Page 49 of Wolf Sacrificed

She put her arm across her forehead. “I’m not sure I have much of a choice.”

She shifted to the edge of the bed, drew in a breath, and held it before she stood. She was only on her feet for a second before she plopped back down.

I reached out for her, but she batted my hand away.

“Thanks, but I need to try to do this myself. They need to see me walking out unsupported.”

I nodded and took a few steps back, clutching the clothes against me. Sloane bit her bottom lip and stood. She wavered for a second and put her hand on her head.

Then she blew out a breath. “Okay. I think I’m ready now.”

She limped to the door, and I followed her as we made our way back down the hall. The men and women watched as she hobbled along. She offered them a kind smile before slipping outside.

It was balmy out for this time of year. This must be our second summer right before the cold snap really hit. That was fine. I’d take it. I hated the cold. I hadn’t been joking when I said I wanted to go to some warm, sandy beach. Maybe one day the three of us could go.

Sloane led the way down the porch steps, her movements slow and a little broken while walking on her injured leg. After her shift, she’d be much better. The deep gash would be just a scarred-over wound by the time she finished. All the superficial injuries would be healed. It was one of the benefits for shifters.

She hobbled to the path leading into the trees, reaching out and grazing the tips of her fingers across the bushes. They still had their leaves, but the trees looked barren.

She glanced over her shoulder. “I haven’t taken you down by the river yet.”

I shook my head. “Not yet.”

She put both hands on a fallen trunk and stepped over before flopping down on it. She leaned down, wincing as she took off her shoes.

I hopped over the log and kneeled in front of her to help her untie them. “Easy, sweetheart. Let’s get you fixed up first, and then you can do this on your own.”

She gave me a tired smile and rolled her top up and over her head, exposing her soft, creamy skin. A blue bruise formed along her shoulder right where the seat belt must’ve got her.

I hated seeing my mate like this, hurt and bruised and bloodied. The worst part was it probably wouldn’t be the last time. The war was only beginning.

She unbuttoned her jeans and then stood so she could slide them down. It took her a moment to get them off, but she did manage by herself. Her leg looked even worse, bruised and swollen. The gash looked so deep I was pretty sure I could see bone.

She took her bra off but didn’t bother with her panties and dropped to her knees. She whimpered as her shift started, her bones snapping and realigning. It always took longer when you were injured. It was how the body healed itself.

I tied our clothes up into a ball using the sleeves of one of the shirts so I could carry them in my mouth. Then I started my own shift. I finished before she did and sat on my haunches, knowing there was nothing I could do to ease her pain as she continued her change.

She panted once her bones had finished realigning and then sat on her haunches too.

Are you okay, sweetheart?

Sloane closed her eyes for a few seconds, controlling her breathing. Then she charged forward, zipping along the trail. I snatched the clothes up and followed after her. It was almost impossible to keep pace with her. She was fast, much faster than I could ever hope to be.

We blazed through the trees and brush until we reached the water’s edge. Sloane leaped into the water, and I dropped our clothes on the shore and joined her, letting the ice-cold water cool me, making me shiver. It might be warm out right now, but it had been frigid the past few weeks.

I lapped up a few sips to sate my parched throat. Sloane did the same and then waded through the water to the shore.

She triggered her shift, this time much faster, and she knelt on her hands and knees within a few seconds. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the clouds.

I took in every glorious inch of her, now completely healed and as beautiful as ever.

I rocked forward and back on my paws and then started my shift. My bones snapped and crackled as they realigned. Once changed, I arched my back up in a yoga pose my mother used to do. It stretched out my muscles and left me feeling refreshed.

Then I crawled over to Sloane and sat down next to her. She blinked up at the sky and smiled.

I lay next to her, close enough that our shoulders touched. “How are you feeling?”

She closed her eyes for a moment. “Better. You?”

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