My saliva mixes with his blood, and I can feel his essence seeking its way through me.

  I want more of it.

  Ranger gently pushes me, drawing me back to reality. I lift my lips from Rev’s neck, and look at Ranger who hasn’t taken his eyes off me.

  “Take it easy, baby, he’s not going anywhere. We need to get him back to the clubhouse. We need to get him stable.” His voice has taken on a hypnotic tone, and my nerves settle, if only a fraction. I breathe heavily, and can still taste Rev’s blood in my mouth. I lick my lips and nod in response.

  “Okay.”

  Ranger gently pulls Rev from my arms.

  “You did good, baby.” I watch as he holds Rev close to his chest, his head rolling from side to side lifelessly.

  I can feel my fangs retracting and my wolf stilling. My vision starts to blur, as it always does when shifting from one form to the other.

  “Get up, Jade. We need to move,” Ranger directs as he heads off in the direction of the treehouse.

  My breath catches, and the smell of blood, the lingering metallic taste in my mouth is enough to make me want to vomit now that my wolf has been stowed.

  “What have I done?” I whisper to the forest as Ranger disappears in the woods with half of my heart.

  I clutch the discarded clothes to my chest as I climb the rope, the frayed fabric giving me slight rope burn along my cold, wet thighs.

  Everything is moving in slow motion. When I come to the first room, I set the folded clothes down on the table. I stand there for a moment, completely spacing out. I notice my hands are shaking when Ranger’s voice pulls me from my thoughts.

  “Come in, Jade.” His voice is low, and warm.

  I walk in slowly, my bra and panties still clinging to me from my swim in the lake like a second skin.

  “I…” I can't speak, the tears just start coming.

  “I know, baby. Come here. It’s okay. He’s okay.” I run into Ranger’s arms and let the tears fall without worrying about who is here, or what one might think. I just let them come.

  “My dad’s going to kill me when he finds out,” I sob. Ranger stares at Rev, lying still as a stone under the blanket on the mattress, his gaze full of concern..

  I adjust myself between Ranger, and the mattress that holds Rev.

  Ranger wraps his arms around me, his large biceps obstructing the view of my breasts, and he holds me tight. I collapse into him, his natural warmth most comforting to me at this moment. I don’t know how long we stay like that. Time seems to still. I can feel the faintest touch of fingertips on my ankle.

  Rev.

  “You may have just saved a man’s life today, Jade.” I can hear the pain catching in Ranger’s voice.

  Of course, how could I have been so selfish... Rev is his friend too. He must be just as scared as I am.

  “Are you okay?” I ask.

  “You’re asking me if I’m okay?” I can hear the light in his voice coming back.

  “Well… yeah. He’s your friend too.” I sniffle.

  “Yes, Jade. I’m okay. You don’t need to worry about me,” Ranger reassures me.

  Fingers twitch against my ankle again. I turn, watching the rise and fall of Rev's chest.

  “I’m going for a shift. I need to run off some of this adrenaline.” Ranger pushes himself off the floor, and for a minute I'm scared he won’t return.

  “I’ll be back soon, don’t worry.” I note the flex of his shoulders, the tension he holds there.

  Ranger isn't okay.

  But he doesn't want me to know. He wants to deal with it on his own. He wants to shift, to be one with his wolf. To forget the pain of being human for just a little while.

  I understand completely.

  I nod in response.

  It’s just me and Rev in the clubhouse now.

  Just me and the first human turned, in centuries.

  Chapter 27

  Reverie

  There are some moments in your life you just know are big. You may not know why right away, but eventually it all makes sense. Everything comes together and is just… right.

  Not in a million years did I ever think I would know humans could turn into wolves. Wolf shifters. Werewolves. Whatever the proper terminology is.

  And if someone were to tell me then, that I would become one of these creatures, I’d laugh in their face. There’s no way something like that could be real...

  No fucking way.

  But as I lie here on the mattress in the clubhouse, my fingers brushing along Jade’s soft skin, I just know.

