Page 13 of Bandit’s Bounty (Iron Howlers MC #3)
Chapter Twelve
Sloane
K arsyn reached out and invited us to come out to their clubhouse since the men are still meeting. Electra, Jazzy and I, along with the brothers who stayed behind, head to the Spiked Raiders compound. I’m worried because of how quickly the others left earlier, but know that if he’s able, Bandit will tell me what’s going on.
If he can’t, he can’t. I trust him and his brothers to keep not only me, but Electra and Jazzy safe. “I hope Sage is there,” Jazzy suddenly says. “We haven’t been able to see each other much. Big Daddy says it’s because of club business. Do you know what that means, Sloane?”
I look over at her and see the earnest expression on her face. Since coming into this unique family, I have loved seeing how outgoing Cyrus’s daughter truly is. She positively adores Jabba and having seen the big man creating intricate hairstyles for her has given me an indication of how any future children Bandit and I may have will be treated.
“It means that the men of the club are handling something that they’re protecting us from,” I earnestly reply. “I think they also use that excuse when they don’t want to hear what we have to say about a situation,” I lean in and confide.
She starts emphatically giggling, and the merry sound is so contagious, I join in. “I think so too, Sloane,” she admits. “Do you think Sage is gonna be there?”
“Well, Karsyn is there so I imagine she has the kids there, too.”
“Maybe we can make cookies,” she murmurs to herself. “If my papa is in a meeting, he always likes cookies afterwards.”
“Then we’ll see if we can make some, as well as some real food,” I state.
I have no clue if Karsyn has the ingredients for cookies stored on her shelves, but surely if she doesn’t, we can send out a prospect for what we need, right? Plus, we’re going to want real food as well, although we could always order pizza and wings to be delivered.
My decision made, I see we’re at their clubhouse and the car is now parked. “Come on, Sloane, let’s go see if Sage is here,” Jazzy exclaims, pulling on my hand. Grinning, I get out of the car, Electra beside me, and we walk into their clubhouse and absolute bedlam.
“So, basically, you get visions but they’re not always accurate and clear enough to determine what’s going on or what they’re trying to tell you?” I ask Karsyn as we make another batch of cookie dough. Her son, Asher, is comfortably napping in a porta crib that one of the prospects brought down and set up when Asher got tired.
“Pretty much. But it helps me know how we can protect the club and everyone in it,” she replies. “There’s a reason behind why each of us mated the males we did,” she supplies.
“Fate,” Harmony says. At Karsyn’s look she adds, “With some help from the goddesses, of course. I mean, neither Cyrus nor Corbin liked witches, and while I wouldn’t say they’d consider themselves besties with them now, they’re more tolerant because of me, Syn, and Electra.”
“I don’t really bring much to the table,” I mutter. “Former human turned wolf, big deal.”
Electra bursts out laughing. “Look, we’re elemental witches who can now shift into wolves. Perhaps there’s an ability the goddesses have endowed you with that hasn’t been revealed just yet. Regardless, you’re part of the family.”
Karsyn’s eyes suddenly turn opaque as she grips my hands in hers, pulling them from the mixing bowl I was working with. “She’s the third of the triad, her birth is foretold, but danger and intrigue surround her. Protection comes through fire, air, water, teeth and claws.”
I’m puzzling through her words, because in all truthfulness, they make absolutely no sense to me at all. I glance at her, worry gnawing at me when she slumps into the chair next to me while Harmony and Electra hover nearby. I’m so happy they’re here because again, I’m out of my element and have no clue how to care for her when she’s in this state.
“What was that?” I ask once I have my wits somewhat about me again.
“That’s Karsyn’s gift,” Harmony supplies. “And no, I have no clue what it means. She won’t either when she comes back to herself. But we’ll see if we can figure it out.”
“Should we finish with the cookies?” I question.
“Absolutely!” Lake decrees. She’s been helping the girls use the spatulas to remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets. “Is the dough ready to go?”
“Yeah, it’s ready. Don’t forget, roll it into balls then cover with the cinnamon and sugar mix,” I caution. I love snickerdoodles and apparently, they’re Bandit’s favorites as well, so I want plenty made.
Lake rolls her eyes at me as she sticks out her tongue. “As if I’d forget the most important part.”
Long after the men are finished meeting and all the food we prepared while waiting has been thoroughly demolished, I’m riding behind Bandit on his motorcycle as we make our way back to the Iron Howlers clubhouse. Given the option to go back in the club SUV or ride behind my mate, I chose door number two for sure.
“Wanna ride for a bit longer?” he yells over the rumbling engine of his Harley.
“Yes, please,” I all but purr. The vibrations are definitely foreplay as far as I’m concerned and I sure as hell hope my mate is ready to put out the fire he unintentionally started when he helped me climb on behind him.
“Don’t worry, mate, I’ve got you,” he teases, smirking at me through the side mirror.
It’s as if he knows my libido is going haywire right now. Then it dawns on me; he can scent my arousal, which means… holy crap! Every dang time I’ve been turned on, every single male in the clubhouse knew!
My face is undoubtedly blood red at this point, as I bury my head between his shoulders. There’s no way I can ever face any of those men again. Ever . Bandit and I are going to have to relocate to a different state. Maybe even a different country.
