by D. M. Turner
She shot him a surprised look. “Your wolf took control and you don’t remember? Like me?”
“Not quite. I maintained control. I just don’t remember parts. Even after Brett shared what I’d forgotten, I still don’t remember some of it. As he can tell you, I was an emotional mess during that time, so I guess it’s not too surprising.”
Understanding brought sorrow to her face. “That’s when you lost your wife, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t think I can read it.”
“Why not?”
“I….” Sophia shook her head, her gaze evading his. “I just don’t think I can.” She laid her head on the arm of the couch and closed her eyes. “I’m really tired.”
“Given the events of the past few days plus your physical state, that’s understandable. I’m headed back to bed. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to wake me.”
She nodded without opening her eyes.
Ian retrieved the blanket from the floor beside his bed and carried it out to lay over her. She didn’t move when the blanket settled over her. He returned to bed.
Why couldn’t she read about him losing Alison?
Chapter 13
Conviction arrived with the light of morning. Sophia hunched deeper into the corner of the couch. If she made herself small enough, maybe she could hide within the recesses of the cushions. Then perhaps the dark moon would pass her by.
“Coward… can you not face me?” it whispered to her heart.
She squeezed her eyes shut. Ignore it. Maybe it’ll go away.
It laughed harshly. The cold sound skittered along raw nerves and chilled her to the bone.
“Leave me alone,” she whimpered softly.
“It’s not for me to do as you wish. You committed an atrocity. You must pay for your crime.”
Memories lunged to the surface. The scent of fear. Running. Running. The harsh sound of a man’s labored breathing as exhaustion took hold of him. Pleading for mercy. No mercy to be found, the wolf knew none. No hesitation. The coppery taste of adrenaline-rich blood. Delicious. Vile. The moment a heart stopped beating. Victory. Defeat.
“Don’t listen.” A strong pair of hands closed on her upper arms, rescuing her from the darkness.
Sophia opened her eyes to find Ian kneeling in front of the couch, his grip and gaze steady.
“I know the things it says. The dark moon is Satan’s messenger as sure as anything. Don’t listen to it.”
“It speaks the truth.”
“No. It speaks condemnation for sins already forgiven. It twists the truth into lies to deceive and tear down.” A faint half-grin formed. “Think of it as an abusive man who wants only to dominate and beat you down.”
She frowned. “It’s only the moon.”
“Yes, and Satan is only the Accuser who uses anything he can to tear us down.” A brow quirked. “Will you let him defeat you?”
When he put it that way….
“He’s manipulating you,” came a soft, dark whisper from above.
“So are you,” she whispered. Ian had her best interests at heart. The same couldn’t be said for the Accuser. She took a deep breath, sat up straighter, and looked Ian in the eye. “I’ve had enough of this to last me a lifetime.”
Ian chuckled. “I agree.” He released her but remained where he knelt. “I’m hunting in the Preserve today. I saw a wounded bull elk when I ran one day last week. If he hasn’t recovered, I need to put him down so he doesn’t suffer needlessly. Come with me.”
Sophia forced a smile she was only just beginning to feel. “Is that an order?”
He snorted a sigh. “Would you like to come for a run with me? Possibly to hunt?”
“I’ve never hunted anything larger than raccoons.”
“I’ll teach you.” He cocked his head. “Assuming you wish to learn, of course.”
“Of course.” The smile no longer felt forced or halfhearted. “I’d love to take a run and see the Preserve.” She stilled then frowned. “If it’s okay with Jeremy, that is. I feel better today. I don’t want to suffer a setback.”
“We’ll stay close to home, make sure you don’t overdo. If I can bring down that elk, you’ll eat very well.” His eyes narrowed. “I assume you’ll remain human enough to know when to stop eating. Your wolf may be Roman in origin.”
“What?” That had to be one of the more bizarre accusations she’d ever heard.
“I think she’d like to eat until she vomits and then start over.”
“Ew.” She grimaced.
