Chapter 18
WOLF MEETS RABBIT
Crush was toweling Killian down, no longer knotted inside, when he said, “Sweetheart, would you... let me see you in your rabbit shape? Before everyone else in my pack demands to see it?”
Killian’s heart skipped. “You want to see my rabbit? Oh gods, that sounds so dirty.”
Crush laughed and peered at Killian, almost puppy-like in his eagerness. “Well, yeah. Why wouldn’t I? You’ve seen my wolf a couple times now. But all I’ve seen of you are your ears.”
He caught Killian’s ears gently in one large hand, stroking them from base to tip. Killian shuddered. “That feels good.”
Crush rumbled, pleased. “Yeah? Does that also feel good in your bunny shape?”
Killian nodded. Then, feeling especially self-conscious, he drew a deep breath. “Here, I’ll show you.”
He reached into his core, searching for the sensitive part of him that loved sweet grasses and cozy nests. Killian tugged on it and wrapped it around himself. And suddenly his body was shrinking, squeezing into a tight, compact shape.
When he opened his eyes, he found flesh-colored columns in front of him, like tree trunks. Crush was standing far enough that he wasn’t in the blind spot in front of Killian’s nose.
“Awww,” Crush cooed, crouching low and sticking his face in front of Killian’s. “You’re adorable.”
“I’m just me,” Killian said.
“Your voice is squeaky.” Crush beamed and bumped their foreheads together. Then he reached out and grasped Killian’s ears, gently stroking them again.
“You can do that forever,” Killian whimpered. Several shivers raced down his body; it felt like heaven.
“Is that all it’ll take for my courtship to work?”
“You should do more!” But Killian also knew he was putty in Crush’s hands, as long as Crush didn’t stop touching his ears.
Apparently, Crush knew that too. He flashed another quick smile. “Would you like to meet my wolf in this shape?”
What would it feel like, seeing Crush’s most primal form while Killian was so small and helpless?
“Yes,” Killian said.
Crush dropped his towel. The next moment, he shifted into a large gray wolf towering over Killian—a different kind of massive compared to his human shape. Just with a lot more fur and sharp teeth.
All of Killian’s instincts screamed at him to flee.
He looked up at the huge wolf, tremors racing through his body.
“Are you scared? Your pulse shot up,” Crush murmured, padding closer. He circled Killian three times. Then he dipped his sharp-toothed snout toward Killian’s face—
—and licked his ears.
Killian relaxed by a fraction. “Do your instincts tell you to eat me?”
“Hmm. They’re telling me to hunt. Not eat. Catch you between my paws and make you mine.” Crush stood over Killian, each paw so huge compared to Killian’s own. He licked Killian’s ears again, leaving the scent of wolf, of predator, on Killian’s fur. “They’re saying to do this.”
He opened his jaws wide, lowering them around Killian’s scruff.
And he bathed Killian with his huge flat tongue, covering him in wolf spit.
“Hey!” Killian squealed.
Crush laughed and pulled away, circling Killian again. Then he lay down with his body wrapped tightly around Killian, his furry tail wagging. “You fit right in the hollow of my body,” Crush said, pleased.
He felt so warm, so big and cozy, that Killian’s anxiety drained out. Killian badly wished they were in his nest right now. “I want to lie in bed and not move for a long time.”
“No kidding, after the day we’ve had. I feel the same. Soon. Once we reach my pack, we’ll be safe. We can lie down there.” Crush nuzzled Killian’s side, licking him until the rest of him relaxed.
Killian took a moment to evaluate his situation.
He was snuggled up with a wolf. He was warm and cozy. And Crush had gone back to licking his ears.
It was amazing.
“This is better than curling up with other rabbits,” Killian realized. “They don’t lick my ears.”
Crush’s grin was decidedly wolfish. “Want to ride on my lap while we drive? I can rub your ears when I’m not using the gear shift.”
“Yes please! But I’ll need to help load the car, don’t I? I don’t know what we should bring—”
“Relax, sweetheart. I’ve got this. I’ll bring our nest along. And... I think Hansel brought some things we can use for entertainment.”
“Like what? Books?” Killian asked.
Hansel snickered. “Oh, just some toys. I had some helpful suggestions. I’m sure you’ll love to play with them together.”
Why did he sound especially gleeful?
And why did Killian’s senses prickle forebodingly?
Killian glanced out of the bathroom, at the huge pile of pillows and blankets on the floor. “That’s not going to fit.”
Crush laughed. “Have you already forgotten, bunny rabbit? I make things fit.”
Sometime later, Killian found himself tucked into Crush’s lap, Naddie buckled into her car seat behind them. Also in the back seat were bags of clothes, Naddie’s things, and the perishable groceries that Crush had bought earlier that day.
Somehow, Crush and Hansel had managed to stuff all the pillows and blankets into the trunk. Killian suspected that spells were involved.
“Off we go,” Crush announced.
He drove carefully out of the forest. Hansel was riding on Wonder Cart’s handle as a falcon, cackling gleefully to himself. Crush gave periodic updates as they drove.
“Just got out of the forest,” he said. “Hansel took off for an aerial view. It’s pretty dark out.”
Naddie babbled to herself, growing quieter as she began to doze off. The whole time, Crush’s fingers brushed gently along Killian’s ears, sending intense waves of comfort down his spine.
