“But I can’t shift,” she reminded me with a half-smile.
“I’m not a wolf.”
“But you’re part of my pack,” I told her. “And I won’t leave you here as the rest of us run. Come with me.”
Val looked around for guidance, but all of the other wolves had started to move away.
As the other wolves ran for the woods, I held back, pushing my wolf to the deepest recesses of my mind long enough to nose Val’s hand.
“Get on,” I said, ignoring the bristling of my wolf as she fought against the invitation.
“On your back?” Val asked, her words shaking at the end.
“Your wolf won’t mind?”
“It isn’t her choice to make. Either you come with me, or I stay here with you.” My wolf didn’t like that idea, either. She itched at the back of my mind, begging me to run and join the pack. I won’t go unless she comes with us. She’s pack. My pack.
At least that was something my wolf could understand. So after some internal bickering, my wolf backed down, letting me do as I pleased.
“We’re good,” I assured Val, adjusting my stance as she carefully climbed on.
Thankfully, my wolf’s strength held her up, Val’s weight barely noticeable as I started to walk around.
Somewhat amused, Fallen watched from the sidelines, tilting her head whenever I turned in her direction. My actions weren’t lost on Ash, either.
Standing beside the bonfire, she’d watched the other wolves go, somewhat confused when I didn’t do the same.
Val leaned against my back, her lips close to my ear. “What about her?” she asked, referring to Ash. “Isn’t she going to join us?”
“She can’t shift,” I said simply, my heart skipping when Fallen made her way toward the Alpha. Surely she wasn’t going to confront Ash now. We had a run to take part in, one of which she’d begged me to do.
Or the gathering part, anyway.
In front of the fire, Ash regarded Fallen the same way she’d done so many times before. Her eyes were darker now, the golden ring hidden by the bright light of the fire.
“Come with us,” Fallen said, her voice barely audible to even me. “If Val can ride on Jo’s back, then you can ride on mine.”
Ash scoffed. “After what you said just then? You won’t accept my touch in human form, but you’ll let me ride you?”
She shook her head. “No. I’m better off sitting this one out.”
“You can’t keep doing this.”
“Doing what?”
“Distancing yourself. I miss the way you used to be. I want our Alpha back. I want my friend back. Please, come with us.”
Ash looked at me, then back at Fallen again. “I can’t.”
“Because she isn’t Dani.” Fallen bowed her head. “But she is family, and it’s been so long since we’ve been able to run with a new wolf. The pups in the nursery won’t be of age for a
few more years, and by then…” Fallen trailed off, her voice hoarse. “This might be our last chance.”
“To run with a new wolf,” Ash agreed, “but I will always be with my wolves.”
“It isn’t enough.” The words slipped out before I could pull them back.
“Jo, what are you doing?” Val whispered in my ear, her hands gripping my fur so tight that I actually winced at the momentary pain. “You wanted to run, so let’s run.”