Chapter 8

Gentry

Nothing about this was proper. Shifters were rarely affected by nudity. It meant nothing to strip down in front of your packmates and go for a run. However, there were a few unspoken etiquette rules. The first was that males didn’t gawk at the females’ bodies.

That rule didn’t seem to matter as my unit mates stood frozen, watching our little Omega strip. Every inch of skin she revealed directed blood to my cock. It was an effort not to go to her as my body demanded—not to cover her in my scent and warn off any male who thought to claim her.

Theron cleared his throat, and we all snapped into action, removing our clothes to prepare for the shift. My wolf paced impatiently. The incomplete bond with his mate was putting him on edge.

I felt the frustration of all my unit’s wolves through our bond.

The suggestion to run as wolves was not only meant to get Myla comfortable with us. It was also a way for our wolves to maintain some semblance of balance.

Normally, when a shifter found their fated mate, they would immediately mark and claim her, solidifying their bond. The longer the human half waited, the more restless the wolf became.

They didn’t have the same reservations as us. They didn’t understand the human emotions that came with mating—especially when one’s mate was a stranger. For them, it was simple. Their mate was theirs. They were whole when brought together.

The shift was quick—blazing fire, the sharp snap of bones, and the cold burn of reconstruction.

I shook my muzzle and extended my front paws, stretching my new limbs. Silas’s brindle-colored wolf swished his tail as he scampered around.

A small golden wolf chased him in circles, mirroring his excitement.

Mate .

My wolf’s voice was a purr.

I trotted toward her, and she instantly pushed into my space, sniffing and pawing at every inch of my wolf. My wolf puffed out his chest, enjoying the attention from his mate.

He inhaled her natural sweetness and committed her lush scent to memory.

Bowen’s chestnut wolf and Theron’s gray wolf joined us.

I worried Myla’s wolf would be intimidated by the presence of four male wolves, but thankfully, I was wrong. She herded us, rubbing herself against our fur. Her message was clear.

We were hers.

Something about her boldness put my wolf at ease.

Without warning, she snapped her teeth and took off into the trees.

Our wolves chased after her. She darted between exposed roots and piles of leaves. Small animals scurried out of her way, offering her an unobstructed path.

Bowen’s wolf nipped at her heels, taunting her. She zig-zagged, swerving around a clump of saplings. Theron’s wolf bolted ahead, determined to block Myla’s route.

She warned us that her wolf was a feisty, sneaky thing, and when she changed directions, diving between my wolf’s legs, I believed it. I turned, tailing her as she retraced our steps and veered down an incline. I knew where she was going.

Just ahead was a small river that led to a lake by the west gate. It was shallow enough to run across without needing to swim. Bowen’s wolf appeared, jogging alongside mine.

Do we cut her off at the river or let her pass the glade before we catch her? Bowen asked.

The river , I replied.

That was another thing we were missing. Once we bonded, we’d not only be able to feel her, but we could speak with her in wolf form as well. Until then, we had to trust our wolves to interpret her cues.

My wolf was ready to catch his mate.

I’m going around the back, Theron said.

And I’ll come up the river, Silas added.

Perfect. She would be blocked from all angles.

We separated, tracking her movements while cutting her off and herding her into the center of our trap. My wolf’s enthusiasm was palpable. The hunt for his mate excited him. The wind smelled of dirt and musk, and the ground was soft beneath my paws. Sunlight glinted off her golden fur ahead, giving away her position.

Suddenly, she stopped and took a seat.

What is she doing? Theron asked.

I’m not sure, but I don’t trust it, Bowen said.

She’s planning something , Silas said. We need a plan of our own.

Let’s send out a red herring, Bowen said.

I rolled my eyes, already seeing where this was going. Let me guess. I’m the red herring?

Well, you are the redhead, Bowen said, laughter in his voice.

Ha-ha, you’re hilarious, I deadpanned.

I try my best, Bowen replied.

A little focus, people , Theron said.

My gaze snapped back to Myla’s wolf. Her posture was relaxed as she sat back on her haunches and lazily licked her front paw.

She was taunting us—demonstrating how unconcerned she was in our presence. My wolf loved how comfortable she was with us, but he was also irritated by her flippant dismissal of our prowess. It fueled his competitiveness.

I’ll show my hand and go out to get her, and when she runs, you guys jump in, I said.

A bit obvious, isn’t it? Theron questioned.

Does it matter? She’s trying to lure us out. Let her think it’s working, then snag her when she least expects it, I replied.

