Changed: 2 (Wolf's Den) (17 page)

“Put your hands on my shoulders,” he instructed hoarsely and
glided the tip between her wet folds. She did, carefully placing them where
he’d asked. He parted her pussy, the broad head spreading her wide. “Ease down
on me. We’re going to take this nice and slow.”

She sank down, taking him a bit at a time. Her eyes darted
to the bruising on his ribs. “I don’t want to make things worse.”

“Then don’t. Rock on me, sweetheart. Make us both feel
good.” The hand he’d placed around the base of his cock moved and she took the
last inches of him. The head bumped her deep inside and she put her chin on her
chest. She felt his fingers search for and find her clit. “We’ll come together.
You only need to get us there.”

The events of the evening vanished.

All she could think about—
all she could feel
—was
Declan.

His nails receded and his fingers raked over the skin at her
hip, the pressure on her clit teasing and not what she needed. Bringing her head
up, she met his gaze. Her breath caught and fizzles built in her tummy. He was
studying her, as though he wanted to know her reactions. The darkening along
his jaw had faded to a soft yellow.

They’d had sex before but this time something was different.

Energy radiated between the two of them. There was a change
in her lover she couldn’t place. A part of her wanted to ask him about it and
share her feelings. If she shifted successfully, they’d be together forever.
This time the idea didn’t scare her. She’d actually started liking the idea.
There were so many things she could do now that she had a second chance, and
she could do them with the sexy and thoughtful man who’d claimed her.

She maintained eye contact, rocking her pelvis. “Tell me if
I hurt you.”

“You won’t.” His eyes drifted closed and she noticed how
full his lashes were. “You feel so good, mate. So snug and warm all around me.”

Making sure she didn’t bump him, she lifted away and started
moving up and down. As usual he was thick enough to brush all her sweet places,
the wideness parting her vaginal walls. He didn’t stop touching her, rasping
his fingers over her clit. The air in the room felt thick, her breathing
quickly becoming heavy.

This was what she needed.

The two of them together.

“Play with your nipples.” Her eyes flew open and Declan was
there, looking right at her. Clutching her hip and guiding her to a faster
pace, he growled, “I want to watch. Show me what you like.”

They’d done so much together. She wasn’t sure why that idea
made her shy.

Mustering her courage, she let go of his shoulders and
brought her hands to her breasts. At first she rested her palms over her hard
nipples and averted her gaze.

“No.” His voice had thickened, his growl heavier. “Look at
me.” It wasn’t easy but she did. “I want to see it when you get off. I know you
enjoy nipple play. Touch them while I keep touching you. You don’t have to be
embarrassed. Not with me.”

A small drawing back of her hands and her nipples were
between her fingers. She rolled them gently, moaning at the feeling. His lids
lowered, hooding his eyes. The look he was giving her was more than enough to
ramp up her libido. Combined with the fullness of his cock and the friction he
applied to her clit, it wouldn’t take her long.

“Do I feel good, baby?”

“Yes,” she answered, moaning at the delicious sensations.
“You feel so good.”

They stayed like that, gazing into each other’s eyes. She
didn’t stop, gliding up and down his cock. The hand at her hip made her go
faster, then faster. Heat and pressure built in her abdomen, matching the
pulsing between her legs. Declan didn’t look away, his irises so bright she
thought they might blind her. Her muscles drew up, stomach tight.

“Come for me,” he whispered thickly.

The pressure in her body split, coursing over her. She tried
to inhale but her breath caught in her throat, the pleasure nearly too much.
Declan held her gaze as she came, his lips slightly parted, his hair damp and
messy around his forehead, temples and neck. She made a mental snapshot, never
wanting to forget. The glorious hum spreading over her skin intensified, the
pleasure so perfect she thought she might drown in it.

“My sweet girl.” Declan’s forehead creased and his teeth
snapped together. “I’m right there with you.”

He stopped her movement, slamming her down his length. His
cock swelled, the hand on her hip squeezed and she felt the liquid heat of his
climax explode inside her. As he came he lifted his hips a bit, sending his
cock deeper into her. She took it all, rocking back and forth. To keep balanced
she released a breast and put her hand on his arm. His motions eased and
finally stopped altogether. The fingers at her clit moved away, the hand on her
hip resting limply over her skin. He panted for air, his chest rising up and
down.

He’s too tired for this.

Prepared to care for him, she shrugged him off when he
reached for her. “Let me pull up the blankets.”

As she lifted from his cock a trickle of his seed escaped,
weaving down her thigh. She climbed from the bed and retrieved the towel she’d
left there. Before she could let her nerves get the better of her, she
carefully wiped herself clean and carried the plush length of fabric to the
laundry basket near the closet.

Declan tracked her movements. She could feel the heaviness
of his stare.

