Page 41 of Fighting Her Wolves

“Boys are so perverted,” I say.

We gather around the table. River piles more on his plate as we dig in.

“Marcus didn’t show up today,” River tells Kerian.

“Damn, I’d hoped he would get his shit together,” Kerian says, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

“You’d think getting the crap beat out of him would knock some screws back in place.” River finishes his third piece since sitting down.

“Probably just pissed him off,” I say.

“Yeah, we didn’t think it through,” River muses. “It was fun, though.”

“Does he live out here?” I ask.

“No, he has a place in town. He’s never been a joiner. It’s a wonder he’s a wolf.” Kerian picks up his glass.

“Why would that matter?” I ask.

“Wolves feel deprived if we don’t spend a lot of time with other wolves. We are affectionate; our wolves demand it. Most shifters are the same. Coyotes and foxes are the only ones that don’t need much physical closeness. Even lions need their pride,” Kerian explains.

“What about Harmony’s mates? I’ve heard they had lots of different species in their pack,” I ask. I finish my second piece of pizza and am stuffed. River is still eating more.

“They do. There are no rules to packs regarding who can be in them. You can have different species as long as they aren’t being forced. It gets tricky, though, if you have a species like coyotes and rabbits. They are natural enemies, and it doesn’t matter if you have human bodies or not.”

“Are all of the shifters in your pack wolves?” I ask.

“Right now, they are. We are not opposed to welcoming others, but none have asked. It’s difficult, too, to come into a group of established shifters of the same species. Problems can arise.”

“Establishing dominance in a wolf pack is the top priority when new members arrive,” River adds.

“Is that what happened when you came back?” I ask River.

“Sure.” He smiles.

“And?”

“I made my point. I’m a good fighter,” he boasts.

I roll my eyes. “Are you all born wolves?”

“Yes,” Kerian says, hesitant.

“But humans can be turned?”

“They can. It can be a difficult process, though.”

“He’s saying that it can fail epically,” River states.

“River,” Kerian growls.

“What? She needs to know the truth. The best chance of the change being successful is if your mate changes you. You have to be determined to be with them forever. If you don’t want to be in this world with them, a hundred percent, the chances of it working aren’t great. The process changes everything that makes you up from the inside out. Your body is adapting to being able to turn into an animal at will. Why would that be easy? If you stick through it, you become a wolf, strong, agile, fast, your senses expand times a hundred, and you live a very long life.” River watches my face drain of color. “This is magic. We are magic. Anything worth having is difficult.”

“Sorry, Harmony explained some but not all of it,” I say.

“You have to trust us and commit to us for it to work,” Kerian says.

“What if I don’t? Commit?” I ask. I hate the sadness that leaks through the room. “Do I have to decide to be turned into a wolf right away? Is it a requirement to make that decision quickly?”

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