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“Yes, now.”
“Okay, but the shift can be pretty unnerving.”
She waved him off. “I’ve seen it before.”
Wilder growled low despite the fact he hadn’t shifted into his wolf yet. Amelia could only guess that he didn’t like the idea of her being around other shifters. He was pretty possessive of her. Not in a scary way. In a protective way. A way she enjoyed and sent thrills up and down her spine.
Wilder’s body began to contort in odd and painful angles, and his smooth muscular skin was replaced by thick white fur.
The only thing that didn’t change was the color of his eyes.
Those stayed the same. Almost human in their shade of gold. Yet there was still something indescribable about them.
Amelia took a step forward with her hand out. “I’m going to touch you,” she announced. “Not pet you as if you were a cuddly puppy. This is just a touch because when else can a girl say she’s touched a wolf?” She giggled. “My street cred just went up about twenty percent.”
Wilder huffed in what she could only guess was a laugh.
“Okay, mister. I think you should run. Go on ahead of me. I’ll try to catch up.”
He sat back on his haunches and shook his head.
“Let me guess,” she said. “Amelia,” she tried to imitate his low and grumbling voice. “I can’t run up ahead of you and leave you all alone in the woods. It’s not safe.”
He nodded as his tail slapped against the forest ground.
“Well, sure. Of course, I’m right. I guess all that’s left for us to do is play…catch me if you can.” Amelia turned on her heels and ran. She didn’t dare look back to see if Wilder followed. She knew he would.
Not only because he wouldn’t want her to be alone in the woods, but because he actually really did need a run. He needed to let his hair down and let his wolf fly.
She laughed as they ran and ran. Wilder kept his pace steady, never going more than a couple of feet in front of her. It was sweet. Even out here on his family’s lands, he didn’t want to risk her life. It made her heart full to know he cared that much.
It was so much more than a personal guard keeping her safe.
So much more.
Like a man who cared for her.
* * *
Amelia wasbreathless by the time they returned to the castle. “There’s a stitch in my side,” she laughed. “I can’t remember the last time I ran so much.”
Wilder hadn’t bothered putting his shirt back on. He pranced around in his expensive designer jeans, looking like he’d just gotten off a runaway. He was more relaxed than she’d seen him yet.
“It looks good on you,” she said softly.
“What does?” he asked, leading them into the kitchen.
“Being here. Being free. Being your true self.”
He poured them each a glass of water and smiled at her. “Are you telling me you like what you see?”
She rolled her eyes. “You already know that. We’ve slept together.”
He chuckled. “We have. And do you feel the need to repeat that?”
“I could be convinced of it, yes,” she gave him a coy look under her lashes.
“Good,” he said before downing his whole glass of water. “I have plans.”
