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I blew out a breath and looked up at the sky through the tops of the trees. The clouds were still a dusky gray and moved rapidly. It would probably rain again sometime today.
Lincoln gave me a small shake. “Sloane?”
“I know. It doesn’t make it hurt any less.”
Only the three of us together, claiming one another, could take away this aching weight in my chest. We’d been so close to having it all.
“Some day we will all be together, and it’ll be perfect.”
I bit my lip and looked at his face. “You really believe that.”
He met my eyes. “Hope is the only thing stronger than fear.” He smiled. “It’s something my mother used to say when we were kids and just learning how to shift. Sawyer and I had no idea what to expect.”
“Hope.”
“It’s what keeps us going. Especially now, when things seem so bleak.”
I smiled as we came to a stop in a clearing.
Lincoln set me down on my feet and put his arm around my shoulder. “This is where Sawyer and I come to talk and just be alone. It’s your spot too now.”
I took a step away from him and took it all in. To my right was the woods, where wildlife scuttled through the brush. To the left was a rocky waterfall where water cascaded down the mountains into a running stream.
“It’s beautiful.”
He pointed to the waterfall. “And in there is our special spot that no one knows about.”
“No one?”
“Not many people come out this far.”
Far? I looked over my shoulder. I couldn’t see the house. Nor could I sense any other wolves. We truly were alone out here. Some of the weight lifted off my chest.
Lincoln gave me a nudge. “Come on. Let’s go for a run, and then I’ll show you the inside of the cave.” He winked at me. “I think you’ll love it in there.”
I opened my mouth, but before I could get anything out, he disappeared a few feet away behind a tree. “Yip once you’re ready.”
My wolf bristled beneath the surface. I’d kept her in since before I left my home. She was eager to get out and go for a run. I wasn’t going to deny her. The world might be falling apart around me, but it couldn’t hurt to have a few minutes of normalcy.
I stood on my tiptoes and peered at the tree. Lincoln was mostly out of sight. I made my way over to a fallen log and kicked off my shoes first, stripped, and laid my clothes in nice folded piles on the log.
Then I dropped to my hands and knees. I pictured my wolf’s snow-white fur with gray patches around the belly and back legs.
My bones shifted, snapping as they realigned. I gritted my teeth at the pleasure-pain as the bones popped back into place.
I stretched forward on my front legs and wiggled my back end. I closed my eyes and groaned internally. This felt good.
I pushed back up into a standing position and then yipped.
Lincoln’s wolf jumped out from behind the trees, his fur the same raven black as his hair.
He was magnificent. All lean muscle.
He charged at me, yipping as he nudged me, and then he took off at a hard sprint.
I blinked, taking a minute for my mind to catch up to him before launching myself after him. I was the fastest wolf back home, and I had a reputation to uphold.
I charged forward, digging my paws into the muddy earth as I propelled myself forward. We ran through the woods, darting in and out of the trees. The wildlife skittered around us to get out of our way.
