Chapter 21
Rissa
I sucked in cleansing breaths of the mountain air as I stepped onto the soft grass in front of the pack house, where the pack always gathered before a full moon shift. Overhead, the moon cast everything in an otherworldly silver.
Excited chatter and laughter rippled through the clearing as wolves prepared to shift. Some stretched languidly, cracking joints and rolling shoulders. Others were already stripping down without hesitation or modesty, knowing fur would soon cover their bare skin.
It’d been three days since Gavin had found that poor woman on Nathan’s property.
He’d come out here for a run and stumbled on the body.
As police chief, he really hadn’t had a choice but to call it in.
That poor woman. The area where they’d found her was still cordoned off.
If it weren’t for them looking for evidence, I’d wish it would rain and wash the blood away.
Wash away the stain on pack land. On Nathan’s land.
I spotted Jenna, folding her clothes into a neat pile near the trees. "Hey, ready to run?" I asked, unzipping my hoodie.
She grinned, her expression almost feral in the moonlight. "Girl, I’ve been ready. It's been too long since the last full moon."
Nearby, two teenage boys playfully shoved each other, whooping with unchecked excitement. The younger wolves were always so eager, not yet tempered by time and experience. I remembered that innocent exuberance.
Goosebumps prickled along my skin as I tugged my shirt over my head. The night air was cool, but something more electric hung in the atmosphere. The promise of freedom. Of power unrestricted. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, impatient to break free.
I scanned the clearing, searching for Elle among the pack. She wasn't hard to spot, standing stiffly at the edge of the group, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Even from a distance, I could see the whites of her knuckles.
Anxiety rolled off her in waves, so palpable I could almost taste it. Gone was her usual self-assured attitude, that hint of teenage moodiness. In its place was a girl who looked lost, unsure, and very young.
I approached slowly, keeping my body language relaxed. "Hey, you ready?" I asked, forcing a light, casual tone.
Elle's shoulders hunched, her toes curling into the soft earth. She shrugged. "Yeah. I guess."
The words were agreeable enough, but I heard the tremor behind them. I remembered my own first public shift, the fear and uncertainty mingling with excitement. It was a lot for a kid.
Nathan held up one hand from the pack house porch.
“Please remember to steer well away from the crime scene. I know you’ve all heard that the poor missing tourist’s body was found here.
We need to make sure we don’t go even close to that area.
” He pinned some of the younger wolves with stern looks until they ducked their heads and mumbled agreements.
Elle looked like she wanted to melt into the ground.
She hadn’t stripped yet, which was understandable.
She’d never needed to before. This was such an awkward time.
Poor kid. I wanted to reach out, to offer some sort of comfort, but I held back.
Elle was like a spooked deer, liable to bolt at any sudden movement.
The best I could do was stay close and be ready to guide her through this.
Around us, the pack had begun to shift. The night filled with the sounds of cracking bones and low growls as human forms gave way to wolves. Russet, black, brown, gray, a sea of furry bodies shaking out their coats.
Behind Elle, her father stripped quickly and shifted, his hulking russet form dwarfing her. Nathan stood tall, a powerful presence even among the pack alphas. He began to pace around his daughter, not crowding her but offering silent support.
The familiar tingle danced along my spine, the shift itching beneath my skin. I removed the rest of my clothes and breathed out, letting my body surrender to the sensation. Fur rippled over my bare skin as my limbs reformed, hands and feet becoming paws.
In seconds, I stood on four legs, a sleek black wolf. I shook out my coat and padded closer to Elle, keeping a respectful distance but letting her know I was there.
She met my gaze, her eyes impossibly wide in her human face. I saw the question there, the desperate need for reassurance.
I lowered my head, holding her stare steadily. You got this, kid. I'm right here.
She undressed quickly, barely letting a flash of skin show before a shudder ran through Elle's slim frame and fur began to sprout. Her breath came faster, shallower. The shift was taking hold, and she was terrified.
I stayed perfectly still, a calm port in the storm. She could do this. She would do this. And I'd be beside her the whole way.
Elle's body trembled violently, her limbs spasming as the shift overtook her. She gasped, a sharp intake of breath that sounded like a sob.
Then, the change. Bones snapped and realigned, the sound like twigs breaking in a forest. Fur sprouted along her arms, her spine, racing over her skin in a wave of russet.
She dropped to all fours, her face elongating into a muzzle, ears pointing and migrating to the top of her head. A tail uncurled from the base of her spine.
It happened so fast, faster than most early shifts.
In the space of a heartbeat, a small russet wolf stood where Elle had been, her fur a perfect match for her father's. She blinked up at the world, her golden eyes wide with wonder and a hint of fear.
