Krissy
Jase's wolf was responsible for his less than kind bite, of that I had no doubt. It knew exactly what it was doing, because with that flesh gone, so was the cougar's scent. Only Jase's, left by his serum coated teeth, remained. Dejected, in spite of witnessing the wound healing exponentially, he spent the next three days acting as a nurse. Ignoring my protests, he kept me in bed, only allowing me reprieve to use the bathroom. He even showered with me, hand fed me. Once I at last had him convinced I was completely recovered from the night he marked me, he spent the rest of the week keeping me home and in bed for reasons that were more sinful than saintly. I was constantly running out of hot water those few days.
Reminding him that I needed to get back to work, where he had some repairs to make anyways, we started to make the lifestyle adjustments of being a mated pair. Jase moved in and we purchased a larger, sturdier bed. We cleaned up the garage to make space for his motorcycle next to my truck. Jase introduced himself to my assistant at the clinic when he arrived to begin repairs to the lab.
I, in return, invited pack leader Garrett to the house to formally introduce myself. We also discussed the ongoing mystery of my supernatural identity. My gifts were unlike anything the wolves had come across before and seemed to be developing further since being marked. Garrett grilled me about my life, collecting as much information as he could to pass on to someone he thought could help.
As Jase helped me navigate my abilities, he was also guiding my integration into his new pack, educating me on their rules and traditions.
The following full moon they celebrated Jase's new membership officially with a party. At Jackson King's mansion. Jackson fucking King, billionaire software mogul, was a werewolf. Who knew?
His lavish home wasn't very far from my own. The property was nestled right into the Catalinas, offering very easy access to a shifter in need of some wilderness. It also helped establish the separation between Jackson's pseudo pack and Garrett's. Two alphas so close together could be problematic, apparently.
Gee, after occupying the same enclosed space with Jase and Garrett? Never would have guessed that.
On the short drive, Jase filled me in on the crowd we were walking into.
The only pack member that would be absent was Garrett's little sister, Sedona. She'd married an alpha wolf, Carlos, and moved to Mexico to raise their newborn pup and rebuild his home village. When I asked what Jase meant by "rebuild", his face became very solemn.
"Santiago, The Harvester, whatever you want to call him. The asshole who's been ordering all the kidnappings, he's an elder wolf and was Carlos' advisor. After he took Sedona to force her and Carlos to mate, the pack learned what he's been up to. Santiago disappeared and his power over Carlos' pack was eliminated—"
"But he left a mess in his wake." I assumed. "And clearly he's still up to his tricks somewhere else." Jase didn't correct me.
Shit. The Tucson pack attracts this asshole like a magnet.
To swing the mood of the conversation, Jase returned to musing about his circle of shifters.
Jackson's wife, Kylie, who was using her hacker savvy to find answers to my questions, was a panther, as was her sweet grandmother, Jacqueline. Jackson and Kylie had a little girl, Jaylin, but Jase told me they wouldn't know what kind of shifter she would be—meaning either wolf or panther—for at least another year. He joked the wolves were secretly taking bets on it!
The other bartender from the night I met Jase, Sam, was wolf and like a little brother to Jackson. Sam's mate, Layne, was a tiger of all things!
Jase's new pack—I kept referring to it as his, but Jase assures me repeatedly that it's my pack now too—was no less interesting when it came to their beautiful mates. Foxfire wasn't just her name, she was literally a fox. And although Angelina and Amber—Garrett's mate—were human, Jase let it slip that Amber had the psychic gift of premonition. Trippy.
After arriving and making the rounds of introduction to the packs, Jase found the open bar and made us both a Jack and Coke. Most of the wolves couldn't wait to tell Jase how impressed they were that his fated mate was able to take out two shifters. Jase was quick to suggest I could do it again if they pissed me off, which ended the ribbing shortly thereafter. We eventually divided into separate conversations and I found myself chatting softly with Angelina.
