I absently rubbed my neck, biting my lip and nodding in agreement. I knew I could reach Magnus and get him back, but I hadn’t had time to figure out exactlyhowto do it. This very well might be the key.
“All right,” I said. “Rhea, Talon, come over here, please.”
The large midnight and golden-auburn wolves trotted from the riverbank to join us. Their gazes locked with mine as a wave of power settled in the distance between us, bridging a connection that was formed even before I had won the challenge against Gilen.
I decided to try to reach out to Rhea first. Her shade of blue was darker than her mate’s gaze, giving her a mysterious edge that mimicked her wild, if at times unencumbered, personality.
Shaw said it was like being on the other side of the door. So, I listened, waiting to feel the pull against the back of my mind.
Closing my eyes, I searched for the faintest whisper of another’s presence. The forest’s melody and the river’s steady trickle settled me into a trance. I felt thesong of the wild calling me, and then… ever so faintly, I felt the same tug. The familiar pull of my attention drifted to this sensation, and the more I focused on the foreign feeling, the louder it became.
Imagining a doorway, I reached out and opened it.
“About fucking time!”Rhea’s voice boomed inside my head.
“And Rhea has officially arrived.” I laughed.
“Look,”Rhea began,“You’re my best friend and my alpha, and I’ll follow you to the ends of this world. But… I’ll never shy away from speaking my mind or telling you the truth.”
The auburn wolf’s tail wagged frantically with a spark of excitement. I took comfort in the honesty of Rhea’s declaration.
“Now, listen for Talon,”Rhea said.“It should come easier the more you do it. It was like that for all of us when we shifted. But—”
“But since Skylar is our alpha, she doesn’t need to be in her animal form to do so,”Shaw cut in.
Rhea growled and barked at him.“I was getting to that! Gods above, Shaw. Other people have good ideas as well, you know.”
Shaw didn’t say anything aloud, but I could tell his mind was formulating a witty remark he wisely chose to keep to himself for the time being.
Talon whined and nipped at Rhea’s ear, trying to attract her attention. She growled but affectionately turned and nuzzled her mate.
“Okay,” I said, raising my palms, stepping between Rhea and Shaw. “Talon, you’re up.”
I calmed my mind, searching for his, and thankfully, Rhea was right. It was much easier and faster to link my mind with his.
“Hey there, Sky! Glad I could finally join the party.”Talon’s voice joyfully echoed inside my mind.
“Me too,”I answered with a smile.“Didn’t know it was so exclusive.”
“Did it work?” Neera asked.
“Yep,” I answered. “Rhea was right. It’s easier once you know what you’re looking for. I was able to link with Talon almost instantly. I just—”
“Opened the door,”Shaw said with a cocky flick of his tail.
“Yes…” I said, turning toward him. “Do I need to give you credit each and every time I successfully mind speak with a member of the pack?”
“No,”he purred.“You admitting it now will suffice. We’ll always know whose clever idea it was for the analogy.”
“Seriously, Shaw.”
“Know-it-all,”Rhea teased, followed by a bark in her wolf form.
“Didn’t I teach you not to brag so much growing up?”Talon added.“Come on, brother, it’s beneath you.”
“Fine,”Shaw mumbled.
“Can you hear them, Neera?” I asked.
