Tristan's Lyceum Wolves (33 page)

Tristan stood behind her while she sat drinking tea, hands shaking as the amber liquid washed over the lips of the cup. Rubbing her shoulders, he worked the knots; she moaned in relief.

“Chérie, how about we take a run? It’ll help release some of the tension.”

“I’m sorry, Tristan. I don’t know what’s happening to me. Everything was so special last night…” her words trailed off, as she remembered the intensity of the evening.

“It’s okay. Come up here.” Tristan took her by the hands, pulling her upward and hugged her. “Tonight will be even more special than last night. I can’t wait to see your beautiful wolf. I promise that it’s going to be incredible. You’ll learn how to trust in the reckless abandon of being wolf. The smell of the trees and animals. The taste of the hunt. We’re going to run and then come back, take a hot tub…celebrate. As for the sexual release, it will be what it is…and with you it’s always incredible.”

“But what if I get lost? Go crazy? And Logan…I could seriously die of embarrassment that I could attack him as if I’m in heat,” she huffed.

“Remember who’s Alpha, chérie. No matter what happens later, you are mine. Trust me when I tell you that your wolf will not forget, nor will Logan’s. I’ll control what happens, I promise. Come on, now. Go get your shoes on. We’re going for a walk. I want to show you around in the daylight, before tonight. It’s beautiful here.”

“Tristan,” she said quietly, looking up into his golden eyes. “I know we didn’t talk about things last night. About mating…I want you to know that I meant what I said. I love you. I want to claim you tonight…after the shift.”

“Aw baby, you will. And believe me, I can’t wait.” He gave her a broad smile. “And after this mess is cleaned up with the Wallace Pack, we’ll announce our mating to all of Lyceum Wolves, and hold a formal ritual…just you and me.”

“I don’t know how…I mean, I haven’t been around wolves long enough to know how it works. I can just feel it within me. I want you…to be with you. God, this is so crazy.”

“No it’s not. But in a way, I know how you feel. Before you, the whole need to mate never made a lick of sense. But now, it’s perfectly clear.”

She smiled, knowing that everything always came back to nature for Tristan. Kalli wished she could be so confident, knowing what to do and say. But every minute she spent with Tristan, she grew more and more aware of the mating bond. More than a human’s love, it bound their wolves eternally. Organic and instinctive, their mating would bond them irrevocably throughout time.

Tristan had taken Kalli for a long and winding walk through the woods, stopping to teach her about the plants and even point out the natural habitats of small game and reptiles. As a veterinarian, she found it fascinating. She was amazed at how much he knew about the environment and conservation. By the time they reached a small spring, she was unusually relaxed. He showed her how they’d fostered the spring. The cool clean water ran from the pipe in the rock into his stainless steel canteen as he filled it. As she drank the nectar, she eyed him thoughtfully, wondering exactly what he couldn’t do. Whether it was riding a Harley or identifying a copperhead snake, he did it all with a cool air of confidence and a smile.

By the time they got back, Tristan directed her to eat lunch and take a nap, one that, regretfully, he insisted did not include sex. Instead, he’d stripped her bare, massaging every last muscle until she’d fallen asleep at his hands. He knew that her body was storing energy for the shift. Eating. Drinking. Exercising. And finally sleeping. It was everything she needed to make a smooth transition to lupine.

After a long nap, Tristan woke Kalli. Red streaks painted the dusky sky as the sun fell below the horizon. Wearing only cotton bathrobes, both Kalli and Tristan stood on the last step of the large cedar deck which wrapped around the back of the cabin. The harmonious sounds of the cicadas and crickets blanketed tranquility over Kalli’s mind.

In the distance, she heard the yips of wolves, already singing in celebration of the full moon. Tendrils of her Alpha’s power danced along her skin as she disrobed. Fully bared to the twilight, she closed her eyes and took a cleansing breath in preparation for her shift. Her wolf rejoiced in appreciation, no longer confined to the deep recesses of her soul. No, tonight the wolf would command her very being and in truth, Kalli delighted at the prospect. The gravitational force of the pack’s quintessence reminded her of how this change represented a threshold to a new life. No longer a lone wolf, she’d claim her mate and belong to pack.

