CRACKED: An Anthology of Eggsellent Chicken Stories by J. Posthumus (read after txt) 📕

her want to lean against him forever. But that wouldn’t help her change.

“This isn’t working.” She sat up on the sofa and scooted away from him. “Whatever happened in the restaurant was because I was upset, not because I was calm.”

“Hm.” He nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right. Let’s try that, then.”

“I don’t know how to get upset on command.”

“Then let’s talk about us.”

“Us?” She gave him a sidelong glance. “You mean that fated mates thing?”

“Yeah. You’re new to all this. So what do you want to know?”

“Fated. What does that mean?”

He turned to face her, leaning against the arm of the couch. “It’s a kind of shorthand. It means we’re meant to be together.”

“Like, forever?”

His smile all but blinded her, setting her heart beating a little faster. “Forever and a day.”

She swallowed. “No more dating?”

“Only each other.”

A tingle went up her spine. “What if you’re wrong about it?”

“I’m not. I know it all the way down to my bones. We’re meant to be together.”

“I don’t think I can do this. I’m too afraid.”

He reached out one hand to brush her hair back behind one ear. “There’s nothing to fear. I promise.”

“Squawk!” She clapped her hands over her mouth.

“Don’t try to stop it.” He leaned closer, his mouth brushing against her ear. “Let it happen.”

The tingle up her spine intensified, moving out along her arms and down her legs. She shivered at the intensity of it.

With a single fingertip, Niall traced a light line along the back of her hand and up toward her shoulder. The gentle touch left chills behind. He skipped to the spot where the skin of her neck met her shoulder. “You’re perfect,” he whispered as he moved back down the other arm. When he reached her wrist, she finally inhaled a shaky breath.

And when she exhaled, she shifted.

All the bones in her body crackled, popping as they grew smaller, lighter. Everything in the room swam in her vision and then popped back into focus. The world glowed in colors she’d never seen before.

She shook her entire body and the clothes she’d been wearing pooled around her feet. She stepped out of them, marveling at how huge they seemed.

And high above her, appearing huge to her new vision, loomed Niall.

“Oh, you’re pretty,” he said, awe in his tone. “Okay. Now it’s my turn.” He stood up and began stripping off his clothes.

Even in her animal form, Tori marveled at how beautiful he was.

Until he changed.

As a human, Niall was gorgeous.

As a wolf, he was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.

Chapter 8 Niall

She’s so tiny.

Niall never would have said so aloud, but he’d been worried that his wolf might have wanted… well, to be honest, he’d been terrified that his wolf might have wanted to devour her whole.

And he did—but not like a wolf gulps down a chicken.

I want to consume her, take her, make her a part of me like a man does a woman.

Every part of him screamed to protect her, to keep her fragile shifter form safe from every other predator in the world. He would shield her from anything—or anyone—who meant her harm.

He stalked over to her and gently rubbed his nose against the multicolored feathers—black and white and a deep red that matched the color of her hair.

She still smelled like Tori, only somehow more so. She smelled like his mate.

Mine. Forever.

Soon, he would have to let his wolf out for a good long run. Soon, he promised. But right now, there were things he needed to say aloud to her. He could only do that in his human shape.

So he closed his eyes and sank into that place deep inside that held his shifter magic. In seconds, he felt its power swirl up through him, changing him all the way down to his DNA.

Then he turned to Tori. “Come back to me, my amazing mate.”

Chapter 9 Tori

I can’t believe I’m not afraid of him.

Part of Tori knew she ought to be terrified of the giant wolf when he stalked toward her. But when he rubbed his nose against her, all she felt was safe. Protected.

Loved.

I can’t possibly love him. I’ve known him for less than two days.

But she was absolutely certain.

This is the man I’m going to spend the rest of my life learning about. The wolf I’ll spend forever loving.

As he coaxed her through the shift back to her human form, though, she couldn’t help but feel some trepidation. What if seeing her in her animal shape had caused Niall to change his mind? What if her fowl form was… well, foul to him?

So the first thing she said as she took her human shape was, “I can’t believe I’m a werechicken. This is awful.”

He blinked and took a step toward her. “Sweetheart, it’s not awful. You’re every bit as beautiful in your bird shape as you are right now, standing in front of me.”

In that moment, Tori realized the two of them were standing inches apart, completely naked. A heated blush crawled up her neck to stain her cheeks. She carefully kept her gaze focused on his eyes.

Niall took another step toward her and cupped her face in his hands. He leaned his forehead against hers, and when he spoke, his breath fanned her face. “I promise, I don’t care what kind of shifter you are.”

His lips brushed gently against hers once, then again, soft as butterfly wings, until she responded by pressing closer to him. “Yes,” she whispered.

With that one word of consent, he claimed her mouth with his own, pulling her in close to him. His tongue swept against hers, the heat of him surrounding her. Chills swept up and down her body, and for a moment, she worried that she would shift again. But the connection between them steadied her, and she wound her arms around his neck, pressing against him, returning his kiss with a passion like nothing she had ever felt before.

When he