Page 31 of Shift Happens
“Now you smell like me,” he murmured, satisfaction evident in his tone. “Like us. Together.”
I laughed softly, wrapping my arms around him. “Was that the goal? Scent marking taken to the extreme?”
He lifted his head, expression more serious than I expected. “Partly. But mostly… I wanted to connect with you here. In my world, under the moon that calls to my wolf side. To show you all of me.”
Understanding the significance of what we’d shared, I pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. “Thank you for sharing this with me. All of it—your pack, your special place, this moment.”
He smiled, eyes soft with emotion. “I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life to bring someone here. It just had to be the right someone.”
We cleaned up as best we could with stream water and tissues from Milo’s apparently very well-prepared backpack, then dressed and made our way back toward the pack gathering. As we neared the clearing, Milo stopped, turning to face me.
“Before we go back,” he said, taking both my hands in his, “I want you to know something. Tonight, the claiming ceremony, bringing you here—it’s as close as wolves get to a formal commitment. In pack terms, I’ve declared my intention to make you my life mate.”
The gravity of his words settled over me. “Is that what you want? A life commitment?”
“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I know it seems fast by human standards. We’ve only known each other a few months. But wolves recognize compatible mates quickly, and everything in me says you’re mine.”
Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the declaration, I found myself nodding. “It does seem fast when I think about it logically. But it doesn’t feel fast. It feels… right.”
His smile was radiant. “Does that mean…?”
“It means yes,” I said simply. “I want a life with you, Milo. Bridging both worlds, building something new together.”
He launched himself into my arms with typical Milo enthusiasm, nearly knocking me over in the process. I caught him, laughing as he peppered my face with kisses.
“Easy,” I cautioned, steadying us both. “Let’s save the tackling for when we’re not on a forest path.”
He pulled back slightly, eyes bright with joy. “Sorry. Excited wolf.”
“I noticed,” I said dryly. “Come on, let’s get back before they send a search party.”
Chapter 15
When we returned to the clearing, I was acutely aware of knowing looks from several pack members—particularly Sadie, who raised an eyebrow at what must have been our very obvious combined scent. Milo seemed entirely unembarrassed, practically radiating contentment as we joined a group near one of the fires.
To my surprise, Arnold approached, carrying two plates of food. He offered one to me with a gruff nod. “You should eat. The night is long, and energy is needed.”
I accepted the plate with appropriate gratitude. “Thank you. The ceremony was beautiful.”
He studied me for a moment, then said, “My son has chosen with his heart. I may have reservations about the path he walks between worlds, but I cannot fault his choice of companion.”
Coming from Milo’s stern father, this was high praise indeed. “I’ll do my best to be worthy of him,” I promised.
“See that you do,” he replied, though his tone had softened slightly. “He has always been special—different from the others. Perhaps he needed someone equally different to complete him.”
With that unexpectedly poetic observation, he nodded once more and moved away, leaving me touched by the tentative acceptance.
Milo, who had been speaking with his mother nearby, returned to my side. “What did my father say to you?” he asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
“I think he just gave us his blessing,” I replied, still somewhat surprised. “In his own way.”
Milo’s eyes widened. “Really? That’s… unexpected. But good.”
“Very good,” I agreed, putting an arm around him. “Your mother seems more openly supportive.”
“She always has been,” he said, leaning against me. “She used to bring me human books when I was young, even though it wasn’t entirely approved of. Said my curiosity was a gift, not a flaw.”
As the night progressed, I found myself increasingly comfortable among the pack. Some remained in wolf form, others shifted back to human, creating a fluid community that moved between forms as easily as changing clothes. I was included in conversations, offered food and drink, and gradually accepted not as an outsider, but as Milo’s chosen mate.
