Page 65 of It All Started with a Bite

I spotted Hugh among the pack behind him, his dark wolf a fraction smaller than his older brother’s. He came over to greet me.

Hi.

I huffed an acknowledgment and stiffened when he sneaked behind me. A growl worked up my throat.

Sniff my butt and I will tear your throat out.

Hugh’s wolf rolled his eyes at the threat and moved away.

Caroline’s thoughts reached me then.No newly turned wolf should be able to move like that. Her russet-colored wolf studied me with sharp eyes.

Kent’s hulking brown wolf watched me just as cautiously.

I understood their wariness. As pack enforcers, they were probably assessing whether I was a threat.

James’s smaller gray form bounced toward me excitedly, oblivious to his parents’ concerns.

That was so cool! Can you teach me to run that fast?!

Even Amanda came closer, her wolf’s eyes shining with awe.

More of the pack’s thoughts crowded my mind as they gathered around me, a jumble of excitement and confusion that made my wolf’s ears flatten for a second.

Enough.Samuel’s commanding tone cut through the mental chatter, silencing them. His wolf moved to stand shoulder to shoulder beside me.We’ll talk later. For now,let’s hunt.

We started running, the pack spreading out in formation like a well-oiled machine. I found myself falling naturally into step beside Samuel, our movements fluid as we moved through the preserve like shadows.

In the two hours that followed, the Hawthorne pack showed me how to track scents, check territorial boundaries, and hunt prey without killing them. My wolf learned quickly, like she already knew all this from memory.

A herd of deer watched us warily from a ridge when we stopped to drink at a brook on the edge of the moonlit forest. I gazed up at the starry sky and closed my eyes, savoring the night air.

Crisp with the dazzling smells of winter, it carried untold stories of the woods on the wind that soared through the treetops. The call of an owl. The bark of a fox. Herbivores rustling in the undergrowth as they came out of their burrows to look for food.

This is what it means to be a pack.Samuel’s wolf pressed his flank against mine.To move as one. To know our lands. To run together. It means trust and loyalty. Family and belonging.

I looked into his mesmerizing amber gaze and felt something I had never experienced before. He huffed when he sensed my feelings and licked my face tenderly.

We returned to the clearing when the moon reached its zenith.

Shifting back to my human form wasn’t anywhere as challenging as transforming into a wolf had been. Not being naked was an added bonus.

To my surprise, the Hawthornes brought out a veritable feast and we sat on blankets on the grass having a picnic under the stars. Ellie’s baked goods were a hit and Hugh practically had half my Gatorade to himself.

It wasn’t until we were getting ready to leave that Victoria’s expression turned serious.

“The Council of Elders is going to want to meet Abby.”

The rest of the Hawthornes exchanged strained glances. A low growl rumbled through Samuel’s chest. Even Hugh looked annoyed.

“Don’t give me that look,” Victoria told her sons sharply. “You know what being a luna means, let alone one who also happens to be a white wolf.”

I frowned. “Okay, what exactly is the deal with white wolves? And who is this Council of Elders?”

“White wolves are incredibly rare.” Victoria hesitated. “Doubly so for white lunas.”

I scratched the back of my head. “So I’m some kind of unicorn werewolf?”

Aunt Lucille chortled. Several pack members grinned.

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