wait a few more months. She cast her eyes down. She would not speak to these men. She would not look at the closet. She would not do anything that would give away Cate’s presence.

The second man grabbed her shoulders hard and shook her. "I don't want to hurt you, but I'm going to if you don't start talking. Now!" He shook her again, more violently than before. Norah had no time to react. Without warning the alpha launched herself from her hidden space in the closet and hurled something toward the man. A flash of purple flew through the air and smack hard against his head. His hands dropped instantly from her shoulders before he fell with a sickening thud to the floor. Blood pooled under his head.

Norah watched as Cate launched herself toward the purple ball. Norah could now see that it was a kettle bell, probably used by the previous owners for a quick workout session. The alpha scrambled across the floor trying to grab it so that she could protect them from the second man, but he was faster, he kicked it out of her way before he pulled Cate to standing position. Cate fought violently against him, scratching and kicking before he bound her tightly to his body.

"Stop that now, little Queen. I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to know if you got a girl or boy in your stomach." The man spoke soothingly between Cate’s attempts to free herself. Norah glanced at the kettle bell lying near the short man’s body. Did she have the courage to use it? She had always considered herself more of a flight than fight person.

"You? Why would I tell you anything? You came in here and hurt my security guard, hurt my friend, and now you're physically restraining me. Fuck. You." Cate wiggled and squirmed in the man’s arms, but to no avail. The man was far larger. Cate kicked at him with her unbound feet.

Norah watched Cate thrust her feet backward in an attempt to make contact with the tall man’s shins. Then she watched as slim fingers scratched and clawed at the man’s face. Slowly she realized they were her own hands! She had not thought herself capable of fighting to protect herself or Cate, but clearly, that was untrue. When push came to shove she was capable of trying to rescue herself. She slapped at the man’s unprotected face. He could not hold Cate and stop Norah’s attacks at the same time.

Her hand arced through the air but missed his face. Was he stepping away from her, or was… Shit! The short man stood over Norah where she hand landed roughly on the bed. He had pulled her from the taller man when she was least expecting it. She had not heard him rise from the floor during her struggles. She moved to sit up, but he pulled back his fist.

"Don't touch her!" Cate shrieked. The man slowly lowered his hand, but none of the anger left his face.

"Blondie, if you know what's good for you, you will stay still on this bed. You won't follow us and you won't do anything stupid to get yourself hurt. Do you understand?" His voice was a low growl. Norah quickly nodded her head yes. She understood, but that didn't mean she was willing to agree. She was simply buying herself time to figure something out. The short man looked at the taller one. "Let's get her out of here before anyone finds her gone." He walked toward the taller man, still struggling to control Cate’s kicks, and bent low in an attempt to pick up her flailing feet. Cate managed to land one glancing blow on his shoulder before he captured her legs by the ankles.

Norah’s insides clenched at the sight of Cate, bound by the two men’s hands. She had to stop them somehow. The men began to walk slowly towards the door carrying a struggling Cate in their arms. The taller man had clasped his hands around her chest and the shorter man was struggling against her shoving feet. Cate was putting up a good fight, but she was simply no match for the two big shifters. Norah wracked her mind for an idea. She was not someone who was normally good under pressure, but she was Cate’s only help and she needed to act quickly.

She cleared her throat to get their attention. "Do not leave with her." Norah spoke slowly in a way she hoped sounded more confident than she felt. The men did not pause in their efforts to walk Cate from the room. She licked her lips and began again.

"You do not want to take her. You do not want to leave this place with the Queen in your hands. You do not want to harm her. You do not want to harm me. You want to go back to wherever you came from and forget this ever happened." Norah had no idea what made her think to speak this way, her ability to compel was meant for humans not shifters, but she was desperate. To her surprise, the men stopped. She thought for a moment that they were going to mock her efforts to compel them into doing her will, but then she saw the shorter man bend and gently place Cate’s feet the on the ground. The taller man unhooked his hands from under Cate’s arms and steadied her as she found her balance. He blinked twice before turning his face to Norah’s.

"You're right, ma’am. We don't want to hurt her. We do want to go back home. Thank you for allowing us here today. We hope we didn’t frighten you." Both men bowed to her as if she were the Queen, not Cate. Holy shit! She had done it. She had compelled them to leave!

The two women watched as the men walked away. When the first footfalls sounded on the stairs Cate rushed to Norah’s side. "What the hell was that? Did you compel them to leave?” Norah nodded dumbly. What just happened?

Cate grabbed Norah’s shoulders and tilted her face so they were eye to eye. “Holy shit, Norah, you can compel shifters!"

"Shit. Shit. Shit." With each utterance of the word, Cate’s brown eyes grew ever larger. The alpha ran her hands through her dark hair and held it piled on top her head by her clasped fingers. "You saved my life. You realize that, right?"

Norah blinked at Cate. There were no words that could convey the emotions she felt in that moment.

“Do you think the Goddess knew this would happen? That she gave you that gift to protect me? Are you my protector Norah? Sent by the Goddess to save me?” Cate’s brown eyes had grown so large in her speculation that Norah imagined them popping out of her face and rolling along the floor. She looked down at her feet where the two imaginary eyes lay. She blinked away the gruesome image and swallowed before looking back to Cate.

“You know you’re the most powerful one of all of us, right? You can compel shifters, for Goddess sake!” Norah sucked in a horrified gasp.

“I don’t want it. I don’t want to compel shifters.”

Cate gave Norah a sympathetic look. “I know how you feel. I didn’t want to be the Wolf Queen, but here I am. It’s a lot of pressure.” Norah swallowed and silently agreed.

“Why me? I don’t understand it.”

“Why not you?” Cate raised her hands as if the answer was obvious. “You are the perfect choice, Norah. If I had your gift I would use it unfairly, but you, you would never use it without cause, not intentionally, anyway. The Goddess has to know that you aren’t one to step on people, to bully those around you. That’s why. I honestly think that you were given the gift as a way to protect me. To protect my baby.”

"I don't think I saved your life, Cate. I truly think those guys were going to let you go. They were just worried about the curse and wanted to know sooner rather than later if you're having a boy or a girl. I almost felt a little sorry for them." Norah moved on shaky legs to the bed. She sat down and waited for Cate to refute her.

Cate let out a sigh and let her hands fall to her sides causing her dark brown hair to tumble in waves around her shoulders. Norah wondered briefly how she managed to do that, to look so beautiful and so intense at the same time. "You're right. They just want to know if I'm having a boy or a girl. They weren't going to hurt me, were they?" She paced around the room; Norah watched her movements from the bed.

Cate stopped pacing and turned to look at Norah. "I think they would have hurt you. I don't think they would hurt me because of what they think I am or could be for the shifter community. But you, Norah, you could have been seriously hurt. They may not have come here with intentions of hurting either of us, but I wouldn't put it past them to have done it."

Norah hadn't thought of this. Perhaps she was too ready to forgive, but she did not feel in her heart that these men would have hurt her. The one man had shoved her pretty hard on the bed, though. A current of terror had coursed through her body in that moment. Formerly unshed tears made their way to her eyes.

