"Well, maybe if I can learn to do magic, I can help you with that." I got the impression that there were many reasons why Doc avoided his mother's people. He could tell me when he was ready, though. "The mages acted more than a little afraid of you."
Doc's smile widened into something a touch feral.
I shivered but kept a hold of him so he didn't think I was upset.
"They are. And they should be. If it's just me, they would be pretty hard pressed to hurt me. It's when I also have to defend others that I need a little extra help."
I sighed and let go of his hand, stepping forward into him and wrapping my arms around his waist. "I'm sorry." I tucked my head under his chin and buried my face against his chest.
"Why?"
"For all this. For being useless. For putting you in danger. Sometimes, I feel like I should go home."
Doc held me, one hand pressed into the small of my back and the other between my shoulder blades.
"You might be safer for a while. Eventually, they'll track you down. They want you for something pretty specific, otherwise, I think they would have backed off already. What we really need to do is find someone to teach you magic."
"I asked Sam. She said no."
"Sam has a complicated past and probably isn't the best person to teach you, anyway. We'll find someone. Until then, I'll tell you what I know. Which, unfortunately, won't take very long."
"How are we going to do this?"
He held me tighter. "We're just going to have to keep you safe until we get you trained. I'm not sure, but I think you'll be relatively safe on campus. Do you know any martial arts?"
"A little. Not enough to really be useful, though."
"We'll start tomorrow. We need to get you healed up before we beat you up too much."
I smiled into his chest. "Thanks."
He slid his hand up until his fingers were twined in my hair, and he tilted my head back. "Thank you."
I wanted to ask for what, but he kissed me, completely distracting me from everything else. He slipped his hand under my shirt and traced my spine with his fingers.
Deciding that if he could put his hands up my shirt, I could do the same to him, I slid both of mine under his loose T-shirt and ran my hands up his back while we kissed.
He tightened his grip, pressing me into him and rumbled deep in his throat.
I found one of the long scars across his back and traced it with my fingers. He shivered under my light touch.
Gasping, I leaned back so I could catch my breath. His hands trembled against me, and he breathed as heavily as I did.
"Sofia..."
Whatever he was about to say was interrupted by the front door banging open.
We both jumped. Doc recovered quickly, shoving me behind him before relaxing as two wolves stalked into the living room.
Doc took a couple more deep breaths, and I stepped out from behind him, trailing my hand along his back, under his shirt.
He sucked in his breath and glanced at me, smiling.
"Shut the door before you let the entire forest in." Doc put his arm around me, and we both watched the wolves.
Ed huffed and stalked over to the door, nosing it shut. Allan came over to us and shoved his muzzle under my hand.
"Hi, Allan. Did you have a good hunt?"
He wolf-grinned at me, and I could smell blood and meat on his breath. Doc tensed against me, and I remembered him saying he was hungry. If I could smell blood, Doc certainly could.
Ed came over and demanded attention by shoving his head between me and Doc.
I obliged, rubbing his head, too.
"They always this friendly in wolf form?"
Doc sighed, as if it were quite the ordeal, but I could hear the fondness in his voice when he answered. "Yes."
∞ ∞ ∞
There wasn't much left to talk about until the guys turned back, and it had been a very long couple of days so far, so it wasn't long before Doc sent me to bed.
That started a bit of an argument, mostly conducted with a few grumpy huffs from the werewolves and a whole bunch of glaring. The wolves wanted to join me. Doc didn't want to subject me to that. Clothing didn't shift with the werewolf, and they'd revert back to human form sometime in their sleep. They could force it, but it was easier if they just let it happen naturally. Then I would be cuddling with a couple of naked guys instead of a couple of fur covered wolves. I really wasn't sure how I felt about it, so I agreed to go to bed alone.
I was used to sleeping alone. I'd slept by myself most of my life. Other than the occasional sleep over, and last night with both Doc and Victoria, I always slept alone. So why was I feeling completely uncomfortable and afraid as I stared at the ceiling of Doc's cabin, wishing I had company?
Maybe it was almost getting kidnapped. Maybe I just really wanted them. They'd turned me on, and I wasn't really satisfied. I also knew Doc was right. We probably didn't need to go there just yet, but I wasn't happy being by myself.
Maybe I would sleep eventually.
The doorknob turned, and I looked over to see eyes shining in the low light at wolf height.
Sighing, I patted the bed.
Ears perking forward and wolf-grinning, whoever it was leapt and sprang on the bed.
I yelped in surprise
