The KinKaid Wolf Pack Trilogy (14 page)

The five healers had gathered together and pushed his bed to the center of the room. Mason watched as they formed a circle around him by connecting their hands, his body on the mattress the center of the ring.

"Try to relax now." The monotone voice of one of the healers penetrated the buzzing in Mason's ears. "The moon is rising, but we will create a shield to help you resist its pull. We need you to focus on your wolf inside." Mason dragged his gaze to hers, attempting to focus on her words. Sweat burned his eyes, and a strange haze blurred his vision. "Picture him in your mind. Allow him to come forth. Our barrier will protect you from the change if it's coming too fast."

His joints ached. His skin felt too tight over his bones. Mason writhed over the sheets. Fuck. The cloth felt like sandpaper against his flesh. He ran his tongue over the dry surface of his lips. Even his teeth throbbed. Christ. How long would this go on before he lost his fucking mind? And where was Evin? He said he would come.
Evin.
Mason repeated his name inside his head, as if somehow he could will Evin to hear him. What the hell was he doing? Yeah, he had gone damn nuts. He needed to man up, because from this point on, Mason Thorne II was on a solo ride to Wolfville.

A knot seized Mason's stomach, the pain drawing him double. "Shit," he hissed, clutching his midsection. His gut was on fire. Cramps twisted the backs of his thighs, his calves. "Oh God," he gasped, unable to straighten from his fetal position to ease the pain in his legs. His mind fogged. Fuck. He was going to pass out.

"I've got you, Brown Eyes." Large, cool hands sank into the backs of Mason's legs, kneading the tightened muscles. "I'm here."

Hallucinating. That had to be it. Mason could feel the half smile forming on his lips. Yeah, he'd blacked out, and this was a fantasy. Evin was here. Touching him. Easing the pain like he'd done before after he'd bitten him. He sighed at the conjured memory. Evin licking him. His tongue traveling over Mason’s skin. Damn. The wonderful things Evin could do with that piece of his anatomy. And that wasn't the only fabulous tool in his arsenal...

A stabbing pain in his skull jerked Mason back to reality. He cried out, his fingers slicing through his hair, bracing his head as if the pressure could keep his brains from bursting.

"Evin..." Mason groaned, his eyelids squeezed tight.

"I'm here." The familiar voice at his ear drew his eyes open. Mason blinked, trying to clear the fuzziness of the dark profile of the man sitting on the bed beside him.

"Evin?" The name came out croaked, barely recognizable.

"Yeah." He nodded. "I told you I would be here. I promised."

Mason reached out one shaky hand and wrapped his fingers around a lock of the dark hair falling over Evin's shoulder. "You're really here?"

"Does this feel like your imagination?" Evin pulled Mason's hand away and then brought it to his mouth. The soft touch of his lover's lips on his palm, followed by the heat of his tongue swirling in its center, had Mason arching from the bed. Too much.

"Evin!" He collapsed hard against the coiled springs of the bedding. "Coming fucking apart," he cried out.

"You can do this," Evin commanded, his voice hard. "The first time is a bitch, especially since you're an adult." Hard hands gripped Mason's face. Mason met Evin's glare. "But I promise you, it will never be like this again."

Mason opened his mouth, then wet his lips before uttering the words. "I can feel the moon. She's here." So freaking crazy, but the moon had become a physical presence in the room. She called him. The pain inside his head like a beacon. A throbbing siren's song in his brain.

"Get that fucking barrier up!"

Somewhere far away, Evin's deep voice shouted commands. He was right beside him a moment ago.

Don't go.

Mason jerked; reflex had him reaching out, grasping at nothing. The world—his reality—was slipping. Colors, shapes, narrowed to a pinpoint. And then he was moving, arching off the bed and flipping onto his hands and knees. His fingers curled and dug into mattress. The
crack
and
pop
of bones ricocheted inside his skull.
Oh, God.
How the hell would he ever come back from this? But there was no fucking way it could be denied.

His jaw unhinged and then shifted, stretching forward as if someone had tethered a cord to his chin and yanked. He threw his head back and cried out. But the sound that left him was anything but human. Mason howled.

