"So, you''re basically saying they outsmarted you. Why did you keep following her without question?” she asked, her eyes sharp with curiosity.


    “That''s what mates do, isn''t it? We be blind to reality," I replied, swallowing a hefty gulp of water. The sharp pressure in my chest momentarily distracted me from the familiar surge of anger that always rose whenever my former mate was mentioned. “She exploited their trust in me, dering herself the leader through my name. None of them protested because I was involved in decisions, and they thought maybe she was trying to integrate herself by backing me up. But really, she was just masterful at twisting my reputation to get what she wanted. Pure maniption at its finest." I exhaled deeply, taking another long sip.


    “Alright, but what were you before all that chaos?" She shifted into a sitting position, clearly eager to hear more about my past.


    "My pack was small-just my dad, mom, brother, and me. We were all warriors," I began, my voice growing softer with the memory. "One night, we were ambushed by a hundred wolves. I still don''t know who they were, but we never stood a chance. They took out our alpha and his family first, then systematically wiped out the rest of the pack. I managed to escape with about thirty others, mostly kids. Strangely, they didn''t chase us, which always felt odd. They settled in our territory, and we were forced to move on." I shrugged, the memory still bitter.


    "How old were you then?" she asked gently.


    "Nope! If you want information, you have to share something first," I teased with a sly grin.


    "What? That''s not fair!" she protested,ughing.


    "Then you need to be a better interrogator," I winked at her. It had been a long time since I''d told that story, and somehow, sharing it made the weight in my chest a little lighter.


    “Did you uncover anything about those rogues while I was gone? I caught your scent near the southern perimeter," she said, narrowing her eyes.


    "Nice try with the deflection," I said, winking again as she rolled her eyes. "But yes, I did find something..." I proceeded to tell her about the possible hideout I''d discovered.


    "Do you think the rogues we see roaming around are just a distraction?" she wondered aloud. “Maybe they''reing and going from Rory''s pack through another route since you''ve never seen that shack before."


    "That''s definitely a possibility. Want to check it out?" I asked.


    "Absolutely. But first, show me how you shift with your pack on. I''ve never seen anyone do that before," she said, eyes sparkling with anticipation.


    I chuckled, and we spent some time going over the tricky details of shifting without wrecking everything around us. Clothing was always a casualty since our bodies transformed so drastically, but a backpack could be adjusted to fit both human and wolf forms. I had her practice shifting inside my t-shirt a few times so she''d have something tangible to focus on. She was tall but still noticeably smaller than me, so she managed to shift without tearing it apart.


    "You''re picking this up fast. Let''s pack up and give it a real try," I said, impressed.


    As she gathered her clothes, I found it difficult to look away. Aside from beingpletely insane, she was perfect. Her dark brown hair was streaked with fiery red highlights, cut short enough that it fluttered around her face with every move but never obscured her vision. My wolf mind teased me with images of those silky strands slipping through my fingers. Her entire body was toned yet soft, every curve defined but inviting. Her breasts were a perfect, teardrop shape-just the right size and I could feel my mouth go dry.


    "See something you like?" she teased, flipping the question back at me with a mischievous smirk.


    Damn her sass. I wanted to spank it right out of her. "You should be honored. It''s been a long time since a woman caught my interest like this." I brushed past her, shifting before I could say anything even more foolish.


    -Miss L Author


    Thank you so much for reading. All thoughtfulments and kind words are truly appreciated. I can''t respond here, but if you want to join the conversation, you can find me on social media at Miss.L.Writes.