Jack wanted to explain that his wolves were used to running small time crime—nothing like kidnapping and human experimentation! But he knew excuses would just make him look weak.

“It’ll be handled. I’ll see to it personally. This bum has nothing on us. Chances are he’s dead anyway.”

“And if he isn’t?”

“He’ll be a wolf and we’ll be sitting on a goldmine that will have the humans paying through the nose for years to come.” Jack smiled through sharp teeth.

Warren watched him through dead eyes, seeing him for the liability he was. “Get the human back, Jack. We can’t afford exposure at this stage.”

Chapter Ten

“Beautiful, are you ready?” Lex murmured, lips against her temple.

She looked at him in the mirror, meeting his eyes. She took a deep breath and nodded.

The house was filled with Pack. She could smell them all. Forest and loam. She scented power and family. Anticipation.

“I can feel them. Smell them.”

He smiled as he took her in, dragging his eyes down her body, now clad in a midnight blue silk robe that she’d drop once they got outside under the moon to change. She was all curves and sex. Her scent filled his nose. He no longer smelled Pack, he only scented her. His mate. The particular mix of musk and pheromones that was his woman. It was alluring and seductive. Heady and intoxicating.

“They’re here to welcome you home, Nina. I know this is hard for you. That you don’t trust them much. But they’re yours. I’m yours. Hell, even Cade is yours. Forgive them and they’ll follow you into hell itself.” He smoothed his hands down her arms, having to repress his urge to pull her down to their bed and make love to her for hours.

She took a deep breath and nodded. “I’ll try.”

“You’re going to do just fine, beautiful. Your wolf knows what to do. It’s not hard or scary. Just let it happen.”

She heard a knock on the door and Cade opened it and walked in. He was shirtless, like Lex, and wearing low slung sweat pants. Man oh man, they were both so beautiful. He caught her appraising gaze and winked and they both laughed.

Lex made an annoyed sound and pulled her closer. “That’s enough of that.”

“You all should wear clothes then.” She turned and kissed him quickly. “Okay, let’s do this, shall we?”

Cade held out a hand and Lex another and she took both and let them lead her downstairs.

The entire Pack, minus the wolves who were at the hospital, was waiting. Anticipating their arrival. There was tension and excitement in the air and Nina felt slightly nauseated as her wolf stretched out inside of her body, readying to be freed.

As she passed the wolves all went to their knees. Cade and Lex led her outside and into the tree line that abutted the house. They stopped beneath a large maple tree and the Pack circled them.

Looking up into the clear autumn sky, Nina felt the pull of the moon. Felt the tidal sway of nature, felt her wolf respond.

“Let it happen, Nina.”

She looked into Lex’s eyes and watched as his humanity slid away. Watched as his wolf began to manifest. She felt a deep tug and looked to Cade, who watched her silently. He squeezed her hand and took a step back. Lex slid her robe from her shoulders. The evening cloaked her as the silver of the moon bathed her skin.

She raised her hands toward the sky and felt herself—her human self—simply go elsewhere and her wolf surge to the surface. She fell to her knees and watched in fascination as her body suddenly wasn’t the same. She had four legs. She felt her nose and mouth as a muzzle. Wondered at the feel of her long tongue as it moved over sharp teeth.

From deep within her a sound of joy, of discovery and transformation, burst through her and into the evening air. A howl that echoed against the house and trees. Her howl was joined by Lex’s and Cade’s and the chorus of howls of the rest of the Pack.

The world was black and white. Sharp and vivid. The air was filled with a banquet of smells and sounds that she’d never noticed before. The earth under her feet was spongy and received her weight differently than she’d ever perceived it before.

She shook herself and took off at a run. Lex joined her, a wolf the size of a freaking pony, and bumped against her. She knew instinctively that it was playful and she shoved back. He grinned at her with those sharp teeth and yipped.

They ran and ran, playing and jumping through the forest for hours until Cade and Lex guided her back to that big maple tree. Once back, she dropped to her belly and crawled to Lex.

He grabbed the back of her neck with his teeth then let go. When she opened her eyes, the world was color again and he was holding out her robe.

Cade was ushering the others back toward the house and it was just the two of them under the stars.

“Such a beautiful wolf,” Lex murmured. “How did you like it?”

“It was incredible. I don’t even know how it all happened or even how I got back to this shape but I want to do it again.” She had a smile on her face and Lex laughed.

“We will, beautiful. Now, let’s go back inside so I can make love to you properly.”

“You have a deal.” She took his hand and followed him.

Before they’d reached the back deck, Dave rushed out and Lex’s relaxed posture changed immediately.

“Dr. Molinari called. The transformation went fine until the Rogues showed up and took the new wolf and…” His voice broke.

“Tell me,” Lex’s voice held authority then and Nina felt the compulsion of it in her bones. She saw Dave’s anguish and understood that something very bad had happened.