He gaze fell forward and he lifted an arm. Instead of his hand, he found blond fur covering thick paws. His heart raced. Hard pants burst from his chest. His skin crawled as fur erupted over his body. Mason dropped to the bed, his strange new legs unsteady. He swung his muzzle around, taking in the sights, the smells of his surroundings. So bright. The lights in the room hurt his eyes, the scent of each individual overpowering.

Especially one.

The wild pine essence of his lover teased his nostrils, awakening the primal nerve endings inside his brain that remembered the man and wanted to lay claim.

"Mason..." Evin's voice rolled down his spine, lifting the fur. Damn. He sounded even more delicious in this form. The bed dipped and Evin was next to him, digging his fingers into his fur and tilting Mason's head in his direction. "God...look at you." Evin's gaze raked him. "You're beautiful," he breathed.

Chapter Eleven

––––––––

H
oney-gold fur covered Mason's wolf form. So different from the snow-white or dark colorations typical of his pack. It gleamed in the room's lighting, and it was all Evin could do to resist burying himself in the soft coat. Large, chocolate-colored eyes met Evin's gaze and powered straight into his heart.

"Damn..." Evin shook his head and sank his fingers deeper into Mason's fur. "You take my breath away," he whispered. Mason's muzzle brushed the side of Evin's face. His heart stuttered.

"Excellent." One of the healers spoke, reminding Evin they weren't alone. "He should be fine now that he's past his primary shift."

Evin glanced up as the circle of women released their joined hands. "Thank you for what you've done." He nodded at the senior healer. "Please, give us a few minutes alone." He glanced back in Mason's direction. "I can take it from here."

"As you wish." The women bustled about for another moment, gathering various items, then filed out of the room.

"Hey, Brown Eyes." Evin smiled, holding Mason's head in his hands. "I'm going to help you change back now." Mason's muzzle lifted in understanding, and something of a whimper escaped his throat. "You can do it. All you have to do is close your eyes, picture yourself—your human form—in your mind. Will it to happen."

Mason's eyelids lowered, and then a shudder raced over his body. A guttural sound released from the wolf, followed by the morphing and shaping of shortened limbs returning to their original length.

"That's it." Evin stood, watching as the tight, muscular lines of his lover's form returned. "You've got it." Mason stretched, then reached low and tugged the ripped remains of his shorts back in place.

"Damn," he groaned.

Evin pulled the sheet over Mason's hips, then sat on the bed beside him and slipped his fingers around the other man's hand. Mason opened his eyes.

"Hey," Mason whispered, a small smile curling his lips. "Missed you."

"Yeah." Evin's gaze darted to the wrinkles in the sheet, the knot in his esophagus strangling his words. He cleared his throat and glanced up. "Missed you too." Evin reached over and smoothed the damp locks away from his lover's face. "I told you you'd make it, didn't I?"

"Yeah. You did." Mason squeezed his hand.

"I wish I could have been here sooner, but my father and Jocelyn were determined to keep me occupied."

"I know." Mason nodded. "Rosa came to see me," he said, followed by a yawn.

"You need to rest." Evin lifted Mason's hand and clutched it between both of his. "Shifting won't ever be this hard again. That I promise." He lowered Mason's arm back to the bed. "I'll come back to check on you later." Evin moved to stand, but Mason grasped his wrist, halting him.

"You're going to her, aren't you?" His words seized Evin's chest like a vise. He turned to Mason and eased his weight back onto the mattress.

"I gave my word," Evin said, meeting Mason's dark eyes, his voice low.

"Five minutes."

"What?" Evin studied Mason's expression.

"Lay with me. Don't go." Mason shook his head. "Five more minutes." Evin watched as Mason pulled back the sheet and made a place for him.

A groan bubbled up in the back of his throat. Christ. If he allowed himself to wrap his arms around Mason, it was going to be excruciating to pry himself away. The mating ceremony was scheduled to take place in thirty minutes.

"Please," Mason breathed. "Don't go like this. Let me hold you one more time before you're hers."

Evin's gut rebelled at the statement. Hers. Jocelyn's. His father's brilliant idea of what was best for the pack. And what was best for him. The alpha's ulterior motives were clear. He believed if he succeeded in getting Evin mated—physically bound to Jocelyn—that over time, it would "cure" him. Yes, sexually he would be impotent to any other—male or female. But in his heart... Evin leaned in and brushed his knuckles over Mason's shadow of a beard.

