Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 51151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
I watch Lena swing little Reece in her arms as he giggles. I glance between them and our little one who’s fighting sleep in Lizzie’s arms.
Lena was hesitant to let Lizzie hold our little boy, but I’m glad she allowed it. I want to see Lena’s wolf. My own is dying to get out and run with her. Grace and Lizzie sit next to each other in the grass cooing at the little boy.
I squat in front of Addy to get down to her level. “Does your wolf want to come out?”
“Woof! Woof!” Addy and Reece start barking and chasing each other. I’m not sure if they understood, but they’ll get the picture when I shift. I smile at my mate. “Let’s go for a run.” She nods reluctantly and looks back at Lizzie and Grace.
“We’ll stay with the kids,” Grace says, and I swear Lizzie must say something too because she shares a look with Lena. It’s a moment that lasts a bit too long with a flash of emotion from Lena that’s quickly eased. I can’t help but feel a pang of jealousy that Lizzie’s bonded with her, Lena can hear her, and I can’t. Swallowing thickly, I focus on the gratitude that she has someone to ease her worries. Finally, as I calm the growing tide of emotion, Lena stands, heads to the edge of the woods for privacy with me and slips off her dress.
I’m mesmerized as she stretches catlike and smoothly transitions into her wolf. Shades of tan and white meld together in her fur and call to me to rub against it. Before I’m even aware, my wolf takes over. His desperation outweighs my consciousness. Perhaps aided by the pull of the moon coming. I shift and run to be by her side. Feeling the sweet stretch of release. My wolf rubs his side against hers and playfully nuzzles into her neck. Her wolf responds with caution. Lowering herself to the ground. I pace around her, waiting for her to rise. She doesn’t and my wolf doesn’t understand; he whimpers, nudging her.
At the sound of a small gasp, I look up to see Reece and Addy staring wide-eyed and stiff as boards watching us. I don’t understand their reaction, but my wolf smells their fear. For a moment, I question allowing my wolf to stay seen. I know I’m a rather large wolf and that could be intimidating, but still their fear is unwarranted. My wolf lays panting on the ground with his tongue out. Looking between our mate and the younglings. He barks once wanting someone to interact with him without fear. But all the bark does is jolt the children. Our mate responds by rolling to her side and exposing her belly.
At the sight my blood runs cold. She’s afraid. Her wolf is terrified and so are the children. And I have no idea why. I urge my wolf to crawl to her, so he doesn’t upset her, and lick her neck. She stills at the contact before relaxing. He nuzzles into her again and then rises and jumps playfully over her and nudges her to play. He wants to run with his mate. The pain that radiates through me, from him, is chilling. As much as Lena is my mate, her wolf is his and something’s happened. He doesn’t understand and he whimpers again. I don’t blame him. I want to see her run as well. She’s strong and healthy. She’s stunning, but her fear detracts from the beauty.
She slowly rises, keeping her head lowered and my wolf nudges under her chin and pounces playfully at her. She finally barks back. From the corner of my eye I see the children quietly approaching. This morning I gently prodded for Lena to tell me little bits and pieces, but I never asked about her wolf. I never asked about the children’s wolves either. My heart beats slowly, realizing perhaps I should have. I can smell their fear, but I’m happy they have the courage to approach. Is it possible they’ve never seen someone shift? I can’t imagine that’s the case. I turn to them and little Reece steps back and trips over his own feet, landing on his butt. My wolf chortles and slowly paces to him before lying beside him so he can pet me.
At first, the children still with fear. But my wolf is patient. Content to be around children. Around family. The thought makes my heart clench. It’s been too long since I’ve seen my brothers. And now that I know they have a mate, I long to see them even more. After a moment Reece and Addy pet my wolf and my mate lays beside me. My wolf wants to run, but he’s content just lying lazily so long as our mate and the children are happy. Addy squeals with a mix of delight and disgust as my wolf licks her face, leaving a trail of slobber behind. Reece claps his little hands and yells, “Mo! Mo!” More. His happiness fuels my wolf to scoot forward and give him a slobbery kiss. He shrieks with joy as he pushes me away.