Chapter 8
The next day passed in a blur of anticipation. Klaus left early, pressing a lingering kiss to my forehead and promising to return at sunset. I finished my audit report—officially clearing the Wolff Family Tree Farm of any tax irregularities—and emailed it to my boss.
Timothy’s reply came within the hour:
Jordan,
Clean audit noted. Expected back in Chicago tomorrow for year-end reviews.
T. Grey
I stared at the message, suddenly faced with a decision I hadn’t fully considered. My assignment in Pine Peak was complete. By all rights, I should be packing to return to my real life.
But the thought of leaving Klaus, of returning to my sterile apartment and solitary existence, created a hollow feeling in my chest.
I was still contemplating this dilemma when Klaus arrived at dusk, dressed in simple clothes—jeans and a button-down that would be easy to remove before shifting.
“Ready?” he asked, studying my face with concern. “You seem preoccupied.”
I showed him the email. “My boss expects me back tomorrow.”
Something flickered in his eyes—disappointment quickly masked. “I see.”
“I haven’t responded yet,” I added quickly. “I wanted to… I mean, tonight might…”
He stepped closer, cupping my face in his large hands. “Jordan. I meant what I said. No pressure, no expectations. If you need to return to Chicago, I understand.”
I leaned into his touch. “Let’s just get through tonight, okay? Then we’ll figure it out.”
He nodded, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. “Fair enough.”
The drive to the Wolff property was quiet, the setting sun casting long shadows across the snow-covered landscape. When we arrived, I was surprised to see how many vehicles filled the cleared area near the main house—at least twenty.
“The whole pack gathers for the full moon,” Klaus explained, noting my expression. “Even those who live in neighboring towns.”
We walked toward a large fire pit where people were already gathering—all ages, from elders to small children, all with the distinctive Wolff features. They turned as we approached, and again I had that sensation of being examined by predators.
Klaus’s hand settled protectively on my lower back. “Everyone,” he said, voice carrying effortlessly. “You all know Jordan by now.”
A chorus of greetings answered him, friendly but with an undercurrent of curiosity. I recognized Theo, who winked at me, and Klaus’s mother, who approached with a warm smile.
“Jordan,” she said, taking my hands in hers. “I’m Lucy. We didn’t get properly introduced at dinner.”
“Nice to meet you,” I replied automatically.
She studied me with eyes identical to Klaus’s. “You’ve accepted my son’s nature,” she observed. “Not everyone can.”
“It was… surprising,” I admitted. “But not a deal-breaker.”
Her smile widened. “Good answer.” She glanced at the darkening sky. “Almost time. Klaus will show you to the observation platform.”
The platform was a sturdy wooden structure at the edge of the clearing, about ten feet off the ground with a ladder for access. It had a railing and even a small bench.
“You’ll be safe up here,” Klaus assured me. “It’s tradition—humans stay elevated during the shift and the beginning of the run. It can be… intense to witness up close the first time.”
I nodded, suddenly nervous. “And after?”
“After, when we’ve run off the initial energy, some will shift back. Others will stay in wolf form. We’ll have a bonfire, food.” He touched my face gently. “If at any point you want to leave, just tell someone. Anyone in the pack will make sure you get back safely.”
“I’ll be fine,” I assured him, though my heart was racing.
He studied me for a moment, then pulled me into a deep, claiming kiss that left me breathless. “For luck,” he murmured. “Now up you go.”
I climbed the ladder and settled on the bench as Klaus returned to the gathering. The sky was darkening rapidly, the full moon just visible above the treeline. The pack had formed a loose circle around the fire pit, talking quietly among themselves.
As the moon rose fully, a hush fell over the gathering. Klaus stepped into the center of the circle, and without preamble, began to undress. Others followed suit, removing clothing with practiced efficiency and without an ounce of self-consciousness.
I watched, mesmerized, as Klaus stripped down to bare skin, his powerful body silvered in the moonlight. Around him, the rest of the pack did the same—men, women, and children of all ages, standing naked in the winter night as if the cold didn’t touch them.
Klaus looked up at me, our eyes meeting across the distance, and then—
The shift happened faster than I’d imagined possible.
One moment, he was a man standing in the snow; the next, his body was changing, flowing into a new shape with a fluidity that defied physics.
In seconds, where Klaus had stood was now an enormous wolf—silver-gray with distinctive amber eyes that locked immediately on mine.
Around him, the rest of the pack was shifting as well, their bodies transforming in a symphony of movement that was both terrifying and beautiful. Within a minute, the clearing was filled with wolves of various colors and sizes, all larger than natural wolves but unmistakably lupine.
The silver-gray wolf that was Klaus threw his head back and howled—a sound that vibrated in my chest and raised goosebumps on my arms. The others joined in, creating a chorus that echoed through the trees.
It should have been frightening, but instead, I found it oddly moving—a song of family, of belonging.
