Page 32 of Touched By Moonlight

Chapter 9

STEPHAN

I’d never pridedmyself much on exercising control. I’m a werewolf hiding in human skin, and we can pretty much do as we please, as long as the humans can’t see us doingit.

Or another shifter or paranormal doesn’t kick our ass as we’re trying to doit.

I had great control until three years ago, when that Fae broke my heart and I nearly died. And then shortly after, while Nick and I were wandering, trying to survive, we met Grayson. He gave me and Nick a place to live. A place tobelong.

Family to replace the ones who had abandonedus.

I would do anything for Grayson. Including exercising control asneeded.

He’s more than my alpha. He’s like Nick – my brother, just not inblood.

There’s so much pleasure to be experienced in life. Hunting prey in the forest. Riding my bike and feeling the wind on my face. Running as wolf beneath the full moon, the stars as my canopy, the crisp wind and tang of pine flooding mysenses.

The smell of a woman beneath me as we fuck, the feel of her soft skin, the soft purr of her pleasure in my ears. The tight squeeze of her core around my cock as I slide intoher.

All those things I thought I’d never experience again, until Grayson gave us refuge, and set me on my two feet again. He helped me see myself for what I am, and erase the cloud of shame hovering overme.

But there’s thewomen.

Women are my one weakness. I like them, like having sex with them. They usually fall at my feet. That’s not bragging, just a fact. When we wish, male werewolves emit a pheromone that makes women crave us like a drug. It’s one of our abilities and we can summon it the way we draw out our fangs and claws when we’re ready tofight.

Fighting and fucking are what I dobest.

This pheromone increases in alpha wolves. Once in a rare while, some ordinary male werewolf gets an extra dose that makes himirresistible.

Somehow, I became one of the lucky ones. I never had to work at getting lovers. I only made sure not to take them within my own original pack because that can cause friction. It wasn’t a big deal because there’s plenty of women out there for mychoosing.

And that’s why I got into trouble with that Fae. After what she did, I resolved to stay celibate. Women were not worth thetrouble.

Tonight, things changed withSienna.

The first time I saw her, Sienna intrigued me. Rich, dark hair tumbling down her back, restrained by a ponytail. The hair was dyed, of course. I could tell. Sienna’s eyes were a vibrant green and she couldn’t hide the delicate glow of her pale skin, as lovely as moonbeams dappling the forest. She dressed down, in black pants and a baggy, long-sleeved shirt, instead of showing off her assets like Cass, the otherbartender.

We knew she was in hiding, but the things is, she acted like someone who is trying to be invisible and can’t suppress her natural personality. Spunky and free, with a tinge of a wild side that made me crave to seemore.

Yet I was content to get to know her as a friend, like a guy you’d hang with, talk movies and bikes and outdoor stuff. I backed away from her because I knew Grayson wantedher.

And then he confided in us what she really is, and how heknew.

Initially, the news scared the crap out of me. But I trust Grayson and whatever he wants, I will help him get. I may owe Nick my life for saving me, but I owe Grayson my loyalty and trust for restoring the shattered bits of mysoul.

I was content to leave Sienna alone, treat her as a friend my alpha wanted tobed.

Tonight changedeverything.

Before we came to Crossroads tonight, Grayson shared his plan, to bring her into our fold and the three of us would share her bed if she wantedit.

It felt as if my alpha opened thefloodgates.

I had to exercise all my control the moment we walked into the bar. My cock did a little happy dance in my jeans for the first time in manymonths.

The entire time we sat at the table and I talked with Sienna about stupid trivial things like movies, my inner wolf howled with desire. My erection pressed against my jeans, and my hormones surged, demanding I initiate sex right now. For the first time in years, I had to exercise realrestraint.

For her, I would do it. Sometimes the anticipation is as sweet as thereward.