She nodded, "Oh." She took a bite of biscuit and it practically melted in her mouth. The saltiness of the flaky bread perfectly complimented the sweet chocolate gravy. "How long will Hayden stay?"

"Not long. It's best for traveling shifters to stay with the Alpha of a territory as a sign of respect. Just settling here without permission could be seen as a challenge. He claims to have personal business to attend and then he'll be gone."

"Do all shifters pa.s.sing through have to check in?"

Dell laughed, "If they don't want to be viewed as hostile it is best to check in."

"But how would you know if they hadn't? Montana's a large state, someone could travel through one of the other cities and you'd never know."

Dell set his fork down and wiped his mouth with his napkin. "You're right, we wouldn't. But in this city we would. Shifters can sense one another. Not to mention we frequently patrol our territory. We'd know if an unfamiliar shifter were among us."

"How many of you are there?"

"Hundreds in North America. Thousands around the world."

Chloe fidgeted nervously with her napkin.

"Ask." Dell commanded.

Her eyes met his, "How did you come to be this way?"

He sat back and threaded his fingers behind his head. "Our creation story tells of a young woman from our tribe that was kidnapped from her people by an enemy band. She escaped the enemy band only to be caught in a blizzard. A pack of wolves approached and she thought she'd be torn to pieces, but instead they led her to their den where they fed and warmed her. Unable to find her way home and not wanting to go back to the enemy tribe, she remained with the wolves for many years. Over time she came to smell like a wolf and she learned their language. She was a wolf for many years.

One day, an elderly woman was picking berries near the wolves den. The wolves rushed home to warn the young woman who'd now become one of them. She ventured out to spy on the human and discovered that it was her mother. She thanked the wolves and returned to her first family, never forgetting what the wolves had done for her and that they too were her family.

Legend says that when she returned to her mother's camp she took a husband shortly after and when her first child was born it was part human and part wolf." Dell unlaced his fingers, "It is from this woman that we descend."

"Is that true?"

Dell shrugged, "It's what we've been told for generations. Whether it's true or not I don't know. What I do know is that we are born this way."

"Can shifters be created?"

Dell's brows hiked as he smiled, "Do you mean can we change a human into a shifter?"

She nodded.

Sobering Dell shook his head once. "We can, but it in most cases it is forbidden."

"By who?"

"There is a council. It's made up of elder shifters from every continent. For the protection of our kind we've established by-laws for self-governance."

"What would happen if you broke a law?"

"Death." Dell took her plate and stacked it on top of his. "The rules are in place for the safety of us all. We've all agreed to them, so there would be no cause to go against them."

Chloe's eyes grew wide with interest, "Has anyone ever gone against the council and created a shifter?"

Dell pinned her with his amber eyes. "Yes. It's happened before, decades ago. No human has been changed against their will in a very long time."

"Against their will? Are there people that want to be changed?"

A knock sounded at the door and Chloe turned to look at it before returning her eyes to Dell. He stood, scowling at the door. His chin was dropped low to his chest.

Without a response, the door clicked open and Hayden peeked in. "Morning all." He stepped into the room and Dell growled. "Easy big guy. Just wanted to thank you for letting me stay last night." He dropped his eyes to Chloe. "Wow, no wonder he wants you all to himself."

"Get out!"

Chloe turned startled eyes to Dell. His hands were balled into tight fists as he pushed white knuckles into the desk top.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

Chloe recognized Pony's voice from the hall.

"You can't be in there."

Hayden turned to the door and walked out it quickly. Pony peeked his head in and grimaced at Dell. "Sorry bro. Won't happen again."

"Make sure it doesn't," Dell ground out between clenched teeth.

Rubbing her sweaty palms down the front of her jeans, Chloe stood. She knew the tension was the result of Hayden being near her. She felt at fault for the uncomfortable situation, but didn't know a remedy. "Seriously Dell, I'd like to leave and come back once Hayden's gone."

