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Before I could present that to Sariel, though, I felt our bond tighten with anxiety. There was no screaming, though, so after a moment, I decided I should turn and see if he was actually going to follow through on the shift—
A grunt escaped me when something barrelled into me from the side.
I flailed, surprised to see a pleased Sariel hovering over me with a wolfy grin. Swatting at him made him bolt off of me and prance around, looking every bit like the eager puppy I’d expected the first time we’d tried this. My wolf was nothing but excited about this development, so I wrote off my previous worries as we wriggled and readied ourselves to play.
We’re more… together this time,Sariel explained.
I knew what he meant. Typically, it felt like my wolf and I were two separate entities vying for space in the same body, but not tonight.
Tonight, we were nearly one being, our desires and instincts lining up seamlessly.
I yipped my approval, pawing at the dirt.We should go find the twins.
He growled his disapproval at my teasing and pounced at me, paws slapping against the grass when I bounced backward.Again?
Accepting his counter, I darted into the trees and listened to his less-than-graceful charge after me. It was exhilarating to have the freedom to do this; being able to share a run with one’s pack was one of the things a wolf did early. The moment a new shifter could, the pack marked the occasion with a run to build bonds and set the hierarchy. It was something I had never gotten.
But now? Running with Sariel?
I weaved between the trees, our bond beating with our combined joy as we yipped at one another.
We shouldn’t stay gone too long,he said.We’re supposed to be helping with dinner, remember?
The disapproval made my chest ache, but he was right. While we both knew that Zuzanna had probably finished without us, his point remained. The two of us had responsibilities to deal with.
As much as I wanted to play and romp in the woods around us for hours, we hadn’t really planned for a long adventure—just a quick spur-of-the-moment test to make sure he could do it at all without freaking out.
I guess,I answered.Reluctantly, we circled back to where we’d stripped, and I waited for him to shift back before following suit.
Getting dressed was a quiet affair, but once we were both decent, I gave into the urge to fling my arms around my mate, pressing a swift kiss to his lips and squealing when he lifted me effortlessly. He laughed, returning my eager kiss with one of his own, then twirled me around when my legs coiled around his hips.
“You’re amazing,” I informed him, and his cheeks dusted pink, a soft grumble escaping him as he settled me back onto my feet.
“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” he admitted. “I was pretty sure I would disappear again, and you’d get stuck dealing with the fallout.”
“I knew you could do it.”
His smirk was contagious as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and guided me back down the beaten path. “Now, let’s talk about your angel.”
I winced. The amusement that trickled down the bond from him sparked my temper for a second. “Oh. Let’s not.”
Sariel laughed at my instant denial, feeling my discomfort and tugging on it teasingly.
His ease with our bond was almost unsettling, to be honest. The man never stopped groping at it, like he couldn’t bear tonothave a detailed look into my situation at any given time. On the one hand, it was cute, but on the other, it was almost like I was never alone.
I still hadn’t wrapped my head all the way around that.
“What’s the deal, pup?” he asked.
I grimaced, recalling the wave of rage that had been in control of my body the first time my angel had taken over. “She’s so… angry.”
He hummed softly for me to continue, so I sighed. “About everything! The smallest inconvenience sets her off. It’s super uncomfortable to deal with.”
“Well,you’rea big softie—” My sputtering was ignored. “—so I’m sure your angel is probably trying to protect you. Mine is always pissy if you’re not there to soothe him, too; I’m starting to think grouchy is just the default angel personality.”
At that, I had to giggle, remembering how Neo was cranky even on a good day lately. “I think that’s a reach, babe.”
“Is it, though? My angel is super protective of me and you both. I bet yours is the same way if you’d ask her.”