She turned out the light and returned to him, ready to pull
up the covers. She’d no more than pulled everything aside when he tugged her to
the center of the bed. Despite his injuries he covered their bodies with the
blankets and snared her by the waist. His chest cradled her back, his
still-hard cock resting in the crease of her ass. She’d been afraid to touch
him—not wanting to cause him further pain—but apparently he didn’t mind so
much.

His lips brushed her ear, his breath warm. “Thank you.”

“I don’t like seeing you hurt.” A small step toward a
confession about her feelings but a step nonetheless. “Tell me this doesn’t
happen a lot.”

“I can’t believe it. Are you worried about me?”

She thought he might be holding his breath as he waited for
her answer. “Yes.”

“No, baby. This doesn’t happen often.” He rubbed his cheek
against the side of her neck. “Things have been strained since Chloe and
Jackson got together but eventually that’ll settle down.”

“Will it take you long to heal?” She brought her hand to
his, cautious as she rested her fingers over his knuckles. “Will the food make
everything better?”

“I’ll be completely healed in the morning.” Pressing a kiss
to her shoulder, he whispered, “The food definitely helps but it’s not what
makes me better.”

“It’s not?”

“No.”

“Is it the wolf then?”

He paused, his breath tickling her skin. “It’s you, Rachel.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“I’m glad.” It wasn’t his words that made her bold, it was
the way he said them. “I want to be the one who gives you what you need.”

“Am I finally starting to grow on you?”

“A little.” She smiled, welcoming his good humor. “Keep it
up.”

With a gentle nip, he settled against her. “I have every
intention to.”

Silence fell over them and his breathing fell into a steady
rhythm. She gazed across the bedroom and tried to keep her eyes closed. Sadly a
sliver of light from the moon had made it through the blinds in the window. She
couldn’t stop staring at the white hue, wondering how it would feel against her
skin. In less than twenty-four hours the wolf inside her would rise and
everything would change.

“Don’t worry, baby. I’m here. I’ll take care of you.” Declan
let go of her waist and cupped her breast, resting his elbow on her hip. “Get
some sleep.”

So he knew she was tense. Not a surprise.

It seemed he was getting to know her better and better.

With a final look, she forced her lids closed.

It wasn’t like she had any other choice.

Rachel thought she shouldn’t have kept thinking about the
lack of time she had left.

Doing so had only made the minutes tick by quicker.

To make the suck-factor worse, Declan had been on the phone
all day.

They’d gotten hot and heavy more than once only to have
Jackson, Gavin or Shane call and interrupt them. He hadn’t been able to let the
answering machine do the work, promising he’d return as soon as he could. His
sly smile and grumbling about his job as Beta had lightened her mood a bit.
She’d waited, and waited, and waited…

Then she decided she wasn’t staying in the bed all day.

He hadn’t returned after she’d taken a shower so she’d used
several minutes to dry her hair. Time passed, each second rushing by. She’d
cleaned up her mess. Paced the room. Eventually she’d decided to find him if
she had to. He’d been in his office, looking through a Rolodex. He’d given her
an apologetic look but hadn’t stopped sharing information with Jackson and
asking questions. He said goodbye and she’d expected him to end the call when
he hit the button on the receiver and went to the other line.

His stomach had growled, the sound loud in the office.

Always the one to receive breakfast, she’d then found
herself the cook.

After she fed him he still didn’t budge from his chair,
answering calls on his cell and his office phone. She’d waited, trying to give
him space. Yet the calls kept coming. Once she’d slipped her head into the door
and he’d put his hand over the phone and apologized again, appearing almost
frustrated.

So she’d left, letting him do his work.

That’s how a majority of the day had gone.

Hours had passed. Morning had turned into afternoon. Unable
to do anything else she’d catered to Declan, making him lunch. He’d thanked her
with a kiss when the phone rang again. Wanting to be near him, she’d decided to
eat with him, taking a seat in the chair on the other side of his desk. Then—as
she’d plucked a photo album of Declan’s tattoo work over the years from a
shelf—things had gotten
really
strange.

Her eyes went to the windows and her heart skipped a beat.

She’d been able to hide the changes from him since he’d been
distracted, excusing herself with a smile. But as soon as he saw her again he’d
know the deal. Over the last two hours her hearing had gotten better. Declan’s
conversations, once muffled, were now crystal clear. The air shifted, scents
becoming apparent. The wolf had gotten louder in her mind, eager for the day to
end. Her muscles ached and she’d felt a hollow throb build in her arms and
legs.

It had only taken minutes to realize the pain was radiating
from her bones.

“Baby,” Declan hollered from the office, catching her off
guard. She ripped her eyes from the window and turned toward his voice. “Can
you come here?”

He hadn’t called for her in over an hour.

Be cool. You’re fine.

