Stolen and Forgiven (Branded Packs #1)(32)

When she got to her hands and knees, Holden kneeled beside her, his hand on her back. Again, she refused to look at him since one of her favorite parts of him was dangerously close to her face.

And enough about sex. This wasn’t the time for that.

“Close your eyes and think about the part of you that feels different than before. That edge that you haven’t been able to grasp in the past couple of weeks.”

She let out a breath and did as she was told. Deep inside, she had a new darkness, a new part of her she hadn’t been able to name.

“I want you to picture it as a rope or a thread. Once you do that, tug on it. It’s going to hurt, but keep tugging and let the newness wash over you.”

He kept his hand on her back and whispered words of encouragement to her, the deep timbre of his voice soothing her in a way she never thought possible. She pictured a rope she could grasp while the other end wrapped around the darkness. When she tugged, she groaned. It felt as if there were a hundred tiny needles dragging over her skin. She tugged again, wanting to see her wolf, wanting to be part of something far greater than herself. This time, the pain lashed at her, breaking bones, tearing at tendons. It reminded her of the torture at the hands of the doctors who had once sworn to care for her.

She screamed, her voice high and panicked.

In the distance, she could hear Holden shouting at her to keep going, to find him. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Her body broke out into a sweat and she screamed again.

Only this time, it wasn’t a scream.

It was a howl.

“Oh f*ck, baby, you’re beautiful.” Holden ran his hands through her fur and she blinked up at him, her eyes finally not hazy.

She tried to speak, but a yip came out instead. Oh yeah, she was a wolf. A freaking shifter.

It had worked.

Holden lifted her muzzle, pride in his gaze. “You’re pure white wolf, siren. So gorgeous. It’s going to take you a minute to get your bearings, so I want you to stay where you are and try to get used to your new senses. I’m going to shift while you do, and then, we can run. Do you want that? Do you want to run?”

She rolled her eyes at him. Did he have to sound like he spoke to a dog?

He snorted then kissed her nose. “That came out wrong, but you know what I mean. You made it, baby. You’re a wolf.”

She didn’t cry, but her heart ached at the thought of what would have happened to Holden if she hadn’t made it through the shift. The pain had been horrible, but there had been a chance she wouldn’t have made it. Claire had said as much and has spoken of what would have happened to Holden. They wouldn’t have to deal with that now, thank God. He wouldn’t lose it now—wouldn’t lose her.

Holden kneeled in front of her and shifted, his process much more graceful than hers. In fact, every other wolf had shifted quicker and with less screaming—practically none. She knew that born shifters didn’t have as much of a problem with the change as those who had been bitten. The first change was also the hardest. Hopefully, soon it wouldn’t be as bad, and she wouldn’t want to vomit during it.

Holden finished changing and soon stood tall as a larger than normal, black wolf with an adorable white stripe down his nose. She’d have to tell him that once they were back in their human form. The big, bad Alpha was so stinking cute.

He nipped at her ear, and she had a feeling he’d read her thoughts in her gaze. Whatever. He was hers. He licked at her muzzle, cuddling her close before biting down on her neck. Her legs shook and she bowed her head, giving in to his dominance. They were wolves, pure and free in this form. It didn’t matter they still wore their collars, and they had walls around them. In this moment, they were free in their hearts and souls.

This was why they ran, why they hunted as they did.

Holden walked backwards in front of her and nodded his head. She took a step and fell on her face. Well then. Graceful she was not.

He huffed, but it didn’t sound like a laugh. Good for him. She stood up again, aware others were watching her. She was the Alpha’s mate, after all; they needed to see that she was strong and capable. Walking on her own four paws would probably go a long way in helping that.

This time she let her wolf forward, a gentle presence she’d known had been there but now could feel fully. Her wolf held a strength she hadn’t possessed before and the need to care for those under her charge.

Ariel would be able to do this with her wolf at her side. She knew it.

With her wolf’s help, she took a step then another. Holden let out a yip and licked her muzzle before turning on his heel. She followed him, gaining speed and confidence with each step. Soon the two of them were running in the forest, their paws digging into the soil. The others joined them, matching their pace but still giving them space.

She let her wolf roam, her soul feeling as though it had found another half she hadn’t known was missing. This was her new life, her new presence, her new destiny.

This was her.

She followed Holden, staying close so she could find her way. When they reached the top of the rise, Holden slowed and waited for the other wolves to join them. With the way the compound was situated, there wasn’t a lot of room to roam, but they at least had a place to gather. Holden stood the tallest with Ariel by his side. Soren stood on Holden’s other side while the rest of the wolves moved so they were in order of dominance circling them.