Free IceAgeLover by Marisa Chenery Page B

from her scent,
you haven’t turned her into a werewolf like you yet. That was dumb on your
part. After what happened with Haven, I would have thought your wolf brothers
would have made sure your mates were better protected than that. Mortals are so
much more fragile than us.”
    Kajakti took a threatening step toward Tanner. “You will
leave her alone. If you want to hurt someone, you’re welcome to come at me.”
    “All right, since you offered.”
    Tanner snarled, then shifted to his wolf form as a black,
smoky mass surrounded him. Just as the dark wolf went on the attack, Kajakti
launched himself at Tanner, taking on his dire wolf form on the fly. He vaguely
heard Jaren’s loud whimper of fear.
    They came together in a flurry of sharp teeth and claws. It
didn’t take long for Kajakti to realize he was stronger than Tanner. As a dire
wolf his teeth were sharper, his legs sturdier than the dark wolf’s timber wolf
form. And with the threat to his mate, it made Kajakti fiercer, more willing to
go on the attack than the defensive. Tanner had to be eliminated to keep Jaren
out of harm’s way.
    Kajakti was about to get his jaws around Tanner’s throat and
take him down to the ground when he felt a sharp jab in his neck, then he
suddenly found himself thrown against a brick wall. He shook his lupine head to
clear it as he surged to his paws, ready to engage the enemy once more.
    “That is more than enough, sentinel,” Andre said as he stood
between Kajakti and Tanner. “We’ll yield this time.” He then looked at Tanner.
“You’ve done well, but it’s time we left Kajakti and his mate alone. Now we’ll
see what the future brings.”
    Andre then ran off with Tanner, who had shifted to his human
form, to the opposite end of the alley before they disappeared from sight.
Kajakti would have followed them, but at that moment he remembered he couldn’t
leave Jaren alone in case the two dark wolves doubled back and came for her.
    Kajakti turned in Jaren’s direction and slowly walked toward
where she stood with her back pressed up against the brick wall. Her eyes were
wide and she breathed at a rapid pace. The scent of fear rolled off her in giant
waves. She looked about ready to bolt.
    It’s okay now, Jaren , he said to her telepathically. You
have nothing to fear from me. I didn’t want you to find out like this. I’d
hoped to do it in a much less threatening way.
    “I-I can’t,” she said, her teeth chattering as she spoke. “I
don’t think I can handle this.”
    Kajakti came to stand directly in front of her. Yes, you
can. You’re only fearful because you don’t understand. I’m a sentinel, one of
the very first werewolves. And you are my mate.
    Jaren shook her head. “This can’t be happening. I had to
have fallen and hit my head. Now I’m having hallucinations. I did not see my
new boyfriend turn into a wolf to fight off another man who did the same
thing.”
    You aren’t hallucinating. And you didn’t hurt your head.
I’m truly a werewolf.
    To prove it, Kajakti brushed his head against the back of
one of Jaren’s hands. She let out a little squeak and jerked away. Knowing the
alley was no place for him to help his mate understand everything she’d seen
and been told, he shifted to his human form. Unlike Tanner, when Kajakti
changed forms his body blurred and shimmered. The black smoke-like mass was a
dark wolf trait, same with the black eyes.
    “See, it’s still me,” Kajakti said once the shift was
complete. The side of his neck throbbed a bit. He reached up and touched the
spot. His fingers came away with a small smear of blood. He scowled as he
looked at it.
    “Y-you’re hurt,” Jaren stammered.
    He wiped the blood off on his jeans. “It’s nothing. I heal
fast. I’m more worried about you.”
    “I’m not going to lie to you. I’m scared shitless right
now.”
    Kajakti sighed. “I know. I can smell your fear. This isn’t a
good place for me to explain everything properly.