I laid her on the bed and quickly undressed her, anxious to reacquaint myself with every inch of her sexy body, but before I could explore, she stopped me.
“You’re way too overdressed.” She wet her lips and added, “Only birthday suits allowed.”
I got up and pulled my tie over my head, never taking my eyes off her. Seeing Sasha naked across my bed made me so hard I ached. Her gaze was hungry as I freed the last couple buttons on my dress shirt before pulling it off.
She hummed softly and shook her head. “You are one handsome wolf.”
I started to smile and carefully unfastened my pants. “And you are the sexiest jaguar I’ve ever seen.”
Once I was naked, she sat up on the bed. Scooting to the edge, she ran her hands up the back of my legs, her nails grazing my skin until I growled deep in my throat. She looked up at me with a smile and then wrapped her lips around me.
My hips rocked forward as my head fell back, and for a moment I was lost. I felt her tongue teasing me, her fingers sliding up the backs of my thighs. She moaned around me, and I shuddered, finally drawing her up to me.
“I need you. Now.”
On her feet, she kissed me as I pulled her leg up, hooking it around my hip. I pressed against her. She was already wet for me, welcoming, and I plunged into her. She brought her other leg up around me. I slid my hands under her cheeks, holding her tight while I worked my hips up into her.
We were slick with sweat when I laid her back onto the bed, holding her tight as aftershocks burned through my body. I kissed her, and she gave me the most beautiful smile.
She was back in my arms. I never wanted the night to end.
“Marry me.” I blurted out the words before I realized what was happening. Sasha started to roll her eyes, but I shook my head. “I’m not kidding. Be my wife.”
Her smile melted away. I could almost see her weighing all the pros and cons. I kissed her again, relieved when she responded, her fingers tightening in the back of my hair.
I growled against her lips, “Let me be your mate like you’re mine.”
“Mrs. Wolf…” Sasha looked at me with a playful grin. “I kinda like it.”
I laughed and she rolled over so that she was on top of me. I was already hungry for her again as she smiled down at me, her hair falling all around us.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Best birthday ever.
Acknowledgments
First off, I need to thank my amazing editor, Danielle Poiesz. You always bring the best out of me and my stories! Thanks to my agent Laurie McLean for loving the wolf pack almost as much as I do! This book wouldn’t have been possible without the awesome input from my female detective cousin, T. Thanks for helping me make Sasha the most kick-ass, well-armed, ex-detective I hoped she’d be. You rock! I also need to thank my San Diego RWA chapter who cheered me on when my computer fried and I had to rewrite the first sixty-five pages of the book. Urgh. Also I need to thank my Blogophilia friends who encouraged me with crazy writing prompts when I wrote myself into corners. Huge thanks to my Night Angel Legion and to Katie Clapsadl for helping me get the word out about the book. You all are the best! And to Panda and Ken, thanks for reading this book through and brainstorming ideas with me. I love you!
Prologue
Today during General Miller Sloan’s debriefing, he revealed that a female human subject was bitten by the last surviving member of the second Lycan Green Beret Squad. The General reported the female survived the initial attack, and we have confirmed through outside sources that she displays psychic abilities and subsequently survived the conversion.
According to our primary research, a human mind cannot metabolize the sudden adrenal gland stimulation. Yet this woman is still alive. I am anxious to run thorough testing on the subject before her inevitable demise. The research would prove to be priceless to our mission.
Unfortunately, the female subject is under the protection of a werewolf Pack in Reno. Delivering her to our research center is currently impossible without attracting police attention. In order to study the effects of the altered werewolf DNA, I will be traveling to Reno, Nevada to “assist” in her treatment. Nero is arranging the details with the General’s assistance.
Project Moonlight is alive once more.
Chapter One
“How come I don’t feel anything yet?” I held my hand up toward the moon, waiting for the silver light to work its magic. For the past three weeks—since the night my blood had been tainted. I’d been coming to terms with my fate and because I couldn’t change it, I’d done my best to embrace it. I could wallow in terror and be a victim, or I could do my best to really live with whatever time I had left. I chose to live.
The closer the full moon got, the more my excitement grew. How many people would ever experience becoming a wolf? I could worry about the consequences later.
“You will,” Jason replied, but he gave off waves of concern. In fact, almost all the Pack members present were full of worry, tense and uncertain.
I sighed and dropped my hand to my side. “Why don’t you guys go on ahead? You’re making me nervous.”
Jason shook his head. “That’s not a good idea.”
“Let’s be honest. If something goes wrong, you don’t know how to help me anyway.” Hearing me say the words out loud would ruffle Jason, but it was true. Even though he was the Pack’s doctor, no one knew how my body would react to the change since I’d been bitten by a genetically mutated werewolf.
My throat started to burn. Was I finally shifting? “Please go. I don’t want to do this with an audience.”
Jason ground his teeth together and looked over at Adam, the Pack’s alpha. “You take the Pack. I’ll stay with her.”
“No.” I shook my head and stared at each handsome male face until my gaze locked onto a pair of dark eyes set in a chiseled emotionless face. Perfect. “Gareth. He can stay with me and signal you if I have any trouble.”
I’ve been able to sense and experience others’ emotions since childhood, my “gift” as my mother called it. After years of practice, hiding my reactions to people around me usually came as second nature. But I almost laughed when waves of surprise and shock slammed into me from Jason and the rest of the Pack.
“Is there a problem?” I did my best to keep my expression neutral.
Jason opened his mouth to say something a couple of times before he gestured in Gareth’s direction. “Yes,
