Chapter 22: Lottie

He wasn't expecting me to ask that. Hunter's eyebrows shoot up, and the surprise is clear in his expression. But I do want to see him again. I want to know all his forms. It scared me before when I didn't know who he was. Now that I know it's Hunter, and he won't eat me—and we're possible mates, I still need to wrap my head around that one—I want to see it again. See him again.

Learning about the non-humans is shocking but exciting. I don't know why he expected me to be freaked out about it. I look forward to learning all about his people and finding out which type each person I've met in town is.

Wait. If he's a shifter, that means Ginger is a shifter, as are his brother and his parents. Now it totally makes sense why they were laughing at the photo of Sinatra I showed them. Because they knew it was Hunter. They were messing with him. I think I like them even more now.

Hunter stares down at me for another long moment, reading the determination on my face. Now that he's told me he has three freaking forms he can shift into at will, I want to see them all. And since I've seen plenty of human and wolf Hunter, I want to see beast Hunter. What he calls his true form.

"You really want to see it?" He obviously doesn't believe I would really want to, based on the slight down-turning of his lips.

"Of course I do. It is you, and you are it, and I want to see it now that I know it's you. I'm curious. I didn't really take my time to inspect you before."

I give him a warm smile, hoping he doesn't say no. He turns in place, looking around the cabin, but still hasn't removed his lower half from pressing against me. His hard erection still firm against my lower stomach, just above my pubic bone. Since I'm a bit taller than most girls, our hips are almost lined up. But he's still taller, just over six feet, if I'd have to guess.

He seems to come to a conclusion with a sharp incline of his chin.

"I guess I could show you in here. I'm rather big."

"I noticed."

I gently rock my hips, pressing into his cock, and he groans.

"I wouldn't do that unless you want to see my beast with a massive hard-on as well."

I'm taken aback by his statement, not even considering he would also be aroused in his beast form. I bet his cock is huge as a beast. The thought has me considering rocking my hips against him again just so I can see it. Hunter must realize my intention because he puts both hands on my hips, stopping me from doing just that.

"Nah ah, you naughty little bird. Not today. Maybe later I'll show you, but as a human it's unlikely you'll ever experience it."

Now I'm really curious.

"You sure about that? Have you seen how big baby heads and bodies are? Human females can handle a lot."

Those baby blues sharpen and narrow on me, going dark as he absorbs my meaning.

"You are going to be the death of me, sweet Nightingale."

I smile and bite my lip, enjoying this far more playful and open Hunter. However, in wolf form, this was his personality, just without words.

"I think you'll live, as will I."

Reaching out, I place my hands flat on his chest and press him back. He doesn't resist, and I stop once we've reached the open area between the kitchen and the living room—a space large enough for his true form to fit without breaking something.

I hope.

"Show me your beast, Hunter," I whisper close to his chest and feel the vibration from the growling purr there.

Extricating myself, I step back, giving him plenty of room to shift.

The tempting man—shifter—before me smirks and reaches down to peel his t-shirt off over his head. Taking his sweet ass time and drawing out the motion. Flexing every muscle needed and unnecessary to complete the action. Tossing the shirt away on the floor before reaching for the waistband of his pants.

"You giving me a strip show?" I raise an eyebrow at him and his fingers that linger just under the waistband of his sweats.

"No. I would just rather not tear through my pants when I shift as I'll need them after."

I should have known. He was naked when he shifted before, so he obviously would need to be naked again.

Steeling my backbone, I lift my eyes, keeping them firmly glued to his face as he drops his pants to the floor and kicks them away.

It takes a lot of self-control not to look down to check out the appendage that felt thick and large against my stomach. It isn't until the fur starts to sprout across his body and I hear cracking and popping as his body changes and shifts that I allow my gaze to roam his changing form. Taking less than a minute, Hunter once again becomes the hulking beast I first saw in the forest.

This time, my heart beats heavily in my chest with a different emotion. Awe at the majesty and beauty of the beast before me. He's beautiful in a deadly way. His posture is hunched over to accommodate his massive size. I imagine he's nine or ten feet tall if he were to stand up straight on his hind legs.

Crouching forward, he carefully places his clawed hands on the wood floor, his new position bringing us face to face. His eyes are still that unfathomable azure filled with wary caution, waiting for my reaction.

My hand extends out and I connect with his furred neck that's so thick around my hands would barely touch were I to wrap my arms around it. The fine hairs are just as silky soft as Sinatra's had been and just as inky black. Flexing my hand, I let the strands filter between my fingers, and Hunter's eyes close briefly at the contact.

His head and snout are as big as my torso, but he keeps his mouth shut, probably trying not to scare me with his pointed teeth I got a flash of before.

Hunter relaxes into my touch and bends even lower, pressing the top of his head against my chest. I lean down and rub my cheek against the finer fur between his tall, pointed ears. Wrapping my arms around as much of him as I can.

A soft, contented whine echoes through the room. Hunter's beast form practically going lax in my arms.

I rub my face against him again since he seems to like it, and he makes the sweet sound again.

"You're beautiful," I whisper into this fur, but being so close to his massive keen ears, he must hear me.

We remain in that position for a few moments before I pull away and take a longer look at the rest of him, circling his huge body. I do manage a quick peek between his legs, looking for this mystifyingly massive cock he spoke of, but I see nothing but a bulge under his fur.

I continue my perusal, inspecting his hindquarters and double-jointed legs, which I imagine can run very fast. Then I notice his surprisingly bushy tail, which wags when I brush my hand down it.

Just a giant cuddly dog.

Running my hand over his hip and up his back, ending at his shoulder and neck. I can see the fur rise along his spine as if my touch elicited a form of goosebumps. This seems likely the case when he does a whole-body shiver and shake. He brings his giant snout back to press against my side in the same motion he did as a regular wolf. It must be a shifter thing.

