He handed his cloak to Eydis and stepped into the center of the clearing. Piece by piece he removed his clothing, never taking his eyes off his opponent. Once they were both naked, they bowed from the waist to each other. Erik assumed wolf form before his challenger even straightened. Massive paws hit the man’s chest, knocking him to the ground. Erik’s mind skittered like a pebble over grooves before finally dropping into place, his alertness melding with his wolf’s. His human cunning meshed with the animal’s primal instincts. As one they lowered their muzzle, lips pulled back in a menacing snarl.
The man froze, and the energy that shifted man to wolf danced along Eric’s skin. Although strong and determined, his opponent was young, impetuous, and no match for a more skillful rival. All the power the man called, Erik waylaid and absorbed. With no means left to fight, the battle ended before it began.
“Do you yield?” Erik heard his aunt ask.
“Aye,” came the wavering reply from beneath Erik.
Too easy, Erik’s wolf grumbled, their shared consciousness already beginning to separate.
Erik had no sooner released his quarry and risen smoothly into man form when another of the clan stepped from the trees. “Not so fast.”
We showed them!
“Shut up!” Erik dragged his weary body back toward the castle. Though he would die before letting on, the fifth challenger wasn’t as easily defeated as he should have been.
But we won!
“Yes, we won a man who doesn’t wish to be our mate.”
The wolf sniggered. Yes, he does; he just doesn’t know it yet.
Too tired to eat, Erik bypassed the great hall, from where the scent of boiled rabbit wafted out into the hallway, a normally enticing aroma that now turned his stomach. He’d climbed the stairs to the second landing before he realized that his steps were taking him toward Galen’s room. Galen’s room? Now why approach Galen’s room?
Because we belong there? his wolf supplied on a long-suffering sigh suitable for reasoning with imbeciles.
Five paces from the door, the most wondrous fragrance in the world invaded Erik’s senses (far better than boiled rabbit!), filling him with deep and utter longing. At four paces, the delicious essence of mate sent trails of need, hot and ferocious, zinging through his body. At three paces, his cock hardened to the point of pain. At two paces, urgency curled through his innards. At one pace, he stammered, tongue thick, “Mmmaaate… “
Told ya! his wolf gloated
Erik didn’t bother responding, for the moment his hand touched the door, his dual personalities began to merge for the first time while remaining in human form. All smugness left the wolf. Very seriously, Erik’s alternate form suggested, He’s ours, we won him, let’s claim him.
The human part of Erik’s mind agreed, while the pebble slipped into the groove again. Thankfully, his dual consciousnesses shared a two-legged body this time. He’d never manage the door pull with paws.
He opened the door without knocking, to be greeted by cheery flames blazing in the fireplace. How… homey. Although the nights weren’t overly cold yet, he supposed that full humans were more susceptible to the slight nip in the air.
Standing in the firelight, skin bathed golden in the amber glow, Galen hummed, washing in a basin of water by the hearth.
The last vestiges of Erik’s pure human mind whined, He doesn’t want us!
Galen glanced up mid-hum. All expression fled his face, then his eyes (his gloriously blue eyes!) widened and he panted hard. Erik recognized cornered prey, or rather…
Arousal, hot and heady, filled his nostrils, further hardening his cock and leaving him with little thought, either human or wolf.
“No,” barely penetrated Erik’s lust-crazed brain. He stopped in his tracks. Galen’s scent mingled fear with want.
“I won’t hurt you,” Erik assured him.
“Not scared of that.”
“Oh? Then what do you fear?”
“Never being free again. Never being me again.”
“What does your wolf tell you?”
“He wants you. He spares no care for me.”
“That’s where you’re mistaken.” Squashing an impulse to conquer and claim, Erik stepped forward and stretched out his hand. Galen flinched away when that hand brushed his face, but returned a moment later, nuzzling into the touch.
“I can’t do what it wants or I’ll lose meself!” Galen’s voice quavered with the effort to fight. Erik knew the struggle well. He’d fought against his own wolf repeatedly—losing all too often.
“Shhh…” Erik soothed. “Your wolf is you. He doesn’t want to hurt you, he simply understands what you want and need better than you do. Once you’ve spent some time