The black wolf barked, which made me jump, and then he pawed the earthagain.
“Go on,” Lucassaid.
Pressing my palms, which were thankfully a little cold, against my neck, I unglued my soles from the hardwood floors and stalked out the front door. “I said I’d do it tonight, and Iwill.”
Now.
My body felt as though it were impaled on a spit hung over an open fire. “Why?”
The shimmering blue rope that connected me to August tightened as he stepped out of the house, Lucas at his side. At least Cole and Greg hadn’t come to watch, not that they couldn’t see me through thewindow.
“Please,Liam—”
You’re a werewolf, Ness. Act likeone.
I bristled. “Fine.” I pulled off the hoodie and tossed it on the ground, then unlaced my boots and kicked themoff.
When I reached for the hem of my tank top, August trampled the grass until he stood in front of me. “What are youdoing?”
“Acting like a werewolf, apparently,” I gritted out, yanking off the top, exposing my barechest.
August’s nostrils flared, and he snapped his head toward Liam. “If I want to stand in front of her, I’ll stand in front of her.” I guessed Liam had told August to move through the mind-link. “I get that tonight she’ll be on her own.” He returned his attention to me, his chest all but squashing my barebreasts.
I’d rather have been waxed from muzzle to paw than strip in front of an audience, but Liam was right, I was a shifter, and nudity wasn’t taboo in our circle. It was a way oflife.
I sighed and splayed my palms on August’s pecs to press him away, but it was like trying to displace a block ofcement.
“I can do this,” I toldhim.
The green around his irises seemed to glow brighter, as though his wolf was somehow rising to the surface in spite of theSillin.
I took a step back as I popped the button of my shorts and dropped them. When my thumbs hooked into my underwear, August turned his attention to the others and stared them all down until they lookedaway.
I shut my eyes, willing the transformation to come quick, realizing full well that tonight I would be expected to stand out there—wherever out there was—in the buff way longer than mereseconds.
It was silly, but when I dropped onto my paws, I felt a little braver by what I’d justaccomplished.
A little more ready to face off againstJustin.
I trotted toward August and rubbed my cheek on his stiff thigh before glancing into his human face, finding that his features had softened. His fingers slid through my white fur. Once I sensed he was calm, I darted toward myAlpha.
“Nice ass,” Lucas said, tossing me a wink. “A little on the skinny side for my taste,but—”
August cast Lucas such a barbed glare that he shut up and raised hispalms.
“Calm down there, Watt. No one’s stealing your girl. I mean, with that temper . . .yeesh. She’s allyours.”
I smiled on the inside because my rubbery lupine lips weren’t engineered for smiles. But then I gasped as I was knocked onto myass.
Hey,I growled at Liam.Was that reallynecessary?
The minute you’re in fur, your attention needs to be on me, Justin, and Morgan. Not on yourmate.
My attention wasn’t on my mate. It was onLucas.
Get up,Liambarked.
Huffing, I stood.You want me to attack you?Or—
