Shifting Magic (Shifted) (7 page)

If you had told her
yesterday that she would meet and bond with a werewolf, she would have told you there was no way. She didn’t need a relationship. Men tried to control her at work and at home. The last thing she needed was an Alpha wolf as a husband.

Boy was she wrong. She needed R
anger like she needed to breathe. He had given her every opportunity to leave. He had given her a choice despite what her leaving would do to him. He hadn’t tried to control her. He had treated her with the utmost respect.

“
Are you hungry?” Ranger wrapped his arms around her.

“I could eat,” she laughed
, thinking maybe he hadn’t actually meant food.

“
Good, I’m starved.” Ranger moved to get out of the bed, Nina wanted nothing more than to pull him back down but her stomach rumbling was evident.

“
Do you think Willow would mind if I borrowed some clothes?” she asked as she spotted the scraps that used to be her uniform.

“I
don’t think she’d mind. Their room is just down the hall. Come on, we’ll find you something.” Ranger took her hand and held it tightly in his as they made their way down the hall.

“
So why do you live here with them?” Nina asked. It was odd for a mated wolf to have another Alpha male in his home even if it was his brother.

“
When Ryder realized Willow was his mate, he took off. Willow had just killed a Shifter and needed protecting. My Dad sent me.”

“
Why would he run?”

“Ryder
could better explain that. Willow was not the first time that he felt the mate fever. He didn’t trust that it was real.”

“I
thought…”

“
That you only got one true mate? Yeah we all did. Ryder’s first mate died when they were young. Then there’s Emory. She, Hank, and Sam all seem to be each other’s mate.”

“So you could have another mate out there?” Nina didn’t love that idea.

“No, I think Emory and her men is a fluke. Ryder and Willow, well, that’s most likely because his first mate died.”

“
You’re sure some other girl isn’t going to just show up?”

“
Yeah, I’m sure. Thousands of years of werewolf legend and there’s never been a mention of duel mates or even having a second chance when one dies. I think my family has already gone against that on two accounts. You and I are flying solo, I can assure you.”

“Good
, I’ll hold you to that. So when Ryder came back?”

“I
stayed. Willow and I are close. In a way she’s even closer to me than Emory.”

“
But she’s not your mate.”

“
No she’s definitely not my mate, you are. Any regrets?” He said taking a pair of Willows shorts and a tee shirt out of the laundry room.

“None
so far,” Nina smiled.

“
Do you feel like changing before dinner?”

“Ranger
, I just put shorts on?” Nina looked confused.

“I
meant into a wolf. Rory’s white, Willow’s Golden…”

“Oh
and you think I’ll be what, Blue?”

“
No, I have no idea. A year ago, I would have said there were only three colors you could be. Again I was wrong to assume anything about my family’s mates would be normal.”

“What
were the three choices.”

“There
not really choices. You are what you are. Up until Willow and Rory, werewolves were brown, grey, or red which is more auburn really. Some Wolves are Black, but that’s unheard of in turned wolves.”

“And
you are?

“
Black. All of us are; Ryder, Xavier, Maverick, and Emory. It’s an Alpha thing.”

“Okay
, so let’s see what color I get. I think plaid would be nice.”

“Wolve
s don’t come in plaid.”

“
Ah, but you just said they don’t come in white or gold normally.”

“
True, you ready?”

“Right
here?”

“
Sure.”

“
What do I do?”

“Just let your wolf surface. You can feel her right?”

“I
feel something, yes.”

“
Just let go and she’ll take over.”

“I
don’t like the idea of someone taking over,”

“
It’s not someone. It’s you. She is you, just in a different form. You’ll be able to see, hear, and think normally. Well, normally for a Wolf Shifter that is.”

“
Okay, I’m trusting you on this,” Nina stood straight and closed her eyes. She felt the otherness, her wolf tentatively take a step forward. Her body hummed as the change rushed through her. A pulling and stretching sensation made her muscles ache.

“Don’t
fight it. Just go with it,” Ranger said before she let go.

Ranger watched as Nina slipped from one form to
another. Damn, he thought, a second too late. He should have thought to have her remove the clothing. Oh well, Willow had other shorts. The shirt seemed to survive the transition.

Nina stood tall
, a shimmering black wolf. Alpha, of course she would be Alpha. Her father was the Witches equivalent.

The sleek black co
at was interrupted only by the Pink Floyd tee shirt she was wearing.

Ranger tried not to laugh as he raised one paw then another in an effort to remove
it.

“
You’re Black love, and you’re stunning.”

Nina changed back
naked once again and Ranger handed her the shirt back.  “You forgot to tell me the part about clothing not making the transition.”

“
Yes I did, sorry.”

“I’ll
have to work on that.”

“I
like you naked.”

“I
enjoy being naked with you too, but that’s not what I meant. There has to be a way I can make the clothes appear and disappear timed with the change.”

“
Disappearing clothing?”