"I don't think it matters now. As long as they stay compelled, they won't come back to hurt you. Do you think it lasts a while? I mean, like, forever, or just a day or two?"

Cate threw up her hands in exasperation. "How the hell should I know? I have super hearing, Norah, I don't get the useful gifts."

Norah began to pace as well. Her wolf could take sitting no longer. She marveled at the fact that her nausea had not returned. Perhaps morning sickness had been scared from her body. She laughed internally at the thought. She had a feeling Lukyan didn’t have experiencing complete fright on his list of possible cures.

Lukyan! What would he think of her new capabilities? Would he be proud that the Goddess had bestowed such a powerful gift, or would he be repulsed by her newfound strengths? Her wolf yipped inside her head. The beast seemed to think that Lukyan would accept all of Norah, even her new powers. Norah’s human side wasn’t quite as willing to believe it.

"How long does the command last? Forever, right? Until I tell them to do something different?" Norah had no idea if any of her guesses were true or not. No one had explained the laws of compulsion to her. Besides, compulsion was usually just for humans, Lukyan had never mentioned that it could be used on shifters. She looked out the window to the place in the sky where the moon would soon rise. According to Lukyan, the Goddess resided on the moon, watching over the shifter clans and packs from her perch in orbit. Norah silently pleaded with the mysterious deity. Please let this last forever. I have no desire to ever see those men again.

If the command didn’t last forever, would those two guys come back and try again? Norah briefly wondered if she should always be with Cate just in case someone tried to harm her. With her newfound abilities, her presence might come in handy, at least until this pregnancy was over. Lukyan seemed to believe the threat to Cate would subside once the baby arrived.

Cate continued her pacing. "Honest to Goddess, I hope it lasts forever. I have no desire to see those two guys ever again." She stopped for a second and turned her head. Norah froze. That was Cate’s listening stance.

"What is it now? Do you hear something?" Norah prayed to the Goddess that it was not another kidnapping attempt. She could not go through more turmoil today. No one should have to go through all of this.

Cate cast a cocky grin at Norah. "I think those two guys are about to be in a world of hurt. I hear Mylo and his team coming. They should be at the door any second now."

Norah put her hand to her mouth. Would there be a fight? What if Lukyan were involved. Before she could stop herself, Norah ran down the hallway toward the stairs. At the same time as she reached the landing, the door burst open.

Mylo shoved his way inside, and in one graceful move vaulted himself on top of the tall shifter who was making his way to the back of the house. "I have this one. Yerik, the short one." Norah watched Yerik run past Mylo and tackle the shorter male. Neither of the two intruders put up a fight. Norah supposed it was because she had compelled them to leave willingly. Perhaps she had removed all the violence from their bodies. Despite the lack of resistance, Mylo shoved hard at the tall man’s back, which caused his head to hit the floor with a loud whack.

"Don't hurt them!" Norah was surprised that the words that came from her mouth. Mylo looked up from his place in the living room and gave her an annoyed glance before jerking the lanky shifter to a kneeling position. She ran the remainder of the way down the stairs.

"I said, don't hurt them, Mylo. I've compelled them to go away willingly. Please, don't do that." Mylo ignored her plea and continued to wrench the man’s arms behind his back.

"She said don't hurt him, Mylo." Cate was standing beside her. Norah hadn't heard her come down the stairs, she had been too focused on the ruckus on the first floor.

Mylo stood up and pulled the other man to his feet. "Hell, Cate, of course I'm going to hurt him. He hurt and restrained one of my men, and Goddess knows what he tried to do to you and to Norah." This was the most Norah had ever heard Mylo say in the entirety of her time at the estate. She wished, uncharitably, that he would go back to being his normal, sullen self.

Cate put her hands on her hips. Norah knew that look. It was Cate’s What I Say Goes alpha stance. "I said, ‘Do not hurt him.’ As a matter of fact, I want to let him go. Norah here —" she hitched a finger towards Norah, — "has discovered that she can compel shifters. She compelled them to leave. She told them to go back to where they came from and never come back here again. I'm pretty sure were safe."

Norah felt her mouth drop open from the shock. From what Cate had said earlier in the bedroom she was angry and not unconvinced that the men were dangerous, and now she was willing to let them go? Norah didn't even know if she had the ability to compel shifters for an extended period of time. Heck, she didn’t even know if she compulsion worked on humans long-term. Norah didn’t want the men hurt, but they probably should be restrained. Dimitris Lukyan would be furious if they weren’t. Mylo looked furious now.

"Mylo, I'm going to tell you one more time. Let them go, both of them. That’s an order." Cate looked at Mylo as if she had already won the battle. The look on Mylo’s face told of an internal struggle. Would he give in to the alpha female?

"Sorry, Cate, I can't do that. You are my alpha, but Dimitris is my alpha and friend. He will kill me if I let these men go." Mylo turned and started to usher the tall shifter toward the door.

"I'm going to have to ask Norah to do her thing." Norah gave Cate another surprise glance. Please don't make me compel Mylo. Dimitris Lukyan and Mylo will be furious if this goes we do this. Norah could feel herself inching away from her alpha. Norah desperately wanted to tell Cate no. This was wrong, the two men should be restrained. Why in the world was Cate willing to let them go?

"Norah, please. I want them gone. I don't want to ever see them again." She pulled Norah close to her side and whispered in her ear, "As the Wolf Queen, it is imperative that I treat everyone with kindness and fairness. You said it yourself, people are worried about the curse. They didn't want to hurt me they just needed to know. I'm not willing to give them the answer they want, not right now anyway, but I am willing to show forgiveness. Please."

If Norah possessed the ability to compel shifters and human to do her will, Cate certainly possessed the ability to compel Norah. Even though it went against her own best judgment, Norah simply could not tell her alpha female no, especially not after that convincing argument. She turned to Mylo.

"Mylo, you want to let these men go."

twelve

"Where is she?" Lukyan pushed through the door only seconds after Dimitris. Norah watched him from her place on the couch. When his emerald eyes met hers, she melted. There had been a look of absolute fear on his face. Fear for her.

Lukyan's hands clasped the doorframe tightly before he let out a relieved sigh. "I was so worried." Quickly he moved to the couch and scooped her into his lap. His mouth landed on hers in a hard kiss. "You have no idea the terror I felt not knowing what happened to you." Norah was both surprised and pleased by his kiss. She and Lukyan often kidded about how freely Dimitris and Cate touched and kissed one another. Neither she nor her mate was keen on public displays of affection. Lukyan seemed to have forgotten that he preferred private moments because his kiss was thorough. His tongue caressed hers before sucking her bottom lip between his teeth. Shivers of pleasure zinged from her mouth right to her core. She wanted him.

Norah pulled away and placed her hands on each side of her mate’s face. "I'm fine. Nothing happened. The little bean and I are safe and sound." Lukyan angled his head for another kiss.

“What do you mean you let them go?" Norah turned her face from the green gaze of her mate and looked at Dimitris, who stood towering over Mylo. The alpha was furious.

"Are you seriously telling me that she let those two motherfuckers go— the two ass holes that stole mine and Lukyan's mates?" Mylo sat slumped in his chair, a look of frustration on his face.

