Free Lycan Alpha Claim (#2) by Tamara Rose Blodgett, Marata Eros Page B

I've just explained. He's Mr. Fix-it? No.
    I've been clear about me owning my life. Mine.
    My jaw slackens, and I shake my head. “Right. But this is not how I see things happening.” I squeeze closer to Arden, and God love him—he wraps his arms around me.
    The gesture is not lost on Merck, whose blue eyes become slits of sapphire flames in his face.
    Arden's presence clears my head and I stare defiantly back at Merck.
    His nostrils flare and his head cocks to the left. It's the strangest sight I've ever seen. A human emotion etched on a face that is half-animal.
    Merck's eyes fall on Arden and narrow with suspicion.
    “Reveal yourself,” his voice grates, his mouth and nose taking shallow puffs of air to try to gather scent.
    Adrienne and the two vampires turn to study Arden.
    “What?” I ask, indignant. “This is Arden . My friend from forever. He has nothing to do with this.” I don't want any attention on the only friend who's truly got my back. Who has been there for me since before I was an adult. Him I know—trust. And I'll protect him.
    Arden didn't ask to be in the middle of some supernatural war.
    Suddenly I'm hauled up on my feet. Strong arms gently grip me from behind.
    No one is looking at me. They're looking behind me
    I hear flesh moving like wet sand sliding into the waves come to shore, bones relenting to shifting—tendons binding a new form together like rubberbands snapping.
    I begin to tremble. But I manage to rotate to face Arden, not the smartest thing, giving Merck the Lycan my back.
    It's not Arden who stands inches from me, but someone who looks like an echo of Arden.
    My vision swims and I realize I'm getting close to passing out for a second time. I bite the inside of my cheek, the pain allows me to gradually come to myself.
    Arden's six and a half-feet tall now. Gone is the geeky body with the mild-mannered persona. Eyes that don't look remotely like an owl's gaze steadily back at me.
    This new man is hard. Every bit of him.
    “Arden?” I croak.
    He smiles suddenly and he's Arden in that brief sliver of time. When it fades, so does the resemblance. “Yeah—it's me.”
    “Where?” I ask, my eyes roving his form.
    He sighs, a finger stroking my face. His hand drops and he glances over my shoulder. “You've ruined it, Lycan.”
    I look between the two of them, adrenaline spiking through my system. “Ruined what? Arden—you're scaring me.”
    “You should be,” Merck says. “Because he's not who you thought he was.”
    I whip my face to Arden. “Is he—is that Lycan,” I say with reluctance, “is he right? Are you something other than my best friend and biology geek?”
    He shoots a glare at Merck.
    “Yes,” he answers in a terse word. Honest. Raw.
    Unreal. This can't be my life.
    “What are you?” I ask in a whisper, and the othersʼ silence is deafening.
    “A Masker.”
    “Fuck me,” Merck says, folding his arms. His penetrating stare incinerates Arden.
    “Makes sense,” one of the vampires says with a sage nod, and Adrienne groans a soft curse.
    “Tell me what that is right now ,” I say, palms on his now-muscular chest, ready to push off.
    Adrienne doesn't look happy. “It's a shapeshifter who can scent-mask. He can live among anything—anyone, without them ever being aware of what he is.”
    I back away a little, cupping my elbows.
    Arden's face morphs to pained. “No—Talyn. Don't.”
    “What. Are. You?” I shriek, backing away from them all. My eyes ping-pong around. No place is safe. My home is no longer a sanctuary. Arden isn't him, and I've got a half-werewolf in my house who's talking about transitioning me.
    My teeth begin to throb and a wave of heat presses in from all sides,  igniting a fire at my core.
    Great timing.
    And where the hell is Pooky?
    Merck moves into our space, his nostrils flaring to try and catch scent. His frustration is obvious. “Let me guess—Lycan?”
    “Bingo,” Adrienne says without enthusiasm.
    Arden tosses his