"Nowhere else I'd rather be," he whispered, then kicked off his boots, maneuvered onto his side, and wrapped his arm around Mason's waist. Mason turned in toward him.

"Thank you," Mason uttered right before his lips glided over Evin's. Whether his thanks were for staying or for saving his life—maybe even both—Evin couldn't decide at the moment, because the sweet heat of Mason's mouth was melting his brain. Mason abruptly pulled back with a gasp. "God, I want you so damn bad." His hand traveled over Evin's abs and then back up to capture Evin's cheek. Mason met his gaze with a weak smile. "But I'm so fucking tired. So sorry." His head dropped to Evin's chest. "Just don't go yet."

Evin tossed his leg over Mason's, bringing him closer. "We don't have to do anything but lie here. Not going anywhere yet, Brown Eyes." Evin repositioned himself to find a comfortable spot. Yeah, this felt right—Mason's head over his heart, their legs tangled together. It would be perfectly fine with him if he never had to move again. But that was a fantasy.

Less than five minutes later, the rhythmic sound of Mason's breathing confirmed he was asleep. Evin uncurled himself from Mason's hold and slipped from the bed. He turned and burned Mason's image into his brain. His blond locks were wild. His skin glowed from the surge of his new DNA. Lean muscle layered in sharp relief along his arm, shoulder, and abs. Evin's cock stirred in memory of how responsive Mason was to his every touch and command.
Perfect.
But it wasn't only in his bed where Mason would be missed.

Evin pulled the sheet over Mason's shoulder, brushed a strand of hair from his eyes, and whispered, "When did you become the thread that holds my soul and my heart intact?" He placed a kiss to Mason's cheek, taking the familiar scent into his lungs once more, then whipped around and headed for the gardens.

* * *

"Y
ou're late." Jocelyn's scowl met Evin as he rounded a large shrub that formed a pathway to the garden and entered the designated spot for their ceremony.

"I needed a change of clothes." Evin tossed out an excuse even though he couldn't care less whether he had her approval. He just wanted her to stop moving her mouth. "And I'm not late, by the way," he added with his own glare. "I'm five minutes early."

Jocelyn huffed and brushed past him, heading toward the small altar that had been placed at the head of the garden path. The setting faced the large fountain that anchored the grounds and displayed life-size granite sculptures of two wolves reared back in battle as jets of water sprang up from a basin around them.

"Let's just get this over with," she grumbled from over her shoulder.

Evin sucked in a steadying breath and joined her on his knees before the narrow bench and the pack's holy man, Master Jacob, who would lead the mating. The alpha moved in and took his place behind the ceremonial leader.

"You can move straight to the bonding," his father stated flatly at Jacob's ear. "There's no need to drag this out."

"As you wish, Alpha." He nodded and stepped closer to them. "Please, pick up your cups and drink."

Jocelyn glanced at Evin, then wrapped her hand around the small teacup sitting next to its twin on the bench in front of them. Evin grabbed his, took it to his lips in one move, and swallowed the contents in a large gulp. The bitter concoction burned a path to his stomach, then hit it like a lead-filled anchor. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten, so the small amount of mind-altering fluid infiltrated his bloodstream in seconds like a missile on a collision course with his brain.

"Open your minds to each other," the master began. "Allow the herbs to aid you in connecting to your mate's inner thoughts, dreams, and soul."

The holy man's words hummed in Evin's ears. Colors warped around him, blurring Jocelyn's image in swirls of yellow, red, and green.
Is she wearing green?
Yes, green. She was wearing a green dress with a red something splattered on the front.
Mason looks good in green.
Evin smiled. But he looked damn good in anything—or nothing. Yeah, especially nothing.
Stop it!
He shook his head. That wasn't going to ever happen again. Not after tonight. They were over.

"Evin... Damn, Evin. I miss you already."

The sound of Mason's voice whispered inside his head. Evin's breath hitched, and his eyelids fluttered. Just like before... Before Mason's shift, Evin could have sworn he'd heard Mason calling him. He shook his head again. Shit. He was supposed to be tuning in to Jocelyn here, but instead, his mind was tripping over memories of Mason. His chest ached, and his gut twisted, yanking a grunt from his throat.

"Evin, do you hear me? Evin?" Master Jacob's voice sliced through his drug-filled haze.