Page 78 of Taken By The Wolves
Evan steps into the center of the room. Then, with a deep inhale and a ripple of energy, his skin splits, fur rolls across his body, and in seconds, a massive brown bear stands where he had been.
Ahya lights up immediately.
She squeals with delight and immediately squirms in Scarlet’s arms. Scarlet looks stunned but places her on the ground. The strain in her face darkens her usually relaxed features. I understand it’s the human part of her that’s wary of animals, especially one as big and ferocious-looking as Evan. He approaches, his long snout huffing hard enough to ruffle Ahya’s hair. His eyes fix on Scarlet like he’s trying to reassure her that he means no harm. He bends over Ahya, and she reaches out to touch him like he’s the most magical thing she’s ever seen.
The twins laugh, too, scrambling toward their father. And then it happens.
They shift into little brown bears, scampering around Ahya.
Ahya stops. Her little body goes still.
Then she shifts.
Fur spills over her skin, sleek and black, limbs thicken and shorten in a blink. Where a little girl lay, now a bear cub tumbles forward, nose twitching, paws heavy and soft. She barks, a tiny, giddy sound, and lunges at Coran, rolling into a clumsy pile of cubs.
My heart stops.
Scarlet gasps, one hand pressed to her lips. “She’s…she’s a bear.”
Finn makes a low, reverent sound from the fireplace. “No more questions.”
“She’s not just a bear,” Goldie says softly, her voice trembling. “She’s the girl from my dreams.”
We all look at her.
“I saw my boys,” she continues. “Running through the woods. And there was a wolf girl with red hair, laughing as she ran beside them. I didn’t think anything of it, but now…”
She gestures to Ahya, who’s rolling in pure joy with the cubs, her dark fur shining.
“She’s real.”
“You didn’t tell us,” Hunter says, his voice a growl that reveals his displeasure. Mates don’t hold secrets. Maybe it was an innocent oversight, or maybe Goldie was worried about how her clan would react to the news of bear and wolf uniting.
When Goldie shrugs, Hunter is quiet for a long time, his gaze flicking from Ahya to Scarlet, then to Nixon.
“So, it’s true,” he says, voice rough, “She’s the bridge between us. We need the clan. The elders. Everyone.”
“Do you trust them?” Nixon asks.
“Not entirely.” Hunter’s hand tightens on the intricately carved arm of his chair. “But if you want your mate and your daughter safe, this is the only path.”
Scarlet, who’s been staring wide-eyed at Ahya as she plays, interrupts. “If it keeps her safe, we’ll go.”
Nixon looks at her like she’s the ground beneath his feet, then he turns back to Hunter. “We’ll go. But we go together. And we leave when I say.”
“Okay. But before then, we want to see Ahya shift to wolf,” Hunter says.
I catch the flicker of unease in Scarlet’s eyes. We’ve all seen Ahya shift to wolf, but only in fleeting, instinctual bursts, usually when she’s overwhelmed or overjoyed. We’ve never asked her to do it on command. She’s still a baby.
But right now, she’s not struggling.
She’s thriving.
Still in bear form, she rolls over Connell’s back, growling softly in play, then flops onto the rug with a cub-sized sigh. She stretches out, tongue lolling, and I swear she smirks. Coran nuzzles up beside her, and for a second, they breathe together. Two packs, entwined.
Finn stands. “Maybe if I shift, too?”
He walks into the center of the room, exhales, and shifts. His wolf explodes forward in a smooth, effortless burst. Silver-gray fur. Broad chest. Powerful shoulders. He stands tall beside Evan’s bear form. It’s a sight to behold.
