Chapter 27

 

Three pairs of shoes later, Rayne finally found a pair of sandals that didn’t hurt as much to walk in, not that she was going to be walking far right now—she just couldn’t sit still. Her mind was going faster than it was able to process, but yet the first thing she did after testing her footwear was sit down.

If she hadn’t seen the wolf turn into Devin with her own eyes she never would have thought something like that was possible. Combine that with the additional information that she was supposed to be doing that sometime in the future?! End result; her brain was a stew of chaos. She looked down at her arms as if they were suddenly going to sprout fur. She honestly didn’t know what to do with all this new information. If the last day had been a novel, it would have been an intriguing best seller, but for the real-life parts, this heroine had no idea what to do next.

Rayne’s mind ricocheted back to the information about her parents were being the same as Devin. How did things like this exist and no one know? She had lived a very sheltered existence, yes, she admitted that. But people that could change their shape, their entire specie to be out there and not be widely known was a lot to take in. To know that people who looked like everyone else but were far from it were walking around every day, was just crazy. If she I hadn’t noticed something about her own parents, she could have come in contact with someone that could change into an animal over the years and never know it.

She had to get up and move, try to work this out with some physical energy. Awkwardly, she managed to get up from the chair and limp over to the car. Trying to balance on the cane and get the door open without tipping over took more skill than she thought, she wobbled a few times. Hopefully she didn’t have to be an invalid for long. If what Devin said was right, she was going to have to go through more than she’d anticipated in breaking off from Aiden. Rayne didn’t want to dwell on the possibilities that might involve right now, she had more than enough to cope with, worrying about some lethal man coming after her was just too much to take on at this moment.

Dropping down onto the edge of the passenger’s seat, she pulled a handful of photos out of the case, photos of her parents. She studied their images, not seeing anything different about them that she hadn’t seen her whole life. They didn’t look like they were hiding something as huge as being able to shift forms, and yet they were. Devin couldn’t have made up that part, at least that’s what her inner voice said. The voice that told her it was too bizarre to be wrong, but unbelievable at the same time.

Rayne really wanted to tell herself that Devin was lying, but she’d seen it happen. She’d seen the fur retract and skin cover him. It was like something out of a movie, where you sit there eating your popcorn and watching the screen and your adrenalin kicks up as you watch the fantastic transformation—but there’s always been that small part in your brain that’s saying ‘yeah right, like that could happen!’ Now that she knew it could happen she was completely lost. How could my parents hide something like this from me? If she was going to do this too, why wouldn’t they have told her? She had been well past puberty before they died, and they hadn’t warned her that she was going to go through some other change? Sure, puberty had been enough of a change to suffer through. Maybe they meant to tell her, but died before they could.

Hugging the pictures into her chest Rayne closed her eyes and tried to think of anything she could remember that had hinted this was possible. They had moved a lot, lived in rural and urban areas alike, so that didn’t tell her a thing. They rarely went out and most definitely never came back naked when they did. If they were what Devin said, they hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary that would give her a clue that it was true.

Sighing, she opened her eyes and tucked the pictures back into the pocket on the case. Getting back out of the car, she slammed the door harder than needed but it made her feel better. Turning, she looked at the car, Aiden was going to come for it, for her and she didn’t know how she was going to deal with him when he did. Frustration bubbled in her stomach and she had the fleeting thought of pushing his car into the lake.

The reality she now faced was overwhelming. She didn’t know where to begin to deal with all of this. Devin knew more about Aiden and his family than she did, and now he was saying she was in danger. Rayne didn’t really need to know any more to confirm that, Aiden’s words still played through her mind like a recording.

The part of her that should have been heartbroken, discovering he only wanted her for puppies, wasn’t. She’d always known there was something going on, she just didn’t know what. Everything she had learned today explained all the little things that used to nag at her. Some of the staff that worked for Aiden always seemed a little afraid of him and those that didn’t seemed to be the oddest bunch of men.

She stopped and looked over at the trees. The realization that she believed every word Devin had said surprised her. A month ago, she would have laughed, or screamed, and then she would have packed up and left as fast as she could. Rayne now could admit that the way she thought about things had changed recently. She didn’t know if it was because of the changes Devin referred to, she only knew that she wasn’t the same as before. Of course, she could still hope that she’d wake up at any moment to find out this was a bizarre dream from eating too much sugar before bed, or reading some fantasy story.