"I had to. Norah made me." Dimitris turned his furious gaze on Norah causing her body to tense. Lukyan’s hold on her tightened.

"Dimitris, watch yourself. Don't look at my mate like that." Lukyan’s voice was a low growl. Norah turned to look at him again. Was he really willing to argue with the alpha over this?

"I need someone to tell me now why Norah decided to let the men go, and how she managed to convince Mylo." Dimitris was barely containing his anger. Cate stepped forward and put her hand tentatively on his bicep. Dimitris looked down at his mate.

"Norah didn't decide, I did. Norah, however, was the one who convinced Mylo to let them go." Dimitris looked from Norah to his mate.

"What do you mean Norah was the one who convinced Mylo?"

Cate looked from Dimitris to Norah, then back to Dimitris. "Norah, it seems, has been given a really cool gift by the Goddess."

"Cate," Dimitris' voice was menacing. Norah flinched at the sound, but Cate stood strong. "I'm going to need you to be a little more specific. Tell me exactly what happened."

Cate sent her mate a dazzling smile. "Norah can compel shifters. I asked her to compel Mylo to let those men go." Dimitris threw up his hands in exasperation.

"That’s absolutely ridiculous. No one can compel shifters. Humans, yes, but not shifters."

"No, it's true." Cate pointed to Norah. "She can compel shifters. That's how we got the two men to leave. She told them they wanted to. Otherwise, they would have taken me somewhere and forced me to have an ultrasound."

Lukyan turned Norah's face away from Cate and Dimitris so that she looked at him once more. "You can compel shifters?" Norah nodded her head. Suddenly she felt shy and unsure of her gift. It was strange and apparently uncommon, if not unheard of, but yes, she could compel shifters.

"It's how I got the men to put Cate down and leave. They were going to take her. I don't think I was ever in danger. I'm not the one they wanted." Lukyan hugged her tightly to his body.

"I don't care if you're the one they want it or not, they still threatened you by coming here. I want to kill them." Norah put her hands back to Lukyan's face and ran her fingers up his cheeks and then through his short hair.

"I don't want you to kill anyone. I just want to be safe and sound and happy with you and our baby." Lukyan wrapped his arms around her body and crushed her close to his chest.

"Then that's exactly what I want, too." He looped one arm underneath her knees and stood. She grabbed quickly onto his shirt to steady herself as he made his way toward the stairs. "Dimitris, you figure out whatever it is that you need to figure out. I'm taking my mate upstairs."

Lukyan turned toward the main bedroom. "Not that one." He grunted, indicating that he heard her, and turned toward the next bedroom. Norah looked around. This room was smaller, but it was bright and clean, plus nothing bad had happened to her in this room.

Lukyan laid her on the bed. "Robe off. Now."

Norah had never seen Lukyan so desperate to have her. It was like he absolutely needed to be inside her at this moment. Her body responded as she knew it would. She was already wet and ready for him, but seeing him like this, desperate to be near and inside her, it made her head swim with the power.

"Norah, I can’t be slow this time. I need you too badly. I have to be inside you." Lukyan's words caused Norah's body to clench in anticipation. She loved seeing him like this. Loved knowing that he was desperate for her.

"I need you too. Now.” Quickly she shucked off the purple robe Cate had given her earlier. She laid back on the bed. Her long, blonde curls flowed past her shoulders and tickled at her breast. Lukyan let out a low growl of approval.

“You are so beautiful. When I think of what those men did I want to kill them.” He clenched his hands in anger. She reached out and grabbed one.

"No thinking. Clothes off.” Lukyan wasted no time in removing his shirt and pants. He dropped them without ceremony to the floor before crawling onto the bed. He laid on his side next to her and pulled her close. Capturing her mouth in his, he conveyed his longing for her. Norah used her mouth to express the same emotions.

He ran one hand down her side to her hip before running his hands to the curve of her ass. He pulled her close and ground his cock against her. She pulled her leg over his hip, angling her body so that his shaft rubbed against her slick folds.

"You are so wet, so ready for me." Norah nodded her head.

"I'm always ready for you.” The words were the spark needed to ignite Lukyan’s lust.

“On your knees,” he panted as he positioned himself behind her while pulling at her hips. “Next time I will be easy, but this time I need to be inside you.” He lined the head of his cock to her dripping folds and pushed at her entrance. Norah groaned against the delicious pressure and pushed her hips back against his.

“More,” she panted. His fingers held onto her hips tightly as he thrust all the way into her wet heat.

“Oh Goddess above, you are so tight and wet. I’m going to fuck this little cunt until you scream my name, Norah.” His words goaded her into clamping her muscles tightly around his thick shaft. She loved when he talked dirty to her. He was normally so staid and proper. No one but Norah got to witness his naughty side, and Norah loved knowing that she was the only one who heard him talk this way.

Lukyan pulled out until just the tip was inside her. She wiggled, attempting to sheath him again with her body, but he held her hips tight. The anticipation was almost painful. Just when she thought she might rip apart with need, he slammed his body into hers. Then slowly, he pulled out, holding her in place once again. She wiggled again, as best she could under the pressure of his hands, and he slammed into her again. This time he continued the thrusts, in and out, in and out until she was panting. Her body was so close to falling apart.

Lukyan ran his hands from her hips up to her sides and around to her front, capturing her tight nipples between thumb and forefinger. “I need to you get there, Norah,” he grunted as he continued his pounding thrusts. “Come for me, baby.”

As if he had cast a spell, Norah’s body fell apart at his command. Wave after wave of ecstasy washed over her until her arms collapsed and her chest and face were resting on the soft mattress. Lukyan’s own release followed soon after. He unsheathed himself from her body and laid down behind her, pulling her tightly into his body. He lifted his head and placed a gentle kiss on her temple.

“I love you." Norah had not meant to say the words, they just slipped from her mouth. Now that they were out she didn't regret them. She did love him, had loved him since the first night. She was still unsure of his feelings for her, but that didn't change how she felt about him. He was the one, the only one that she ever loved and ever would love.

"I have been waiting for months to hear you say that." Lukyan captured her mouth once again with his. He turned her so that she was on her back and he was pressed on top of her. Using his knees, he pushed her legs apart and settled his hips between her thighs. Norah's took his kisses and thrust softly against his shaft, coating his hard length with her wetness. “I want you again, Norah. So much.” The same niggling doubt she had fought for the last five months pushed its way to the forefront of her brain. Why didn’t he say it back? Why would he have waited for her to say those three words if he wasn’t going to say them back? Lukyan's hand roamed over her body and Norah melted into him, but the doubt had begun to grow. Finally, Norah could take no more. She broke the kiss and looked back at him.

"Lukyan, do you love me?" Norah held her breath waiting for him, hoping desperately that he would say yes.

Lukyan swallowed. “Norah, I lo–” He put his hand to his throat as if it had seized up. Norah briefly wondered if he was okay.

