Page 98 of Wanted

My mate.

She takes a few cautious steps before pausing to look at me. I let out a moan from the back of my throat, telling her in the only way I can that she’s doing great.

A few more steps and then she picks up speed until she’s full-on running. Aside from a small stumble, in which I’m right by her side to steady her, she’s a natural. Before long, her fourpowerful legs carry her over the grass, rocks and dirt of the open field and deeper into the woods of the mountains.

With my enhanced wolf sight, I mark the direction the rest of the pack has taken into the woods. However, I let Emery take the lead so I can watch her beautiful wolf in action. She runs like a pro.

The freedom her wolf feels is spelled out in the way her tongue lulls out of one side of her mouth. She’s free after years of being caged up.

My wolf lets out a loud cry as we think about the time our mate was lost, locked away. I don’t know who the hell is behind keeping Emery’s wolf locked in, but when I find out, there will be absolute hell to pay.

For now, though, I focus on my mate. The powerful muscles of her four legs as they stretch and bend to carry her lithely over the peaks and valleys of our home.

Typically, this run doesn’t last for longer than a mile or so. The new wolves aren’t as strong as the older wolves. They need time to grow into their abilities and strengths. But when I spot Chael’s wolf about a half mile away from where we started, I give him a look.

His eyes narrow before his wolf’s massive head moves up and down in a knowing fashion. He’ll escort the remainder of the pack back to our origin while I’ll remain out here with my mate.

The other betas will assist him.

Emery peers over at me and twists her head slightly to the side. She’s asking whom to follow. I nudge her in the opposite direction as our pack. I run about a quarter of a mile, toward a spot deeper into the forest, just before an opening. In this spot there’s an even larger cave than the one Emery found a few weeks ago.

I come to a stop at the entrance.

Emery whimpers behind me, curious about what we’re doing. I glance at her over my shoulder before waving my head for her to follow me inside. Once she does, I take a few steps inside before moving to the side to allow her to see the entrance.

Given our wolf sight I know she can also see the drawings and writings on the cave walls. Her wolf comes to a stop after a few steps and her eyes scan the walls. Her body stiffens as she takes in the elaborate drawings on the wall and even the overhead wall of the wave.

She peers over at me with glistening eyes. I’m drawn to her, going to her to nuzzle her neck. I nuzzle and inhale her again trying to absorb as much of her as I can.

But it’s not enough.

My wolf wants to claim her. In the way of the wolf.

However, I insist my human has the opportunity to do it first. Right now, during this supermoon night, I need to make her mine.

With great effort, I push my wolf back until my body tingles with the transformation from wolf to human. I stand before Emery in her wolf form.

Her eyebrows dip in confusion. I kneel before her.

“Picture yourself in your human form,” I explain how to get back to her human. “Call on it.”

She closes her eyes and within a few seconds, Emery stands before me on her two human legs. A wild amazement fills her eyes.

I expect her to have a host of questions. But she surprises me by throwing her arms around my neck. Her hold is so tight that a lesser man might have trouble breathing.

Laughter spills from my lips as I wrap my arms around her bare waist and pull her into me, holding her as her body begins to tremble.

It takes a beat before I realize she’s crying. She buries her face into the crook of my neck as shivers rack her body. I hold her, stroking her back up and down.

The movement of her lips against my skin lets me know she’s saying something. Though I hate to do so, I have to pull away so that I can read them.

Pain lances through me when I see the tear tracks down her cheeks. I brush them away, silently vowing to kill any and everyone who caused them to fall.

“I-I…” she stutters as she tries to catch her breath. “I’ve never felt so… so… free.” Her eyes meet mine. “I’m…she’s…I’m a wolf.”

One might expect panic or even fear in her expression. To live for over two and half decades of your life and discover that you’ve always had a beast hiding inside of you, might cause anyone to go a little crazy.

But Emery actually tosses her head back and laughs.

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