Page 95 of Kidnapping Their Third

Pike blinked rapidly and hoped he hadn't sustained brain damage because Mrs. J seemed to be shrinking!

“What the hell?” the alpha cursed. “Is she a vole shifter or something?”

The wolves laughed again, but their humor was cut off when the shrinking reversed and she seemed to explode out into a brand-new body.

This new Mrs. J was far taller than her earlier diminutive shape, with a round, voluptuous build. The clothes that had been oversized and baggy before were tight and barely holding in her generous breasts. Thick tendrils of long black hair flowed around her shoulders and head as if she was in water.

No, that wasn’t hair, those were snakes!

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” the alpha screamed as he staggered back. “It’s a gorgon!”

“Those don't exist,” the wolf holding Cora captive said, his voice high with fear. “Right? It’s got to be an illusion!”

Mrs. J pursed her full lips at the wolves. “You think I’m an illusion? How amusing!”

Pike couldn’t see auras like vampires and druids could, but Mrs. J was glowing with enough power to light up her tan skin. She was so powerful he could feel her magic even though he was half a room away.

This wasn’t an illusion.

“She can’t be a gorgon. We’re all still breathing and talking,” another wolf said. “None of us are turned to stone or nothing.”

Mrs. J’s hair moved and writhed around her head as she turned her neck to look at the wolf who spoke. “Oh, silly pup, that’s not how my power works. If everyone I saw turned to stone, I’d never be able to go grocery shopping or get another manicure.”

The wolf who’d spoken so confidently shied away from her until his back hit a wall. “Please don’t hurt me.”

“I’m afraid you didn’t give me a choice,” she answered. Her eyes flashed a bright amber for a moment, and the wolf shrieked and then froze in place. Pike watched his skin change color starting with his face and then going down the rest of him until he was a uniform gray with the texture of rough stone.

“You bitch!’ the alpha screamed, then shifted and lunged at Mrs. J. He was close to her, but she didn’t flinch. Color flashed from her eyes again, and he fell mid-leap, his stone body breaking into dozens of pieces when it hit the floor.

When she looked away from the alpha’s body, the rest of the men in the room flinched and all but one started begging for their lives.

She ignored all of them and focused on the one still holding Cora hostage. “Let the human go.”

The wolf hesitated. “You’re going to kill me if I do.”

Mrs. J put her hands on her hips and smiled at him. “You’re dying either way but turning to stone will be a lot less painful than what Muggsie will do to you.”

Everyone looked down at the little dog, and the wolf holding Cora barked out a high pitched, nervous laugh. “Your rat doesn’t scare me, gorgon. I’ll kill it with a stomp.”

“This pack contains some of the stupidest wolves I’ve ever met,” Mrs. J murmured. Looking down at her dog, she gestured to the pet. “Make sure the human doesn't get hurt. She’s Pike’s mate and remember, you like Pike. Well, you like him most days.”

Muggsie gave a single yip and trotted across the room. As he moved, he got bigger and bigger until he was the size of one of the shifted wolves.

He wasn’t a wolf though, or a dog. He was something Pike had never seen or heard of. The closest Pike could think of was that this thing looked like an alligator with long legs and fur!

As Muggsie opened his giant mouth, Pike wasn’t surprised to see row after row of teeth, but he was very shocked when tendrils shot out and wrapped around the wolf holding Cora.

The wolf screamed and let go of Cora to fight the tentacles. As he was drawn closer, Muggsie’s mouth seemed to get even bigger!

Worried about Cora, Pike jumped over Muggsie and got his arms around her as her legs gave out. He lowered both of them to the ground and watched Muggsie pull the fighting and screaming wolf down his throat whole.

They could still hear the man’s muffled cries even after Muggsie’s jaw slammed shut.

“I think I can see him moving inside,” Cora whispered hoarsely. Pike shifted his gaze and noticed that there was faint movement rippling on Muggsie’s sides.

Mrs. J gave a cheerful, airy laugh. “I wish you’d at least bit him in two before swallowing.”

Muggsie turned to Mrs. J and made a whistling sound that reminded Pike of a bird. Mrs. J answered his whistle with another laugh. “I know, I know. You like the way they thrash around while you digest them.” She looked around at the rest of the stunned and pale pack and shrugged. “I warned him turning to stone would be less painful.”

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