Her mate cleared his throat and started again "Norah, I lo–"

He couldn't say it. He had tried twice to tell her and could not get the words out. Norah's brain ticked through the possibilities. Did he love her? Was he simply incapable of saying the words? Or, as Norah had feared most, was his attraction to her only physical? Norah refuse to believe that. There had been too many ways that he showed his care for her during the past five months. But not saying that he loved her, especially after he had said it so easily to their unborn child, left no doubt in her mind that Lukyan did not feel for her as she felt for him.

Norah scrambled out from under Lukyan’s big body and grabbed for the robe. "Lukyan, I can't do this. I can't go on knowing that I love you and not knowing if you love me. It hurts too much."

Lukyan launched out of the bed and follow Norah around the room. "Norah, of course, I lo–"

She fought tears. "You can't even say it, Lukyan. What kind of mate are you that you cannot tell me you love me. If you loved me you would be able to say it. You said it to the baby. What's wrong with me?” Her voice cracked. “Why can't you love me?" Lukyan rushed to her side and made an attempt to pull her into a tight hold. She pushed away from him.

"I can't do this, not now. I need some time to think." She turned away from him and made her way to the door.

"Norah, stop. Please don't leave me. I don't know what's wrong with me, I do lo—" He grabbed at his throat again. He cleared his throat. “Why do you think I wanted to—” This time a look of pain flashed across his face and he clutched his head.

Hot tears ran down her cheeks. She didn’t bother to wipe them away. "I'm leaving Lukyan. I'll call you in a few days and let you know where I am.”

"Norah, don't leave. You can't leave, you are my mate.” His voice was panicked. “Wherever you go, I'll find you." Norah turned and looked at her mate. She could see sadness and fear on his face. Lukyan’s beautiful face was scrunched up as if he was in pain. Norah resolve faded for a moment. She fought to push away her doubt. Yes, it was clear, he cared for her, but she doubted it was enough.

"Lukyan, I’m leaving and you can't stop me. Do not follow me."

"You know I can't do that, Norah. Wherever you go, I go. You are my mate." Norah sighed.

"I didn't want to do this.” She looked into his eyes. "Lukyan, you want to let me leave." Norah turned and walked down the stairs. She did not look to see if he followed her. She knew that her words were enough to hold him in place, at least for a little while. Without saying a word to anyone on the first floor Norah walked out the door, took off the robe, and shifted into her wolf form.

thirteen

“Call your mother." Jessie breezed through the door, a whirlwind of commotion. "And don't bother getting up, I've got this all taken care of." Norah sat up and wiped her nose. She looked at over the back of the couch at Jessie whose hands were filled with containers from the local Chinese takeout place on the corner. Her best friend gave Norah an assessing glance before slamming the door shut with her hip.

"Seriously, call your mother. She's been texting me all day."

"You didn't tell her anything, did you? Does she know I’m here?” Norah didn’t wait for an answer. “I need a day or two more to get my head together. Mom has always been able to see right through me." Norah had too much on her mind to deal with her mother at this moment. The two had always been close, so close that her mother would only need about one minute to demise that Norah was in the midst of absolute and utter heartbreak.

Jessie walked across the room and set the containers on the table. "I told her where you were, but I didn't explain anything about Lukyan. I also didn't tell her you are about five months pregnant." Norah looked down at her blooming belly and then back at the Jessie. "Surely you didn't think I wouldn’t notice. I'm an OB/GYN for God's sake." She threw her hands up and rolled her eyes.

Norah could feel the blush rising on her face. What must Jessie think of her at this moment? Norah had always been the responsible one, the boring one. Jessie was the wild child. But here Norah was five months pregnant by a man she was not married to, whom she loved dearly, but who didn’t love her back. To make matters even more embarrassing, she had known him exactly one day longer than she had been pregnant.

"I didn't think you would notice. I’m not very big yet." Norah bit her bottom lip again.

"I noticed everything, Norah. I noticed that you’re pregnant, and I noticed that, at least to my practiced eye, you are about as many months pregnant as you've known Lukyan. If I didn't know my best friend better, and if I didn't know what a responsible and bright young lady she was, I would think that she got pregnant on that ski trip.” Norah winced. Jessie’s switch to third person speech meant she was frustrated. “But that's just crazy talk, isn't it?" Jessie stood with her hand on her hip and her head cocked to the side. Norah let out a nervous laugh, which made Jessie smile.

"That was a sound I was beginning to think I would never hear again. You have cried nonstop for two days. I'm glad you're laughing a bit now." Jessie pulled the plate from the cabinet and set them on the table. "Now get over here and eat something. You have to take care of that little green-eyed baby.” Norah raised an eyebrow. “What? I am allowed to remember a few things, aren’t I?” Norah smiled and took her place at the table.

The last thing Norah wanted was food, but Jessie was right, she needed to eat for the sake of the baby. She couldn't help but think what Lukyan would say to her if he knew that she had skipped several meals. He would probably list out a hundred reasons why the baby needed regularly scheduled nutrition. Then again, he might let that slide. He was, after all, the man that force fed her one cherry popsicle after another for the past five months. Not once had he chastised her for her inability to eat. Her wolf sighed, and Norah silently agreed with the beast. Lukyan may not have loved them, but her sure did a great job taking care of them.

Jessie served herself a few spoonfuls of orange chicken and passed the container across the table. Norah took out two small pieces of chicken, but after seeing Jessie's frown of disapproval she took out a few more placed them on her plate.

"And rice. That baby needs some carbs." Jessie muttered the words around her mouth full of chicken. Norah dutifully placed a few spoonfuls of the sticky rice on her plate. Her stomach let out an embarrassing growl. Perhaps she was hungrier than she thought. She carefully picked up a bite of chicken with her chopsticks and put it to her mouth. Her wolf thumped its tail. Yes, she had definitely gone too long without food.

"I wasn't kidding when I said for you to call your mother. She's worried about you.” Jessie swallowed the food and stabbed at another piece of chicken. “I'm worried about you." Norah heaved a sigh.

"Don't worry about me, I just needed to figure some things out."

"Figure what stuff out?" Jessie raised an eyebrow, a look that demanded an answer.

"I just need to figure out what to do about my relationship with Lukyan." Jessie’s eyebrow remained cocked. Norah licked her lips and continued, "I love him, Jessie, with all my heart. You were right before, when you said I didn't care for the other guys. I didn't. Lukyan is definitely not one of the other guys. I love him completely. There will never be another man for me."

"Then can you explain to me why you left him? You love him and are miserable without him. You have cried for two solid days. Did he get physical with you?" Norah shook her head no and wiped at the tears that had begun to flow once more.

“Not that, nothing like that.”

“Then what, Norah? What did he do that was so bad to make you leave the man of your dreams?”

"Because he doesn't love me. I asked him point-blank, and he couldn't say it. He acted like he wanted to, trying to say the words, but they wouldn't come out. I thought all along that the thing that would make me the happiest in this world was to get married and have a baby, and here I am mated and pregnant, and it feels so empty without love.” She sobbed around the words, no longer bothering to wipe away her tears.

"Mated?" Jessie’s brow cocked again. “What the hell is mated?”

