Quickly,Ipushed it away.ThoughKorandIweren’t blood related any attraction between us would be utterly forbidden.Fatallyso—we could be killed for breaking theUnbreakableLawsof ourPack.Mostpacks have twoUnbreakableLawswhich state that no two people who are in any way related may have carnal relations and also that a male must never breed his female while he is in hisFurForm.
But theBlackridgePackhad a thirdUnbreakableLaw—that no one may breed aMoonWidow.Unless, of course, theAlphawho breeds her is the newPackLeader.
The first law makes sense, of course and the third…well,Idon’t know when it started.AsIsaid, mostPacksonly have the first two.
The reason for the second law—the one about breeding inFurForm—is the fact that the women of ourPackhave no wolves.WehaveWereblood in our veins but are unable to shift to a different form.
The males, on the other hand, turn into truly enormous wolves with equipment to match.BreedinginFurFormcould injure a woman if the wolf in question wasn’t extremely careful.Also, it was considered animalistic—a degradation of the woman involved—the ultimate shame she could endure, even though the male who was breeding her in his wolf form was still wholly sentient.
I still didn’t understand why my long-lost friend,Marcellahad agreed to let her husband breed her inFurForm.Maybeshe liked itbecauseit was forbidden—she had always been a free spirit.Whichwas probably one reason why she didn’t mind making friends with me, though every other woman in thePackshunned me.
I never would have wanted to do such a thing withCarter.Hiswolf was cruel—Isaw him hunt in that form and he always tore the little animals he caught to shreds.Thevery idea of giving myself to him in that form made me shiver with disgust, soIwas very glad that he’d been invested in upholding thePackLaws.
“…want me to shock it tonight?”Korasked.
“Oh, excuse me?”Isaid quickly, realizing thatI’dmissed something he’d said.“I’msorry—ever sinceCarterdied,I’vebeen, er, getting lost in my own thoughts,”Iadded.
“Of course—you’re still grieving.”Hisdeep voice was gentle.“Ijust wanted to know if you wanted me to shock the pool tonight.ThesoonerIdo it, the faster you can go swimming again.”
“Oh, no—please!Ididn’t bring you down here to put you to work.”Iput a hand on his arm and felt that strange tingling again that made my nipples go tight.Ipulled away quickly, flustered and confused.WhydidIhave that strange sensation whenItouched him?Whatdid it mean?
I wondered ifKorfelt it too, because he shifted from foot to foot and a sudden blush appeared on his high cheekbones.Heshifted his folded coat and shirt, which he was still carrying, from under his arm to the front of his body—almost as though he was trying to hide something.
“Er—it’s no problem, really,” he said, his voice sounding slightly strained.“Ilike to swim too—I’lldo it right now if you have aPhkit to test the water with.”
“I do—Ithink it’s with the chemicals,”Isaid quickly, taking a step back.“Ifyou really don’t mind, it would be lovely to have the pool in working order again.”ThenIhad a thought.“Whydon’tIgo make us some hot cocoa to warm up with while you do it?”
“Some hot cocoa sounds delicious.”Hegave me that easy, infectious grin of his, looking more at ease now thatIhad put some distance between us.
“Wonderful.ThenI’llmeet you in the kitchen in a little while.Oh, that’s in theEastWing, in case you’re wondering,”Iadded.“Idon’t thinkIshowed it to you yet.”
He laughed.
“I always wondered what it would be like to stay in a house that had ‘wings.’Allthis luxury—you must love it here.”
“Actually, it’s too big—Wolvertonis cold and lonely most of the time,”Isaid.
His face sobered.
“I’m sure it must feel like that now thatUncleCarteris gone.Idon’t know ifIsaid it before, butI’mvery sorry for your loss.”
“Actually, it was cold and lonely even before he died,”Isaid and then wondered whyIhad admitted such a thing.Korwas going to thinkIwas some crazy grieving widow lady ifIwasn’t careful.
“Er…I’dbetter get to that cocoa,”Isaid, trying to smile.“Meetyou in the kitchen in a little while.”
“Sure—in theEastWing.”Helaughed a little, brightening the mood, whichIappreciated.
I gave him whatI’msure appeared to be a strained smile and scurried off down the hallway.
What is wrong with me?Iwondered asIhurried back to my room to get dressed in something dry beforeIwent to the kitchen.WhydoIkeep getting those weird sensations whenItouch him or he touches me?
My whole body was still humming with the latest, brief contact and whenIpulled off my wet dress and bra,Ifound that my nipples were so tight they ached.
Between my legs, though, was another story.Iwas horrified to find, whenIchanged my underwear, thatIwas actuallywetdown there.Idon’t mean likeIwet my pants—Imean the other kind of wet.Thekind you get when you’re aroused with a man.
Or you’resupposedto, anyway.Ihad never felt anything like that withCarter.I’donly read about it in the romance novelsImanaged to smuggle from the library when he wasn’t watching me too closely.Thoughonce he found out whatIwas reading, he went down to the library and forbid them from letting me check out such “filth” ever again.
Since then,I’donly been allowed to read the very tamest love stories—mostly aboutAmishwomen who pined quietly for strong youngAmishmen who were apparently more interested in splitting kindling and raising barns than having sex.