???
I took her home. The drive to Wales was long, but I knew all the secluded areas where the humans wouldn't disturb us. The summer attracted a lot of tourists, and I didn't want anyone to see us. That was one of the advantages of owning Caer Virel. The privacy was priceless.
I glanced over at her, but she was staring out of the window. Her fingers were tapping against her leg to the beat of the song she was listening to. It wasn't my kind of music, but it didn't irritate me. The sound from her headphones was minimal over the road.
A lot of things didn't irritate me because they were part of her.
Surprisingly, Fenrir remained silent—no lectures or shoving the bond in my face.
I focused on the road as the thought ate away at me.
???
The moment Fenrir shifted, he was showing off for her. He ran back and forth from the entryway to the woods, back to Lielit. He was impatient waiting for Bouda to emerge. Lielit hung the last of the clothing on top of mine before removing her boots.
Bouda’s emergence was graceful. She didn't come out snarling the way Fenrir often did. She shook her head, and the long hair on her back spiked for a moment, reminding me of a prickly porcupine. He did not appreciate the comparison.
She crouched down and stretched her back out while keeping her mouth open. Her teeth looked ferocious.
Fenrir didn't care, he circled her, sniffing her before rubbing himself against her side. His tail flicked over her face and snapped her teeth at him.
The most telling response was that she allowed him to graze his nose over her belly. When he began sniffing her rear, she pounced on his head, growling as she bit his ear.
He didn't rage or even react. In fact, he held still until she was done chomping on him. She slapped a paw on our face before she took off.
His eyes snapped up. I saw her tail’s fur spike up just as he gave chase.
The same tail I once mocked now looked attractive.
It was probably because she smelled like us now.
Grass, trees, and branches all whizzed past.
But the bliss Fenrir felt playing with Bouda was astounding.
She wasn't a passing shifter. Lielit and Bouda held our legacy.
And so much more.
They didn't shift back until the next morning. I remained silent and observed.
They’d run, hunted and played together. At night, they’d curled up together. Fenrir remained wide awake for hours listening for any intrusions before finally lowering his head over Bouda to rest.
The animals were more harmonious than our human sides.
???
I could hear her humming in the kitchen as she prepared dinner. The aroma of her jerk chicken filled the hallway. I’d have been in the kitchen with her if I could cope with her chaos.
My eyes narrowed on the painting above the side table.
It was subtle.
Just a fraction out of place.
I moved closer and adjusted it, smiling as I stepped back to admire the artwork.
She couldn't break me if I adapted to her unruly ways.
