“Pheromones,” Spook said, as though that explained everything.
Sean cleared the wolf out of his throat. “What?”
“Pheromones. Lycans have powerful pheromones. Makes us irresistible to the opposite sex. One sniff of you and she was a goner.”
Sean scowled. “So you’re saying this whole thing between us—her reaction to me—was hormone induced?”
“Well, yes and no. The pheromones would draw her to you and possibly lower her guard, but it wouldn’t make her to do anything she didn’t already want to do.”
Knowing Von wanted him as much as he wanted her made Sean feel somewhat better. Otherwise, what happened between them would have been little better than rape. But still, he couldn’t help remember the dazed, drugged look in her eyes and it made him wonder just how much control Von really had over her actions. The Von he knew would never have—
“Did you bite her?” Spook asked, interrupting his train of thought.
Had he? He had to think. He remembered being almost hyper focused on Von. Everything else fading into the background. After a moment of silence he said, “I did. My beast was riding me pretty hard. I couldn’t resist.”
“Staking its claim. I figured from the way you talked about her she was the one for you. Your other half obviously agreed. Congratulations on your mating. We’ll have to throw you a party once you get back.”
“What do you mean, mating?”
Spook sighed. “Didn’t you pay attention to anything I told you about women and Lycans?”
“Not really,” Sean admitted. “I remember you saying the virus attaches to the Y-chromosome and that our sexual appetite would increase. Mostly I focused on the knowledge I needed to get us out of that hellhole we were in.” And later he’d been worried about keeping his ass out of some secret government lab when the military found out what he’d become.
“Yeah, there was that,” Spook agreed. “Okay, here’s the Cliff Notes version. As Lycans we do have stronger appetites and crave more sex, but the wolf-man only comes out to play when mating is involved. That’s how we know she’s the one. Only your mate can bring the wolf to the surface during sex. The wolf’s bite marks her and creates a bond.”
That sparked a vague memory. “You said we’d be able to pick up on each other’s emotions?”
“Yes. The bond is empathic in nature. When it’s really strong, you’ll be able to hear each other’s thoughts, but that happens over time, not immediately.”
A thought struck Sean and he sat up straight. “Shit! I not only bit her, I licked the puncture wounds. She won’t get infected, will she?”
Spook laughed. “This mess has you really frazzled, doesn’t it? Females don’t have Y-chromosomes, remember?”
“Oh, yeah,” he said, a bit sheepish at having forgotten something so basic.
“Other than the empathy thing and a few health benefits like an increased immunity and faster healing, she won’t be affected at all. Don’t worry. Mating’s a good thing. It’s the Lycan version of exchanging marriage vows, all legal and binding,” Spook assured him.
Sean rubbed his face. “Great. Now all I have to do is break the happy news to my bride that while she might be engaged to Hooch, according to Lycan Law she’s married to me.”
“No worries, Serge. She obviously loves you.”
Maybe. But does Von realize that she does? “We’ll see.”
“I’ll make my calls now. Call me if you need anything else.”
“All right.”
Sean pushed the button on his phone and tossed it onto the passenger seat. He examined his bloody hands and scraped knuckles. When he saw Von fall his only thought had been to kill Derrick with his bare hands. He still wasn’t sure where the needed control had come from. Even now, anger coursed through his veins.
Maybe it was the knowledge that Von could be seriously hurt and need his help that allowed him to stop and go to her aid, only to discover she’d left. Instead of unconscious, she must have merely been stunned and since she’d run off, he had to assume she was okay. Physically, at least.
Discovering Von wasn’t there to witness the carnage had immediately freed him to finish teaching Derrick a lesson in the treatment of women he’d never forget. Derrick’s fortunate the pizza delivery guy arrived when he did and threatened to call the cops. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened?
As he’d told Spook, Derrick would live. He’d be battered and bruised and might want to lay low until his face healed, but no bones were broken and no permanent damage done to his body. Sean wanted Hooch dead, but knew Von would never forgive him for killing his former friend, no matter the provocation.
Sean flipped down his visor and looked in the mirror. Derrick managed to land a few punches of his own. His lower lip was busted and one eye was darkening into a hell of a shiner, but by tomorrow most of the damage would be gone. Being a Lycan gave him phenomenal healing ability.
Spook had said he’d be able to feel Von’s emotions and she his. He tried sensing what she was feeling so he’d know what he was walking into when he went to see her, but got nothing.
Maybe the bond wasn’t complete. Derrick had interrupted them before they could climax. It’s possible that biting her was only part of the process. Maybe he needed to cum in her body to complete it.
He sighed. There was so damn much he didn’t know about being a Lycan, despite Spook’s best efforts to teach them. He remembered the basics. Uncontrollable change during a full moon. Increased appetite for everything. Quicker tempers. More territorial about things or people belonging to him. Faster reflexes. Stronger, more lethal body. Enhanced senses.
Sean vaguely remembered bits and pieces about sex. Cautions against getting too aroused, being too rough, losing control. None of which he’d been interested in at the time. Talking about sex made him realize how long it had been since he’d been laid. With an increased sex drive and no means but his fist to take care of matters, the last thing he’d wanted to do was think about or discuss it.
While the others asked millions of questions, partly in an effort to take their mind off their current circumstances, Sean plotted and planned out their escape. Once they got out of there and made it back to civilization—he never doubted once that they wouldn’t—his next major concern was the debriefing and battery of tests they’d undergo, both physical and psychological. How would he and his men make it through the process without revealing what they’d become?
It had come as a hell of a shock to find out the military already knew about Lycans and had specialty units filled with them. So much for his fears of being a lab rat.
Sean exited his truck, figuring a walk would clear his head and help him figure out how to approach his mate. He didn’t need a Psych degree to know the state of mind Von would be in. She’d fucked another man and been caught going at it by her fiancé. Von didn’t believe in casual sex and had no way of knowing what they’d shared wasn’t simply a mercy fuck on his part. She’d be blaming herself, figuring like any man, he’d taken what she offered and run with it.
Not that she had the highest opinion of the male species to begin with. With his background in the foster care system, he knew all about being the target of predators and sleeping with one eye open. At least she’d had family to run to.
He wanted to rush to her side and reassure her of his love and commitment, but was she ready? She’d been with Hooch a long damn time. Not once since he’d known her had Von ever mentioned the possibility of being with another man. Habit was a lot harder to fight than love and after seeing them together, he could tell Hooch had done a number on her. Did he have enough time to combat it, make Von see reason?