Page 8 of Reformed Wolf

“Oh.” Gods, I must look like such a noob. I offered him a peek at my panther’s eyes, and the bouncer nodded, satisfied.

“Do you need me to tell you the rules?” he asked as he opened the door. With it came a waft of air, and there was that pine scent again, stronger this time, and my brain scrambled.

What was he saying? Rules? “Safe to assume no violence.”

The man nodded. “Also, no pets allowed, if you know what I mean. This close to the full moon, things can get a little… precarious,” he said carefully. “It wouldn’t take much to tip the whole club into a free-for-all.”

“Like a brawl?” I could hold my own. My father had insisted on learning self-defense.

He snorted, smirking. “No, like an orgy.”

My jaw dropped, the air leaving my lungs in a whoosh. “Oh…” A fight I could handle, but not sex. That was a definite no-no, and I could only begin to guess what kind of consequences came with breaking that particular rule.

The bouncer was watching me, gauging my reaction. His smirk dropped, his eyes softening. “Still want to go in?” It sounded like a genuine question.

While I had my doubts, my panther had never been so certain about anything before. I couldn’t have walked away even if I wanted to. “Yeah, it’s cool.”

I headed inside on shaky legs. My heart was racing, my palms slick with sweat. What the hell was wrong with me? It couldn’t just be the loud music, could it? But when I walked through the second set of doors, it was like that single pine tree had turned into a whole godsdamned forest, and I doubled over with a groan, hands braced on my knees. I felt my eyes go green and gold, my canines extending in my mouth. Shit. What the hell?! The bouncer said no shifting, and it was almost the first thing I did when I walked in the door? I held on, but it was a close thing.

Mate, mate, mate, my panther chanted.

Seriously? Now?! I couldn’t decide if this was the best timing ever or the worst, but considering I rarely left my father’s estate and was never permitted to speak to anyone, the chances of having randomly met my mate were limited to here and now.

Blowing out a breath, I straightened up and scanned the crowd. It was easy to find him. It was the equivalent of having a spotlight on him, the way my gaze was drawn to the alpha on the dance floor. He had blond hair, short on the sides and longer on top, tousled and damp with sweat. His face was flushed, with a light layer of scruff across his angled jaw—and he was staring straight back at me. Oblivious to the jostling crowd, I made my way toward him.

A man tried to dance with my mate, but the second he put his hands on him, my alpha turned and snapped at him with sharpened teeth, his eyes flashing an electric blue. Several people took a step back from him on instinct. He was a predator. A wolf.

I’d never been so turned on in my life.

We came face to face right there on the dance floor, mere inches apart. From this distance, his scent danced across my tongue, and I found an undertone of rich, buttery leather.

He leaned closer, still not touching me, inhaling along my neck. “Cat,” he said, and the way he said it was like a term of endearment, like sweetheart or dear—or mate.

“Dog,” I replied in kind, the corner of my mouth drawing up.

In unspoken agreement, we both moved at the same time, closing that final distance between us. His strong hands closed around my hips, squeezing, and I set my palms on his stomach, slowly sliding them up his chest, marveling at the planes and ridges hiding under his t-shirt. If this was who fate had chosen for me, I wasn’t complaining. There was undeniable strength in him.

We didn’t plan to dance, but suddenly we were, swaying to the thumping beat in an erotic way. I was distantly aware of the crowd around us, pressing in on all sides, but my focus was squarely on the man in front of me, with his arms around me in a firm grip. I felt safe and protected, and even though I knew nothing about who he was, none of it mattered right now. There would be time later to get to know him. I only had a couple of hours before I had to be back home, and I didn’t want to waste a second of it.

He was only a few inches taller than I was, and when I leaned in, chest to chest, I marveled at the way our bodies aligned. I could feel the firm outline of his cock when I ground my hips against him, and his low groan was the sweetest sound. I felt powerful being able to induce this need in him. I wondered what else I could do…

I traced a line with my nose up the column of his throat, inhaling his scent, and when I reached the shell of his ear, I was struck with the urge to put my mouth on him… so I did. I lapped at his smooth flesh, tasting his sweat, sucking his earlobe into my mouth and nipping at him with my teeth. I felt the full-body shudder roll through him, his breath skittering unevenly across my neck.

“Damn, baby,” he moaned as he slid his hands down to my ass, kneading into the muscle, using the leverage to build friction between us. “You are way hotter than I deserve.”

“I was just thinking the same thing.” At my panther’s insistence, I licked him again, this time along his jaw, enthralled by the rasp of his whiskers on my tongue. “You’re the best damn birthday present I never knew to ask for.”

“It’s your birthday?” he asked, sounding pleasantly surprised.

I nodded. “I just turned 21.” I didn’t know how old my mate was, not that it mattered to me, but he was at least a few years older.

“And are you here with anyone?” He fought to bring his head up, looking around for a party. His gaze was lust-drunk, lids at half-mast.

“No, I came alone.”

“That’s sad. No one should be alone on their birthday.” He frowned, but it quickly stretched into a sexy smirk. “Well, you’re not alone anymore. Maybe I can help you celebrate.”

“I’d like that.” I was still staring at those full lips, and maybe it was the moon’s influence or the overwhelming urge to complete a mating bond, but I tipped up on my toes and claimed his mouth.

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