Rising from the stool, she stepped away from the counter. As
stupid as it was she was worried about his reaction. She rubbed her palms over
her itchy skin, wishing the irritating sensation would go away. She had marks
on her arms from scratching. As soon as she’d seen the damage she’d caused,
she’d forced herself to stop.

It had taken all of her willpower not to tear at her skin.

Knowing it had to be done eventually, she walked down the
hallway. Each step drew her closer. His scent—now much more potent—drifted to
her nose. Her body responded and she felt a growl creeping up her throat. She
exhaled roughly, shaking her head, wanting the tingling in her nostrils to
stop.

“Yes, we’re about to leave,” she heard Declan retort
sharply. “As far as I know, she’s fine. Thanks to all the bullshit I’ve had to
deal with today, I haven’t been able to take care of her. Whatever, man. See
you there.” She heard the phone hit the cradle, followed by Declan’s snarl,
“Fucking asshole.”

The chair in the office squeaked and her pulse quickened.

She heard his footsteps, each one bringing him closer to the
door. He was going to get out of the room before she made it there. She tried
to decide which lighting might be better—the dimly lit hallway or his work
lair—but accepted nothing in the world was going to change her eyes. She’d seen
them earlier in the mirror, noting the way the color had changed.

He exited the room, his hair mussy from him combing his
hands through it. His head turned, his gaze landing on her. He stilled,
nostrils flaring as his eyes went wide.

“I think something’s wrong,” she confessed like an idiot and
wondered if she should have gone to him sooner. “I know I’m supposed to change
later but I feel really weird.”

“Son of a bitch.” In an instant he was at her side. His
fingers cupped her face, his eyes locked on hers. “Tell me what you’re feeling.
When did it start?”

“Around noon,” she answered, trying not to panic. Her gums
and fingertips burned, her bones practically on fire. “I won’t shift yet,
right?”

“We’d better go.” He released her without answering the
question. “Once Jackson’s close he can make things easier for you.”

Before she could argue he vanished into the office and
returned with his jacket and keys. He hurried down the hall, led her from the
house and got her in the SUV. In less than a minute they were on their way. She
noticed how strange the car smelled this time around, the leather scent in the
vehicle almost offensive. Strangely the cold didn’t bother her anymore. She
turned off the heater Declan hadn’t bothered cutting off the last time they’d
exited the car.

“I’m sorry,” he said, reaching for his cell. He pushed a
button and lifted it to his ear. “I didn’t realize how much time had passed. I
should have paid attention.” After a second he snarled into the phone, “Haul
ass. It’s happening.” Before the person could respond he hung up, tossed the
cell into the cup holder and took her hand. “Don’t be afraid. You’ll be fine.”

“I thought you had to meet the packs.” In fact, she was
certain he had to. She’d heard him telling Shane precisely that. “Can’t we make
it stop?”

He didn’t answer for several seconds. “I’m not sure.”

“That’s not very reassuring.”

“It’s going to be fine,” he repeated. His fingers squeezed
hers. “Jackson is on the way. Shane should already be at the hunt. We’ll figure
something out.”

“I’m not sure I’m ready for this.” An enormous
understatement.

The car rocked as the tires hit a real road, going from
gravel to asphalt. Taken off balance, she thrust her hand against the dash. She
saw her fingers and froze. She didn’t have claws exactly but her nails had
really
grown.

“Declan,” she whispered.

Glancing over, he snarled, “Shit.”

He punched the gas and ordered, “Look at me.”

Ripping her attention from her hand, she looked at his face.

His fingers tightened over hers. “Not yet,” he growled, peering
over at her. “It’s not time.” Something settled over her, a soothing yet
invisible blanket of comfort. “That’s right,” he persisted, “you belong to her
and she belongs to me.”

Little by little the animal inside her backed off. She could
still smell things and her vision was a lot clearer but she didn’t feel like
she was going to crawl out of her own skin.

“You’re holding the wolf back,” she said, cracking under the
strain, “aren’t you?”

“For now,” he told her softly. “Don’t be afraid. I know you
don’t believe it but you’re going to love the night, Rachel. You’re going to
find out there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Even as he said it, she heard the
fear
in his voice.

She decided to let it slide, grateful for his help. “I
believe you.”

There was no way to know if he believed her and she didn’t
push to find out. Instead she studied the landscape, watching the buildings
blur by. The night hadn’t come yet but it was well on the way. The sun had
already started its descent, dipping to the horizon. She didn’t bother him as
he drove, taking in her surroundings. They ventured through the city before
Declan turned onto a side road. It went for miles, taking them deep into a
wooded area.

The scent changed, no longer tainted by smoke or urban
smells.

Grass and earth filled her nose, a tantalizing fragrance
that called to her soul.

She leaned forward and closed her eyes, taking a deep
breath. The burn in her muscles and bones returned and Declan’s fingers clamped
down on her hand.

