Chapter Eighty-Two
“I… I can’t,” Catherine stammered.
Graham sat cross-legged in the grass while he watched his mate pace back and forth in front of him. “Yes, you can.”
She smacked her thighs in frustration as she continued to wear a path in the manicured lawn in front of the cabin. “No I can’t. You think I haven’t tried? I can only shift during the full moon… or when Jensen brain washes me and we both remember how that
turned out.”
“You can,” he argued. “Your wolf has always been there, you’ve just repressed your shift. There’s a reason that side of you visits me every night. You feel safe with your mate. Now that you’re marked, it will be even easier, I promise.”
“How do you know that?” she asked, her anxiety mounting with each passing minute.
He glanced up at the darkening sky. “Tammy did some research for me.”
Catherine’s pacing suddenly stopped and her head whipped around to look at him. “You… you spoke with Tammy?”
Graham’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, is there a reason I shouldn’t have?”
“No!” Catherine exclaimed. “No, no, of course not, I was just surprised.”
Graham sighed and scrubbed his face. “She’s the one who told you to block your wolf, isn’t she?”
“No!”
“Mhmm.” Graham shoved himself to his feet and grabbed Catherine’s arm, stalling her nervous pacing. “We’ll talk about that later, but for now we need to focus and you need to shift.”
Catherine groaned. “Why is it so important I do this now?”
“Because you have a lunatic coming after you. You are destined to become luna. You need to be able to defend yourself. Blocking your wolf for as long as you did can have massive repercussions in the long run. Not going on shifted runs with your mate can damage your bond. Use it or lose it… Are those enough reasons for you or shall I continue?”
Catherine released a long breath and her head fell forward. “What if…”
“No, we’re not doing that,” he interrupted. “No what ifs, ands, or buts, you are doing this. You are shifting and then we’re going on a run. Our property is nearly two hundred acres. There is not another soul for miles. We are in the perfect place to do this and now is the perfect time.”
“If I refuse, are you going to command me?” she asked, her eyes filled with defiance.
Graham took in a large breath. He pulled Catherine sharply into his arms and kissed her until she was pulling at his shirt for more. He released her mouth and focused on what needed to be done. Her pulse was slower now and her eyes were half-lidded in desire.
“This is natural, Baby. As natural as you and I being together,” Graham began.
Her breath hitched as he ran his hand under the hem of her tank top. He slid his hands up her sides, hiking the shirt with it. He pulled the tank top over her head. Before she could think too much about it, his lips found his mark on her neck and sucked. Her knees wobbled and he placed a hand on her back to keep her upright. His free hand skimmed down over her bra and lower still to the waistband of her jean shorts, Confident she could hold herself up now, he used both hands to undo the button of her shorts and
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lower the zipper. He pushed her shorts down her thighs until they fell in a heap at her feet.
Graham walked around her and placed his hands on her shuddering shoulders. “The trick is to not think about it,” he whispered. against her ear, causing a slow moan to leave her lips.
He skimmed his hands over her shoulders, hooked the straps of her bra with his thumbs and pulled them down. He bent his knees so that he could trail kisses down the center of her back to the clasp of her bra. He undid it and flung it a few feet away. Fear spiked through her but he quickly helped her with it by gliding his tongue over his mark.
“Don’t think about what will happen. Just relax.” His hands moved down her body while her breathing shallowed out. “You know what to do, you just have to let go.” He stepped in front of her again to find her eyes closed. She tilted her chin back as though she were looking up at him. He clasped his hands around her throat and she exhaled long. He lowered his mouth until he was only a hairsbreadth from touching her. “You’ve come to me in my dreams. Let me see you. Let me touch you so that I know it’s not all my imagination. Show me just how beautiful and perfect you are, Catherine.” He lowered his lips the last few millimeters and kissed her. Catherine sighed and her body slackened in his grasp.
Her skin began to hum under his touch. He deepened the kiss and groaned when the humming turned to a shiver. Her fingers grabbed the fabric of his shirt. Her eyes snapped open and both shone a blinding neon blue.
“Graham,” she whispered in disbelief.
She cried out.
Graham kept a firm hold of her as her back arched painfully backward. His own nerves suddenly spiked as her body was then flung forward. Catherine dropped to the ground on her hands and knees. He held her hair back as her bones started to crack. She let out an ear-piercing scream as her skin moved and morphed.
“I’m here. It’s okay, don’t fight it, Baby.”
Her groan turned guttural and her head dropped forward. Her back arched upward and he saw her vertebrae realign.
“That’s it, Baby. You’re doing great.”
Her breath came in short, pained gasps. Her eyes were squeezed shut and he did his best to keep his hands on her so as to alleviate some of the pain. Her legs started to lengthen, her arms followed suit. Hair began to sprout along her neck and down her spine. Hope soared in his chest knowing she’d not gotten this far when she tried with Jensen. Catherine fell forward, curling into a slight ball as the sound of snapping and her own groans mixed with the now silent woods around them.
Her body tightened into a smaller ball and then, seemingly all at once, the transformation moved seamlessly. The fur along her back grew downward, a brownish, blonde coat covered her body. Her legs snapped into that of a wolf, ears lengthened atop her head and a long nose perfect for tracking scents appeared.
Graham fell back on his butt as his mate stood to her full shifted height. Tears burned in his eyes as he stared at the beautiful creature his mate had become. Slowly, the wolf in front of him turned. Her bright blue eyes connected with his and her ears dropped slightly in nerves. Graham stood and took a few slow steps toward her. She leaned backward for a moment before her nose twitched and recognition flitted through her eyes. He reached his hand out and stroked the fur along her neck.
She was large, the alpha DNA in her made her twice the size of an ordinary werewolf. Her legs were thick and strong as was the double-coat along her skin that shimmered blonde when the waning sun hit it. She was skinny, most likely due in part to her infrequent shifting and the week-long block she’d put up. He was certain a few runs and a couple hunts in this form would have her filled out in no time. Graham touched her chin and nudged her eyes up to meet his. His eyes sharpened and his skin started to crawl with the need to join her in his lycan form.
“Told you… easy,” he whispered.
Chapter Eighty-Two
She growled and narrowed her eyes.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered. Her eyes widened and she let out an uncertain whine. “Trust me, you’re even better than in my dreams. Thank you for trusting me.” His hand tightened around her muzzle. “Now for the fun part. I’m itching for a hunt and I have found myself the perfect prey.”
She jerked her head away from his grasp and lowered herself into a fighting stance before letting out a threatening growl. He chuckled and pulled his shirt over his head, already pulling his beast forward and feeling the first snap of his leg lengthening.
“Run, little wolf. Run and see how far you get before I catch you and drag you back to my den.”
Graham’s head fell back as his entire body started to transform. He felt the burning heat scorch his veins. Once it was painful, but now he found it thrilling as he felt the power he kept under a tight rein came surging forward. The moment he released control, it only took him seconds to shift.
When his head came forward, he was several feet taller, much thicker and primed for a chase. The wolf who had been in front of him a moment ago was now gone, leaving behind her a scent trail so intoxicating he nearly forgot who he was. His senses expanded ten-fold. His instincts locked into place and his mind became focused on the creamsicle-scented trail enticing him to follow.
rendering to Destiny
