Page 10 of Shifted Desire

A phantom warmth emanates from the ring I’ve worn on my index finger for the last forty-plus years, as if it’s sensing the magic of the man who made it for me. I frown down at my hand, curious about the sensation, and when I look up, the door swings open.

“Nathan!”

I don’t have a moment to think before I’m being folded into the softness that is Elle, her familiar cinnamon-sweet scent tingling in my nose as she squeezes me in welcome.

Unbidden, a laugh bursts out of me, because in all my worries I hadn’t considered how much scent plays into my attraction, and the second I smell her again, any worries about untoward thoughts vanish.

Her scent says warmth, humor, and friendship.

Thank fuck.

I wrap my arms around her and squeeze her back. “Good to see you, Elle!”

When I step back, Shane has appeared behind her, a lopsided smile on his lips.

My chest squeezes at the sight of him, his bright red hair with a few more grays at the temples and the crinkles at the corners of his eyes deeper than the last time I saw him. I never realize how much I’ve missed him until I see him again.

“Hey man!” I pull him into a tight hug, catching his natural wood smoke scent mixed with the hint of ozone from his magic, and for some godsforsaken reason, I fill up.

I bite the inside of my cheek to push the sappy emotion away, and hope my glassy eyes don’t betray me as I release the hug and grin at him.

Shane pulls off his glasses from where I smeared them with my hug, beaming back at me. “It’s so good to see you!” He chuckles, gesturing at his glasses. “Or it will be once I put these back on.”

I grimace playfully. “Leave them off. I look awful.”

“Nonsense! I’m sure you look—” Shane put his glasses back on with a smile, but his eyes widen when he sees me properly. “Uh, you look fine!”

His panicked lie makes me laugh, and I clap him on the shoulder. “I look like shit. You don’t need to pretend otherwise.”

Shane shakes his head. “No, no, you look…”

“Worn down,” Elle finishes for him, appraising me.

“Has your new charm been working alright?” Shane’s brow furrows in concern. “If I’d known it wasn’t helping, I would’ve visited so I could work on the enchantment in person.”

Shane is the witch who helped me suppress my shifting during the full moon many, many years ago, when I decided I couldn’t handle the havoc it was causing in my life. At the time, I’d thought it was a temporary stopgap measure to use until I’d gotten over a rough breakup and had better control over my emotions, but years went by and I never felt ready to take it off. At least not outside my yearly retreat to my isolated cabin in the woods. And on that ill-fated night six months ago.

The night I ran across the country to get away from.

I wave Shane off. “I haven’t had any breakthrough transformations, so it’s working.”

Yeah, I feel like hot garbage and have become increasingly irritable and tired over the past few years, but it’s not like I don’t know the reason. No enchantment will suppress my werewolf instincts completely, no matter how good the witch is. And Shane is one of the best at what he does.

“Hmm.” Shane’s eyes narrow, not liking my reply. I can tell the wheels are turning in his head, trying to figure out what he might do to help.

Elle gives me a knowing look, and my skin prickles.

Shit, she’s a lot more well-versed in the…needs of various paranormals. She knows satisfying my urge to rut regularly would help me feel better.

“You know we’ll help you out however we can,” she says gently, infusing a silent offer into her words. I have the sinking feeling that she and Shane may have already discussed the possibility of helping me.

“I’m fine!” I squeak, face heating. “No need to trouble yourselves with me. I’m sure I’ll be good as new after a few months around my friends.”

Elle nods as if she expected that response. “If it gets worse, just remember that we’ll always be friends. No matter what.”

Oh gods.

“I know. And trust me, I appreciate how helpful you’re willing to be. I just…”