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  “Uh…” Senna looked over at her friend, who was nodding not-so-subtly and giving a thumbs-up. “Yes?”

  “Good, then come with me,” he said, reaching out a hand. “Sorry to interrupt,” he said to Tiffany as he set several bills on the table to pay the check and took Senna’s hand to walk out of the diner. Senna looked over her shoulder and put her hand up to her ear, mouthing, Call me.

  Tiffany just mouthed back, Good luck.

  Senna would need it.

  * * *

  Jordan had no clue how he was going to do this.

  It had been days since he’d found out Senna was a shifter. Since then, he’d talked to almost every shifter he knew about whether to tell her. All their responses had varied from yes to no to I don’t know.

  But after what happened last night, when he’d almost kissed her, he couldn’t wait any longer.

  “So where are we going?” Senna asked as Jordan zoomed down a back road not far from his mansion. They were going far from where anyone else could see them. And since this was private land his family owned, nobody else should be there.

  “I’ll let you know when we get there,” he muttered, lost in thought.

  “You’re not taking me out to the middle of nowhere so you can axe-murder me, are you?” she joked.

  There was an awkward silence. “Of course not,” Jordan replied but didn’t take his eyes off the road.

  Senna settled back into her seat, peering at Jordan with curious eyes.

  Jordan had never run into this sort of situation. How do you simply tell someone everything they know is wrong and they’re not fully human, but a being capable of shifting into a wolf and back again?

  Jordan gulped as they rounded a corner, turning off the main road and down a gravel path lined with tall pine trees.

  He’d come out here often when he was younger, to be alone and think in silence. The woods were his home away from home. He felt more peaceful here than anywhere else. And it would be the perfect place to share his secret with Senna and reveal her own secret to her.

  “So what is it you wanted to talk about?” Senna asked, hoping for an answer.

  “Just a minute more,” Jordan said, parking the car on the side of the road and grabbing a duffel bag with a couple spare changes of clothes in it. Unless you removed your clothes before shifting into wolf form, they would be torn off and unusable, so it was always a good idea to have extras nearby.

  “Is this about that call I overheard the other night?” Senna asked, folding her arms and following behind him as they went deeper into the forest.

  “Yes. Well, no. Yes and no.”

  “Why all the mystery, Jordan?” she asked, sounding a little worried.

  “This is a good spot,” Jordan said, dropping the bag onto the ground. They were in the middle of a small clearing, not more than a few dozen feet in diameter. The late morning light shone clearly into the small meadow surrounded by silent, giant trees on all sides.

  “Okay, I need to ask you something, Senna,” he said, turning to her with a conflicted expression.

  Senna stopped a few feet from him, looking up with confusion.

  “If a person knew something about someone they cared about, something that could possibly change everything about their lives and everything they knew… something that probably sounded crazy to most people but was unchangeably true, would you tell them?”

  Damn, that sounded batshit crazy. Jordan felt a muscle twitch in his jaw.

  “I don’t know…” Senna said, trying to figure out what he meant. “This person, are they open minded?”

  “I’d say so. At least, I think they are.”

  “And this secret isn’t a dangerous one, is it?” she asked, probing for more information.

  “No. At least not to the person themselves. Most people would see this as a good thing I would think,” Jordan replied, starting to get nervous. Maybe he should just take her back and leave well enough alone.

  “Then, yes, the person should definitely tell that person they care about the secret.”

  Here goes.

  “Okay. Then, Senna, I have to tell you something. Something you don’t know… You’re a werewolf,” he said, trying to be as solemn as possible.

  Senna blinked.

  “Well, more specifically, a shape-changing wolf-shifter, but you get the idea.”

  There was a long, pregnant pause.

  “Is this a joke?” Senna asked, unfolding her arms. “Did one of your teammates put you up to this?”

  “No, I swear. This is no joke, Senna,” Jordan said, remaining serious.

  “Am I on camera right now?” she asked, circling around and looking at the forest around them. “Ha-ha-ha-ha. Very funny, guys. I get it. The joke’s on me,” she called out to the trees. There was no answer.

  “I mean it. I only figured it out a few days ago,” he said, walking toward her.

  She backed away a few steps. “Oh, and how did you figure this out? Are you some shapeshifting werewolf thing too? Man, I’d heard a lot of things about you before accepting this job, but that you were utterly bananas wasn’t one of them!” she yelled bitterly. She threw her arms up into the air with frustration.

  This wasn’t getting him anywhere.

  “Fine, I’ll show you. You just have to promise not to tell anyone. Maybe this will help you believe me,” Jordan said, trying to soothe her.

  “Show me? You’re kidding, right?” she spat.

  It was entirely against shifter law to show yourself to a human, especially changing in front of a human. And to many, it was the ultimate sin, with serious punishments if someone found out. But Jordan was absolutely sure Senna wasn’t a human. He’d bet everything on it.

  He had to at this point.

  Focusing his energies inward, Jordan closed his eyes and felt the forest around him, the energy surrounding them. With a long exhale, his body changed, hands becoming large paws, his tall body lengthening and coming to stand on all fours.

