14

Lilith’s POV
The guys actually left me alone all day Monday, which was nothing short of a miracle. I’d like to say I spent the time solving my problems, but the more I sat with myself, replaying every possible scenario where this whole mess could explode in my face, the worse it became.
I glared at the countertop in disgust. Half a loaf of Italian bread, two pieces of chicken parmesan, a mound of ziti-gone. The sick feeling in my gut was matched only by the strain on my jeans.
*And don’t forget nearly a full bottle of wine,* Rose chimed in, ever the voice of judgment.
Dragging myself off the barstool, I collapsed onto the couch.
*We need to run it off. Fresh air, a good sprint-it’s the only way you’ll feel better. We both need it,* Rose insisted.
“I don’t trust you,” I muttered aloud, pointing accusingly at the wall.
*Lily, come on! Stop being childish. You’re already slurring your words. Nothing a little cool air in our fur won’t fix,* she scolded.
I groaned, sitting up to rub my face. As much as I hated to admit it, she wasn’t wrong. I felt like crap. But trusting Rose to stick to *my* plan? That was the sticking point.
*Oh, for the love of the Goddess, Lily! I swear, if you let me shift, I’ll behave. We’ll stay on this side of campus. That’s it. I promise,* she pleaded.
Grumbling under my breath, I finally stood. I wasn’t a lightweight when it came to alcohol-far from it. I usually limited myself to a couple of drinks at a time, savoring the taste. I wasn’t like the average college idiot drinking themselves into oblivion every weekend.
*Then what do you call this?* Rose shot back.
“Calm your tits, I’m going,” I snapped, struggling to strip out of my clothes.
After a series of stumbles, a bruised hip courtesy of the dresser, and a lot of cursing, I managed to get naked and throw on a robe. Navigating the stairs was another feat entirely. I made it down-slowly-ignoring the occasional weird looks. Plenty of shifters wandered campus in robes. It wasn’t the outfit; it was the fact that I looked like a train wreck.
*Oh, it MAY also have to do with the fact that you look like a hot mess,* Rose added gleefully.
“Hey! I can still turn this car around,” I snapped as I made it to the grass.
Rose laughed and mimicked my mom’s voice, repeating the phrase.
*Ugh, no, no, no! I am NOT Rowena Emory,* I groaned.
I shuffled out to a large tree where I could drop my robe. The distant sound of hoots and howls reminded me that the hunting grounds were far from empty. About forty acres surrounded the campus, but I rarely strayed far. Rose’s sense of direction was atrocious, and getting lost wasn’t on my agenda tonight.
*Oh, stuff it,* she retorted, pushing forward. I resisted, but the alcohol dulled my defenses, and she slipped through.
Shifting had become second nature after years of practice, so I usually barely felt it. Tonight, though, it dragged. Every movement, every shuffle of bones and muscles, felt exaggerated.
*Well, maybe don’t guzzle an entire bottle of wine in under twenty minutes,* Rose quipped as the transformation finally completed.
*Sometimes things SEEM like good ideas at the time,* I muttered defensively, trying to center myself.
Rose wasted no time, heading for the spring at the far edge of the grounds. It was her go-to, mostly because it was the only place she could reliably find. The run was beautiful, even if it left her exhausted more often than not. I couldn’t count the times I’d had to walk back naked after she wore herself out. Not that I was shy, but public nudity wasn’t my preferred vibe.
When we arrived, I groaned at the sight of a dozen mixed shifters partying by the water. Some were shifted, others weren’t, and sex was happening in plain view. Rose had always drawn the line there, saving herself for our mate. The whole idea of wolf-form intimacy-and the heightened risk of pregnancy-was enough to weird me out.
*Hey! I don’t judge how you have sex,* she huffed, sticking her nose in the air.
The sounds of a particularly loud couple made my stomach churn, but Rose insisted on a quick dip. I could hardly blame her; the night was warm, and the water would feel amazing.
She approached the large flat rock most people jumped from, but instead of diving, she paused.
*What is it?* I asked, trying to focus through her eyes.
*Isn’t that… what do you call her? Jersey chaser? Frat mattress?* she snorted, spotting a naked female riding a male in the shallow water.
I laughed. It always cracked me up when Rose used my lingo.
“Yeah, that’s Quinley Hawthorne. Don’t know her personally, but she’s got a reputation. Not the good kind. And judging by her performance, she’s well-practiced,” I said dryly. “For all my faults, at least I’ve never put on a show like that. Tacky.”
Rose shook her head, clearly missing the reference but too focused to care. A trio in the water lingered beneath the rock, blocking her jump. After a few minutes, it became clear they were doing it on purpose.
When her chance finally came, she took a running start. Just as her last paw hit the rock, a voice rang out.
“Lily? Is that you up there? Shouldn’t you be tending to your males?”
Our head snapped toward the speaker, and in that instant, Rose’s paw slipped. We tumbled ungracefully into the water, landing with a resounding belly flop. Laughter erupted around us, loud enough to hear even underwater.
*Oh, I’m going to tear that bitch apart,* Rose growled.
For once, I agreed. But as our head broke the surface, the throbbing pain in our ankle cut through the adrenaline, leaving us simmering and injured.