"I am— We are kind of—" Norah was at a loss for words. She had never intentionally kept a secret from her best friend, not in all the years that they had known one another. Since the day they met as freshman in college, the two had been inseparable.

"Explain, Norah. What do you mean you are mated? Is that some sort of new age marriage thing?"

Slowly Norah released her bottom lip from her teeth. She took a deep breath before explaining. "It's not new age, but it is sort of like a marriage. But—" Norah wasn't quite sure how to explain, "different."

"Different how?" Jessie would not stop until she got her answer. Norah looked across the table at her best friend and finally decided to just tell her the truth. There was no one on this earth that she trusted more than Jessie.

"Lukyan is a shifter. He can change his body from human to wolf and back to human, practically in the blink of an eye. During our mating ceremony he shifted into a wolf, and while in his wolf form, he bit me. Because I'm his fated mate I also turned into a shifter." Jessie burst out laughing.

"What the hell kind of story is that? You have a mate, not a boyfriend, who, by the way, is also a wolf? He bit you, and now you are a wolf? Come on, Norah, tell me what is really going on."

Latent anger rose in Norah’s stomach. She had told Jessie everything since the day they first met at freshman orientation in college. Everything. How dare her best friend not believe her about this? Norah knew it was far-fetched, but she had never lied before about anything. She knew that Lukyan had warned her sternly to guard the secret carefully, but she needed Jessie to really understand all of the changes and turmoil she had gone through in the past five months. In a moment of frustration, she stood up and took off her pajama top and slid the pajama bottoms down to the floor.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm not a prude, Norah, but I'm not one for getting naked with my best friend at the dinner table." Norah snarled.

"I want to show you something. Don't scream." Norah moved to the center of the room and stood to face Jessie. Her eyes were locked on her friend in a defiant stare. Slowly, she closed her eyes and allowed the wolf to show herself. She could feel her wolf push her skin apart as she shed her human skin. Jessie sucked in a sharp breath. Norah silently willed her best friend to stay quiet. No one else could witness this. In only a matter of seconds, Norah's wolf sat in the middle of the floor licking her chops.

“Holy shit. Can you hear me when you are like that?” Jessie started to get up from the table, but then sat back down, unsure of the protocol for approaching a wolf.

If Norah’s wolf could have given a cocky grin, she would have flashed one at Jessie. The beast bowed her head and licked her paw. Then, without warning, she put her foot back on the ground before transitioning back to the human Norah.

Jessie waited until Norah was fully back in her human body and standing before she spoke. "Holy fuck. What has this man done to you?" Norah gave a patient smile and then leaned across the table to pat her friend’s hand.

"He didn't do anything I didn't ask him to do. He gave me a choice. Shifters are different than humans. The Goddess oversees their lives and gives each shifter a fated mate. I am Lukyan’s and he is mine. When I met him, I knew he was the one. It was like nothing else I’d ever experienced. I was instantly drawn to him and he to me. Lukyan told me, right from the start, that we were fated to be together. That we would forever be mates and that he would protect and cherish me all eternity." Jessie stood and picked up Norah's pajama top from the floor. Norah finished pulling her pants up and reached for the top.

"Then I don’t understand. If you are fated mates, why did you leave him? And how is it that he doesn’t love you? How can that be if he is fated to be your mate, to cherish and protect you forever?" The tears streamed in earnest down Norah's face now.

"I don't know. I know I love him, but I don't know how he feels about me. What if it's just some sort of animal instinct?"

"Would it even matter? Would you know the difference between animal instinct and love, Norah? Would he?" Norah nodded her head emphatically.

"Yes, I would. I know that what I feel for him is not animal attraction, it's a real love. But I don't know what he feels for me. Is it a sense of obligation? I thought, perhaps, he was beginning to love me, but he couldn’t say it. I outright asked him and he practically choked."

"Call your mother. There is no one on earth that would have better advice for you than her. I've never been in a relationship, Norah, never gone out on more than five dates with the same man. I am absolutely the worst person to give you advice about anything like this. She can. She and your dad are the two most in love people I’ve ever met. She would know what to tell you." As if on cue Norah's cell phone buzzed on the coffee table. Jessie went across the room and picked it up. "It's your mom. Answer it." Norah backed away from the device.

"Give me until tomorrow. I promise I will talk to her. I just need one more night." Jessie sighed and gently tossed the cell on the dining room table.

Jessie sat at the dining room table working on a presentation she planned to give the following day at the hospital. Norah watched her from the couch. She had work of her own to do, clients that needed her response, but she just needed time to sit with her own thoughts for a while so she ignored her own computer. From across the room to the computer began to ring. Norah knew that sound. Someone was Skyping her friend.

“Hey, Elen, I was waiting for you to Skype me. It was just a matter of time." Norah perked up. Her mother had contacted Jessie via the computer. There would be no escaping a conversation now.

"Is my daughter there, Jessie?" Jessie nodded at the screen and Norah suppressed a groan.

"As a matter of fact, she is, and this time I don't think she can escape you. She's sitting right across the room on my couch. Would you like to speak with her?" Norah mouthed the word No to Jessie, but it didn’t stop her friend from waving her over. Getting up from the couch she walked across the room and sat at the table across from her friend. Jessie slid the computer around so that Norah could see her mother's face.

"Hi, Mom. I'm sorry I've been ignoring your texts." Norah had the good sense to look chagrined.

"Eleanora Jane Robinson, you are too old for me to fuss at, so I won’t, but I did have higher expectations. What's wrong with you?" Her mother looked both frustrated and worried, a combination that stabbed at Norah’s heart.

"There's nothing wrong with me mom. I'm just needed a little time to myself." Norah hoped the bad explanation would be enough to subdue her mother's questions. She knew better.

"Norah, I am your mother, I have been your mother for twenty-seven years. You might think that your friend Jessie knows you better than anyone, but I assure you I am the one that is most familiar with your emotions. Whatever is going on with you has something to do with the hunky young man who was just at my door this morning." Norah sucked in a sharp breath.

“Lukyan was there? Why? What did he say?"

"Dear, I believe we both know why. That man was beside himself worried about you. He said you've been gone for a couple of days and he had no idea where you were. He finally tracked you down to my house, but obviously, you aren’t here." Her mother gestured to the empty room behind her. "Now, would you like to tell me why you left a man who is so desperately in love with you, or do you want to continue to keep me in the dark?" A tear formed at the corner of Norah’s eye but thankfully it didn't fall.

"He isn’t desperately in love with me. I love him but he doesn’t feel the same.” Her mother cocked her eyebrow. Norah rushed to continue her explanation, “I think he cares for me but I don't think he loves me." The unshed tear threatened to drop; Norah wiped quickly at her eyes to remove the offending moisture.

"Norah, honey, you're a fool if you don't think that man loves you. He was absolutely distraught that you weren't here. He thought for sure he had found you. Why in the world would you not think that he loves you?" Norah ran her hands through her hair, letting it drop dramatically.

"Because he isn’t, Mom. I asked him, point-blank, if he did; he couldn't say it. I think that's pretty clear."

