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“Are you ready?” Fenris asked, disturbing my introspection.
I nodded. “Yes.” I still felt I wasn’t practiced enough at shifting to and from my wolf form, but I knew I wouldn’t get any better with her if I didn’t try. I took a deep breath, trying to steady the sudden onslaught of sheer nerves.
“Good.” Fenris flashed me a mischievous smile, and in the blink of an eye, a large, dark wolf stood where he was moments earlier. His amber eyes were bright as he wagged his tail in a lazy arch over his back, his coat gleaming so bright in the afternoon sun that even the most pampered show dogs couldn’t compare.
Unable to help myself, I reached for him. My wolf whined as he stepped forward, pressing his warm muzzle into my hands. “You’re so handsome,” I crooned, unable to help myself as I smoothed my hands over his crown and velvet ears.
My wolf voiced her displeasure again while stamping her feet. I couldn’t help but laugh, lingering just long enough to kiss Fenris’s brow before taking a few steps back to give myself space, just in case I found a new way to mess this up. I took another deep breath and closed my eyes, but my wolf didn’t need any further convincing. As soon as I slackened my grip, she leaped forward, and when I opened my eyes again, I was on four paws.
Fenris practically towered over me. Alpha shifters were bigger than regular wolves, and the Lunar Lord was even larger than “normal” alphas. I was, as far as I knew, a run-of-the-mill shifter—or maybe I was even smaller than normal, being half-witch—but I didn’t mind. Mischief coursed through me, and before I could think better of it, I darted forward and nipped at Fenris’s shoulder.
I spun away immediately, charging up the beach, savoring the warm feeling of the sand beneath my paw pads. I could hear Fenris sprinting after me, and I gave a laughing little yip, bouncing to the side when he pulled up alongside me.
Instead of trying to race him, I spun away toward the shoreline, barking happily as the water hit my legs. It felt refreshing against my white fur, and I knew we’d dry out quickly in the sun. To my delight, Fenris soon joined me, and we pranced along the beach as if no one was watching us.
Only once I burned off my wolf’s excess energy did Fenris come closer, gently grabbing my ruff and giving a little tug. I turned, happy to follow him as he led us back up the shore and away from the water.
The jungle thrummed with life around us. Even as a human, it felt loud to me, but trotting through it as a wolf was like visiting another dimension. Not only could I hear the insects, but I could pick out individual songs and point to where the bugs were hiding. I couldn’t just hear the birds chirping—I could hear the ruffle of wings as a bird preened itself, or the crouch of a mother bird as she readjusted herself on her nest. The sensations didn’t feel so overwhelming this time, though. The powerful, damp scent of the earth felt comforting, like something I could always rely on.
I wasn’t really paying attention to where Fenris was leading us, interested as I was in absorbing the surrounding sights and sounds. I’d been in the jungle dozens of times now—it was my favorite place to train with Val, after all—but this felt like an entirely new experience. It occurred to me I could spend hours in here simply investigating, and I’d never get bored.
Perhaps after the eclipse, I’ll have time to do that. It feels like it might be a good way to get better at being a wolf.
“Over here,” Fenris said, breaking my train of thought.
I whipped around, about to ask how on earth he could speak as a wolf only to realize he’d shifted back—and had brought us to a clearing that he’dclearlyvisited before. Spread before us was a soft, checkered blanket and the most luxurious picnic spread I’d ever seen. The sweet aromas of chocolate and berries drifting toward me made my mouth water, and as I stepped forward, my wolf abruptly gave up control, as if sensing this was best left to the human side.
I silently tried to express my appreciation as I joined Fenris, folding my legs as I sat down on the blanket. “This is beautiful!” I exclaimed, glancing around. Even the trees decorated with bright bromeliads looked like they belonged here. Beaming, I looked at Fenris. “When did you set this up?”
“I have my ways,” he replied slyly as he joined me. He pulled open the top of the wicker basket, revealing a bottle of champagne nestled in a small bucket of ice.
“You shouldn’t have,” I said, my cheeks flushing as he pulled two glasses out and popped the cork.
“Why not?” he replied, pouring a glass for me.
“Isn’t champagne for special occasions?”
He shrugged as he handed me a glass and poured his own. “I rather think our first official dateisa special occasion, don’t you?” he said smoothly.
My heart skipped a beat. I’d spent weeks with this man, yet I suddenly found myself nervous, as if the words “first date” were a new hex he’d placed on me. “I guess it is,” I agreed, taking a delicate sip from my glass. “And a surprise one, no less.”
Fenris’s eyes twinkled merrily as he nudged a plate of fresh strawberries toward me. “Of course,” he said, watching me intently as I took one of the berries and bit into it carefully. I could feel the juice on my lips. It was probably the ripest strawberry I’d ever eaten.
“Mmm,” I murmured, my thoughts momentarily blank as I enjoyed the morsel. “I suppose thatispretty romantic of you,” I added a moment later, giving him a cheeky smile. I took another sip of my champagne.
“I have my moments,” Fenris replied smugly, finally leaning close to have a bite himself. “If we had more time, I’d have taken you to this exclusive restaurant in Marrakesh I think you’d like, but…” He shook his head. “Later, perhaps.”
“I should hope this isn’t the first andlastdate,” I teased. “I’m not that easy.”
“Nothing about you is easy, Celeste Soliel,” Fenris said, flashing his teeth. “And I wouldn’t change that for the world.”
My heart swelled, and I had to look away, feeling my cheeks get hot again. I tried to distract myself by taking another sip of champagne, feeling Fenris’s eyes on me as I moved. “I was just teasing,” I said softly, trying to lighten some of the intensity.
“I was being quite serious,” Fenris said, but there was a smile in those amber eyes. “You are one of a kind, unlike anyone I’ve ever met—and I’ve been around for centuries. Your perspective is unique, and you’re incredibly clever, determined, and kind, even to those you hardly know. I treasure that about you.”
I was certain I’d turned as red as a beet. “Stop that,” I chided quietly, dropping my eyes to the soft blanket beneath us. I traced my fingers over the beige checked pattern.
“I’ll never stop adoring you,” Fenris continued, gently lifting my chin with two of his fingers. “And I’ll never stop telling you as much, either. You deserve the moon and the stars, the heavens and the earth. But at the very least, Celeste, you deserve to know exactly how wonderful you are and how lucky I am to have met you in my lifetime. I thought I was destined never to meet my fated mate, and I’ve never been happier to be wrong in my entire life.”
