"Rowan, shift," I ordered impatiently.
"I just tried," she snapped. "Which you saw with your own two eyes, Cade!"
"Watch your tone," I warned. "We can address your bratty attitude when we return if needed."
She glared but shut her mouth.Good choice.
Talon let out a low howl.
"I am trying, Talon!" she said, throwing her hands up in frustration. "But I can't feel her. Not like I can when I'm scared or angry. It’s like my wolf is asleep."
Ryker perked up. "I have an idea."
Killian made a low growling sound that meantabsolutely not.
"You didn't even hear it," Ryker protested.
"Your idea," Killian answered flatly. "So it's stupid."
Ryker ignored Killian and continued. "When I chased her before we punished her, she almost shifted. The only reason she didn't was because Talon dosed her with that green goo."
He continued, "So, let's chase her now! Through the woods. We'll give her a little head start, just so it's not too easy. It will get her adrenaline going, and she either shifts, or whoever catches her first gets to claim their prize."
At the wordprize, he made a crude gesture, forming a circle with his thumb and forefinger, then pumping his other index finger in and out of it.
He was such an immature pup.
Rowan stared at him as if he had lost his mind.
"No. Absolutely not! That is insane," she said, turning to me, expecting me to back her up.
Ryker just grinned. "Fear will make instinct kick in; she'll shift… probably. If she doesn't, it's a win-win."
I weighed it. Rowan just failed to access her wolf when ordered. She had far less control over the shift than I had expected. Ryker's solution was primitive, but promised to be effective.
"I like it," I said. "Pressure test for Rowan. Target pursuit for us. It will teach her how to handle real-time stress triggers."
Rowan’s head snapped toward me. "Cade—"
"It is a valid method for shift activation," I continued. "And you need to. Tonight."
Her mouth fell open. "You're joking. I thought I was coming out here to hunt, not to be hunted by you psychos! This was supposed to be training, not some perverted tag team."
"This is training," I said. "We're training you to survive. And you survive by shifting. It's simple."
Her eyes widened. "I hate you. I do not consent to this."
"In case you didn't realize by now, we don't need your consent if it's in your best interest. Hate me all you want, but if it keeps you alive, it's worth your despising me."
Then I lifted my hand, setting a timer on my tactical watch.
"We'll give you a two-minute head start. Starting now," I said as I clickedgoon the timer. It made a beeping sound and began to count down, but Rowan just stood there, dumbstruck.
"Rowan, run!" I commanded with my bark, forcing her brain to compute what was happening.
Finally, flight kicked in and she bolted, like a scared rabbit, disappearing into the trees and darkness of night.
Ryker grinned. "Oh, this is going to be so fucking fun."
