get into Tori’s study she walks over and opens her arms to me. My werebear nose takes in her natural scent as if it’s perfume I’d associate with a close friend. We embrace, and she says, “Welcome to the Veilleux clan, Sasha. I’m honored to have you join us.”
When we step away from each other I say, “Thank you for being so welcoming. I know it might be hard to trust me, but I assure you, I plan to prove my worth.”
We move to the couches, and the leather is slick on my hand when I brace my sore body and lower myself to sit. Tori asks, “How do you feel about leaving the Eradicators?”
The tone of her voice is stern and deep, and I think she just asserted her alpha power over me, because I offer more than I planned to say. “I believe they are the real enemy, and I’m struggling with the way I blindly followed them for so long.”
“I suspect they have cult-like mechanisms in place to keep you from wondering why things are done. But you can tell me more about your upbringing later. I want to talk to you about what you’ve been trained to do.”
“I’ve been trained to kill, but if I were good at it, I wouldn’t be here.” The older woman I remember from before seems to appear out of thin air and hands me a glass of water.
“Perhaps you have a conscience, Sasha. I watched your fight to live through the change after a gunshot injured you badly enough that even as a werebear you shouldn’t have lived. You definitely have a warrior spirit.”
I sip my drink, and cool liquid slides down my throat as I glance at Jax and recall how I reacted to save him. The truth is I do like the fight. “I think so too. Jax said you’d like me to be one of your warriors.”
“I would.” Tori leans forward a bit and says, “If you find it’s not working out, we’ll try something else.”
I nod. “I can also offer a lot of insight into how the Eradicators and other hunter groups operate. Would that be of value to you?”
“Definitely.” Tori smiles with what I think is genuine warmth, and she changes the subject. “Tomorrow you’ll feel much better, and Jax should take you out for your first shift.” She sighs. “Goodness, it wasn’t that long ago that I changed, and I can remember how awesome all of this is. Enjoy it. We’ve been blessed with an amazing ability.”
“I will,” I say as Jax nudges my thigh with his, and I think about the fact that being a werebear is more like an amazing ability than the curse I thought when I first found out what I was.
Tori begins to relay stories of funny things that happened when she first changed, and her husband, Keith, comes in to join us. We spend time laughing and talking as we become friends.
When it’s time to go up to bed, I lean against Jax in exhaustion. He puts his arm around my shoulders and gives me the extra strength I need to get to my room. Once we’re there I say, “Stay with me tonight.”
“I planned on it, Sasha.”
I sink on the bed, and Jax helps me remove my shoes. “Good, because I’m not sure I ever want you to leave my side.”
A sly grin covers Jax’s face as he reaches for the hem of my shirt. “Want me to break out the handcuffs?”
I tap my lip with my finger as if I’m contemplating the question. “Maybe tomorrow when I have more energy.”
Jax continues to help remove my clothes, and I dress in an oversized sleep shirt. Once we brush our teeth he strips down to his underwear and climbs in the bed to spoon me. I lean against the man I love and wonder how only days ago I planned to kill him. I inhale the scent of him that is like an elixir. Thank you, Destiny, for giving me the life I never dreamed I could have.
13
I stare at a breathless and nude Jax as I say, “That has to have been the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced!” I just shifted for the first time, and Jax took me for a run through the woods that included a swim in the river and even fishing. My speed, agility, and power were such a rush, I
When we step away from each other I say, “Thank you for being so welcoming. I know it might be hard to trust me, but I assure you, I plan to prove my worth.”
We move to the couches, and the leather is slick on my hand when I brace my sore body and lower myself to sit. Tori asks, “How do you feel about leaving the Eradicators?”
The tone of her voice is stern and deep, and I think she just asserted her alpha power over me, because I offer more than I planned to say. “I believe they are the real enemy, and I’m struggling with the way I blindly followed them for so long.”
“I suspect they have cult-like mechanisms in place to keep you from wondering why things are done. But you can tell me more about your upbringing later. I want to talk to you about what you’ve been trained to do.”
“I’ve been trained to kill, but if I were good at it, I wouldn’t be here.” The older woman I remember from before seems to appear out of thin air and hands me a glass of water.
“Perhaps you have a conscience, Sasha. I watched your fight to live through the change after a gunshot injured you badly enough that even as a werebear you shouldn’t have lived. You definitely have a warrior spirit.”
I sip my drink, and cool liquid slides down my throat as I glance at Jax and recall how I reacted to save him. The truth is I do like the fight. “I think so too. Jax said you’d like me to be one of your warriors.”
“I would.” Tori leans forward a bit and says, “If you find it’s not working out, we’ll try something else.”
I nod. “I can also offer a lot of insight into how the Eradicators and other hunter groups operate. Would that be of value to you?”
“Definitely.” Tori smiles with what I think is genuine warmth, and she changes the subject. “Tomorrow you’ll feel much better, and Jax should take you out for your first shift.” She sighs. “Goodness, it wasn’t that long ago that I changed, and I can remember how awesome all of this is. Enjoy it. We’ve been blessed with an amazing ability.”
“I will,” I say as Jax nudges my thigh with his, and I think about the fact that being a werebear is more like an amazing ability than the curse I thought when I first found out what I was.
Tori begins to relay stories of funny things that happened when she first changed, and her husband, Keith, comes in to join us. We spend time laughing and talking as we become friends.
When it’s time to go up to bed, I lean against Jax in exhaustion. He puts his arm around my shoulders and gives me the extra strength I need to get to my room. Once we’re there I say, “Stay with me tonight.”
“I planned on it, Sasha.”
I sink on the bed, and Jax helps me remove my shoes. “Good, because I’m not sure I ever want you to leave my side.”
A sly grin covers Jax’s face as he reaches for the hem of my shirt. “Want me to break out the handcuffs?”
I tap my lip with my finger as if I’m contemplating the question. “Maybe tomorrow when I have more energy.”
Jax continues to help remove my clothes, and I dress in an oversized sleep shirt. Once we brush our teeth he strips down to his underwear and climbs in the bed to spoon me. I lean against the man I love and wonder how only days ago I planned to kill him. I inhale the scent of him that is like an elixir. Thank you, Destiny, for giving me the life I never dreamed I could have.
13
I stare at a breathless and nude Jax as I say, “That has to have been the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced!” I just shifted for the first time, and Jax took me for a run through the woods that included a swim in the river and even fishing. My speed, agility, and power were such a rush, I
Similar Books
