Page 23 of Marked For A Bite
Logan leaned against the counter, studying her with that penetrating gaze that made her feel like he could see straight through to her soul. "You keep saying she's fighting you. But from what I've observed, I think you're the one fighting her."
"What do you mean?"
"Every time you describe your episodes, your partial shifts, you talk about them like something that's happening to you instead of something you're participating in." Logan crossed his arms, and the movement made his henley stretch across his broad chest in a way that was seriously distracting. "You're trying to control her instead of communicating with her."
Zoe frowned, turning the idea over in her mind. "How do you communicate with something that feels like a separate entity living in your head?"
"That's what we're going to figure out." Logan pushed away from the counter, his movements fluid and purposeful. "But first, you need to stop thinking of her as your enemy. She'sbeen trapped for twenty-five years, Zoe. She's probably just as frustrated as you are."
The idea hit Zoe like a revelation. All this time, she'd been approaching her wolf like a problem to be solved, a force to be contained. But what if Logan was right? What if her wolf wasn't trying to hurt her, but simply trying to exist after decades of being suppressed?
"Come on," Logan said, heading toward the door. "Time to meet your other half properly."
Zoe followed him outside, her heart hammering with a mixture of excitement and terror. The afternoon sun had shifted, casting longer shadows across Logan's property. The forest seemed to beckon to her, promising secrets and revelations that both thrilled and terrified her in equal measure.
This is it,she thought, falling into step beside Logan as they headed toward the training area.Time to find out who I really am.
The clearing Logan led her to on his property felt sacred somehow, ringed by towering pines whose branches filtered the afternoon sunlight into dancing patterns across the forest floor. Zoe's nerves jangled like live wires, her hands trembling at her sides as she looked around the secluded space that would witness her first true transformation.
"You need to relax," Logan said. "This won't work if you're wound tighter than a bowstring."
Easier said than done,Zoe thought, wrapping her arms around herself. Every instinct screamed at her to flee back to the safety of Logan's cabin, and to pretend this moment wasn't happening. But her wolf stirred restlessly, practically vibrating with anticipation.
"I know you want to run," Logan continued, moving closer until his presence surrounded her like a protective shield. "But your wolf is demanding you stay. Listen to her."
Zoe closed her eyes, focusing on that inner voice that had been growing stronger by the hour. Her wolf wasn't afraid—she was eager, practically bouncing with excitement at finally being acknowledged.
"Fine," Zoe said, exhaling shakily. "I'll stop being stubborn. For once in my life."
Logan's chuckle was warm and approving. "That will definitely do wonders right now. Now close your eyes and breathe. Feel every muscle relax, one by one."
His voice guided her through deep breathing exercises, and gradually the tension began to ebb from her shoulders, her jaw, and her clenched fists. The forest sounds seemed to grow louder—birdsong, rustling leaves, and the distant creek babbling somewhere beyond the trees.
"Good. Now reach for her," Logan instructed. "Listen to what she's saying."
Zoe let her consciousness drift inward, following that familiar tug toward her wolf's presence. The voice came through clearer now, less fragmented than before.
Want to be free. Want to explore. Want to run on our mate's land.
"She wants to be free," Zoe whispered, her eyes still closed. "She wants to explore your land."
"Tell her you're both where you belong," Logan said softly. "You're safe here with your mate. I'll protect you both."
Zoe relayed the message, though her wolf already seemed to know. The reassurance was more for Zoe's benefit, her human mind still struggling to accept this new reality.
Logan is here,her wolf said with certainty.He won't let anything happen to us.
"She trusts you completely," Zoe murmured, warmth flooding her chest at the absolute faith in her wolf's mental voice.
"Then trust me now too," Logan said. "Think about her emerging. Let her guide you through the shift. Don't fight it—work with her."
Zoe took a shuddering breath and opened herself completely to her wolf's guidance. The change began slowly, a warm tingling that spread from her core outward. Her bones ached as they began to restructure themselves, her muscles stretching and reforming. Pain lanced through her as her spine elongated, her limbs reshaping with wet, crunching sounds that should have been horrifying but felt strangely right.
Her senses exploded with new information. Every scent in the forest became distinct and meaningful—the earthy richness of decomposing leaves, the green vitality of living trees, and underneath it all, Logan's intoxicating masculine scent that called to every primal instinct she possessed.
Her clothing shredded as her body expanded and changed, fabric falling away in tatters. Dark brown fur erupted across her skin, soft and thick, with honey-colored patches blooming across what would become her belly. Her face elongated into a muzzle, her teeth sharpening to deadly points.
Finally, the transformation completed itself with a final surge of energy, and Zoe stood on four legs for the first time in her life.
