Page 35 of Wolf Chosen

I dig my fingers against the wolf’s nape, sliding through the fur and onto his skin. My ring flares with sudden, searing heat. The metal glows molten red against my skin but I hardly register it over the storm of emotions blasting through me; love and rage and unshakable determination.

A strange sensation builds within me. Pressure pushes at my skin from the inside out. It starts as a tingle in the center of my chest, a subtle warmth that quickly spreads down my arms and into my body, blazing through my veins like wildfire.

A blinding flash of golden light strobes my vision and sears everything around me. The world fractures and shatters around me. My body contorts. Bones crack. Realign. Fur erupts from my skin in a prickling wave, itching and crawling as it spreads across my limbs, my face, my back.

The wolf is thrown off me by a dazzling explosion of radiant light. It slams against the far wall with a yelp, a tangle of legs and fur.

I barely register its distress. I'm too consumed by the changes ravaging my own body, by the alien sensations that assail me from all sides. I rise on shaking legs, take a tentative step forward...and nearly pitch onto my face.

My gait is all wrong, my center of gravity shifted in a way that throws me off-balance. I look down at my legs but they aren’t human. I’m standing on four legs covered in russet fur. My sharp claws dig into the carpet. I swing my head around to see a fluffy tail disappear behind me. The temptation to follow it is almost all-consuming. Shock is the only thing that locks my feet to the floor.

I’m not human any more.

I’m…a wolf.

I’ve shifted…into a wolf.

This shouldn't be possible. It can't be possible. I don't possess the spark of magic to take on the shape of another creature.

And yet, here I am on four paws, my body alive with energy. Power courses through my veins, strength coiled in the muscles that ripple beneath my tawny pelt. A strange, intoxicating power surges within me, filling my veins with untamed energy. The world is different, my senses heightened. Sounds are sharper, more distinct—the ragged draw of breath, the frantic pounding of my heart. Scents burst across my awareness in a riot of vivid information.

It's exhilarating.

Terrifying.

A miracle.

“Taylor?” I look up to see Liam on his knees. He’s human. Beautifully, wonderfully alive. His eyes are clear, free of the madness that consumed him. “Is that...is that really you?”

Joy and relief crash over me. It’s Liam.

Mate!

Mate is back.

I move toward him on unsteady paws, tripping over my own feet in my haste to get to him. Liam reaches out with a trembling hand, his fingers sinking into the thick ruff around my neck. I lean into his touch, a rumbling purr building as I revel in his caress. No wonder he liked me petting him when he was in his wolf body. This is better than a full body massage.

“How?” he whispers, awe and confusion warring on his face. “I don't understand. You're human, you can't shift...”

His words trail off as I lap at the tears streaking his cheeks, tasting the salt on my tongue. A broken sound escapes his lips, anguish twisting his features.

“I'm so sorry, Taylor,” he rasps, cradling my face in his hands. “I never wanted to hurt you, never meant for any of this to happen. That beast, that monster...it wasn't me. I was trapped, locked away. I couldn’t stop it.”

His torment echoes through our bond.

Our bond!

It’s back. I feel his emotions. His joy. His shock. His love.

I love him too. I love him so much I want to play with him. I dance around Liam, yipping and nudging him with my nose. Playful nips tug at his clothes, his hair, inviting him to join in my jubilant celebration.

A low chuckle rumbles up from his chest, the first spark of true mirth. His fingers tangle in my ruff, his forehead pressing to mine as the bond thrums between us renewed vitality, a shimmering thread of love and devotion that fills the aching void in my soul.

This is what I’ve missed. This connection. I’m whole. Complete again. My body and soul is in perfect harmony with his.

I barely restrain myself. So I don’t. Energy surges through my veins, a boundless vitality that leaves me giddy and euphoric. I dance around Liam on clumsy paws, yipping and yowling my joy. Liquid sunlight has replaced the blood in my veins, every cell buzzing with the need to run, to play. I nuzzle against him, nibbling at his chest and hair in a playful invitation to join me.

A sudden realization strikes me. My wounds are gone as though they were never inflicted. I’m healed without a trace of my earlier injuries. I remember how Liam's own injuries vanished when he shifted form. It seems that miraculous ability has been granted to me as well.

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