Lyric's Accidental Mate (Iron Wolves MC 1 ~ Bite of the Moon) (5 page)

She grabbed his hand. “Come on, big guy.”

They stepped outside in companionable silence, his palms sweating while the rest of his body was ready to implode. “Is it like in the movies, where you’ll hear all my bones popping and see shit looking all fucked up like?”

“Oh, it’s so much worse than that. The first time you’ll feel every little snap, crackle, and pop. For those of us who are born shifters, it’s not so bad because we shift as kids, and our bones are softer. I’ve only seen a couple humans change, and let me tell you, I think they wished for death.”

“You’re not making this any easier.” She shrugged and didn’t say anything else. The moon wasn’t full, so he figured that was another falsehood the movies portrayed. “How about clothes?”

“We most def want to be naked when we shift. Of course, there are times that you aren’t able to control your emotions, or so I’m told, and then you end up ruining your favorite outfit.”

Rowan looked her up and down. “You mean like you did earlier?”

“That was me protecting you, asswipe. Now, shut it with all the questions, and focus. Your wolf is probably itching to get out.” She motioned with her hands.

Rowan felt the other being below the surface but didn’t feel threatened by it. “Yeah, it’s like he’s crouched and waiting for something.”

On his back porch, he had a large open area with a fire pit surrounded by low chairs. Off to the side, he had a built-in barbeque grill and pizza oven. He eyed the best spot for his first shift and decided the open yard was the smartest choice. Never one to be self-conscious about his body, he stripped out of his shirt and jeans, leaving his boxer briefs on until Lyric joined him.

A deep exhale and she was next to him, shrugging out of his sweats and tossing his shirt onto the grass, standing in nothing but her perfect, unblemished skin. Rowan couldn’t help but stare as she held her head high and her gaze pinned him in place.

“Eyes up here,” Lyric said.

He rubbed his hand across his mouth. “You went commando.”

Standing there with her hands on her naked hips, Lyric narrowed her gaze. “Your underwear wouldn’t have fit me, and there was no way I was putting on dirty ones.”

The word
dirty
, coming out of her mouth conjured up all kinds of naughty thoughts, and caused an immediate and noticeable reaction in his briefs. “Eyes up here, darlin’.” Rowan teased.

“Kinda difficult when that thing is ready to spring out and bite someone.”

“Don’t make promises you ain’t willing to follow through.”

“Stop thinking with your little head and focus. You do not want to end up stuck, shifted in between man and wolf.”

Rowan couldn’t tell if she was telling the truth or not. Erring on the side of caution, he tore his eyes away from her hard-tipped nipples. He listened as she instructed him on how to find his wolf, and how to let the beast have control, but not to lose himself inside. To say he was scared was putting it mildly.

She agreed to go first, hoping her wolf would be able to communicate with his. Rowan wasn’t convinced, but he felt a stirring in his mind. The creature was ready to come out and tried to reassure him. As he watched Lyric shift, he didn’t hear her bones popping, but it wasn’t a pretty sight to behold, either. It didn’t take but a minute before a blonde colored wolf stood where she’d been standing. Before Rowan could reach out to touch her, his own wolf began taking over. He took a deep breath and let go. The pain was worse than he’d expected.

What seemed like hours later but couldn’t have been more than a few minutes, he found himself lying in the cool grass, looking down upon paws. There was another being in control of his body, where he was more of a backseat passenger. Rowan remembered what Lyric had told him about asserting his dominance, ensuring the wolf didn’t take over completely. An instant recognition flowed inside him.

Once he was sure he could stand without falling over, he got up. He smelled the familiar scent of Lyric close, yet far enough away he was aware she was leery of what his reactions would be. Hunt, kill, and fuck she’d said. He lifted his nose and scented prey near the back forty of his property, close, yet he wanted to run in his new form.

With what he hoped was a nod, Rowan headed off in the direction he wanted to go. They spent a long time running, and then stopped to get a much needed drink at a creek that bordered his land. He nudged Lyric when she got too close to his neighbor’s electric fence, scared she’d get injured. Her answering nip to his flank had him turning to nip her back, only to come up short when he scented other wolves. Their howls made the hair on his back stand up, and he sensed Lyric’s worry. He wanted to shift and reassure her all would be fine, but those howls were heading straight for them. From Lyric’s body language, she knew who was coming, and although they weren’t the bad guys, she obviously wasn’t prepared for them.

