He didn’t laugh. “That’s good. That’s real good.”
But it wasn’t. I had a funny feeling all over, one that made my legs wobble like jelly.
“What else do you smell?”
I shook my head.
“You can do this, Hope. Wolves go by scent. What else?”
“Meat. Grilled meat. Your shampoo. Exhaust fumes.”
When Tak put his arm around me, it felt as though he’d glued me to him. “Take another deep breath and try to smell something else. We’re going home.”
His energy kept my legs moving, but my thoughts were scattered. Tears sprang to my eyes when I remembered my father screaming at River. He’d never taken that anger out on me, but I’d always felt like I deserved it. River had lost his pack and purpose while I lived comfortably with our secret.
Before I knew it, I was leaning away, the urge to flee intensifying.
Tak had awoken my wolf, and now she wanted out.
He hoisted me off the ground and opened the passenger door.
I wanted to explain what was happening, but I was a butterfly caught in a net from which I couldn’t escape.
“You’re safe with me,” Tak whispered in my ear, his arms encasing me. Normally someone pinning me made it worse, but not with Tak. He gently lowered me until my feet touched the ground, never taking his eyes from mine. “I’m going to let go for a second and help you inside the truck. Just don’t sit on the tomatoes, or you’ll be having pizza for dinner.”
I let out a nervous laugh and climbed in. When he shut the door, I pressed my face against the seat and watched him collect the shopping bags from the sidewalk and put them in the back of the truck. The heat from inside the cab melted my skin, the thick air difficult to breathe in.
Tak hopped inside, a light breeze sneaking in through the open door. He brushed my hair away from my sweaty face. “Slow your breathing. Don’t worry about leaving your car at the motel; I’ll go back for it later. Right now, you’re all that matters.”
He couldn’t have realized how much that meant. My attacks were terrifying and embarrassing, and yet Tak knew all the right things to say.
When he slammed his door, the fear of shifting made me reach for the handle. What if my wolf lost control and attacked him? What if he shifted in self-defense and fought her to the death?
“Stop,” he said, capturing my wrist. “Stay right here with me.”
“I can’t. I need to go. I need to—”
Before I could finish, my skin rippled with magic and unleashed my wolf.
Chapter 20
Tak realized the Hope situation was quickly escalating. He couldn’t be certain if anyone had seen her shift, but a teenager skateboarding down the sidewalk sure noticed the wolf thrashing about in his truck.
Tak held her by the scruff of her neck and channeled his alpha power. “Calm down, beautiful. I’m a friend, and you’re safe now.”
Though she snarled and fought to escape, he couldn’t help but admire Hope’s animal. Her dark silver coat looked like someone had sifted powdered sugar on top of her head and shoulders. Among Shifters, nothing compared to a silver wolf. Their unique sheen was unlike anything else, even in the natural world of wild wolves. Hope’s front paws looked like she was wearing white slippers, and it made him smile. The Shifters in his tribe were either brown or red coated. Most of the alphas were black.
Her wolf snapped and drew blood from his forearm, but Tak didn’t wrench away. That was the dumbest thing you could do with your arm in a wolf’s mouth. When the blood of an alpha wetted her tongue, she let go and put her ears back.
“You’re a tough girl,” he remarked, rubbing her ear. “I know exactly how you feel. You want to protect your mistress because you think she’s in trouble. I want to protect her too. We’re both on the same side.”
Had he not been an alpha, her wolf would have torn him apart by now. She looked conflicted between obeying the voice of reason and protecting herself from a danger that only existed inside Hope’s head. He couldn’t exactly explain a panic attack to a wolf.
He spoke in his language, saying the words used to calm a temperamental wolf. Physical force would only make the situation worse. Tak had been down this road before. He’d suffered his own nightmares and lapses of sanity. It had taken him many years to conquer his demons, to finally reach a point where he could learn to love life and find happiness again. It splintered his heart to see that despite Hope’s success and hard work, her demons had latched on and never let go.
“Shhh.” He stroked her ears and centered his eyes on hers. “Nice to meet you. I’m Tak, and you’re a pretty girl.” Tak wanted to roll his eyes at his cheesy introduction, but she didn’t understand what he was saying anyway. Hope was absent in those dark irises, so this was between him and her wolf.
Tak slowly reached into the bag of vegetables and offered her a cucumber.
