Oh. I was supposed to smell. Right.
In my new form, my sense of smell was almost as good as my sight. I could tell how long it’d been since an animal had passed by, but since it was all new, I wasn’t sure what each scent was.
As we ran and played, I got a sense of freedom. Occasionally I’d catch a whiff of something yum, but when I’d see it was a bunny or a bird, I’d leave it alone.
I had a feeling if Dastien was alone, he would’ve made it his prey, but I wasn’t there yet. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be there.
But Meredith was fine. I was fine.
Hell, I was more than fine. I was a fucking wolf.
After a little while, my stomach growled. Dastien gave his wolf-y laugh, and led me to a bush. A small black plastic bin was hidden under some leaves. He left me there.
So I was supposed to change. How the hell did that happen? I went behind another bush and squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that I would magically turn back to human.
Nope, still furry.
Oh shit. I was stuck. I was going to be a wolf forever.
Damn it. This was so not cool.
Chapter Fifteen
Dastien’s laughter echoed through the woods. He was hiccupping he was laughing so hard.
Dude better watch himself. I had some nasty teeth in this form.
His laughter died. I heard the sound of the plastic bin opening and something being unzipped. “You’re not stuck,” he said. “Just picture yourself in human form, and you’ll change.”
Oh crap. Could he hear what I was thinking now?
“Yeah.”
Not cool.
“Come on. It’s kind of cool.”
Stalker. Creepo.
“I’m not a creepo. I’m your mate. It’s like the visions though. You can block it whenever you want. You’re just shouting your thoughts really loudly right now.”
He squatted beside me, now wearing a pair of gray sweatpants, and took my face in his hands. “Do it, Tess. Picture yourself on two feet and you will be.” He ran his hands through the fur along my sides and I pretty much started purring. “You pulled so much power, you’ve got to be starving. We could’ve hunted and stayed to play as wolves, but you didn’t want any of the rabbits.”
o;Shift!” The command hit me with a force so strong, it took my breath away.
The wolves howled as one.
I groaned, but there was no stopping it. My strength was waning. “No. Please.” My muscles fought against me, but I was holding off the change. I screamed, stuck between forms.
“You’re a damned stubborn one.” Donovan stood above me. His blue eyes bright. “You saved my mate, and I’ll not have you hurting like this. You listen to my command and you follow it. Do you understand?”
“No. I can’t,” my voice was low and scratchy.
“You will.” He put his hand on my forehead. “Shift now, Teresa Elizabeth McCaide.”
So much power. So much force. I couldn’t fight it anymore.
It was as if a dam inside me broke. My form was fluid. One second I was in pain, on the ground, struggling to maintain my sanity as my clothes were shredding. The next I was on my side and everything was calm. For the first time since I woke up at St. Ailbe’s, I felt completely at peace.