“Will, this is no fun by myself.Go, shift, then come back so we can finish the movie.Okay?”
Will nodded.He shot Sage the cutest, shyest smile.“Okay.”
Sage waited.He listened, but he wasn’t sure what for.He had several shifter clients, most of whom invested in warding that prevented humans from accidentally seeing something supernatural in their homes, but Sage had never been present for anyone shifting.
Plus, werewolves are odd.They can control their shifts, but when the full moon comes, their shifted side totally takes over.Some deep magical root there, Gran used to say.
Shifting normally didn’t hurt the shifter, Sage knew that much.The longer he waited, the more curious he got to see Will’s wolf.
In the end, an elegant, sandy brown wolf came down the stairs.The wolf had Will’s golden eyes, and his fur was almost solid brown except for a darker streak that ran from the tip of his nose over his head and back, all the way to his tail.
In his wolf form, Will was huge, which made him also being elegant even more impressive.He was at least the size of an Irish wolfhound, and he stood rooted in place at the foot of the stairs, for once holding Sage’s gaze as if he were daring Sage to send him back up to his room.
“Wow.Don’t take this the wrong way, but I thought werewolves were smaller.”Sage patted the couch next to him.“Come on.This movie waits for no one.”
That seemed to be everything Will needed.He moved, not loping or bounding, but carefully picking his way toward the couch.He got on gingerly, almost as if he were afraid he’d be put outside if he misbehaved.
And whether it was because of his size or something else, he moved closer to Sage.The wolf’s soft fur made Sage want to touch, but he didn’t dare.
He’s not a dog.He’s beautiful and magical, and also really sweet.Not a pet though.
Still, Will was close enough for Sage to feel his warmth, to feel his chest expand with every breath.
Will half turned his head, expectantly.
“Right.More half-naked werewolf goodness.”Sage hit play, and the movie went back to yet another fight scene.
“I still think you’re biased.”Sage pointed at the screen.“The hunter really isn’t all that bad.”
Will huffed.His ears swiveled back and forth.
“Did anyone ever tell you that your ears are kind of cute?”Sage was shocked at himself for blurting that out.
Will turned his head.It was a massive head.Sage couldn’t see Will’s teeth, but they had to be massive as well.The most dominant features in Will’s wolf face were his eyes, large and round and gleaming gold.
Before he could stop himself, Sage brushed a hand through the hair along the side of Will’s face, running his fingers through the soft fur and up to the side of his neck.
“Shit.Sorry.I didn’t meant to do that.Sorry, Will.”
Will hadn’t moved.Their gazes were locked, the on-screen fight forgotten.
Like back in the garden, the moment lasted.It was Will who moved first, but not to pull away.He slowly eased his large body against Sage’s and turned his head to put it on Sage’s leg, breaking eye contact only at the last possible moment.
Sage had no idea what to make of that.He wished he knew what Will wanted, what he needed.Sage wished he weren’t so damn horny—not that Will’s shift had done that.It had been Will himself, gradually, ever since he’d come into Sage’s life.
“You’re so warm.It’s nice.”
Will breathed deep as if an unseen tension had left him.
The movie kept on playing, but neither of them really paid attention.
11
Will
Willblamedeverythingonhis wolf: the way he’d followed Sage around the previous day, the way the wolf had padded after Sage and into his bed.
Sage wasn’t the kind of creep who’d have tried anything weird with a shifter in his shifted form.Instead, he simply allowed Will’s company.He’d touched Will, like a human would touch a dog, but also not.Sage was careful, always making sure Will saw where his hands were.It was such a simple thing, but it meant so much.
