Khaki looked dubious but obediently closed her eyes when he told her to. He used the same running-through-the-woods exercise he’d used to get her eyes and claws to come out the first time, but instead of urging her to run faster, he softly talked her through the process of cooling down from a long run, slowly coming up onto two legs, and getting her breathing under control, then feeling the bright sunlight on her face. It took a little while, but after thirty minutes, her claws and fangs finally retracted.
“Why the hell is it taking me so long to pick up this shifting thing?” she growled so fiercely he thought her fangs and claws were going to pop out again. But she took a few deep breaths and got her inner werewolf back under control.
“Because right now, your abilities are at the whim of your emotions, and it’s going to be that way for a while. Sometimes those emotions will bring on a shift when you don’t want it, and sometimes they’ll keep you from shifting when you want to. Until you learn to control your emotions, the wolf inside you will be in charge, not you.”
She made a face at him. “You are aware that I’m a woman, right? News flash here, women aren’t known for controlling their emotions. It tends to be the other way around.”
“Maybe,” he agreed. “But trust me, you’ll get better at controlling your inner werewolf over time. It won’t be long before shifting will be as easy as breathing for you.”
Cupping her cheek, he leaned forward and gave her a kiss. When he sat back, she regarded him thoughtfully. He hoped her mind was headed the same place his was—one where clothing was optional.
“Speaking of controlling my inner werewolf,” she said. “I heard some of the guys talking about a full shift. What does that mean?”
Clearly, they were going to be keeping their clothes on a little longer.
“It’s when a werewolf pushes the shift so far, he—or she—completely assumes the shape of a wolf.”
Khaki’s eyes widened. “We can really do that?”
“Only some of us,” he said. “While every werewolf can come to control the basics like claws, fangs, eyes, and strength, some are never able to achieve a full shift.”
“Why not?”
“Because it has nothing to do with how long someone’s been a werewolf. A full shift is a matter of how totally a werewolf accepts their inner beast.”
She blew out a breath, making her bangs flutter. “That leaves me out, I guess.”
“Maybe not.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “The important thing to remember is that being able to do a full shift doesn’t mean a werewolf is any more valuable to the SWAT team or the Pack.”
Khaki nodded, but Xander wasn’t sure if she believed him.
“Can you do it?” she asked.
He hesitated, not sure if he should tell her the truth or not. He didn’t want to make her even more bummed about not being able to do it herself. But she’d find out sooner or later.
“Yeah,” he admitted. “But it took me years to figure it out, and I can only do it when I’m completely calm. Only Sergeant Dixon, Cooper, and Jayden can do it quickly—‘on the fly’ we call it. Most of us have to take our time, which is why it isn’t something that serves much purpose in SWAT. But it’s something we work on together regularly, and we’ll help you try it too.”
“Can you show me?” she asked. “Just so I can see what it looks like.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” he said. “It’s freaky as hell to watch. There are some cracking and popping noises, not to mention some fur growing. That can be a little disconcerting the first time you see it. You sure you’re up for something like that?”
“Definitely!”
She looked so excited that he couldn’t say no.
“Okay. Just don’t freak out when I’m halfway through and tell me to change back. It’s not something I can turn on and off.”
“I won’t,” she promised.
Xander stood, tugging her up with him. He moved the coffee table out of the way, then reached over his head to yank off his T-shirt.
Khaki’s gaze caressed his bare chest, then settled on his hands, watching as he unbuttoned his jeans. “Not that I mind the view, but why are you taking off your clothes?”
He flashed her a grin. “You ever see a wolf wearing 501s?”
She laughed. “In that case, let me get comfortable.” Sitting on the couch, she tucked her legs under her, then threw him a saucy look. “Okay, you can finish getting naked now.”
Did she miss the part where he said he needed to be completely calm to do a full shift? Because the blatant desire in her eyes was turning him on like crazy.
