He groans, “You’re going to crush my resolve.”

  I slide in front of him to unlock my door. My hand is steady, and I glance over my shoulder at him in what I hope is a seductive pose. “Wait until we get inside.”

  The low rumble in his chest that signals a growl coming tells me all I need to know. The moment the door thuds shut behind him, I drop my towel. I say, “I have so many questions for you, but whatever the answers are, I need you to know I’m yours.” I step forward to place my hand on his chest. “Please tell me you’re mine.”

  “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

  “Tell me.” The fabric of his T-shirt is flimsy in my fingers as I begin to lift it up.

  He places a super-warm hand over mine to help and says, “If we mate, the pack will expect you to have children.”

  I kiss his chest, and salty flavor makes my tongue tingle. “Will they be wolf pups?”

  “No. We don’t turn until puberty.” He combs my wet hair with his fingers.

  “Does it hurt when you turn me?”

  “I’m told it’s not too bad. It doesn’t hurt to shift.” The button of his jeans is hot from his body temperature, and it gives easily when I unfastened it.

  “Is it easy to stay human?”

  His lower stomach quivers, and I slide my hand into his briefs as he says, “Very.”

  Ekton’s cock is pulsing in my hand, and I stroke him quickly before I release him to remove his jeans. The heavy denim and his underwear scrape down his muscular thighs as I tug. I drop to my knees and gaze up at him. “Once we mate, it’s for life?”

  I grip his erection, and he whispers, “Yes.”

  “Say my name.” I swipe my tongue along his length from base to tip. A drop of his essence has oozed out, and I lick that too.

  His words are breathy. “Mia Maybee.”

  I lift my gaze to stare at him and shake my head. “It’s Mia Yes.”

  With my bed high up in the air, I imagine it’s like a nest in the treetops and that nothing can get to us. I’m cuddled in the crook of Ekton’s arm, and the hair on his chest is coarse against my finger as I twist it. “I want to see you as a wolf.”

  “That’s a good idea. I’m not working tonight, so we can go out to the lake, and I’ll shift for you.” Ekton traces the edge of my arm with his finger, and I flinch as it tickles.

  “Is it crazy that I’m so excited to do this?”

  “Probably,” he says. “Is it because then you’ll get to run tests on yourself?”

  I poke him with my finger. “Maybe I’m going to test us both.”

  Ekton lifts up on an elbow, and I reach up to push a lock of hair out of his face. “What is it you want to know?”

  “Oh gosh, there are so many things I want to know. For starters, I’m fascinated by the way you healed so quickly, and I wonder if it’s something that could be used in medicine.”

  He sighs, “I’m afraid you won’t be allowed to do anything that could expose the pack. We’re already in trouble as it is.”

  “Oh god. Do they hate me?”

  “No.” Ekton drags his thumb over my lower lip, and I kiss it. “I’m the one who messed up.”

  “So what happens now?” I ask.

  “That depends on you, Mia.”

  This is it. If I decide I don’t want to be a werewolf, what just happened between us will be our goodbye. I made my decision earlier, and I’m not about to falter now.

  I ask, “When do you want to bite me? Should it be done somewhere private?”

  “You’re really sure you want to do this?”

  I scoot back to sit up. “I’m positive.”

  Ekton sits up too, and he pulls me into his lap. He strokes my hair as I lean against his chest. The combined scent of us is on his skin, and I inhale it as he says, “Okay. We can do it this weekend. I’ll ask my brother if we can use his house.”

  I nod. Three days left as a human. I smile, because really, it’s three days until I get to be a werewolf and seal my fate with Ekton forever.

  I kiss my way up his neck toward his mouth. “I can’t wait.” My lips meet his, and I let everything Ekton overwhelm my senses. My dream of making a name for myself by discovering werewolves has shifted. I now dream of making a life for myself with the werewolves, and I hope I never wake up.