"As I said," Dell frowned at her, "Where you go, I go, but I can't leave the pack unattended with Hayden here."

"So what do we do?"

"We stay."

She c.o.c.ked her head playfully, "You know a few short days ago you didn't have to go wherever I went. What changed?"

Dell's eyes darkened and he smiled slowly. "You."

"Me?"

He stood and circled the desk before slowly walking to her. When he reached her, he let one hand rest gently on her hip while the other reached up to smooth a thumb along her jaw line. "I don't know how to say this delicately, so I'm just going to say it."

Chloe stared up at him, holding her breath.

"Me bringing you here was supposed to be a trial. I needed to see if there was something between us and see if I could resist that something. I was fully confident that I'd be able to if you chose to walk away, but then last night." His eyes darkened until they were nearly black. "Last night when you..." He smiled, "When I scented your desire."

Her cheeks flamed.

"I knew then that I couldn't resist you." He slid his hand down her throat to her shoulder and pulled her harder into him. "My need to be buried deep inside you is almost as consuming as my need to lick every drop of cream from your..."

Chloe gasped, pulling back, but it was too late. She couldn't stop the swell of desire that shot through her and had her moistening in antic.i.p.ation.

Dell growled and lunged for her, ignoring her shriek as he pulled her close to him and buried his nose in her hair, pressing his body hard into hers. "G.o.d Chloe! The more I smell it the stronger the need becomes." He growled deep in his chest, "You're f.u.c.king killing me."

He pulled back and eyed her, his face inching closer to hers and she licked her lips in expectantly.

Just then the cell phone in her pocket shrilled. She jumped and frowned at Dell as he pulled back eyeing her pocket.

The phone rang two more times before she finally jerked it free and answered. "h.e.l.lo?"

"Mornin' sweet cheeks. How'd you sleep?"

Chloe turned her back to Dell, "Fine Marissa, how was your night?"

"Good. I just wanted to call and make sure we're still on for tonight. I called Amanda and Laura and they're totally down for some Blackbird bashing!"

Wincing, Chloe stalked further from Dell hoping he couldn't hear the conversation. "About that," she turned to peek over her shoulder at Dell before lowering her voice, "I'm sorry Mariss, but something's come up."

"Aww, come on! I'm not going to let you mope around your c.r.a.ppy little apartment all weekend."

"I'm not," Chloe answered quickly, "I'm spending the weekend with a friend."

There was silence on the line before Marissa spoke, a smile in her voice. "A male friend?"

Chloe didn't want to affirm but knew that her odds of being forgiven for ditching Marissa on a girl's night out would be enhanced by the fact. "Yes."

"Holy s.h.i.t! Who is it? Anybody I know?"

"No. Look, I'm sorry about tonight Mariss, but I gotta go."

Marissa laughed, "Yes you do. If anybody needs to get proper f.u.c.ked it's you! Have fun, get laid. Don't over think it."

Feeling her cheeks flame, Chloe rolled her eyes, "Okay, well you guys have a good time tonight."

"Oh, we will, but more importantly you have a good time tonight."

Then the line went dead. Slowly turning, Chloe was met with Dell's smile, and knew instantly that he'd heard every word.

"Proper f.u.c.ked?"

Her cheeks grew hotter, "My friend Marissa, she's a little, uhh, brusque."

Dell crossed his arms over his chest. "Blackbird bashing?"

Mortification seared her and Chloe's mouth fell open. She didn't have a response. "I-We..." She looked down at her phone, "It's a long story."

Nodding once, Dell smiled wider, "Well I'll just take the dishes to the kitchen and when I get back you can start from the beginning." He grabbed the dishes from the desk top and winked at her before he left the room.

"Christ!" Chloe turned her back on the door, lifting her phone to quickly silence the ringer. She checked to make sure she hadn't missed any texts before she turned to smile innocently at Dell as he'd returned.

Her smiled faded when instead of turning to greet Dell, Hayden stood in the doorway.

