I huff in annoyance and cross my arms in front of my naked chest. “Easy for you to say. You’re an expert on it.”
“I’ve had years to practice. It gets easier, trust me.”
“Yeah, I don’t know about that. It kinda felt like I was dying a slow, painful death. Just the thought of going through that againis enough to make me wanna throw up. I mean…it was even worse than getting a heart attack. And that sucked. Big time.”
“C’mon, just one more time. Try not to think too much about it.”
I roll my eyes at him. “Fine, but this is the last try. I’m tired and sweaty,” I grumble, refusing to admit how childlike I sound.
“Let’s try something different. Close your eyes. Concentrate on that ball of energy in the center of your chest. That’s your wolf, Ava. Let her come out.”
I do as Logan says and bring my palm to the center of my chest, where I feel a spark.
“Imagine all your insecurities and fears coming together in the form of a brick wall inside your mind.”
I visualize the wall in my head, and it looks downright impenetrable.
“Now climb it, get on the other side.”
My jaw ticks. “I can’t. It’s too tall.”
“It’s your mind, Ava. You make the rules; don’t ever forget that. Make the wall shorter. Throw a bomb at it. Pulverize it. Whatever it takes.” Logan’s tone is soft, coaxing.
The moment I imagine myself throwing a bomb at the wall, I feel it crumbling. In the next second, a weird tingling sensation engulfs me, from the bottom of my feet to the tips of my hair. My muscles spasm, and my skin feels like it’s being pulled too tight over my bones. I double over when I feel every bone in my body snapping into tiny, jagged pieces. There’s a second when I think it’s all done. But then, whatever reprieve I thought I gained crumbles to ashes the moment my ligaments fracture one by one.Pop. Pop. Pop.White-hot pain scorches me as my fur pierces my skin. Almost as soon as it started, the pain is gone, and I’m standing on four legs.
“Fuck yeah! That’s my girl,” Logan hollers in excitement and hurries to the front door, opening it and letting the cold morningair filter into the cabin. “Let’s go for a run,” he says before shifting and prancing outside.
I follow on his tail and descend the wooden stairs. The sun is cresting over the mountain peaks, its warm rays filtering through the pine trees, making the blanket of snow gleam as if made from tiny little diamonds. Before I realize what’s happening, Logan’s wolf slams playfully into my side. The momentum sends us rolling in the pristine white powder a few feet back. On top of me, he nudges his snout against mine and licks my muzzle. In response to his attack, I sink my canines in his neck, but only with a soft nip. He lets me go with a wolfish smile.
“Oh, you’re gonna pay for that,”I tell him through our mental link as I stand and shake the snow from my fur with a low growl. It’s still mind-boggling to me that we can do that, and it came so naturally, like speaking.
“Only if you can catch me,”he says with a chuckle and darts through the trees. He digs a trail through the mountain of snow, only his ears visible.
I quickly follow after him, and I don’t think I have ever felt freer than in this moment. It feels like flying. I bask in this newfound freedom, in letting my wolf take over completely and running at high speed through the piles of snow, the icy wind filling my snout and ruffling my fur as I follow Logan’s scent through the trail he made in front of us.
25
Ava
“Favorite color?” I ask and take another sip from the steaming mug of hot chocolate.
“Green,” Logan answers, pressing his thumb in the arch of my foot.
I let out a happy sigh at how good it feels. After spending hours outside, we came back and took a nap. Then Logan cooked us lunch from his freezer stash, and now we’re sitting on the fluffy carpet in front of the fireplace. My back is resting on the armchair, perpendicular to Logan with my feet in his lap while he massages them. The sounds and the smell of the burning wood fill the air. I’m wearing one of Logan’s T-shirts that’s more of a dress on me, and him, a pair of low-slung sweats. His perfectly etched chest and corded amber muscles are on displayunder the soft glow of the lit fire.
Everything feels so perfect I don’t ever want to leave this little bubble we have immersed ourselves into. I know it won’t be long until we have to go back to reality, though. The last time I took my immunosuppressants was two days ago. I honestly don’t know if I still have to take them. Logan said wolf shifters don’t experience the same illnesses as humans. There’s also the fact that I don’t feel any side effects yet. Still, we don’t know what might happen, so we don’t want to risk it. We agreed to leave the cabin tomorrow morning since the snow has already started to melt. My job at the Shabby Shotglass is also waiting for me.
“Ha. You’re only saying that because that’s my eye color.” I nudge him with my foot. “I want real answers, buddy.”
“Your eyes are my favorite color.”
I roll my eyes at him. “’Kay, Mr. Smooth Talker. Mine is red. I look really good in red.”
“I bet you do,” he purrs in a husky voice, and that’s all it takes for my breath to catch as the air sparks between us. I press my thighs together, trying to relieve some of the ache that’s making my clit throb with need, but I only manage to make it worse. Logan doesn’t miss that, and a smirk curves his plump lips. His eyelids droop as his gaze rakes over my body with undisguised hunger.
I swallow hard and clear my throat. “Favorite movie?”
“The Notebook.”
