Fractured

Chapter Eight

Hey guys! This chapter was getting a bit too long, so I had to cut it in half. Hopefully, I'll have the next part up later tonight. Please comment and vote! xxx

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The morning light was subdued and hazy as I slowly opened my eyes. I didn't want to wake up. I was so warm and so, so comfortable. Give me a dozen or so books and a cup of hot cocoa and this would be perfect. The heater I was sleeping next to was just hot enough to sink into my skin and envelop me like a blanket. The heater's hand was- oh. Garrett's hand was wrapped around my waist, pulling me snug against his body.

I couldn't deny the feeling was not unpleasant. The only thing that made me slightly uncomfortable was the feeling of his erection against my ass. I tried to shift slightly so I could get up without waking him. Unfortunately, my ass moved with the rest of me, rubbing against him in a way his body seemed to find more arousing. I felt him grow harder. I stopped.

His arm around my waist tightened as he nuzzled the back of my head. Still mostly asleep, he inhaled my scent deeply and made a possessive, satisfied noise that was somewhere between a moan and a growl. Man and wolf both liked how I smelled. That was refreshing because I was pretty sure I stank.

He had to be at least partially awake because the hand that was at my belly button moved slowly down my abdomen towards my sex. I cursed my traitorous body for getting excited. Every touch of his fingertips felt like a bolt of lightning to my core as he moved slowly, agonizingly, further down my body. I gasped involuntarily when he reached my pubic bone and his body suddenly froze.

I lay there for what felt like an eternity waiting for him to speak. When he finally did, it was the shortest, most polite sentence imaginable.

"Excuse me," he mumbled as he stood. I heard the bathroom door close behind him. I sat up and gazed at the closed door in confusion. The guy was the definition of hot and cold. Quite literally, because now I was freezing. As if on command, a gust of wind blew against the small house and rattled the makeshift boards we'd put up yesterday. At least one good thing happened overnight- it had stopped snowing.

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He came out a few minutes later, completely calm as if we hadn't just woken up rounding second base together. His eyes were back to that cold, objective gleam that was starting to annoy the crap out of me.

"We need to leave soon. The quicker we find them the better, we can't take the chance of him moving her again." He pulled open a drawer and got out a sweatshirt.

Fine. I could play that game, too. I watched him pull the sweatshirt on over his t-shirt, noticing for the first time how perfectly everything here seemed to fit him. "Whose stuff is this, anyway?"

"It's mine. I come up here in the summers when the weather's nice." That seemed odd.

"A rogue starts attacking locals within miles of a pack beta's summer house? Doesn't that seem unlikely to you?"

His eyes narrowed. "Yes, it does. The thought occurred to me." He seemed to shrug off whatever was on his mind then and paused to lace up his boots before continuing. "They were on foot, so they couldn't have gone far. Just a few miles, I'd guess. Since we don't have any winter gear that will fit you, you'll be warmer as a wolf. You should change now."

Without a second look, he exited the small room in a wave of dedicated movement. I followed him out into the living area. "How exactly am I supposed to do that?" I asked.

A single glance was spared in my direction as he searched the kitchen cabinets. "You've met your wolf. Call her. Let her out."

"Great. Super helpful, thanks." I intoned.

Call my wolf. How hard can that be?

Out! Out! Out! Out!

I guess not that hard.

Can we get out now? Can we go? Can we run?!

Yeah, sure, have at it.

On my next exhale, I felt a gate unlock inside of me. It felt almost like being turned inside out, and not in a good way. I let out a shout of pain as I went through the whole transformation again. At the very least, it seemed a little quicker this time.

I rose onto my four paws... still wearing Garrett's sweatpants. I had to shimmy and twist my butt back and forth to get my hind legs out of the restrictive cotton. I was sure I looked extremely dignified. A low chuckle from Garrett's side of the room had me growling deep in my throat.

His smile widened. Jerk. "Settle down, Kitty. You'll get used to it."

Uh-uh. He did not get to ignore touching my girly parts ten minutes ago, play the cool and collected beta, and then laugh at me. And call me Kitty. I wanted to growl again.

My wolf had other ideas; my tale wagged uncontrollably at her boundless happiness. He likes us. He gave us a name! Kitty! Isn't it pretty?!

This time my growl was directed at Kitty.