  Fourteen

  Ekton’s oldest brother, Esher, is single, and he had no trouble giving up his place for the weekend and staying at a buddy’s house instead. I packed my overnight bag with more than enough clothes, not really knowing what to expect. While Ekton explained that I won’t be spontaneously shifting, I still have visions of shredding clothes and would rather be safe than sorry.

  My boyfriend chuckles as he squishes my bag in his motorcycle’s storage compartment. “Did you think you might move in?”

  “Don’t laugh at me. It’s not like I’ve done this before.”

  Ekton leans down and kisses me quickly. “I’m laughing because you’re cute.”

  “Hey.” I put my hands on my hips. “I am not.”

  He shakes his head at my stance. I suppose it is kind of ridiculous, considering he’s got well over a foot on me. He says, “Yes, you really are. Get over it.”

  I tug my helmet over my head. It’s snug because Ekton bought me my own, and I watch him as he climbs on the bike. He’s wearing a leather jacket that makes him look so badass, I’m going to have to get one too. I glance down at my don’t-mess-with-me boots. I’m about to become the kind of chick who could mess you up. Who knew that if you dressed the part, you might actually become it? I chuckle at the image of me being something people are afraid of, because the truth is, I’m not meant to harm man or beast.

  Ekton asks, “What so funny?”

  “Nothing. By the way, that jacket does things for me.”

  I grab his shoulder as I swing my leg over the seat, and he asks, “Yeah?”

  “Oh yeah.” I snuggle up and wrap my arms around his waist. The heat of him makes me press everything I can closer.

  He turns over his shoulder and winks at me. “Good. Because I forgot to mention the best time to bite you.”

  “When’s that?”

  “When you’re screaming my name.” He twists the handle of the motorcycle, and it roars to life before I get what he means.

  He yells over his shoulder. “Enjoy the ride, Mia Maybee.”

  I squeeze him tight, and when my body jerks back with the motion, I do just that.

  I did more than scream Ekton’s name when he bit me. I think I might have broken a few records when my mind left my body in the most intense orgasm I’ve ever had. I’d volunteer to do some testing on that werewolf phenomenon.

  Now that I’m coherent, I’m dying to find out what my new state means. I touch the bite on my collarbone as I climb out of bed. The skin is smooth under my finger, like an old scar, and I can’t wrap my head around the fact that I healed that quickly. I lean in close to the mirror in the bathroom, and my breath fogs up the reflective surface as I inspect where Ekton bit me. I call out, “This is amazing.”

  I walk back to him and crawl on the bed to sit next to my naked boyfriend—mate. I stretch out my leg and reach over for his thigh. Simultaneously, I scratch both of us hard enough to draw blood.

  He flinches and says, “Ouch. What’d you do that for?”

  “Shhh. I’m observing.”

  I press my leg hard next to his so I can compare the healing process to see who’s faster. The cuts disappear before my eyes and at what appears to be the exact same amount of time.

  “Whoa.” I shake my head. “I need to video this, and then we can slow it down to determine—”

  Ekton covers my mouth with his and distracts me with his kiss. When he’s done, he asks, “Ready to shift?”

  My heartbeat skips at the excitement of what’s about to happen. I hop off the bed, and the wood floor is cold under my feet. “Wait.” I reach out and grab his hand. “You don’t feel hot anymore.” My mouth opens in wonder. “That is so cool.” I walk over to the window as I imagine the benefits of a higher body temperature. I turn quickly to say, “I think I’m going to like winter.”

  Ekton chuckles at me. “I think you’re going to like almost everything about being a werewolf. Now about that shifting.”

  “Right.” I watch the naked version of my mate climb out of bed, and my mind pulls me away from the task at hand when I notice his erection. An intoxicating scent makes me woozy.

  “Mia?”

  I snap back to reality. “Sorry. You.” I point at his crotch. “That’s kind of overwhelming.”

  He steps close and grabs my arms lightly. “Now you know what I’ve had to live with every time you get aroused.”

  “Really? Oh gosh, I’m so sorry.” I grin. “Not sorry.”

  He rolls his eyes at me and says, “Shifting. You ready?”

  I nod and take a deep breath. “What do I do?”

