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Laughing, I push at Sinatra’s black fur body, trying to give myself a little space.

“Scoot back, Sinatra. I need a little room. Especially if you want me to play for you again.”

He doesn’t move back but lets me scoot forward to get comfortable.

“What should I play today?” I ask my wolf. “The Eagles? Fleetwood Mac? Elvis? Sinatra?”

Sinatra doesn’t respond to any of the artists, so I choose one for us:Witchy Womanby theEagles. I strum through the chords at a leisurely pace, letting my eased mind control the speed and style of the song.

Sinatra sits watching me, and halfway through the song, he lowers his head to his paws at my side, ensuring the side of his snout presses against my thigh, keeping me warm and cozy.

When the song is over, I mindlessly play random songs and chords that drift in and out of my mind.

“Have you ever met Hunter, Sinatra? He lives in a house not too far from here.”

I look down at the wolf, who is watching me closely, listening intently. So, I continue.

“He’s the mayor of the town. I’m sure you’ve seen him. His family seems to know you pretty well, so I’m sure you have.” I pause, thinking about Hunter and his restrained smile and baby blues, his dark hair that’s almost as black as Sinatra’s fur.

“I think I may have a crush on him,” I admit. “There’s something about him that’s . . . alluring. I feel drawn to him. Especially when he speaks, and growls.”

Sinatra nuzzles his nose against my hand because I stopped playing, and I laugh, picking back up on my incoherent strumming.

“The deep gravel of his voice sends tingles through me in a way that makes me all . . .” I huff out a shaky breath, “well, horny.”

Sinatra’s head perks up, and I swear he’s staring at me in shock like he knows what I said. My face flushes, and I giggle, embarrassed to admit such a thing to a wolf.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m sure there are lady wolves that get you all hot and bothered. It’s natural. But with Hunter, it feels more than just natural. It feels deeper. I don’t know how to explain it. I just know when I look into his eyes and hear his voice... And don’t get me started on the way he smells.”

The wolf cocks his head at me in question.

“He doesn’t smell bad. Actually, he smells divine.”

Just remembering the sound of his deep voice and the smell of his intoxicating scent goes straight to my clit, and my nipples peak under my sweater. I have to rub my thighs together to ease the sensations growing there.

Sinatra leans closer to me as I cuddle down into his fur. Forgetting the guitar in my hands and halting my playing.

“I don’t know what to do about it, Sinatra. He seems interested but denies himself. I know he’s a good man. A bit protective. I’ve had plenty of guards in my life who were protective, but something about him is more possessive. More personal.

“He’s also very confusing, but sweet. His family is amazing. Spending time with them last week had me realizing what I’ve missed out on with my own family ever since my dad died.”

My mood drops from horny to sad, thinking of my dad always does that. We missed out on so much together. Who knows what my life would have looked like if he were alive. I probably wouldn’t have become Alexandria.

Sensing my shift in mood, Sinatra lifts up on his front paws and begins nosing at my cheek and neck, licking and tickling me. My guitar is pushed to the side as I wrestle with Sinatra, laughing hysterically and trying to get him to stop. His wet nose and fine fur only add to my torment.

The wolf stands over me as I lay flat on my back laughing, when he stops abruptly. Planting his four paws on the ground around me, he stands over me like a shield, caging me in. His head goes straight up, matching his ears. His pink tongue pulls back inside his mouth as his nose twitches, sniffing the wind. A small growl begins to rumble in his chest just above me, and I can see his lips pull back, exposing wicked, sharp fangs.

Sinatra is focused on something in the darkened bushes that I can’t see from my position on the ground. But when I try to stand, Sinatra positions his body to stop me.

That growl that began quietly now rumbles loudly, but that’s not all that’s loud in the meadow. I hear snapping and cracking, and then I see the impossible.

The wolf standing over me appears to begrowing.

I don’t believe it at first, but in the next moments or minutes, I don’t know how long, there no longer stands a wolf but a beast. A giant creature that resembles a wolf but towers over even the tallest human I’ve ever met. His hind legs are tall and powerful, and his front paws become fingered hands with razor-sharp claws. A mixture of man and beast that is extremely angry. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem to be aimed at me, but that doesn’t stop the ear-piercing shriek that wrenches itself free from my lungs.

I scramble, trying to put as much distance between myself and the beast.

“Holy fucking shit! What the actual fuck?”