Chuckling at her own weirdness, she turned and tried to walk, as normally as she could, to go back to the cabin. The hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood up. Rayne stopped and turned around slowly, half expecting Aiden to be lurking behind her, but he wasn’t. The wolf with the familiar eyes stood on the edge of the trees. At least now she knew why the eyes gave her a feeling of recognition. Her heart sped up as her mind replayed watching that same wolf turn into Devin—at least she wasn’t going to have to worry about being eaten this time.

“Are you going to skulk around in the trees and watch me all the time, Devin?” She leaned on the cane and waited for him to decide to do next. He took two hesitant steps before slowly walking over to her. When he stopped right in front of her she realized how big he actually was. “Normal wolves aren’t as large as you are, are they?” Rayne debated on reaching out and touching him, but grasped the cane with both hands to keep them away from him. “I’ve only been alone for a few hours you didn’t need to check on me.”

The grey eyes held hers. Now that she wasn’t scared half out of her mind she noticed that in those eyes there was the man. They had the same look of concern and worry that he’d had when he was looking after her. She sighed and glanced away, determined to look at the ground and not at him, but he came closer and rubbed against her leg. His fur was softer than she’d imagined it would be. She looked down to see the large wolf half wrapped around her and the grey eyes watching carefully. “I’m fine. Just a little overwhelmed right now.” Without hesitation, Rayne reached down and ran her hand down over his head. He nudged her hand so it would slide back over his fur again. “Did you bring clothes?” She felt a bit odd talking to a wolf that didn’t answer. He watched her without moving, something played through his eyes that looked like a smile. Leaning around, he ran his tongue up over the back of her knee and then turned and darted back into the trees.

Rayne was still standing there trying to figure out why she wasn’t mad at him showing up after she’d asked to be alone when he stepped out of the trees. He had brought clothes, or at least jeans. His feet were bare as was his chest, the jeans rode low on his hips and it took her a heartbeat to pull her eyes from the hard muscles of his abdomen back up to his face. He held up a small bag.

“I brought your camera and some more bandages, in case you needed them.”

The fact that she’d forgotten her camera was shocking, she never went anywhere without it. “Oh.”

His lips moved into one of his lopsided smirks. “I thought I’d test the water before I barged in on you, in case you felt like throwing things again.”

Her eyes jumped to the red welt on his forehead. “I’d apologize for that, but I think you deserved it.”

Devin stopped right in front of her and looked down, regret in his eyes. “I did. I’m sorry, it wasn’t the nicest way to show you.”

“I don’t think any way would have been less shocking...” She stopped when his knuckles glided over the scratch on her cheek. Her heart started beating in her throat when he leaned down slowly and placed a light kiss over it.

“I’m sorry, Rayne.”

His deep whisper vibrated through her body and she wanted to wrap her arms around him and lose herself in his warmth. Rayne pulled her head back and looked up at him. “If you’re trying to distract me from throwing things at you, it’s not necessary.”

“That wasn’t the reason, but it’s good to know.” He glanced past her head and she could tell he was trying to decide something. “There’s more I need to explain, but I don’t...”

Putting a hand on his chest, she shook her head. “If it’s not life threatening, I’d prefer not to have more things to wrap my brain around right now. I’m barely hanging on as it is. I’m sure at any moment it’s all going to hit me and I’m going to turn into a hysterical woman that’s suddenly found herself in a strange new world.”

“I think you’re handling all of it very well. Other than one shriek and a strong throwing arm, you’ve been very calm.” He ran one finger down her bare arm and she tried not to notice the trail of tingling it caused. “I’ve never had someone find out and actually touch me afterwards, in wolf or human form.”

The wistful note in his voice caused a pain in her heart. He’d been hurt because of what he was, before. That was one emotion she could relate with. “I’m not repulsed by any of it, if that’s what you’re afraid of, I’m just in such a state of shock I’m not sure what I’m thinking.” His eyes caressed her face and she had to force her gaze away or be drawn in by them. Rayne moved her eyes down his throat to his bare chest. The ridiculous notion of leaning towards him and licking his chest shocked her to the point that her eyes widened as they jerked them back to his. His eye were half closed as he watched her. “I...” she took a short breath and tried again. “I have questions.” He reached out and ran his hand lightly down over her hair, running his fingers through it. When her nipples hardened just from that simple movement, she took a step back from him and held up her hand. “If you didn’t bring more clothes to wear, you can go stand over there while we talk.” She pointed to the cabin.

“I’m sorry, I can’t help myself. I’m a male, you’re beautiful and you don’t think I’m a freak...” He grinned and for a moment, it reminded her of the wolf that had stood in front of her.

She put a hand on his chest and pushed lightly. “And I can’t think when you’re this close to me,” she frowned up at him. “Why is that?”

