Page 34 of Marked For A Bite
"I'm still worried about what happened earlier today," he admitted, his enforcer edge slipping to reveal genuine vulnerability. "When you collapsed after shifting, I thought I was going to lose you. I can't have that happen again."
She turned to face him in the moonlight, her eyes glowing with determination and trust. "I can handle it, Logan. My body is already adapting."
"Well, we're going to approach this differently anyway," Logan said, his tactical mind overriding his wolf's eagerness. "You're not going to just let your wolf guide you this time. You're going to have equal say in the shift, work as a team with her. But you're going to stop before you fully transform."
The strategy made logical sense. If he could strengthen her hybrid body's cellular structure gradually, she might develop the endurance to handle complete transformations without the dangerous energy depletion.
"I want you to shift three-quarters of the way," Logan instructed, watching her face carefully for any signs of distress."Then slowly pull back into human form. Think of it as building up your wolf's stamina."
Zoe closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her body relaxing into the meditative state he'd taught her. Logan watched in fascination as her features began to shift subtly—her canine teeth elongating, her fingernails extending into claws, and patches of dark fur appearing along her arms. The partial transformation held steady, none of the violent energy spikes from earlier.
"Now pull back slowly," he commanded, relief flooding through him as she smoothly transitioned back to human form.
"That felt completely different," Zoe said, her voice filled with wonder. She stood before him naked in the moonlight, her skin glowing with residual energy. "Like my wolf and I were actually working together instead of fighting each other."
He made himself focus on training objectives rather than the enticing curves of her body. "I have another strategy to try. I'm going to shift into my wolf form first, then guide you through the process. See if our bond can enhance your stability."
The transformation rippled through Logan's powerful frame, his clothes shredding as his body expanded into his massive russet wolf. His enhanced senses immediately picked up every nuance of Zoe's scent—the subtle changes in her breathing and the spike of excitement that meant she was ready to follow his lead.
Through their mate bond, Logan projected feelings of calm strength and protective guidance. He couldn't communicate verbally in wolf form, but something deeper passed between them—an energy exchange that felt ancient and mystical.
Zoe began her partial shift again, her body moving through the transformation with fluid grace this time. Logan pushed his strength through their connection, offering his wolf's power to supplement her hybrid nature. To his amazement, she absorbedhis energy like sunlight, her form growing stronger and more stable.
Now,Logan urged through their bond, projecting images of complete transformation.
Zoe's body completed the shift into her beautiful wolf form—smaller than Logan's massive frame but perfectly proportioned, her dark brown fur gleaming with honey patches that caught the moonlight. But this time, instead of collapsing from energy depletion, she held the form with remarkable stability.
Logan realized she was somehow drawing strength from his presence, their bond creating a symbiotic enhancement that defied everything he understood about shifter physiology. They moved together through the moonlit clearing, two wolves exploring the night with instinctive harmony. Joy radiated from her wolf's golden eyes, mixed with love and absolute trust that made his heart thunder with possessive satisfaction.
When Logan sensed her energy beginning to wane, he projected the instruction to shift back. They transformed simultaneously, returning to human form in perfect synchronization.
"That was incredible," Zoe breathed, her naked body glowing with exertion and triumph. "I could feel your strength supporting me and making me stronger."
Logan's control finally snapped at the sight of her radiant happiness. He crossed the space between them, capturing her face in his hands and claiming her mouth in a kiss that tasted of moonlight and destiny.
FIFTEEN
ZOE
Logan's lips finally broke from Zoe's, leaving her breathless and aching for more under the silvery moonlight. The autumn night air kissed her naked skin, but she barely felt the chill—not when heat from their kiss still coursed through her veins.
"That transformation was unbelievable," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the whisper of the wind through the trees.
That shifting experience had been completely different from her disastrous first attempt earlier that day. This time, her wolf hadn't fought against her consciousness like a caged animal desperate for freedom. Instead, they'd worked together in perfect harmony, two halves of the same soul finally learning to dance.
What astounded her most was how Logan's wolf strength had flowed into her like a river feeding a drought-stricken valley. Their energies had merged and enhanced each other until she felt more powerful than she'd ever imagined possible. It transcended physical sensation—something deeper had awakened between them, ancient and mystical, as if their souls recognized each other across lifetimes.
Maybe that explained the certainty that had settled deep within her after knowing him only a day. This connection felt written in starlight and prophecy, destined across centuries of waiting.
Logan's green eyes darkened as he studied her face in the moonlight. "What are you thinking about?" he asked softly.
"I'm thinking about how right this feels," she admitted, stepping closer until their bodies almost touched. "About how my soul recognizes yours even though we just met."
His jaw clenched with visible restraint. She could see the war raging behind his eyes—desire battling against protectiveness and want clashing with fear. The prophecy revelation had sent his protective instincts into overdrive, and now even more so, he viewed her as something too precious and too fragile that needed shielding.
But she wasn't fragile. Tonight's training had proved that beyond doubt.
Without warning, Logan swept her naked body into his arms, carrying her with effortless strength across the moonlit clearing. Her breath caught at the sudden movement, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck as he strode toward his cabin.