  He opened his eyes and saw Senna standing in front of him, stunned and wide-eyed.

  “Now do you believe me?” he asked, his voice deeper and gruffer in his wolf form.

  She fainted on the spot.

  Shit.

  Not the response he was going for.

  4

  Senna awoke to the sounds of birds chirping. Then sun was right above her, bright and inescapable. She felt moss and soft forest soil beneath her.

  She sat up instantly.

  What am I doing here? Was it all a dream?

  Clearly not all of it was, as she looked around and saw the small glade she remembered Jordan brought her to. A few feet away, there was a small black duffel bag he’d set down right before he—

  Turned into a giant wolf.

  Senna shook her head. She must have been crazy. She thought back to lunch with her friend Tiffany. She hadn’t taken or drunk anything.

  Where was Jordan now? Whatever he’d done, Senna wanted to know what special effects company he had hired to pull it off. That crap looked real.

  Speak of the devil.

  From the edge of the treeline, she saw a huge black wolf bounding toward her, fast approaching, its eyes a bright crimson, reflecting the noonday sun.

  Eyes a more intense version of Jordan’s.

  Senna froze in place. She couldn’t outrun the giant creature even if she tried. It walked up to her and regarded her, standing almost as tall as she was, with a long body covered in dark fur that shone as the sun caught it.

  “How are you feeling?” it spoke, clearly understandable to her.

  It can talk?

  “Uh… okay, I guess.” Her voice faltered. This had to be a dream. But it clearly wasn’t.

  “I’m sorry if I was too abrupt. I didn’t know how you would take the news.”

  “Is that really you… Jordan?” Senna asked. “Are you sure I’m not dreaming?”

  He came closer. “Not at all. Here, feel.” He leaned his head forward, and she cou
ld feel the warmth emanating from his body. She reached out a hand and petted the soft, black fur along his muzzle, then around his ears.

  “Not so lightly, that tickles.” He chuckled, then stepped back a few paces. “So back to you, Senna. You’re one of us.”

  “How could you possibly know that?” she asked incredulously.

  “I scented it on you,” he stated.

  “What?”

  “Shifters can smell other shifters. It’s like a fingerprint. Each one has a unique scent entirely their own.”

  “So what does mine smell like?”

  Jordan took a long breath through his nose. Senna simultaneously felt self-conscious and a little aroused by the act.

  “Daffodils. Daffodils at the height of spring when everything is fresh and warm and excited to be alive.”

  Senna blushed. It was embarrassing, but somehow, all of it was slowly coming together.

  “So have I always been a—a shifter?” Senna asked tenuously.

  “Yes. You’re born with it. I suspect your parents must have been shifters, or at least one of them. I guess the family that raised you didn’t know this, so you were never taught about it,” he said, starting to pace slowly around. There was something powerful, regal about his wolf form. Yet it still felt like him and set Senna at ease.

  “Right now, you need to connect with the wolf that’s buried deep inside you, Senna. I want you to try to shift,” he said.

  “What? Now? How in the hell am I supposed to do that?” Senna replied.

  “I doubt it will be easy, but just do as I say. I think it’s high time you let your wolf run wild.”

  It was funny the way he referred to “his wolf” or “her wolf.” But she could feel something deep inside her, buried beneath years and years of neglect. Something that growled and longed to be free.

  “Okay, I’m willing to give it a shot.”

  “Good. Now close your eyes.”

  She did.

  “Take in everything around you. The ground beneath your feet. The scent of the trees and ferns. The sounds of the forest. The moist breeze on your skin. Take a deep breath and just let your human form melt away. The sensation is a little weird at first, but just go with it. Don’t hold back,” he instructed.

  Senna did so, and as she did, she could feel everything change around her. When she opened her eyes and looked down, instead of seeing her feet, she saw large wolf paws. She looked around and saw a large wolf’s body, covered in brown and white fur.

  Jordan sauntered up to her, his wolf a good deal taller and larger than her own.

  “Beautiful,” he said reverently.

  “What, me as a wolf or me being able to transform like that?” she asked.

  “Both,” he said, red eyes peering at her, examining her.

  She could smell that particular scent again, like rushing water through a pine forest. It must have been Jordan’s she was picking up on earlier.

  “So what now?” she asked, feeling surprisingly stable for being on four legs instead of two.

  “What do you say we go for a run?”

  “Sure,” she said as he began to walk into the forest, and she followed.

  For the first time in her life, she felt completely whole. As if something had been missing but now was found. She could hear a voice, that of a wolf howling, somewhere inside her subconscious.

  As Jordan moved deeper into the forest, it was as if she were coming home for the first time. All of the sounds and scents were clearer in her wolf form, and the woods around them felt alive.

  “So do you come out here often?” Senna asked.

  “You could say that,” Jordan said, slowing down so Senna could come up beside him.

  Something about being around Jordan like this made her feel warm inside.

  “Did you grow up around here?” she said, loving the sound of Jordan’s voice.

  “Yes,” he replied, his mind lost in thought.

  Senna thought it interesting someone like Jordan with a reputation for being harsh and abrasive was actually just a very quiet person in these surroundings. In moments like this, she felt she was getting closest to the real Jordan Vale.

