Page 39 of Shifters' Fated Summer
Oh, fuck.
He stalked forward, grabbed the other strap of my dress, and ripped it down so the dress slithered to the ground, leaving me bare.
My mind hadn’t caught up to what was happening, but the fact I wanted him to throw me down and fuck me until I screamed, despite how much I despised this man - it could only be one thing: a fated mate bond.
The electric shock still buzzed under my skin, unlike anything I had experienced before. I was holding a live wire.
His eyes flickered down mybody for the briefest second before he turned and stalked away.
“Everyone, shift!” His demand held all the authority of his position, and my body eagerly responded, even as my mind silently screamed.
A burning, twisting feel bloomed in my chest, rapidly overtaking my body. The last thing I saw with my human eyes was Luca, standing a few yards away, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open.
Everything went dark and hazy. My muscles screamed at me, and my bones vibrated as if they were scraping against each other. It made me nauseous.
Pitching forward, my hands hit the dirt, but they weren’t hands any longer. Cream fur brushed with gray-brown covered paws. I flexed the unfamiliar muscles and my dull claws dug into the earth.
The sounds of growls and whines echoed around the space, and my massive, furry ears picked up everything.
The panic and shock of the mate bond disappeared. Everything was right in the world, no need to worry. It was far more interesting to sort through the multitude of smells on the breeze.
I could smell Elowen’s pregnancy and how aroused she was for her mate. Already, she was trotting away with Archer.
Ahead, a great golden wolf watched me. Darker brown framed his face in a thick ruff that bristled as he stalked towardme.
My mate.
Instinctively, I crouched, my belly against the pine needles. A whimper came from my chest as I stretched my head back and licked at his muzzle.
Cade dropped his head, bumping noses with me.
A silver and white wolf joined him, nuzzling against his neck and licking my cheek. His paws pranced in place excitedly as his fluffy white tail wagged. From his scent, my wolfish mind recognized Luca, but that information was muffled. His name didn’t matter. He belonged to the golden wolf, just like I did.
I could feel the bond with the golden-brown wolf. His confidence bled through, urging me to stand and rub my nose into his ruff.
Luca yipped, licking at my face again. A second connection burned between Luca and me, cooler than the brighter one with Cade, but no less real. The connection on my end felt shadowy, like an echo. He was mates with Cade, and I felt what Cade felt.
Luca must have sensed it too, because he crowded against me, brushing our shoulders together and nuzzling my neck.
Cade growled, his ears pressing forward. His fur fluffed up, making him look massive. Luca bumped into him, tail wagging, and Cade softened.
Around us, Harper and Rae, a pale reddish wolf and a sleek black one, took off running into the woods. Elowen and Archer had disappeared already.
A large gray wolf I suspected was Holt watched from adistance before he lowered his nose to the ground. Past him, a lanky black wolf leaped at a pure white wolf whose tail was wagging furiously. Finn and Jem. They tumbled into a mess of fur and panting tongues.
The whole pack was together, and my heart swelled. This was where I belonged.
Distantly my human brain disagreed. But those thoughts were irrelevant. The overwhelming sense of rightness soaked through my entire being.
Luca lowered his front legs, his butt high in the air and tail wagging. Cade answered his play bow with a resounding bark. Luca’s pale eyes met mine, silently asking.
I wanted nothing more than to run with him and be together. Tentatively, I stepped forward. Luca bolted, his tail whipping behind him as he raced through the trees.
Cade lurched forward, giving chase.
My wolfish instincts took over and my paws scrambled to launch myself after him. We ran through the trees at breakneck speeds, leaping over logs and crashing through brambles.
Cade and I cornered Luca against a rocky outcropping and leapt at him, growling playfully. We rolled, and Cade pinned me to the ground, nipping at the thick fur around my neck. Luca took full advantage, licking at my muzzle as I wiggled, trying to free myself.
