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  She shook her head and forced the rest of the words from her mouth so she could shift as well. The woods were calling to her. With her mind in tune with Seth’s she could feel the need to run flowing from him. “You are wondrous in this form. Strong and fast. Your wolf is a part of you, as you are a part of him. Tonight we will bond the two halves of your mind together.”

  Amber eyes stared at her as she finished speaking. She knew he understood the meaning of the words. She turned to strip off her clothes and almost felt self-conscious about being naked in front of him.

  Get over it, girly.

  He was just another lusting male. She’d dealt with hundreds of them before—this was nothing new.

  If she were honest with herself this was different, though. She could hear what Seth was thinking, feel his emotions as if they were hers. He was watching her with rapt attention, drinking in her nudity as though it were water. His thoughts were filled with images of them in human form and them in wolf form doing very sensual things. When the image of her sucking his cock flooded her mind she growled at him and shut down the connection for a moment. Her cheeks were hot and she was mortified that she was blushing. How could she act the part of the Alpha if she were going to react like some young bitch in heat?

  With quick movements she shed her clothes and shifted. The instant relief from human thoughts was overwhelming. She took a deep breath, reconnected with Seth and shook out her midnight coat. She closed her eyes and lifted her nose into the air, pulling the scents of the forest into her lungs.

  Come.

  It was the only command she gave him. He would either follow her or he wouldn’t. If he didn’t, she could attack him for ignoring the pact he’d made with her as Alpha, but she didn’t think he could ignore her. Lust and want were still heavy in his thoughts. Watching her run away from him would be like a red flag waving in front of a bull. His instincts would have him chasing her tail before he could even think to disobey.

  She raced through the trees, heading toward the clearing. She poured on the speed, testing his ability to follow her and giving herself the freedom to let go and just be a wolf. Air sawed in and out of her lungs, her tongue hung out the side of her mouth and her muscles heated. A howl built in her chest but she swallowed it back down. They would howl together once in the clearing. No point in wasting a great vocalization while they were running.

  She skidded to a halt just outside the circle of moonlight, waiting for Seth to arrive. She was pleasantly surprised that he was right behind her. He was gasping for air but he’d kept pace with her. Most males couldn’t keep up with her when she really let go. She was fast and strong, strengthened further than most by the blood she’d inherited from her father. She gave him a toothy grin before walking slowly into the light.

  Enter the clearing and raise your voice to the light of the moon.

  She sat on her haunches, waiting for him to follow her. The need to howl with him was intense. She wanted to hear his wolf voice echo off the trees and soar into the night.

  Indecision flooded her mind as Seth’s thoughts moved along their connection. He strode into the clearing and looked into the sky but didn’t raise his voice, chagrin and perhaps disgust flowed through their connection. He turned quickly to look at her.

  I’ve never howled.

  Holy hell. How had he never howled? Wolf shifters howled all the time, in fur or not. It was just something you did when you were young. His past echoed through her mind. Damn, what other things hadn’t he experienced?

  Follow my lead and just let your wolf do his thing.

  She stood and tilted her head back, closed her eyes and sang to the moon. Her voice rose and fell in a mournful cadence. She released her frustration with this experiences and her distaste for her father’s orders, letting it all wash out of her and pour into her voice. She could feel Seth’s amazement, then his answering thoughts as he lifted his voice with Emily’s. His wolf voice was deep and eerie as it twined with hers. His carried his fear and apprehension of his wolf side. She slowly lowered her voice and just listened to him shout his pain into the night sky. It was beautiful.

  After the last notes reverberated through the trees she turned to him and finished the ceremony.

  You have offered your voice to the night, have combined it with your Alpha’s and have completed your First Run. In the eyes of the pack you are now an adult, free to make your own choices and decisions within the confines of pack laws. You may lead us back to the starting place.

  He strode to her and nudged her shoulder with his heavy head. Turning quickly he bolted out of the clearing.

  His voice whispered into her mind. Thank you.

  Chapter Six

  A wolfy grin spread across Emily’s lips, peeling them back from her teeth. She turned and took off after him. It felt strange to chase a male but he’d earned it. She followed at a much more sedate pace, sniffing him out when she lost sight of his body as he bounded along in front of her. She enjoyed the quiet of a forest gone to sleep. A few nocturnal creatures were scurrying through the leaves but most were snuggled into their homes for the night. A light breeze played through the branches. The night was perfect for a first run.

  She felt a slice of fear from Seth just as she caught the scent of another male wolf. Fuck. No one should be on this land while she was here. She raced to catch up with Seth and find out which male had decided to take his life in his hands. A growl rumbled in her chest. Seth was under her protection and if something happened to him she would be mighty pissed.

  The sounds of wolves growling echoed through the trees. She put on a burst of energy and slid to a stop just behind Seth. She was impressed by the standoff. His hackles stood, his teeth were bared and a vicious growl rumbled in his chest. The fear she had first felt from him had melted into anger and protectiveness. Well, wasn’t that nice? The male wanted to protect her. She would have chuckled if she could have.

