Page 13 of Pack and Forth
As the movie started again, Kira couldn’t help but let her mind wander to Rex and Nash. They were so captivating. Rex with his intensity and dominance, Nash with his humor and intelligence. They were like two sides of the same coin, each one appealing to a different part of her.
Maybe Maggie was right. Maybe this was exactly what she needed to shake things up, to break out of her comfort zone and try something new.
And if it all went to hell? Well, at least she’d have a good story to tell.
SEVEN
Kira strode down the dimly lit street, her mind still reeling from the day’s events. The investigation was a mess of dead ends, and all she wanted was to curl up in her apartment with a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream and forget the world for a while.
Lost in thought, she didn’t notice the shadowy figures lurking in the alleyway until it was too late. A group of female shifters emerged from the darkness, their eyes glinting with malice as they surrounded her.
“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice sneered. “If it isn’t the little half-breed cat.”
Kira’s heart sank as she recognized the wolf shifter she had confronted at Rex and Nash’s building. The woman’s face was twisted in a cruel smirk, her lips curled back to reveal sharp, gleaming teeth.
“What do you want?” Kira demanded, her voice steady despite the pounding of her heart.
The woman let out a harsh bark of laughter. “What do I want? I want you to stay away from Rex and Nash, that’s what. They don’t need a pathetic little half-breed like you sniffing around, trying to worm your way into the pack,” she growled. “They need a strong woman as their third. Their triad won’t be strong with some useless cat.”
Kira’s anger flared hot and bright in her chest. She dealt with prejudice before and had faced those who looked down on her for her mixed heritage. But to hear it from another shifter, from someone who should have known better...it really pissed her off.
“Who the hell do you think you are? I don’t give a damn what you think,” she spat, her hands curling into fists at her sides. “You’re nobody, so your opinion means nothing. Rex and Nash are grown men. They make their own decisions about who they want in their lives.”
The woman’s eyes flashed with rage, and before Kira could react, she shifted, her body morphing into that of a massive gray wolf. The other females followed suit, their forms blurring and changing until Kira was surrounded by a pack of snarling, snapping beasts.
But Kira was not about to back down. With a roar of defiance, she let her own beast free, her body expanding and rippling as she shifted into her lioness form. She felt the rush of power and strength that always came with the change, felt her senses sharpen and her instincts take over.
The gray wolf lunged at her while the others continued to circle her. Her teeth and claws flashed in the moonlight. But Kira was ready for her. She dodged and weaved, her own claws raking across fur and flesh as she fought with everything she had.
The gray wolf yelped when Kira bit down on one of her paws, the sound of crunching bone a satisfying song in the darkness. The sounds of snarls and yelps echoed through the empty streets. Kira took her fair share of hits from the wolf, but she was a fighter and she’d be damned if this woman would give her orders. She tasted rust in her mouth, could feel the sting of cuts and scratches on her skin.
The gray wolf roared and the other wolves were closed in on her. A deep, commanding voice rang out through the night.
“Enough!”
The wolves scattered, their tails between their legs as two massive, imposing figures emerged from the shadows. Kira blinked, her vision blurry with exhaustion and pain as she realized it was Rex and Nash.
She shifted back to her human form. The men’s faces were tight with worry and anger as they rushed to her side. Rex shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, covering her naked body and holding her tightly. She felt the pent-up anger and fear and sensed his warring emotions. Then Rex pulled back and Nash took her into his arms for a much softer hug. A gentler hold that calmed some of her own frustration.
“What the hell happened?” Rex demanded, his voice rough with anger. “Are you all right?”
Kira nodded, wincing as the movement sent a bolt of pain through her battered body. “I’m fine,” she rasped, her throat raw from the roars and growls of the fight. “Just a little banged up.”
Nash shook his head, his green eyes dark with concern. “We need to get you home, get you cleaned up.”
Rex growled. “What the hell was Jenna thinking…” He trailed off, his jaw clenching with barely contained rage.
Kira let them lead her back to her apartment, too tired and sore to protest. She knew they were just trying to help, knew that they worried about her. But a part of her bristled at the idea of needing to be rescued, of being seen as weak or helpless.
“What-why are you here?” she asked a little sharper than she meant to.
She was still stewing in her own thoughts when they reached her door, Rex’s jacket still draped around her shoulders.
“We wanted to see you. See how your day went.”
She frowned. “Yeah. I’m fine. I’ve got it from here,” she said, trying to keep her voice light and unconcerned. “You guys should go, get some rest. I’ll be fine.”
Rex and Nash exchanged a loaded glance, some unspoken communication passing between them. Finally, Rex nodded, he closed the distance between them and cupped her jaw. The pull between them was magnetic. It was as if she had zero control over her body with him. He kissed her. Not his usual hard, commanding, and needy, though she really liked those kisses.