Page 28 of Drive me Wild (South Island Shifters)

Nana took us in. I was left to pick up the pieces of our lives with a broody younger brother who was pissed off because I was now a wolf and a boy-crazy impressionable twelve-year-old sister. I’ll be forever grateful for my Nana and everything she has done and continues to do for us.

Pulling into my Nana’s driveway, I shut off the engine and get out of the car. I walk around to the passenger side and pull out the lasagne I made for us for lunch last night—it’s my Nana’s favourite. Making my way to the front door, I open it expecting to find her in the kitchen on such a cold day, but she’s not. I can hear the TV on in the lounge. It’s an open plan kitchen, dining and lounge area.

“Hi, Nan,” I call, closing the door behind me. I walk through the house into the lounge, where I find her on her favourite seat, watchingShortland Streetand cross-stitching.

She glances up and smiles. “This is a surprise. Why aren’t you at work?”

“I took the afternoon off because I worked on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, I helped move a new clan member into the housing estate. I also brought lunch for us today. Lasagne,” I say, showcasing the container in my hands.

“What animal has moved onto the housing estate?” she asks, putting her cross-stitch down.

“A brown bear named Kelcy. She’s currently a waitress at the restaurant. I knew what she was the moment I met her.”

She removes her glasses, folds the arms down and lets them hang from the chain around her neck. “You always have been a caring man and even better Alpha. But let’s not beat around the bush. Are you here for advice, general chit chat, or to enlist my help in hiding a dead body?” She smiles mischievously. She has a dark sense of humour, my Nana, and is honest in her opinions, so I want her advice on this.

“The first one.”

“Then I’ll serve lunch, and you start talking.” She gets out of her seat and bustles herself into the kitchen. I put the container of lasagne on the table, and she hands me some plates over the kitchen bench-top. She places two glasses on the bench-top along with forks and knives, then grabs some juice and joins me in the dining room.

“So, what is this advice you need?” Nana asks, taking a seat opposite me and dishing herself some food. I hold out my palm to her, and she looks down before looking up at me with a knowing smile. “So you found your Luna? Tell me about her.”

“Her name is Winter. She’s sweet, gorgeous, and feisty when needed to be. Hell, she put Martha in her place a few weeks ago. She’s short but fierce and has long honey golden blonde hair and eyes like the colour of my fur when I shift. She’s a midwife. In fact, she’s the midwife who delivered Indigo. We met initially at the winery, where I saw her across the bar and again in the car park beating up another wolf who kept her keys from her.

“Then, I saw her again at the café I usually buy my coffee in, and she offered to buy me one as a thank you for trying to come to her rescue the night before, not that I needed to. My body screamed ‘mate’ right from the first look at her. And that day in the café, I couldn’t deny the feelings, but again I pushed them aside for sexual attraction. Imagine my surprise when I found the mark on my hand the morning after sleeping together for the first time. And uh…she’s also a human.” My Nana exhales deeply while giving me a vexed look. “I don’t mean that to be a bad thing, Nan. It’s just, I’ve always believed we can’t mate with humans, or they dilute the bloodline.”

“You’ve listened too much to the interim Alpha when you were eighteen. We can mate with humans, and they don’t dilute the bloodline in the least.”

I feel like a fool and sound like one too. “Sorry, Nan. I just naturally believed it was the way of things. That’s why I was so crushed when it didn’t happen between myself and Kara. Now, I know how it feels to mate and mark. I just want to go to Winter and tell her everything yet.” I serve some lasagne onto my plate.

“You and I both know how I felt about Kara. Everything will be fine, but I caution you to take it slow with your human. Tell her gently and give her time to digest the information.”

I nod, chewing a mouthful, and swallow. “I can’t hear her yet. I thought that would happen instantly, and what about the telepathic connection? When will that happen?”

“Patience, Declan. It will happen, as will your Luna shifting. These things will take time.”

I arch a sceptical eyebrow, convinced she’s only saying things to make me feel better. “How can you be sure?”

“Because I was human when I met your grandfather.” I stop mid-chew and stare at her.How can this be? She’s a shifter. I’ve seen it.“Don’t give me that look, boy. I am allowed some secrets.”

“Never said you weren’t. But I don’t understand. You shift. I’ve seen it.”

She laughs. “I do shift, and it feels natural to me. Now, even though I haven’t done it in years. As you know, your grandfather descends from a long line of shifters. The bloodline is true shifter, so it passes down in the genes. However, the difference with the bloodline is that a human to shifter mating bond is powerful. Especially Luna and Alpha. The connections will establish, and your Luna will be able to shift, but only when she truly begins to accept you as you are. Her colours will mimic your own but be lighter.”

“What if she doesn’t?”

“Do you fear she won’t?” Nana asks.

“I do. I’m scared she’s going to think I’m completely mental.”

Nana laughs. “I thought your grandfather was until I saw him shift. I promise you, the more honest you are with her, the quicker she’ll come to terms with it all.”

“I’ll try.”

“You need to tell her sooner rather than later, Declan. Don’t wait. That’s the worst thing you can do.”

When we finish our meal, she tells me to leave the dishes for her to do. I lean down and place a kiss on her cheek. “Thanks for the advice.”

“Thank you for lunch.”

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