8
My wolf was sure of her footing as we raced through the trees. My breathing quickened as we pushed forward. It felt different than last time I’d shifted. It wasn’t like the exercises I’d done earlier today, and it wasn’t the same as the full moon. There was distance between me and my wolf. We still weren’t connecting the way we should. I had to admit, I hoped that once she couldn’t sense Tyler, we could return to where we’d left off.
Earlier today, when I had no control, it was because she’d sensed Tyler. Now, I couldn’t feel him at all. We were supposed to be one and the same, but there were two sides of our connection. I slowed down, overruling my wolf’s desire to continue running. I could feel her hesitation, but she was willing to wait. At least she was responding to me better than earlier.
A rush of relief rolled through me, and I took a deep breath. My wolf whimpered, her disappointment clear.
Remember what he did to us.I always felt a little crazy when I talked to my wolf, but it had helped in the past.He isn’t right for us. He hurt us.
Sadness, deep and profound, gripped us. It was tangled with regret, desire, and longing. The emotions were intense and confusing, and I pawed at the ground, trying to shake some of the negativity away with movement.
My wolf wanted to understand, but she was struggling. Tyler was connected to us, fated to be our other half.The fates made a mistake.
I looked up from the ground and saw Alec’s dark gray wolf slowly approaching. My wolf backed up, then held her ground as she realized that Alec wasn’t a threat.He’s a friend, I assured her.
My wolf seemed unwilling to go as far as claiming Alec a friend, but I could tell she was willing to concede that he wasn’t a threat. We’d run with him before, but things changed so quickly once I added magic to the mix.
Alec’s wolf backed up and lowered his head, as if bowing. I was confused by the action, but my wolf wasn’t. She instantly perked up, her hesitation about Alec gone.
There can only be one alpha.I wasn’t sure if the thought had come from my human half or my wolf, but I felt like I’d just been doused with ice water. Alec had the mark of an alpha, as did I. If we were a pack, one of us would have to submit.
Alec’s wolf had submitted to mine.
My pulse raced. Had he just joined my pack? Or was this just for the sake of our run tonight? I wasn’t sure what it meant, but my wolf was no longer interested in sitting still. She wanted to run.
I let out a howl, then Alec’s wolf joined in. When I took off at a run, he followed. I didn’t need to look back to know he was keeping pace with me. I could sense his emotions as if they were my own. The thrill of the run was clearly radiating from him, but there was more to it. I felt him in a way I hadn’t before.
Figuring it was from his wolf’s submission, I continued forward. My wolf took the lead running, easily navigating, but not kicking me out as she had earlier. We seemed to be on the same page, running together. I’d never been so relieved in my life. Was it possible we could finally connect the way we should?
We ran a long while, my wolf totally at peace with the freedom. I’d let her take over, trusting her to the point that I didn’t even realize where we were headed.
When she stopped in front of the entrance to Star’s home, panic gripped me.No.I forced her back, making my wolf move away from the cave’s entrance. She allowed me to take control but fought me when I tried to leave.Fuck.
My wolf sat down and waited.
Alec was next to us, patiently waiting without complaint.
After several long moments, I felt what she’d been waiting for. Tyler.
We could sense him. He wasn’t as close as he had been, but he was near. My wolf bounded forward, racing toward the rock that closed us off from the forest. I called her back, struggling to gain any kind of control. She resisted, but her fight wasn’t as strong. She was tired from all the running.
This is not going to happen.
I did the only thing I could think of. Using all my willpower, I shifted back into human form. My body broke and reformed, the process agonizing as my wolf struggled to keep me in animal form. In the end, my human side won, and I stood in the cave, facing the rock, totally naked.
“What happened?” Alec asked as he walked toward me, already back in human form.
“She tried to run to him again,” I said.
“You sensed him out there?” Alec lifted his chin toward the entrance.
I nodded. “I had more control this time, but in my wolf form, it’s too risky. I’m just going to have to wait until the bond is broken.”
Rage seemed to explode from Alec, the emotion so raw and powerful, it took my breath away. Whatever had connected us, it was intense.
Alec marched forward and placed his hand on the rock. To my surprise, the stone rolled away, revealing the entrance to the forest beyond.
“What are you doing?” I cried.