Free The Wolf Fount by Gayla Drummond Page B

around her. Something was keeping him from getting inside Morgan’s head and taking the pain she was feeling upon himself. “I’m right here.”
    The convulsion ended, leaving her still. He couldn’t hear her heartbeat and she wasn’t breathing. “Oh, come on. No one’s died from this, Morgan. Don’t you be the first.”
    Her head lolled on his arm and Cal squeezed until her ribs creaked. “Morgan, damn you, breathe.”
    No response. Cal snarled and squeezed again. “I said breathe, you cantankerous bitch.”
    She went from limp to wild, gasping for air and her eyes opening wide. He winced as her forearm smacked him in the face. “It’s over. You’re done, and safe.”
    Morgan froze, her eyes darting around the room before settling on his face. She stared for a long, silent moment and then smiled. “There you are.”
    “Yes. I told you I’d stay.”
    She went from smiling to glaring. “It fucking hurt, Calhoun.”
    “I’m sorry.” He hefted her into sitting position and kissed the top of her head.
    Morgan was still glaring when she tilted her head back to look at him. “Did you call me a bitch?”
    Cal laughed, hugging her closer. “I did, and my apologies. Heat of the moment. I was worried.”
    She dialed her glare down a few notches before closing her eyes and resting her head against his shoulder. “I’m tired. Is it really over?”
    “Yes. All over but your first change, and that can wait.” Relieved as hell, Cal kept holding her until she fell asleep.

    “I ’m starving. Feed me, Calhoun.” Morgan cooperated as he piled pillows behind her back. He’d been treating her like a baby since she’d woken an hour before. He’d given her a bath and dressed her in a clean, crimson Chanteloup T-shirt four sizes too large.
    “It’s on the way.”
    “Not fast enough.”
    Her stomach loosed a loud, deep growl, making him laugh. “I could hunt you a few rabbits.”
    The tip of her tongue appeared, sliding across her bottom lip. “I think I could eat them.”
    “You’d make a mess.” He heard movement near the bottom of the stairs. “Jake’s back. Your food’s arrived.”
    “It’s about damn time,” Morgan groused when Jake appeared at the door, laden with plastic takeout bags. “Oh hell, that smells wonderful.”
    “Fried chicken with all the fixings.” He lifted one hand. “And some Chinese food. Beef stuff, chicken stuff, shrimp stu...”
    “Food. Here.” Morgan pointed at her mouth. Cal traded a grin with Jake before spreading a towel across her lap. She blew through the contents of each bag, right down to cracking chicken bones and sucking the marrow out of them.
    Jake shook his head after she’d finished, while was licking her fingers clean. “I think you ate more than I did, after my Awakening.”
    “I ate a cow.” Cal shrugged as they both looked at him. “It was on hand.”
    “The whole cow?” Jake asked.
    “Everything but the guts, tail, bones, and hooves,” he admitted.
    Morgan’s nose wrinkled. “Raw?”
    “Yeah.”
    “You ate raw cow brains. That’s disgusting.”
    He laughed. “They’re an acquired taste. Feel like trying out your new shape now?”
    She wiped her fingers dry on the towel. “Does it hurt?”
    “The first time does hurt, but it’s not unbearable.”
    Jake butted in. “Keep your eyes closed. It helps. It looks more painful than it really is, so if you’re watching, it hurts more.”
    Morgan looked to Cal for confirmation and he nodded. “He’s right. But it won’t ever hurt after the first time.”
    “Okay. Is it messy?”
    “No, but you’ll want some space for doing it.” He began gathering the debris from her meal, stuffing it back into the bags while Jake held them open. Once done, Cal smiled at her. “Up you go, darlin’. This is the final step.”
    “I’ll take the trash out.” Jake reached for the bags he’d put down.
    “No, stay. You can back me up.” The other man nodded obediently and moved the bags away from the