A Shifter's Curse, Raven Steele [the top 100 crime novels of all time .TXT] 📗

stupid. Somehow, Dominic had sensed me and the witch had cast a spell to muffle the noise of the men. That's the only way these elephants could have got the jump on me. Damnit.

I backed up, still growling and considering my options. I was pretty sure I could outrun these two. But I thought of my uncle and that knife. I couldn't run away.

Besides, I'd talked myself out of worse situations.

The biggest beef-head leaned down, and I was tempted to snap at him. He smelled like cheap beer and piss.

"Are you going to be a good little wolf and come with us? Or, are we going to have to muzzle you?"

Groaning, I shifted into my human form.

My very naked human form.

Covered in shit.

They both chuckled. The biggest one spoke again. "I didn't think it was possible, but you look worse than you smell." 

"And I didn't think it was possible to see a monkey's ass on someone's face, but there you are!"

He bawled his fat fingers into a fist and swung it at my cheek. I easily ducked and rammed my closed hand into his gut. He expelled a fast breath, gripping his stomach.

His short, fat friend laughed out loud. "She just got shit on you, Terrence!"

I turned to him, smirking. "There's plenty of that to go around."

He raised his hands and stepped back.

"Let's get this over with, shall we?" I put out my hand in his direction. "Give me your jacket."

"No way. You'll get crap all over it."

"I will anyway when I jump on top of you and choke you out in a second."

Tubby looked at Terrence for backup, but Terrence, who had finally straightened from me hitting him in the stomach, motioned with his hand. "Just give it to her. We can beat her up later. Boss is waiting."

I huffed. Clearly Terrence hadn't learned his lesson.

As soon as the jacket was wrapped around me and zipped up good, I stepped into the clearing.

Don't bend over. Don't bend over. Flashing my cooter to a pack of wolf shifters probably wasn't a good idea. The cool breeze gusting up my nether regions would be a good reminder.

The pack, Dominic and Silas included, watched us approach. My breathing picked up as I got closer, and I struggled to keep it steady.

I was so close, so close to my enemy.

I wanted to rip them to shreds, right here in front of their own pack. Just as they'd done to me.

But I had to keep my cool. Otherwise, I'd be wolf meat by the end of the night. I forced myself to chill the hell out so, instead, I put on a snarky grin.

I'd hoped my first meeting with the Silver Claws would be a little more respectable, but at least I would be memorable. Naked and covered in horse shit. I knew I wouldn't be forgotten anytime soon.

I didn't mean to catch Luke's eye. His jaw was flexed tight, and he stared at me with an intensity that made the breeze on my ass even colder. Yet as I returned his glare, my heartbeat picked up. I forced my gaze away.

Planting a practiced grin, I approached the pack, holding out my hands. "I heard this is where the party's at. I hope I'm not late." When no one said anything, I added, "Shoot. Am I too dressed down?"

Silas chuckled but Dominic's thick eyebrows pulled together, and his dark brown eyes stared down at me. "We don't take kindly to shifters who spy on us. Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

"I'm just a new gal in town scoping out the local packs. I heard this one was really banging and wanted to check it out." I gave Luke a pointed look. "I was told to come pay my respects." I turned toward my uncle, eyeing him curiously. His head was slumped to the side. Blood dripped from his chin onto his bare chest, but he was still alive. "A little extreme for what I'm used to, but I'm kind of digging the whole aggression vibe you got going on."

"Shut up." Dominic frowned. "I hate lone wolves. They have far too many opinions, and they always feel the need to share them."

"Jeez. What's up your ass besides gimpy here?" I motioned at Silas who was standing next to him. It made me happy to insult them both. A few of the shifters behind me chuckled.

"Enough! Tie her up and put her in the basement. We can question her later, after the blood trial."

"What the hell? I was told to come here."

"You came here to spy."

Luke cleared his throat and stepped forward. "I would like to question her now. I fear she may be spying on us to give information to the Greybacks."

This got Dominic's attention. He looked from Luke to me, the wheels of his brain turning painfully slow. I glared at Luke. He takes me for a snitch? One more thing to put on his shit list.

"Fine. Take her over there and get what you can out of her. Be quick about it." Dominic moved toward me, his movements slow and deliberate as if treating me like prey. Little did he know I was the real predator here. "I don't know why you've come, but let's hope for your sake this is all just a big misunderstanding."

"A big fat misunderstanding."

Behind him, Luke was retrieving rope from the rear of the house. All the while keeping his eyes on me.

Dominic reached up and brushed my cheek with the back of his fingers. I didn't flinch, knowing that's what he wanted—to see fear in my eyes. If it weren't for the witch standing nearby, or the more than two dozen shifter wolves, I might've killed him right then. I'm pretty sure I had enough strength to ram my fist right through his chest, crushing his heart.

He studied my face, his eyes narrowing. "There's something about you..."

"It's my bitch face," I said quickly, hoping to stop his train of thought. I doubted he would recognize me. I had been ten the last time he saw me, but still. "It probably reminds you of one of your ex-wives."

"I was never married."

“Damn. A damn shame.”

"Listen, if you truly want to join the pack," he was circling me now, his voice a purr, "I can find a position for you." His eyes dropped to my bare legs. "You just have to be open to it."

Blood rushed to my face, and I clenched my hands to my side, ready to smash them into his perfectly formed nose.

Before I could do anything stupid, Luke was beside me, pulling me roughly from Dominic. "Let's go."

I jerked free from his grip, so mad I could barely walk. There's no way in hell I was going to let that dickface victimize me again. I had to get Dominic alone somehow.

Dominic faced the crowd again. "Let's continue the blood trial."

As I walked alongside Luke toward the side of the house, he wrinkled his nose and blew out air. "You smell terrible. What did you do?"

"What any self-respecting woman would do when trying to sneak up on a pack of wolves. It just happened to backfire in my face."

"More like exploded." He guided me to a tree far from the group, but still within view of my uncle. "Let's get this over with. Sit down."

"Is this really necessary? I will answer your stupid questions."

"I prefer you tied up."

"I bet that's how you like all your women."

"Only the good ones." He winked and took hold of my arm. I managed to enjoy the warmth of his fingers for just a few seconds, before he jerked me to the ground.

My butt hit the ground hard, and I became very aware of the dirt on my nether regions. I snarled and resisted the urge to kick him in the crotch, but the witch was still watching me intensely. She saw too much. I might need to find a way to take her out before I could get to Silas or Dominic. Maybe my new witchy roommate could offer some assistance—as soon as I told her what I really was.

Luke stood over me, the rope in his hands. "Lean back."

I pressed my back into the trunk, eyeing the rope nervously. I hated being tied up. It made shifting into a wolf near impossible, plus it made me feel claustrophobic. But if this is what I had to do to get the pack to trust me, then bring on the panic.

“I don’t like doing this,” he said as he began wrapping the rope first around my stomach and the tree, then slowly moved up and around my upper torso. I sucked in a large breath, hoping to give myself some room, but he pulled it against me tightly. Alarms rang in my head, and my breath came out in shaky puffs. He wrapped it twice, three times. “If only you would’ve listened to me.”

The air caught in my throat. I couldn't breathe.

“Don’t get me wrong, I like tying up my women but not like this.” He moved the rope around me another time until I thought I was going to explode.

"Please." My voice cracked and hell, heat warmed my face. I was simultaneously embarrassed and panicked at the same time. My hands began to shake.

"Please, not around my chest."