"Okay. You can change back now."

Just as quickly as before, his body transforms from beast to human in a graceful fluidity that speaks of years of practice. And once again, before me stands a naked Hunter.

I keep my eyes trained on his face, not allowing myself to look down until he turns and bends over to pick up his sweats. I hadn't gotten a good look at his backside yet, and I am not disappointed when I ogle his firm round ass. It flexes as he slips each leg into the pants and then conceals it under the gray material. Shame, someone as physically stunning as Hunter should walk around naked constantly.

He comes to stand directly in front of me, not touching, just watching.

At a loss for what to do, I shift on my feet. Now that he's shown me his true self and exposed his deepest secrets, I suppose it would only be right to do the same.

"Since you've been so honest with me about who you are, I should probably tell you who I am."

"I know who you are, Lottie," he says, stepping another inch closer to me.

"You might think you know me because of everything I told you when you were a wolf, but . . . there was something else I didn't mention about who I really am."

Closing the distance between us, Hunter reaches up and cups my cheek. His palm is large and warm. I can't help but lean into him, the touch eliciting a wave of pleasurable tingles across my skin.

"I told you. I know who you really are. Alexandria."

The warming pleasure vanishes under frigid shock. His smile only softens at my stunned expression.

"How did you know?"

"Ginger," he admits the one word as if it's all the explanation needed. It's not.

"But how did she know?"

Even as I speak the question, the answer comes to me; the only way she could have known was if someone told her, someone like…

"Luna," both Hunter and I say at the same time. I frown up at him, his thumb brushing gently over my jaw.

"How do you know Luna?"

"I've helped her out on assignments in the past. When I was younger, before I became Mayor. Shifters sometimes call on other shifters, especially alphas, to assist on jobs."

"Wait," I interrupt, pulling his hand away from my face so I can think straight, holding it in mine between us. "Luna is a shifter?"

Hunter repositions our hands, threading our fingers together and pressing them to his chest.

"Yes. Why do you think she makes such an effective bodyguard? Shifters are instinctually protective. We are the guardians of non-humans. It's in our blood."

"That sneaky little…" Biting my lip, I glower down at our entwined fingers.

Luna is going to hear it from me the next time I talk to her. I've shared everything with her, intimate personal things that no one else knows, and she never told me. A thought occurs to me as I'm mentally chastising Luna for not sharing this world with me: Hunter said he did jobs with Luna in the past.

Upturning my gaze back to Hunter, I look at him from beneath my lashes.

"Did you ever work with Luna guarding me? As Alexandria?"

I'd like to think I would have remembered Hunter, but honestly, I don't know most of my security team beyond Luna. She rotates them in and out and brings in extra when needed for shows and events. He very well could have been on a security detail for some awards show I attended, and I never knew.

Hunter shakes his head. "No. I haven't done jobs for her since I became mayor, and I think she started working for you around the same time. So, I wouldn't have been on any details for you."

"Oh."

That makes sense, I suppose. Makes me feel better for not remembering him if he had.

"Have you known who I was this whole time? Have I been walking around like an idiot thinking no one knew when really everyone knows? Does everyone know?" My voice squeaks and cracks as panic sets in. "Fuck, this is not good. The media is gonna get wind of this, and then my mother is going to show up."

"Shhh. It's okay," Hunter soothes, calming my spiraling babble, releasing my hand to rub up and down my arms in reassuring strokes. "No one but Ginger and I know. And I didn't know till I saw your photo on her phone the day after dinner with my parents. I forced her to tell me. Don't worry. There'll be no media showing up here if I have anything to say about it. As you can imagine, a town filled with wolf shifters and fairies doesn't exactly like a lot of media attention."

My racing heart calms at his gentle tone. At least I won't have to worry about being outed to the gossip rags and websites.

My mind races and spirals, imploding with all the new information. There's a lot to digest about non-humans, Hunter being a shifter and knowing I'm Alexandria, this whole mate thing, elves wanting to use me as leverage against Hunter to gain his land, and so much more. The sheer overload of information has me dizzy.

"I think I need to sit down."

Gently, Hunter wraps an arm around my shoulders, guiding me to the couch and helping me sit.

"I know this is a lot of information, and you're taking it exceptionally well. Why don't we just take it easy for the rest of the night? I'll make us some dinner, and we can talk or not—it's up to you. In the morning, I'll have Ginger come over, and she can explain the things I can't."

Inhaling lung fulls of air, the lightheadedness passes, and I nod.

"Okay, good. I'm also going to stay here tonight. To keep an eye on you. I was going to watch the cabin from outside as a wolf, but now that I'm here, I'd much rather sleep on the couch than in the dirt outside."

Hunter gives me a roguish smile, and the last bit of my uneasiness vanishes. I give him a flirty smile in return.

"The couch, huh? You're not going to try and convince me to share the bed with you?"

"No, little bird. When we share a bed, I won't need to convince you. You'll be pulling me by my tail to join you."

"That's awfully confident. You sure about that?"

Hunter leans in and brushes his lips against my neck in the faintest of touches. Breathing heat against my skin that prickles in response.

"I am very sure about that Nightingale."

His words are a brand on my skin, and I believe every single syllable.

"Now, let's see what you have that we can make into an acceptable dinner."

Hunter removes his lips from my flesh and stands from the couch, taking with him the lust that nearly consumed me at his words.

Shaking my head clear of the lust-filled fog his voice created, I watch him cross the small space to the kitchen.

"You can cook?"

"Of course. You didn't think my mother was the only one, did you?"

With that Hunter proceeds to make me the first cooked meal in my kitchen since I arrived.