  The other male was standing in exactly the same posture, staring hard at Seth. Emily took a good whiff of him and scoffed. Well, this might be a good thing for Seth. The other male was a weak idiot from their pack who tended to follow her around. Ed—or Eddy to his friends. She would call his behavior stalking if he were at all dangerous. She had repeatedly denied him anything he asked, from coffee to being his mate. She just couldn’t get rid of him. She took a step back and stood behind Seth, giving him the dominant position. Ed would know that she was giving the position up—maybe that would be enough to stop this nonsense. If he thought she’d finally given in and taken a mate, perhaps he would leave her alone.

  The growling intensified as the males circled each other. She stayed behind Seth like a good little female and hoped she wouldn’t have to step in. In wolf form he wouldn’t take being rescued by a female as a good thing. Probably, as a male in general, it wouldn’t help their working relationship if she was forced to help.

  Ed attacked first, lunging forward and trying to grab Seth’s neck with sharp teeth. Seth snarled and sidestepped the attack. His teeth sank into the fleshy part of Ed’s flank, pulling a high-pitched yip from the other wolf. They separated and circled again. Both snarled loudly, saliva dripping from their canines. The hair along their backs stood so tall that it added four inches to their height. Ed lunged again and was taken by surprise when Seth turned and grabbed his scruff. Seth powered the other male onto the ground and held him there, pinned, teeth clamped on his windpipe until Ed whined. The submissive sound signaled the end of the fight. Seth released Ed and backed up, placing his body between Emily and Ed.

  Pride and amusement slid between Seth and Emily along their connection. She could hear his triumphant laughter inside his head and she grinned. For someone who didn’t like his wolfy side he sure was taking to being a wolf with flying colors. She was proud of him too. Her wolf was all atwitter over his masculine show of dominance. Nothing warmed the heart of a wolf bitch more than a male who would protect her.

  Emily shifted quickly into her human form an
d let her power unfold, pushing out against the two males. She might have enjoyed watching Seth take Ed down but that didn’t mean she would allow anything else to happen. She was the acting Alpha in this run and responsible for all that happened. Injuries acquired would have to be dealt with and tempers reined in. Standing with hands on her hips, she stared at the two males. She growled at both of them, “Shift now or I’ll force it on you.”

  Seth shifted first, still giving off dominant vibes. He stood, beautiful in the moonlight, chest pushed out and a shit-eating grin on his face. She pushed down the urge to pat him on the back like a child who’d come home with all As on his report card. Her overwhelming pride in his behavior was almost funny. His body had a few scratches from his tussle with the other male but she couldn’t smell any blood. The scent of hot male tantalized her nose.

  She turned to watch Ed finish his shift. “Ed, what the hell? You know you aren’t supposed to be in these woods.”

  “Sorry, Em. I didn’t realize you were up here or I woulda stayed away.” Ed’s voice was a nasal whine that grated on her nerves. He turned angry eyes on Seth. “Who the fuck is he, anyway?”

  “None of your business, and you knew I’d be here. Figured you’d catch me running alone in the woods?” She scowled at Seth as a growl vibrated in his chest, then turned her attention back to the irritating male. “Go home, Ed. I don’t want you here.”

  The male glared at Seth for a moment longer, then turned hurt eyes to Emily. She sighed loudly.

  Here comes the begging.

  She tamped down the urge to make him cry. Honestly, how many times could she turn him down before he got the idea that she wasn’t interested? Her wolf growled inside her head. Neither of her sides liked the male, and the more he pursued them the less they could stand him.

  “Please, Em? Let me at least buy you a cup of coffee or something. You know I’m a good male and I’d make a good mate.”

  “Fuck.” She growled. She could feel Seth edging closer to her, almost touching her back with his naked chest. Anger flowed off him in waves. “No. No coffee, no dinner, no mating—nothing. We’ve been over this. Go home and find yourself a nice female who can make you happy.”

  “I love you, Emily Prescott, and nothing will ever stop me from trying. Nothing. I know we’re meant to be together. My wolf knows it too, and I’m sure that you know it as well but just don’t want to give in. I’m going to be there every time you turn around, when you least expect me, and one of those times you’re going to give in and take me as your rightful mate.” He looked so hopeful that she really had a tough time pushing him away, but this had gone far enough. She could hear the outrage and anger seething just under Seth’s skin.

  “Ed, you know I hate doing this to you, but you give me no choice.” She pulled her power around her and pushed it out toward the male. She let every ounce of disgust color her words. “I will never be your mate, ever. You’re delusional if you think a wolf with less than omega status would ever be enough for my bitch. I can barely stand seeing your face, let alone let you mate me. Go. Home.”

  Ed tried to fight the compulsion but in the end he shifted back to wolf form and trotted off toward his land. She sighed when she could no longer hear him. What a way to ruin a perfectly great evening. Oh well—at least it was over and no one had gotten hurt.

  The hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stood to attention. A shift in emotions alerted her to a new development in the clearing. She turned to find Seth watching her with predatory glee in his eyes and a sexy smile playing along his lips. All the anger seemed to have bled from him and been replaced by something close to anticipation. Shit. A male who’d won his first dominance fight was usually flooded with adrenaline and lust. His cock was erect and drew her attention.