Then they were running, streaming past the platform and into the woods, a river of fur and muscle and wild joy. Klaus lingered briefly, looking up at me with those familiar amber eyes, and then he too was gone, following his pack into the forest.
I sat alone on the platform, heart pounding, trying to process what I’d just witnessed. It was one thing to intellectually accept that Klaus was a werewolf; it was quite another to see him transform into an actual wolf before my eyes.
Yet strangely, I wasn’t afraid. Overwhelmed, yes. Awestruck, certainly. But not afraid.
I’m not sure how long I sat there, listening to the distant howls of the running pack, before I noticed movement at the edge of the clearing.
Wolves were returning—first a few, then more, some breaking off to run in smaller groups, others heading toward the fire pit where, I now noticed, several figures remained in human form, tending the flames.
A large silver-gray wolf separated from the others and approached the platform. Klaus. Even in this form, I recognized him immediately—something about the way he moved, the intelligence in those familiar eyes.
He sat at the base of the ladder, looking up at me with an expression that somehow conveyed a question despite his wolf features.
“I’m okay,” I called down to him. “It was… incredible, actually.”
His tail swept once across the snow, and then he was moving away, toward a pile of clothing near the fire.
As I watched, his form began to shift again, the transition back to human just as fluid as the change to wolf.
Within moments, Klaus stood on two legs again, quickly pulling on his discarded clothes.
He approached the platform, and I climbed down to meet him, legs slightly shaky from sitting in the cold.
“That was…” I trailed off, unable to find adequate words.
“A lot to take in,” he finished, searching my face. “You’re not running away screaming, so that’s promising.”
I laughed, the sound slightly hysterical. “No, no screaming.” I gestured to where other pack members were shifting back, casually dressing and gathering around the fire. “This is just your normal full moon family gathering?”
“More or less,” he confirmed. “Some will remain as wolves for most of the night—the younger ones especially enjoy the freedom.” He took my hand. “Are you cold? We can go to the fire.”
I nodded, and he led me toward the growing circle around the flames. Some of the pack were still in wolf form, lounging near their human counterparts or playing in the snow. Others were fully dressed again, passing around mugs of something steaming and platters of food.
Lucy approached as we reached the fire, handing us each a mug of what turned out to be mulled wine. “What did you think?” she asked me directly.
I took a fortifying sip before answering. “It was beautiful,” I said honestly. “Terrifying, but beautiful.”
She smiled, approval warming her eyes. “Many potential mates can’t handle the reality of what we are.” Her gaze moved to Klaus. “You chose well, son.”
Before either of us could respond, she was moving away to speak with others. Klaus’s arm settled around my shoulders, pulling me against his side.
“My mother is not known for subtlety,” he murmured, amusement coloring his voice.
“Is that a common problem?” I asked, thinking of Lucy’s comment. “Potential mates being scared off?”
Klaus’s expression sobered. “It happens. Not everyone can reconcile the man with the wolf.” His arm tightened slightly. “It’s why we typically wait longer before revealing ourselves.”
“But you told me right away,” I noted. “Why?”
His eyes—so familiar now in either form—held mine. “Because from the moment you stepped out of that car, complaining about the cold and looking at my home like it might bite you, I knew. And I couldn’t bear to build something with you on a foundation of lies.”
The simple honesty of his answer made my throat tight. Around us, the pack celebrated the full moon, shifting between forms, eating, laughing, exemplifying the dual nature of their existence.
And in that moment, surrounded by werewolves in the moonlight, my decision crystallized.
“I have to go back to Chicago,” I said softly.
Klaus stiffened beside me, but nodded once. “I understand.”
“No, you don’t,” I continued, turning to face him fully. “I have to go back to give notice, pack up my apartment, and transfer my clients.” I took a deep breath. “If the offer still stands… I’d like to come back. To explore what this could be between us.”
The hope that bloomed on his face was almost painful to witness. “You would move to Pine Peak? For me? For… this?” He gestured to encompass the pack, the woods, the whole supernatural situation.
“For all of it,” I confirmed. “I never thought I’d say this, but… I like it here. I like your family, weird as they are. And I more than like you.”
Klaus pulled me into his arms, lifting me slightly off my feet in his enthusiasm. Around us, I was dimly aware of wolves and humans alike watching with interest, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.
“I’ll need to find work,” I said when he set me down. “Maybe open a small practice here. There must be businesses in need of an accountant.”
“The pack alone would keep you busy,” Klaus assured me. “None of us enjoy paperwork.”
I laughed, feeling lighter than I had in years. “So that’s my in? Pack accountant?”
His expression grew more serious, though joy still danced in his eyes. “Your ‘in’ is being my chosen mate, Jordan. Everything else is just details.”
As if to punctuate his statement, a chorus of howls rose from the wolves around us—a sound of celebration, of welcome.
And standing there in Klaus’s arms, with snow falling gently around us and werewolves howling at the moon, I had the strangest feeling that I’d finally found home.