Wild Rogues (third in lone wolf series)

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Yes. When.” Abbey replied smiling up at him.

“It’ll probably be hard on you at first,” Julian replied honestly. He did not want to lie to her. “There will be a new side to you, an animal side, driven by primal urges. Since you’ll have Marcus’s blood as well as mine, you may notice an increase in your temper. You will certainly become more possessive of Marcus and I and more protective of the pups, if that’s possible. You will have to learn to control the wolf and her urges. There is one time a month during the full moon when all were creatures have to shift. It’s coming up two nights from now and you won’t want to be changed until after that.”

“Why?”

“Because the first shift is always hard and can sometimes be painful. You don’t want it forced upon you because that would be guaranteed pain.”

“I didn’t know shifting hurt,” Abbey swallowed hard. “I’m not so sure I want to now….”

Julian held her tighter and kissed her hair as he smiled, “It only hurts if you don’t fully accept it while it’s happening. You have to go with it and not fight it.”

“Just feel?” Abbey questioned with amusement.

“Yes, just feel.” Julian agreed.

“Why didn’t I become a werewolf when you bite me? Why do I have to bite you?”

Julian nearly laughed aloud at how talkative and inquisitive Abbey was. Now that she‘d been bitten she would find herself more confident and sure of herself and when she finally bit them as well and became a wolf her insecurities would become mainly a thing of the past.

“I’m not sure exactly when it changed but as time went on the process has evolved. There used to be a day one hundred and fifty years ago when me and Marcus biting you would have been enough to change you since you are our mate but wolves found that at times that kept werewolves from being with their mortal mates because the mates would not want to be wolves. So as a means of survival nature intervened and the mating process changed. Now we can mate to mortals without changing them.”

“So I never have to be a wolf if I don’t want to and it won’t effect our bond?”

“I never said that,” Julian sighed. “Until you’re a wolf there will always be a small link of the chain missing, a chink in the armor of our bond. Marcus’s wolf and my wolf will always crave to shift with you, to run with you by our sides, to lay with you in the moonlight fur on fur….”

“Will I be able to communicate with you and Marcus using my thoughts the way the two of you do?”

“No,” her pout at his denial did bring forth a laugh from his mouth. “That is something that is unique to Marcus and I. I’ve never heard of mates sharing that ability.”

“I’m sorry I’m asking so many questions.”

“You never have to apologize to me, Abbey,” Julian assured her. His heart beat faster as she snuggled into his chest and wrapped her leg around his. “I have to ask though if you’re always so talkative when you wake up in the morning?”

“I might be,” Abbey replied smiling brightly at him. “I believe they call it pillow talk.”

“I like how you pillow talk,” Julian teased, kissing her nose. “Now are you ready to go down and get some pancakes?”

Abbey yawned loudly and blushed, “Actually could we just lay here a bit longer? I’m so tired.”

“Of course,” Julian settled back down. “We can lay here as long as you like. Or as long as the pups will let us.”