Page 17 of Homecoming

He smiles, kisses her, and strokes her thigh as Kat slips her tee-shirt over her head and stands up.

“Alright, you need to turn around now.” Kat smiles as she drops her shorts to the floor.

“Why?” he frowns hesitantly. “Can I watch you shift? I’ve never actually seen you do it. Would you mind?”

“Uh…” she swallows nervously, “Iguess,but do you really want to see that? Only it feels a little weird. I don’t think anyone’s ever watched me shift up close before.”

“I won’t watch if you don’t want me to, but I was curious. Does it hurt? When you do it?”

“Not hurt exactly. It’s more of a weird sensation. I guess my muscles ache as they stretch, but I don’t really notice how it feels—it just feels natural, and it happens so fast I don’t give it much thought. Do you really want to see?”

“I do, but only if you want me to.”

“Okay… fine. Why not.” She strips the last of her clothes, stands naked in front of him, and smiles. Apprehensively, she brushes grass from her skin and taking abreath she focusesher green eyes on his blue.

Noah’s jaw drops as he watches her stretch and her body twitches, shaking violently as her human shape distorts.

The shift does happen fast, and Noah can hardly believe what he’s seeing. The transformation is indescribable and in seconds he’s no longer facing the beautiful blonde-haired woman he loves, but he’s eye to eye with a large silver-gray wolf.

Luna growls in a non-threatening manner. Her green eyes focused solely on him as he continues to stare in open-mouthed awe. “Well, one thing I know, woman or wolf…you are beautiful.”

He smiles as the wolf silently steps forward and nudges his hand. Stroking his fingers gently along the glistening silver fur of the wolf’s face, he hears her steady purr. Luna nuzzles against his thigh as he bows his head and drops a kiss between her ears.

Noah stands and fetching Evelyn from theblanket,he places the small pup safely atthe she-wolf’s feet.

Luna immediately encircles her pup and laid in the grass next to Noah, shenudges Evelyn beneath her fur. Then resting her head against hisleg,she closes her eyes to sleep.

Surrounded by silence, Noah can hear the faint suckling cries as the hungry pup feeds. “I’m so lucky,” he whispers, stroking the large wolf nestled next to him. “I love you.”

Noahcanfeelthewarmth of the sun on his back. He takes a deep breathandfeeling relaxed after being out in the forest alldayhe fillshis lungs with the wafting scent of trees andflowers. Graspinghis fingers gently against the dense glossy fur of the largewolfthe pair stride slowly along the winding path that leads from the village back to the main house. Luna pads close at his side with the well-fed and sleeping pup gripped gently between her teeth as the two larger, more boisterous black pups, follow tumbling behind them.

“Hey, will you two quit fighting?” Noah turns abruptlyandwith a steely glare, points at the bigger of the two. “Lukas, I’m warning you. You’re going to be in so much trouble if I have to tell your papa what you’ve been doing to your brother.”

Lukas fixes the ranger with a hard stare. His bright blue eyes offer no apology as he drops low to the ground and growls.

“And don’t you dare give me that tone,” Noah replies sharply. As he turns to face the direction they're headed, Luna places Evelyn on the groundandwith a snapping snarl, her green eyes lock on the misbehaving pup. Lukas immediately cowers behind his brother as his wolf mother continues to focus her attention on him.

The sudden roar of an unfamiliar sound behind her distracts Luna’s attention away from the pup. She whips aroundandstanding tall, she lifts her huge head to sniff the air. With a deepening growl, both she and Noah remain still as they stare in the distance towards the gate at the entrance to the commune. Then, cautiously stepping forward, Luna nudges Evelyn in Noah's direction before she returns to a defensive position at the front of the group.

Her low rumbling growl gives rise to concern and quickly Noah scoops up the snuffling pup and beckons the boys closer to his side. “What is it?” he questions.

The concerned pair can both hear the low rumbling hum of engine noise as the glimmering chrome of multiple motorcycles heads slowly towards them.

Luna blocks Noah frommovingandher intentions are obvious. “No, wait. Let’s see what they want first. Maybe they’re lost.”

Noah unclips the sheath on his belt andreadies his large hunting knifeas he motionsthepups to stay close behind him.Thentucking the trembling smallest pup into this backpack, he places it on the ground between the two male wolves.

“Take care of your sister,” he instructs as he turns his attention to the path ahead and the increasing roar of the approaching vehicles. Both he and Luna watch with apprehensive concern as one of the shiny red and chrome motorcycles stops just in front of them.

The rider is a not-so-tall, tattooed, and muscular man with a scruffy, unkempt beard of varying shades of deepening gray. His hair matches in color and is tied back in a scraggly ponytail, his head covered by a black and white polka dot bandanna.

He steps from his motorcycle andremovinghis darkened sunglasses, theman reveals his wild orange-amber eyes. Stepping closer, a smile crosses his lipsandwith a throaty snarl to his tone, he greets them. “Hey there…”

“What can I do for you?” Noah immediately responds. “This is private land; you can’t be here. You’ll need to turn around and go back to the highway the way you came,” he demands with authority.

“Hey man, relax. Seriously, we’re justchillin’. We don’t mean you no harm.” The man continues to smile as he takes a cigar from his leather vest. “Have to say, that sure is a nice wolf you got there. Is she yours?”

“Did you not hear what I just said? You can’t be on this land—it’s private.”

---