I’m enjoying the ride when I notice that my skin is feeling tight and itchy. “Bandit!” I yell. I know he’ll be able to hear me because of his enhanced hearing.
“What?”
“Something’s wrong with me,” I tell him, getting worried because I no longer feel like myself.
“Shit. Hold on, Sloane.”
Within minutes he has us pulled over in a somewhat secluded area and I’m off the bike as he scans me from head to toe. “Tell me what you’re feeling,” he demands.
“I feel like I’m about to come out of my skin,” I reply, tears welling up. “It’s all scratchy, like I get when I’m having an allergic reaction to something.”
“Babe, I think you’re about to shift for the first time,” he advises. “Go ahead and strip so you don’t destroy your clothes since I don’t think you want to ride on the back of my bike to the clubhouse bareback.”
Despite my fear about the upcoming shift, I start to giggle as I begin to undress. The absolute ludicrousness of his statement is hysterical for some reason. By the time I’m naked, I can see that fur is now sprouting on my arms. I stare at him in wonder and ask, “What do I do now?”
“Get down on all fours and don’t try to fight it. You might experience some pain since this is your first shift, but I’m right here. Once you’re a wolf and I know you’re okay, I’ll also shift and we can run for a little bit, okay?”
I go to reply but instant pain wracks my body as my bones break, realign and transition. When I try to express my thoughts, instead of words exiting my lips, a small yip comes out in its place and I realize I now have a muzzle, four paws where my hands and feet used to be and is that a tail coming up from my ass? Bandit chuckles at me as I keep turning my head to see what I look like until I give up and sit back on my haunches, chuffing at him.
“Fuck, Sloane, you’re beautiful,” he says as he reaches out and runs his hand over my head and between my ears. I can’t help the whine that escapes my mouth because it’s such a new sensation, but it feels fantastic. “Okay, babe, hold on,” he states, still chuckling, as he quickly strips then shifts into his much larger wolf.
We nuzzle each other before he lightly nips my back end then takes off into the woods. Soon, I’m chasing him, my howls breaking free as the absolute freedom I’m experiencing courses through me. I mean, I’m in animal form, but I still know what’s happening. My wolf and I seem to be connected on a molecular and familiar level. My vision is sharper, my sense of smell is almost overpowering as every little thing that passes by causes me to react.
When I smell a small animal, my wolf takes over and the predator in me rises, we’re soon stalking a deer. Bandit steps back slightly and nods his head, allowing me to take the lead. With a savage snarl, I pounce on the unsuspecting animal and with little resistance, rip through its throat with my teeth. We eat until we’re full, leaving what’s left for the other predatory animals that I sense are nearby. He leads me to a small stream where we drink our fill of water then he shifts back.
“Sloane, you need to shift back so you don’t get overtired,” Bandit says. “Just think of yourself with legs and visualize your human self. It’s like looking in a mirror at yourself, once you have that image in your mind, it’ll happen.”
“Oh, my goodness, that was wild!” I exclaim, still crouched on the ground.
There’s no embarrassment about being naked in front of him. It feels perfectly natural, to be honest. “You did well, babe,” he compliments, reaching out his hand to help me up.
A slight breeze picks up and I shiver. “I think I need my clothes now,” I tease.
“Well,” he drawls out. “I mean, I know you’re aroused, but I’m partial to some creature comforts, like a bed or a wall.”
“You mean dirt and bark aren’t your thing?” I start giggling as he reaches for my hand to walk back to his bike and our clothes.
“Not when my mate is cold,” he replies, grinning down at me. “Otherwise, I’d throw caution to the wind and be adventurous.”
It doesn’t take long for us to get back to where he parked, and while we don’t talk, it’s not an uncomfortable silence at all. Communication between us doesn’t seem to have to be done verbally. We’re nearly perfectly in sync. Soon, I’m behind him once again as he takes us back to the clubhouse.
“I know there are things you can’t tell me because it’s club business,” I murmur, my body sated after his thorough lovemaking. “But is everything okay? Because Karsyn said something weird earlier today.”
“What did she say?” he asks, his hand running up and down my back in a soothing manner.
“She said, ‘She’s the third of the triad, her birth is foretold, but danger and intrigue surround her. Protection comes through fire, air, water, teeth and claws.’”
His eyes grow wide and then I ask, “What do you think that means?”
“I don’t know but I bet anything it’s going to involve the pup you’re carrying,” he says, cupping the lower half of my belly. “Otherwise, she wouldn’t have said something like that, I don’t think.”
“I’m pregnant?” I whisper, shocked yet excited.
“Yeah, babe, you are,” he softly murmurs. “Seems like a good reason for us to celebrate, don’t you think?”
“Works for me,” I saucily reply.
Trouble may be coming to Redwich again and while I don’t know the particulars, I do know that between the Iron Howlers MC and the Spiked Raiders MC, we’re all going to be just fine.
The End… for now! Stay tuned for Prowler’s Command, coming later in 2025 as more of the mysteries surrounding Redwich are revealed!
If you like shifter MC's, turn the page for an exciting new series from Darlene Tallman and Nikki Landis!