Lords of the Were (3 page)

“Nothing to forgive when even our own packmates can’t figure out who’s who half the time.” His smile was tight as he turned to face Allie.

“Now, will you accept our hospitality? This house has been standing empty for a few months and no one else in the pack has need at the moment, so it’s yours if you want it.”

Allie ignored his strange phrasing for the moment and faced the issue, as she saw it, head on. She would not be a freeloader.

“It’s really beautiful and I’d like to try living here, but I insist on paying rent.”

Tim looked her over and she felt the heat of his gaze, just as if he touched her bare skin with those big hands once again. Her temperature rose and a slickness found its way between her bare thighs under the concealing robe. Tim lifted his head and sniffed as if he could scent her on the crisp evening breeze.

“I’ll talk it over with my brother, but we’d like to have you here. It’ll save us having to travel into town to assist with your lessons and you’ll be safe up here on pack lands.”

“Pack?” she repeated, turning to Betina.

“She doesn’t have a clue, does she?” Tim asked Betina. Allie felt the heat of anger rise in her body thinking he was disparaging her.

“No, but she learns fast. She has good instincts.” Tim looked her up and down once more before starting for the back porch and the party already in progress. “Let’s hope so. For all our sakes.”

Allie steamed as she watched the big man’s retreating back. He buttoned his shirt as he went, tucking it in to his unbuttoned jeans before entering the back door of the house. A cheer went up as he entered as if all the people within were greeting him at once and then the buzz of voices returned to its previous raucous level. Allie watched until he was out of sight, powerless to pry her gaze from his commanding figure though she noted he didn’t look back even once.

“Let’s sit here in the garden for a moment before we go in. I have a few things you should know before we join the others.” Betina led her to a small bench hidden among a row of hedges bordering one side of the yard. A bird bath reflected the full moon in front of the bench. A small rose garden off to the side showed its autumn thorns in the bright light of the October moon. Allie sat, trying to get her mind off the disturbing man but Betina’s next words brought her thoughts back around to him and his equally disturbing brother.

“Identical twins are not common among the were. Twin alphas are even rarer. Rare and magical. Wolf, bear, cougar, jaguar, eagle, hawk, condor, and more all have their twin pairs, but the Lady decides which of the were tribes will receive the next alpha twin pair each generation.

While those twins are in their prime, they rule over all the were tribes in this part of the world, no matter what their form. Often they take mates from among their own tribe, but every once in a while, the pair will mate

with a single priestess. Timothy and his brother Rafael are the current prime alpha pair and they are wolves.”

“Excuse me?” Was she implying that the people were animals and vice versa?

“The animals you sensed around the circle tonight were were. As are Tim and Rafe. The were tribes take many forms and almost all serve the Lady. As do we. Long ago, an alliance was formed and the were tribes help protect Her servants. Namely us.”

“You mean the animals turn into people?”

“More like the people turn into animals.” For the second time that night, a deep, masculine voice out of the darkness had Allie turning in surprise. This time it was the other twin brother interrupting their conversation, though he’d taken time to dress fully, tucking his shirt in and buttoning his jeans.

“Tim, go back to the party. You’ve interrupted us enough for one night.” Betina waved her hand at the handsome man and Allie was surprised Betina couldn’t tell this man was clearly not the same one they’d spoken with just a few minutes before.

He winked at her and shook his head. “I’m Rafe, m’lady.” Again Betina was embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Rafael. I’ve done it again.”

“No harm done. But your little protégé here seems to need some convincing about the were. I’d be happy to help.” His roguish grin brought an answering smile to Allie’s face before she even realized it.

Where his brother annoyed and embarrassed her, this twin appealed to her mischievous side.

“Some would say you’ve done quite enough for one evening, my friend, but perhaps you’re right. Would it tax you to show her the change? She needs to see it, I think.”

Rafe grinned sexily and began to unbutton his shirt. “Not at all. I’d be happy to oblige.”

When he shucked his jeans, he had a raging hard-on that he seemed not in the least inclined to hide. Instead, he moved toward Allie and winked again, his dick bobbing outrageously before he fell to the ground.

