Wolf's Ascension by Lauren Dane

and fifty acres. Those of us who live in the city can’t run as often as we’d like, so we come up here, knowing we’re free and safe to. It’s why I spend three or four nights a week here.”
    “Okay, I understand that.”
    “And we touch a lot. I know you got a bit uncomfortable with Michael putting his face in your lap earlier but he needed that. He needed to touch you and be soothed by you. Part of your role as Pack leader is to comfort. To give strength and reassurance. A stroke of the face, a touch on the arm, a caress, a nuzzle, all of these are ways to do that.”
    “Are there specific ways to do it?”
    “You seem to have an inherent idea. What you did with Michael—stroking his hair like that—was perfect. Also, the way you touched Ellen earlier and responded to James, it was just right. Just follow your feelings.” Sean looked to her and then to his brother. Both men shared a moment of pride at the way Kari was taking up her new role.
    “Well, but aren’t there any boundaries? Certain places that touching isn’t okay or that are purely sexual or aggressive?”
    “Well, when you’re in wolf shape, only Andreas should be mounting you.”
    Kari’s face colored. “Mounting?” she said weakly. Jeez Louise.
    “There’ll be no mounting by anyone but me.” Andreas cast a dark look around the table.
    Sean smirked at his brother’s actions. “We have sex in wolf form too. Also, it’s one thing to smell you briefly. It’s a form of greeting. But no one’s nose should be close to your genitals for too long. That is aggressive and it’s sexual.”
    Kari wrinkled her nose. Oh lord, this was getting more and more bizarre.
    “As for aggressive, it’s often more in a look than physical. For instance, earlier, when Johanna stared you in the face and thrust up to the front of the crowd—that was very aggressive. She’s submissive and much lower in the Pack ranks than any other of the females. That she looked you in the eyes for so long and shoved her way to the front was a major attempt to insult you and your station.” Sean sent a dark look over his shoulder toward Johanna at the far end of the table.
    “But once you transform and you and Andreas bond, she’ll be dangerous to you. She wants what you have and you’ll be new to your wolf form. I think you may have to fight her before it’s over. I hope blooding is all it’ll take.”
    “Blooding? What? She’s four inches taller than I am. She’s got at least thirty pounds on me! I can take her? Physically?”
    Andreas explained, “Kari, in the first place, you’re my Mate. That means you’re quite literally of better biological stock than she is. You’re faster, stronger and more agile. You’ll be all of these things and more as a wolf.
    “Second, she comes from a very easy life. She’s never had to struggle for anything and she’s power-hungry. On the other hand, you’ve had to work for everything you’ve ever gotten. You’re smart. You look at all the angles. Although walking through alleys at two a.m. is pretty dumb.”
    “Yes, I’m aware of that fact,” she grumbled but he continued after a brief smirk.
    “You’re resourceful. No one I know could have picked the lock to their room and escaped a house full of werewolves and run the way you did. When Ryan picked you up, you were only half a mile from town. Even then, caught and scared, you came back here and screamed in my face—a man a foot taller than you are. You never stopped fighting until you got the evidence you needed.
    “If she’s stupid enough to challenge you, you’ll draw first blood. I have no doubt of it. Your wolf will let you be nothing less than an Alpha. If she pushes it, you’ll kill her.”
    “Oh no fucking way!” Kari stood so abruptly the chair would have fallen had Andreas not caught it. Heads turned and people looked toward her with surprise.
    Sean laughed so hard his eyes watered and Laurent merely grinned.
    “Sit down,” Andreas said softly,