  I can feel it.

  These deep, primal instincts are running through my veins. A voice in the back of my head that I can’t quite hear, but I know is there. An ache in my bones that is pushing for me to get up, to change shape and run through the woods. Is it going to hurt? How will I know what to do? What if I turn into a wolf and I can never change back? What do I tell my parents?

  There are a million things going through my head as I lie here on the firm mattress with my eyes closed. A million things I don’t know. But the one thing I do know...

  I am a wolf.

  Small fingers run through my hair, gently brushing it aside, away from my forehead. It reminds me of when I was little and not feeling well. My mother would always make me soup, tuck me into bed, and run her fingers over my forehead as she sang to me. She said it was what helped me sleep when I was a baby. I wasn’t a good baby, but something about that one motion, running her fingers over my forehead, always soothed me.

  This is like that.

  The energy I feel, the need to run it off... it’s calmed and soothed by just a small touch of someone I barely know, yet need to be with.

  The feeling was strong before, but now? I’m not sure I can resist it any longer.

  I feel different. Everything about me feels better. More. My hearing is sharper. I bet if I opened my eyes my sight would be clearer too. That attraction I feel towards Jade, it’s rooted in me now. Louder, more pronounced. It’s like she’s calling to me. Like I can feel her in my soul. That voice in the back of my head repeating her name, over and over and over. The need to make her mine, to claim her… it’s written in my DNA now. She has to be mine.

  There can’t be any other way.

  My fingers curl around her ankle, squeezing her gently. Her fingers pause on my skin as she realizes I’m okay.

  She must have been so worried. I feel awful for making her worry, for not listening to her or Ranger.

  Ranger… where is he? Is he okay?

  “I’m sorry, Rev.” Jade’s whispered words hit my ears loud and clear, like my favorite song I want to listen to over and over again. One I will never, ever get tired of. Like that Motley Crue song we danced to in the bar. The one that is secretly my favorite but I’ve never admitted to anyone other than Jade because it’s too popular. It’s not cool to like the popular songs. It’s only cool to like the ones no one knows about. That’s what makes you a true fan.

  Well, Jade is my favorite everything.

  “I’m so sorry this happened to you. All of it.” She sounds on the verge of tears and I just want to make her feel better. I don’t want her crying or upset, especially over this. Is it what I wanted? No. Absolutely not. Does it get me her? It damn well better. Because she will make all of this worth it.

  “Don’t be sorry,” I mumble the words, my voice hoarse and my throat still burning just the slightest.

  “Oh my God, you’re okay,” she says, relief evident in her voice. I open my eyes to find her green ones staring down at me. I smile because when I see her face, I can’t help it. She leans over me, her arms going around my neck the best they can. I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her to me. She’s soft, warm... she’s perfect. She smells like oranges, even after swimming in the lake, and I can’t help but think I need more of her. I need to taste her, to be inside of her. I need all of it.

  As she pulls away I lean up, capturing her lips with mine. A small squeak of surprise leaves her, but once again she doesn’t pull away. She eases into me, her muscles loosening, her breasts brushing against my bare chest. The damp bra is cold against my skin, and all I can think is how I want to take it off of her. I need to take it off. Need to feel the weight of her perfectly round breasts in my hands, watch how her nipples peak and harden under my touch. I deepen the kiss, my tongue sliding into her mouth, meeting her own, and a soft, contented sound escapes her throat. She tastes amazing.

  Yet, I still want more.

  I fucking need it.

  I take her bottom lip between my teeth as my hands grip her waist and pull her on top of me. Even through the thin blanket I can feel the heat between her legs over my hardened cock. I arch into her instinctively and her hips move forward, rubbing against me, a deep, throaty moan escaping her. My fingers dig into the skin of her hips as I do it again and throb against her.

  Unable to wait any longer, I lift her up and kick the sheet off of me allowing one less thing between us. It’s not good enough though. There needs to be nothing between us. I need to be buried inside of her.

