Everyone felt it.
He and Daryl hadn’t spoken about bonds since that night. Nor had either of them mentioned no-strings sex either. The matter might have been put to bed, but that didn’t mean Jason could turn off his attraction. The blindfolds had made him more aware of everything about Daryl, and taking them off hadn’t changed that.
“I know everyone’s eager to get out and run,” Alpha Cornell began, silencing the room. “I’ll try to be as quick as possible.” She smiled, teeth a touch longer than normal. “For tonight’s run, you may shift fully into your wolf form.”
Jason cracked his neck from side to side, already feeling the urge.
“Alphas Wallace and Jones are out in the forest. This is unfamiliar territory, and should you veer too close to our property limits, they will guide you back.” Alpha Cornell paused and glanced around the room. “I realise you won’t be as restrained in wolf form, instinct may take over, and for tonight we’re willing to overlook any fights that may occur. To a point. Wolf form or not, the full moon doesn’t strip you of all reasoning. There is a line that we won’t allow you to cross. If at any point a fight threatens to inflict serious injury, or worse, then we’ll put a stop to it immediately and with whatever force necessary. There will be twelve alphas out in the forest tonight. Don’t think for one minute that we can’t keep an eye on every last one of you.”
She included the betas in her sweep around the room this time, and Jason shrank into his seat.
“Right.” Alpha Cornell grinned and clapped her hands. “Now that’s out of the way. The run will start from five thirty tonight and end when the last wolf returns to the lodge. This is a rare opportunity to run with the council in their territory; we want to let you make the most of it. And it would be
advantageous to work out any grievances whilst in your wolf forms. Words can complicate matters, whereas instinct tends to cut to the chase.” She glanced at her fellow alphas and nodded. “We will wait for you in the woods.”
The alphas left as silently as they’d arrived, and for the first time in days, Jason forgot all about Daryl. The only thing in his mind right then was the thought of what the alphas looked like in their wolf form. It wasn’t something he thought he’d ever get to see—all of them out there prowling in the woods—and the excitement of that outshone everything else.
Until everyone started to strip off their clothes in preparation for the run.
It shouldn’t bother him, it never had before.
He’d been part of countless full-moon runs over the years. Stripping in front of your packmates was a way of life. A matter of necessity and not sexual in any way. And he still felt that way for every single person in that room.
Except Daryl.
Standing a little off to Daryl’s right, just watching him slide his belt out of his jeans, made Jason’s mouth dry. He seemed to undo the button in slow motion, pull the zip down at a snail’s pace, and then eased his jeans over his hips and down, every exposed inch making Jason’s heart beat faster.
“You’ll be left on your own at this rate,” Rachel whispered into his ear, making him jump.
“Wow. You didn’t even notice me next to you, did you?” He watched her glance over at Daryl. “Ahh.”
Ignoring her huff of laughter, he focused on getting undressed. “What about you? Will Sara be running tonight?”
Rachel’s smile was a touch wry. “That was the plan, but Alpha Cornell thought it prudent that Sara stayed near the cottage for this run. She thinks there’d be too much temptation for us to disappear and ‘do our own thing,’ as she delicately put it.”
Jason grinned. “She’s right.”
“I know.” Rachel sighed. “It’s going to be a long two weeks at this rate.”
Daryl reached for the hem off his T-shirt, and Jason let out a sigh of his own. “Yep.”
Wanting to steer the conversation away from Sara and get his thoughts off Daryl, he asked, “You all set for this?” He forced himself to get into the right mindset. The last thing he needed was to shift while lusting after Daryl. His wolf needed no encouragement.
Rachel shrugged. “I figure if anything’s going to happen, it’ll be tonight. And to be honest, I’d like to get it over and done with.” She spoke quietly, but anyone in the room could hear them if they chose. It was no secret though.
If they could clear the air between Jenn and Rachel’s pack now, then the rest of their time here would be that much more enjoyable.
With that thought firmly in his head, Jason undressed, steadfastly refusing to look in Daryl’s direction.
Rachel and Jenn led their pack’s outside into the dark. The air had a sharp bite to it, not that they’d feel it in their wolf fur, but naked, Jason shivered as the wind whipped at his skin.
“Remember what Alpha Cornell said,” Rachel addressed her unit as Jenn did the same. “Shifting into your wolf does not give you free rein to do what you like. If the council has to step in to stop anyone seriously injuring another, then their days in this pack will most likely be at an end.” With that she gave the signal for her unit to shift, and Jason watched, a little in awe as one by one they shifted into their wolf form.
It never ceased to leave him breathless for a moment. He glanced around him as twelve wolves now stood in place of their human forms. Varying shades of brown, no two the same. He waited for
Rachel to shift, then closed his eyes and let his wolf take over.
Pain, sharp and exquisite, tore through his body as his bones and muscles realigned. His senses sharpened, sounds in the forest became louder and more abundant, and the familiar scent of pack surrounded him. Jason breathed it in, grounding himself before opening his eyes and seeing the forest as his wolf.
