Page 86 of Bitten Shifter

Taking a deep breath, I force myself to think rationally.Okay, think human thoughts. Skin. Fingers. Toenails. Earwax.(Why earwax? I have no idea, but I’m grasping at straws here.)

I imagine my normal body.

Nothing happens.

Maybe I need to burn off some energy. Yeah, maybe that’s it.

Thank goodness the bedroom is big enough to accommodate a restless wolf. I push myself up on all fours, wobbling slightly. The sensation is bizarre but not unmanageable. The pads of my paws press into the carpet as I take a cautious step, letting my body move naturally.

Surprisingly, it feels… good.

I widen my stride, rolling my shoulders and dipping my head, testing my range of movement. A little stretch here, a little bounce there. I try a downward stretch, only to yelp when my tail smacks me between my back legs.

That is so weird.

Undeterred, I pace the length of the room, turning at the wall to head back towards the window. Each lap is faster than the last. Soon, I’m jogging lightly, then bounding in springy strides. I push off with my hind legs and leap onto the bed, bouncing once before landing on the floor.

This is amazing.

I can’t help myself—I do it again. And again. Sometimes I clear the bed entirely; other times, I bounce like an overexcited puppy. My tail wags embarrassingly, my tongue lolling out, but I don’t care.

It’s fun.

I’m so caught up in the joy of my impromptu acrobatics that I don’t notice the figure standing in the doorway until I screech to a halt, misjudge the timing, and skid chin-first across the carpet.

Oof.

Wide-eyed, I glance up to see Merrick, arms crossed, one eyebrow arched high.

“What are you doing?” he asks, his voice laced with amused confusion.

I try to answer, but it comes out as a jumble of yaps and whines.

“Yeah, uh… I don’t speak wolf, little mate. Are you all right?”

I nod.

“You shifted. Was that on purpose?”

I shake my head vehemently. No, I absolutely did not plan to wake up as my furry self.

“Ah, so it happened while you were asleep?”

I nod again, a soft whine slipping out.

“Have you tried shifting back?”

Another nod, this one more frustrated.

“You are fine,” Merrick says, his tone gentle. “May I come in?”

I nod, clumsily rising from the floor. After a full-body shake, I prance to the bed and leap onto the rumpled covers. The once-pristine bedding is now a disaster zone—pink pillows and cushions scattered everywhere. I flop onto my side with a long huff.

Merrick steps in and sits on the edge of the mattress. His fingers move through my fur, stroking in a slow, soothing rhythm. It feels incredible. When he scratches behind my left ear, my back leg betrays me, thumping uncontrollably.

He chuckles, low and rich. “You are adorable as a wolf, you know.”

I growl and turn my head to glare at him.

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