Nathan let out a triumphant howl, his head tipped back to the moon. Around us, the pack joined in, their voices rising in a chorus of celebration.
They surged forward, noses outstretched to welcome the newest shifter. Elle shrank back, her ears flattening against her skull. A low whine escaped her throat.
I shouldered my way through the crush of bodies, inserting myself between Elle and the pack. Back off, I warned with a low growl. Give her space.
Elle pressed against my side, her small body trembling. I nuzzled her shoulder, a gentle reassurance.
She met my gaze, trust and gratitude shining in those golden depths. I felt a fierce surge of protectiveness. This kid was something special. And I'd be damned if I let anything happen to her.
A quiet whimper escaped Elle's throat. In the space of a breath, she shifted back, her human form curled in on itself, exposed and vulnerable.
Elle scrambled for her dress, her hands shaking as she yanked the soft fabric over her shoulders. Her face burned with embarrassment, tears glistening in her eyes.
"Everyone knows what this means," she whispered as she threw herself against my fur. Mortification radiated off her in waves. My heart ached, an echo of my own painful memories resurfacing.
Before I could shift back, Krystal and a few other female pack members approached, their faces soft with understanding.
"Oh, honey," Krystal murmured, crouching down beside Elle. "It's okay. This is a big moment."
Jenna knelt on Elle's other side. "We've all been there. Every single one of us. There's nothing to be embarrassed about."
Elle ducked her head, her grip tightening on her dress. "But the boys. They'll make fun of me. They'll know that I..." She trailed off, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks.
Anger flashed through me, hot and sharp. Those little brats. I'd like to see them handle their first shift with even half as much grace as Elle.
Krystal caught my gaze, a silent understanding passing between us. She turned back to Elle, her voice gentle but firm.
"Listen to me. Those boys? They have no idea what you're going through. They're just being idiots." She brushed a strand of hair from Elle's face. "This is a rite of passage for she-wolves. It means you're growing up, becoming the strong, fierce woman you're meant to be."
The other women murmured their agreement, their faces radiating pride and solidarity. I felt a swell of gratitude for my pack sisters. They knew, just as I did, how much this moment mattered.
Elle sniffled, peeking up at us through damp lashes. "Really? You're not just saying that?"
"Really," Tavi said, as I moved to crouch in front of Elle.
I nudged her with my snout as Tavi continued, "Elle, sweetie, this is something to celebrate. You shifted for the first time in front of others tonight. That's huge."
I woofed an agreement.
A tentative smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "I guess it is pretty cool, huh?"
"The coolest," Jenna agreed, grinning.
Krystal nodded, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Just wait until the next pack run. You'll leave those boys in the dust."
That earned a small giggle from Elle. The knot in my chest loosened, relief washing through me. We'd gotten through to her. Thank the moon for the incredible women in this pack.
I caught Krystal's eye again. She winked, her smile warm and knowing.
This was what being part of a pack meant: supporting each other through the good times and the bad. Lifting each other up when the world tried to tear us down.
Just as Elle seemed to be relaxing, laughter erupted nearby. I glanced over to see a group of younger boys whispering and snickering, shooting not-so-subtle glances in our direction.
Elle stiffened beside me, her embarrassment flaring back to life. Before she could react, I straightened, my posture shifting into something dangerous as I stalked toward the boys.
I stopped close and snarled at them, letting every ounce of alpha I had in me hit them as hard as I could.
The laughter died instantly. One of them, Tommy, a cocky thirteen-year-old, shrugged, trying to play it cool. "It's just… we know why she shifted tonight."
I growled and bared my teeth.
Tommy faltered, shifting uncomfortably under my piercing gaze.
The pack women came up behind me, watching as the boys squirmed awkwardly, realizing they'd messed up.
Krystal stepped forward, a wicked grin on her face as she motioned toward Elle. "You're looking at the future strongest female in this pack. She’s very likely to be your next alpha."
The boys paled, muttering half-hearted apologies before slinking away, metaphorical tails tucked between their legs. If they had been in their wolf forms, their tails would have tucked, for sure.
I watched them go, satisfaction thrumming through my veins. Served them right.
When I turned back to Elle, her lips were parted slightly, stunned silence written across her face. Then, slowly, her expression softened into something more open than I'd ever seen before.
"Thanks," she murmured.
I bounced toward her playfully, hoping she’d shift again so we could run.
And she did. Thankfully. As the women of the pack turned to run with Elle, I caught sight of Nathan, just in the tree line. He’d been watching. He didn’t say anything, but somehow, I got the sense that he appreciated what we’d done more than we could ever know.