Page 61 of Rising Reign

“Perhaps. But for now, let’s work on harnessing your unique power. Do you feel comfortable shifting in front of me?”

Nerves hit me fast and hard, but I nodded.

“All right. Let me get a look at the process.”

I swallowed and stripped down, leaving my clothes in a pile. Clara’s focus remained on my face, the way most shifters did. We were used to getting naked in front of one another, but that wasn’t an excuse to stare.

I tried to remember how it had felt to be with the guys when they shifted, the peace that had found me there. I called on my wolf, asking her to come, inviting her to find that peace with me again. It was faster than it had been with Rhys but still clunky in places.

As I found myself on four paws, Clara crouched, offering me a hand to sniff. “I want your wolf to trust me, too. It’ll be easier that way.”

I sniffed her hand, picking up undertones in her scent that reminded me of Puck. That had me licking her palm in an offer of friendship. Clara laughed, the sound light. “Good. Now, shift back.”

I did as she asked, finding myself on two feet again. “It’s better than it was, but it’s still awkward.”

Clara nodded. “You’ve protected your wolf for so long. You need to let her protect you, as well.”

I mulled that over. I had. I never fought in wolf form if I could avoid it, and it would hurt if someone doubted my human half that way.

“Trust. Don’t force,” Clara went on. “Don’t push the shift. Just let it come. Allow your wolf to lead. The more you two are one, the stronger all your gifts will be.”

I nodded. This time, I closed my eyes and simply breathed. I listened to the wind in the trees and the sound of my heartbeat. Then, I welcomed my wolf in. I let her decide when the shift should happen.

Her answer? Instantaneously.

Faster than I’d ever felt before, the crack of bones shifted me to four paws once again. Clara hooted with joy and jumped in the air.

“Was I right, or was I right?” Rhys called through the trees.

“Stop creeping on Wren when she’s shifting,” Brix snarled.

Kingston let out a low growl. “Why hasn’t someone killed him yet?”

One corner of Clara’s mouth tugged up. “I think Wren could give that a stab in her wolfy form.”

My wolf pounced. All in good fun, of course.

37

WREN

“I have a bruise on my ass, you know,” Rhys grumped. “Sitting on this stool is painful.”

I poured him some whiskey from behind the bar at Arcane and rolled my eyes. “Do vampires even bruise?”

Rhys huffed out a breath. “No. But if we did, I’d have one. That was completely uncalled for.”

“Oh, it was completely called for,” Clara argued.

“Damn straight,” Puck said, lifting a glass to his sister.

Clara clinked her shot glass to his and tipped it back.

“Three against one,” I singsonged to Rhys.

“Rude,” he mumbled, taking a long drink of whiskey.

I leaned against the back bar. “So, you like human food and drinks?”