  Ekton shows me how to walk in a small circle and explains that I should imagine the wolf inside me when I do. Within three steps, a sense of something foreign in me takes over, and when my hands thump on the ground as feet, my vision becomes crystal clear. I gaze around the room in my new state. The click of my nails on the floor is loud as I walk over to the window and jump up to put my front paws on the sill. I gaze out at the lake, lit by twilight, and every detail is vivid.

  I want to talk, but I can’t, so I speak in my head, hoping that I do it right so Ekton will hear me. “I can see better than with my glasses.”

  “That’s nothing. C’mon. Let’s go run.”

  I turn to discover Ekton is in his wolf form too. He leads us outside, and the fact that the screen door only needs to be pushed open with his snout and then slams back because of a spring makes me wonder if they were designed with werewolves in mind. I marvel at how easily my animal body moves as I increase my speed to keep up. I’m galloping faster than I ever imagined moving, and it’s exhilarating.

  Leaves and brush rustle, and my feet thud on the hard earth under them as Ekton takes me around the lake on worn paths that I recall scouring in my human form. When we get to a clearing, my mate hops up on a large rock, and I attempt the same. I fly through the air with minimal effort and land next to him.

  The surface is rough when we both sit, and he communicates with me. “What do you think?”

  “I think this is incredible.” I lean against him, and his warmth seeps through my fur as it travels to my heart. “I think I was sent here for a reason, Ekton. And that reason is you.”

  “So you’re my Mia Yes girl now?”

  I gaze into the face of the man who captivated me the first day we met. Every beat of my wolf heart is because of him, and I know this is what I was destined to be. I say, “I’m your Mia Forever.”

  Andi reconnects with her college love, Esher Wakefield as a last ditch effort to survive, but can she allow herself to do the one thing she doesn’t believe she deserves?

  Werewolf Another Day

  Winter Valley Wolves Book 6

  Andi Thompson’s days are numbered. Her cancer is back with a vengeance, and her only hope for survival pumps through the veins of her ex-boyfriend, Esher Wakefield. Back in college the werewolf saved her with a vial of his blood. But Andi took her good fortune too far, and her actions nearly revealed the Silver Lake wolves for what they really are.

  * * *

  Esher Wakefield is a successful pediatrician and respected member of his wolf pack. The only thing missing in his life is his true mate, Andi. Unfortunately curing her years ago jeopardized his very existence and forced them apart. When Andi comes to him as her last hope at survival, he knows he must save her. But cancer isn’t the only thing that threatens to take away the love of his life.

  * * *

  *This book was previously published as Escher.

  One

  The glass slide chatters against the microscope as I move it into place. My hands are shaking, although I’m not sure why I’m nervous. I already know what I’m going to see. The bruising, weight loss, and sheer exhaustion I’m experiencing tell me all I need to know. The textured dial is round in my fingers as I turn it to focus on the tiny drop of my blood. I peer into the viewfinder and discover exactly what I expected to see. Too many lymphoblast cells. My leukemia is back, and with a vengeance.

  I squeeze my eyes shut, but it doesn’t stop the tears that escape and roll down my cheeks. I’m going to die this time. A name slips from my lips in a whisper. “Esher.” He was my savior the last time, but I burned that bridge to ashes. My college chemistry lab partner did the unthinkable when he gave me a vial of werewolf blood to inject into my bloodstream, although at the time I had no idea how much he risked for me.

  I whip the slide out of the microscope, and the edges are sharp in my hand when I throw it across the lab toward the metal door. The rectangular piece of glass bounces off and shatters on the tile floor below. Just like my relationship with the only man I’ve ever loved did years ago. God, I was such an idiot. My stupid ambition is part of the reason the Silver Lake werewolves have become wary of humans.

  I grab the broom to clean up my mess. Shards of glass clink as I push the broken bits into the dustpan. I manage to finish just before Dr. Gina Sand arrives. I used to be in charge of all the labs at Winter Valley University, but Dr. Sand now shares that position with me. I fight the growl of annoyance that builds in my chest over that recent change in my career.

