Page 85 of Conner's Luna

The wolf in the road.

"You're some sort of wolf-creature," I say numbly.

"Holy fuck," I hear Braxton breathe out from the backseat. "Shit that's cool as fuck how you can-"

"Braxton, shut the fuck up," Conner says through gritted teeth.

"The statistical probability of you being wolf-people is-"

"Babygirl, my sweetheart," Conner cuts me off. He reaches out, too fast for my eyes to follow, and grabs my hand in a gentle grip. "The probability of that is about 100%."

Oh.

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22 - Wolf People…

Conner

I think I just shit my pants.

My grip on my girl's hand tightens. My wolf is circling, panting, my panic feeding into him. He's all for Marking Bailey now before she can escape.

Yeah, so she can find some unique way to punish us. Like, walk away and take our bleeding, shattered heart with her.

"Ah," I fumble for words when she just stares up at me, her beautiful eyes wide and unblinking. "We're wolf-shifters, sweetheart. We live in a pack. My... whole family are wolf-shifters. Our pack... it's called ClearHowl. "

I throw the pickup in park when I realize that I'm drifting toward the center of the lane. I have to let go of her hand to do it and I hate that feeling more than I ever thought I could.

I reclaim her hand as soon as I can. Her fingers lay limp and cold in my grasp. I bring both of her hands to my chest and rub them, trying to heat her up because I know she’s in shock.

"We live in the north-west part of the state, and Wyoming. There are about eight hundred of us now. We've grown as a pack in the last generation since my dad came from Alaska. He was meant to be the alpha up there, but he shifted MateLess and traveled a bunch until he settled in ClearHowl with my uncle. He's not really my uncle, but he's close, ya know?"

"An alpha is the leader," Braxton pokes his head through the seats in the back. "Conner is going to be our alpha because Uncle Alex doesn't have pups."

"My dad is the Beta, though. Mom and Papa aren't ranked. Not all wolves are. Basically, only the Alpha, Beta, Deltas, and Gammas. Gammas are investigators. Deltas are pack warriors, sort of like police. Gammas outrank them even though D comes before G in the alphabet. Ah, then there's Omegas. My Uncle Mattie and Aunt Cassie are both Omegas. They live in Texas with Carmichael, their mate. He's the alpha of the LoboGris. ClearHowl is a small pack, but LoboGris is tiny; only about two hundred wolves. They're brutal, though. Well, not to my aunt and uncle. They're almost too good to them. Not that you can be too good to Omegas."

Bailey is so pale that I turn and snap at Braxton, "get her some juice!" He glares at me. We don't have juice in the truck. We have water and beer in the back. His eyes narrow at me and I can see him fuming. He glances down at Ariana significantly. I understand him just fine. He can't leave me alone with both females to go on a juice run in the middle of the highway at night. We're miles from the closest gas station or convenience store. There's nothing but empty road and forest around here. A motorcycle revs nearby. And LoboGris.

"Show me," Bailey breathes out.

My eyes snap back to her. Her gorgeous bedroom-eyes stare back at me, a little too wide, a little too stark.

"You want me to shift for you, honeygirl?" I ask her gently. Inside, my wolf is spinning in circles, yipping in excitement. "Let's get out of the truck, yeah? Wait, let me help you." I climb out and jog around to her side. She sits, obediently waiting for me. I help her down, tucking her close to my body when her knees buckle a little.

"Here, I'll help," Braxton has jumped out of the truck, too, and is standing there, arms ready to take Bailey from me.

I flash fang at him over her head. It's instinct, but at the same time, Braxton has a good point. Someone has to hold Bailey while she experiences her first wolf-shifting experience.

My wolf sits, like a well-behaved pup. He'll be good. He desperately wants out to meet Bailey.

"You shift, Brax."

"OK," my little brother shrugs then takes off his shirt. When his hands drop to his fly I can't stop the growl.

"I have to be naked, Conner," Braxton explains sarcastically.

"Turn the fuck around, jackass."

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