Turning to Tristan, she lifted her eyes to meet his. He smiled down at her, enjoying the sheer bliss she’d been experiencing at finally coming to acceptance of her nature. Tonight, he’d watch out for her, making sure she learned the land and was comfortable with him before introducing her to the pack. He expected that certain females such as Mira might try to challenge her. And while he was fully confident of her Alpha tendencies, tonight there’d be no fighting. Tonight was about helping Kalli while she rediscovered her wolf and learned to control the exhilarating, but sometimes distracting, assault to both one’s senses and libido when in the presence of other wolves.

“I’m ready, Tristan,” she breathed. “My wolf is here and can’t wait to run.”

“Okay chérie. Remember what we talked about. The tendency to want to go with the others will be strong, so pay attention to me. We’ll introduce you to the pack another night. Logan’s with them and he’ll let them know you’re around, but they’ve been instructed to leave you be.” He tossed his robe onto the wooden planks, and took Kalli’s hand in his.

His eyes narrowed into a serious expression. “That being said, expect their influence to be significant. This means you might feel unusually aggressive if one of them nears, especially given your need to claim me. You also will be extraordinarily hungry, so we’ll hunt. Given that you’ve only hunted alone, I’ll teach you how to hunt as a pair. Then eventually, we’ll hunt with the pack, as a team. It’s much better that way…power in numbers and all. Plus, we work collectively to teach the pups how to catch prey.”

“Anything else I should know?” She smiled, listening to him reiterate what he’d already told her on their walk. She loved the way he cared so much about taking care of his pack, her, and making sure that she was prepared for what would happen. Given her terrifying past experiences, she had high expectations based solely on the facts that Tristan had told her. She laughed to herself, realizing how much she’d grown to trust him. A week ago, she’d considered her life that of a human, revolted by the life of a wolf. It was amazing how her Alpha had changed her thinking, her life.

Tristan wrapped a finger around one of her long curls and gave it a little tug, in an attempt to get her to focus. He could see the wheels spinning, and needed her to remain on task, so she’d be safe and calm within the forest. With a closed smile, he reminded her about the other topic she really wanted to avoid discussing. “The last thing I want to remind you of is one of my favorite topics, sex. I know we talked about this, but your libido will be on fire. Any full moon revs us all up, but this being your first around pack is going to make you one little randy girl,” he teased, winking at her.

She rolled her eyes. “Please, let’s just not talk about it.”

“Don’t be embarrassed. It’s just our way…to want to be close to those that we love. And in your case, you’ll learn to control it, but don’t worry about it tonight. We’ll just see how it goes after we shift back. I’ve got a nice set up for us afterwards to help you relax. No matter what happens tonight, I’ll be there to protect you…always. Never forget that, Kalli.” His voice took on a serious tone. “Ready now?”

Kalli gave a self-assured smile. Thanks to Tristan, she honestly was ready. “Hell yes. Let’s do this thing. See if you can catch me, wolf!”

Untwining her hand from Tristan’s, she broke free into a full sprint, seamlessly shifting into her wolf.

Tristan gasped in awe at the beautiful sight of her. Splendid white fur touched with grey down her back and legs, she darted across the green grass. She circled round him, running quickly, purely engrossed in her release. As Tristan stood erect, still in human form, she ringed once more, slowing as she came to face him. Falling at his bare feet, she playfully bowed her head toward the ground, looking upward at him with her tail wagging, hindquarters raised high in the air.

Reaching forward, Tristan ran his palm over her small head, in approval, rubbing her ears. “Chérie, you’re stunning. Just beautiful, baby,” he crooned.

She barked in response, and began chasing the wind in large circles as if to encourage him to shift. Taking off like a missile toward him, she swiftly missed him and ran toward the woods. Coming to a halt, she looked eagerly over her shoulder, waiting for him to change.