  I slide my hands up her back and undo her bra. She sits up as she takes it off, letting it slide down her arms and dropping it to the side. She looks down at me, her bottom lip between her teeth. I don’t think she realizes how sexy she looks like this. Dark hair falling around her face, green eyes full of heat, flushed skin, swollen lips.

  My fingers trail up her curves, reaching her breasts. Her nipples harden before I even touch them. The thought excites me. I love how responsive she is to me. I bet she’s soaked between her legs too. Her head falls back as my thumb brushes over her nipple, her hips grinding forward. She wants this as much as I do, so I don’t feel bad for flipping her over so her back is on the mattress, and tearing her panties from her body. I sit back on my knees and spread her legs, wanting to see every inch of her. A possessive growl leaves my chest as I see how right I was about her being wet.

  For me.

  It’s all for me.

  Since meeting her, she’s never come across as the shy type. Speaking her mind, and saying how she feels. But as her skin pinkens, heated eyes gazing up at me, I wonder if it’s all a show.

  I lean forward, nuzzling my nose between her legs and breathing in deeply.

  A satisfied sound leaves my throat. I look up at her, she’s breathing heavily and her eyes are full of need. “You smell so good.” My voice is dark, unrecognizable, even to me. I massage the insides of her thighs and her head falls back as I move my hands higher up, closer to her glistening core. “I want to taste you.”

  “Do it,” she says without hesitation.

  I huff out a small laugh as I watch her body practically vibrating with the need for me to touch her. I wonder when Ranger will be back. Or Dustin. What would they do if they walked in on this?They can watch for all I care.

  My thumb slips through her folds, circling her entrance before easily sliding up and finding her clit. She mewls and bucks her hips up. I keep working her clit with my thumb as I lean down for a taste. And once I get one, it’s like a switch has been flipped. I’m no longer the meager twenty-six year old who has no life. I’m a wolf, with instincts and needs and right now, I need her. Feelings and desires I’ve never felt before rise up in me. Things come to mind that I’ve never even thought of before. Dirty things I want to say and do to this woman lying naked beneath me. Urges I can’t push away. So I let them take over, I let them consume me. I devour her, as if I’ve been starving for her my entire life but had no idea she was what I craved.

  Inserting a finger inside of her, she clenches around me. I move my finger in and out slowly.

  “Please, Rev,” she says breathlessly. “I need more... I need you.”

  “Come for me and I’ll fuck you.” The old me would never say such a thing, probably never even think it. But this Reverie? Well, this Reverie is different.

  I add another finger as I begin to suck on her clit. Her moans grow louder and her pussy tightens, I can tell she’s going to come. “That’s it, baby. Come for me.” I egg her on, wanting the self-satisfaction of knowing I made this beautiful woman come all over my face.

  And she does, with my name on her lips.

  I waste no time, flipping her over and wrapping my arm around her waist, hoisting her up to her hands and knees. I hear things falling around us somewhere in the clubhouse as I push my briefs down, freeing my cock and sliding into her.

  “Oh, fuck!” she cries out. My eyes practically roll into the back of my head. She’s so wet, and it’s been so long since I’ve been inside anyone… but I’ve never been inside of anyone who felt this fucking good wrapped around my cock, clenching me this tightly. My fingers grip her hips as I slam into her. She meets me thrust for thrust, the loud, wet slapping sounds of our skin meeting fills the air.

  I get lost in this woman, the feel of her, the sounds of her moans, her calling my name, begging me for more. When the urge to come is too strong and I can no longer hold off, I pull out and stroke myself, releasing all over her ass. We fall to the bed in a heap and she curls into me, nuzzling her face into my chest and I can feel the rise and fall of her breathing against me.

  In this moment, everything feels right. Everything is perfect. Nothing could go wrong.

  That is until the angered voices sound from outside.

  Chapter 28

  Dustin

  The longer I drive, the more pissed off I get. I keep thinking of my father’s words and as much as they shouldn’t bother me, they do. How does he have the audacity to believe I would feed him information from my future pack. Does he really think that’s who I am? Does he not know me at all?