  Oh boy.

  She didn’t want to have to put Seth in his place, but the thoughts rolling through his head were going to force her hand. He sure had an active and very interesting imagination. A sigh of resignation slipped through her lips.

  Chapter Seven

  Seth couldn’t seem to get a grip on his thoughts. He knew she was still sharing a connection with him because he could feel her shadow in his thoughts. The images moving through his mind were erotic, and embarrassing, but he just couldn’t stop them. The way she looked at him and stared at his cock, as if it were a tasty treat, just fed his imagination.

  He wanted to force her to her knees and shove his cock down her throat. The image of his hands gripping her hair and guiding her hot mouth to his shaft made his knees weak. He could just imagine the noises she would make as she swallowed his cum. The sensation of her swallowing the head of his cock while he came down her throat would be fantastic. Maybe he would make her squeeze his sac while he pumped into her mouth. Or maybe he’d make her touch herself while sucking him.

  A slap to the back of his head made him jump. He opened his eyes. When had he closed them? An angry, naked Emily stood in front of him. Her foot tapped a rapid rhythm and her fists were at her sides, clenched hard enough that her knuckles were white. Fuck. She had been privy to all those thoughts.

  She was staring at his cock again but not with affection or even heat. He looked down and found his hand still moving along its length. He ripped it off his member. Well, that would explain the sensations he’d imagined as his mind had wandered. Embarrassment flooded his system, with irritation close on its heels. She could easily pull her connection from his mind. She didn’t have to stay connected to witness his fantasy gone wild, although even if she didn’t see his thoughts, the manhandling of his cock probably would have given away his thoughts. He looked up to find her still staring daggers at him. He sighed.

  “Sorry. I don’t know what got into me. The picture started to form and then I just couldn’t let it go.” He closed his eyes and waited. He had watched her put down males for much less than he’d just done. He wondered if she would force him to do something disgusting or just mentally punish him.

  “Fuck. I’m not going to do anything to you. Jeezus. I’m not that much of a heartless bitch. You’re just reacting to the adrenaline and your wolf is reveling in your first victory.” She sighed and he could feel her relax. “Look, let’s run back to the cabin, then I can break the connection and you can take care of that absolutely beautiful erection by yourself.”

  He whipped his eyes back to hers. He couldn’t believe she was sanctioning him taking matters—and his cock—into his own hands, pun fully intended. Her face was a blank mask and she was blocking her emotions from him. He nodded and pulled his wolf forward again.

  The shift took only a moment and once he was in fur again his thoughts centered on the female sharing his space. The urge to chase her and mount her was strong. He knew those thoughts were going to get him into trouble but he couldn’t stop them from forming. His wolf understood all too well what had happened. He had won a challenge between himself and a rival male for his female. The prize should be a romp and a fuck with the female he’d protected. Instead he was forced to push his instincts down.

  Energy charged around him as Emily shifted to her wolf. She didn’t give him any time before she attacked. One moment she was changing from human to wolf, the next she had him by the throat and on the ground. She pushed her anger through their connection as she squeezed his throat and forced him to remain belly up. Her thoughts came to him on a growl.

  I am not yours. Now run back to the cabin.

  He couldn’t fight the compulsion and really had no desire to. He wanted to keep peace with this female so he did the only thing he could. He relaxed and moved his head so his entire throat was bared to her teeth. If submitting now would patch whatever problems he had created with his rampant imagination, then so be it.

  She released his throat and backed away, wariness evident in the snarl she gave him. He wondered how many males she’d been forced to do this to. How many times had she had to put a male in his place because she wasn’t prepared to take him as a mate? His disgust at his react
ion must have been blatant enough for her to read because she stopped snarling and cocked her head at him.

  Don’t. You aren’t at fault, it’s instinctive. I’m just keeping us from doing something we would regret once the adrenaline wore off. Her voice was laced with understanding. Come on—I’m hungry.

  She turned tail and sprinted into the woods. His predator couldn’t ignore her and he took off chasing after her. At least it seemed that he hadn’t damaged what little peace they had between them with his erotic fantasy.

  Emily shifted in mid-stride once she hit the yard around the cabin. She rushed into the building and threw on her clothes as fast as she could. When she felt Seth close to the cabin she unwound her mind from his, thankful to finally be free of his thoughts. She’d never really thought about what sharing someone’s thoughts would be like. She’d only done it a few times and never for this long. The images he’d conjured still played through her mind. The pure sensual need that had flowed through her as she’d watched herself suck his cock was still heavy in her body. She needed a cold shower just as much as he did.

  She could almost feel the sensations he’d built in his mind. The fact that she’d almost given him what he’d envisioned scared her more than anything else. The urge to let him mount her in wolf form had been strong and oh so tempting. She was confused and didn’t like it one bit. She was a scary bitch—everyone knew that. So why was one weakling of a male causing her so much trouble? She’d actually liked watching him defend her against Ed. Where the hell were these stupid and submissive female feelings coming from? Until she knew what was going on, she was going to avoid him. She hoped time would fix her issues but she doubted it would. She was wet even now. Traitorous body.