Page 52 of Bewitched By the Werewolf
“Probably. I don’t personally know any, but I’m sure they’re out there.”
Okay, wow, this is already a lot to take in. I’m also a little disappointed there isn’t some moon goddess and special religion or rituals they perform. I was kinda hoping to see one. Oh well.
I strip off my leather jacket and fling it over the arm of the couch and settle in for a long conversation, because I have a lot of questions.
~
“Okay, wait, so you’re telling me you can shift intotwo differentwolf forms?”
Ryder just got done explaining his three freaking forms, and it had never occurred to me that a werewolf/shifter would have more than human and beast.
“Yes. A basic wolf to easier blend in when we feel the need to shift and run but can’t shift into our true form, or what manylike to call our beast form. My sister likes to call it beast mode for some reason.”
I’ve heard more about his sister Ginger as he explained his family and how shifters are made. Apparently, just like any human is made, with sex. Shifters are born shifters unless they have a parent who is human, then they’re only half and their shifting abilities vary. Ryder and his two siblings are full shifters, as both their parents are and their parents before them and so on.
His family also owns the land the town resides on, as well as hundreds more acres that they let any and all shifters access when needed. Since they’re completely surrounded by national forest, it’s highly unlikely anyone would stumble upon them accidentally. Which is why my appearance in town was so noticeable.
Ryder also informs me his sister is a tech wizard and hacker and has been keeping a close eye on my website. If the conspiracy theorists could hear this, they would be flipping their lids.
He goes over mates and how they sense each other, that when bonded they possess an internal radar to sense them and if they’re injured. Which seems pretty cool. I’m learning shifters are possessive and protective and being able to always locate their mate seems like something they would have.
As I ask more questions about shifters, I’m slowly learning they aren’t that different from the rest of us. Sure, they live longer, have super senses and the ability to completely transform their body into something else, but they’re also still just people.
“How often do you feel the need to shift?”
“It varies by person. Some more than others, but if we don’t shift often enough the beast inside gets restless and pushes itsway out uncontrolled, and that can be a problem. Which is why we have all this land, so we can shift without fear.”
Makes sense I guess, now that I’ve completely abandoned any previous conceptions of werewolves.
“How often doyoushift? Like once a week or every day?”
Ryder fidgets in his seat and averts his gaze. “I don’t need to shift very often.”
“Like what? Once a month? Every other week? When you shifted in the woods the other night and I saw you, how long had it been since you last shifted?”
My questions and pestering seem to make Ryder increasingly uncomfortable and I’m not sure why. He was the one who brought me here to talk about shifters. So why would he be uncomfortable?
He clears his throat before answering. “Less than a week. Which is unusual for me. It’s because of the blood moon.”
I perk up, having completely forgotten about the blood moon and how I used it as an excuse to be in town. I’ve been a little preoccupied with Ryder and learning about shifters.
“That’s right. I kept hearing about the blood moon in town. What exactly is so special about it?”
“Lunar eclipses are always more significant, it being a blood moon just amplifies the effects. As I’ve said, the full moon doesn’t force us to shift like those stupid movies and stories claim. A lunar eclipse and blood moon, however, does in a way. It’s a need and desire that we can’t ignore. If we do, the beast just takes over and forces a shift. Some can control it but not many. We don’t become mindless monsters,” he clarifies. “We just shift like normal and…”
His words drift off and I can’t tell if he’s going to continue or not.
“And what?” I push. He can’t dangle that carrot in front of me and leave it at that.
“Well, most of adult age, become…excited.”
“Excited?” I deadpan. He’s going to have to be more specific than that. “Excited how?”
Ryder shifts in his seat again, straightening his back and rubbing his palms on his jean clad thighs. “Sexuallyexcited,” he finally admits. “It’s a very carnal reaction. Our beasts may not be monsters, but we do revert to more basic needs. Eat, hunt, chase…fuck.”
Well okay then. Horny shifter beasts will be running in the forest in a matter of days getting their freak on. Cool. That’s not weird at all.
“Oh. Andallshifters participate in this fuck fest?”
