her head, she stared at the rich dark chocolate fur covering her back. She lifted each paw in turn, placing it down with exaggerated care, her sharp claws digging into the soft earth.
Breathing in, she caught a wild feral scent. She turned as a huge black wolf appeared behind her, his tail wagging frantically.
Connor.
The name whispered through her mind and she took a step toward him, touched her nose lightly to his and then jumped back with a yip when she found it cold and wet.
She gazed around her. Everything was sharply defined. Her ears swiveled, to pick up the sound of the wind in the treetops above her, and somewhere far off an owl hooted. She opened her mouth and tasted the rain on her tongue. The scents of the night filled her nostrils, the rich damp earth, leaf mold, the musky aroma of strange wolves. Her muzzle twitched, and she searched the edges of the clearing.
They came out of the trees.
Wolves.
At their head, stalked a huge silver wolf with dark blue eyes. Keira’s legs trembled with excitement as he approached. Behind him trotted two smaller wolves, silver and red.
Her sisters.
Then others. Until they surrounded her in a circle. In unison, they raised their heads to the sky and howled. And Keira threw back her head and joined them. Wild excitement tugged at her. She needed to move, to run, to…
She found Connor at the edge of the circle, watching her from his dark wolf eyes, his black plumed tail waving. He caught her gaze, yipped once then turned and headed into the trees. The circle parted and she followed, stepped through and into the darkness of the trees.
She raced through the dark forest, the pads of her paws making no sound on the soft leaf-littered floor. Smoothly, she twisted her way between the gnarled trunks of the oaks, chasing the sable wolf. As the trees thinned, she picked up speed, running ever faster, until she was aware of nothing but the wind flowing past her. All her tension, the loneliness that had plagued her for so long fell away beneath the relentless stretch and release of muscle and sinew. A wild exhilaration filled her. She didn’t falter as she reached the edge of the forest, and she was racing out in the open under the full moon.
Without warning, a huge form slammed into her from the side, pushing her to the ground, knocking the air from her lungs. She rolled, then jumped to her feet, shook herself, a growl rising up in her throat.
The black wolf faced her, hackles raised. When he saw he had her attention, he growled softly then looked back towards the dark shadows of the forest. She knew he wanted her to return to safety, but she didn’t want safety. For the first time in so long, she was wildly alive, filled with joy. Laughter bubbled up in her mind but could find no release, and she sank to her haunches, threw back her head, and howled.
She woke in the first light of dawn. The moon had set and the rising sun painted the sky in pinks and orange. She was back in human form, lying under a huge oak tree, naked. But warm and cozy with Connor’s strong arms wrapped around her. All her senses were acutely aware. Above her, the breeze rustled the canopy, and the scent of damp earth and warm musky werewolf filled her nostrils.
And something else.
She pulled free and sat up. Connor stirred in his sleep but didn’t awaken.
Something teased at her mind and she rose slowly to her feet as two figures stepped out of the forest. Tasha and Anya.
Wonder filled her as she realized how close they were and neither was in pain.
It had worked. She was free.
She walked slowly toward them, then she was enfolded in their arms as she blinked back hot tears.
“It worked,” Tasha said.
She nodded. “I guess.”
“Can you hear us in your head?” Anya asked.
For a moment, fear froze her brain, then she reached out tentatively, opening her mind and a whole deluge of images poured in. Too many to make sense of.
Shaking her head, she laughed. “Yes, but perhaps I need a
Breathing in, she caught a wild feral scent. She turned as a huge black wolf appeared behind her, his tail wagging frantically.
Connor.
The name whispered through her mind and she took a step toward him, touched her nose lightly to his and then jumped back with a yip when she found it cold and wet.
She gazed around her. Everything was sharply defined. Her ears swiveled, to pick up the sound of the wind in the treetops above her, and somewhere far off an owl hooted. She opened her mouth and tasted the rain on her tongue. The scents of the night filled her nostrils, the rich damp earth, leaf mold, the musky aroma of strange wolves. Her muzzle twitched, and she searched the edges of the clearing.
They came out of the trees.
Wolves.
At their head, stalked a huge silver wolf with dark blue eyes. Keira’s legs trembled with excitement as he approached. Behind him trotted two smaller wolves, silver and red.
Her sisters.
Then others. Until they surrounded her in a circle. In unison, they raised their heads to the sky and howled. And Keira threw back her head and joined them. Wild excitement tugged at her. She needed to move, to run, to…
She found Connor at the edge of the circle, watching her from his dark wolf eyes, his black plumed tail waving. He caught her gaze, yipped once then turned and headed into the trees. The circle parted and she followed, stepped through and into the darkness of the trees.
She raced through the dark forest, the pads of her paws making no sound on the soft leaf-littered floor. Smoothly, she twisted her way between the gnarled trunks of the oaks, chasing the sable wolf. As the trees thinned, she picked up speed, running ever faster, until she was aware of nothing but the wind flowing past her. All her tension, the loneliness that had plagued her for so long fell away beneath the relentless stretch and release of muscle and sinew. A wild exhilaration filled her. She didn’t falter as she reached the edge of the forest, and she was racing out in the open under the full moon.
Without warning, a huge form slammed into her from the side, pushing her to the ground, knocking the air from her lungs. She rolled, then jumped to her feet, shook herself, a growl rising up in her throat.
The black wolf faced her, hackles raised. When he saw he had her attention, he growled softly then looked back towards the dark shadows of the forest. She knew he wanted her to return to safety, but she didn’t want safety. For the first time in so long, she was wildly alive, filled with joy. Laughter bubbled up in her mind but could find no release, and she sank to her haunches, threw back her head, and howled.
She woke in the first light of dawn. The moon had set and the rising sun painted the sky in pinks and orange. She was back in human form, lying under a huge oak tree, naked. But warm and cozy with Connor’s strong arms wrapped around her. All her senses were acutely aware. Above her, the breeze rustled the canopy, and the scent of damp earth and warm musky werewolf filled her nostrils.
And something else.
She pulled free and sat up. Connor stirred in his sleep but didn’t awaken.
Something teased at her mind and she rose slowly to her feet as two figures stepped out of the forest. Tasha and Anya.
Wonder filled her as she realized how close they were and neither was in pain.
It had worked. She was free.
She walked slowly toward them, then she was enfolded in their arms as she blinked back hot tears.
“It worked,” Tasha said.
She nodded. “I guess.”
“Can you hear us in your head?” Anya asked.
For a moment, fear froze her brain, then she reached out tentatively, opening her mind and a whole deluge of images poured in. Too many to make sense of.
Shaking her head, she laughed. “Yes, but perhaps I need a
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