My cheeks heat as memories of his warm, soapy hands smoothing down my sides replay in my head. I can't say having a stranger give me a bath was ever on my bucket list, but I’m not complaining. Besides, Luke doesn't really feel like a stranger, not when I was feeling more wolf than human, and especially not now.
There’s a connection sparking between us that I don’t quite understand, but that I recognize on a subconscious level. It’s like I’ve spent most of my life about to float away and now I’m tied to Luke—grounded, solid, and safe.
And exactly where I belong.
Running my gaze over the wolf, I smile softly to myself. Luke’s dark fur is glossy and full, his wolf form sleek, but not skinny like mine.
He’s beautiful.
I lean closer, the action almost involuntary, and run my hand over the soft fur along his back. Will my own fur fill out like this now that I’m free of that place? Or will I always be scrawny and weak?
Here’s hoping for the former.
One of Luke’s eyes cracks open, and I instinctively snatch my hand away, holding it close to my chest as I bite at my lower lip. Luke lifts his head from his paws and studies me, tilting his head to the side. He doesn’t move except for that, simply holds my gaze as if he’s trying to let me know it’s okay, and I find myself reaching toward him again.
My palm brushes over his head and he closes his eyes, leaning into the touch with a contented sigh. Much like I did to his leg earlier.
“Hello,” I say, the word cracking as it crosses my lips.
Luke’s eyes fly open and he blinks at me, tilting his head again as if asking a question.
I suppose that was the first word I’ve ever said to him, so it’s not surprising he’s, well,surprised. He probably thought I couldn’t talk.
For good reason.
Until this moment,Iwasn’t so sure I could still talk. My hand moves to my throat. It's nice to know I do still have my voice, even if it is hoarse and the sound grates painfully in my throat.
Luke leans forward slowly, his gaze not leaving mine, and nudges at the hand by my throat with his nose.
I give him a soft smile. “I guess they didn’t take as much from me as I thought they did.”
Luke’s eyes narrow and his lips pull away from his teeth, but the anger I see in his canine face isn’t directed at me. He shakes his head and moves closer to the foot of the bed. The air around him kind of shimmers and his body contorts for a moment before the wolf disappears, leaving behind a human Luke.
Which means there is now a very naked man in bed with me.
Where I am also very naked.
I pull my knees up toward my chest and tug the blankets higher. Without fur, I feel even more exposed, and now that my brain is tuned back into the “human” channel, emotions like embarrassment are much easier to access.
Heat fills my cheeks and I force myself to keep my gaze on Luke’s face. Well, mostly. I can’t help running my eyes over him in a quick once over. I might have seen it all earlier, but it’s different now that my mind isn’t locked into wolf mode.
He stays half crouched, glancing up at me through his hair as the corners of his lips curl into a smile and his eyes dance with amusement.
With human eyes and human… thoughts, I can see how handsome he is, his face made of hard edges with a square jaw and a defined brow. Unlike his wolf form, I wouldn’t exactly call him beautiful as a human. His features are a little too sharp for that, but he’s undeniably attractive.
His shoulders are broad and muscled and his torso tapers to narrow hips and strong legs. From earlier, I know he’s at least half a foot taller than me, if not more, but that’s not surprising. I’ve always been the smallest wolf in the pack.
Wait. Where’d that come from?
I scrunch my nose, trying to tug at the edges of the thought, trace it back to its source, but there’s nothing to find. The strange thought flits around in my head, unconnected to anything else, and brings reality crashing in around me.
I don’t know what I expected to happen once I escaped the lab, but my past is still lost.
“What’s wrong?” asks Luke, grabbing the edge of the blankets and tucking it around his waist before moving closer.
“I…” My voice falters. “I can’t remember.”
Luke’s brows pull together. “Can’t remember what?”