Rose paddled awkwardly to the shallow edge, dragging herself onto a cluster of rocks. She collapsed there, carefully tucking our injured foot beneath her as she began to lick at it, trying to soothe the pain.
A strange stillness blanketed the area, so sudden it was unsettling. Rose paused, her ears perking up as she scanned her surroundings. Everyone was gone. Just like that. The vibrant, noisy crowd had vanished into the night.
*Where the hell did they go?* I thought, but before I could ponder further, the sound of deliberate footsteps drew her attention.
A large, midnight wolf emerged from the shadows, exuding raw authority. His stance was rigid, his dark eyes sharp and locked onto us with an unmistakable edge of irritation. His presence radiated command, and the weight of his aura pressed against us like an unspoken reprimand.
*Was he part of the group? Did I ruin his fun?*
Ignoring him, Rose attempted to stand but whimpered as she placed weight on our injured leg, the pain forcing her back down.
“Why the hell are you out here alone, Lilith?” a low, rough voice growled, snapping my focus entirely onto him.
Before I could respond, warm, calloused hands cupped our face. Rose leaned into the touch, a soft purr rumbling in her throat.
*Oh, great. The cavalry knows everything now,* I muttered, frustrated.
*He’s here to save us,* Rose purred shamelessly, pressing further into his hand as if she couldn’t get enough.
Caden knelt beside us, his fingers trailing over our fur with practiced ease. Rose melted under his touch, every line of tension in her body dissipating as he gently examined our injured foot.
“Show me where it hurts, beautiful,” he murmured, his voice softer now, almost tender.
Rose’s gaze flicked up, and for the first time, she fully took in his figure-completely naked, unashamed, and undeniably impressive. She froze, her breath catching as her attention lingered far longer than it should have.
“Yes, Lily,” he chuckled, amused, “Caleb and I are identical in every way.”
*Yeah, well, that’s no guarantee he knows what to do with it,* I scoffed internally, trying to push the moment aside.
*Oh, there’s no ignoring this,* Rose replied, completely entranced.
Caden chuckled again, sitting back without a shred of modesty. “Were you trying to swim? Do you still want to?”
Before I could even consider responding, Caleb’s wolf appeared, trotting over with purpose. Without hesitation, he rubbed against Rose, spreading his scent across her fur. She shamelessly rolled onto her side, granting him access to her belly.
*Great. Now the entire area will know Lilith Emory’s been claimed,* I fumed, trying to suppress the rising panic.
*They’re proud of us. Why can’t we just accept that?* Rose argued, her thoughts tinged with contentment as Caleb nuzzled her again.
I sighed inwardly. *It’s not about shame, Rose. It’s about… everything else. My life is going to implode if this gets out!*
But Rose wasn’t listening. She was too caught up in the attention, the warmth of their presence, the unspoken bond forming between us and them.
Eventually, as the playful splashing and affectionate nudges stretched on, Rose tried to stand again. The sharp pain in our foot stopped her cold, and Caden immediately noticed.
“Shift for me, Lilith,” he coaxed, his voice a gentle command. “I’ll carry you either way, but it’ll be easier-and more comfortable-if you shift.”
Rose hesitated, torn between holding onto this moment and acknowledging her exhaustion. I tried to protest, to insist she remain in her wolf form since I didn’t have any clothes nearby, but Rose had other ideas.
*Oh, stop fussing. They’re our mates. It’s natural! Besides, I’m tired of being your doormat. I’ll do what I want, thank you very much,* she declared, retreating into the recesses of my mind and leaving me to deal with the aftermath.
“Rose! Stop!” I begged, panic surging as I felt the shift begin. But it was too late.
Within moments, I lay in the grass, shivering in the cool night air, completely exposed. Caden crouched before me, unbothered by his own nakedness, his lips curving into a gentle smile.
“There’s my girl,” he said, brushing stray hair from my face.
I scrambled to cover myself, pressing my arms across my chest and curling my legs tightly together. Behind me, I was sure Caleb was lurking, though he stayed eerily silent.
“I didn’t want to shift,” I muttered, pouting in frustration. “Rose was too tired.”
Caden chuckled, the sound low and comforting as he pulled a T-shirt from nearby and slipped it over my head.
“Baby, don’t be shy,” he murmured, pulling me closer. “You have to know you’re the most beautiful, sexy woman we’ve ever seen. But it’s not just your body we want-it’s you. All of you. Feisty, stubborn, and everything in between.”
His sincerity disarmed me. For once, there were no games, no hidden motives. It was the kind of honesty I hadn’t experienced since my parents, and it left me feeling raw and exposed in a completely different way.
Caden cradled me against his chest, his warmth soothing my frazzled nerves. Caleb approached then, draping an arm around us as he leaned in. “Lilith Emory, we’ll take you anywhere you want to go,” he said softly. “We just hope that wherever it is, we’ll be with you-fully, completely.”
My eyes fluttered closed, exhaustion taking over as I melted into Caden’s embrace. “Take me home,” I whispered.
“As you wish,” he murmured, pressing a tender kiss to my forehead.