For the first time I saw the link between the men. The family element. The brotherhood.
“Um… that’s Jay?” I asked, pointing to the couch.
“We told you.” Taylor said.
I swallowed hard. This was really happening. “Okay… what should I do, then?”
Should I apologise? Ask him to come back again?
“Well, maybe sit down and call him to you. If you want to be comfortable with us in both forms, I suppose you’ll have to get used to it.”
I was pretty sure I had no intention of being comfortable with them in any form. But what choice did I have at this point in time? “Um… okay. Jay, can you come around, please?”
The head of the wolf popped around the couch again and my stomach tightened.
Oh my God. It was a real wolf.
“Um… okay. Can I… pet him?” I asked Taylor, though the amount of sharp, pointed teeth in the wolf’s mouth had me questioning my own sanity.
Taylor nodded. “Yeah. Absolutely. Go for it.”
Taylor ran his hand over the back of the brown wolf, who was slowly walking towards me.
He had the biggest, most soulful eyes I’d ever seen on an animal and once again, I felt my anxiety drain away.
He stepped closer and I extended my hand to him, though my arm trembled and my chest burned from my inability to breathe.
He put his wet nose against my fingers and then licked my hand. I squealed with surprise this time and pulled my hand back.
Taylor laughed and the wolf backed away behind the couch.
I blinked and suddenly Jay was standing there again. Naked, and pulling on his clothes.
I stared, unable to speak.
What sort of world had I stumbled across here?
Chapter 4.
Jay.
I pulled my top over my head and buttoned my jeans.
Adrenaline was pumping through my muscles so fast they trembled with strength and unease. I had the strongest urge to go outside, shift back into my wolf and go running again.
But I didn’t want to leave my mate, because that certainly was who she was. Sure, she may not have fainted at the touch of my skin on hers, but she’d kissed me.
And as I glanced back towards my Alpha, he knew it too.
I shrugged. Could he really blame me for taking advantage when it was offered?
I walked back around the couch, presentable once more for the little human.
“I… um…” Claire didn’t seem to be able to speak, but at least she wasn’t running from the house screaming, or passing out again.
“Are you okay?” I asked her as I settled down onto the couch arm.
I struggled not to stare at her. She was so beautiful. So clean and lush and just… amazing.