Page 7 of Rogue If You Want To (Fur-Ever Mountain Pack #2)

TORIN

I shifted back because this wasn’t working.

“What are you doing?” Auden had both hands on his hips.

“I can’t help him.”

“Are you just going to give up when you have a problem?” Auden spat out, and I cringed. Creven put a hand on the older man’s chest and something passed between them. “You’re his mate.”

I wanted to cry and wished Mom was here to tell him to be nice to me. Or Mr. Garrison who would have given me a reassuring smile and probably said the same thing as Auden, but couched it in less abrasive language.

“As mates, you and Otto share a bond. His beast will respond to you eventually.”

This was where my inexperience put me at a disadvantage. If I was part of a pack, I might have been used to the tongue-lashing Auden gave me or I would have the skills to lure out his beast.

“I only discovered who I was when I was in high school, and my adoptive mom was human.”

Auden folded his arms. He didn’t appear to be sympathetic to my reasoning. He wasn’t going to award me Brownie points for being a late starter. He shrugged and asked if I wanted my mate to recover.

“More than anything.”

“Then get to work.”

Creven stepped forward. “Your wolf has to connect with his otter.” He glanced at his mate, Larkin. They were a fox and wolf pairing, but how did a wolf contact an otter? We had nothing in common.

“We’re not marked.” Could we do that now with Otto in and out of consciousness? Even if it was allowed, I refused to participate with my mate unable to give consent.

“Marking strengthens the bond but it doesn’t create it.” Creven reached out to Larkin and held his hand. “You are mates whether you mark one another or not.”

“Give your wolf permission to contact Otto’s beast. He’ll know what to do.”

He didn’t a minute ago and we’d been trying for ages.

As if he could read my thoughts, Auden told me that I had been trying to reach the otter. “There’s a difference.”

“You have to let go and give your wolf the power to do what he must.” That was Larkin chiming in.

Trust. I had to trust my beast and his instincts. Are you ready for this?

Yes. We have to do this for our mate .

Here goes. I closed my eyes and allowed my wolf to take his fur. I’d never get over the thrill of shifting, but today that emotion was tempered by worry about my mate’s injuries.

I can’t feel him, but I sense he’s squirreled away, deep inside our mate .

Despite my fears, I smiled at his reference to squirrels.

Closing my eyes, I handed my energy to my beast as he used his mind to find the otter.

That smell I’d picked up yesterday, of sodden dead leaves floating in water, reared up, washing over us.

It was invisible, but my wolf pounced on it and yanked it as if he was pulling a thread from an old sweater.

He’s there but curled up with his eyes closed.

He’s scared because he’s been through a lot . Also, he hadn’t been able to save Otto from the attack.

It’s safe to come out now. I’ll protect you with my life .

I was impressed with my wolf. I’d never seen him in this role.

Your human needs you, more than he ever has. Please show yourself .

Still nothing, but my beast told me to be patient. Wow! I was really being schooled today.

My wolf sent an outpouring of love toward our mate’s beast. Again we waited, and suddenly there was a fluttering.

What was that? Was it the otter’s heart?

Shush .

I had to remember to stop asking questions.

I’m Otto’s mate’s beast. This is a safe space. If you talk to me, we can help Otto.

Hello . It was a tiny squeaky voice which didn’t sound like an otter, but I’d only heard cartoon otters, so what did I know?

I rumbled with excitement inside my beast until I remembered I was supposed to be still.

I’m s-scared . His trembling voice needed a hug.

I know, but you’re safe now .

I can’t. The bad people might be there . The poor thing had suffered as much trauma as his human. A piece of my heart chipped off at how vulnerable he was.

We have a pack now. They will protect you and us .

We don’t have a pack .

You do now . I wasn’t a hundred percent sure we were part of the pack but didn’t contradict my wolf.

Oh. And Otto needs me?

Yes. A shift will heal his wounds .

It was on the tip of my tongue to jump in and yell that if he didn’t shift both he and Otto might die. But that would probably terrify him more. My wolf knew better.

Dark fur sprouted over Otto’s body. Before his human form vanished, his wounds closed up and, while not healed completely, signaled our mate would not die from them or any subsequent infection. A tail emerged and a cute little nose, along with whiskers. Gods, he was adorable.

Stop. He’s our mate’s beast, not a stuffed toy .

I was learning so much about shifters today and most of it was to know when to shut my mouth. Wishing I could hug my beast, I made do with telling him how well he’d done.

Auden, Creven, and Larkin congratulated my beast and left us alone.

Does he have to return to his human form straight away? my wolf asked.

I didn’t see why we couldn’t mosey around the pack land and maybe a little beyond.

He wants to go to the stream . Says there’s one nearby .

It hit me that the two beasts had returned to speaking directly to one another, just as Otto and I did in our human form.

Otters weren’t made to bound about on land, but my wolf followed the tiny beast as he scented the air and checked the sightlines.

The otter leaped into the narrow stream that was just behind the orchard.

He splashed about, and I swore he was smiling.

He dived under the water as my wolf waded into the shallow part.

His play was so joyful, and if I’d recovered from a near-death experience, I might have acted the same way. Somehow I doubted it, though, and suspected I’d be in bed with a good book and my favorite foods.

The otter scrambled out of the water and slid down the bank. Awww, he was so adorable. I’d fallen in love with him as well as Otto. He did that multiple times, and then while in the water, stared at my wolf.

I think he wants you to do the same , I pointed out to my beast.

I know he does, but I don’t slide down muddy riverbanks .

But the otter splashed my beast, and I held my breath, hoping there wasn’t going to be an ugly confrontation. My wolf harrumphed and got out of the stream. He stood on the bank and didn’t slide but sort of tumbled into the water. I was almost seasick at being turned upside down.

But the otter seemed pleased, and he did more sliding. He had more energy than I did. My wolf got out and shook himself, saying he’d had enough being wet. He sat on the bank, keeping watch while the otter frolicked. Maybe there were wild otters in the area so our mate could play games with them.

I’d like to hunt .

Maybe not today . I didn’t want the otter or Otto venturing far from pack land. Not until we knew if his brother was looking for him. The pack said they’d protect us, but if Otto’s brother had paid a renegade bear to attack Otto, he could have summoned an army to search for him.

It must have been a while since the otter had been so carefree because he was in the water for hours. In future, we’d have to find ways to occupy ourselves while he was swimming. My wolf would only submit to water play for a short time every day.

I was dozing when the otter emerged and shifted. There were ugly red jagged scars on Otto’s body, but he was whole. And I couldn’t resist a peek at his crotch. Nice. I took my skin and reached out to him.

“Thank you.”

“I did little except get in the way. It was all my wolf.”

He glanced at the stream. “It seems appropriate that as our beasts have been in the water, you and I should take a dip together. Our first.”

With our hands clasped, we ran toward the stream and leaped high in the air, landing with an enormous splash. We kissed underwater before emerging, our hair stuck to our scalps and sporting big smiles.

“Something tells me pruney hands and feet are in my future.”

Otto chortled. “Better get used to it.”