He must’ve fallen asleep. One moment, the car was dark around them, with only the dashboard lights keeping them company.
The next moment, they were slowing down, the driver’s side window lowering with a mechanical whir.
Killian jerked awake. Crush held him down firmly but gently, stroking his back.
“Hey, Uriel,” Crush said. The dome light came on, illuminating the car’s interior. Killian craned his neck to see the scarred mage peering down at him.
“Definitely not what I expected,” Uriel said with some amusement.
“Crush saved me!” Killian protested. “And Mathlin. Oh yeah, how is Math?”
“He’s fine, just shaken. Recovered pretty quick, from what Doc told us,” Uriel said. “He was making some noise, though. Said he felt guilty for not sticking around with you. He wanted to come along to help fight off your kidnappers.”
Killian frowned. “He can’t. He’s going to get hurt.”
“That’s what I told him,” Uriel said. “He’s worried about you anyway. How are you holding up?”
Crush’s smile was indulgent. “Killian has been amazing.”
Uriel rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t asking you.”
Killian laughed. “I’m better. Things were kind of terrible earlier, when the bad guys showed up. But Crush helped. He made everything better.”
Crush rumbled, sounding pleased.
“Good,” Uriel said. “Hand over the tracker and I’ll destroy it.”
“About that.” Crush paused. “Is it possible to freeze it somehow, deactivate it temporarily instead of completely erasing its magic? We could use it to our advantage. I’m thinking of activating it only when we’re ready to take on the assholes.”
Uriel gave him a thoughtful look. “Let me see what I can do.”
“Thanks.” Crush handed over a clear plastic bag containing the tracker. “Be careful, though. It’s still broadcasting its location. I really don’t want Killian’s kidnappers coming down on you.”
Uriel nodded gravely. “I’ll be careful.”
He rapped his knuckles on the car roof, then stepped away.
Crush started the car and merged onto the highway. “Not too much longer now. We’re fifteen minutes away from pack territory.”
Anxiety spiked through Killian. He and Crush were not officially together; it was really too soon to be meeting Crush’s family.
Not only that—Killian remembered shows on TV where an alpha’s family rejected their mate, sometimes even chasing their mate out of the pack’s territory.
What if Crush was wrong about his family? What if Killian wasn’t demure enough, submissive enough? What if he had too much blood on his hands?
“Sweetheart?” Crush murmured, stroking his ears again.
“Are you sure?” Killian whispered.
“Yes,” Crush said firmly. “But if it makes you feel safer, shift back into your human shape.”
Killian hopped over the center console to the passenger seat, where an oversized hoodie and his pants waited for him. He shifted back into a man and struggled into the clothes. Then he pulled the hood over his head, trying to hide as deeply inside as he could.
A large palm landed on his thigh, squeezing reassuringly. It helped. Especially when Crush’s scent surrounded him, all earthy and wolfy.
“You’ll be fine,” Crush rumbled. “Here, I’ll sing you a song my dad taught me as a pup.”
In a low, smooth voice like rich dark chocolate, Crush sang:
“Tonight with the moonlight clear, as the wolves are all gathered here
It’s a time for us to celebrate: our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters
Together we are pack, and together we are strong
We’ll howl to Mother Moon all night long.”
“That’s a great song,” Killian blurted. “I’m glad I wasn’t the one writing it, or it would have weird dicks and butts in there, and it would end up being about two twigs trying to have sex, but they’re putting their leaves into the wrong holes.”
Crush laughed. “You know, I would love to hear a song like that. Who knows? It might become famous.”
“For all the wrong reasons,” Killian cried.
“I don’t know about that. It would still put a smile on my face. Is that so bad?”
Killian chewed his lip. “I guess not.”
“When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?”
“Um. A doctor or a lawyer,” Killian said slowly. “Because that was what my parents wanted me to be. I thought... it would make them like me more.”
Crush winced. “Crap. No, I meant... Was there a hobby you enjoyed, that you would’ve liked to do forever?”
“Oh. I liked smelling flowers. I also really liked to grow carrots, except the ground was really hard where we lived, and carrots had a hard time taking root there.”
Crush hummed. “Tell you what. My house in Cartfalls has a pretty generous backyard. If you want, you can grow all the carrots there. Flowers too.”
Killian’s eyes grew wide. “All the carrots I want?”
“All the varieties of carrots, too. Purple ones, yellow ones. Even radishes and yams if that’s your thing.”
Killian quivered in his seat. “I can’t wait.” Then he paused. “Wait. Is this you luring me into your house?”
Crush smiled, looking... almost shy? “Is it working?”
“Yes,” Killian admitted. “Will you have space for Naddie?”
“Of course!” Crush sounded offended. “Sweetheart, I would make space for any child of yours.”
Killian’s heart skipped. “Okay. Then I’ll move in with you.”
Crush’s smile was so bright, he was almost difficult to look at.
This distracted Killian so much that he didn’t realize they were pulling up to a cluster of homes. Until the car began to slow down, and he spotted people gathering around them.
“Eek!” Killian shrank into his seat.
Crush cut the engine so only its quiet ticking remained. Except now Killian could hear Crush’s pack around them—children giggling and scampering, some adults further away talking amongst themselves. There were adults closer to them who were quietly watching.
“I’m scared,” Killian whispered.
Why was he even whispering? These were wolves. They could all hear him.