Donovan’s eyes fluttered open, and my world stood still. For those few agonizing seconds, I’d thought I’d never see them again.
I focused on the sound of his and Axel’s breathing and beating hearts. I’d never heard such wonderful sounds before. We’d come too close to losing them.
“What the …” Donovan trailed off and glanced around. “Where am I?”
“You’re at Lillith and Katherine’s home.” I tried to keep my voice level to hide my anxiety. There was no telling what would happen or what issues he might have. But his surviving the change was the most important part of the equation.
“Hold on.” He sat straight up and took in the room. “A woman bit me …” His head turned to Axel, and he threw his legs over the edge of the couch. “And she went after him next. Is he okay?” Before he could stand, his head wobbled, and he fell back against the couch.
“He’s fine. Slow down.” I kept hold of his arm, needing him to acclimate to his shifter form before standing. “You’ve both been through a lot.” I wanted to cry with relief, but that would only freak them out even more. I had to hold it together.
Axel shifted to sitting up and moaned. “No kidding,” Axel grumbled. “Roxy, are you okay?”
“You almost died.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his buzzed brown hair. “So, no, I’m not okay.”
Her emotions flooded me. They were the same as mine, making it more difficult for me to keep myself in check. Don’t overwhelm them. They’re going to feel enough as is.
You’re right. She didn’t budge from him. But I need a second.
I couldn’t fault her for that. I wanted to wrap my arms around Donovan and never let him go. Hell, my wolf howled, wanting to do the same thing. The bond between us was growing stronger, and it had to be because he was all wolf now.
“Wow, this might have all been worth it.” Axel paused before returning her embrace. “But what the hell happened, and why do I feel different?”
“We will leave you alone to talk.” The older lady smiled and motioned for the others to follow.
“I still don’t understand.” The blonde woman obeyed but looked at Axel and Donovan again. “They shouldn’t have survived.”
“Survived what?” Axel asked with trepidation.
The vampires scurried out of the room, leaving Egan, Donovan, Roxy, Axel, and me alone. Egan stood awkwardly in the middle of the room but didn’t budge.
He must not have wanted to be alone with all the vampires. I didn’t blame him. Shifters felt more comfortable around each other.
Donovan blinked, adjusting to his surroundings. “What happened to us?”
“You were attacked by a vampire.” They were full wolf shifters now; I could smell their musky scents. Thankfully, Donovan’s scent still hinted of rain, which comforted me. At least he hadn’t completely changed.
“Is this a sick joke?” Axel laughed, the corners of his brown eyes crinkling, but he stopped when no one else joined in. “You’re kidding, right?” He was the smallest out of the three men but larger than the average human. From what I could gather, he had some wolf in his bloodline as well.
“No, she’s not.” Donovan ran a hand through his hair and blew out a breath. “I remember now. It was the same girl who tried to get Chad to help her that night we were at the restaurant together. That was why you ran after him, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” There was no reason to lie. “She had already killed the hostess and was going after her next meal.”
“And you didn’t think to tell me?” Donovan glared at me. “You didn’t think it was relevant?”
“I was protecting you.” That was what I had been doing the entire time. “That was why I kept pushing you away.”
“A lot of good it did us.” He snickered without humor and focused on Egan. “And what are you? A wolf, too, since you’re here with us?”
Egan scratched the back of his neck. “Not exactly.”
“Then, please,” Donovan said, his tone tight, “enlighten us to what the fuck you are.”
“You need to calm down.” Egan stood in front of Donovan and crossed his arms. “I get that you’re angry and confused, but we helped you. You need to remember that.”
“Oh, so we should thank you?” Donovan rubbed his temples as anger charged between us.
“You believe all this?” Axel released Roxy and leaned back, but he pressed his hand to his head. “I think there’s something wrong with my head. My vision has changed.”
“Mine too, and I feel funny.” Donovan scowled at me. “What did you all do?”
“You remember how I told you that you’re part wolf?” Maybe if I downplayed it, he wouldn’t freak out as much.
His eyes darkened to a navy blue as he remembered. It had been right before we’d had sex, partially completing the mate bond between us. “Yes.”
“Well, I had to bite you.” I could feel Axel’s and Donovan’s turmoil through the alpha bond. Axel was more confused and shocked, and Donovan’s emotions were strong, but I couldn’t pinpoint how. Sure, the anger rang clear, but there was another emotion I couldn’t put my finger on. Like fear, but not quite. “And now you aren’t a partial wolf.” I tried not to wince, but I couldn’t help it. “You’re now a full one like me.”
“And what about me?” Axel’s brows furrowed. “Why am I here?”
“Because I bit you.” Roxy clenched her teeth. “You were going to die if we didn’t change you.”
“Is that why I feel so different?” Axel’s mouth dropped. “I’m a wolf, but why do I still look human?” He glanced down and patted his penis, then his legs, like he was making sure they were still there.
“Because you’re a wolf shifter.” Roxy grinned despite the situation. “You’re part human too.”
“You didn’t tell him anything, did you?” I was a little surprised. They were close, and I figured Donovan would have confided in his best friend.
“Didn’t have time.” Donovan tensed and glared at me. “After I left you, I went back to the dorm. Your little douchebag buddy came knocking and said you were in trouble in the woods right outside the library.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “There wasn’t any hesitation. I took off.”
“And I followed him, telling him he was insane. I told him if you were in trouble, would that snobby-ass really tell us?” Axel rubbed a hand down his face. “God, I feel dizzy.”
“It’ll get better,” Roxy reassured him, but it fell short when the air took on the sulfur smell of a lie.
“What the hell is that?” He waved his hand in front of his nose. “It smells like rotten eggs or horrible gas.”
“I did not fart,” Roxy said indignantly.
Leave it to her to digress from the conversation.
Egan must have been on the same page as me because he steered the conversation away from gas. “And the vampire was waiting for you?”
“Actually, no.” Donovan pinched the bridge of his nose. “We got there, and I couldn’t find you anywhere.” His attention came back to me. “I freaked out, but then I heard screams deeper in the woods.”
“She lured you to that spot, didn’t she?” Dammit, I shouldn’t have taken a nap while all of this had been going down. I should’ve realized Dad would do something. This was all my fault.
“Apparently so.” He leaned back on the couch, and his shoulders sagged. “When we got to her, she ran so fast she blurred, and before I knew it, her teeth had sunk into my neck.”
“I tried to get her off him, but after a few seconds, she turned on me.” Axel shivered. “But it was insane. When she bit into my neck, it didn’t hurt.”
“No, it’s not supposed to be traumatic unless they want it to be.” Or that was what I’d been told. At least, she hadn’t wanted them to feel pain, just wanted to end them. The only suffering she’d hoped to inflict was on my end.
“Then I got dizzy.” Axel touched his neck. “There aren’t any bite marks.”
Egan sat on the other side of the couch Donovan and I were on and said, “It’s because you’ve been healed.”
“How is that possible?” Donovan touched his neck too, checking for bite marks. “Wolf shifters don’t get injured?”