  Dr. Sand fell from grace a few months back when her claim that the local wolf pack was actually a group of werewolves couldn’t be proven. As an accomplished geneticist, she was welcomed with open arms by the university when she applied for a job. Because they already had me in place as the head of scientific research, they offered us co-positions. If I wanted to keep my job, I had no choice but to accept.

  I paste a patient smile on my face. “Good morning, Dr. Sand.” Even though we’re equals, she has never told me to call her Gina. I wish I’d had the balls to insist she call me Dr. Thompson instead of Andi.

  “Andi.” She freezes in place. “Why don’t I smell coffee?”

  I’m a pushover most of the time, and I know it. My usual reaction would be to apologize. But the fact that I just confirmed my death sentence minutes ago makes me brave, and I answer, “Because I haven’t made any yet. But I have no doubt you know how.”

  She glares at me, and any other day I’d scurry to rectify my mistake. It’s so not happening today. I turn my back to Dr. Sand and approach my computer.

  To say my life is stressful right now would be an understatement. Ever since my incident with the love of my life, Esher, led me too close to exposing the Silver Lake wolves to the dangers of government research, I’ve become a silent advocate for the werewolves. Each school year, Dr. Sand would send me a new recruit to research the wolves, and I would do whatever was necessary to sabotage the data. But when the last round led to men in black scouring my lab for evidence, Dr. Sand began to suspect me.

  The chime of my laptop booting up is faint compared to the banging of the coffee carafe slamming into the housing of the machine. Dr. Sand is not a patient woman. Now she’s here and dangerously close to discovering the truth. The Silver Lake wolves are werewolves, and I’m living proof they’re valuable to genetic research. But I’d rather die than help her turn them into lab animals that would be subjected to invasive testing or risk possibilities that could be much worse.

  A string of profanity comes from the small room we use to store our things. The splattering noise I hear makes me think she didn’t get the filter in quite right and boiling water is spilling over. I ignore it as I search for my oncologist’s phone number. I’ve got much bigger problems to deal with today. A pencil scratches against a piece of scrap paper as I jot the number down. Dr. Sand calls out. “Andi! Get in here!”

  I walk into the kitchenette to discover I was right. Coffee grounds and water are sizzling on the burner and dripping off the counter onto the floor. I grab my purse and say, “Wow. Sucks to be you,” and I walk out of the room as if she’s not sputtering in anger behind me.

  The moment the lab door clicks shut, the silence of the hallway nearly suffocates me. My footsteps on the pristine floor echo off the walls as I rush to get above ground and outside. I step out into sunshine and stop to take a deep breath full of fresh air. Tiny yellow-green buds are on the tree I walk by, and I glance over at the tulips that have bloomed. Spring in Winter Valley is special. It’s a long time coming, being in a climate that is just about as far north in the continental United States as you can get.

  I need to make my phone call, but I decide a fancy coffee drink and a pastry should happen first. My days are numbered, and I plan to enjoy them. My extra fluff is the least of my concerns, especially now that I’m losing weight without trying. It would be great if I didn’t know that it’s just one more sign of my imminent death. I climb the steps of the student union.

  Fifteen minutes later I’m on a bench watching the chattering pigeons poke the ground for crumbs. Music is faint as a girl walks by with ear buds in. I take a sip of my sweet drink and gather my courage. My phone is slick in my sweaty hand as I tap out the number of Dr. Murphy’s office. After I get through their system of redirects, I get an answering machine and leave a message requesting an appointment.

  I sink my teeth into the frosted cinnamon roll I purchased. The sweet flavor should send sugar to my bloodstream and make me happy, but all I notice is that the pastry is stale and tastes like sawdust. I toss it onto the pavement and watch the birds swarm it like ants on melted ice cream. I glance down at the purple bruise on my wrist from a grocery bag that was too heavy, and I sigh. No amount of chemo can fix me now, and my only chance at survival is werewolf blood. But the only werewolf I can ask has every reason to say no.