Feral Seduction (Feral Protectors 2) by Liv Brywood Page B

by.
    He said, “Don’t worry about last night. It’s expected. We just have to get through four more nights.”
    She cringed. Would she make a fool of herself every night? By the time he was done teaching her, he’d probably be happy to get rid of her. “I’ll try not to be so… um, sexual tonight. I’ll try to control it.”
    He pulled her close and planted a quick kiss on her forehead. “Don’t worry; I won’t take advantage of you.”
    He looked down at her. Their eyes locked and a ripple of desire raced down her spine. She inched forward, drawn to his lips by the invisible connection between them. His warm, sweet breath caressed her face. She closed the gap between them.
    Before she could reach him, he stepped back. “Uh, okay. So about shifting. It’s really easy once you get the hang of it. Just reach for the most feral, darkest part of your soul. Feel your most carnal desires rushing through your body.”
    “It sounds very sexual,” she murmured.
    He swallowed and looked away. “It can be.”
    She moved closer to him and placed one palm on his chest. She knew exactly what would inflame her and unleash the wolf inside.
    Touching him sparked the beginning of the transformation. The agony of change slashed through her muscles, tearing, pulling, and breaking her bones. As she reformed, fur sprouted on her arms and legs and her feet and hands became paws. Her nose elongated to become a snout and her sense of smell intensified. When the transformation was complete, she poked at Stryde’s thigh with her snout.
    He smiled down at her. “You’re a natural. Follow me and do what I do.”
    He shifted and then brushed up against her. Her tongue lolled out. She felt a kinship with him unlike anything she’d ever felt with another human. She wondered if she’d feel this way with the other wolves. Or was her intense attraction to Stryde special?
    When she realized he’d headed out of the den, she scrambled to catch up with him. As she leapt onto the path outside the den, a thousand different scents assaulted her nose. She stopped and sniffed the ground around the den. She detected at least three distinct scents and intuitively knew they belonged to other wolves.
    Stryde stood several paces away watching her. She trotted to him and brushed her face against his flank. She inhaled the scents of pine and sage on his fur. The incredible aroma blended with the forest, as if he’d been born from the very trees they stood under.
    He trekked down the trail and disappeared around a bend. As much as she wanted to stop and sniff every wild flower, she didn’t want to lose him.
    She rounded the mountainside and raced down the pine-needle-covered path. The thick pads on her paws kept the needles from pricking her. She liked being able to run without shoes. Nothing separated her from the natural world. She felt at home in a way she never had in her home in Joshua Village.
    When they reached a lush meadow, Stryde yipped once, then sprinted across a field of lupine. The blue flowers sprung back to their full height in his wake.
    Brandy mimicked his yelp, then bounded through the tall grasses. A flutter of wings caught her attention. Hundreds of butterflies burst from around the flowers. She sat in awe as they swept across the sky.
    When one landed on her nose, it tickled a sneeze out of her. The iridescent green butterfly flitted off, leaving her to marvel at its grace.
    Stryde scurried across the field and skidded to a halt in front of her. As he pranced around, she tried to understand what he wanted. He trotted a few yards away, then looked over his shoulder. She strolled toward him, but as soon as she got closer, he sprinted away. Well, if he wanted to be chased, he was in for it.
    She lunged forward, missing him by a few feet. He grinned and ran toward the tree line. She raced for the trees. Her legs stretched and pumped as she tracked him. He never got more than a few feet ahead of her.
    As they raced down a steep hill,