“Aw baby, you will. And believe me, I can’t wait.” He gave her a broad smile. “And after this mess is cleaned up with the Wallace Pack, we’ll announce our mating to all of Lyceum Wolves, and hold a formal ritual…just you and me.”
“I don’t know how…I mean, I haven’t been around wolves long enough to know how it works. I can just feel it within me. I want you…to be with you. God, this is so crazy.”
“No it’s not. But in a way, I know how you feel. Before you, the whole need to mate never made a lick of sense. But now, it’s perfectly clear.”
She smiled, knowing that everything always came back to nature for Tristan. Kalli wished she could be so confident, knowing what to do and say. But every minute she spent with Tristan, she grew more and more aware of the mating bond. More than a human’s love, it bound their wolves eternally. Organic and instinctive, their mating would bond them irrevocably throughout time.
Tristan had taken Kalli for a long and winding walk through the woods, stopping to teach her about the plants and even point out the natural habitats of small game and reptiles. As a veterinarian, she found it fascinating. She was amazed at how much he knew about the environment and conservation. By the time they reached a small spring, she was unusually relaxed. He showed her how they’d fostered the spring. The cool clean water ran from the pipe in the rock into his stainless steel canteen as he filled it. As she drank the nectar, she eyed him thoughtfully, wondering exactly what he couldn’t do. Whether it was riding a Harley or identifying a copperhead snake, he did it all with a cool air of confidence and a smile.
By the time they got back, Tristan directed her to eat lunch and take a nap, one that, regretfully, he insisted did not include sex. Instead, he’d stripped her bare, massaging every last muscle until she’d fallen asleep at his hands. He knew that her body was storing energy for the shift. Eating. Drinking. Exercising. And finally sleeping. It was everything she needed to make a smooth transition to lupine.
After a long nap, Tristan woke Kalli. Red streaks painted the dusky sky as the sun fell below the horizon. Wearing only cotton bathrobes, both Kalli and Tristan stood on the last step of the large cedar deck which wrapped around the back of the cabin. The harmonious sounds of the cicadas and crickets blanketed tranquility over Kalli’s mind.
In the distance, she heard the yips of wolves, already singing in celebration of the full moon. Tendrils of her Alpha’s power danced along her skin as she disrobed. Fully bared to the twilight, she closed her eyes and took a cleansing breath in preparation for her shift. Her wolf rejoiced in appreciation, no longer confined to the deep recesses of her soul. No, tonight the wolf would command her very being and in truth, Kalli delighted at the prospect. The gravitational force of the pack’s quintessence reminded her of how this change represented a threshold to a new life. No longer a lone wolf, she’d claim her mate and belong to pack.
Turning to Tristan, she lifted her eyes to meet his. He smiled down at her, enjoying the sheer bliss she’d been experiencing at finally coming to acceptance of her nature. Tonight, he’d watch out for her, making sure she learned the land and was comfortable with him before introducing her to the pack. He expected that certain females such as Mira might try to challenge her. And while he was fully confident of her Alpha tendencies, tonight there’d be no fighting. Tonight was about helping Kalli while she rediscovered her wolf and learned to control the exhilarating, but sometimes distracting, assault to both one’s senses and libido when in the presence of other wolves.
“I’m ready, Tristan,” she breathed. “My wolf is here and can’t wait to run.”
“Okay chérie. Remember what we talked about. The tendency to want to go with the others will be strong, so pay attention to me. We’ll introduce you to the pack another night. Logan’s with them and he’ll let them know you’re around, but they’ve been instructed to leave you be.” He tossed his robe onto the wooden planks, and took Kalli’s hand in his.
His eyes narrowed into a serious expression. “That being said, expect their influence to be significant. This means you might feel unusually aggressive if one of them nears, especially given your need to claim me. You also will be extraordinarily hungry, so we’ll hunt. Given that you’ve only hunted alone, I’ll teach you how to hunt as a pair. Then eventually, we’ll hunt with the pack, as a team. It’s much better that way…power in numbers and all. Plus, we work collectively to teach the pups how to catch prey.”
“Anything else I should know?” She smiled, listening to him reiterate what he’d already told her on their walk. She loved the way he cared so much about taking care of his pack, her, and making sure that she was prepared for what would happen. Given her terrifying past experiences, she had high expectations based solely on the facts that Tristan had told her. She laughed to herself, realizing how much she’d grown to trust him. A week ago, she’d considered her life that of a human, revolted by the life of a wolf. It was amazing how her Alpha had changed her thinking, her life.
Tristan wrapped a finger around one of her long curls and gave it a little tug, in an attempt to get her to focus. He could see the wheels spinning, and needed her to remain on task, so she’d be safe and calm within the forest. With a closed smile, he reminded her about the other topic she really wanted to avoid discussing. “The last thing I want to remind you of is one of my favorite topics, sex. I know we talked about this, but your libido will be on fire. Any full moon revs us all up, but this being your first around pack is going to make you one little randy girl,” he teased, winking at her.
She rolled her eyes. “Please, let’s just not talk about it.”
“Don’t be embarrassed. It’s just our way…to want to be close to those that we love. And in your case, you’ll learn to control it, but don’t worry about it tonight. We’ll just see how it goes after we shift back. I’ve got a nice set up for us afterwards to help you relax. No matter what happens tonight, I’ll be there to protect you…always. Never forget that, Kalli.” His voice took on a serious tone. “Ready now?”
Kalli gave a self-assured smile. Thanks to Tristan, she honestly was ready. “Hell yes. Let’s do this thing. See if you can catch me, wolf!”
Untwining her hand from Tristan’s, she broke free into a full sprint, seamlessly shifting into her wolf.
Tristan gasped in awe at the beautiful sight of her. Splendid white fur touched with grey down her back and legs, she darted across the green grass. She circled round him, running quickly, purely engrossed in her release. As Tristan stood erect, still in human form, she ringed once more, slowing as she came to face him. Falling at his bare feet, she playfully bowed her head toward the ground, looking upward at him with her tail wagging, hindquarters raised high in the air.
Reaching forward, Tristan ran his palm over her small head, in approval, rubbing her ears. “Chérie, you’re stunning. Just beautiful, baby,” he crooned.
She barked in response, and began chasing the wind in large circles as if to encourage him to shift. Taking off like a missile toward him, she swiftly missed him and ran toward the woods. Coming to a halt, she looked eagerly over her shoulder, waiting for him to change.
He laughed at her exuberance. After all the angst regarding her change, she was the one running circles around him. Or so she thought. Fluently, Tristan metamorphosed into his handsome, magisterial wolf. Stalking toward her, he sought her submission. Expecting pursuit, Kalli took flight toward the woods. Spotting his prey, Tristan flew past her, corralling her to the ground. Gleefully, she rolled to her back, baring her neck in defeat. He licked her muzzle, assuring her of his affections. With a nip, she reminded him that it was time to hunt; her wolf hungered for a kill. Free to run the land, she sought exploration and sport. Tristan nudged her belly, encouraging her to roll to her feet. Following her Alpha, they bounded into the night.