Page 3 of Wild Born

“I know, but isn’t it my job to annoy my son-in-law a bit? It’s not like I can annoy Sheldon. He’s an omega and I think Trista annoys him and Travis enough for both of us,” Bane teased.

“She has a pregnant mate now. They have to let her annoy them. It’s the rules,” I laughed. “So, what’s first on your Wolf Day list?”

“That was breakfast in bed which turned into breakfast on the living room floor,” Bane laughed.

“Okay then, Alpha, what’s second on the list?” I teased him, squeezing his hand.

“A run through the forest to actually let your wolf have some of today,” he said, stopping and playing with the hem of my t-shirt.

“A naked run?” I arched a brow. “We’re going to streak down Mage Street? I’m in.”

“Our wolves always run naked.”

“Only, because you won’t let me buy you a wolf hat. We have a niece who makes hats for wolves and you won’t wear one.”

“Family loyalty only goes so far,” Bane said, tugging my shirt off over my head.

“So we’re finally streaking,” I nodded.

“You really like this shirt,” he said, tossing it onto Blake’s porch. “I don’t want it all ripped up. I’m not sure they still make that particular Grim Howler’s t-shirt. Though, I’m surprised Jonah hasn’t gotten tired of you walking around with his face on your belly.”

“He should be honored. Not many men get to touch my belly even by proxy,” I smirked up at him, rising to my toes to steal a kiss and unbutton the top button on his shirt.

“That’s because, my dear, I’d eat their fucking faces off,” Bane growled, and his eyes shifted to that of his wolf.

The vibration traveled through me stirring up my own inner beast. Fur tickled at the small of my back, poking out through unseen fur follicles. Bane’s fingers trailed over the fur, playing with it and making more prod out higher up on my back.

“Shoes,” I reminded him.

“Thanks, mate,” Bane said and kicked them off right there on Blake and Jonah’s walkway.

Recently, his shoes had become massacre victims any time he wore them while he shifted. I liked to tease him that his paws had gotten bigger than any mortal made shoe could handle. Then his wolf lost a dragon-made shoe in a shift, and we gave up and admitted the defeat. Bane shifted barefoot now.

We kissed as we started to give in to our inner beasts. His lips were warm against mine as our hungry tongues danced between our mouths. His fingers trailed over my bare chest teasing my nipples as fur sprouted around them and they shrank down. We dropped to our knees as fur erupted from our fingers and faces. The shift forced our mouths apart as our muzzles extended from our faces. A few seconds later we stood side-by-side as wolves. Bane threw his head back and howled.

“Don’t get Graylin going,” I said over our mating link.

A second later, Graylin howled, a sound full of joy and playfulness.

“Blake and Jonah are going to get you later,” I said, but Bane’s paws were already propelling him forward toward the woods.

I raced on his heels until the sidewalks all ended and people randomly strolling around became sparse. He stopped at the tree line sniffing the air and waiting for me to catch up to him. I nipped at Bane’s fluffy tail as I skidded to a halt. He rubbed along my body, nuzzling me as I passed him. Then we were off.

The running trail through the Hemlock Academy hunting grounds was as familiar as our own backyard. While we didn’t hunt as often as some wolves did, we ran the trail at least twice a week to keep our wolves fit and to keep away the zoomies. No one wants to see a wolf headbutt his way out of his human host and take a zoomie trip or a dozen around a medical lab.

Bane skidded to a halt on the trail. I stopped, looking back over my shoulder as he sniffed the air.

“Are you already hungry again?” I asked him over our mating link. “We could get the deer but I’m not skinning what’s left of it after you slobber all over it.”

He didn’t answer, but instead sniffed the air again before jerking his head left for me to follow him. I sniffed the air as I padded in his direction. Someone else was around. The scent of another shifter blended in with the smell of the woods. Wild wolves were nearby too. They liked to follow shifters around when we hunted because we’d usually share with them. Darian liked to tell everyone not to feed them or we might turn them into dogs, but no one listened. Who here was going to let a fellow wolf go hungry? Besides, it was easier to let them eat it than it was to skin and dress what was left after we finished eating.

“Do you smell that?” Bane asked over our mating link.

“Probably someone taking a nap or skipping class.”

“That smells like a baby, mate. Somewhere beyond the wild wolves’ scents. There’s a baby out here.”

“People do bring their babies for walks. We’ve brought our kids out here before.”

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