“It will not be pleasant,” warned Landon. “But we will be with you every step of the way.”
“Will it hurt?”
Landon didn’t answer me, but I understood, by the way he avoided looking my way, that it would.
“We will be there,” Roman assured me, “so, you have nothing to fear.” He nipped my ear in an affectionate manner. “But this is something you must do, for if you do not release your inner wolf, you’ll face dire consequences.”
I didn’t dare to ask what those consequences were.
***
Together, we navigated through the thick forest until we came upon a clearing. It was lined with wildflowers. Their scent was much stronger than I expected them to be. It was almost like I could
pick out the different elements composing their honeysuckle-like perfume.
“As you may have already noticed, your senses are much sharper and they will continue to get better as you learn to live with the wolf now residing inside your body. Some wolves are skilled in certain areas, more so than others. For example, I am stronger and Roman is faster. With time, we will learn both your strengths and your weaknesses.” Landon spoke like a well-educated professor, preparing me for an exam.
“So, what do I do?” I asked, already feeling that itch that came with the jitters. “Does it just happen or do I need to say a set of magic words?” I laughed a nervous sort of laugh.
“Breathe,” came Roman’s command, as he rested his hand on my shoulder. “Now, close your eyes and envision what you are about to do. Your human body is about to transform into that of a wolf — a beast both powerful and majestic. Do not be afraid of what is to come but embrace it.”
I allowed his words to guide me and before I knew what was happening, a strange rippling effect rolled along my arms. I opened my arms and saw the small baby hairs on my skin come alive as full-blown fur. It became thicker and thicker. I was mesmerized by the series of events. That is, until the pain kicked in.
It was like someone had taken the liberty of breaking every bone in my body. I felt them snap and shatter and realign themselves in positions that only heightened my agony.
“Don’t fight it,” I heard Landon say, as I howled at the moon. Unable to stay standing, I fell to the ground, panting for breath. If I had known that this was the price I needed to pay in order to be with the men of my dreams, well, let’s just say… maybe I would have reconsidered.
Fuck.
It wasn’t burning — it was worse than that. Some invisible force was peeling my skin back. My nails were being ripped right off my fingertips. And there was no way for me to stop any of it.
Again, I howled. I dug at the ground, trying to steady myself.
When would it end?
My vision become crystal clear. My nostrils flared. Bit by bit, the pain faded away, until I was able to breathe without the feeling of being stabbed on every inhale.
“There you go,” said Landon. “The worse is over now.” He reached out his hand and ran it over my thick, silver fur. “You look gorgeous.”
“Gorgeous? I don’t feel gorgeous. I feel like highway roadkill.”
“Far from it,” came a voice inside my head that wasn’t my own.
“What the hell?”
“It’s a perk of being a wolf mate. You get a mental link, which means you can talk to us without ever saying a word.”
“So, you two are inside my head now?”
“And you are in ours.” Landon joined the conversation, having transformed into his own wolf self.
A part of me felt violated. The privacy of my own thoughts was no longer private. I now shared that space with my lovers.
But was that really such a bad thing? Maybe this was the secret to finishing each other’s sentences.
“Jane?” Landon nudged his snout into my neck. “Are you alright?”
“Just give me a minute. This is a lot for me to take in.”