  “So you have two brothers, right? What are they like?” Senna was curious about his family as well, since she imagined they were shifters as well.

  “You know my older brother Lucas, I imagine. Once upon a time, he was just as famous in MMA as I am. Or was.”

  Senna nodded.

  “My younger brother Asher runs the family dojo. Well, he’s technically a half-brother, and the next in line to be alpha of the family. I’ll explain more later. There’s a lot about shifter families and politics you need to learn. Needless to say, when we were younger, between Asher the family favorite and Lucas being the hard-working oldest brother, I kind of fell through the cracks,” he said.

  “Sounds like it was hard,” Senna said, feeling for him.

  “So yeah, I kept to myself. Reading, training, coming out here. Anything to engage my mind.”

  Senna had never heard Jordan say so much about his past. He really was closed off most of the time, but somehow, walking out here in their wolf forms, everything just came more naturally.

  “Sorry for the overload,” he exclaimed. “Probably not the kind of crap you care to hear.”

  “No, I like getting to know more about you,” Senna replied, examining the ground under her paws. It still felt surreal.

  “So how’s being a giant wolf for a change?” Jordan asked, his tone lighter.

  “Ha, it’s funny. Surprisingly natural,” she said.

  But something felt off.

  It started with a tingling in the tips of her paws, which gradually spread up her limbs.

  “Actually, I feel kind of funny. Is that normal?” she said, voice faltering. She began to feel woozy.

  “What do you mean?” Jordan turned and looked at Senna, who was starting to quiver. “Oh, dammit, I forgot about that.”

  But Senna could feel her mind slipping, like it was detaching from her body, which was quickly going limp.

  The last thing she saw before blacking out was crimson eyes.

  Then blackness.

  * * *

  Senna awoke to the feel of plush sheets and cool air-conditioning on her skin. She was groggy, the kind of feeling you get after napping too long in the middle of the day.

  She looked outside. Apparently, that had been the case, as the sun was coming down over the hills in the distance. How long had she been asleep?

  Upon further examination, Senna realized she was in the mansion. At least it looked like the mansion based on the design, but this was a different room from hers. This must be the master bedroom, based on the huge king bed, expensive, modern-looking furniture that lined the walls, and the large vaulted ceiling above her.

  And the fact that Jordan was now watching her from the doorway, holding a platter with what looked like food, the delicious smell wafting toward her.

  “Hey. Glad to see you’re awake,” Jordan spoke, coming toward her.

  Seeing his brownish-red eyes, so like his wolf’s, she instantly remembered everything from the forest.

  “How did I get here?” she asked, sitting up and rubbing her head.

  “You passed out. Again. It happens to people when they shift for the first time or if they haven’t shifted in a long time. I should have thought about that before we walked so far.” He placed the food on the bed next to her.

  She realized she was ravenous. How long had it been since she’d eaten?

  “Eat up. Shifting can take a lot out of you, especially if you’re not used to it,” he said, picking up a plate loaded with roasted potatoes, asparagus, and delicious-looking steak.

  “Did you make this?” she asked, incredulous.

  Jordan laughed. “Maybe. You were out for a while, so I figured you’d like something good to wake up to.”

  Just the sight of Jordan watching her, now wearing a pair of fitted jeans and a tight T-shi
rt, made her hungry in a different way. Until her stomach growled, and she took the plate, starting to eat. It tasted divine.

  “Nobody told me you knew how to cook,” she said between mouthfuls.

  “You never asked,” he said, looking at her with a tiny smile hiding at the corners of his mouth.

  His features were so masculine, so straight, and so perfect. Despite his rougher appearance, she could see the more regal, more refined aspects of his face that were hidden behind the toughness.

  “So how did we get back here?” Senna asked, eating the last few bites of her food.

  “I brought you back here,” he replied.

  In that moment, Senna realized she wasn’t wearing the same clothes as before. Instead of her blouse and jeans, she was now wearing a loose shirt and soft sweatpants.

  “Where are my clothes?” Senna asked, not wanting to hear the answer.

  “Well, that’s the thing about shifting. Anything you’re wearing when you shift is…” Jordan trailed off. He’d said enough for her to catch his drift.

  “So you saw me naked?” She gasped. “How did I end up dressed?”

  “That’s what the duffel bag was for. I got you in some clothes and brought you back here.”

  Senna was mortified. Maybe in his world, being seen naked wasn’t a huge deal. But for her, it was the last thing she’d planned on happening today.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t want him to see her. She might have fantasized about getting him in bed once or twice, but it felt so sudden. She could feel her cheeks burning.

  “There was no funny business though. Promise,” Jordan said, holding up his hands.

  So maybe it wasn’t the worst thing to happen in the history of the world. Since earlier, when she’d been exploring the forest in her wolf form with Jordan, she felt more and more attracted to him. Objectively, he was the hottest man she’d ever seen. But now that other part of her, her wolf she guessed, growled in approval as well. Pushing her forward toward the thing she would have never allowed herself to want before.

  As Jordan moved the platters off the bed and onto a nearby table, Senna considered her next move.