Freak Show (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #7)(88)

My hungry gaze wandered over Shaz. My wolf couldn’t have been happier to be there with her mate. Something had changed in him while he was away. It was more than merely his physique. There was a new understanding in him and a newfound aggression that was courageous but not careless.

I knew damn well that he and Arys discussed me when I was not around. I couldn’t fault them for it either. Still, I wondered what it was that initiated the change in Shaz.

Before I could reach for him again, Shaz darted away and dropped to his knees, becoming wolf before touching the ground. He playfully nipped at my ankles and smacked me with his tail.

“I’ll give you a head start,” I said, nodding toward the tree line.

He didn’t have to be told twice. Turning tail, he fled from the yard and into the night. It was an old game for us, racing to a particular tree on the edge of the forest. I was the reigning champion. It had been a long time since we’d raced and just been wolf with the others.

Embracing the change was like opening a floodgate. The wolf rose up, bursting forth, freed from its human prison. My body reknit and reformed, a sensation that hurt for just a second before it was replaced by the satisfying release, like that of having a good stretch.

Leaving Coby and Ky behind, I raced after the shock of white fur in the distance. No, I could most definitely never live in Las Vegas. The desert may have been the home of my vampiric origins, but it was foreign land to my wolf. First and foremost, I would always be wolf. The black onyx amulet hung around my neck, bouncing gently against my chest as I ran. Brogan had said to wear it, and I feared taking it off for even a minute.

Shaz was bigger and faster, but he didn’t have my desire to win. The dirt kicked up beneath my feet as I flew across the field with the forest in my sights. Running on two legs never felt as good or as natural since I’d become wolf. This was what I was meant to be. I would not lose it. I caught up to Shaz easily and was ready to overtake him. Instead, I hung back and let him have the win.

He turned to me with accusation in his eyes. Then he jumped on me, knocking me to the ground beneath of flurry of playful bites and nips. He knew I had let him win.

Running in the forest always gave me this deep-seated longing, this need to be there always. And like other times when the vampire world had become too much, I considered staying there among the trees, with those who called the forest home.

If only it could be so simple.

The forest was alive with the sound of wolves, raising their melodious voices to the sky. There was no sound like it. It banished my insecurity. I didn’t have to belong to this pack to know that I was every bit as much a wolf as they were.

I followed Shaz as he bounded through the brush and thick patches of trees, tracking various scents that caught his attention. The hoot of an owl drew my eye to a large tree branch overhead. The majestic bird stared down at me. It was a special moment in time, not my first encounter with a bird of prey and hopefully not my last. We shared an acknowledgment of one another, an unspoken respect.

I trotted off, thinking about how nature was superior to both humans and vampires. Here in the wild, we recognized each other, and we all knew our roles. It was peaceful. And if I could use anything in my life just then, it was peace.

When I found Shaz, he was having a stare down with a frightened rabbit. The little thing was quivering in fright, frozen solid, eyes wide with fear. Shaz moved slowly, lying down in the faded grass. After several moments, the rabbit broke from its position and fled down a nearby hole in the ground.

My heart skipped a beat. I went to Shaz and nuzzled him with wolf kisses. He was still the sweetest man I knew, and yet, he was also a killer, ready to take on anyone, man, wolf or vampire, if it was the right thing to do.

Eventually we made our way to the clearing. It was a place among the trees that the pack used as a meeting point. Shaz raised his muzzle and howled. The sound shook me. There was nothing more heart wrenching. His cry was echoed by the pack. One by one, they began to arrive in the clearing, forming a circle around us. He was calling them to us, and upon realizing that, my nerves began to take hold. What was he doing?

When everyone was gathered, Shaz shifted back to human form. Standing in the center of the circle of beasts, he made eye contact with them each in turn.

I remained as wolf, slinking out of the center, doing my best to blend in with the others. He was the Alpha here with Kylarai, should she choose to keep the position of Alpha female. I had no authority here now.

“I’ve gathered you all here together for a reason,” Shaz began when all the wolves were settled. “To begin, I’d like to congratulate Coby and Kylarai on their engagement. We all wish you both the best. Know that this is your family, and we love you. Always.”

The wolves made a bunch of noise, yips and howls, proclaiming their agreement. Kylarai and Coby stood together, two brown wolves that couldn’t stop gazing longingly at each other.

When the noise died down, Shaz continued, “As you all know, I’ve recently returned from spending some time away. During that time, I’ve come to realize many things. One of those things is that I can no longer be the Alpha of this pack.”

This announcement was met with much shock and confusion. Holding up a hand for silence, Shaz held a hand out to Ky and Coby. “Kylarai is your current Alpha female. I would like to hand the Alpha male title over to Coby. If anyone has a problem with that, come forward now or forever keep your silence.”