your human form. And don't forget about clothes either. Hold on. Let me cover Beowulf's eyes before you try it. Just in case you can't manage the clothes part. I ended up naked the first time I shifted back to human form." Roxie clapped a hand over Beowulf's eyes and waved a hand in front of his face to make sure he couldn't see anything. "Okay, go for it."
Billie reached for the new power inside her. She did as Roxie said. She concentrated on what she looked like in human form. The magic surrounded her once again. When the change was complete, Billie looked down at her body and smiled. She was wearing the clothes she had arrived in.
Roxie picked up Billie's left arm and flipped it back and forth. "Are you sure you don't have any new markings you'd like to tell me about?"
"No. Why?"
Holding out her own arm, Roxie showed Billie the Celtic designed markings that encircled her wrist. "This appeared shortly after I started seeing Beowulf. It is the mark of the one who would rule over the packs. I just wanted to make sure you weren't sporting any new tattoo-like markings. You seem to have adjusted rather well. Neither Taryn nor I could make the change as easily as you have done. I guess you're a natural."
The doorbell rang. Beowulf went to answer the door while Roxie cleared away the used syringe and wipes. Billie flexed her muscles a few times. Along with the extra sensitive senses, she found she was even stronger than she had been. She smiled to herself. She was pretty sure she would be able to give Gren a run for his money now.
Chapter Sixteen
It had taken another hour for the rest of the tranquilizer to leave Royce's system completely. During that time, Finn had done a pretty good job of ignoring him. Royce had been quite happy to leave the other man alone. After managing on his own to get himself sitting with his back up against a wall, Royce dozed off and on until he felt back to normal.
Now that he was fully awake, he decided Finn had had enough time to stew over matters. "You know you can't ignore me indefinitely, Finn. We have to try to get out of these ropes before Gren comes back."
Finn gave him a hard stare. "Can't you turn into a wolf? Your ropes would slip off once you do."
Royce shook his head. "Didn't you hear what Gren said? As long as I'm bound by this rope, I can't get free. The rope he used to bind me has silver threads in it. Silver inhibits my ability to shift into a wolf. I can't make the change fully."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Let's sit back to back and see if either one of us can work the knots free."
Pushing away from the wall, Royce inched his way over to where Finn sat. Once they were in position, he pushed his bound hands against Finn's. "See if you can get my ropes untied first. I'll be able to handle Gren better than you will."
"What makes you think I wouldn't be able to handle him?"
"You're not a werewolf. Plain and simple."
"So werewolves are so much more superior than mortals, is that it? If the bastard hadn't blindsided me, I'm sure I would have wiped the floor with him."
Royce snorted. "That wouldn't have happened. Regardless of how big you are, Gren would still have been able to take you. We aren't so much superior as we are stronger than you mortals are. Now if you're done thumping your chest, could you try to get this rope untied?" Leaning slightly forward, he pushed his hands up until he brushed against Finn's bound hands.
Finn shifted closer. He tried to work the rope with his fingers for a few minutes then cursed. "He has bound my hands too tightly. I can't feel my fingers. There's no way I'll be able to work those knots loose."
"All right, let me see if I can get you free instead." Royce sat up and moved his hands until he could feel the rope around Finn's wrists. Gren obviously hadn't tied his hands as tightly. He still had feeling in his fingers. Gren must have been counting on the silver being enough of a safeguard so that he wouldn't have to worry about Royce being able to free himself.
Once Royce set to work on the knots, Finn asked, "Just how many of you are