The muscles in my legs pump as I quickly catch up to Jasper, my wolf speed in full effect. The burn and stretch of using my wolf limbs feels so stupidly good. Breathing large gulps of air into my wolf lungs is like breathing clean air for the first time. I come level with Jasper, snapping at him as if to say,This all you got? Wolves can’t really grin but I swear he does as he tilts his head, accepting my challenge, and accelerates.
Desert landscape swooshes past us as we dodge cacti and leap over rocks, flowing like water, finding the route of least resistance. Our claws dig into the sand, flinging it up in a yellow cloud. A quick glance behind and already the cabin is barely a speck in my rearview. We dart and race, constantly aware of our proximity. Jasper, his scent, his presence are connected to mine like radio waves. If he swerves right I can feel the distance between us increasing and if he twists left I know he’s getting closer without having to look.
Up ahead the level terrain begins to dip and undulate, and a large, smooth rock formation rises before us. Eager to explore, I pick up my pace, making Jasper push to keep up. We crest a small rise, coming to the base of the towering boulders, digging in to turn at speed and navigating to one side as we glide around them. Jasper darts in front of me, forcing me closer to the rocks, and then suddenly he leaps into the air, over my head, and lands on my other side, kicking up dust, before ducking into a passage. I hadn’t seen it before, but where two boulders meet is a narrow tunnel—a glorified crack, really, which Jasper slips through as though he’s done it a million times. Huffing to keep up, I skid to control myself and follow him into the cool, shady space.
We emerge on the other side of the rocks to a rolling vista dotted with more large rock sculptures, the desert rising and falling like waves, each punctuated with boulders and spurts of grass. Jasper ducks and weaves, dives from the peaks of hills, and I follow in his wake. It’s like his wolf is testing me, the canine version of playing hard to get, wanting to see if I’ll keep up. But I can do better than simply keep up.
Jasper nods toward a copse of yucca trees and makes for it. Knowing our goal means the race is on. I push harder, flinging my hind legs out behind me, digging deeper into the ground, and hoisting myself forward at ever-greater speeds. Jasper does the same. And soon we’re racing, jumping from boulder to boulder, skirting spiky plants and ragged rocks. We enter the copse of trees, winding through them, always keeping each other in our sights. Our paths diverge, leading us farther apart, and for a moment I feel like these trees, this obstacle course, represents everything we’ve been through, all the fights and bullshit, the dangers and threats, the emotional land mines. I keep one eye trained on Jasper and as we press on, our paths come together once more.
Bursting from the tree line, we arrive at a water hole, a small oasis surrounded on three sides by bulging and uneven rocks, a pebbly shore leading to the water. We’ve emerged from the copse at the same time, perfectly matched, and Jasper skids to a stop. I press the pads of my feet into the stony ground and slide to the water’s edge. My chest is heaving, sucking in great, panting breaths. Jasper is the same. I can’t imagine the effect of the hot desert sun on his pitch-black coat. I’m warm enough and my caramel-colored fur is pretty good at reflecting heat. He must be hot because before I realize it, Jasper has pounced on me, knocking me sideways, straight into the water. We tumble over each other as the cool water refreshes us, breaking apart when we come to a stop. I lift my dripping muzzle from the water and eye Jasper as he shakes out his fur. But I don’t let him regain his composure before tackling him back.
My paws wrap around his thick neck as my weight barrages into him and we fall sideways. We wrestle for a moment, splashing crystal clear water into the air. Jasper tackles me again and I go right back in for payback. We tussle and roll over each other until we’re both panting and need to catch our breath. We heave our heavy, soaked wolf bodies onto the shore and flop down next to each other.
The sun beats down hot on our backs, drying our fur as we lie in the pebbles. Jasper’s green eye surveys me for a moment, then he shuffles closer and licks the side of my face, like he’s wolf-kissing my cheek.
I really ought to let my wolf out more frequently. That felt so good. To use my body, to embrace my power and spend some of that pent-up wolf energy, has had the revitalizing effect of caffeine or a cold shower. My soul feels lighter, I’m physically tired but not exhausted, mentally I’m switched on. My skin tingles as blood pumps through my system.
Jasper flops back onto his front and I nestle into his neck once more to say thank you for bringing me here, for running with me, sharing this place and this moment. It’s all so perfect.
For a while we lie next to each other, letting our wolf selves enjoy the dry breeze and hot sun, and the proximity to our mate. Then a presence suddenly makes itself known. I lift my muzzle, propping a paw under me, ready to stand and pounce.
Jasper looks over his shoulder and I follow his eyeline. A large, dark-gray wolf appears at the top of a boulder, its shadow a dark blob stretching down the side of the rock and onto the water. Jasper sighs and lets his head fall back onto his outstretched paws, clearly unbothered—or maybe a little bothered, but not worried. I sniff the air and realize I know the scent of this wolf. It belongs to a member of our security detail. It’s been with us since we arrived, distant but recognizable.
We’re not in danger from this wolf, it’s here to check up on us. Still something about it being here has lifted the hazy spell of the morning. Our private oasis is no longer private.
I huff and gesture back the way we came. Jasper takes a second and then nods. He lifts his body up and shakes his muzzle. I stand too and we make our way back to the house.
“I’m starving!” I whine, arriving in the kitchen freshly showered and pulling on a tank top.
Jasper turns from where he’s slicing bread and eyes me up and down. “Is that my top?”
“Um, yeah. Is that okay? I can take it off.”
“Keep it,” he says, turning back around. “It looks good.”
Jasper makes us a pair of towering sandwiches—roasted chicken breast with lettuce, cheese, mayonnaise, and paprika—which we eat outside.
“That was fun,” I say, mouth full as usual. “I need to let my wolf out more often.”
“Same,” Jasper says with a nod.
Off in the distance I notice a dark spot moving about in the desert. It’s the security wolf who found us earlier.
“Shame about those guys,” I say. “Think my wolf was enjoying spending time with you…alone.”
“Mine too,” Jasper says, eyes on his half-eaten sandwich.
“Do they need to follow us everywhere?”
He places his sandwich back on the plate, toying with the crust between two fingers. “They have orders to keep eyes on us at all times, straight from my father.”
“Man.” I sigh and lean back in my chair. “So we can’t have any privacy?”
“Only when we’re inside. Out there”—he nods to the horizon—“they’ll be watching.”
I press my lips together while my leg bounces impatiently up and down. “Are they coming hiking with us too?”
“Yes. They’ll keep their distance though.”