At first Allie was alarmed, but became completely astounded and nearly overwhelmed as she watched the man morph into a huge wolf.

The same wolf that had licked her nipple earlier that evening, if she were any judge.

“Were,” she whispered, understanding beginning to dawn. “You mean he’s a were wolf!” Her voice rose as did her shock. The huge wolf padded up to her and laid his head in her lap, sniffing at the fold of her thighs as if he could smell her previous arousal and was enjoying it. Hell, he probably was. The pervert.

“Yes, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. Were wolves, were cats, were bears and more inhabit this forest. They own the land bordering the national park and Rafe here is one of the current prime alpha twin pair.

Be flattered he allowed you to witness his change. It’s not something they share outside their families very often.” Betina reached over to scratch behind Rafe’s ear and smiled at him. “Thank you, Rafael. I think that’s convinced her.”

Rafael moved his head out of her lap and rose to place both front paws on the stone bench, one on either side of Allie’s seated body. He swiped his wet tongue over her cheeks as she reached up reflexively and tangled her fingers in his pelt, trying to push him away, laughing at his antics. He was like a huge puppy, buoyant and full of life.

Rafe jumped down and changed back into a man as she watched, licking her lips with appreciation as his naked form took shape before her.

“So, what do you think?” he asked, bending for his jeans as he began dressing.

“It’s hard to believe.” Allie’s voice was tempered with awe. “If I hadn’t just seen you change before my eyes…”

Rafe chuckled. “Wait’ll you see Rocky.”

“Rocky? What’s he a were raccoon?” Allie’s sense of the ridiculous got the better of her as the sarcasm slipped out, but Rafe laughed outright for a good long time. She counted herself lucky he hadn’t taken offense at her unguarded words.

“Oh, man! He’s going to howl when we tell him that one.” Rafe wiped his face and offered her a hand. She took it and stood, Betina watching them carefully. “Rocky’s a were bear. A grizzly. On second thought, maybe we shouldn’t tell him you thought he was a raccoon. Might be safer.” Rafe’s roguish wink and grin set her completely at ease.

No doubt about it, Rafe was a charmer. He extended a hand to help Betina stand too, and Allie noted he was polite as well. He was so much different from his brother, yet they were identical in looks down to the last detail.

“Has Jilly arrived yet, do you know?” Betina asked him as she rose.

“No, but Thomas is chafing to meet his kin.”

“Allie,” Betina faced her and the older woman’s eyes were shadowed for the first time that night, “I want you to understand that I promised your mother to keep you away from everything connected with your heritage until you were of age. That meant keeping you from your family as well. When your mother died and her mates with her, they left behind some family that would have claimed you, but your mother felt you’d be in too much danger. She made me promise to take you away from here and put you in a foster home.”

“I knew the Petersons weren’t my real parents, but they were good to me. I can’t believe they hid the existence of blood relations from me for all these years, though.”

Allie felt betrayed by the family that had raised her and Rafe placed a warm arm around her shoulder that was surprisingly comforting. She didn’t question his right to touch her so familiarly. Instead she snuggled into his warmth, needing his strength after this latest revelation. It had been a night of discovery, learning that things she’d always believed to be true were not.

Betina sighed. “They didn’t know. Don’t be mad at them. If anyone should feel your anger and hurt, it’s me, but I made a promise to your mother and I followed her wishes.”

Something Betina had said finally registered as odd in Allie’s mind and she raised confused eyes to her mentor. “You said my mother’s mates—plural—what in the world are you talking about? I was told my father died at the same time as my mother.”

“That’s true. But your mother had two mates.” Betina looked up at Rafe as if asking for help in explaining and Allie raised her eyes to his as he squeezed her shoulders.

“Your mother was mated to the ruling alpha twin pair before Tim and me. They were were cats named Jason and William. They were your sires and they died protecting you and your mother. When they died, Tim and I had to take control of the tribes before our time, but we managed to keep our people together. Your mother and her mates have been sorely missed.”

