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He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “You look wonderful. You have from the first moment I met you.”
“I’ll return the compliment, but then you always put on a good show because that uniform is damn hot.” She took a step back and checked out his boots. “I miss the skulls, though”
He laughed. “I do, too, but those boots will need some serious repair.”
She reached down and slid her finger along the inside rim of the hips boots, which meant she was essentially stroking his upper thigh through his leather pants.
He took her shoulders in hand. “You need to stop because that feels way too good.”
She sighed. “So, where exactly are we headed? Luther’s home?”
“Nope.” He held out his arm and she stepped up on his right boot, sliding her arm around his neck. “About thirty miles north in the mountains. The shifter community has an HQ out by Donegal Springs.”
“Right. I’ve read about it, of course.” Over the months she’d been in Swanicott, she’d explored most of the coastal regions of the realm, but she’d avoided Shifter Headquarters.
He flew her north, continuing through the mountains, and made a quick trip to what proved to be a large lodge set among pine trees.
Olivia switched to telepathy. We’re expected, right?
We are. Representatives from the Swanicott packs have gathered to meet you. Nervous?
As hell.
Hey, stop worrying. You’ll be fine. I explained everything to Luther. He said he might have to throw you in prison for a couple of years, but after that, he’ll let you in. Zane chuckled.
Oh, you are so funny.
When he set her down on a rock path leading to the entrance, she couldn’t make her feet move. In many ways, she’d been avoiding this moment all her life, afraid to discover how unwanted she’d been. It also didn’t help that she was part human and even in shifter terms could do things that would be considered bizarre. How was she supposed to fit in? And how angry was the alpha, anyway, that she hadn’t submitted herself to him when she first arrived? Zane could joke, but the shifter part of her knew this wouldn’t be easy.
Her heart set up such an annoying racket that she finally stomped her feet and shook out her hands.
“Hey, you okay?”
“No. I feel like I’m facing a firing squad.”
“Oh, it’s worse than that. Just sayin’.”
She turned to Zane and shoved his shoulder. Hard. Or at least tried to. Being the size of man he was, he barely moved.
He did smile, however. “I’m teasing you, trying to get you past this. You’ll be fine, and I think the wolf in you will know exactly what to do once we’re inside.”
She huffed a heavy sigh. Maybe her life had been horribly isolated because of her overactive shifter genes, but she hated cowardice more than she feared walking up the steps and through the doors.
She got herself moving and heard Zane murmur an approving, “You’ll do.”
He followed behind. This was her show.
She lifted her chin as she mounted the short flight of steps.
The lodge was enormous, which made sense since shifters as a group were on the big side, unlike trolls or even elves and fae.
Pulling the door wide, she stepped into a vestibule but could see beyond to what looked like a throne and a massive blond shifter lounging there in black leathers and an open, woven shirt. On either side of a long wide aisle ranged at least three hundred shifters.
Oh, shit.
Reaching the threshold to the large communal room, she glanced behind in Zane’s direction. He remained back several feet in deference to the shifter community, no doubt. Zane might rule Swanicott, but the lead alpha held sway in all things having to do with the four packs of the realm.
She sniffed the air and straightened her shoulders. All eyes were on her and no matter what, a shifter never showed fear or backed down from a fight. These things she felt deep in her wolf bones.
