Page 34 of Wrestling With Werewolves

Alaya is blessing us tonight, it seems.

The pack is silent save for the occasional thrilled yip or hoot. We run until we reach the glowing green wards that protect Ever from the outside human world. They form a bubble over the haven, like they do back home, although, I’ve only seen our wards a few times in my life.

At the ward wall, Connall leads us left, and we run and run and run under the moon. My wolf’s bliss is palpable at being with this pack, at the nearly hundred bodies in front of us. The wolves run together, the centaurs galloping on swift hooves through the forest to our left. Hana leads that group, her mate Arkan at the back with another centaur who can only be his father—they look so similar. Above us, the pegasi flit gracefully through the trees, smiles on their faces as their beautiful wings beat the air.

Joy fills me at the connectedness of such a run. And, goddess, do we run. We run for almost an hour before the pups in front of us begin to slow. Richard and I nudge their tails, urging them on. They pick up the pace for a solid twenty minutes before flagging again. The youngest of pups typically remain with their parents, but the young children run at the very back in a group together—a move designed to bond the next generation.

One of the pups stumbles over a tree root and yips, tumbling into a pile as another falls on top of him. The pack continues on but Richard and I stop, sniffing at the pups to determine they’re fine, just tired and getting sloppy. The pup who fell whines and flops onto his back, showing Richard his neck and tummy.

Richard’s wolf nuzzles the exposed belly before growling at the pup to roll over. When he does, Richard picks him up gently by the scruff and glances at the second one. The pup jogs forward, but he’s limping from the fall.

Without thinking, I pick him carefully up in my jaws and take my spot next to Richard. His wolf’s green eyes flash at me, and then he’s off again, sprinting through beautiful, twisty dark forest. We come to an old vintage-styled gas station with a highway that leads out of the wards. Ah, that must be how newcomers arrive if they don’t portal in.

And then it’s another solid hour of running, around a motel run by wraiths—the chill from their aura is tangible over my fur as we pass. I shudder as we round the forest outside the property itself. I’ve stayed at a wraith motel before, and I did not enjoy it. It feels wrong to be surrounded by the spirits of those who are long gone from their mortal flesh.

Eventually we round a beautiful glassy lake, and then it’s another short half hour until the now-familiar sights and scents of Shifter Hollow come into view. The silent pup in my mouth begins to wriggle when we get close. When a big white wolf circles back around and chuffs a thanks at me, I drop the young one. He runs over to her and she picks him up and carries him off into the trees.

Richard’s pup begins to wiggle and yowl once we reach Shifter Hollow’s main road. Richard sets him gently down, and he runs off into the milling group. Slowly but surely, the crowd dissipates as we watch. The pegasi disappear up into the treetops and the centaurs canter off in a herd.

Connall breaks off from the group and stalks through Bad Axe’s front doors when she swings them wide for us.

We follow, reentering the bar and heading for the table where we left our clothes earlier tonight.

Connall shifts first, grabbing his clothing and throwing it over his broad shoulders. “Good run tonight. Thanks for your help, Lola.”

I shift back to human form and nod, stretching against the well-used soreness of my muscles. “That was so fun. We don’t do traditional pack runs in Santa Alaya, and even when we do, it’s mostly through the town at a very slow pace. This was…invigorating.”

Connall laughs softly. “We do a lot of things differently, I suspect.”

Richard shifts and groans. “Damnit, I have no idea where my clothes ended up.”

Connall snorts and gives his alpha a fake salute. “I’ll leave you to sort that out. If you don’t need anything else, I’m gonna head home.”

“All good,” Richard says. “I’ll be at Leighton’s parents’ place in the morning with breakfast, if you want to go with me.”

Connall nods. “I’ll meet you there.” Green eyes flash to me and wrinkle in the corners as he smiles. “Night, Lola.”

I wave goodbye as he turns to go. When the doors swing shut behind him, I realize that Richard is sitting on the edge of a table, staring at me.

“What are you thinking about?” His deep, rumbly voice breaks through my thoughts.

I turn to face him. “I was thinking that I love how Connall calls me my name, and not my title.” I glance around the empty bar. “Nobody here seems to care that I’m the princess, and I find that very refreshing.”

Richard shrugs. “We care; we just don’t care care, if you know what I mean.” He jerks his head toward the ceiling. “I never can sleep after a run. Want to come up to my place and have a drink?”

Everything in me tightens at his words. He touched me earlier, and if people hadn’t shown up, I don’t know where he would have gone next. Is he hoping to do more of that now? I’m not sure, but I want to know with a longing so deep and painful, it nearly steals my breath.

Richard leans forward, bringing his mouth to my ear. “I’ll take your shocked-looking silence as a yes.” He says nothing else, his breath warm on my skin as I resist the urge to cock my head to the side and give him my neck.

My neck.

I’ve never shown a male my neck before. Goddess, I think Papá would have put a protective collar on me at birth if he could have. He beat the idea into me of protecting my neck from a claiming bite since I was a pup.

And here I am practically offering it to his oldest friend. After Papá sent me here to avoid another alpha forcing the very same thing.

I shrug that thought off like a wet blanket. I don’t need that negativity.

Richard turns when I don’t answer, stalking gracefully toward the front door as I stare at his powerful back, ass, and legs. Every inch of him is tattooed muscle. Even if I didn’t know he was this pack’s alpha, I’d know it from the supreme confidence that rolls off him with every step he takes.

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