"It is nice to hear the words I love you, isn’t it? I still get a little tingle of satisfaction every time your father says it. But saying the words, meaning the words, and feeling the words are three different things. I don't know exactly what's going on with you and Lukyan, but I know love when I see it. That man adores you. You know it in your heart. That's why you look so heartbroken right now because you know deep down inside you left a man who loves you to distraction.” Her mother leaned in closer to the screen and locked eyes with Norah. “It's not his words, honey, it’s how he treats you. Does he treat you like he loves you and puts you first in all things? Don't be fooled by man's words or lack of words.

“You have had so many boyfriends since you left college. Some were okay, some of them were atrocious. I tried not to say anything at the time. I’m going to guess that most all of them said they loved you, right? I also have a hunch that you might have uttered those three words to them a few times, too, right? But did you love them, Norah? I mean really love them? I have a doubt that you did because I've never seen you this forlorn. I suspect that your love for Lukyan, at least based on your attitude and the look of you right now, means you really love him. And I would stake my life that he loves you."

Tears now flowed freely down Norah's eyes. She was so sick of crying all the time. Her mother's words made so much sense to her. It wasn't what Lukyan said, it was how he treated her. And yes, he put her needs above his, every single day. He woke up early to comfort her so that she could have a few more moments without morning sickness. He stocked every single room in the house with cherry popsicles to ease her nausea. Occasionally, he would bring small gifts and flowers home. He rubbed her feet and her aching back. Every gesture, every action, every interaction proved that he loved her. And she had left him because he hadn't said those three words. She was a fool. But not any longer. Norah had been waiting for love to find her for years, she would not squander it now that it was within her grasp. Not anymore, anyway. She was going to fight for this relationship. Lukyan was hers and she was his, and that's how it would be forever.

"You are right, Mom. I've made a huge stake. Everything he does proves to me that he loves me. Now I have to leave because I have to go find him."

"You don’t have to go anywhere. I told him that you were staying at Jessie's. I called her this morning and she confirmed. He left Pittsburgh this morning so he should be arriving in the city pretty soon. Just wait around the apartment. Your man will show up soon.” Norah smiled and blew a kiss at the screen. “Also, come see me. I think as your loving mother, I have the right to see my unborn grandchild." Her mother cocked an eyebrow, a look that told Norah she was not pleased to be left out of the circle of information. Norah darted her eyes across the table to Jessie, who gave her the same cocked eyebrow. Did everyone in her life think they knew better than her?

"I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you and Dad out of the loop. It's just that everything—" Norah's mother nodded her hand and held up her hand to stop her daughter’s excuse.

"I understand sweetie. Go clean up, you look a mess. And when you make up with that nice man I met this morning come down to Pittsburgh. Your father and I want to see you and your new beau together. I love you." Norah told her mother that she loved her, too, before turning off the Skype chat. She ran her hands through her hair once again. Lukyan was coming and she hadn’t showered for two days!

"I need to shower, Jessie. Like now! Lukyan is coming. I don’t want him to see me like this." Jessie just laughed and pointed towards the bathroom. Norah skipped across the room and shut the door.

fourteen

It was nine o'clock before a knock sounded on Jessie's door. Norah had dried her curls and put on a fresh pair of sweats and t-shirt. She hadn’t packed anything nicer for her escape to Jessie's house. Her friend stood up from the couch and wiped her hands on her pants as if she were the nervous one.

"I'll get it. You sit there for a second. Try to keep it together." Jessie cocked an eyebrow before moving toward the door. When she opened it, Norah peeked around her friend’s shoulders and saw a disheveled Lukyan standing at the door followed closely by his cousin, Alek. Lukyan looked as though he had spent too many times running his hands through his hair, and his jaw had not been shaved for days. He must have been as exhausted as she felt. Her heart ached from the agony she must have caused him.

"Is Norah here? Her mother said—" he sniffed the air before looking around Jessie to see his mate. The look he sent her from across the room was pure tenderness and longing. Norah’s belly did a little flop and her wolf whined.

"I've been searching everywhere for you. I went to your mother's this morning." Norah licked her lips and stood up from the couch

"I know. My mom just called and let me know that you were on your way. Lukyan I—" Lukyan held up his hand to stop her words.

"Before you say anything, will you come outside with me? I'd like a bit of—" he looked around the room from Jessie to his cousin Alek, "—privacy. Just the two of us. Norah nodded her head and walked past her friend Jessie, who gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder.

"Take it easy on him, Norah. He looks like he's born the worst of this." Jessie, usually cocky and unabashed gave Lukyan kind look. He really did look like he had been through the hardest part of all of this. Her friend turned to Alek and stuck out her hand for a shake. "And you are?" Alek, as usual, gave a flirtatious grin to the pretty redhead.

"I'm Alek, Lukyan's cousin, and possibly your new best friend." He winked at her, causing Jessie to let out a snort.

"I doubt you will be my new best friend, but come in and I'll fix you a drink, anyway. It looks like we might need to give these two some time alone." She held her finger to her chin and tilted her head to the side looking him over. "You look so incredibly familiar to me. Like someone I once met." She shook her head as if releasing the memory and turned her back, leading him into the kitchen for a drink.

Lukyan took Norah by the hand and let her out the door toward the elevators. "There's a little park around the corner. I thought we might go there for a quick chat." He gave her a pleading look as if he were fearful that she would say no. She clasped his hand tighter and pulled him a bit closer to her body.

"Yes. I believe we need to talk."

Lukyan pulled Norah to a secluded area of the park and helped her sit on a bench. It was midsummer so, despite the late hour, there was still a bit of light in the sky. He turned and looked into her big blue eyes. "Norah, I have to tell you—"

She put a finger to his lips. "Before you say anything, Lukyan, I have to tell you that I'm sorry. I should have never left you. I've been miserable without you, and it's only been two days. I can't imagine what I was thinking when I thought I could leave you for a longer time. I don't think I could do it; I don't think my wolf would let me do it."

He grabbed both of her hands and pulled them to his lips, kissing them both fervently before pulling her closer into his lap. "This is all a huge mistake. I think—" he gave her a quizzical glance. "I think you compelled me. I am not able to say I love—" he grabbed his throat. She put her hand over his, which was still clutching at his throat.

"I compelled you? How is that possible? Why would I compel you to tell me, or rather not tell me, that you love me? That doesn't make any sense." Norah was in disbelief. How could this have happened? Had she really spent the last five months with a man who loved her? Had she really spent so many hours in doubt when they should have been filled with joy?

Regaining his composure he looked at her again. "I have thought it over one-hundred times in my mind. It was the day after our mating, at the dinner. I asked you to—”

“You asked me to renew our mating ceremony.” Norah remembered the anger she had felt in that moment of doubt.

He swallowed, careful of his word. "You told me not to say that, and I haven't been able to. I wanted to. I feel it. I just can't say it." Lukyan looked ashamed, and Norah's heart broke for him. Did he think this made him less of the man because she was able to compel him? Was he upset because the Goddess had given her such a miraculous gift? She had been thinking about it since that day with Cate. Perhaps the Queen was right. The Goddess had probably given her an exceptional gift for the sole reason of keeping Cate safe. Lukyan couldn't help it if Norah's gift was so powerful. Tears welled in her eyes with sympathy for him and frustration with herself. If she had only been smarter, allowed herself to see what was before her eyes, she would've never doubted him.