A straightforward plan is usually best, Silas seconded.

Fine, agreed, Theron said.

Agreed, Bowen added.

I broke through the brush and headed toward the river. Myla’s wolf turned to me, making no effort to run or come closer. My wolf yipped at her, tail high, trying to entice her to play as we advanced. She snorted, tilting her narrow muzzle to the sky.

It looked like the little she-wolf wasn’t impressed.

In a burst of movement, I closed the distance between us, forcing her to rear back and twist at the last second. Before she could escape, Bowen’s wolf appeared, lunging for her. She leaped into the air, using her hind legs to push off his face and propel her in the other direction, but Theron’s wolf was on her in seconds.

He tackled her to the ground, and Silas joined the fray. Their limbs tangled and twisted as they playfully pinned her wiggling body until she submitted.

Our wolves yipped as she teasingly snapped her teeth. She pushed off the ground and rubbed against our flanks as we circled each other.

My wolf nuzzled our mate. Our instincts pulled us toward her, and the certainty that she was ours overwhelmed us. It sparked like a live wire, moving over our skin and urging us to take what was rightfully ours.

Myla’s wolf nudged my wolf’s chest. Her scent drifted up our nose, sweet, caramelized, and . . .

I sniffed again, my confusion and desire skyrocketing as the faint scent of her heat clouded my senses. My wolf growled.

Our bond pulled taut, each of us focusing on the changing state of the female before us.

Her wolf whimpered, spinning in a tight circle and licking our muzzles in encouragement.

We need to shift back , Silas said. He recognized the danger of Myla entering her heat while we were in our wolf forms.

With our wolves in charge, it would be easier to fall into a rut. They would take control and surrender to our baser instincts until Myla was claimed and the bond solidified.

Myla shifted back with us, eyes wild and cheeks flushed.

She yelped and sank her teeth into her lip. She clutched her abdomen, and the perfume of her heat spread like a fog. My body reacted at once.

“Fuck,” Bowen said, scrubbing his hand down his face. “Come on. We need to get you home before—”

A sound between a whimper and a moan cut him off. Sweat beaded along Myla’s forehead, and her skin was flushed as if she’d spent too much time in the sun.

“I don’t think I’m going to make it,” she said.

“You will,” I said, gritting my teeth against my own need. “I’ll carry you back to the den, and we’ll get you all squared away.”

“No,” she growled.

“No?” Theron parroted.

“This is just going to keep happening, and even with the heat suppressants, it’s only going to get worse.” She paused, considering her words.

She wasn’t suggesting . . . was she?

“Help me,” she said, her tone resolute. “Claim me, please.”

Silas gaped at her. “Are you—”

“ Please ,” she cried, interrupting him. “Please. It’s so hot. My body is burning.”

I slid my arms around her and hoisted her up, using the skin contact to our advantage. Touch would help ease the side effects of her heat, but not for long.

My wolf was desperate to fulfill his mate’s request—to ease her pain and complete the bond. It had been the sole focus of his existence since he laid eyes on her.

I looked over her shoulder at my unit mates. “The western hunting cabin is not too far from here. I’ll bring her there.”

“We’ll head back to the den and collect some blankets while you get her settled,” Theron said.

I nodded in agreement.

They shifted and ran back to the den as I turned and headed for the hunting cabin. There were several throughout Hidden Creek. We used them as meeting points for missions, places to rest after long hunting journeys beyond our borders, and safe houses when needed.

Today, we would use the cabin to claim our mate.

My pulse pounded in my ears as I made the short journey to the lodge. Myla held me tight, pressing her soft body against mine.

She nuzzled my neck, and her slick dampened my abdomen. I groaned at the intoxicating smell of her arousal, praying to the Goddess for enough self-control to make it to our destination.

I moved faster than ever, arriving in no time. I kicked open the front door, brought Myla to the bed, and laid her across the mattress.

Her pupils were blown, and whimpers fell from her lips.

“Gentry.” She squirmed on the bed. “Please, I—I need–”

“Shhh.” I knelt on the edge of the bed. “I’m going to take care of you.” I ran my hands down her legs, savoring her smooth skin. Her breath came in shallow pants. “Spread your legs for me,” I commanded.

There was a moment of uncertainty before she opened herself up to me, goosebumps dotting her thighs.

Transfixed by her pink, glistening sex, I inhaled, already drunk off her pheromones and my desperation.

“Good girl,” I murmured, tracing a finger along her folds. “Just breathe, and I’ll make you feel better.”

Her gasp was the last thing I heard.