  By the time I reach the clearing to park my car to get to the clubhouse, I’m fuming. I think of shifting to my wolf to let off some steam, but something tells me seeing Jade will make me feel better. Even when she’s fighting me tooth and nail, something about being next to her calms something inside of me. I can handle her smart mouth and attitude because whether she likes it or not, her wolf is fond of me. And that’s something she can never hide from mine.

  I walk the short distance to the treehouse, the night sky is clouded, and streams of moonbeams peek through, like little spotlights. Ranger is lying against a rock on the ground, looking as if he’s sleeping, only with a smirk on his lips. That same fucking smirk that’s always there. The one that seems to drive girls wild, but makes me want to punch him and knock a few teeth loose.

  As I get closer he pops an eye open, realization striking and his eyes go wide. He jumps to his feet and cuts me off.

  “Didn’t think you’d be back so soon.” I give him a what the fuck are you talking about look. I’ve been gone a long time. Hours. I try to move around him but he doesn’t let me.

  “Move.” I step to the right, but he mirrors it. When I move to the left, he does the same. I try to fake him out to get around him, but he’s too quick, too smart. It pisses me right off.

  “Fuck off, Ranger. Get out of my way,” I growl. “The fuck is your problem?” I am in no mood to deal with his happy, playful ass.

  “Just... hold on, okay?”

  And then I hear it. A sound I will never forget. Even in death it will be burned into my brain. My ears perk up and my eyes widen, my head slowly tilts up towards the treehouse. My vision clouds with anger as my hands fist by my sides. Even though I’m on the ground, I can smell her. No. I can smell them. My eyes close, trying to push the image out of my brain. Hoping that for some crazy reason this is all one big, fat joke.

  The same fucking treehouse I’ve spent countless hours in with Jade... Sure, there were others with us too, but the only times that mattered are the ones with her. The many nights we spent up there at night, as kids, all too late into the night just talking. The same fucking treehouse we lost our virginities in. Together. Just us.

  And now she’s up there, fucking someone else? I know there have been other guys she’s been with, I’m not stupid. But I thought… I don’t know. I fucking thought maybe that this place was special. To her. To us. That maybe it meant something.

  Clearly I was wrong.

  “Get the fuck out of my way, Ranger, or you will regret it.” My words are darker than I expected, resembling a tone my father takes. On a normal day, it would scare me. I don’t want to be like him. But right now? I channel it. I use it. I wield it.

  “See, the thing is, I’m not one to live with regrets.” He shrugs and it takes everything in me not to swing. My hands clench at my sides. Another sound comes from above us and I flinch, closing my eyes to catch my bearings before I really lose it and do something I will regret.

  I was taught at a young age by my father to not show emotions.

  Emotions make you weak. Packs can’t have weak alphas. You’ll never survive.

  So I’ve grown up with this bad habit of letting it all build up. Every little thing that pisses me off just piles up until finally, it all topples down. So even though I try as hard as I can to not lose my shit, I do.

  I swing at Ranger, my fist connecting with his jaw. He takes it like a champ though, not even falling to the ground. He loses his balance but catches himself. He gets in my face, clenching his jaw as blood pours down his lip and he smiles with bloody teeth. He fucking smiles.

  “That all you got, Dustin? I’m sure you’ve wanted to hit me for a while, haven’t you? I’ve pissed you off a lot over the years. So go ahead.” He holds out his arms and takes a step back. “Let’s do this.”

  I commend him on his loyalty to Jade and I’d like to say I’m a bigger man than I am, but I’m not. So when he tempts me, I give in. After the day I’ve just had today, I have no resolve. I swing at him again, only this time I miss, which just infuriates me further. And when he gets a punch in, I’m seeing red. I’m not sure how long we’re going at it for, throwing punches, but it feels like forever. And not for even a second does it make me feel better. All I want to do is fight, but I don’t even know what I’m fighting for anymore.