Page 91 of Oath of Revenge

They reached the woods, and their paws were nearly silent on the soft crunch of snow. She let him lead as he knew these woods better than she, but her nose picked up intoxicating scents left and right. She could smell birds in the trees above, the paths other Growlers had taken over the past few hours, and more that she couldn’t identify yet.

They ran past the inner and outer perimeters before they caught the scent of a boar. No words were needed. As one, they followed the scent to a small depression with a dense cluster of trees. Mushrooms grew in abundance, and there at the base of one, a large boar nuzzled noisily.

It obviously didn’t hear them approach, and the wind was blowing toward them. Wulfric looked at her and jerked his head to the left. She nodded and followed his silent instruction, slinking on silent paws. She paused before she drew closer and looked back at Wulfric. He crouched low to the ground, but kept glancing between her and the boar. When he met her gaze, he nodded his head, but didn’t move forward.

The first emotion in this form filled her. He was letting her take point on this kill. He was proud of her, believed in her, and supported her. The nuzzling sound paused, and she looked back at the boar. It was turning its head to the right. Heart racing with anticipation, she attacked, taking off in a sprint and leaping on its back.

It screeched and bucked, but her claws were already deep in its tough hide. She felt the warmth of its hairy body, as it squirmed. Her jaw tensed, her teeth too big for her mouth and saliva making her tongue thick.

Finish him.

She didn’t think. Her incisors pierced the skin of its neck, and hot sticky liquid filled her mouth. It should’ve disgusted her, but her eyes rolled as it cried out and jerked. It slammed its back into a tree, and she saw stars behind her eyelids. She didn’t let go, but instead bit down harder. A snap in her mouth as its neck broke, and it crumpled to the forest floor. The pulse under her claws and in her mouth slowed.

“Well done, love. That was quite impressive for your first shift. Can’t say I’ve seen that in the past ten years of being a Growler. You can let go now,” Wulfric said, stepping into her field of vision.

Slowly, she unhinged her jaw and sat back, panting. Wulfric stared at her, assessing but with pride obvious even on his wolf’s face.

“How do you feel?”

She blinked, catching her breath. Her stomach was jumping around in giddiness. She wanted to laugh and jump and play. Instead, she just grinned and said, “I feel really fucking good.”

Wulfric chuckled and nodded at the boar, muddy snow turning red beneath it. “How do you feel about eating fresh? Do you want to drag it back to camp to roast?”

She licked her lips, the tangy taste of blood still making her tongue thick. She didn’t answer, but just bent down and tore into the shoulder. It took a few angle adjustments before she could pull the chunk away.

She sat back on her haunches while Wulfric nodded in approval and tore into the back flank. They ate in silence, slowly but surely working their way down one side. A scent floated past her, and she turned her head back to the trees to the west.

Three auras angled toward them, Growlers by the size and sight of their distinct double auras. They’d soon merge with the three. She licked her lips, her stomach twisting as she waited for the Growlers to connect. For the first time in months, she didn’t have even a hint of fear in her chest or stomach.

When the brown and two black Growlers met them, their wolf heads bobbed low. “Alpha,” they said.

Scarlet recognized them and grinned. “Sasha, Todd, ma’am.”

The smaller black one gasped, “Luna Scarlet?”

Wulfric nuzzled her neck and grinned. Scarlet didn’t even care that he’d just gotten blood all over her. It was kind of hot actually, and she shuffled her back feet to apply friction to her core as she looked at Wulfric.

Even in this form, his smile made her stomach flip. “Aye, my Luna is gorgeous, isn’t she? The mate bond worked incredible magic tonight.”

The other Growlers yipped and several bounced around her in a circle, laughing.

“Call me Muddia. Welcome to the family. I’m so happy for you both. Congratulations,” said Todd’s mate.

She felt their giddiness in the air, and Scarlet yipped in reply.

Wulfric grinned. “Thank you both for the warm welcome. It does not go unnoticed.”

Scarlet felt his joy and the weight of responsibility roll off of her shoulders, and she threw her head back and howled. The others joined in, then Todd pounced on Sasha. Muddia laughed and pounced on Todd. Then the three of them rolled and played, laughter randomly breaking out.

This was a side of Growlers she never would’ve known existed if she hadn’t experienced it herself. If the rest of the forest or Busparia knew how… normal it all was. They weren’t mindless monsters, but families trying to teach their kids the only way they knew how.

She nuzzled Wulfric, gratitude filling her yet not having the words to explain it. He licked her face, and she reared back. “Ugh, that’s disgusting. Is that how Growlers kiss?”

He laughed and then tackled her into the snow. She shrieked at the suddenness of it, but surprisingly, it didn’t feel cold at all. She was warm and for the first time in more than her six months of being cursed… she had fun.

Wulfric nudged her, then jumped away, turning to put his ass in the air, head on the ground between his paws. The look in his eye was so playful, even with his jaws covered in blood. It was so similar to that morning outside the cottage when Grandma had left with Knox. Had it really been less than a week ago?

She nipped at Wulfric’s back leg, and he jumped, his tail between his legs. She laughed but ran around the thick copse of trees when he turned to chase her. She panted, her heart racing but from exertion instead of the constant fear she’d lived with for the past six months.

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