"It's so nice to have someone I'm already friends with joining our little circle!" She gushed. "Not that the other girls here haven't been wonderful, but it'll be great to have you to chat with at the studio!"
I smiled sympathetically. "It must be hard on you, not able to talk to Remy and Tayla about certain parts of your life. Meanwhile, Amber's had her best friend Foxfire and I can already see Kylie and Layne are like Cats United."
Angelina nodded. "It's a challenge. But worth it." Her gaze travelled across the room to where Jared stood laughing with Trey and Jase.
"Yeah." I agreed simply as I admired my own wolf.
As the full moon reached it's height in the night sky, the party moved more heavily out into the sprawling backyard.
Garrett let loose an ear-piercing whistle, so someone turned down the music, everyone giving the alpha their full attention.
"It's time to run, boys!" The alpha hollered.
Whoops and howls erupted from everyone around me. Guys started to step away from the patio onto the grass. Showing absolutely no modesty, they stripped off their clothes. Momentarily the entire backyard contained full moons!
I averted my eyes to find Jase—still clothed—at my side gazing down on me.
I tried to make my smile as innocent as possible, hearing the girls giggling at my expense.
Jase winked at me without a word, joining the other pack members on the grass and peeling off his clothing.
Jackson and Sam were the first to shift. They paused briefly to regard Garrett—perhaps some sign of respect—before darting out into the mountainside.
My attention was pulled as Foxfire walked over to my side, an expectant look on her face. "You joining in?"
I was confused for a moment. "What? You mean…?"
When I looked back at the sea of wolves I was startled to see a mass of yellow and icy blue eyes watching me expectantly.
They all expected me to shift.
I had already tried many times in the last few weeks. Jase had even tried using the alpha power he could project in his voice to force it out of me, but it seemed fruitless. Maybe he'd hoped the energy of the pack shifting tonight would ignite the spark.
I felt their energy…and nothing stirred inside me.
Now I regarded the wolves sheepishly. "Sorry, but I don't think so. Thanks for trying though."
Garrett, now an impressive silver beast, bayed at his pack and led the way. A wolf with black fur approached, looking directly at Foxfire.
"I think I'm going to sit this one out, Tank." She told the wolf, glancing at me.
Tank snuffed his disappointment but fled to take his place at Garrett's flank.
Jase, the sole red wolf, remained unmoving. Hearing his whine, I was compelled to his side, kneeling down to wrap my arms around his soft, thickly furred neck.
"You need to go. Maybe things will be different next full moon." I let go and nudged him gently.
Jase licked my face, then spun and bolted to catch up with the pack. A few howls soared into the night air, fading as the wolves vanished through the trees.
"You don't need to feel bad about not shifting." Foxfire piped up as I returned to the group of women on the patio. "I didn't even know I was a shifter until after I met Tank!" She shrugged. "Apparently my fox is shy."
"It took being pregnant for me to shift for the first time." Kylie chimed in. "Before that I had no idea either. My own grandmother never told me!"
"Minette, we have been through this." Jacqueline chided. "Your blood is only half shifter. When you did not shift by puberty there was no reason to think you ever would. Why would I burden you?"
Kylie hugged the elder lady tightly.
"If you want to talk crazy late-bloomer stories, I think being born human and then getting genetically modified by a mad scientist into a tiger takes first prize!" Layne declared almost nonchalantly.
My mouth fell open. "Seriously? So Santiago, this Harvester maniac, he's—"
"He wasn't the scientist, but he was the money behind one."
"Layne, I'm so sorry that happened to—"
Layne waved off my commiserating. "Becoming a shifter actually saved my life. It may not have happened how we expected it to, but in whatever strange way it was, we found where we belong."
"Cheers to that!" Amber toasted.
I smiled with a soft laugh, accepting an energetic hug from Foxfire.
"You don't have to stay because of me." I was addressing the shifter ladies.