“
Sure watch.” Nina’s eyes almost glowed as the shirt faded from view. Then, just as quickly, it was back.

“Nice
. So you can create clothes out of thin air?” Ranger laughed. He had almost forgotten his wife was a witch.

“
No, I need something to work with,” she answered as the shirt faded back in. So I’m Black like you?”

“
Again, we seem to be defying the laws of nature. As far as I know black wolves are only born, not turned, and they are always Alpha bloodline.”

“My
hair is black.”

“
That really has nothing to do with your wolf. Emory and Xavier have light brown hair and they are black in wolf form. You may not be white or gold, but turned and black wolf is just as rare.”

“
Is that a good thing?”

“
Lately, it seems to be a Cheveyo thing. For whatever reason, we seem to be breaking all the rules.”

“Shaking
up the Were World, are we?”

“Yes
, you could say that. Come on, I’ll make you some eggs. They are my specialty.” Ranger took Nina’s hand and pulled her to the kitchen.

9

“Oh Ryder
, look at him,” Willow cooed as Rory held Maddox, who squirmed in her arms as if he was trying to escape.

“Just say the word babe.
”

“
Oh I didn’t mean.”

“You
want one?”

“A
baby, yes, eventually. Let’s enjoy our nephew here for a while before we have one of our own.

“
Good plan. That way we can give him back when he needs a diaper change,” Ryder teased.

“
Hey, who said I was letting either of you babysit?”

“
You know what they say, Rory. It takes a village.”

“
Or a pack” Ryder corrected. “So, do you think it’s safe to go home yet? It’s been two days?”

“I think we should call.
I have appointments this week so we have to go home. Ranger with a mate. I can’t believe it. He just waltzed up to the woman and said, ‘I’m your mate.’”

Rory laughed
. “I hear she said, ‘yes you are’ when he did that. Is that true?”

“Sure is
.” Ryder confirmed.

“
We should have had it so easy,” Rory sighed remembering months of longing for a man she didn’t know.

“I would have if my husband here hadn’t been such a chicken.”

“Chicken, I’ll have you know I am a very dangerous Alpha Wolf and I bite.”

“Promises
, promises,” Willow said with the wave of a hand. Ryder grabbed her around the waist, spinning her to face him before kissing her.

“
Behave you two. There is a child in the room.”

Nina stretched and looked over at Ranger who was sleeping soundly. Muscles she didn’t even know she had protested the movement. She knew she had to get back to the real world sometime, just not right this minute.

“
Are you staring at me?” Ranger said without lifting his head.

“
Yes, I am.”

“And
?”

“And
I’m having a hard time getting out of this bed.”

“
Then don’t.”

“Ranger
, we need to get back to real life. Aren’t we supposed to have dinner with your family and mine today?”

“
Is it Sunday?”

“
Yes,” Nina laughed. “I also need to get some stuff from my place. I have to work tomorrow.” Nina waited to see if he was going to object to her continuing on the force.

“I guess we
should discuss living arrangements. I like it here, but I know you have your own place.”

“My
place is a place to sleep, that’s all. I think maybe we should discuss my moving in with Willow and Ryder if you want to stay here, or we could get our own place.”

“I
have my own place but I’m never there. Xavier asked if he could move in. I kind of told him it would be okay but that was before.”

“Seriously
, I don’t care where we live Ranger. Here is nice if you want to stay.”

The phone started ringing before Nina even finished the sentence. Ranger looked to see who it was
and laughed when he saw it was Willow.“Speak of the devil. Hey Willow.”

“
Ranger, so I’m calling to warn you Ryder and I are coming home tonight. The Alpha house is not my idea of home. People in and out at all hours.”

“
We were just discussing that. Do you want us to leave?”

“God
no. I just don’t want the two of you naked in my living room. The house is huge. Way too big for just Ryder and me. If you want to stay, you’re welcome. I do suggest you consult your mate though.”

“Like
I said ,we were discussing where to live. As if you didn’t already know that.”

“Ah
and she said?”

“
She’s okay with staying here at least for now. I just didn’t want to move her in without asking.”

“I
appreciate that. I like Nina. We’ll do just fine.”

“
Good. Are you coming now or after dinner?”

“Royal would have a fit if we missed the din
ner, so after. I have clients tomorrow and Wednesday.”

“Nina
is going back to work tomorrow and I promise to stay out of your way.” Nina smiled at Ranger. She was sure he was going to object to her continuing on the human Police force. Then again Sam had been on the force and he was a wolf. “We’ll see you at dinner, and Willow, thanks.”

“Anything
for my best friend, and brother in law. Remember, no getting naked in the living room.”

“Fine,
I think we can manage controlling ourselves,” Ranger said hanging up.

“So what did she say?”

“She said no getting naked in the living room.”

“Did
she say anything about the kitchen?” Nina grinned.

“No she didn’t
. Is that your way of telling me you’re hungry?”