"Lukyan, look at me." He raised his face to hers once again, shame still pooling in the depths of his green eyes. Norah swallowed. She hated to compel him further, but he needed to be released from whatever she had done to him five months ago.

"You want to forget anything I've ever compelled you to do or think. You want to tell me what's in your heart. Please."

A wave of relief washed over Lukyan's face. He pulled her close and kissed her gently. "Goddess above, Norah, I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm so grateful for you. I am so sorry that you have gone all these months thinking that I don't love you when I so desperately do. I have loved you since the minute you walked in the door of that bar. I have wanted nothing more than to spend every second of my life with you since that moment. I asked the Goddess for you every day, and finally, she gave you to me. You are more than I could have ever hoped for, more than I could have ever dreamed. You are my mate. You make me whole.” His words overwhelmed her. Norah clung to him like a vine on a fence.

He kissed her again, holding his lips close to hers. “Where I see facts, you see feelings. Where I see patterns, you see people. We are opposite in all the ways that matter most, and yet, you matched me perfectly. You never make me feel awkward, or uncomfortable, or shy. You are the first person, truly in my entire life, I am one-hundred percent comfortable with. I love you. I will always love you. Please forgive me."

“No, you should forgive me,” Norah gasped between fervent kisses. “I didn’t trust you, didn’t trust what I felt all this time, what you tried so hard to prove to me. I compelled you against your will—”

He silenced her with another kiss. “You didn’t know. How could you know? Your gift is so incredible. I cannot believe the power that the Goddess has bestowed on you. I am so proud of you and of the gift you were given. I’ve thought about all the possible reasons why you were granted this power, listed every single one, and I finally concluded you are Cate’s protector, or at least one of them. The Goddess trusted you to protect the Queen, Norah. And that means she trusted me to protect you. You are my everything.”

How, during this conversation, Norah had managed to twine herself around Lukyan, she didn’t know. But she held on to him tighter. Her arms were wrapped around his shoulders, her legs draped across his hips. They kissed as if it was their first time.

"I want you, Lukyan, now." Without hesitation, Lukyan picked her up so that she had to clasp her legs around his waist. He carried her with measured steps into the shallow forest on the edge of the park.

"Here?" Norah squealed. Her wolf sat down and thumped her tail. Apparently, her inner beast was very happy to be manhandled in a public forest.

"I can't wait any longer. It’s been two days. I need to be inside you now.” Norah loved Lukyan’s aggressive side. She grabbed at his blond waves and bit him gently on the neck.

“I can’t wait any longer, either.” He grunted and pushed further into the thicket.

“I know that this is unlike me, but there's no time to get you back to the hotel.” He carried her to a tree and pushed her back against a thick trunk, wedging her between it and his body. His hands roamed the length of her body, starting from her jaw and working their way down along her legs. He slid one hand roughly along her back and pulled the fabric so that his skin touched hers. The other pushed her t-shirt up in the front so that he could grab her full breasts.

"I think these have gotten bigger in the last two days." She could feel his smile against her neck. Pulling her head back she gave him full access to her throat. He ran his tongue in tantalizing circles on her pulse.

“I think that you have just missed me."

"Understatement," he said. He forced his face to hers so that their eyes were only centimeters apart. "Don't ever leave me again. I won't be able to survive it." Norah pulled his face to hers and kissed him deeply once again.

Stepping back a little, he dropped her feet gently to the ground. Then he bent and, without ceremony, jerked her sweats down past her hips. He unbuttoned his own jeans and pulled them low, allowing his thick cock to spring free from its bindings.

"Turn around and bend over a little." His voice was a rough, low growl, and it stirred Norah's insides. He hadn’t even touched her yet, but sizzles of pleasure lapped at her core. There was no need for additional foreplay. She was more than ready for him. As instructed she turned her back and leaned over a little, holding the tree for support. Running his hand from her neck down the length of her back, he grabbed one hip tightly while simultaneously plunging two thick fingers into her depths. Norah’s body jerked in appreciation.

He bent over the length of her back and whispered in her ear, “You are so wet, so tight. Always ready for me." Norah moaned. The sensations his slick fingers created stirred her to clamp his digits tightly. It wasn’t enough, though; she needed more. She pushed furiously against his hands, wanting him to fill her completely.

"Now, Lukyan, don't make me wait. I want you inside of me." Needing no more than a few words, Lukyan thrust deeply inside her, filling her with his hard length. The two moved together with animalistic thrust. She was as desperate for him as he was for her. He pushed against her, thrusting over, and over, and over again until she came loud and long and deep.

"That's it baby, come for me. Let me feel your pussy fist my dick." Lukyan's words stirred something deep inside of Norah and her body began to call, once again, for another round of pleasure. New waves of an orgasm rode across her body. With one final hard, deep thrust Lukyan’s own orgasm exploded. He allowed his body to rest against her back so that his head nuzzled the back of her neck. He kissed her twice on her jaw before pulling her to standing. Standing behind her, he kissed her twice, again, on her jaw before pulling her hair gently so that she turned her cheek to him. He kissed her cheek once and then moved to the corner of her mouth. Norah pressed her back tighter to his chest. She needed full contact.

"I love you. For as long as you breathe life on this earth I will tell you that every single day. I love you."

Norah’s arms snaked up and behind her so that she clasped Lukyan’s neck, pulling him even closer to her face. She closed her eyes and silently thanked the Goddess for allowing the two of them to work out this ridiculous misunderstanding. She wasn’t completely convinced, despite both Lukyan and Cate’s assurances, that her gift was given as a way to protect the Queen. The real gift, in her mind, was that she was given a mate so wonderful. A lesser shifter would not have been able to accept her power. Lukyan was no one’s lesser. He was the most wonderful man she had ever met or would ever meet, and by some divine luck she had his love all for herself.

He loves me! She had once foolishly believed that a relationship and commitment was enough to sustain her. That was before Lukyan, before she had experienced the love he had for her. Yes, he was most certainly her greatest gift.

epilogue

Lukyan kissed his way down Norah's chest. "I love you." He kissed the area right above her heart. He moved further down. “I love you,” he said as he placed a kiss on her lower rib. Edging lower so that his face was above her round belly, he laid a final kiss on the swell. "And I love you, little bean." He kissed the bump once more. Norah never tired of hearing him tell her that he loved her. Those three words had been her constant companion the past three months, and she knew, without doubt, they would be her constant companion for the remainder of her life. How could she have ever distrusted his love for her? Now that her blinders were off she could see their relationship for what it was, for what it had always been. He loved her as completely as she loved him.

"I love you too. So does little bean, by the way. He kicks every time you talk to him." Now in her eighth month, Norah's belly was in full bloom. She was past the halfway mark for a wolf shifter pregnancy, but the majority of her growth had ended at this point. According to the experienced shifter mothers in the pack, she would not get much bigger. Thank Goddess, she thought. How could I move this body if it were bigger?

