Lexi put a hand on her shoulder. "It's all right. Take some deep breaths. It's still Algar in there. He can understand everything you say."
Kamryn said nothing, unable to tear her gaze off the wolf.
"Bandage time again, Algar. I don't think this is going to get any better."
The wolf's body blurred, and to Kamryn's horror, something even worse took its place. A creature that stood much taller and bulkier than Algar was now towering in front of her. It had the same color fur covering its body as the wolf had had. It looked a cross between a man and a wolf with its lupine head and tail. Sharp claws tipped each of its fingers. Kamryn breathed faster, her vocal cords frozen, while fear threatened to consume her.
The creature held out a hand toward her. "Take it easy, Kamryn. It's still me. This is my werewolf form." The voice that came out of the creature's muzzle sounded like Algar, but much gruffer and deeper.
He reached for her and that was enough to unfreeze her. She screamed. Loudly.
The creature took a step closer, and she screamed again, jumping off the couch and out of its reach. When the other people, or werewolves, rushed into the room, she backed away until she came up against a wall. The newcomers stared at her as if she'd lost her mind.
"Shift back to human form," Raed barked to Algar. "Your just scaring her more the longer you stay like that."
The creature's body blurred and once more she stared at Algar's familiar features. He went to take a step toward her, but she held up her hands with her palms out. "Stay the fuck away from me."
"Kamryn, relax."
Shaking with fear, needing to get away from the man—creature—she'd stupidly slept with, she yelled, "Relax! Are you fucking nuts?"
"I know you're a little upset right now, but if you would just give yourself some time to calm down you'll find I'm not any different from the man I was before I told you this."
She laughed; the sound verged on being this side of hysterical, and not in a good way. "No different?" she shouted. "Bullshit. You're a freak of nature. An animal. I can't believe I slept with you. Twice."
His face became closed. Something that looked like hurt flashed in his eyes. "I'm not an animal. I'm human. You're going to have to accept what I am. We're mates."
Another wave of panic washed over her. This couldn't be happening. She violently shook her head. "No, we aren't. Just because you went all animal when we slept together does not mean we're mates. I refuse to be a mate to a goddamned wolf."
Lexi moved to stand nearer to Kamryn, next to Algar. "Kamryn, I know this is hard for you, but the signs are all there that says you are Algar's mate. The only one we haven't seen yet to confirm it is Tiw's mark. To see if he marked you like he marked me."
Lexi turned slightly, pulled down the collar of her shirt, and showed the back of her right shoulder. Kamryn found herself looking at what appeared to be the same tattoo Algar had on the cap of his left shoulder.
"That's just a tattoo. Algar said it was."
"No, I didn't," he said. "I only let you assume it was. Tiw gave all his warriors the mark when we pledged to serve him. Since I've claimed you, the mark may already be starting to show. Lexi said it started off looking like a bruise shortly after Raed claimed her."
Kamryn practically choked herself when she grabbed the collar of her long-sleeved t-shirt and yanked it down so the people in the room could see the right side of her back. "Well, is there a mark?" Her gaze latched onto Algar when his face went blank, not showing any emotions. "There isn't one, is there? So I'm not your mate."
"It doesn't mean that," Algar said tightly. "Maybe it's just taking a little longer to show up than it did with Lexi."
"That's just wishful thinking on your part," she shot back.
Her fear not abating one bit, Kamryn gazed over at Wulfric, Dolf, and Garrick, who were standing closer to the living room's entrance. She weighed the possibility of them not stopping her if she tried to make a run for it. She didn't think her chances were very good.
The urge to run was becoming too much for Kamryn to ignore. Panicking to the point where she wondered if she'd give herself a heart attack from her heart beating so fast, she started to inch her way around Algar and Lexi. She kept her hands held out to keep them away.
"I'm getting the hell out of here," she said, trying to keep track of all the people in the room.
"No," Algar said in an abrupt tone. "I can't let you go. I need for you to understand."
When he made a reach for Kamryn, Lexi caught his arm and held him back. She shook her head. "Forcing her to stay isn't going to make matters any better. Maybe the time away from you will help her come to terms with this." Lexi then released him and turned to Kamryn. "I'll take you back to your hotel."
Out of all the people in the room, Lexi was the one Kamryn didn't fear as much.
"You won't go wolf on me, will you?"
Lexi gave her a small smile. "No. I'm not a werewolf. Tiw only gave me immortality. You'll be safe with me. And being pregnant, it isn't as if I can chase you down if you decide to run."
Kamryn thought it over for a second before she said, "Fine. I wouldn't mind a ride to my hotel."
"Let's go then."
A loud growl filled the room when Kamryn started to walk away with Lexi. She knew Algar had made the sound, but she didn't look at him. She needed to get her fear under control. If she glanced his way, she would only be able to see the creature he had been and not the man she'd originally thought he was.
Chapter Seven
I've lost her. That phrase repeated itself again and again in Algar's head while he agitatedly paced the length of the inside of the manor and back. His revealing what he truly was to Kamryn had gone worse than he'd imagined. He'd bloody well fucked it up. Raed hadn't had this hard of a time winning over Lexi, but obviously his king's mate was a bit more open-minded than Algar's was. Even though Kamryn didn't carry the start of Tiw's mark on the back of her shoulder, that didn't mean she wasn't his. He wouldn't accept that. He just couldn't.
They may have only met a few days before, but spending time with Kamryn, claiming her body with his, hearing the small sounds she made while she came, he found himself falling for her. Unlike Raed, who'd been married when he'd pledged to serve Tiw, Algar hadn't been. While he'd been mortal, he hadn't been ready to settle down. And as an immortal, he'd only wanted casual affairs. It was hard to think of having a lasting relationship with a woman when her lifespan was nothing compared to his. But now that Tiw was giving his warriors a chance to find that one special woman, and give her the lifespan to match, Algar no longer wanted to be alone.
His feelings for Kamryn were new to him. He wanted to wrap himself around her, keep her protected from the outside world. Now that she'd rejected him, the urge was even greater. When she'd walked out of the manor with Lexi, he'd barely stopped himself from throwing back his head and howling with loss.
The sound of the front door opening had him rushing to it. He practically pounced on Lexi once she stepped inside. "How is Kamryn?"
Lexi gave him a sad look and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Algar. Nothing I said seemed to calm her down. Every time I mentioned you, it just seemed to upset her more."
The wolf in him rose up, feeling the rejection of his mate as much as the man did.
His sight sharpened as his eyes turned and his claws shot out from the tips of his fingers. "She's mine. I can't let her walk away. I'll force her to see we're meant to be together."
Lexi cupped his face in her hands and forced him to focus on her. "Using force will not help win her over. She's scared, Algar. Give her time. If she truly is your mate, the time apart will make her realize how much she misses you. She just needs to remember how things were between you before you showed her your werewolf side."