Page 66 of Rabid
“You,” he answers with a sexy smile that makes me want to do all kinds of naughty things to him. An excited yip comes from one of the new wolves like they’re trying to hurry us along, and Tyran chuckles.
“Okay,” I say with nervous excitement.
With a grin, he backs away and starts to rip his clothes off to ready for the shift. I turn around and do the same, because ogling him in front of the new pups probably wouldn’t be the best idea. When I glance over my shoulder to see if he’s watching me, he shoots me a wink before effortlessly melting into his massive brown wolf.
I join him a second later, paws steady beneath me. For a split second, I worry that my wolf will freak out around all these strange wolves she hasn’t met yet and that I’ll have to fight her for control in front of the pups. But as soon as the worry crosses my mind, it’s eased just as quickly. Because the little girl wolf, all shiny brown fur, comes right over and licks my wolf on her neck. Instead of growling or getting territorial, my wolf’s lips pull back into some semblance of a playful grin.
Tyran’s wolf comes over and hip-checks us, and then with a howl, he darts away, leading the run. The new little ones bound after him with excited yips, while the older wolves move to encircle them, ensuring the pups are protected from every possible angle at all times. I join the protective circle and take up position on the left. We all span out so the little ones can get their legs under them with plenty of space to amble and frolic and race as they learn what it is to be a wolf.
I realize as my paws fly through the forest, that this is what taking a wolf spiritshouldbe like. This is what being a Totemic shifter is all about. As we run together as a pack, protecting the pups and letting them smell and pounce and pant and wag, I see just how beautiful it all is.
This pack doesn’t sexualize shifting like Twin Rivers did, doesn’t force the females to experience the Flux at the same time so the stronger males can choose them. This pack doesn’t make their members wait until they’re adults so the claiming can happen. This pack has it right. It’s sacred, it’s about a true joining with your wolf, and just letting two innocent spirits connect.
I have no idea how long we run together, but it’s so incrediblyfreeing. For the first time since I got my wolf spirit, she’s shifted because it’sfun. Not to attack, not for survival, not even for the baser instincts driving her. She just...gets to be a wolf playing in the woods with the pack.
With our new pack.
After a while, when the pups have become used to their new spirits and the wolves have gotten to run to their heart’s content, Tyran starts teaching them how to hunt. The pups break off into groupings with the adults. Tyran’s wolf goes around to all of them, watching over, helping to teach.
I take the opportunity to let my wolf get better at it too. The mountain goat was our only experience so far, and that was about a lot more than just the thrill of a hard hunt.
Tyran’s wolf watches me as I dart off to chase the scent trail of a bunny, and I can sense the amused pride in him. My wolf plays around for a bit, not hunting too seriously, more just enjoying the chase. The sun warms our fur as we lope to catch up with the scattered rabbit.
It’s so bright and beautiful all around us, and my wolf comes up with big plans that involve lying around and sunning ourselves for the rest of the afternoon. We’ve never been able to do that, and I can’t deny it sounds like heaven. That is,afterTyran and I sneak off to a cave or two so I can ride that dick and sink a few more marks into his skin first. I’llreallygive him a reason to strut around the pack shirtless.
Giddy glee fills our paws at the thought of our mate, and we pick up the pace, ready to catch our prey, but my wolf skids to a stop when a distinct and familiar smell fills our nose.
Presley.
Chapter Twenty
The trail of Presley’s scent tells me exactly where to find her, but I’m not sure what I want to do about it. I didn’t realize she was here running with us, but now that I know, it feels ordained, like this is the perfect time to set some things straight.
Strawberry doesn’t like us. I get that, and honestly, the feeling is pretty fucking mutual.
But...after what my wolf and I have experienced the past few days with the pack, and with witnessing the Flux today, it’s changed me. All of this bonding and running with the pups brings everything into perspective. It makes what’s happened between me and Presley feel petty and pointless.
I want to solidify my place here in Ruin Falls, and to do that, I need to confront every piece that feels like it’s keeping me from doing that. And one of those major pieces comes in a boobalicious, Presley-shaped package.
It’s time to talk to her one-on-one, female to female.
At my urging, my wolf abandons the trail of her rabbit and redirects her focus on Presley’s scent instead.
This probably won’t be a very easy talk, but it needs to happen. Now that I’ve claimed Tyran and am Ruin Falls’ official luna, I have to sort things out, regardless of the fact that she sat on my male’s lap. My wolf growls at the memory, but I tell her to knock it off.We’re not approaching Presley to start shit, I remind her, hoping she’ll keep her rabid feelings in check.
I mean, if Presley comes for us, we’ll do what we’ve gotta do…
I shake away that thought and side-eye my wolf who’s almosthopingthat will happen. But I’m genuinely not wanting to cause trouble. I want to clear some things up so we can move on. I’ve claimed Tyran now, our bond is settled, so she needs to respect that.
Presley’s trail grows stronger, and when we round a hill, we find her tearing apart what I think used to be a badger.
Well, crap. Feeding wolves are always bitchier than they are without a kill to protect. Being that Presley is already a cunt, I have no idea what I’ll be up against with this shit. I debate turning around and leaving her to it, but I know she’ll smell me here, and I don’t want her to think I tucked tail and ran.
I ask my wolf for control so I can talk to her and hopefully defuse what could otherwise be a very volatile situation. Begrudgingly, she gives it to me. We watch Presley intently, trying to work through what to say to her as fur recedes inside skin, sharp teeth disappear, and we move from four legs to two.
I don’t know what it says about Strawberry Presley and her white and red wolf, but neither notice that I’m standing here watching them until I start to step down the hill and purposely snap a twig under my feet. Her wolf snarls, moving to stand over their kill, bright angry eyes now trained on me.
“I don’t want your...whatever that is.” I look down at the ripped up carcass between her paws. “I’m not here to fight, I just want to talk,” I explain, my arms up in a gesture of goodwill as I continue to advance on her.
