Riley snaked an arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him before he spoke in a low voice. “Sebastian and his team are handling that. Of course, you can help and console the pups, especially if they are females. But let the males take in all the pain themselves, it would make them tougher.”
I just nodded my head, hooking my arm with his.
And since there were no female pups shifting tonight, I just remained beside the Alpha for the rest of the night, watching as one by one, the male pups shifted into their wolves.
“We will start the run soon. I’m not sure how it works on your pack, but I will give the signal through a howl, and I will be the first one to run. You, as the Luna, will run after me before the Beta follows you. The rest of the warriors and the newly shifted pups will follow after him, and lastly, the Gamma will be behind the rest. And since Jenny is here tonight, she will run with Sebastian.”
“Okay… Should we shift now?” I asked him excitedly. This would be my first run with a pack of wolves, aside from my first run when I shifted at eighteen.
“Yes. And Nadia, run right away after I run. I want you beside me, not behind me, okay?”
A wide grin curled on my lips at his words. He was letting me know that we were equal, and I couldn’t help the butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
My hands went to the hem of my shirt and I was about to tug it upward when Riley’s hand stopped me.
“What are you doing?” He asked.
“Taking my clothes off.”
“Not here, behind the tree.”
“And why not? You were about to strip off, too.”
“Nadia, I’m the Alpha of this pack. I can’t go and hide behind the tree before shifting.” He told me in a hushed tone, frustration showing on his face, and I couldn’t help but feel a little bad for what I was about to say.
“Well, I will be the Luna of this pack. I can’t go…”
“Nadia…” His eyes were blazing with fire, and I could see Hunter behind them, and it just made me roll my eyes at him.
“It’s not fair you go around naked for everyone to see. What do you think I feel?”
A low growl vibrated from his chest as everyone’s attention turned to us, and I suddenly regretted pushing Riley to his limits.
I smiled at the rest and was about to turn around and make my way behind the tree when I felt my body being hoisted up and placed on my mate’s shoulder.
“Riley!” I hissed at him, but he seemed to be in a trance as he walked us behind one of the big trees.
He placed me back on my feet and let his body hover over me. His hands pressed against the tree, caging my body in between his arms.
“Don’t try to push my patience like that again, Nadia. I can handle any jokes or games, but not of you being naked in front of other males. I’m not sharing you or the sight of your body with anyone if I can help it. You’re fucking mine!” His face was leaning closer, and I could feel his peppermint breath fanning over my face.
Instead of being scared, I could feel myself getting aroused by the anger I saw in his eyes.
“Do you understand that?”
“Yes, Alpha...” I answered. My throat just suddenly felt dry.
But even after I replied to his words, he was still staring at me with his eyes swirling in black and was not moving from his position.
‘Alpha, Luna, we need to start the run, or should we go without you?’Gamma Sebastian’s voice rang in our heads, and Riley pulled away from leaning on the tree.
‘We’ll be out in seconds.’Riley answered him as he moved back, giving me ample space.
“Now take off your clothes and shift.” He ordered me as he took off his shirt and pulled down his shorts, his hard cock springing free as he did, and my throat felt drier.
He was standing naked in front of me, and I was gawking at him as if I was just seeing his naked body for the first time. Arrow was howling in pleasure, and I couldn’t stop myself from licking my lips.
“Nadia… shift.”
