Silver Mine by Vivian Arend Page A

he’d smelt on Shelley the other night.
    She was all wolf. With a cat hanging around her veterinary offices.
    “I need to pop this under the microscope and take some pictures. Don’t move for a minute.” Shelley patted his side then stood, her hips swaying nicely as she paced toward the door and out of the room.
    In his animal form, he couldn’t appreciate her quite the same way as in his human. The brain patterns were slightly different. He was still himself, but the beast nature was more interested in basics like food and fucking. He liked to think his human side had a little more depth, but after that kiss, there were a few animalistic-based things his human side would also like to explore a whole lot more.
    Ice picks fastened on his ear, and he reached with his right paw to bat the offending creature off. A blob of black fell to one side, weight tugging at him as the tiny beast kept its teeth locked in a death grip. Chase lowered his head carefully until the black ball of fuzz rested on the ground. Finally the pinchers released, and a little pink tongue slipped out to touch his muzzle.
    Oh boy.
    Chase lay trapped by the tiny creature as it moved full force into caring for him. The teeny paw resting on Chase’s sensitive nose made sure he stayed in place as the cat—Enigma—groomed him.
    So much for being the biggest, baddest dude in the room. He knew his place in this hierarchy, and it appeared the fur ball outranked all of them. At least for the moment.
    A soft laugh alerted him to Shelley’s return a moment before she scooped up the cat. “Oh you. Stop bossing everyone around. Sorry about that, Chase. He’s not afraid of anything. Okay, I’ve got a shot to give you that will boost your healing during your next shift. I’ll need to examine you again in your human form to check your reaction. Do you have an issue with needles? And don’t be brave and fake it if you do, because I’d prefer to know now than when I’ve got three hundred pounds of cat passed out on top of my foot or something.”
    Chase scooted upward until he rested comfortably on his front paws and was able to stare into her eyes again. He shook his head. Needles were fine.
    It was the getting-back-to-human bit he was most interested in.
    She seemed to know where his thoughts had gone, and her face flushed. His anticipation rose higher. No matter what she’d said at the park, she wasn’t unaware of him as a man. If he wasn’t completely incapable of a little old-fashioned seduction, this could be an interesting evening.
    The slide of the needle into his flesh barely registered. She was good. And she smelt amazing, which might have helped to distract him.
    She pressed the injection spot with a bit of cotton. “It’s a trifle strange to treat a shifter. I’m fairly confident you’re not about to bite me or pounce on me like a wild animal might, but there’s always that edge of uncertainty. Thanks for being so calm about this.”
    Chase lowered his head.
    “I’ll let you—”
    He shifted, standing as he completed the transformation. No way was he giving her time to leave the room while he changed. “You’re very gentle with your instruments. Thank you. Now what did you need to see on this form?”
    She was standing only inches away. Shelley’s gaze dropped almost involuntarily to his groin, and she twisted her head away rapidly as his cock rose to full attention.
    “I want to make sure the shot bolstered your shifter cells enough that the cuts have begun to heal.” She gestured to the examining table. “If you could sit again. Turn your back to me.”
    She spoke to the wall the entire time.
    He’d never seen such a shy shifter before. It was kinda cute.
    The steel of the tabletop was cold under his naked butt. Her fingers on his back were light, delicate, and so hot he swore he might catch on fire.
    “Does it look any better?” he asked.
    “Not like I had hoped. You say it’s been seven days?”
    He calculated back to