Page 8 of Eclipsed Heart

If wounds were deep enough, shifting from one form to the other could exacerbate them. At least his magic was at its strongest in wolf form, and he’d heal quicker that way.

Don’t worry,I replied, my wolf already receding.I’ll drive…if that’s okay?

Of course, it’s your car too,he replied simply.We’re mates.

My heart expanded as my body changed from wolf to human form. Once I was back on two feet, I felt self-conscious. Most shifters didn’t have a problem with nudity, but this was new to me. I wanted to cover my body with my hands even though modesty seemed frivolous right now.

I hurried to the car and took the keys from Taylor. “Thanks.”

Her eyes widened as she glanced at my chest. Unease shivered down my spine.

“Of course. It’s my honor, Your Majesty.” She bowed her head before getting back into her own car.

I froze. Had she just called meYour Majesty? I spun toward the Mercedes, caught my faint reflection in the window…and my heart stopped.

CHAPTERTHREE

I blinked and quit breathing.But every time I opened my eyes, there it was, staring back at me.

A tattoo was etched onto my neck and chest, the area that had burned while the darkness swirled around me.

Even with the claw marks, I could make out the clear shape of a paw. Four toe marks lay over the crook of my neck and the indent of my collarbone. The design was intricate despite its simplicity, colored all black with wisps of silver rolling over it like clouds across a full moon right before my eyes.

It was a fuckingmoving tattoo. I wasn’t sure if I was in awe or freaked out.

This shouldn’t be possible…and yet, there was no denying what I saw.

Babe,Bodey linked, pulling me into the present.Are you okay?

Despite the agony he was feeling—I could tell that he could barely stand—he was worried about me.

Just—I forced myself to look away from the window and open the back door.I’m marked.

I know,he replied.We need to get you to safety.He ran up beside me and scratched at the door.

Right. Back door. Moving. Threat. I was wasting precious time and potentially causing others to be harmed.

I opened the back door, and Bodey jumped into the SUV as Janet, Samuel, and Stevie hurried toward us in their naked human forms.

My wolfhmphed in my head, thankful that Bodey had already gotten in the car before Stevie ran up in her birthday suit. When I saw Samuel, I cast my gaze downward quickly.

“I’m going to stay with them while you take Bodey and Samuel home.” Janet jogged to her BMW, forcing a grim smile.

She wanted to wait for Michael. I couldn’t blame her. “Just be safe. If you need to leave—”

“We will.” She patted my arm and then slid into the back seat of their car.

“You be safe—” Stevie started.

“You get in the car with usnow.” I shut the back door. “I’ll get someone to drive your car back to you.” I wasn’t going to let her out of our sight. We needed answers first.

When I opened the front door, Samuel opened the back passenger door, getting ready to join Bodey and leaving my sister to sit up front with me.

Stevie bit her lip. “But Mom and Dad—”

“You heard her.” Samuel’s baby-blue eyes flared. He towered over her by at least half a foot. Despite being naked, he got in my sister’s face and continued, “Going against the queen is treason. We don’t have time for this.”

Her bottom lip quivered, and I kept my gaze firmly on her and not naked Samuel.

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