By morning, Adam felt refreshed and energized enough to fly them up to the north slope.
“Up until just a couple of weeks ago, I assumed the clan was still run by the same corrupt band of criminals that controlled things when I left. Fortunately, the old alpha and his crew were overthrown, and they now seem to have a very capable leader.”
“See? All the more reason for me to meet them,” she said.
“You have to understand something. The clans go by the old ways. Prophecies, fate, magic, and that sort of stuff. If you think seeing someone shift is strange, I can’t imagine what you would think if you saw the shaman using her healing magic on me.”
“I’m getting more and more used to this stuff. Trust me.”
Once they touched down at the North Slope runway, they were greeted by Aurora and the council. Adam quickly pulled Aurora aside.
“She doesn’t know anything about her birth mother or anything about her shifter side. I didn’t say a word, and I would appreciate it if you didn’t either.”
“I will honor your request. But if you want to truly mate with her, she will need to know. And not only know about it, but she will also need to experience her first shifting.”
“Just cure me. And keep your magic out of her.”
Aurora showed Joy around the settlement. It was clear she was proud of their achievements.
“Tonight, we will hold the healing ceremony for Adam. After that, I invite you both to spend a few days with us. We have a house for guests, and you will be most welcome here.”
“I appreciate that. We’ll talk it over, thank you,” Joy replied. Adam, however, seemed less than thrilled about the offer. Something was strange about the way he was acting toward the shaman and the clan as a whole. It was like he couldn’t wait to get the hell out of there.
That night, Adam and Joy entered the main lodge together.
“It’s time, Adam. Are you ready?” Aurora asked.
“Yep. Let’s get this over with,” he said.
“Drink this,” Aurora said, handing him a chalice.
Joy had no idea what he was drinking, and she really didn’t want to know. She watched as he tossed the liquid back and joined Aurora under the canopy of swirling green ethereal lights.
Joy stood back, watching in awe as Aurora guided the lights down, bathing Adam in the glow. She watched him shift. For the first time, she wasn’t frightened. In fact, she was mesmerized by the strange beauty of his transformation.
When the ritual was complete, Adam shifted back into human form. And something strange began to happen to Joy. She felt a yearning for him ... a hunger that was unlike anything she’d ever felt. It was strong and almost animalistic.
Adam, too, sensed it. Still naked, he walked confidently toward her, and without saying a word, he scooped her up and carried her out of the lodge. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she panted as he took her to the hill behind the village.
The entire night sky was an ever-changing canvas of swirling-colored Northern Lights. The magic of the lights was the same that Aurora had commanded in the lodge, and Joy could feel it igniting a spark deep in her soul.
They both felt it. Desperate for each other’s bodies, they made short work of her clothes. She should have been cold, but she wasn’t. Not at all. The snow should have stung as it hit her skin, but it didn’t. She chalked it up to the magic of the location and the Northern Lights above.