AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He won’t come with me.
If he does, he might miss Rachel waking up from her recovery nap. I doubt he’d give that chance up to run around in the woods with me. We’re not exactly tight. Adrian’s my best friend in the world. Carter’s our annoying kid brother.
I race through the woods, all my senses on high alert. It’s the day before Christmas Eve so I doubt anyone else is out here. Winter break at the academy usually means a whole bunch of students return home for family time so the shifter population of the town takes a steep decline. I hate the busy season. I wish it was like this all the time.
When I’ve gotten all the way around the long trail that goes from one end of town to the other, I slow to a stop. I’ve burned off a little of my anger, but it’s still raging within me, making my wolf a growling beast ready for a good fight.
Too bad there are no asshole rogue wolves or gators around.
Maybe I should go knock on Danny’s door.
Fuck. Shifting was a bad idea. It’s not helping.
I run at full pelt back along the trail, almost crashing into Carter as he comes from the other direction. His wolf skids to a halt and topples over, spilling to the ground in a tangle of limbs, letting out a high-pitched squeak.
My wolf can’t laugh, but he can huff and that’s kind of the same thing.
I stop and watch as Carter’s wolf gets up. He’s wearing a wide smile and panting like a moron.
He’s trying to make me laugh. My wolf huffs again. It’s kind of working.
My annoying little brother has the goofiest wolf I’ve ever met.
He puts his head on the ground and covers his eyes with one of his front legs.
It’s more cute than funny. He’d better not remember that one to use around Rachel. She’ll totally fall for it. She gives him more than enough puppy-dog looks.
He looks up and barks. Barks! Like he’s a fucking dog.
It’s so convincing that for a second I wonder if I’m actually looking at a clever husky, instead of an Omega wolf who never stops talking when he’s in human form. One sniff tells me it’s definitely Carter, and a few seconds later he shifts form to confirm it.
He doesn’t stand up, because he’s doubled over with laughter when he shifts.
I shift, if only so I can ask what’s so damn funny.
“Okay, okay, Giggles. What’s the joke?”
He sucks in a breath and shakes his head, letting out another bray of laughter on the exhale.
“You … You … Thought I was … A dog!”
“You barked!” I protest.
I stare at him, and his laughter suddenly becomes contagious.
It feels good to laugh, even if it’s at myself.
“A dog!” he blurts between wheezing breaths.
It is pretty funny, I guess. Just not quite as funny as he seems to be finding it.
My chuckles die off quickly, the humor of the situation keeping my lips twitching.
Tears are running down his cheeks as he tries to catch his breath and quit laughing.
“How long were you waiting to play that little joke?” I ask him, clearing my throat.
“I wasn’t,” he says, wiping at his wet cheeks. “It just kind of happened.”
