Page 93 of Tangled Hearts

“I was just throwing back an innocent tidbit of information,” she said, while giving us her most innocent expression.

“Yeah, that doesn’t work here, Blondie.” Soren leaned forward. “I’ve heard the dirty things you demand when you're in the throes of passion.

Oria turned bright red as she returned to eating.

Max looked at us with an amused expression as he devoured his second plate of food. After dinner, the excitement grew within the pack. I could feel the anticipation in the air as Wyman got on a table.

“As you all have suspected, now that Ryder has returned for a visit, it's only natural for us to welcome him back with a moonlit pack run,” he said, as whoops and hollers come from the pack. “Let's meet at the edge of the clearing and we can shift and start the run!”

Everyone got up from their seats making their way to the clearing.

“Would you like to go back to the room?” Ryder asked Oria.

“No, I’m finding this all too fascinating,” she said, getting up. “So, you all run in your wolf forms?”

“Yeah, it’s tradition to do it on the full moon, but also during special occasions,” Ryder explained, as we all followed everyone. “The twins have run with us before and you are more than welcome to run with us too.”

“Really?” Oria looked shocked.

“Of course, I think it could be quite fun,” Ryder said, as we walked up to Samira and Wyman.

“Do join us, darling,” Samira said, as she started to strip alone with the rest of the pack.

Oria’s eyes widened when she noticed everyone taking their clothes off. She turned around as her cheeks grew red looking at Max.

“No need to turn away,” Samira and Wyman chuckled. “We are comfortable with our bodies and have no shame.”

“Uh, I’m just not used to seeing naked people,” Oria stammered.

“Don’t be shy, Sol,” Max said, taking his shirt off. “Would you prefer if I shifted into a wolf?”

“Shift into whatever you feel comfortable with,” Ryder said, taking off his pants. “Except a dragon, I don’t think that would go well with the family.”

I chuckled seeing Oria looking upset.

“I don’t like that everyone gets to see you like this,” Oria growled, and I loved it.

“You know we only have eyes for you,” Max said, tossing his pants on the floor.

“Ok, well let me strip in front of everyone,” she said, about to remove her shirt when all of us growled.

“That’s what I thought,” she said, with a triumphant smile. “Shift before anyone else sees you.”

“Let’s enjoy our run! Shift!” Wyman yelled.

Ryder shifted with ease and so did Max.

I smiled when he shifted into a cheetah. It seemed he liked to stay within the cat family. Ryder bumped into Max, and he did the same. They both rubbed against Oria when the pack took off for the forest. Oria looked at us both as we took off running with her. Ryder and Max stayed with us as we ran towards the back of the pack.

It was a beautiful sight to see the pack run together, but what stole my breath away was Oria running in the moonlight. She kept a good pace with us, looking carefree and happy. She laughed each time Max or Ryder bumped into her. It was amazing how far she had come in just a few weeks, but I promised the universe we would do whatever we had to make sure she got to live a carefree life. Oria deserved no less than a free and happy life. I would be damned if a witch and a Fae took that from her.

“I love the chase, Blondie,” Soren said. “I think we should play a game. First one to catch?—”

Before he finished his sentence Oria veered off to the left.

Catch me, mates.

I laughed, feeling the excitement of catching her. The shifters growled, changing directions, but Soren and I stayed still. We listened for her, but there was too much noise for us to hone in on her.

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