Rowan knew the land like he knew the back of his hand, but, being new to the shifter world he wasn’t sure what they could do that he couldn’t. Hell, he wasn’t positive he could shift back to human yet, let alone on command.

He stood next to Lyric, her smaller wolven body barely reaching his belly, waiting for whoever was coming. They didn’t have to wait long before two huge wolves stalked into the clearing by the creek. Rowan assumed the large blond one was Lyric’s brother, since he smelled similar to her. The other was a huge black wolf that exuded power and strength. He had no doubt the two men were the most powerful wolves of the pack. He would not show fear to them. The military didn’t allow such thoughts, and he wouldn’t betray his training tonight.

The black wolf shifted almost seamlessly. “Lyric, I suggest you shift now, girl. You’ve got some explaining to do.”

Not liking the way the big dark man spoke to his woman, Rowan shifted first, blocking her from their view.

* * * *

K
ellen raised his eyebrows at the show of protection. The other man was a little taller than he and Xan, with muscles upon muscles, and not a tattoo in sight. He wondered what the other man was thinking as he stared back at him. Kellen made no apologies for his looks or his behavior. From what they’d learned in the last couple hours, Rowan was a military man with a long list of honors behind him. He’d inherited his home and land and ran some sort of security business. Basically, he was the polar opposite of Kellen and his pack.

“Hello, Rowan. Welcome to my pack. I see you’ve shifted,” Kellen said, indicating the sweat rolling down the other man’s temple. Although he was putting up a really good front, shifting hurt like a motherfucker for newly made shifters. Kellen usually connected with his packmates during their first shift and helped them through the pain, taking some of it on himself. As the alpha, he was the only one with the ability to do so, although Arynn, their omega, could also to an extent.

“I don’t know the rules. Am I supposed to do something here? Do we see who can piss longer or what?”

“Xan can piss longer, as a matter of fact. Can’t you, Xan?” Kellen had felt his best friend shift, but he’d also seen the way Rowan had subtly moved his body, keeping both he and Xan in his sights.

“Let’s stop playing games and get this show on the road. Are we gonna kill him or slap him on the back and welcome him with some good ole boy drinking? I’d say fucking, but I don’t think I could let him live if he touched my baby sister back there.”

Kellen had smelled no mating between Lyric and Rowan, which was good for the new shifter. He didn’t think he could keep his second from killing the man if he’d done the dirty with Lyric. Of course, Kellen wouldn’t have blamed the man. Lyric was one of the most gorgeous women he’d seen. Sweet, sexy, and sassy wrapped in a small package sure to kick your ass, just like his sister Syn.

“Shift back so we aren’t standing with our junk hanging in the wind,” Kellen said. He waited for Xan to shift, knowing his best friend was laughing. “You go first, and I’ll help you, and before you say something manly like,
I don’t need help
, believe me, you do.”

“You really will need his help, Rowan. I can’t do what he does as our alpha.” Lyric’s soft voice broke through their silent stare down.

“Girl, you are so gonna get your ass beat by brother here if you don’t quit pressing your naked ass against his naked ass.” Kellen warned.

“Technically, it’s my naked front against his naked ass,” Lyric said but shifted before Xan shifted back to human and followed through with the threat.

Her brother’s growl was more anger than menacing, which Kellen understood. If Syn was getting up close and comfy with some nude dude, he’d want to take a bite out of the man’s hide, too.

Rowan shook out his hands and rolled his head around like he was getting ready for a fight. He exhaled loudly and then inhaled. Kellen wasn’t sure what the fuck the guy thought was going to happen. He’d always been the less talk, more action type guy himself. Without pausing, he opened himself to Rowan, barreling into the mind of the wolf and took over the shift.
Fuck!
Three shifts in one night, and he still had to do it again when they got back to the house. Rowan was probably crying like a bitch and wishing for death right about now. Only Kellen didn’t find him cowering in the corner of his mind. The man was trying to handle the pain without showing any outward signs. Obviously, Uncle Sam’s training was paying off.