Ian laughed. “Jeremy told me to limit food intake yesterday. Your wolf didn’t approve, liked to have driven me crazy begging.”
How humiliating. She winced and lowered her head. “Sorry.”
“Not your doing.” He stood up. “If the hunt is successful, eat slowly and with care. Make sure your body doesn’t object to what you consume. Jeremy said there was a possibility that your digestive system could be damaged, and with the wolf in control, we didn’t want to test it. With your human self in control, I’m not so worried.”
Sophia nodded.
“I’m fixing breakfast right now. Go—” His shoulders slumped, and he took a deep breath. “Why don’t you get a shower and put on a robe? No need to dress. We’ll leave as soon as breakfast is done.”
“If we’re going hunting, why eat ahead of time?” She cocked her head.
“I was thinking I’d show you some of the Preserve before we hunt.”
“Oh.” She nodded again and got to her feet.
Ian returned to the kitchen.
Sophia followed him into the dining room then continued down the long hall to the guestroom rather than making the turn into the kitchen.
Partway through her shower, a thought struck. She’d never run with another wolf before. What would that be like? She wasn’t entirely herself as a wolf. Not that she’d done anything bad. Well, except for slaughtering a serial killer. What would Ian be like as a wolf?
* * *
All through breakfast, Ian tried to ignore the fact Sophia sat around the corner of the table in nothing more than a bathrobe. He breathed as shallow as possible to avoid her scent permeating his lungs. Not that it did any good. She sure smelled good. It took every ounce of self-control not to take a deep breath and indulge.
Had he really tried early that morning to convince her to stay? Worse, had he tried, in a weird fashion, to talk her into taking Carlos, Peter, or Max as a mate? He suppressed a groan.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
He looked from his plate into assessing green eyes. “What do you mean?”
“You seem… out of sorts. Maybe a run should wait. I can spend the day reading or something.” Her gaze dropped to her empty plate. “I’ve been more hassle than you expected, and I’m sorry. That certainly wasn’t my intent when I came here.”
“It’s not your fault, and I’m fine.”
Green eyes studied him again. “You don’t lie very well.”
Ian chuckled without humor. “Alright, how about, I’ll be fine. I just have a lot on my mind this morning.”
“Do you want me to go?”
Yes.
The wolf deep inside growled.
Ian clenched his teeth. Okay, no, he didn’t want her to leave. Not really. But he needed her to go before he got any more entangled. He forced down a snarl. It wasn’t her fault his innards were in turmoil. “No, of course not.”
Doubt colored her expression.
“I’ll leave dishes for later.” He gathered the empty plates, carried them into the kitchen, and deposited them in the sink. “I already opened the gate. It won’t shut until I tell it to. Shift and join me at the back door.” He turned to head for the living room and caught a hard look from Sophia. “What?” Then he realized he’d used that “bossy” tone again and sighed. “Give me a break, would you? I’m not accustomed to having to ask anyone to do anything. They either do it without me saying a word or just do it when I tell them to with
no fuss.”
“I wasn’t thinking about that.” Sophia cocked her head. “Though you could be less rude on that score.”
“Then, what?” Ian halted at the breakfast bar.
“Are you sure this is okay? Us running together, I mean.” She shrugged. “I’ve never run with another wolf.”
“Oh, well, I wouldn’t worry. Until I met Brett, I’d never run with another wolf either, and he’d only run with one other wolf who ended up trying to kill him.”
“I read about you and Brett.” She frowned. “Were you really so… casual about it?”
Ian laughed. “You make it sound like sex. It’s a run. Nothing more.”
“A run and possibly a hunt.”
He leaned his head back, put both hands on his hips, and muttered, “Lord, spare me, please.” He lowered his head to look at her again. “Look. If you’re afraid I’ll turn into the big bad wolf and try to eat you, don’t worry so much. I’m a very old wolf, and I have excellent control. I’m not going to attack you, much less eat you. Yes, the wolf instincts rise more sharply in wolf form, but I’ll still be in control. Even hunting, it’s me.” He headed for the back door. “I’m going for a run. Come or stay. Your choice. I have no inclination to stand here debating the point with a fearful female.”
