closed her eyes, lowering her chin to the ground.
“Oh now, don’t be like that.” He stared at her. “Don’t you trust me?”
She looked at him. I never trust a man to admit he needs help, no.
Changing the subject, he offered, “I know what you’re going through. I was a boy when it happened, but I remember how strange everything was. I’m glad I’m here for it. You wouldn’t want to do this alone, as I did.” His eyes grew distant. “Before I became one, I didn’t even know werewolves existed, and then here I was, fighting them on a daily basis. Sometimes to the death.” Surprise shook through her. He met her eyes. “Yes. I killed a few. It was them or me. I had no choice.”
How long do I have to be like this? Can I change back? How do I do that? Help me!
He frowned, trying to read her mind. “Are you angry? I was only protecting myself. These were not good men. Or good wolves.”
No! That’s not what I was thinking! Dammit! This is so frustrating. She shook her head violently enough to make him smile with relief.
“Okay! Okay. You looked upset. I thought that…” He huffed. “I’m an idiot. Of course you’re upset. You can’t talk. Here I am talking about me, and look at you. You probably feel stuck in there.”
Yes! She tilted her head, amber eyes softening. Help.
He blinked at her, then looked away. “I’m trying to remember that part, when it happened to me. It’s so long ago. Are you trying?”
She barked at him, her furry eyebrows knitting together. Of course I’m trying!
He laughed. “Sorry, but your facial expressions are fucking adorable. You are a very cute wolf.” She laid her chin on the granite floor again, and stared off. “Yeah, pouting isn’t helping. You’re still cute. Maybe even cuter now.”
She shot him a look, trying to hold onto her annoyance, but his smile was infectious. She nuzzled his arm and gave it a lick.
“Thank you for the kiss. Let me think. The first time I turned back was when I went to tell my father. I wanted to face him, as he knew me, and then show him what had happened. If you’re not able to shift then maybe it’s because you don’t want to, yet? No, don’t get annoyed again. I’m saying maybe you’re not ready, or the primitive part of you is enjoying this.” His voice changed from thoughtful to conspiratorial. “Don’t you see? You’ve tapped into the part of you that most of us have forgotten. The part that trusts her instincts. Protects her own. Who knows who she is. You are a wolf, Ali. A beast of the night. You and I can go anywhere. Do anything. The world is open to us.” He exhaled deeply and closed his eyes, adding, “As soon as I get some sleep.”
He closed his eyes and leaned back with her as his cushion. Resting the top of his shoulders against the wall, he winced and adjusted so that no injured part of him was touching anything.
She waited until he settled, and then she closed her eyes, too, thinking on what he said. She liked the sound of it, and agreed that while she hated seeing him hurt, there was a primal part in her that ruled her body now, and her instincts.
I am wild now.
I am free.
2
S heets of snow hid the light of the risen moon. Brought together by a common goal, the werewolves crossed the river with great caution. The rocks were even more slippery than before. Tawny’s paws clipped the edge of one and she teetered, nearly slipping into the rapids. Using the adrenaline rush to hone her focus, she leapt to the safety of the next, sending a layer of snow flying as she continued onward. Bloo, Motis, and Jal were just behind, and each of them benefitted from the wolf before them clearing the way.
Tawny barked an alert that they were almost there. She rounded the bend to find the only living thing left on the battle ground was the baby grizzly tucked into its fallen mother, hoping for warmth it could not longer find. Confused, Tawny scanned the area, the snow obscuring her vision just long enough
“Oh now, don’t be like that.” He stared at her. “Don’t you trust me?”
She looked at him. I never trust a man to admit he needs help, no.
Changing the subject, he offered, “I know what you’re going through. I was a boy when it happened, but I remember how strange everything was. I’m glad I’m here for it. You wouldn’t want to do this alone, as I did.” His eyes grew distant. “Before I became one, I didn’t even know werewolves existed, and then here I was, fighting them on a daily basis. Sometimes to the death.” Surprise shook through her. He met her eyes. “Yes. I killed a few. It was them or me. I had no choice.”
How long do I have to be like this? Can I change back? How do I do that? Help me!
He frowned, trying to read her mind. “Are you angry? I was only protecting myself. These were not good men. Or good wolves.”
No! That’s not what I was thinking! Dammit! This is so frustrating. She shook her head violently enough to make him smile with relief.
“Okay! Okay. You looked upset. I thought that…” He huffed. “I’m an idiot. Of course you’re upset. You can’t talk. Here I am talking about me, and look at you. You probably feel stuck in there.”
Yes! She tilted her head, amber eyes softening. Help.
He blinked at her, then looked away. “I’m trying to remember that part, when it happened to me. It’s so long ago. Are you trying?”
She barked at him, her furry eyebrows knitting together. Of course I’m trying!
He laughed. “Sorry, but your facial expressions are fucking adorable. You are a very cute wolf.” She laid her chin on the granite floor again, and stared off. “Yeah, pouting isn’t helping. You’re still cute. Maybe even cuter now.”
She shot him a look, trying to hold onto her annoyance, but his smile was infectious. She nuzzled his arm and gave it a lick.
“Thank you for the kiss. Let me think. The first time I turned back was when I went to tell my father. I wanted to face him, as he knew me, and then show him what had happened. If you’re not able to shift then maybe it’s because you don’t want to, yet? No, don’t get annoyed again. I’m saying maybe you’re not ready, or the primitive part of you is enjoying this.” His voice changed from thoughtful to conspiratorial. “Don’t you see? You’ve tapped into the part of you that most of us have forgotten. The part that trusts her instincts. Protects her own. Who knows who she is. You are a wolf, Ali. A beast of the night. You and I can go anywhere. Do anything. The world is open to us.” He exhaled deeply and closed his eyes, adding, “As soon as I get some sleep.”
He closed his eyes and leaned back with her as his cushion. Resting the top of his shoulders against the wall, he winced and adjusted so that no injured part of him was touching anything.
She waited until he settled, and then she closed her eyes, too, thinking on what he said. She liked the sound of it, and agreed that while she hated seeing him hurt, there was a primal part in her that ruled her body now, and her instincts.
I am wild now.
I am free.
2
S heets of snow hid the light of the risen moon. Brought together by a common goal, the werewolves crossed the river with great caution. The rocks were even more slippery than before. Tawny’s paws clipped the edge of one and she teetered, nearly slipping into the rapids. Using the adrenaline rush to hone her focus, she leapt to the safety of the next, sending a layer of snow flying as she continued onward. Bloo, Motis, and Jal were just behind, and each of them benefitted from the wolf before them clearing the way.
Tawny barked an alert that they were almost there. She rounded the bend to find the only living thing left on the battle ground was the baby grizzly tucked into its fallen mother, hoping for warmth it could not longer find. Confused, Tawny scanned the area, the snow obscuring her vision just long enough
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