Page 74 of Wolf's Whisper

"So it has something to do with your shapeshifting!" I exclaimed. And judging by their faces, I had hit the nail on the head. "Tell me more."

"We... can't," Ashleigh muttered, a pained look on her face. "I would, but... It's better if you don't know."

"Why?"

JP gently placed a hand on my shoulder. "B-Believe me. It's better if you d-don't know."

I sighed. Putting aside their murderous alter egos, I did trust them. If they both insisted it was better that I didn't know, I'd let it slide.

"Alright then," I sang, hiding the necklace underneath my shirt. "It's not like this amulet allows you to shift, anyway," I bluffed, watching all their faces.

"Ooooooh," Danny loudly gasped, earning foul looks from all her men.

"Oops..." she blurted out, clamping her hands over her mouth. Too late.

"Wait, what?"

"Nothing!" the whole group yelled, all suddenly looking very awkward. I pulled the necklace from underneath my shirt and stared at it. Was this really it? The secret to their shift? A simple amulet? Would it let me shift?

"Hnnnnggggg," I grunted, glaring at the necklace and tensing all my muscles. Almost disappointed that nothing happened, I turned towards the group. They were all staring at me, eyes big like saucers. "Nothing is happening, guys."

Darren nudged Danny, who in her turn nudged Ashleigh. "Should we tell her?" the redhead whispered, staring at me with spooked eyes.

"Yes, tell me! I want to know how to use the necklace so I can shift!" I demanded, stomping my feet on the ground like a little child. Ashleigh was my mate, wasn't she? Why wouldn't she trust me with the secret? Didn't she want us to run together like wolves?

Ashleigh awkwardly shifted her feet. "Is it my secret to tell?"

Regan scratched his head. "We're all here, aren't we?"

"Oooh, that is a good one," Danny gasped, jumping in. "This could stand as a council of our four houses."

I tilted my head. "Wait, what. What four houses? What are you guys talking about now?"

Ashleigh gingerly touched my face, immediately silencing me. Well, if I couldn't get the secret, I'd settle for having my mate look at me this tenderly.

"All in good time, I promise... We need to discuss this in private. I'm sorry, but I'll explain everything later. Okay?"

I nodded. I'd agree to anything with her being so close to me. Damn, I really was a sucker.

"Hand me the necklace, please."

With the necklace in my hand, I felt my lips curl up. "If you want it, take it," I grinned, dropping the amulet back down my shirt, making her blue eyes light up in amusement.

"Don't tempt me," Ashleigh warned me, the lower tone of her voice sending a chill down my spine.

"Or?" I dared ask, sounding braver than I felt. I wasn't exactly sure if this was the so called "flirting" everyone talked about, but Ashleigh seemed to like it.

"Or I'll take you up on that offer," my dark-haired mate growled, her lips all of a sudden dangerously close. I felt another thrill run down my spine, remembering how right and perfect it had felt when she had kissed me a couple of days ago. How soft and warm her lips were, how perfect her body fitted against mine, how gingerly she made me feel.

"Maybe I want..."

"Hello? We've got more important issues to discuss?" Danny waved, snapping us out of our little world. Oh right, we weren’t alone. I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment, realising that Danny and her men had just witnessed my awful attempt of flirting. Oops. It was just hard to remember other people existed when Ashleigh was standing this close to me.

I let out an awkward chuckle and hid my face in Ashleigh's embrace. Her fingers playfully dancing over my spine as she shot a quick apology toward Danny. Pressed against her, her natural scent of strawberries flooded my senses. Oh the spirits, I was in heaven. I never wanted this to end. I never wanted Ashleigh to end.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but... Could you go check up on Aspen? As much as I hate him right now, I do worry about him. He hasn't been without his amulet for a long time."

With a smile, I nodded. "Of course."

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