Allie could hardly believe what they were saying. She had two fathers? It didn’t seem real, yet she’d met Tim and Rafe and they certainly were real enough. Could her mother have married two men? It was totally unconventional, but then her mother’s entire life was unconventional. Her belief system, her activities, her career—if you could call being a priestess a career in the traditional sense—her friends, and all the rest. Somehow it didn’t seem too farfetched to believe her mother might’ve had two men like Tim and Rafe as her life companions.

“And they had brothers and sisters? I have aunts and uncles I’ve never met?”

Betina nodded. “One aunt and one uncle still living. Another of your uncles died in the same attack, trying to defend your mother and fathers.

His name was Peter and he was a bit older than your sires. Thomas was their younger brother and Jilly their younger sister. They both have cubs now with their mates, so you have a number of cousins too.”

“Who can change into big cats?” Allie shook her head in wonder. She could hardly believe everything she’d seen and done this night, but somewhere inside her the pieces were falling into place, making her feel things were finally going right in her world.

“Cougars,” Rafe clarified, stroking his arm away from her shoulders as he took her hand and started walking toward the house. “And they’re anxious to meet you.”

But Allie stopped short, causing Betina and Rafe to stop also and look at her flushed face.

“You mean to tell me all those people saw me naked?” Rafe laughed and even Betina laughed, but Allie was outraged. “Dammit, Betty! You told me we’d be all alone up there.”

Betina grinned and tried to calm her protégé. “I didn’t know they’d all come to the ceremony. I wasn’t even sure Rafe and his twin would show up until the last minute.”

“But you knew it was a possibility!”

Betina held up her hands, palms outward. “You’re right and I’m sorry. I’ve sprung a lot on you tonight, but I honestly didn’t see any other way of breaking this all to you. Before the consecration, I don’t think you would have believed any of it, but now with the Lady’s power awakening within you, you’re more able to take it in and feel what is true and what is not.” Betina took Allie’s free hand in hers. “I will never mislead you again, Allesandra. This I promise you.”

Allie felt somewhat mollified by Betina’s promise but still appalled to think all those people had seen her in her birthday suit. On her birthday.

How appropriate. Allie’s face flamed even as Rafael cupped her hot cheek in his palm.

“Don’t fret, Allie. Nudity is just not a big deal among the were. We have to be nude when we shift and we shift all the time. It’s part of who we are. If you hang around us long enough, you’ll get used to our ways.” His smile turned devilish. “Besides, you’ve got nothing to be worried about. You’re gorgeous, little priestess, and believe me, every male were at your ceremony enjoyed seeing your pretty young tits.” Betina smacked his arm and he stepped back playfully. “That’s enough out of you, Rafe. The girl’s already embarrassed enough. Don’t tease her.” Betina turned back to Allie. “Now, are you ready to meet your family?”

Allie shrugged, though she couldn’t forget that this man, in wolf form, had licked her nipple earlier that night. A shiver raced down her spine that had little to do with fear and much to do with excitement. But she had other things to attend to first. She was eager to meet her long-lost family and at the same time, definitely not looking forward to facing a house full of people who’d seen her naked only an hour before.

“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”

The same cheer of greeting engulfed them as she and Betty entered the house with Rafael a few minutes later. Betina introduced her to people as they passed in a whirlwind of names and faces, but Betina had a goal and they were making their way towards it. Allie became aware of Tim taking up a position on her other side as Rafe stayed to their right, flanking them as if protecting the two small women making their way through the crowd. Oddly, she felt reassured by the twins’ presence though she’d only just met them both.

At long last, Betina ushered her into the front room of the house and walked right up to a tall, lanky man who stood in profile. Allie knew instantly this man was her uncle. He had Allie’s same tawny coloring and wavy golden hair. His profile was an older, more masculine version of her own, but when he turned to face her, the delight in his deep golden eyes made her breath catch in her throat. She had blue eyes and softer features, but other than that, she was looking in a slightly distorted, masculine mirror.

The man drew near with a single bounding step, uncommonly light on his feet. He reached out with one large hand to cup her shoulder.