Even across the room with his back turned, Ian caught the scent of her irritation. He smiled, dropped his robe, and Shifted. He nosed the sliding glass door open, crossed the threshold, and turned back to shut the door.
The she-wolf slipped through, casting him a scathing look in passing.
He laughed deep inside and pushed the door closed.
* * *
Sophia trotted through the open door, forcing herself not to stop in her tracks before she passed Ian. As big as he was in human form, his wolf self was even more intimidating. Tall, wide, muscular. Head high, ears forward, alert and confident. Every inch of him spoke of power. Far larger and stronger than the male who’d Turned her. She’d never be able to protect herself from him. He had to outweigh her by a hundred pounds or more.
If she showed so much as a hint of hesitation though, he’d know she was afraid of him. Don’t give him the satisfaction.
She waited for him to close the door then followed him around the house toward the front gate. One of her front paws landed in an indentation left by one of his in a patch of mud. She stopped and studied it for a moment. His paws had to be twice the size of hers. Her tail dropped, not quite tucking between her hind legs.
A short woof pulled her head up.
Ian had stopped several yards in front of her and watched over his shoulder with a perplexed expression.
Two choices. Follow him, or tuck tail, run back to the house, and hide until he returned to human form.
Yeah, that’s gonna happen.
Shaking off the weakness that made her want to grovel like a terrified child, she raised her head and tail and trotted onward.
He continued toward the gate.
In minutes, they’d passed through and entered the forest on the other side of the twenty-foot wall. At an easy slow trot, he led her through trees and up and down ridges.
At the top of one ridge, she stopped and took a deep breath. Peace settled inside. Home.
“It’s not your home. He doesn’t want you here.”
Sophia turned her gaze skyward, to the new moon lurking above. “No one asked you. If he wants me to leave, he’ll say so.”
“He doesn’t want to hurt your feelings. Surely you realize that. He’s seen your true self. He knows how fragile you really are.”
She lifted one lip in a silent snarl. “Shut. Up.”
A nose touched her muzzle.
She lowered her gaze to meet Ian’s.
He nuzzled the top of her head and licked her between the eyes.
Reassured, she rubbed her muzzle under his chin.
Ian stepped back, glared briefly at the moon, and tossed his head to one side. Then he turned toward a stand of trees, pausing long enough to wait for her.
Her back to the moon, Sophia followed him.
* * *
They found the bull elk Ian had wanted to check on. His head high, the animal stamped and snorted when it spotted them, announcing quite clearly that he had healed from his injury and wasn’t to be trifled with. The big bull carried every ounce of his near thousand pounds with a strut.
If the whole pack had been on the hunt, Ian wouldn’t have hesitated to pursue, but two wolves alone were more likely to get hurt than take the big animal down, especially when one of them was inexperienced. Ian knew better than to underestimate such creatures. The lack of antlers didn’t remove the danger a ticked off bull elk represented. A solid kick from one of those sharp hooves could break bones or disembowel a predator. Best to leave such large, strong prey for a time when there were more targets to confuse it.
Sophia needed time to regain muscle mass and strength. The fact she had never hunted large game before wasn’t in their favor either. So Ian led her away. Maybe he could find a white-tailed or mule deer. One of those would be much more manageable for two wolves, with the added bonus of being good for teaching a new wolf how to hunt large game.
Near mid-day, Ian’s nose detected what he’d searched for. Male. Deer. Anticipation quickened his heartbeat. He double-checked the scent then glanced at Sophia.
She cocked her head.
He nosed the scent on the ground then looked at her again. Pleased she got the message, he took a half-step back so she could sniff. Then he followed the animal’s trail.
