My wolf moved in front of my mate, separating her from my coworkers and staring them all down.
“For the love of all that’s holy, stand the fuck down,” Lois growled, her voice deeper than I’d ever heard it.
She gave me what I can only describe as aggressive eye contact, and I felt my wolf growing calmer, tilting her head to the side to show her submission.
Stupid dog’s afraid of your boss, my vamp sneered, clearly disgusted.
Lois growled again, and both of my inner beings shut up.
I leaned against Hazel’s leg, thrilled when she slid her fingers in my fur and started to stroke my head, right between my ears. It felt great.
“Bella, go find Marilee some clothes, she’s going to need them when she shifts back to her human form,” she pointed at my coworker, then turned to me. “Come on Martin, I’ll help you figure out how to shift back in the gym. Wanda will take care of Hazel while we’re gone.”
She patted her thick thigh like she was calling a pet dog, and of course my wolf wanted to obey. She might have just woken up, but clearly she recognized an alpha wolf when she saw one.
I sent a warning look in Wanda’s direction, silently ordering her to take good care of my mate, then followed Lois out of the conference room.
It only took a couple of tries before my boss was able to coach me back into my human form. It was the kind of thing shifters learned when they were toddlers, but since my wolf hadn’t made itself known before now, I’d never gotten the shifting lessons that everyone else did. It was definitely different from shifting into my vamp, which happened in stages and didn’t involve a full body. I had to say, despite her natural impatience, Lois was very supportive in helping me shift back to human.
At some point Bella brought in some clothes for me since mine had gotten shredded when I shifted in the conference room. I grabbed them and quickly got dressed. Supernatural beings weren’t modest like the humans, and for the most part nudity didn’t bother us at all, but I really didn’t want to have a serious conversation with my boss when I was naked.
“When did your wolf wake up?” Lois asked with the weary air of someone who already knew the answer but was hoping I’d say something else.
“At the airport. When I saw Hazel for the first time.”
Lois was already shaking her head.
“Why does this keep happening to me?” Lois yelled, a vein protruding from her forehead the way it always did when she was particularly angry. “Every time I send one of you idiots out on a solo job you pick up a damned mate. That’s it, you’re off the case.”
I stood up as tall as I could and looked her in the eye, ignoring every instinct that told me to look away.
“I’m her mate, Lois. And I’m going to protect her.”
My boss sighed. “Somehow I knew you were going to say that.”
Hazel
The conference room fell silent after Marilee and Lois left but based on the looks passing between the other Sapphic Security staff, I had a feeling there were some silent conversations going on right now.
“What just happened?” I finally asked. “Why did a vampire turn into a wolf?”
“You know she’s a vamp?” Wanda asked in surprise.
“Yeah. She told me.”
“That’s not all she is,” Wanda said cryptically, her eyes on her laptop. She’d been typing on it nonstop since she learned who my parents were.
“What is going on?” I asked, imbuing my voice with authority.
Wanda looked up, the corners of her eyes crinkled like she was amused.
“Marilee is what’s known as a hybrid. She’s half wolf and half vampire, but her vampire side has always been dominant. Until now. As far as I know, that’s the first time her wolf has made an appearance.”
Maybe that’s why she hadn’t mentioned the wolf thing when we’d talked about her being a vampire.
“Why would the wolf come out after all this time?” I asked curiously.
Wanda’s eyes returned to her screen. “You’ll have to ask your… ask Marilee.”