He tilted his head, his eyes filled with humor. “It’s bad that you’re attracted to me?”

Rayne bit her lip and shook her head. “No, just not in my character to throw myself at a man I don’t know.” She slid her hand down his chest and that strange urge to taste his skin crept back into her mind. Dropping her hand to the cane, she turned and started back to the chair beside the cabin. “Is it because of what you say I am?”

Taking her arm, he balanced more of her weight than she was. “You still don’t completely believe me, do you?” He paused for a moment and then shrugged. “It’s partially that. You may not have been through your first estrus yet, but your wolf recognizes mine.”

Rayne stopped and blinked up at him. “My first what? Is that what the changing part is called?”

He continued to half carry her back to the chair. She didn’t feel like struggling and really wanted to sit right now. “Another woman from our clan explaining this would be better, but that’s kind of like puberty all over again, other wolves will scent you during this time...” He paused and helped her sit.

She swallowed when he sat in front of her on the ground and picked up her throbbing foot to place it gently in his lap.

“My wolf recognized you before I understood what was going on.”

She’d heard about animals being able to smell other animals nearby, but this was taking it to a whole new level for her. “I suppose that makes sense. So, all of your—clan are attracted to each other?” Rayne wasn’t comfortable with the idea of that at all.

“No. Thankfully not.” He laughed softly. “That would wreak havoc like you’ve never seen.”

Slightly relieved as she was, Rayne still didn’t understand. “So, what is this, animal magnetism?”

He lowered his eyes to her foot as his hands began to lightly massage her ankle. “Something like that.” His eyes flicked up to her face briefly before he continued. “You don’t think we’d be attracted to each other if we weren’t wolf?”

She chewed on her lip and studied him. His sandy hair had fallen down to cover half of his eyes. “Oh, I’m pretty sure you know how appealing you are to women.”

He turned the full power of a lustful look on her. “But not you?” His voice had dropped to a whisper.

Rayne felt her cheeks flush. “I’m sure you know the answer to that.”

He nodded slowly and then looked back down. “I do. I can smell your desire.”

As odd as this whole day had been, that took the prize. The man could actually smell that she was turned on by him. She felt like she’d been exposed and denied at the same time because she couldn’t do the same. “I think we need to change the subject.”

His eyes flicked back to hers and she knew the look was daring her to continue. A part of her, the normal Rayne won, and she lowered her eyes from his. He still held her foot, but his other hand now moved in achingly slow circles along her thigh. “You’ve had a hell of a day, Rayne. Just relax and give yourself time to take all of it in. I can still answer questions tomorrow.”

She closed her eyes as his fingers danced over her leg. Rayne had so much to try and figure out, so many questions that she wasn’t even sure she wanted to know the answers to. Her head ached with them. “You might be right. My mind is soup right now.”

His palm rested against her inner thigh, but the movement stopped. “Come back to the house for tonight where you can rest and not have to worry about anything.”

Rayne opened her eyes and looked at him. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

He shrugged. “It’s your choice, but know that I’ll have to stay awake all night and skulk around in the trees to watch over you if you don’t.”

She smirked, “It would serve you right.” Glancing over at the tent. Do I want to spend a night alone out here right now? Maybe I should be asking was if I should spend the night alone with Devin right now. If I went back with him, I wouldn’t have to worry about wild animals... she hid the smirk from him. Not the scary wild animals at least. Sighing, she lowered her eyes and looked back at him, he sat there without movement watching her. “I don’t want to give you the wrong idea...”

He tilted his head and gave her a serious look. “Rayne, just the fact that you’re a female from my clan means I’m obligated to protect you with my life if need be, that’s the way it works.” She sent him a surprised look. “Seriously. Our females are revered and treasured.”

What normal society could learn from this other race was something that needed a major overhaul. Women in normal human society were still the underdogs, the servants and, in most cases. the least respected. Maybe all of this wouldn’t be bad. She took a deep breath and watched him for a few moments. “I’ll stay on the couch.”

He laughed as he stood up. “We’ll work out the details later. I want to help you back up to the house and then do a sweep of the property and make sure there’s no one here that shouldn’t be.”

Her heart stumbled. “You really think Aiden is coming after me?” Rayne accepted his hand and let him help her stand up.

A serious look filled his eyes. “Yes.” He shrugged. “Even if you weren’t a shifter of true blood, I sure as hell would come after you, just to grovel.”

“I don’t see you grovelling for some reason.”

He flashed white teeth at her. “There’s a first for everything.”