She looked me in the eye before nodding her head ever so slightly. “Okay. Tell me what I need to do.”
“Just like before, I need you to breathe and close your eyes. Once you feel calm enough to do so, envision your human form and beckon it forward. Embrace it.”
I watched as her brows knitted together.
“That’s it,” I encouraged, trying to ease her through the process. Back when the clan was still in existence, I had been in charge of teaching the youngsters how to control their transformations and it was never easy. Commanding a wolf, at will, is something that requires patience and self-control. Both of which are hard to come by. “You’re doing it.”
I was actually quite impressed by her abilities. She seemed to be a natural shifter.
“Of course she is — she’s our mate after all,” came Landon’s voice. I should have known that he’d hardly leave us alone.
After a few minutes, Jane had successfully transformed into her human form. I had nearly forgotten that she had been naked beforehand which meant that she was naked now. I steadied my impulses. The last thing she needed was for me to pounce on her.
“Tell me what’s bothering you,” I whispered.
“My arm. Or rather, my front leg? I don’t know. While I was running, I tripped and my… paw… sort of curled back. I think I heard something snap…” she frowned. “Jeez, it’s weird thinking of myself as some four-legged animal.”
“You’re much more than that,” I said, while brushing back her wet hair. “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted and more.”
Blush colored her cheeks, making her even more precious than before.
“Now, this might feel a little weird but I promise it will feel better in the end.”
“What are you going to do to me?”
“Oh, there’s a lot I want to do to you,” Landon chimed in.
“We weren’t asking you,” I retorted.
Jane giggled. “You know, I thought this whole ‘mind link’ thing might be a little weird but I think I’m starting to like it. I can tease you guys with dirty talk even while I’m at work.”
“Work?” I questioned. “Why would you go back to work?”
“Well, I’ve got to pay my rent somehow.”
I laughed. “Shifters don’t pay rent. We live off the land. We survive with the resources that mother nature gives us.”
“Wait… so, you’re telling me that we’ll live completely off the grid? No more computers? Cell phones? TV?”
“Our culture does not need such technologies,” I explained. “We spend our time hunting and crafting materials.”
“Damnit. And the next season of my favorite show was just about to come on…”
“But nothing is stopping us from modernizing. Many clans have moved into the city to enjoy the luxuries of 21st-century living.”
“Yeah, I think that might be a good idea. I like it out here, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not sure whether I can give up everything from my old life.”
I
nodded my understanding. “We will discuss it with Landon but right now, let’s take a look at that injury. Shifters heal at an accelerated rate and so, the longer we wait, the more likely it becomes that something will set incorrectly and then I’d be forced to break it anew.”
“That doesn’t sound very… pleasant.”
“It’s not.” Gently, I took her arm and examined it until I came across some swelling at her wrist. “Looks like maybe you broke it.”
“I don’t like the sound of that…”
“It’s alright. Wolves are very hardy creatures and we have a few tricks up our sleeves.