Page 115 of Moon Claimed

See if you can keep up, beautiful wolf.His words echoed.

Over to you,I told my wolf, giving up everything for the time being. It was only fair with my behaviour of late. After saying I’d never stick her in a box, I did just that. Even if I felt she went over the line to prove a point, reacting that way showed how strongly I’d refused to admit the truth.

The sun touched my fur and energy poured into me, soaking into my tired bones and filling them. Greyson set into a steady lope that I mimicked. When we cleared the stream and left the cabins behind, he took off without warning. Flattening our ears, we took off after him, bounding over fallen trunks and roots. He weaved between ancient trees, pine needles and dirt flying up behind him.

We ran straight, trying to head him off.

Snapping at his heels, we only just avoided smacking into a tree.

Greyson’s laughter rang in our ears, and we set off in pursuit again.

Silence.

He’s hiding somewhere,my wolf hushed.

Crawling on our belly, we panted, listening for signs of life. He had to be close.

A muted thud sounded to our right and we readied for his attack.

Boo!Greyson erupted from the trees at our back.

Yelping, we leaped directly up, scratching our way onto the lowest sturdy branch.

A very human roar of laughter rang out.

Flopping over the branch, we glared down at Sascha.

“A tree-climbing wolf,” he gasped, naked and covered in dirt. “That’s a first.”

What else were we meant to do? He startled us,I said to her.

He tricked us.

Sascha had never looked more carefree as he continued laughing, but my sidekick wasn’t happy about the slight.

She pounced from our branch and bowled him to the ground, standing over him, teeth gnashing over his throat.

He exposed his throat more. Reaching up, he threaded his fingers through our fur. “Sorry, beautiful wolf. That was unexpected is all. I admire your creativity.”

That feels good,she slurred.

It really, really did.

Sascha scratched behind our ears.

Oh god,I moaned.

Tell me about it. Let’s stay for a bit.

We lay on top of him and let the man continue.

“I’ve never seen anything like you,” he crooned.

She huffed, twitching our tail.

You know he’s flattering you, right?

She didn’t answer.

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