Less than a quarter mile away, he spotted the prey through the trees. Mule deer. Buck. Not yet a full adult, so probably only about a hundred and fifty pounds. Definitely a good target.
Ian lowered his head and crept through the undergrowth toward it, pausing long enough to make sure Sophia imitated his caution. She learned quickly. That pleased him more than it should, but he didn’t let the thought linger. If they brought down that deer, she would eat well.
When he was close enough to reach his quarry in one stride, he lowered his frame to the ground and glanced at Sophia.
Dropping to her belly, she watched him.
He touched the ground with his nose once. Stay.
She nodded.
Gaze on his prey, he slowly rose and braced. The wind moved in his favor, so he carefully prepared his attack. If he killed the deer, Sophia wouldn’t learn to do it herself. If he crippled it…. Yes, that would do. He generally went after the quickest kill, but that wouldn’t serve his purposes at the moment.
The deer’s head jerked up when Ian’s furry form shot out of the undergrowth. Too late.
Wolf teeth closed around a back leg. Not the smartest maneuver since that young buck could kick him square in the face, but it paid off. Tendons gave way to teeth.
The buck fell.
Ian took out the tendons in the other back leg to make sure it couldn’t stand. Then he turned his gaze on Sophia, who emerged from the trees with a worried frown. He waited for her to finish off the wounded prey.
Sophia cocked her head then seemed to grasp what he wanted. She pinned the buck’s front end to the ground with both forepaws, staying clear of flailing hooves, and locked her teeth on its throat.
From where he stood, Ian could tell she hadn’t gotten a decent grip. He stepped closer then halted when she adjusted her bite.
Blood surged over her teeth, dripping to the ground.
Good girl.
In minutes, the deer stilled, and blood stopped pulsing.
Sophia released it and raised her head.
Ian gave her a lupine grin and nuzzled her cheek.
She panted and smiled then looked at the carcass and tilted her head. Her gaze returned to his, questioning. She paced around the body then sat, her head cocked to one side. Was she waiting for him to eat first, or was she unsure how to eat something that big?
He tore into the buck’s belly, pleased when she joined him.
Chapte
r 14
I’m so full…. Under the shade of a pine tree, Sophia stretched out on her side next to Ian and heaved a sigh. It felt mighty good to have a full stomach though. It had been far too long, and she’d never filled up so well on a single kill before. She and Ian had both eaten all they’d wanted.
A good portion of the mule deer remained. Would they leave it for wild predators? What was the protocol?
She shifted her head on the hard ground to gaze up at Ian, who sat like a sphinx, his head up and attention skyward, looking far too serious. Was the dark moon playing mind games with him as it had with her that morning? Could she distract him?
She rolled toward him, belly up, and smacked the side of his head with both front paws, bracing one on his neck.
His gaze moved from the sky to her, questioning.
With her free paw, she popped him between the eyes.
He grumbled and mouthed her chin gently. Then he nuzzled the side of her head and snuffled in her ear.
Well, he wasn’t listening to the dark moon anymore. Now, what?
Ian nosed her again. Then, without warning, his attention moved in the direction of the house, and he got to his feet. His nose twitched.
Sophia rolled upright and sniffed the air. What was he scenting? There… wolf. Female. Not Kelly or Annie. She climbed reluctantly to her feet.
Ian remained relaxed but alert. So the newcomer wasn’t a threat.
A white wolf stepped out of the trees a few yards away, trotting confidently toward them, her amber gaze on Ian. Smaller in size than Sophia, she glowed with health. A few feet away, she slowed to a walk and turned her attention on Sophia.
Holding the other wolf’s gaze, Sophia raised her head and took a half-step forward, putting herself slightly ahead of Ian. Where did this one belong in the pack?
After a moment, the she-wolf averted her gaze and lowered her tail and head, curving her body slightly to expose her throat.
A large muzzle lay across Sophia’s neck, reassuring rather than threatening. She turned into it, taking her eyes off the she-wolf.