Page 59 of Jace's Mate
She was asleep.
A soft, helpless sound came from her snout as her body slumped, her paws twitching once in a dream.Jace smiled to himself.She should shift back so he could carry her to bed.But she was so blissfully content in her new body, still reveling in the sensations and instincts she’d never been allowed to explore.He could feel it in her breathing, in the way her fur still held the faint buzz of adrenaline and joy.
So, instead of commanding her to shift, he adjusted his stance, spreading his paws slightly as he bore her weight with ease.She was light.Lighter than she looked.He shifted so that he surrounded her protectively, standing like a sentry while the others began shifting back.
Behind him, the sounds of transformation rose: grunts and quiet groans, the crack of bones realigning, the rustle of skin and fur as his pack mates returned to their human forms.The forest seemed to hush for them, only the rustling of wind through pine branches and the distant, rhythmic hoot of an owl cutting through the stillness.
A moment later, Ragnor padded over in wolf form, then shifted mid-step.The man stood tall and unbothered by the cool night air.With casual ease, he reached for the pile of clothes and grabbed his jeans, pulling them on.
“You want me to stand guard?”he asked, his voice low and deferential.
Jace shook his massive wolf head and let out a short, firm yip—his way of sayingI’ve got her.Ragnor understood the sound immediately, looking down at Anikka, whose body now gently rose and fell with each peaceful breath.A smile crept onto his rugged face.
“She’s sound asleep.”He paused, then looked back at Jace.“She’s beautiful, Alpha.I’m glad you found her.The whole pack is.”
Jace huffed a quiet exhale, acknowledging the sentiment with a blink of gratitude.Ragnor nodded once more and turned, making his way toward the first van.In the distance, others were climbing into the remaining vehicles, quiet laughter and murmurs trailing behind them.The engines hummed to life, and one by one, the vans disappeared down the dirt path, their headlights glowing like fireflies before vanishing around the bend.
Jace stood still as stone, listening to the night.
He waited.
Waited until even the faintest echo of tires on gravel had faded, until the scents of engine oil and sweat and lingering excitement dissipated on the wind.Now there was only the pine-soaked air, the dampness of the forest floor, and Anikka’s slow, rhythmic breathing.
Only then did he move.
Gently, he nudged her with his snout.She gave a sleepy whimper, curling tighter instinctively, tucking her legs close to her belly.He nuzzled her tail next, curling it delicately over her nose to keep her warm.She murmured again—a soft, high-pitched sound of contentment—and shifted her position just enough to press closer to his chest.
She didn’t even wake.
Jace’s heart squeezed at the sight.She was so strong, so resilient… and yet so fragile like this.Her coat was still slightly damp from the run, the silvery tips of her fur catching the moonlight.He could smell the wildness of her—fur and earth and rain—and beneath it, that unique scent that was hers alone: citrus and warmth and the faintest trace of vanilla.
He inhaled deeply, then circled behind her, curling his larger body around hers.When his hind leg brushed her back, she gave a tiny yip of protest in her sleep.With a soft growl, Jace nipped at her shoulder—light enough not to hurt, but firm enough to reassure.
She quieted immediately.
Her breathing evened out again, deep and slow.
Only when he was certain she was fully at peace did Jace let himself relax.He rested his head on his front paws and listened to the symphony of the woods around them—the low rustle of a fox in the underbrush, the chirping of crickets, the creak of a tree branch swaying high above.
The scent of damp pine needles filled his nostrils.
A mate.
He hadn’t expected to find her—not yet.Maybe not ever.But here she was, tucked against him in sleep, having made her first shift not out of fear or violence… but in the moonlight, surrounded by joy.Her pack.
Hispack.
And she belonged to him.
With a slow blink, Jace allowed his body to settle fully into the forest floor, molding himself around Anikka.His tail curled close.His ears twitched at every subtle sound.He would rest—but not sleep.
Not tonight.
Tonight, he would watch over her.
Just as he always would.
Chapter 19