"Nah, running under the full moon is more of a wolf thing." Layne assured me. "Kind of machismo really."
"The pull to shift is stronger, but the alpha guys have it worse." Foxfire added.
"Tonight is more about initiating Jase. Your initiation is right here with us!" Amber winked at me.
Taking that as a queue, Kylie stood and brought me a fresh drink.
"I was going to wait until tomorrow, but I have some news. Or at least a lead on some news." Kylie spoke in a hushed tone, leaning close to me. "I may have found someone who can tell you what you are."
My eyes bulged in their sockets. "Who?!"
"Another shifter. He's seen a lot in his lifetime. But he's really private. Made it difficult to track him down. And he doesn't live on this continent, so it's gonna be a bitch to get him to Tucson."
I smiled so wide it hurt. "Kylie you're incredible!"
She returned my smile. "Hey, you're part of the family now. It's just what we do for each other."
We hugged and rejoined the others.
"So…" Foxfire was doing her best to seem serious. "What's our strategy for roping those boys into assignments at Krissy's pet adoption fair next weekend?"
We all exchanged glances for a moment, seeming to silently come up with the same singular, naughty idea.
We burst out laughing.
Shortly after, Jacqueline left to carry her great-granddaughter off to bed and turn in herself.
The mountainside was touched by the encroaching sunrise by the time the pack returned from their run. Although the six of us remaining ladies were a little drunk and a lot tired from the night's events, the return of our significant others bolstered our energy once more.
The still-single wolves were quick to make an exit. As the army of Harleys roared to life, the cacophonous rumble spread for miles in all directions, even as they disappeared towards the waking city. I doubted anyone sighting the parade would ever guess at what an inviting, generous group the bikers could be and I chuckled to myself at the thought.
"What's funny?" Jase inquired as his muscular arms enveloped me from behind and he breathed in the scent of my hair.
I turned in the embrace to meet his gaze. "Nothing, really. Just a silly random thought." A burst of excitement went through me when I remembered I had something else to share. "I have good news! Kylie says she's found someone who can tell me just what the heck I am!"
"Probably!" Kylie called over, reminding me how well shifters could hear. "I said probably."
"Right. Sorry. But still, it's finally something!"
I didn't see the excitement I felt reflected in Jase's expression and when I gave him a confused frown, he pulled away from me.
"I'd like to get you home." He said carefully. "It's been a long night. Jackson, Kylie, thank you for your hospitality."
"Certainly." Jackson replied simply. He seemed to be a man of few words.
Kylie offered a polite smile. The other couples did their best to diffuse the growing tension as well, saying their goodnights—more like good days now.
Walking to the truck in silence, my mind worked overtime to figure out Jase's sharp shift in mood.
When the thought crossed my mind, I wondered if it really could be so simple. Was Jase upset that it might be someone else giving me the answers I craved? Was he mad that he couldn't figure it out all on his own? How very…lone wolf of him. I muddled on how to broach the subject during the drive. Jase was stoic, hunched over the steering wheel like he didn't have the perfect vision I knew him to possess.
"It means a lot, you know," I began, testing the waters.
He spared me a sideways glance. "What does?"
"That you joined the pack. Asked for their help. From everything you've told me about alpha wolves, I can't imagine it was easy for you."
Jase shook his head slightly. "I wasn't trying to be anyone's alpha."
"I know. Doesn't change the fact that you've always been one. In a small way, you're mine. It doesn't mean you have to be the one in charge all the time. You use that strength in other ways." I reached over to place my hand on his thigh. "Asking Kylie for help was the smart choice. Maybe even brilliant!"
Jase chuckled. His let a hand drop from the steering wheel to cover mine on his thigh and squeezed it gently. "I wouldn't go that far. But I understand your point. Sorry I ruined a good night by acting like a dickhead."
"Not ruined." I assured him. "Though it would be nice if one of my growing talents turned out to be some kind of Spidey-Sense for looming mood killers."