That part of me doesn’t care that my wolf is still in charge, it wants to wake up and steal the reins.
The competing sentiments cause a low whimper to escape my lips. Except it sounds oddly needy, like I’m begging for something I don’t understand.
“Well, that wasn’t on the menu, but we can absolutely arrange it once you’re back in human form,” Caius says, his dimples flashing again as he straightens in a ripple of muscle that makes me drool.
Literally.
My wolf is drooling.
Wow, I think, irritated all over again. Put your jaws together.
She does.
Which gives me pause again and I narrow my eyes. Stand up, I think.
She obliges.
Walk.
Again, she listens, but pauses to rub against the male in the doorway, earning her a quick scratch behind the ear. “I like her,” he murmurs. “Let’s keep her.”
“Again, she’s not a dog,” Tieran tells him.
“Oh, I’m very aware of what she is, T,” he drawls. “Volt is, too.”
Volt? I think, pausing just outside the bathroom door in the bedroom. V must be Volt.
And he happens to be standing in the entryway that leads to the hall, his arms folded as he braces himself against the door frame. “How was your bath, sweetling?” he asks.
I shake out my coat in response, pleased that my wolf listens to me again. Is it my anger that caught your attention? I wonder. Because I’m still mad. I can feel the burn of it in my gut, itching for an outlet.
My pack raised me to be weak, to disassociate from my wolf.
They rejected me for being white.
Then raped and murdered my mother in front of me.
And pinned the blame on me.
Yeah, I have a lot to be furious about. I’ll just keep channeling it until my wolf lets me convert back into a human.
At that point, I’ll evaluate my next move.
Which will probably be to run.
Maybe.
Depending on how these Alphas react.
“I’ll admit it’s a rather bland punishment,” Volt adds as Tieran follows me out into the bedroom. “I expected something a little more intense.”
“Yeah? And who let her in my room again?” Tieran pauses beside me to draw his fingers through my nape.
“It was that or leave her begging by your door. I chose to indulge the pretty beast instead.” Volt sounds completely unapologetic.
“Hmm.” Tieran’s touch leaves my fur as he saunters over to start stripping his bed. “Since you let her in here knowing she was a filthy mess, I think you should have to clean it up.” He starts pulling the bedding together to create a giant ball.
My wolf wags her tail, excited about this new game.
I tell her to stop.
This time, she doesn’t listen.
The second the bedding is in the air, I jump to catch it in my mouth, then I take it to the corner to lay it on the ground and start spreading it out with my paws. I have no idea why I’m doing this, but it’s oddly soothing, so I let it happen.
It’s similar to how my wolf wanted to roll in their beds, to scent off their sheets.
But different because I’m creating this myself. Sort of, anyway. It’s like we’re working together toward a goal only my wolf understands.
I lose myself to the task, stretching out the sheets, pawing off the salty grim, then smoothing it in a way that feels right. The comforter is next, the soft dark fabric heavenly to my teeth and nails. I fluff it up a little, then nuzzle it with my nose until it’s in the right position, creating a bed on the floor.
Pleased with the design, I plop down in the center of it and turn to face the three Alphas.
They’re all gaping at me.
“Did she…？” Caius trails off, swallowing.
“Just start making a nest?” Tieran finishes for him, his voice sounding hoarse. “Yeah. Yeah that’s exactly what she just did.”
I blink. A nest? I glance down at the bed I made and cock my head. I’ve never heard someone call a bed a nest before. But I guess it sort of resembles a nest.
Standing, I shake off the need to retreat to my nest and focus on Caius.
He mentioned food.
That sounds very nice right now. Maybe after, I can try the whole taking command thing that Tieran mentioned and see if my wolf will let me walk on two legs again.
The males say nothing, their gaze still locked on me.
I give a little yip, trying to say food, then wander up to nudge Caius’s hand.
It’s bold, but I’m starving now. Something about making that bed has awakened my hunger.
I can’t even remember the last time I ate.