Free Legend's Passion by Jaci Burton

Noah reminded him. “Chantal can take care of herself, and I’m sure Maia can too.” So maybe he was over worrying. And maybe his plans to take a long walk home with Chantal and fuck her on the way had just been screwed.
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    Jaci Burton
    Still, a Southern gentleman didn’t leave a lady out wandering. Some things were just ingrained. “I’m gonna look for her. You take the car and head on back to the house.
    I’ll just walk back. I need the air anyway.”
    Noah rolled his eyes. “Fine. Call me if you need a ride.” Dylan nodded and headed north into the dense brush, figuring he was probably wasting his time. Noah was right—Chantal had been so irritated she’d decided they’d just walk back to the house. But he’d at least search a bit.
    He pushed through the bushes, cursing when a thorn jabbed into the skin of his upper arm. By the time he threaded his way through the brambles he was pretty scratched up.
    Damn woman. No way would she have gone through here.
    He was about to turn back when a dark flash sprang across his field of vision. Shit!
    He tore off after it, but as soon as he’d no more launched into a full run than he started to sweat, hard. Then he began to shake, violently. So badly that he had to stop and drop to his knees.
    What the hell?
    Racking pain shot up his spine, white-hot and unbearable. He screamed as it burned like someone had a lit a torch inside him.
    His vision blurred. He couldn’t see anything but shadows now. Every sound around him was magnified, including his own blood rushing in his ears. His heart pounded and panic set in.
    And he was hot. So goddamned hot he couldn’t stand it. He tore at his clothes, stripping them from his body in a hurry, desperate for any cool air to wash away the heat incinerating him from the inside out.
    Even his bones were on fire.
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    Legend’s Passion
    He dropped forward, slapping his hands to the ground as he felt the first crack of his bones. His skull was splitting apart and he screamed in agony, tilting his head to the sky.
    He was dying.

    Chantal circled back toward their origination point, having long ago lost sight of the wolf.
    And of Maia, who’d gone off in another direction. They were hoping they could cut off the wolf and meet him head-on, but no such luck. But they decided if they got separated and didn’t find the wolf, they’d just meet back at the car, or at the house.
    As she headed that way, she heard a half howl, half cry of pain, so mournful and piercing it made her pause and shudder.
    God, it was awful. She hurried in that direction, praying the wolf hadn’t attacked someone.
    Her heart thudded when she came upon a naked Dylan, crouched over and clearly in agony. She shifted to human, tossed aside the rope of clothing and hurried over to him.
    “Dylan, can you hear me?”
    He was bent forward, his head touching the ground, his body curled up so tight she couldn’t shake him loose.
    “Dylan! It’s Chantal. Answer me!
    “It hurts. Goddammit, it hurts.”
    His voice was low, strained, a guttural whisper filled with agony.
    Shit. It wasn’t full moon yet. Why was he going through transition? She smoothed her fingers over his back, feeling the bones there. They were starting to move.
    “Baby, listen to me. Try to roll over onto your back.”
    “Can’t. Hurts.”
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    Jaci Burton
    “Yeah, you can. Just try. I can make this easier on you if you let me.” She moved him, slow and easy, onto his side. He grimaced with every movement.
    “I’m sorry. I promise to make it better. Now onto your back.”
    “Christ, Chantal. I know you’re pissed off, but are you trying to kill me?” She smiled. At least he had a little sense of humor left. “The reward will be worth it, trust me. On your back, stud.”
    He finally rolled with a loud grunt of pain. Success! His cock was thick, erect, and she didn’t waste any time. She knew what he needed to make the transition easier.
    “Dylan, open your eyes and look at me.”
    He