A Wolf of Her Own by Susanna Shore Read Free Book Online Page A

table on the terrace, Jamie among them.
    "We don’t have formal lunches here, so grab a plateful and we’ll go join the others."
    Gemma was ravenous. Farm work was clearly more straining than her job in London as a personal assistant to a CEO, which could be hectic. She had the healthy appetite and metabolism of a vampire, although she usually had a salad for lunch at work like her colleagues to fit in better among the humans.
    She wasn’t among humans now. She filled a plate with everything that was on the offer. "Do you employ a cook?" After her mother’s death, Gemma had cooked the family meals. She had learned a trick or two in 120 years, but this food was clearly the work of a professional.
    "Yes, she’s one of our clan members, though we’ve employed outsiders from time to time too. But humans never seem to be able to grasp the amount of food needed." Kieran grinned and she smiled back, following him out.
    It was too chilly on the patio to wear only a T-shirt, but the wolves didn’t seem to care so Gemma didn’t say anything either. "You look more presentable now," Jamie noted when she took a seat. "And you don’t smell half as bad either."
    Gemma rolled her eyes. "I’ll get that horse one day."
    Introductions were made. She had seen one of the older men before, but she hadn’t tried to befriend other wolves after losing her old friend, so most of them were strangers. The conversation was kept light during the meal. The dead sheep weren’t brought up and she was grateful for it. She was having trouble as it was, starting to feel lightheaded with so many wolves around, their energy constantly brushing against her. Her shields helped only so much and she began to fear she couldn’t control the Rider.
    "Are you unwell?" Kieran leaned in, speaking softly, though everyone could hear him anyway.
    She was too strictly brought up to admit feeling poorly to her host. "No. I’ve simply never been among this many shifters at the same time." There were plenty of shifters in London, of all types, but they kept their energies to themselves.
    The energy surrounding her disappeared instantly, the loss of it almost shocking. She felt embarrassed for forcing them to act against their nature in their own home, but they told her not to worry. "It’s only polite," Jamie said, with a smile that seemed like he meant it.
    She was grateful that the roiling energy around her was gone, but she realised she missed it too. The shifter energy had been like a soft, warm cocoon that had made her feel safe.
    Had made her feel like she was home.
     

Chapter Six
    Kieran barely tasted what he ate, his attention on the woman next to him, still in awe of the beauty that had been underneath all the mud. Astonishment had rendered him almost speechless, which didn’t happen often with him around women.
    Where there had been mud and heavy shapeless clothes, there was now feminine grace. Her willowy body was downright distracting with the way her t-shirt brought out the soft mounds of her breasts. Her face was like a doll’s, porcelain skin with a delicate pink hue and deep dimples that appeared whenever she smiled, which was all too seldom. But when she did, her soft, rose-coloured lips curved enticingly, making her face captivating.
    Her eyes were light hazel brown, almost golden, and her hair seemed to constantly change its colour in sunlight from dark blonde to brass with a hint of copper. She had left it open and it fell down her back in a damp cascade of curls. His fingers itched to run through it.
    But her beauty couldn’t explain why he was hyper-aware of her like no woman before. He was immersed in her scent, delicate yet strong like her. Her impact on Might, her cool energy, felt wonderful when it met his. It was like a refreshing shower, sharp and energising, that left him feeling alive.
    He was so tuned to her that he noticed she wasn’t feeling well, even though the change in her was subtle and she tried to hide it. When she