Wolves Gone Wild(52)

“Just three or four? I was hoping for around ten.”

He was kidding, but when her face turned white, he wondered if he’d gone too far. “Hey, three or four is good.”

“Whew. I thought I was going to pass out.”

Lance let the conversation continue between the others as he leaned against the wall and watched the way her mouth moved. Her eyes twinkled with happiness at one point but a sadness quickly followed that he wanted to erase forever. If they survived the night with their bond intact, he’d spend the rest of his life doing exactly that.

Her expressions changed from ones filled with anxiety to ones showing curiosity and wonder as they talked about what it meant to be a werewolf. They answered most of her questions about becoming a mate and promised to enlist the aid of Milly or another female to answer any remaining questions. Her body language went from stiff, yet ready to run, to relaxed, and finally, she gave up the chair and sat on the floor in front of them as though they were all seated at the kitchen table talking about what every other couple in the world talked about.

They spent more time talking about children, their families, her siblings, and how different Forever was to Greensburg where she’d grown up. They promised to take her back home and meet her family, and she swore that she’d love living on the ranch with them just as long as she was able to ride Star every day.

If their hands and necks weren’t chained to the wall, the conversation would’ve been joyful. They’d come so far, so fast, and the end, one way or the other, was near.

The gut-wrenching force struck Lance hard and fast, giving him only enough time to suck in a breath and clench his fists. “Oh, God. Christy, get out. Run.”





Chapter Ten




She was on her feet as fast as she could move. Lance’s face contorted and his pain showed in every line. His arms tensed, his muscles flexed as he yanked at the chains that bound him.

“What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

“It’s the moon.”

She barely understood what Duncan said. Following where he was looking, she peered out the small window and saw the moon high in the sky. So much time had passed while they were talking that she hadn’t noticed the light growing dimmer. If the overhead bulb hanging from a cord hadn’t already been turned on, she might have noticed it sooner.

The growls coming from the men had her turning back to them. A lump caught in her throat as their bodies began to blur. She blinked, then wiped her eyes, trying to see their images clearly.

Grant’s head had transformed, growing longer, narrower. Dark fur spread over his face and his neck while his mouth elongated to show terrifying fangs. Human ears became more pointed and claws replaced fingernails. His clothes shredded away from the large body expanding, changing underneath them, exposing more dark fur gliding along his flesh.

“Oh, my God.” She stepped back, putting distance between them but unable to run for the stairs.

She couldn’t say whether it was her promise to stay and see them through the night, or the energy sparking between them growing even stronger that kept her there. They, the amber moon, or both held her as strongly as the chains held them.

Duncan’s transformation whipped through him, jerking his body in spasms. He snarled, his eyes glowing amber, his jaws dripping saliva. The dimples in his cheeks disappeared under a layer of fur.

Lance’s wolf form stood on its hind legs as he bit at the chains around his front paws. His tail swished back and forth like the sword of a warrior ready to do battle. A dark, diamond-shaped patch marked his forehead.

Grant howled, putting his head back, his body fully changed into a huge dark werewolf. Then, with a great growl, he jerked on the chains binding his front legs and pulled.

She gasped and swore later that her heart stopped as she watched the wolf that was Grant yank his chains out of the wall. He snarled and growled as the chain around his neck held him strangled, then with another snarl, he put his paws against the brick and pulled that chain free.

Duncan and Lance, fully changed to wolves, roared at Grant as he fell onto all fours. They struggled against their chains, but so far their bindings held.

Christy backed up as Grant padded toward her, the chains jangling with his movements. His head was down and his mouth drawn back into a snarl. His fur stood up on his haunches and his ears were laid back. He was in attack mode.

She should’ve run, but it was too late. He’d moved between her and the stairs.

“Grant. Stop.”

His growl made her jump, but she gathered her courage around her. It was the only weapon she had.

“Please, Grant. Listen to me. I know you understand me.” Her shoulders hit the wall behind her. She had to make him remember that it was her. He understood her. She had to believe that.