Page 61 of Drive me Wild (South Island Shifters)

‘I’ll keep a guard up and eyes out. You check on Winter.’

I make my way through my home, scanning each room and growling before entering it. When I reach my bedroom, all thoughts of being attacked go out the window as I race towards my bathroom to protect my woman. Until she shifts for the first time and gets used to it, I have to protect her.

I change into my human form and pound on the door. “Winter.” She opens and rushes into my arms. “You’re safe now. I got you. Nothing can hurt you with me around.”

“I didn’t think you’d get here in time. I was so scared.” She shivers.

“Come on, we need to get you dressed and warm, and then I’ll make you a coffee. I promise you are safe. Completely. The clan surrounds the house. They’ll have to get through them to get to us.”

She looks up at me and shakes her head. “Nope, they gotta get through Liliana first.”

I laugh. “True. She’ll be a force to be reckoned with if they hurt even a hair on your pretty little head.”

“Chicks before dicks,” Winter says with a weak laugh as we enter my wardrobe, and she grabs items from her bag. I need to give her some space in here for clothes and other things, so she doesn’t need to live out of a suitcase. Mind you, she leaves her stuff scattered around my house already. It’s almost like she’s moved in, but we haven’t made anything official. Still, some space for her would be better.

She’s shaking as she gathers the items. I cross the room and wrap my arms around her. “Are you okay?”

She looks up at me. “Honestly, no. I didn’t know what to do. I froze. They were so big, black and scary. I’m used to you shifting, sure, but seeing all these other animals arrive at once was scary. I was in danger, and I had no way to protect myself. What if I never shift Declan? What then? I don’t want to be some helpless human unable to help your clan.

“You need to stop pushing for it and give it time.”

She gets dressed, and we head downstairs to where a few of my clan are waiting. Tammy glares at Winter as she turns to me and makes matters worse. “She needs to figure out how to shift, Declan, and fast. We needed you out there, not in here.”

“I was fighting a wolf in here,” I stress. “I was protecting my home and clan.”

Tammy shakes her head. “You were focused onher.Either she’s going to become our Luna for real, or she can stop playing this little game and walk away.” I look to some of the clan members, who nod in agreement and wrap an arm around Winter. They think it’s easy for her to shift. It’s not.

“I’m sorry, dude, but I have to agree with Tammy. You’re our Alpha, Dec, not her protector. She has to prove that she’s good enough to be our Luna. Since the meeting, she hasn’t done anything, and she knows what we are. It’s like we are a joke to her,” Brendan says.

I’m surprised by his statement, not to mention his attitude. I would’ve thought of all my clan members. He might have readily accepted her as he’s always been so loyal to me.

The duo exit without looking at me, and a few other members follow suit. Zane, Ravin, Rafe and Liliana are the only ones who remain.

Great, this is really going to make Winter feel accepted now.

Twenty-Two

ANONYMOUS

Once again, the item I need to make my potion hasn’t been retrieved.

Once again, my plan has been unsuccessful.

I needit!

Not only am I losing pack members left, right and centre. I have an entire family who has deserted me forhim. Declan Stone has started a war he isn’t even aware of.

My Beta enters the dungeon, where once again, I have to mix the potion without the much-desired ingredient.

“What are your orders, Mistress?” he asks.

I turn and look at him. He’s hopeful tonight that I’ll bed him. He’s a great submissive, always willing to serve.

“I want all the unmated males brought to the cages. I need their strength. I need that ingredient.”

His eyes widen. “Does that include me?”

I shake my head. “No, I will spare you for now.”

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