Page 87 of Bitten Shifter

He tugs gently at the fur on my neck and gives me a mock shake. “Don’t be mean. That was a compliment.”

I feel a twinge of guilt and lick his wrist in apology. His lips quirk into a smile.

“Sometimes this happens when you are stressed,” he says, still stroking my fur. “It’s nothing to worry about. It’s normal. You will get a handle on it. After the first couple of years, it will stop. For now, it’s completely routine.”

I close my eyes, leaning into the steady motion of his hand.

“Everything’s going to be all right. Do you want help transforming back?”

I sniff, uncertain. I’d like to try on my own, but what if I can’t?

“It’s an alpha’s job to help the pack,” Merrick continues gently. “And I’m your mate, so I’m here for whatever you need. If you would rather stay in wolf form for a while, that’s fine too.”

A soft whine escapes as I tilt my head toward him.

“Okay,” he says, understanding. “Do you want my help?”

I nod, ears flicking forward.

“All right then. Close your eyes.”

I do as he says, and a strange warmth floods my body—like liquid magic, soothing and coaxing. Alpha magic, maybe. Pack magic. I’m not sure, but it works.

Slowly, my body begins to shift. Ouch—it hurts. Bones crack, and ligaments stretch and twist as my muscles rearrange. It feels like an eternity, though it must only take a few minutes to transform back. I can’t believe I slept through this earlier.

“You are okay,” Merrick murmurs, brushing my hair back from my face. His voice is a steady anchor, pulling me back to reality.

Then the cool air hits my skin. My eyes snap open, and I let out an undignified squeak as I realise—I’m naked.

For a forty-seven-year-old woman, freaking out like this is mortifying. Scrambling, I dive under the covers, wrapping myself in the sheets like a human burrito. My fingers fumble desperately until I find my discarded pyjamas, which must havebeen kicked off during the shift. Somehow, I manage to wriggle back into them beneath the covers.

When I finally poke my head out, Merrick is laughing, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You might be the funniest person I know,” he says affectionately.

“I forgot I’d be naked,” I mumble, cheeks burning. I find a wrinkle on the duvet particularly interesting. I smooth it with my fingertips, avoiding his gaze. “It was just… a bit of a shock.”

He grins. “Shifters are okay with being in the buff, you know. It’s pretty normal.”

“Yeah, well,” I reply, glaring half-heartedly, “I was human for a very long time. It will take me a while to get used to this whole nudity thing.”

Probably never.

“I will leave you to get some sleep.”

“I don’t think I will be able to,” I say, then immediately betray myself with a yawn. The running around in wolf form clearly took it out of me. “How did you know I’d shifted and needed help?”

“Because it sounded like a herd of elephants stampeding in your room,” he says with a quiet laugh. “I wanted to check you were not fighting a vampire.”

“Oh.” My cheeks heat. “Right. Sorry about that.”

“It’s no problem,” he says gently. “I will take you somewhere proper next time—somewhere you can run free and feel the grass under your paws, wind in your fur. Your first proper shift, and you had to do it in your bedroom.” He shakes his head, regret clouding his face. His voice drops, rough with exhaustion. “I’m sorry, Lark. I should’ve been here. I’m a pretty poor excuse for a mate, letting you go through that alone.”

“I’m okay,” I say softly. “You are here now. I’m sorry for waking you.”

“Don’t be. I wasn’t sleeping—I couldn’t. I was in the gym, taking it out on the punching bag.” He leans back, rubbing a hand over his face. “I have all this rage and nowhere to direct it because everyone’s either abducted, hiding, or already dead.”

Gently, I reach over and squeeze his hand. He curls his fingers around mine, and for a moment, his gaze lingers on me. Then he leans in, pressing a light kiss to my forehead.

“So,” I say, quieter now, “do you have any updates on the vampire? Or about Paul? Is he… alive?”

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