“We’ll be there soon. Sit back and focus.”

Damn.
“I don’t want to.”

“Rachel.”

More of that powerful soothing from him, yanking her back.
She sank into her seat, taking ragged breaths. The wolf seemed to snarl but
then went quiet. The fire in her blood retreated, leaving her shaken. The trees
sped by in a blur, Declan’s grip on her fingers nearly painful. She paid
attention to that, forcing everything else from her mind. A minute or so later
she saw a large building of some kind in the distance. She focused, trying to
see. A dozen or so cars surrounded it.

“Hold on a little longer.” Declan relaxed his grip and
brought her hand to mouth, breezing his lips over her knuckles. “We’re almost
there.”

Declan lowered Rachel’s hand and stared at the large
structure in the distance. The building had been created years ago for the
packs. There were meeting rooms and beds inside, in the event pack members
didn’t want to drive home after a hunt.

His gaze swept over the cars until he found the one he was
looking for.

Fuck yes. Shane’s here.

Jackson wouldn’t make it in time. Rachel had already started
going through the beginning phases. With changed wolves things were different.
They started experiencing things earlier but usually they didn’t start the
transformation until night had fallen.

He thought she’d have to be in the rays of the moon.

Apparently he’d been wrong.

He pulled the car next to Shane’s and turned off the engine.
“Stay here,” he ordered, opening his door and letting Rachel go. The instant he
slid from his seat he used his nose, trying to find his packmate. As soon as he
had a fix on the scent he was looking for he rushed to the side of the
building.

Shane, Cole and Wyatt where there, talking.

They shut up when they saw him, frowning in confusion.

“Shane,” he snapped, waving the man over. “Come here.”

“Well, hello there,” Shane drawled and stepped away from the
men. “You’re early.”

“Don’t fuck around.” He advanced, stopping when he was
inches from the male. “I need you to meet the packs for me.”

“Oh no, hell no,” Shane responded. “That’s
your
job now.”

“Rachel’s shifting,” he snarled, itching to get back to his
mate. He’d gone over things with Shane. The male could easily stand in for him
for the night. All he had to do was meet the pack and make sure the transition
for the Alphas went smoothly. “Tell everyone the circumstances. They’ll
understand. She can’t wait until Jackson arrives. I need to take her to the
forest and help her as much as I can.”

Shane stopped being an asshole, turning concerned. “Shit.
Are you sure?”

“Positive.” He took a step back, ready to leave. “I wouldn’t
ask if I didn’t have to.”

Shane’s eyes turned bright blue. “Go on. Take care of her.”

“Will you—”

“I’ll handle it.” Shane glanced at Cole and Wyatt then he
turned to Declan. “Go to her. Make sure she’s okay. I’ve been covering your ass
this long. What’s one more night? I have this shit. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Much appreciated.”

Even though he rushed, he didn’t like how Rachel looked when
he made it back to her side. Her irises shone brighter, her face was already
changing shape. He wasn’t sure how soon she’d change but he hoped the continued
transformation made things fast. She didn’t argue when he pulled her from the
seat and closed the door, allowing him to rush her toward the trees in the
distance.

Reaching out with his beast, he immediately connected with
her wolf.

Fuck it was powerful.

Even as a bitten wolf, Rachel wouldn’t be a bitch anyone
would cross.

She hadn’t spoken, not that he thought she would. Her claws
were already forming, the changes taking place. He breached the tree line and
kept going, taking her into the woods. Hopefully the packs wouldn’t hunt for at
least another hour. He wanted to take Rachel deep into the grounds, allowing
her to fully appreciate what she’d become.

“Stop.” She pulled him short, stopping about a quarter of a
mile into the trees. She hunched over, grasping her stomach. “It hurts.”

“I’m here.” He started stripping off his clothing and
studying landmarks. Someone had pissed on a tree nearby. He took the scent in,
memorizing it. They’d have to retrieve their things eventually. He didn’t think
she’d be comfortable in the nude. “Hold on, baby.”

By the time he’d made it to her, she’d already tugged her
shirt over her head. He got to work, helping her disrobe. When he’d tossed her
jeans and underwear over her boots, he reached for her and bent down.

“Let it happen.” His wolf went for hers, calling to it. He
didn’t close his eyes but he welcomed the rise of the animal. The sun had
vanished, twilight falling upon them. The moon was coming. He could feel it,
like a mechanism under his skin that had been activated.

He hated hearing her cries, wished he could absorb her pain.

He didn’t have to instruct her. She fell in the right
position, on her hands and knees. He cringed when her legs bent and buckled,
changing shape. Her arms did the same, a beautiful coat of strawberry-red fur
covering her body. Her transformation triggered his, although—unlike her—he’d
been born which made it so much easier.