Epilogue
Life passed one day at a time. I struggled to accept the truth about my past. It was hard to move on. I’d gone from a delusional teenager with hearts in my eyes to a mid-twenties power hungry wolf with a new appreciation for the dangers of love.
Arys and I continued to discover the delicate balance of our bond. As trying as it may be, it isn’t without benefits. After more than three centuries, he sees the sun through my eyes. While we have managed to control our conjoined power, the effort remained a challenge, to say the least.
Compared to Arys and me, Shaz hadn’t adjusted any better to the link, but he accepted that it isn’t going away. My heart belonged to Shaz like all of me that is wolf, but the root of my own personal power longed for Arys as if we’d always been a part of the same flame. It was complicated. The frequent dreams about Raoul didn’t help the confusion.
After postponing our date night for almost two weeks, Shaz and I went out for the classic dinner and a movie. It was amazing how something as mundane as a real date could mean so much to me.
We asked Kylarai to join us for a run, but she just smiled and said that she’d agreed to help Kale nail a target. I’d asked her if “nail a target” was code for anything and received a nice open handed slap on the arm. A blade between the ribs hadn’t been so bad for Kylarai.
Outside, in the dark of night, I saw a black wolf framed by trees in the field. A sliver of moonlight cast a soothing glow, and I was sure my keen eyes were not playing tricks on me. When I blinked, the ghostly wolf was gone.
I sensed Shaz’s welcome approach and turned to admire his form as he stripped. Upon reading the letter from Raoul, he had responded with a fury to match my own. I felt amused that he, too, wished Raoul was still alive to take the beating that he deserved. Slowly I would learn to live with Raoul’s confession. It was a betrayal I never expected to get over.
I gently scraped my fingernails along Shaz’s firm shoulders, down his chest to his navel. He shivered in response, and I licked my lips invitingly.
With the most delicate touch, he traced the line of my jaw before nibbling ever so softly on my lower lip. His white blond hair fell across my nose, and I giggled in that girlish way that I so despise. Naked with him felt so right.
“Before or after?” His whisper tickled the inside of my ear so that I had to rub the feeling away.
“After, otherwise you’ll say you’re too tired to run. Again.” I gave him a playful shove and turned away to embrace the change to wolf.
Before I could shift, his arms snaked around my waist. I gave a small squeal and fought back by reaching behind me to the ticklish spot in his side that made him come undone. He released me immediately, and I turned to continue my assault with both hands.
“Alexa!” He tried to sound mad, but it didn’t come out that way. “Ok, ok, have it your way.” The desperation that comes from being tickled made his voice high on the last two words, and he grimaced.
Unable to resist such a cute expression, I pulled him close for a heart melting lip lock that I knew would get him panting. He tasted of mint and smelled of wolf.
“You little tease,” he called as I walked toward the field beyond the back gate. “I can’t wait to sink my teeth into you.”
I paused long enough to tap my bare bottom in invitation. He answered with a growl that added a spring to my step.
I ran and leaped, arching my body, gracefully becoming wolf in midair. Though it may have had the finesse of Hollywood graphics, it took Shaz and I almost three years to perfect the move. I couldn’t count the number of naked spills in the dirt that we’d both taken.
As I’d anticipated, Shaz was only a few seconds behind me. His paws kicked up dirt as he scrambled to catch up, and I poured on the speed as we raced to our tree.
I knew I had to go forward regardless of mistakes and lessons learned the hard way. Though life would be a lot simpler without the drama, power, and bloodshed, I have a sneaking suspicion that’s not about to end anytime soon.