“What? Why not?”

Tala pulled back to her knees, straddling the gamer’s hips, to look him in the eyes. “Why wouldn’t you stay if you’ve joined us?”

This position had her grinding slightly against him and the nerd’s body reacted before his mind could. He cursed his high libido. “I, uh.” He paused, trying to focus on the conversation, though her chest was still heaving from her earlier excitement. “I still have a house with my mom. And responsibilities there.”

Her face fell, forehead crumpling in pained disappointment, and John took the opportunity to shift their position slightly so he could sit up and hug her to him. “I do want to stay, but I need more time to figure that out. The human world gets complicated.”

Resting her head on his shoulder, Tala sighed. “Maybe we can talk to Dad about it. Can I at least show you around? You didn’t get to see much of the place last time you were here.” Her voice stayed soft and quiet, but not as sad.

“I’d like that,” he reassured, gently taking her chin in his hand to kiss her before she could pull back to get up.

She gasped a moan and licked his lips, deepening the kiss as she wrapped her arms around John’s shoulders. His free arm wound around her waist, pulling her closer to his chest. That **** her to grind harder against the bulge forming in his pants, making her whimper.

Dazed, the gamer broke the kiss, needing to catch his breath. “Wow,” he panted, “you’re amazing.”

Tala snorted and rolled off the new lycan, breathing a little heavier herself. She helped him to his feet, absently brushing bracken from her knees. “You know, nobody compliments me like that around here. Especially not my dad.”

“But you’re on his hunting team, right?” John questioned, trying to get forest debris off his own back.

Retying her ponytail, she rolled her eyes. “Kinda. More so he could keep an eye on me than anything else.” The movement lifted her shirt enough to show a hint of her bare stomach, drawing the gamer’s attention for a moment until she was done.

’Huh, the scar’s still there,’ he noticed, catching a glimpse of the paler skin above her jeans.

“But,” she continued, “he’s frequently told me how much I’m nowhere near the hunter either of my sisters were.” She looked away, frowning at the trees.

Wanting the mood to get back to the happiness it was before, John took her hand, making her smile softly as they started walking again. “Well, maybe we can go out more, just you and me. The woods feel brighter around you.”

“And maybe you can show me the city. Only humans I really know are the Hunters of Artemis. They’re in these woods too, did you know that? I think we told you that before. Can you stay longer? At least more than an hour or two?” Her rambling pleas made him feel guilty about the plans he’d already made for the day.

’I don’t, necessarily, have to see Emily today. I could figure out a way to see her tomorrow instead, stay here until mid afternoon, then go finish that yard work I started for Mom?’ John ran through his plan for the next few days in his head. He was definitely not used to having so many demands on his time.

He glanced over at her and chuckled at the way she was peeking glances at him from the corner of her eye. “I already had plans for later, but I could probably switch them. Let’s see what Dakota says first. He might not be too happy to see me.” ’He didn’t exactly make it sound like I would be welcome back, though Tala and Kiana insisted I was.’

“Dad won’t have much to argue if you’ve joined us,” she said, looping her arm in his, forcing their walk to slow as the scattered buildings of her home started to surround them. “Besides, Mom nearly ripped a chunk out of his throat after you were gone. She was pissed that he took such a harsh stance about you going home to your parents.”

“Really?” The gamer was flabbergasted. “Why? It kinda made sense to me, I mean.”

In response, Tala twisted her face and made a poor imitation of her mother’s voice, “You would dare **** that boy to abandon his mother! How would you feel if someone tried to do that with your last daughter? We’ve already lost two and I refuse to lose Tala to your bigotry as well.”

He nodded, mulling that over. ’Kiana must have been worried that Tala might leave their safety here to be with me out in my world instead. I should really talk to them about all this…’

Face and voice returning to normal, the beauty gave John a reassuring, gentle smile. “She said she didn’t care even if you were fully human, you could come and go as you pleased. Even pitched a fit with our leaders until they agreed too. You’re not a purifier, hell, you’re one of us!” She squeezed his arm, bouncing with excitement. “That means we can train you, too. Controlling your shifting and how to, well, exist as a wolf, I guess. It’s complicated for Turned, people that weren’t always able to shift, I mean; I’ve only met a couple myself. Obviously, we don’t have much interaction with the outside.”

“That reminds me,” he interjected, remembering something Emily said. “That bottle of wolfsbane and stuff,” producing it from his inventory with a guilty glance at Chester, “my new friend Emily runs an… herb shop, of sorts. She gave me more and mentioned that only a couple other people buy it. Is that where you guys get it from?”

“She’s the Grave Concoctions girl, yeah?” Tala asked with a smile.

“Yeah!”

“Yeah, I like the name of her shop. Bly is actually the one that goes. Sometimes he sends his husband.” She pointed out a modest house, about the size of John’s, near the middle of the clearing they’ve been working their way into. “They live over there with their daughter. Close enough to the main house but gives them some privacy and has Chase, that’s his husband, closer to the training grounds.”

With a slight change of direction, the gamer was led by his girlfriend towards the cabin he recognized leaving the other day. He steeled his nerves with a few deep breaths before they actually got there and Tala squeezed one of his hands in both of hers.

“They already love you and know you’re coming today. My dad will be on his best behavior. Then, after we talk to them, I can introduce you to Chase and you can maybe get some training.” Her brown eyes were bright with excitement, the honey center drawing him in. John chuckled softly, shaking his head to gain more control over himself.

“The training will help me keep better control?” he asked, looking over at what looked to be an empty field.

“Should, yeah,” she said softly, concern plain in her voice. “Have you been having trouble with it?”

“I did at first, but I bought something that I think should help me out.” John smiled, holding up his free hand to show her the silver band on his finger. What he did not expect was the horror in her eyes as she jumped back, releasing his right hand with a flinch.