Page 22 of Wolves of the Rising Moon

I’m the lucky one.

I freeze, mouth falling open, and a big chunk of half-chewed crust falls to the counter. The need for food eventually breaks me out of freeze mode and I turn very slowly back to Rafe to see if he heard it too.

It kinda sounded like Rafe’s voice. But that’s stupid because he’s still zoinked.

What the fuck was that?I ask myself and turn back toward the counter. I must still be dopey from alpha pheromones.

I think it’s the claiming rite.

I fly around so fast, thinking Rafe is playing a trick on me and if I spin fast enough, I’ll catch him playing possum. But he hasn’t moved at all. In fact, he’s still snoring lightly.

Rafe?

Yeah?

Why the hell can I hear your voice in my head?!

Ouch. Easy there, Omega. Why are you yelling in mine?

“Rafe!!”

He startles awake, bleary disorientation in his gaze as he scans the cottage for threats before finally taking in my features. “What’s wrong? What’s happening?”

“You tell me!” I say around a mouthful of sandwich.

Rafe rubs his face. “Will, I just woke up. How about you catch me up?”

Does this help?

Rafe’s eyes widen, lips parting slightly. “You mean I wasn’t dreaming?” His gaze drifts from my face, to my double stacked sandwiches, and finally to the pile behind me. “Holy shit, I’m starving.” He shoots off the ground and beelines the sammie stack.

Yeah. Apparently, it’s the claiming or something.

The hunger? Or the hearing each other’s thoughts?Rafe asks as he chews, and I try my best to keep my mind on his question and not his naked body on display.

My guess is both? I dunno. This is my first time being claimed by a big, hunky alpha shifter.

Rafe grins, takes another sammich, and bumps it against mine as if it were a champagne glass.It is pretty handy, I gotta say.

So you heard my thoughts in your sleep?

Yeah, I guess so. I thought it was part of a dream.

Weird. Did you hear anything else?I sure as shit hoped this didn’t mean he had free access to my head at all times.

I remember you wondering how you got so lucky. And then you were yelling in my head.

Nothing else? You can’t, like, hear my stream of consciousness or anything, can you?

Rafe pauses, chewing.No. Can you?

I shake my head.

Relieved, Rafe resumes chewing again.Good. The last thing either of us needs is an all-access pass to every waking thought.

Agreed.I grab two more, Rafe does as well, and I decide to silently tell him what I’m concerned about.

I don’t think going to Laurel Cove is the best idea.

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