It wasn’t like that anymore. Usually. He did have some control now. Just not enough.
David shifted, his body warming as he landed on all fours. His ears perked, and in the distance he heard Owen Nottingham and his mate, Candice, barge through the wolf door of their home. Candice always ran with Owen, even if she didn’t need to. That’s what mated wolves did for each other.
Gavin went out next. Amelia and Slade probably had flights they had to take out, so neither was with him.
David’s paws padded silently across the patio, then with a leap, he dashed into the woods, dirt churning, trees going by in a blur as he tracked the scent of his pack. It was instinctive now, his ability to find his pack, his family, so he wouldn’t have to be alone.
He raced to catch up to Owen and Candice, who always waited for him. He sometimes wondered if they felt bad for him because he had been the odd man out. He still might be if things didn’t work out between him and Elizabeth, but he didn’t let that worry him now. He veered around an ancient oak, leaped over a fallen log, and spotted Owen, who turned and barked at him to hurry up and join them. When he was finally side by side with his packmates, Candice licked him in greeting, and they started off again, sniffing the trail, identifying squirrels and birds and deer that had been through there recently.
Then they heard a woof behind him, and he gave a wolf smile. Faith and Cameron and their three wolf pups were scampering to catch up.
The pack happily took off, everyone helping to watch after the little ones who were off the trail more than on it, searching for new scents and sightings of anything that intrigued them—a butterfly, a dragonfly, a lizard that quickly scampered under a rock ledge. The world was a wide-open place of wonder and discovery for them.
And sometimes it felt that way to David too.
***
Elizabeth had sensed David was anxious about the full moon tugging on his wolf need to shift. They’d made love again last night, but he’d been…distracted, she thought. She wished she knew how to console him. To let him know she was there for him every step of the way. But when he left the room before daybreak, she let him go. He’d come to her when he was ready. Until then, she had to give him the space to sort it out for himself. She would be encouraging, supportive, but no matter how much she tried to tell him it didn’t bother her, she knew it bothered him. And that wasn’t anything she could fix.
She got up and showered, then heard Sheri showering. When they were both dressed for work, she met Sheri in the kitchen.
“Did I hear David—” Sheri peered out the window. “Scratch that. He ditched his clothes on the back patio.” She sighed. “I think he doesn’t want to let on how bad it is for him still.”
“All the more reason it’s important we’re here for him and the others.” Elizabeth made them some hot tea.
“I agree, but if it were me, I would go after him. Show him he doesn’t have to sneak out or hide what’s going on.” She opened the pantry, digging around for pancake mix.
“I don’t know. Maybe you’re right. I was thinking he might need to do his own thing, and I might end up making him feel more uncomfortable.” Elizabeth bit her lip, wondering if Sheri was right.
“You’re overthinking this. He’ll want to see that it doesn’t bother you. I’ll have my pancakes and fix some more for the two of you when you return.” She nodded toward the wolf door. “Go!”
Elizabeth gave her a huge smile. “I’m going.” She brought David’s clothes into the living room and dumped them on the floor. Then she stripped and dumped her clothes on top of David’s to say she was his and he’d better just get used to it. She gave Sheri a thumbs-up, then shifted.
“That’s the spirit.” Sheri smiled at her. “Go get him.”
Elizabeth raced out of the house and followed David and the rest of the pack’s scents.
She barked to let the others know she was coming, her heart as light as her paws flying across the ground. She wanted to run with David and then go home, and as soon as they shifted back into their human form, she wanted to make love to him. To prove to him that she loved him just like he was.
It took a moment for her to realize no one responded to her bark though.
She howled then, her wolf’s voice carrying further than her bark, and got a chorus of howls in response. She’d never felt such joy as she experienced in that moment. She ran all the faster to meet up with them. Now they knew her wolf howl, and she knew theirs, just not who they all belonged to. But she’d learn that soon enough.
Then she saw David running back to her, huge and majestic, his white fur flowing in the wind. He was beautiful.
She pounced on him, partly in play and greeting and partly in annoyance that he couldn’t see that she was happy for him, glad that he was what he was because if he hadn’t been turned—besides the fact he would have died of a heart attack at his young age—she wouldn’t have ever fallen in love with him. Not when he’d been human. Oh, maybe she would have still had the hots for him, had she met him, but she would never have felt this connected to him like she was with both parts of him—wolf and man.
He tackled her back, less aggressively, just in fun, and she knew from his scent and posture—if he’d had any doubts she would love him like this too—he was thrilled she had come after him. She still had to talk with him about this. They needed to communicate their concerns with each other. Work them out. Show how much they valued each other.
But right now, in this moment, this was all that mattered.
She pulled away from him and licked his face and he licked hers back, then rubbed up against her. This was a lovely way to start the day as wolves. Though she would have loved a kiss and a hug this morning before they went for a run. Together. They turned in unison, trotting side by side, just the way it should be. The two of them. A couple.
When they finally rendezvoused with the rest of the pack, they were greeted by a chorus of the most beautiful howls she’d ever heard. She knew they were trying to show her who belonged to which voice. After some playful romping and more chasing after the pups, the pack began to disperse, and David and Elizabeth headed back too. She suspected he’d been in his wolf coat for long enough that he could manage work for a while.
The whole scenario really brought home the pack’s problem with shifting during the full moon while trying to run their office. She couldn’t wait to help make that easier for all of them.
There was nothing better than feeling needed, Elizabeth thought. Other than being loved too.
Elizabeth howled as they approached David’s house to let Sheri know they were on their way and she could fix breakfast for them so they could eat and get to work.
David let her go inside first. Right away, she smelled the pancakes and maple waffle syrup and sausages. Sheri was right to say she liked her own cooking. Elizabeth gave her a few appreciative yips while still in wolf form, and Sheri waved a spatula at her from the kitchen in acknowledgment.