After he made sure Rowan could hold the shift, he opened a connection to all three of his pack members.
All right, my minions, follow me and don’t fuck around. I’m not in the mood to hunt, kill, or fuck Bambi. Dude, that is messed up on a level even Bodhi ain’t messed up on.

Xan nudged him in the side.
Who wants to fuck Bambi? Unless she’s some new hot chick?

What is going on? Why can I hear you in my head?
Rowan asked.

That’s the power of the alpha. Sorry, I sorta screwed you by not taking you to him for your first shift. I just thought we’d have a few days.
Lyric’s voice sounded apologetic.

We will talk about it when we get to Rowan’s.
Kellen didn’t allow any room for arguments. With Xan taking the lead, he nipped Lyric, letting her know without words he wanted her to follow. Rowan, still in protective mode, would follow, of that Kellen had no doubt.

He understood more about Rowan in the moments he was inside his mind than he’d ever get talking to the man for days or weeks in a deep interrogation session. The man was definitely in lust with Lyric, and, if he wasn’t missing his mark, they were meant to be mates. Things were about to get interesting. He kept his chuckle to himself, knowing his best friend was gonna be one pissed off big brother when he realized his baby sister was about to be mated.

At the back deck, Xan shifted quickly, holding out a blanket for Lyric as if he wanted to hide her nudity from Rowan. Kellen wanted to laugh at the audacity of his second. They were naked more often than not, especially when they shifted. The fact he was acting like the big brother who was protecting his sister’s virtue was comical. Kellen wondered if Lyric would do the same if roles were reversed. He pictured what she’d have done if she’d seen Xan fucking the chick before they’d gotten the call about the attack at the bar. He already knew what Lyric would’ve done, and the answer was the same as Syn. Nothing. They’d walked in on more than one woman bouncing on their brothers’ dicks and done nothing more than tell them to wear protection, or lock the door next time.

Lyric ignored Xan’s outstretched arms and pulled on what was obviously men’s sweats and shirt. Xan growled, but she folded her arms and glowered at him. Kellen ignored them and focused on helping Rowan do his final shift of the night. The man may be the most stoic male he’d ever met, but he was still newly made. Using his connection he took on some of the pain and helped Rowan focus on becoming human once again.

They shifted at the same time. Kellen was there to catch him when Rowan stumbled, his strength finally giving out.

“Fuck, I feel like I was waterboarded and left for dead.” Rowan scrubbed a hand down his face.

“That happen to you often? The waterboarding thing?” Xan asked.

“Shit, I...forget I said that.”

Lyric handed Rowan his jeans, as a mate should do, in Kellen’s mind.

“All right, let’s take this party inside.” Kellen swiped up his own pants, putting them on and checking his cell phone. “Shit, we got trouble.” He showed Xan his phone. They had a text from Arynn that one of their females was missing. “Change of plans, kids. Lyric, I know you’ve got Pixie here somewhere?” At her nod, he looked at Rowan and knew the man was in no condition to drive. “You want to leave her here and drive him, or you want Xan to drive your guy back to the clubhouse?”

“I can drive myself. Or, better yet, I’ll just stay here,” Rowan said.

Kellen looked down where Rowan had parked his ass on the first step. “Sure thing, and flying monkeys are coming out of my ass. What’s it gonna be, Lyric?”

“How did you find us?” she asked.

“We have a locator on all the vehicles. Before you ask something that will more than likely piss me off, no, we don’t check up on you girls. It’s for emergencies only.” Kellen took in her mutant expression.

“I never unloaded my bike from his truck, so I’ll drive us.” Lyric dug her toe into the ground.

He nodded. “You will follow me, and make no detours, little girl.” Kellen didn’t think she’d disagree with him or challenge his authority, but, just in case, he made sure she understood it was an order.

“Do we have time to pack him a bag, Alpha?” Snark rang clear in her voice.

She didn’t wait for him—he didn’t expect her to. Rowan watched her stomp into the house, and Xan couldn’t hide his amusement either.

“Someone needs to put her over their knee,” Kellen growled.

Rowan pulled himself up off the step. “Nobody will be touching her.”

Kellen laughed as Rowan got up in his face; his threat held real heat. Yeah, he was going to make a great addition to the pack, once he found his place. “Boy, you ain’t big enough to take me on today. Now, settle down and wait for Lyric to come back with a bag so we can scat.”