Page 35 of Strawberry Moon

It was perfect, and I had no idea why. The squirming mass of instincts in my chest that had been building and building over the last six months had burst free, but instead of being something from a horror movie, like a face hugger bursting out of my ribcage, it was just... free.

No one here expected Archer the billionaire or Archer the dutiful grandson or Archer the lab monkey. Here, all I had to be was the wolf, and all we—all I—had to do, was run.

I ran a circle around the next tree, coming up behind Ford as he chased after me and threw myself bodily into his much larger mass, sending us tumbling over each other in the dewy leaves.

He gave a bark, but it wasn’t a sound of annoyance—more like laughter, if he’d been in his human skin. I’d never heard Ford laugh, not really, and I wanted it to be that, but for now, this was enough. This was wild and free and perfect.

We rolled over each other half a dozen times, coming to a stop for only a second before I leapt back to all four feet, barked at him, and once again, shot off into the trees.

I heard him leap to his feet and follow just a few seconds later, with a little yipping bark.

The chase was back on.

I led him what could have been another mile, over and under, between and around, until I saw a small clearing off to one side, and decided to check it out.

I raced out of the trees, onto a worn path, and hopped on a boulder in the center of the clearing, only to freeze when I caught sight of the view beyond. The entire sleepy little hamlet of Grovetown. Beautiful.

Instead of bowling into me this time, Ford simply hopped up onto the boulder next to me, and we stood there for a while, panting and staring down into town.

When we’d caught our breaths, he nudged his shoulder against mine, and turned his head to look at me, a question in his eye.

More running?

I leapt down, intending to lead him around a little more, but for some reason, my legs wobbled beneath me and I had to work to keep from tipping over onto my side as I touched down.

Had I run too hard, and too far, and overtaxed my body?

I had been doing a terrible job eating enough and getting enough sleep, maybe it was just catching up to me.

When Ford hopped down next to me, though, leaning his body into mine to help me balance, I immediately forgot all about the idea of taking care of myself, or of running anymore.

No, all that mattered was that incredible smell.

Was it... him?

I leaned in and sniffed him, hesitantly at first, worried he might snap at me or growl as he had back on the very first day we met or—but no. Instead of acting with aggression, he licked my muzzle and made a high, inquisitive noise. Almost concerned.

But how was it possible for anything in the world to smell as delicious as he did right then? I didn’t know if I wanted to lick him or... whatever it was a wolf did to say “come on over and see me sometime,” complete with hip and eyebrow wiggle.

I shook my whole body, like a dog who’d just gotten out of water, like maybe I could shake off the problem. But again, when I tried to step away, my whole body protested.

Stay, the wolf instincts practically shouted.Stay with alpha. It’s time.

Time for what?

My legs suddenly jelly, I sat down right there in the clearing, next to the boulder, and looked up at Ford, confused and more than a little scared. Had I done something wrong?

Was I entirely failing at being a werewolf?

This was why I’d spent the last six months sedating myself on the full moon, because I’d known I would make an awful wolf, because—

With a stretch and almost no sound at all, Ford went from being a huge, gorgeous wolf, to being a man again. He knelt next to me, eyes concerned, and buried his fist in the ruff of fur around my neck.

He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Instead, his eyes widened, and his mouth simply hung open as he stared at me.

Finally, after a long, terrifying moment of wondering what I’d done wrong now, he whispered. “Fuck. You’ve gone into heat.”

25

---