He laughed at her exuberance. After all the angst regarding her change, she was the one running circles around him. Or so she thought. Fluently, Tristan metamorphosed into his handsome, magisterial wolf. Stalking toward her, he sought her submission. Expecting pursuit, Kalli took flight toward the woods. Spotting his prey, Tristan flew past her, corralling her to the ground. Gleefully, she rolled to her back, baring her neck in defeat. He licked her muzzle, assuring her of his affections. With a nip, she reminded him that it was time to hunt; her wolf hungered for a kill. Free to run the land, she sought exploration and sport. Tristan nudged her belly, encouraging her to roll to her feet. Following her Alpha, they bounded into the night.

Rounding a clearing, Kalli spotted a rabbit in the field. Tristan sensed her distraction, waiting to see how she’d handle hunting with him near. Wagging her tail, ears up, she instinctively focused on her prey. Tristan watched intently, prepared to rush the rabbit from the other side should she miss. Quietly approaching the rabbit, she struck out in a sprint, snapping its neck, resulting in an instant kill. Sharing her spoils, they ate the small snack then ran to the spring for a drink.

While lapping up the water, Kalli froze; she sensed the pack was approaching. Ears down, the hair on her back bristled as the first wolf came into sight. A smaller white she-wolf followed a silky grey male. Kalli, unused to being in pack, immediate recognized them as Mira and Logan. Subordinates trailed, staying cautiously behind the pair. Tristan stepped forward to block their access.
What the hell were they doing?
He’d told Logan that he didn’t want them near Kalli. Growling, he warned them to come no closer. Yet Mira ignored him, and continued to pad toward him. While she lowered herself in submission, she advanced nonetheless. In a sign of dominance, Tristan sent her a hard stare.

Upon seeing Mira close in upon Tristan, Kalli’s posture straightened. Threatened, she lifted her tail and edged around Tristan. Emitting a low growl, she locked her eyes on Mira in an angry menacing act of intimidation. When she refused to submit, Kalli maintained her confident stance, and bared her canines. Ready to attack, in the moment she resisted the aggression that begged to escape. Not only did she want a subtle signal of submission, she wanted Mira on her back.

Within seconds, Mira looked away and whined, yielding to Kalli’s threats.

Logan, watching the interaction play out, knew that Tristan would be pissed as hell that he’d let the pack come near Kalli. But they’d been running for over an hour and happened to be near the spring. He’d hoped that Tristan would have moved Kalli in time. He could sense the confusion and surprise of the subordinates as Kalli, who hadn’t been formally introduced as pack, not only stood marked as Tristan’s but had just forced Mira to publicly submit.

Tristan nearly had a heart attack when his little wolf challenged Mira. After witnessing Kalli dressing down Mira in his home the previous day, it was just a matter of time before she confronted her without reserve in front of the pack. Even though he knew it had to be done, he was hoping to delay any confrontation until Kalli had had a chance to be comfortable within her wolf. He also wanted time to announce his intention to mate Kalli so that when Mira submitted it would be a less bitter pill for her to swallow. While Mira was currently the Alpha female, she was not his mate. The pack subordinates would expect his mate to be the strongest, most intelligent female, and after her little display of dominance, she was.

As the pack ran off, Kalli howled in jubilation. There was no way that, after everything she’d been through, she’d allow another female near her male. Mira, without a doubt, was formidable. She reckoned that it would not be her last challenge. Yet confidence raced through her veins. Forcing Mira to physically submit would be a pleasure that her wolf would someday see to fruition, of that she was certain.

Tristan howled along with Kalli, proud of her courage and assertiveness. His woman matched his own authoritative constitution. And while he trusted in fate and nature, he couldn’t help but be amazed at how she fit him precisely in every way. Nuzzling his muzzle along her side, she returned his action in kind. The sheer adrenaline of the night brought forth a surge of emotions they both longed to explore. Nudging her forward, he willed her to follow; it was time to celebrate their first successful run together, one of many in their eternal lifetime.