"Morning beautiful." He casually entered the room.

Chloe eyed the empty doorway. "I-I don't think you should be here."

Hayden flashed a smiled at her, slowly approaching.

Chloe eyed the door again hoping Dell would return. When she looked back to Hayden, he was already beside her, lifting a hand to brush a loose strand of her hair back. "You know Dell's right. You're scent is so intoxicating that any wolf would die to bury his face between your legs."

Shock registered and Chloe instinctively took a step back her mouth dropping wide in offense. When he could have heard any part of her and Dell's conversations, she didn't know.

"Careful love," Hayden crooned advancing on her, "keep those sweet lips parted like that and a man is apt to take it as an invitation to put something in there."

Angry now, Chloe clamped her mouth shut and took another step back, but this time her foot caught on something and she tripped. She gasped and reached out in an attempt to catch herself.

Hayden swiftly caught her, hauling her up and wrapping her securely in his strong arms. Chloe shoved at him, but he didn't release her.

"Stop!" Chloe shoved harder, garnering a chuckle from Hayden.

He didn't stop, instead he dipped his head to nuzzle her neck and moan.

"Dell's coming right back," she threatened hoping to scare Hayden off.

"No," he laughed against her throat as his arms snaked about her, turning her more fully into him. "Seems there's a fire out in the barn."

Her heart hammered in her chest. She knew by his nonchalance that Hayden had started the fire. She had to escape. "STOP!" she shrieked, attempting to lift a knee and drive it into his groin. It was a mistake. He caught her knee and slid his fingers under it, pulling her leg wide to position his hips between her thighs.

She slapped at the hand that slid up her thigh and under her skirt. When she felt the whisper of lace that was her underwear being ripped away fear coursed through her. He wouldn't. "STOP! DON'T! DEEEEEEEEELLL!"

Hayden ignored her scream, keeping his eyes locked on hers.

When she heard the unmistakable sound of a zipper she began to fight. She slapped at him with one hand and he easily caught it, using her own momentum to turn her until both wrists were captured in his vice-like grip. He took a step and lifted her effortlessly.

When Chloe came down, she was facing the back of the couch. Seconds later Hayden released her hands and put one of his behind her neck forcing her down while the other lifted her skirt. His knee spread her legs and in the flash of two seconds, Chloe was bent over the back of the couch, her bare a.s.s in the air with Hayden behind her.

"STOOOOP!" She screamed as tears sprang forth and she struggled to right herself.

"Once I enter you, he'll no longer want you. You'll belong to me."

She felt him use one foot to kick her legs wider.

"I claim you as my mate. Let's hope you last longer than the last one."

Chloe jerked her hips and screamed louder, "STOOOOOOOOP!"

Everything happened so quickly that Chloe barely had a chance to register what was happening. One minute Hayden had her bent over the couch about to enter her, then the next there was a fierce growl and a rush of air swooshing over her, and then she was free.

Quickly righting herself she locked her eyes on the fierce battle that raged in the center of the room. Two large wolves were battling ferociously. The large gray wolf was slightly bigger than the white wolf that tore at the gray wolf's fur. She remembered the gray wolf from the woods and knew it was Dell. The wolves were snarling and snapping as they ripped each other apart.

Chloe jerked her skirt down and scrambled backward until she hit the wall. Viscous snarls rent the air as furniture was shoved back and lamps were sent crashing to the ground. In the distance she could hear the thunder of approaching feet that indicated the pack was coming. She didn't know what to do. Part of her wanted to try and intervene, to stop the melee, but the fighting was so ferocious that she could do nothing but stare wide eyed and wait for the pack to come to the rescue.

Relief rushed her when Cindy entered the room followed closely by Pony. Pony shifted instantly and Cindy reached out just in time to grab the scruff of his neck and haul him back. "No Pony. You can't interfere. They are battling for dominance." Cindy's face paled. "The winner will claim the pack..." She turned to frown at Chloe as she stared back in shock, "and Chloe."