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“Everyone out,” one of the male werewolves barked.
I started awake at the loud sound. We were back at the alpha house, and the moon was high in the sky, providing the only light other than the artificial lamps scattered across the vast property.
Justine moved around me and ducked out of the door without saying anything. I frowned, worried that my only friend in the alpha house was upset with me. I followed her, turning to climb out of the lifted SUV.
When I landed, my back met the hard chest of a male wolf. I spun around fast and found myself in Trace’s arms. His strong hands settled on my ass, and he gave a satisfied grin. My heart raced, blood pumping in overtime at his touch.
I rose on my toes to crush my mouth against his. My hands buried themselves in his hair. His tongue licked the seam of my mouth, and I opened for him, eager for the intrusion. He devoured me like he was starving. I rubbed against his hard length that jutted against my stomach. Frustration coursed through me. Our height differences meant that I couldn’t line him up against my core to get some relief.
He reeled back and grabbed the sides of my head to keep me from pulling him in for another kiss. “Hello, little wolf,” he said, breathless. “Did you have a good time in Flagstaff?”
I nodded, my mind clearing just enough to process his question. He was so intoxicating. His smell and the hardness of his chest against my breasts drew me in again. My wolf shone through my eyes, eager to take our make-out session to the next level.
His wolf flashed briefly, but he blinked slowly and fought back control. “It’s almost time for the pack run, little wolf. But don’t worry; we’ll finish this later.”
His smirk brought me back to reality, and I scowled. I hated that he could get me going so easily. He wasn’t even trying, and I had been this close to fucking him on the front lawn.
I untangled myself from his arms and pulled my shirt back down to cover my stomach. It had ridden up dangerously high, almost exposing the bottom part of my bra. I was thankful that the others had already dispersed and that the moon wasn’t bright enough to see anything a few feet away. Undoubtedly, Trace was even more grateful. Male werewolves were known to start fights if their mate became exposed to someone else, particularly other males.
“Is there anything I need to do to prepare for the pack run?’ I asked, slipping out of my shoes at the door. Trace’s expression transformed to one of appreciation.
“Thank you for asking, but not this time. In the future, as the female alpha of the pack, you will be expected to help with preparations, but for now, all you need to do is show up and enjoy.” He rose his eyebrows suggestively. “I am looking forward to admiring your beautiful wolf when I see her again, mate.”
I didn’t respond to him. At least, not verbally. I couldn’t do anything to prevent the way my hormones reacted. There was a clear view of the bonfire and barbecue being set up in the backyard from the living room window.
Justine was already down there, along with Randy and the wolves who escorted us to Flagstaff. A few others that Ididn’t recognize stoked the flames as the smoke billowed high into the clouds.
“It’s time for us to join them, Mariam,” the alpha purred in my ear. I sighed and moved away from the window, indicating that he should lead the way.
He chuckled and took my hand. The warmth of this touch thrilled my wolf. She paused restlessly with anticipation, eager to be given control of our body. I didn’t bother trying to calm her down. Soon, she would have what she wanted.
By the time we walked the long, winding path to the bonfire, a few thousand other wolves had gathered. Some had already shifted, while others struggled to keep their animal inside. A hush fell over the crowd as Trace and I joined them. All eyes were on him, though a few flickered between the two of us.
The combination of new and familiar werewolf scents assaulted my nose, but my wolf helped me separate the known and the unknown. Somewhere in the crowd, I could make out a few of the teachers from the school, Gabe, and Linda from town hall. Within eyesight, I could see Randy, Justine, and Jess.
“Thank you for joining us tonight,” Trace said, addressing the entire group of werewolves. “I apologize for my absence from our pack lands, and I am happy to finally be home. Before we begin our run, I want to introduce you to my mate. Please greet Mariam Hinder, soon to be Mariam Everett.”
The wolves who had already shifted howled while those in human form clapped and cheered. I raised my eyebrows at Trace; we had never discussed me taking his last name, but of course, he assumed that I would. He dipped downquickly to pull me into a chaste kiss. The surprise from the contact stole away my resolve and gave my wolf the opportunity she had been waiting for.
She forced the shift, shredding my clothes as our bones reset. She turned in a circle, showing off her beautiful coat to the audience and our mate.
Taking her cue, the remaining humans shifted and joined in her excitement. Trace was soon to follow. His wolf eyes sparkled, and he nuzzled against my wolf’s neck. Throwing his head back, he howled to signal the beginning of the run.
It started slow, with the wolves in the back moving first, but soon everyone in the pack was pushing further into the trees. My wolf raced, waiting until the last moment to dodge the trunk of one tree and the low-hanging branches of another.
Trace snapped at my heels, warning me to be careful, but my wolf felt untouchable. Instead of cowering in obedience, she pushed herself to be faster and more agile. Too many moons trapped inside our human form had left her intoxicated on a werewolf high.
The alpha snarled at our insolence. The wolves around us slowed, not wanting to upset their leader, but my wolf darted away, leaving him in the dust. She joined another crowd within the pack, one that smelled of Gabe.
She found him quickly among the others and yipped with joy at their reunion. Gabe’s wolf threw her a grin and moved faster to match her pace. Together they pushed themselves, breaking away from the herd. In her delirium, my wolf didn’t see Trace coming up between them, moving to swiftly cut off her path and force her to change directions.
I felt my annoyance rise, but my wolf didn’t experienceany of that emotion. She was excited to be running beside our mate again and wasn’t concerned that he had prevented her from choosing her own way. Together, they led some wolves up the mountain and down again, creating a big loop around a natural pond. After a few hours, my wolf began to slow. Trace took notice and adjusted to keep in step with her.
She was hungry and getting tired. I wanted to kick myself with how out of shape she was. I should have committed to allowing her to shift and run at least once a week. Back home, we would just be catching a second wind. He shorted the run by herding my wolf toward the clearing. A few pack members had already shifted and were tending the food over the open flames. Wonderful smells filled the air.
Trace’s wolf nudged me toward a set of tents. Obviously, they were there to be used as makeshift changing rooms, but my clothes had been destroyed during my sudden shift. Justine, already fully clothed herself, held open one of the doors for me. Inside, someone had brought down a sweatshirt and jeans from my room. I shifted quickly inside the tent, sighing with relief that my first time meeting the pack wouldn’t include a naked walk of shame back to the alpha house.
I hurried to dress. The changing rooms often had a long line in the Dark Claw pack, and I didn’t want to force others to wait. As I expected, a line had already formed when I exited the tent.
