Mated to the Warg, (Wargs of the Outland, #1)

The Shortcut

The warg's breath ghosted white and thick in the chill, his ashen fur matted and muddied. And where there should've been a tail, there was only a stump.

Thresh.

Her heart sank for just a moment. She'd so badly wanted it to be Thrax.

Thresh threw his head high and let out a bellowing howl that raised the hairs on the back of her neck. It was so loud that it rumbled across the sky, and for a moment even the thunder god himself paused his fury.

She hadn't yet learned which howl meant what, but it sounded like he was raising an alarm. She felt the mating bond vibrate deep within her veins. A mixture of bloody rage and excitement. Even a shadow of fear whispered in her blood. The onslaught startled her. It was as though she was feeling Thrax's emotions.

Despite Thresh's fearsome mien, she approached him and sagged against his bristly mane. She was nigh boneless with relief. Giddy beyond speech! For all of a second, she allowed herself to imagine it was Thrax's fur under her cheek. Except Thresh smelled nothing like her mate.

"You smell like a wet dog," she whispered, hugging him tighter. He grunted. The sound reverberated through her bones and made her smile. "Yes, I know I reek of wet horse turds, thank you." No thanks to Merritt.

The men all gaped in horror. But none more so than Merritt, who stank of hot piss and terror.

She looked up at Thresh, tears gathering behind her eyes. Tears hidden by the rain. She was so happy to see her kin, even this ornery warg. "I didn't run off, Thresh! I'm here against my will, I swear it!"

The warg's glare turned menacing as he studied her shackles. I can see that.

Wiping her eyes, she turned a black look at Merritt. "You'd better unshackle me now, or I'll have Thresh chew your bollocks off."

To that, Thresh gave a violent canine sneeze of disgust.

She glanced up at him through wet lashes. "Go on, at least nibble a finger or two off, he deserves it for knocking me senseless." She was speaking so that the others could understand, too. Those that were close enough to hear over the storm.

"Oh, gods!" Merritt whimpered, curling his fingers under his chin.

With a sharp grunt, Thresh began to shift. She'd seen Thrax do it so many times now, she hardly batted an eyelid. But to the humans recoiling, it was still a horrifying sight. By the time he'd shed his fur, the milky-skinned valet had fainted dead away, right off his horse.

Even Thresh winced to hear the lad hit the ground with a wet thud.

Blushing, she darted her gaze away so she wouldn't have to see his cock in her periphery.

He didn't seem to notice because he was examining her scalp, fingers probing the lump. "Not too serious," he rasped. "Good thing you never stayed married to this wife beater."

Merritt gasped. "What?! No! I never...I wasn't beating her, I was just..."

"You just walloped a sleeping woman over the head," she finished for him. "Coward." She ripped off the gold band and flung it in his face.

He flinched as it struck him under the eye. In a flash, it landed in the mud at his knees and disappeared.

Thresh snagged him in a flinty look, prowling forward. His bare foot landed hard over where the ring had disappeared. "The wargrix bade you unshackle her, what are you waiting for?" He was a brooding warg even on his best days, but his impatience at that moment made him downright sinister. She didn't care, she wanted to hug him again. Just not while he was naked.