Page 26 of UNAwere

‘Well, I don’t,’ I say, slightly defensive.

Turn, Red.

I wave a hand. ‘I’m fine. I’ll wait here while you do what you need to do.’

I’m not asking. Big brown-golden eyes stare at me. His coat is so black it’s almost blue, and it shines in the dappled spots of sunlight breaking through the canopy. Turn.

‘I…’ I sigh. ‘Okay, but can you turn around and let me get naked, please?’

I see he left his clothes and boots by a rock and wonder how he got undressed and Turned so quickly. I really am pathetic if I didn’t notice that.

Briggs spins around, the sound of his all-familiar grunt grating against my subconscious.

You’re a lot less connected to your wolf self than I expected.

‘That sounds like a jab.’

That’s because it is. It’s unnatural for Weres to be disconnected from their animal selves.

I snort. ‘And that sounds like propaganda.’

Your beliefs do. Becoming more human? For their comfort? Ignoring your instincts and your primal urges, simply to blend into a society that doesn’t understand you?

‘You sound really culty when you say things like that.’

I’m not the one in the cult. He huffs. Can I turn around yet?

I hop on one foot as I try to pull off my sneaker. ‘Um… Not yet.’

What’s taking you so long?

‘Nothing.’ I slide my jeans off and shrug out of my sweater. I unclip my bra and step out of my panties, bundling them up and hiding them inside my clothes.

Briggs growls and steps further into the trees.

My heart jumps. ‘What? What’s wrong?’

The last thing I need right now is to have Karvers come and attack us while I’m naked and about to claw my way into my wolf self.

Turn, damn it.

‘That still counts as a swear,’ I say. ‘Twenty-five.’

I let the transformation happen. It’s an interesting feeling. Like a light switching on. Like a sneeze that’s been asking to come out, finally unleashing, simply because I’ve relaxed and let it happen. But the pain and discomfort come, too. And I groan as my back arches. As my coat grows through, my nails lengthening, my ribs expanding.

Relax. Briggs is watching me now.

‘I… can’t…’ I gasp out, my half-human, half-wolf mouth forming awkwardly around the words.

You’re fighting it.

I let my mind expand out to him. His voice easily entered mine, but I feel a wall surrounding his, and he doesn’t immediately let me in. I stare at him, panting, as my tail grows in and as my jaw breaks. And he stares back, calm.

When the Turn is over, the wall comes down, and he allows me in. Our minds meet, and I moan, feeling that sensation from the truck stop come back, but tenfold. In my wolf form, it’s different. It feels good.

Don’t. His voice is a growl in my brain.

I tremble, my thoughts dislocated. The sensation blossoms and I lean into it, my hackles raising. My lip curls, and I see him mirror me, snarling.