Page 107 of What a Wolf Demands

Her wolf was beautiful.

As if she felt his regard, she turned toward him, her eyes burning an icy blue.

He lowered his head, the traditional acknowledgment of a newly Turned wolf.

She snorted—a short, noisy exhalation that let him know she understood. More importantly, it confirmed her human mind was still in control.

The others had formed a semicircle around her as she Turned. Now, they offered proud smiles and bowed heads as she gazed around the room. Max walked forward and stopped in front of her, holding her gaze.

“Welcome to the New York Territory, Lily,” he said. “Now acknowledge your Alpha.”

She dipped her head, her gaze on the floor.

He smiled, then put a hand on her head, stroking the fur there. “Job well done, wolf.”

Dom’s heart swelled. The first chance he got, he was taking her to the forest beyond the gorge and running with her.

She lifted her head, one ear turned toward the door. After a second, she caught his gaze.

He raised an eyebrow. What was she up to now?

In answer, she trotted to the door.

Bemused, he followed her. The others fell into step behind them, obviously curious where she was headed.

She stopped at the double doors and looked at him over her shoulder.

He reached her side. “You want to go out there?”

Her look was the wolf equivalent of duh.

Shrugging inwardly, he opened the door.

She slipped through, her toenails clicking on the marble. He and the others trailed in her wake.

Down the hall, Thibeaux and the rest of the loup-garou lounged around a small seating area arranged around a stone fireplace. At Lily’s approach, they jumped to their feet, the looks on their faces ranging from shock to fear.

Thibeaux’s gaze wandered over her before settling on Max. He cleared his throat. “It doesn’t matter if she Turned. She still killed Charlie.”

Lily moved fast. In the space of a single breath, she had Thibeaux on the ground, her front paws on his shoulders, claws digging into the muscle.

He screamed. “Get the fuck off me, you freak!”

She lowered her head and snapped her jaws inches from his face.

He screamed again. The smell of urine rose sharp in the air.

Lily’s tail swished as she kept her face in his, a low growl rumbling in her throat. She lifted a heavy paw. Then, in an almost casual gesture, she drew a claw lightly across his throat. It broke the skin in some places, raising a thin line of blood.

Her message was clear. If he continued pissing her off, she’d see to it he met the same end as Bart.

His legs twitched and he screamed, “Help! She’s killing me!”

Guyon’s voice was disgusted. “She’s not killing you, Luc. She’s warning you to drop your bullshit before you get yourself killed.”

“I’m bleeding.” His cries became frantic. “I can smell my own blood.”

The fur on Lily’s back rose, and she sank her claws deeper into his shoulder, making him squeal.

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