Running Free (Woodland Creek)(32)

“Yes. Last night, at the full moon, right before you blasted in all naked and shit, it happened. One minute, I was trying to figure out how quickly I could get her out of her panties later on and the next I was ready to f*cking marry her. What the hell, Frankie?”

“It sucks, doesn’t it?”

He sighs but his grin grows. “It should suck. Especially for someone like me. But, it doesn’t. In fact, having imprinted on her, she’s all I can think about. I want to follow her around like a f*cking puppy. I want to slay dragons for her and eat out of her hand. Sleep at her feet. Worship her to the end of my existence.”

Now, I’m smiling like a lovesick fool. I understand all too well what he’s going through.

“Did you sleep with her? Was it all you imagined it would be?”

With a frustrated grunt, he runs his fingers through his hair. “She’s ‘saving herself’ for marriage.”

I burst out laughing once again and he growls at me.

“Oh, Luca,” I say with a sigh. “It would have been so much easier if you’d have just imprinted on me a long time ago. Now, we’re stuck with two humans we can’t have.”

He stalks over to me and I flinch. All humor is gone as he glares at me. “Frankie, I will have her. I will do whatever it takes to make her mine. I don’t give a f*ck if she’s human. I’ll make her the happiest damn woman on the planet. And you,” he says with a gentle poke to my chest, “need to get your head out of your ass and go tend to your human. Poor guy was crushed last night. He cares for you, seems like, more than you care for him which says a whole f*cking lot considering you’re the one who imprinted on him. Go fix your shit, babe. We’ll figure out this cross-species breeding shit later.”

I’d laugh at his little joke at the end but I’m too overwhelmed by sadness. I do miss Gun. I do need to fix what I broke. Why can’t I just have Luca’s mentality: f*ck the world because I’m going to do whatever I damn well please?

“Fine. Time to go, Romeo. I need to go beg for forgiveness.”

“Need a lift?”

Ten minutes later and I’m straddling Luca’s massive Harley with my arms securely locked around his firm middle, headed to Gun’s. Knowing he’ll be asleep most likely, I have Luca drop me off at the corner. The walk to the cute little house is short and doesn’t give me any time to back out. I can do this. Being the good cop he is, the front door is locked. With a huff, I walk around back and climb over the chain-link fence.

I’m rounding the corner when Cutie Pie pops in front of me barking like a damn fool. He’s protecting the premises like he’s the Doberman and not me.

“Shh!” I hiss.

Once he realizes it’s me, he yelps and runs in circles. He’d be cute if he weren’t so goofy looking. Soon, he is distracted by his tail and his chase gets faster.

“Oh my God. Why did he adopt you?” I groan in faux annoyance. I’ll never tell either one of them that I’m glad he did. It’s more fun teasing the big man and his little ugly dog.

The lock on the back door is secured too and I huff out in resignation. But then, Cutie Pie, as if my accomplice on my mission runs inside through the newly installed doggie door and then back out. He does it a few times to show me how it works.

For a second, I wonder if I can squeeze through it. Not in human form, that’s for sure. But in my slender, sleek, much smaller Doberman form? You bet.

I briefly glance all around to make sure no nosy neighbors are peeking at me before I tear off my clothes. Cutie Pie watches me with a cocked head of confusion. When I’m naked, I close my eyes.

My thoughts are calm.

Empty.

Dark.

Heat rushes through me and adrenaline pumps through my veins. I’m on fire as I shift and don’t cool until I open my eyes. Cutie Pie quivers before me as if I’m going to snack on him for lunch.

I grunt and take a step toward him. He whines but is frozen in place. With a quick lick, I kiss his nose to let him know I’m not going to hurt him. As if the pieces snap together in his little mind, he suddenly starts yapping and prancing all around me.

Ignoring him, I trot over to the doggie door and push my head through. My ears perk up as I listen for sounds. The television is softly playing in the living room. I can hear the dryer going. And quiet, rhythmic breathing sounds from the back bedroom.

Good, he’s asleep.

Cutie Pie is doing something behind me and when I pull my head back out the door, he’s trying to mount me.

Horny little shit.

I growl out a fierce warning and he bolts around the corner of the house to hide. That’ll teach him to try and hump Gun’s house guests. I push through the doggie door again and even though it’s a squeeze, I make it inside.

The black heat rushes through me again and soon I’m standing in his kitchen naked.

Convenient.

Tiptoeing to the back of the house, I slip into his bedroom. He’s sprawled out on his back looking handsome as ever. My pelvis physically aches at seeing the beautiful man free of worry as he sleeps. Not wanting to wake him, I crawl under the covers beside him. As if he senses I’m here, he tugs me to him.

This is where I’m supposed to be.

With Gunnar the friggin’ human Mason.




Jase says Joe keeps the key to the pantry on his nightstand. Until now, I’ve been afraid to go into his bedroom. But we’re all starving and he’s been on some kind of drug that’s made him weird. So weird, that he hasn’t come out of his room in days. I can only hope he’s dead in there.