Lukyan seemed to have no qualms with her growing size. He spent hours every day rubbing and kissing her belly, massaging her aching back, and rubbing her feet. She didn't know who liked it more, her or her wolf. To be fair they were both pretty infatuated with him.

"You know, we still have six months until this baby, but that's gonna go a lot faster than we think. We have got to decide on the bean’s name, Lukyan." Norah ran her hands through his wavy hair while he rested his cheek against her belly.

"It isn’t that we haven’t settled on his name, it's that you have not yet given me any good options." She could feel his smile against her skin.

"I've given you plenty of great names. Jack was my favorite but you marked that off the list very quickly." She tugged his hair playfully.

"Jack isn't as bad as I had originally thought, but I think we can do better. Give me a few more ideas." He raised his head and cocked an eyebrow at her. She loved it when he gave her that arrogant look. It was something that was so rare for him to share with other people, but so common when they were together alone. She liked that he showed her the most comfortable part of him.

"How about Edward? Such a dreamy name."

Lukyan snorted, "Edward? Norah, give me a real option. Just think of all the ways people could torture a kid named Edward. One: Give Head Ed. Two: Eddie." He made a face at this one causing Norah to laugh.

"Eddie is an actual name, Lukyan. Not a nickname. Lots of people go by Eddie. I went to school with an Eddie and he was a great guy." Lukyan cocked his eyebrow again.

"Not my child. Three: No Good in Bed Ed. Four: Never Gets Head Ed. Five: —" Norah was in full giggle mode now.

"Okay, okay. I get your point. You don't like the name Edward because you can rhyme other words with it. This list could go on forever. Said, red, dead, meds, lead, street-cred.” She laughed at the last word on her list. “But Edward was one of my favorites. Plus, my mother said it was my great-great-grandfather's name.” She picked up her head and looked at him. “We can always name him Luke, after you." She gave him a slight smile. He smiled back which made her heart flip-flop.

"Or, we could name him Norman, after you." He winked. She laughed again.

"I don't need to make a list to explain why we will not name our child Norman." Lukyan crawled up the length of her body so that his face was above hers and his hips were pushed between her thick thighs. He rested his weight on his hands so that her delicate stomach didn’t take any of his weight.

"We still have a while yet to think about the baby’s name. What we don't have is much more time to ourselves. I talked with Dimitris yesterday and he thinks that it is safe enough now for us to do a bit of traveling. I haven’t had you completely to myself since those two days in the cabin. Since the moment I looked in your beautiful turquoise eyes, I have dreamed of taking you to the Caribbean. How about we go away for a little vacation, just the two of us, before little Luke or Norman makes his debut into this world?" Norah pulled her legs up a bit so that she could wrap them around her mate’s hips and waist. She tightened her muscles, effectively pulling his erection so that it nuzzled against her core. They had just made love, but she was ready for more.

"You've been wanting to take me to the Caribbean since we met eight months ago?" She smiled at the thought of her big sexy mate romanticizing a getaway with her.

"Yes, I told you I loved you from the first moment. I knew right away that I wanted nothing more than to spend every day with you for the rest of my life, and that includes magical getaways on tropical islands." He leaned down and kissed her. She sucked on his tongue for a long while before breaking the kiss.

"So you really knew, right away?" He gave an earnest nod of his head. "It took me a little while longer." She tried to cock an eyebrow but found that both her eyebrows moved up instead of just the one. It seemed that being cocky in the bedroom was Lukyan's thing, not hers. He leaned down again and kissed her cheek.

"Oh yeah? Like how long?"

She sighed, "Only a day. I knew from the moment I met you that you were special, but I didn't want to admit how much so. I had been so foolish about love before you, and after you, that I couldn’t bring myself to believe what we had with one another. But that moment when your wolf launched himself at me from the door, and then you landed fully naked and completely erect on top of me, that’s when I knew for sure that I loved you." Lukyan laughed.

“So was it my nakedness or my erection that made you fall in love with me?" Norah slapped him playfully on his shoulder.

"It was neither. It was knowing that you were struggling with your wolf to maintain control. I could see how much pain you were in trying to fight him. But you were the stronger one. You gave me a choice. You didn't have to. Your wolf clearly didn't want you to. Now that I am a shifter I understand the power that the wolf can have on us. And yet, you did it. I knew in that moment that I loved you and that there would be no other man on earth for me." He leaned down and kissed her again, gentler this time. His tongue stroked her mouth in lazy circles before moving to suck on her upper lip.

"So you will go away with me? To the Caribbean?" Norah nodded her head shyly.

"Yes. Of course. I would go anywhere with you, Lukyan, but can we wait at least until after the full moon?" Lukyan pulled back and gave a questioning look.

"Why after the full moon? I was thinking that we would go next week if you can manage your work schedule. The full moon is over two weeks away."

Norah gave him her sweetest smile. "Do you remember the dinner we all had after my heat ended? The one where everyone was invited and we had roast beef and mashed potatoes — which, by the way, may have been the best meal I've every in my life?" Lukyan groaned.

"Of course, how could I forget that disastrous dinner?"

Norah massaged his thick shoulders and tightened her legs, pulling him even tighter against her center. "I don't think it was disastrous, at least not now that I can see clearly. I think it was very sweet. Do you remember asking me about renewing our mating ceremony?" Lukyan kissed her swiftly.

"You want to renew our mating ceremony? With witnesses?" The hopeful look on his face made her imagine what their child would look like. Would he, too, give her looks filled with hope and desire? She hoped the little bean looked just like his father.

"I would love to renew our mating ceremony. I love you and you love me and I would like for us to share that with the entire pack. I mean,” she hesitated, suddenly unsure of herself, “if you still want to."

Lukyan didn't even bother to answer. At the same time that he ducked in for a hard kiss, he filled her completely with his hard length. Given her size, the position was awkward, but Norah didn’t mind that her belly was in the way. She liked how his body covered the length of hers and how strong his legs and back felt as she wrapped around him. This time their lovemaking was swift and passionate. They both came quickly. Afterward, he rolled her over so that she was spooned against his chest. He gently massaged her scalp, pulling her hair slowly away from her face as he kissed her temple.

"You make me so happy, every single day. I love you. And I cannot wait to mate you all over again."

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About Paige Hammonds

I have had a life-long love affair with romantic and erotic literature. As an English major I would immerse myself in hours of heavy reading. Although I love Shakespeare, Whitman, and the like, I found that I needed a bit of literary recovery each summer and winter break. Erotica and romance were always there for me. Romance was the angel on my shoulder, gently cheering, “Come on love, I’ll take it easy on you.” Erotica was the devil on the other side, preferring a slap on my ass and a pull on my hair over words. Whether it was sweet romance or kinky erotica, my semester breaks were never boring or filled with nonsense TV. I devoured the written word as much during those weeks as I did during the school year.

Over the years, my taste broadened. I’ve read it all and loved most of it. After a while I began to create stories in my head. It took years of pep-talks and steamy character fantasies to work up the courage to write something down. Sweet, steamy, rough, and easy… all’s fair in my books. Thanks for reading.

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