Description: Why do I feel so unnerved? It wasn't as if Staff Sgt. Kristine Norwood hadn't seen a lot of naked male bodies during her years as a nurse, before she'd become a member of the covert military unit Alpha Force. Maybe it was because she had foolishly allowed herself to notice exactly how good-looking and sexy her new but temporary superior officer, Lt. Quinn Parran, was when they'd first been introduced a few days ago. They had just reached the test mission's planned location--a woodsy area at the far end of Ft. Lukman, on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Clad in her usual camo uniform and boots, Kristine had hurried in this direction with her heavy backpack over her shoulders. She stopped now and could sense the presence of the man who had kept up with her along the path through the most remote area of the military base where Alpha Force was headquartered. She ignored that niggling uneasiness, embarrassment--and something she didn't even want to think about, lust--as she turned toward him. "This the place?" He glanced around at the pin oak trees looming around them. "Yes, sir." She caught the sardonic raise of his dark brows over his golden-brown eyes. "Stop calling me 'sir,'" he said. "You called me Quinn when we were introduced at Simon's wedding." "Yes, sir, but we weren't on an official exercise then." And she hadn't felt so uneasy at the wedding of her regular superior officer, Lt. Grace Andreas, to Quinn's brother Lt. Simon Parran, who had also just recently joined Alpha Force. Kristine had been maid of honor and Quinn was best man. He had undoubtedly been the best-looking man there. Grace and Simon were on their honeymoon now, which was why Kristine and Quinn were temporarily assigned to work together. He was right, though. She usually called other Alpha Force members by their first names from the time she met them, no matter what their rank. She was friendly enough with Grace and others to joke around with them. But this was different. Way different. "You want to play military?" he asked. Hell, they were military, even if he chafed at it. "Here's my next order, Kristine. Stop considering this an official exercise." Kristine couldn't help herself. She smiled both at his words and at his exasperated expression. His military haircut hadn't compelled him to do a great job of shaving, and the hint of dark stubble on his face emphasized the razor-sharpness of his cheekbones. She ignored the sexiness of the look and how it caused her insides to churn and simmer, and responded, "Can't do that, sir. But I'll call you Quinn." "But this is only quasi-official." What, did the guy just love to argue, or was he serious? "It's a test, both for me and your oh-so-secret military unit. Our military unit." He'd obviously seen her scowl and was reacting to it. That was a good thing. "We both want to see how I do during my first time using the Alpha Force elixir that my brother Simon has described so glowingly to me. He wants to know, too." Quinn was a new recruit. He had obtained his rank because of what he was, not because of training or achievement. At least not yet. And so far, Kristine's impression was that he had joined the military not because he wanted to--as she had--but for some very unusual benefits he would not have received otherwise. Like this--using the elixir. He obviously had some issues with it all, though. She, on the other hand, was perfectly happy following military protocols...most of the time. Tonight, though--well, she would obey orders notwithstanding how uncomfortable she was. And that meant acting as Quinn's aide for this very special session. Mission. Official mission. Quinn was taller than his brother, with wide shoulders and a devil-may-care stance he affected even now that he was a soldier. His uniform was similar to hers--much crisper, though. Probably never worn before. It displayed the bars showing he was a commissioned officer. And now, he was about to remove it... Orders or not, how could she stay completely remote and objective as she did all the things necessary to assist Quinn? She simply would, because she had to. Having her temporary commanding officer naked in front of her was not beyond the call of her very special duty. After all, she'd seen Grace naked a lot when her superior had shapeshifted into wolf form and back. Now it was time for Quinn to do the same. Yeah, but Grace was a woman, argued Kristine's logical mind. She'd seen nothing different from what she saw in the mirror, just in the unique configuration that was Grace's instead of her own. But Quinn? He was all man. Well, almost all man, except for what she knew about him and what he was about to accomplish here. After she saw him naked... "Tell you what," he said. "Let's do it all backward. You give me some orders. What do we do next?" "I assume this won't be your first time shifting outside a full moon," Kristine said, buying a little time. Plus, she was curious. This would be his debut shifting as a member of Alpha Force, but he'd had other resources before. "That's right. I've taken some of the shifting pills that Simon developed, so I've already changed now and then at different times. I've even taken his medication during a full moon because it helps to keep us from changing automatically then. Mostly. My bro's a smart guy, but his pills need work." "You probably know that some of what he did has been incorporated into the new Alpha Force formula," Kristine said. "It was already good stuff, but now it's better." That wasn't her area of expertise, of course. But she, like all Alpha Force members, knew that the basis for what Quinn would be drinking here was the most current version of the Alpha Force elixir that had first been developed by one of its commanding officers, Maj. Drew Connell, even before he had helped to form the very unique, very covert military unit composed partly of shapeshifters. The formula had been modified over the few years of Alpha Force's existence, improved by development and experimentation. And now, Kristine had heard, they had also made some initial modifications to the elixir that were triggered by the formula first developed by Quinn's brother Simon. That blend was still in experimental stages and not yet in common use. Simon's prior version was not as sophisticated in most ways as what Alpha Force was using--but it contained some very desirable qualities. "Bring it on," he said. "I've been waiting to try it." Kristine inhaled deeply. "Okay, then." She kept her tone crisp. "I'll give you a dose of the elixir. You remove your clothes, then I'll shine the light on you." "It's supposed to mimic the intensity of a full moon, right?" Quinn asked. He didn't even comment about the fact that he was to completely strip in front of her. Maybe it was no big deal to him. She wouldn't let it be a big deal to her. "That's right," she said. "Fair enough." Kristine removed a vial of elixir from the backpack where it had been carefully stowed. As he drank it, she also extracted the moderate-size battery-operated light. She pretended not to be especially aware of what he was doing as he removed his shirt, then his slacks. But she did sneak a glance in his direction. Damn, but his body was as buff as she had anticipated from seeing him fully clothed. Then he removed his black boxers. She felt her face redden as she turned the light on and aimed it toward him. She had no choice but to look then. Oh, yes. His male parts were as large and enticing as she had imagined, too. She quickly lifted her gaze toward his face. He obviously was aware of her discomfort. As she bathed him in light she could see his masculine expression that clearly said, Like what you see? And then, as anticipated, his shift began. Kristine watched, as always amazed yet accepting of the miracle she observed so often. Quinn's body writhed, and he dropped to all fours on the ground. His limbs contorted as fur erupted from his skin. His grimace elongated into a canine muzzle. Soon, he would be, for all intents and purposes, a wolf. Standing still, paws grounded on the soft dirt of the earthen path, he stared at the beautiful human who had aided his change. She had turned off the bright light and stood watching him in the darkness, eased now only by the distant lights of the military base. She remained unmoving. Her head was tilted, as if she studied him. Wondered about him. Except for his family, he had never had any company while shifting. The fact he could think about that now was astounding. Always before, even when using Simon's treasured pill that helped to control shifting nearly anytime--at least somewhat--his thoughts while changed had been as wild and uncontrolled as his wolfen body. But this Alpha Force formula allowed him to keep all his human awareness. He loved it! What else was different now? He had to know. He wou

Please Wait