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Still locked, and if anyone tried to get in, he’d hear it. Not that they’d get this far. The perimeters of the property were also wired, and he’d set that into motion the moment they’d passed over the threshold.
With that peace of mind, he took another deep breath and changed forms. The process was quick and only uncomfortable for a moment before he stood on all fours, shaking his ochre pelt.
He scanned the surroundings automatically, connecting with the familiar landscape. His human awareness remained balanced, in harmony with his wolf instincts, a mastery achieved from intense training.
The Shadow Wolf Pack was expected to show discipline at all times, and he prided himself on this level of self-control. This was his and his wolf’s reward—the freedom of a run. Just for the pure joy of it.
He bounded away from the hut and between the trees, stretching his animal muscles. The softness of the damp earth on his paws eased away the built-up tension in his body.
He ran hard and fast, bounding over fallen trees and weaving around bushes, following a track that had been carved out of the bushland through years of use.
Panting hard and fast as he maintained his speed, he pushed up the steep incline to the ridge. His muscles tired more than usual because of the fight with the vampires, but his wounds healed as he ran. The pull and heaviness from the skin and muscles repairing themselves didn’t slow his wolf down.
The scent of the earth mixed with sharp eucalyptus woke his senses. His mind cleared from the chaos of fighting and his confusing feelings for Tamaska.
Right then none of it mattered. Just this. The run. The joy. The pump of his blood and the way his muscles worked like an oiled machine.
The trees thinned as he rushed through a small opening, stopping right at the edge. Freedom at last.
He lifted his head to the night sky and let out a long, deep howl, reminding all the animals there that he was a predator, and he was back. With his sharp hearing, he detected the nervous flutter of birds in their nests. It pleased his animal instincts to know they feared him.
He scanned the horizon, the Blue Mountains a shadow in the night, the trees thick. With his inner wolf released, he wanted more than a run. He wanted to hunt.
Kodiak didn’t want to deny his wolf side any longer.Go and hunt.
He howled once more, pleasure rippling through his body and making his fur stand on end. He turned back toward the bushland, keeping his ears alert for the sound of prey. What would he find? Would the prey give him an enjoyable hunt, long and hard?
He rushed back into the cover of the trees. While he wanted to stalk larger prey, he showed restraint, aware of the need to preserve the native wildlife.
Tonight, I’m having rabbit.They were considered pests across the country, having been introduced to Australia when the white settlers came. No one would care if a rabbit or two went missing.
Just doing a bit of civic duty. Nothing like cleaning out a pest or two. Sensing the growing hunger in his wolf, he knew it would be a big hunt tonight. One he needed to keep close to home.
He leaped back into the cover of the bushes, keen to make the first kill of the night and to feast.
A fresh rabbit scent was easy to pick up, a young male. He gave Kodiak a long chase through the bushes. He snapped the rabbit between his teeth before it could slip down its burrow.
The meal was tasty and gave his wolf some much-needed nutrition. The meal was tasty. But it wasn’t enough. He hadn’t been in his wolf form for months. Not like this. The possibility of more hunting urged him to pick up another rabbit’s scent trail.
This was the way things should be, with him as the predator. It made him feel alive and reminded him of his shifter heritage, something he was proud of.
His thoughts paused while he gave chase, catching and devouring another.
When he was done, he bathed in the stream nearby, knowing he couldn’t feast more. Two rabbits were enough to get him through.
After he shook himself dry, his thoughts returned to Tamaska.
Trust was building between them both.
He was a wolf, and she was one hundred percent human.
They might live in the same world, but their experiences were poles apart.
Could their unconscious bond really blossom into a genuine, open choice?
15
Tamaska
