I walked out with my heart so conflicted. I wanted to stay, to hang out and be their friend, but I couldn’t. I’d be back tomorrow, though. That would be enough.
The next day, Nathan decided to let Elle stay home from school. He texted me and let me know she was struggling. Her body was already preparing for theshift; her skin flushed and restless energy thrumming through her veins.
As soon as my last child’s parents picked him up, I made a beeline back over to Nathan’s house, wanting to be there to support Elle through this monumental moment. She was pacing the living room in a bathrobe as I walked in, her bare feet padding against the hardwood floor.
"What if I can't do it?" She looked at me pitifully as I set my stuff down on the couch.
Nathan reached out to ruffle her hair affectionately. "You will, kid. It's in your blood. In your bones."
I stepped beside her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Your body and your wolf know what to do. You just have to trust it. Trust yourself."
She looked up at me, her eyes wide and vulnerable. I squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. “Come on. Let’s go see what we can do, okay?” I took her hand and led her out back. We walked into the woods to a clearing where the pack had shifted many times.
Elle took a deep, steadying breath, then closed her eyes. For a long moment, nothing happened. Then, slowly, her form began to shimmer and blur at theedges. Fur the color of autumn leaves sprouted along her skin, spreading and thickening. Her body elongated, bones shifting and realigning. As she shifted, I slipped the robe off of her shoulders. We usually shifted naked. It was no big deal, but to a thirteen-year-old girl shifting for the first time in front of her dad and her dad’s friend—or whatever I was—naked was awkward. I’d hated it at first, too.
With one last shuddering breath, Elle fully shifted into a sleek, russet-colored wolf. She blinked, her eyes now a striking amber.
Nathan's face split into a grin, pride shining in his expression. "You did it, kid."
Elle took a tentative step forward, wobbling slightly on her new legs. A soft whine escaped her throat as she tested out the foreign sensation of four paws instead of two feet.
I felt the familiar tingle under my skin, the call of my own wolf. I stripped quickly, and in the next heartbeat, I shifted, my human body melting away into sleek black fur. I padded over to Elle, nuzzling her reassuringly.
Nathan shifted too, his massive russet and gray wolfcoming to stand on Elle's other side. He nudged her playfully with his snout, a clear invitation.
And then we took off running into the woods behind the house. The thud of our paws against the forest floor echoed the wild, joyful beating of our hearts.
Elle moved awkwardly at first, stumbling and unsure in her new form. But with each stride, she grew more confident, more graceful. A victorious howl suddenly tore from her throat, echoing through the trees.
I joined my voice with hers, then Nathan’s, too. Our howls intertwined and danced in the crisp autumn air, a song of celebration, of welcome, and belonging.
After we had a good, long run, exhausting Elle completely, I headed over to the inn for my tea with Erin. Warm light flooded through the inn's windows as I stepped inside, the scent of freshly baked scones and rich coffee enveloping me. Erin looked up from the counter, her face breaking into a wide smile. "Rissa! I'm so glad you could make it."
I returned her smile, shrugging off my coat. "Thanks forinviting me. Your inn is lovely."
Erin led me to a cozy table nestled by the window. Pale blue curtains framed the view of Stock Creek's quaint main street in the distance. Nathan’s neighborhood, and thus the inn, were on the outskirts of town.
She poured steaming chamomile tea into delicate floral cups. "I figured you could use some relaxation."
"You figured right." I settled into the plush chair. The warmth of the cup seeped into my hands. I took a sip, the soothing tea washing away the day's excitement.
"So, tell me about yourself." Erin leaned forward. "We barely got a chance to talk when we met."
I traced the rim of my cup, considering. Where to begin? "Well, I'm a Pre-K teacher. I adore working with kids. Their curiosity, their joy. It's infectious."
Erin's eyes sparkled. "That's wonderful. I can tell you have a nurturing spirit." She tilted her head. "What brought you to Stock Creek?"
A flicker of pain twisted in my chest. The miscarriage. The suffocating grief. The need to start over. I took a breath, pushing the memoriesaside. "I needed a change. A fresh start. Stock Creek seemed like the perfect place to heal. And my father and brother live here. Gavin, the police chief, is my older brother."
Understanding softened Erin's features. She reached across the table, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "I know a thing or two about needing to start over."
"Oh?" I searched her face, sensing a story there. "What's your story, if you don't mind me asking?"
Erin leaned back, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "It's a bit of a wild one. I was on the run from the mafia for a while. Stock Creek was my refuge."
My eyes widened. "Seriously? The mafia? That's intense."
She laughed. "Tell me about it. But coming here, meeting Ashton, it changed everything." A dreamy look crossed her face. "When we mated, I became a dragon. Like him."
