He smiled. “When I sensed your weakened condition while you recovered from Ebola, I was tempted to bite and quicken your healing, but exercised great control.”
If only he had. Rachel imagined things would have been far different had he brought her into their society earlier. Would she have been in less danger? “Okay, I have two points to make. First, Howard did not raise me so technically, he has no say in whom I claim.” She entered werewolf universe so better to say claim rather than marry. “Second, we need to date before we carry out the ‘claim’ thing. Good in bed or den doesn’t mean good forever.”
He laughed. “If we date, I promise the date will end in the den.”
“So count my father out of the picture. I’m an adult woman even if he refused to give me his blessing about you.”
His tone turned serious. “As your father, his protest can be taken seriously by the lycan council.”
“Well, that’s kind of outdated. The point is you have to get to know me and not hang around because I’m some sort of werewolf opiate.”
“Of course, it’s you I want. A mate must appeal to every sense and you certainly do.”
“I do?”
He took her face in his large hands. “You are the most attractive woman I’ve ever met. I like the sound of your voice, your scent, the feel of your skin and the taste of you, and not just your blood.”
Rachel blushed, remembering the feel of his mouth on her private parts. “Okay, so physically we are drawn to each other. But out of the den, we know so little of one another.”
Lev released her face and sat on the sofa. He smiled. “Speaking of dens, how do you like yours?”
“Reminds me of the cavern in Nepal. Do all werewolves live like this?”
“Each pack has a facility you would describe as cave networks. Long ago, we mostly kept to ourselves underground. However, many lycans keep normal homes, some even amongst humans.”
“I take it becoming a werewolf on the full moon is a myth?”
“The full moon gives us magical strength, but it’s a myth we must shift when it’s waxed. The truth is we must shift every two to four days or we will when we don’t want to, perhaps in the middle of some big city or in a restaurant. I can hold out for one week, because I’m different.”
“Good to know.”
“We can go partial or as an alpha, go bipedal werewolf like you’ve seen in Hollywood werewolf movies, but when we need to shift, it’s into our full wolf form. Again, as you know, unlike other lycans I can temporarily shift into other beasts.”
She touched her throat. “Did you just say you can become a horror movie werewolf?”
“Without the mindless blood lust. Yes.”
His cell phone vibrated. “Excuse me.” He answered.
Rachel watched him pace. More in anticipation than agitation. What was the call about?
“Good.” He tucked his mobile back into his pocket.
“Was that Rylee?”
“Yes. I didn’t have a chance to tell you Team Greywolf captured a beta female who might be linked to your abductors. She worked as a courier in Svetlana’s pack. She will be here tomorrow afternoon.”
“Cool. I wonder if she’ll have the same tattoo?”
“No, she doesn’t.”
“So, she might know what happened to Svetlana?”
“We hope.”
Rachel swallowed. “Svetlana might have joined the rogue pack.”
Lev huffed out a long breath and stared at the wall as if an imaginary enemy would spring out and attack. “The werewolf who wanted me to join them knew about me. Information Svetlana would have been happy to share.”