Page 46 of Savage Trap

An Old Blood European. The words make my heart thump and I can’t keep the slight wince from my face. She used to tell me she could trace her line back to the Arbanon in the Middle Ages. It was a lie, but…

We’re not our parents. We’re not even the people who raised us. If good people choose us, that’s all that matters.

I blink at him, stunned by what almost feels like a kindness. Until I remember he’s just spent a day exclusively in our sunshine’s company. Anyone would be feeling pretty generous after that. “It’s rare, but some omegas have the ability,” I tell Nate. “It also helps that Kelly and I both come from powerful bloodlines.”

I nod for him to take Kelly’s hand, closing the loop. As soon as we’re connected, I feel my wolf rising to the surface. We’ve done this a lot lately with the omegas from the Underground, and a faint hum starts in my blood as I feel Kelly’s wolf reach for mine. They know what to expect, and they’re eager to be let out. “If you meditate, try to get yourself into a mindful space,” I tell Nate.

“Or yoga,” Kelly adds, who’s a level three practitioner and the most Zen person I’ve ever met. “You want heightened awareness, but also inner stillness.”

Nate nods, closing his eyes, and descends into the silence between the three of us. I’ve thought about this a lot, since my mind is way more chaotic than Kelly’s, and I don’t really think it’s about us reaching any particular meditative state. It’s more about opening ourselves up enough to let our wolves breathe, but not handing over to them completely.

For shifters, there’s often only two ways of being: human or animal. But I believe there’s a third space that exists between our forms. For most powerful wolves, it’s probably so small they don’t ever feel it, but when you’ve been trapped the way Kelly and I were for most of our lives, every inch matters. And once you let a little sunshine in, it has the ability to fill you completely.

I like that, Kelly whispers down our bond. And filling you is definitely my happy place, Angel.

I smile and focus on my arms. My wolf is ready, already pressing eagerly to the surface, and I let her power ripple through my skin. Silver fur covers me from elbow to wrist, while Kelly’s is a deep red-gold. There’s a moment where I wonder if I’m too wound up to bring Nate’s to the surface, but in the next breath his arms are coated in blue-black silk.

His eyes pop open and he sucks in a shaky breath as he studies his fur in shock. “I can’t believe this is inside me. He’s really there? My wolf?”

The way his voice cracks sends a ripple through our bonds. It’s our alphas, both at their pride in what we’re doing, but also with a touch of shame, since they’ve never had to struggle to connect with their wolves.

“It only gets better,” I assure him. “We’ll help you this time, but if you practice, soon you’ll be doing it on your own.” I pause and glance around at my mates. “And the stronger your pack, the easier it gets. Kelly and I are proof of that.”

He blinks at me, and I can’t read his expression. It might be the light bouncing off his glasses, but for a moment I wonder if there’s guilt swimming in his eyes. But in the next breath, he’s nodding. “Please. Yes. I want that. Whatever it takes, I’ll do it.”

Kelly glances at me, no doubt feeling the tension humming through our connection. For once, it’s not me; all that frantic energy is coming from Nate. But can anyone blame him for literally jumping out of his skin to finally meet his wolf?

“If you want, once you’ve shifted, I’ll take a picture on my phone,” I suggest, hoping it will help settle him a little. “So you can see your wolf through our eyes.”

Nate bites his lip. “Can one of the alphas do it? I’d like to see our wolves together, if that’s okay.”

“Of course. If that’s what you want.”

Cam gives me a nod, but when I pull my focus back to our connected hands, Rory starts singing down the bond in an off-key voice. “Angel and Nate, shifting in the trees. K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”

I snort and shoot him a mental roll of the eyes. That’s not how the song goes, genius.

“Oh, I know that,” he says aloud, his smirk a mile wide. “But spelling out fucking felt a little juvenile.”

Nate blinks, his palm growing warm in mine, and I clear my throat, determined to get back on track. “This may feel kind of weird, but just keep hold of our hands. We’ll work our way down your body, and if you want to stop at any point, just squeeze.”

“You can’t just do it fast?” he asks, looking pale. “Like ripping off a Band-Aid?”

I exchange another glance with Kelly. Maybe he wants to do it before he loses his nerve. “We can try, but it might make you feel a little sick…”

“I trust you,” Nate says firmly, giving me a look that makes me feel warm all over. “Just rip it out of me, Elvi.”

I get ready to do just that when Cam clears his throat, making me jump. “Are you going to get him naked first, or are you ripping his clothes, too?”

I flush to my roots, and breaking the connection, wave a hand at Nate. “Oh, right. Um, no, destroying your clothes would be bad.”

“Cos that’s Angel’s job,” Rory quips, but I’m already swinging around to back him up against the hood. His grin is huge, his eyes dancing with glee as I crowd into him. “Happy to volunteer if you want to practice on me first, little wolf.”

“Seriously, Rory. This is his first time, and you’re screwing it up.”

I roll my eyes when he sniggers at the innuendo, stalking back over to Nate, who’s conveniently stripped in the meantime. I get rid of my own clothes, blushing like a maniac, then grab his hand. He’s as red as I am, and Kelly clearly takes pity on us both. “Quick as a Band-Aid,” he promises.

I hold Nate’s gaze as I release my power, both drawing him up and sinking back at the same time. I’m not sure which movements are me and which are my wolf, because as her awareness swims to the surface, I feel my own fade. But I’ve practiced this enough to take Nate with us, first by the hand, but then through the call of my wolf.

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