Page 6 of Fighting Furry

“Zane,” Axel said. “Show her.”

Zane shook his head. “No way, man. I am not getting naked in front of Julie Jacobs during mating season. No fucking—”

“Do it,” Axel said in this weirdly deep and echoing voice that made me take a step forward, like I wanted to do whatever he asked. So weird.

Zane pulled his shirt over his head to reveal a long, lean body. He wasn't super muscular, but he was clearly fit and toned. He toed off his shoes and pulled down his pants to reveal…Holy shit, um, wow…I'd never seen a, um, a cucumber quite that big before and it was erect and, um, just wow, pointing at me.

“My eyes are up here,” Zane said.

I raised my eyes to his. I couldn't stop my cheeks from warming with a killer blush, but I could keep my expression stern. “Sorry,” I said. “That thing should come with a warning label.”

Zane smirked.

Axel growled. “Just shift already.”

Zane dropped to all fours and a ripple rolled over his whole body. In a matter of seconds, he'd shifted to a wolf, a huge, silver wolf with eyes as dark brown as Zane's. I rubbed my eyes. This was definitely a coma-induced nightmare. I grabbed a chunk of flesh near my wrist and pinched hard. Nope, I felt that.

Zane shifted back to human and dressed. “We're wolves,” Axel said. “And now you're one, too.”

I was shaking, my whole body was shaking. “You're saying I'll be able to turn into a wolf like that?”

Axel nodded. “You should be able to, yes.”

I could turn into a wolf? I probably should have been freaking out, or asking about the potential problems associated with being a werewolf, but I couldn't get over how fucking cool it would be to turn into one of nature's deadliest predators. “Can I try it, now?”

Axel glanced at the others, suddenly looking a touch less sure of himself. “You want to do it with all these people in the room?”

“I've seen Zane's package,” I said. “It seems only fair if he sees mine. But maybe the rest of you could leave?”

Zane was a good-looking guy, but I wasn't attracted to him, and I was pretty sure I could take him in a fight. I felt comfortable with him in a way I didn't feel comfortable with Axel. Maybe because Zane was leaner, easier to take out if he attacked me. At least in theory. I'd known lean guys who were scrappy as fuck.

Axel shifted, not meeting my eyes. “The first shift is difficult. You'll need your alpha to help you through it.”

“My alpha?”

“Me,” he said. He cleared his throat. “Clarissa, Zane, please wait outside.”

“No,” I said. “I want her to stay.”

“Fine,” Axel said, his voice gruffer. Zane left with no argument. “Charles and Jeremiah turn to face the side wall.”

The two men faced the wall. I stripped off my clothes as quickly as I could, grateful that Axel kept his eyes on the floor.

“Oh, sweetie,” Clarissa said. “We'll need to get that cast off you.”

Shit. I hadn't thought of that. “I don't suppose you have a doctor who could give me a new one?”

“You won't need it,” Axel said. He was looking at me now, but his eyes were on my face. “Werewolves heal more quickly than humans. Shifting will speed the healing process even more.”

“Really?” I said. “That's amazing. Do werewolves live longer, too?”

“All things being equal we should,” Axel said. “But the wolves I've known tend to shorten their lives by doing stupid, idiotic things like trying to fly off a cliff.”

“It would've worked,” Charles groused.

Axel ignored him. “Stick your arm through the bars.”

I stuck my arm through the bars and Axel tore the cast off like it was made of toilet paper. It hurt to lose the support of the cast, but not as bad as I thought it would. “Get on all fours,” Axel said.

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