Jared (River Pack Wolves 3)(17)

“I’ve never seen a white wolf before,” he explained.

“Really?” She scrunched up her face, and it brought out that innocence again. “Your wolf was black, right? Or dark brown? It was hard to tell in the moonlight.”

“Something like that. Most wolves are somewhere on the spectrum of brown to black to gray. Occasionally red. I’ve heard of white wolves, but they’re rare.”

She spread her arms wide with a wicked grin on her face. “My wolf must be extra magical and special.” There was a laugh in her voice.

“I didn’t say that.” But it almost wrenched a smile out of him. It was painful, so he stopped. “Go ahead and shift. We’ll run together.”

“Where will we run? I mean, I’m not going to be able to talk to you once I shift, so… what’s the plan?”

He couldn’t help the tiny grin that snuck onto his face. “Just shift, and you’ll see.”

She scowled at him, but it was playful, then she stepped back, dropped her arms, and shifted into the brilliant white wolf he had seen the night before. Her clothes lay in a heap next to her. He shifted, leaving his clothes behind as well, and padded toward her. She was small and delicate-boned even as a wolf. Her paws were so tiny, he could cover two of hers with one of his. He trotted until he was nose to nose with her, and for a moment, he was captured by her brilliant blue eyes. The shadows of the trees drew into the meadow like black daggers, but her eyes sparkled in the waning sunlight.

He dropped his muzzle down to hers, and lightly touched the tip, giving her a gentle wolfish kiss. A tremor traveled the length of her body, bristling out her white fur. A spike in her arousal cut through the crisp, cooling smell of the forest.

He jerked back. What was he doing?

He shook his head to clear it. Then he linked a thought to her. In wolf form, we don’t need to speak out loud.

She jumped back and violently shook all over, as if she could fling the thoughts right out. He sat down in the grass, holding still again and waiting for her to regain her composure.

What in the—how can you—what was that? Her thoughts were a whirl.

I can only link a thought to you across a certain distance, he thought. Run to the far side of the meadow. See if you can hear me from there.

She stood stiffly and stared at him, blinking once, twice. Then she took off. His wolf wanted to charge after her, perhaps tackle her and pin her, playfully of course. Maybe not so playful after that.

He stayed where he was.

Can you hear me? she thought, pausing and throwing a look back. She was only halfway across.

Keep going.

She darted off again and reached the edge of the forest in no time. His heart lurched when it appeared she might plunge into the darkened trees without him…

Grace! Don’t go into the trees. He sent the command her way, but she was out of range.

She stopped anyway, then turned and looked back at him. The mere idea of her disappearing into the forest without him had him pounding hard across the meadow. At the same time, she turned to lope back toward him.

So damn sexy, I wonder if— He heard the exact moment when she came back into range.

So you think I’m sexy, huh? he replied, panting as he ran.

She screeched to a halt and dipped her head, not meeting his gaze. Shit! This thought reading thing… how do I turn it off?

His wolf barked a huffy kind of laugh—it felt strange and wheezy in his chest, like cobwebs were clearing out.

She looked up, a pained expression on her face. It’s possible I’m going to die of embarrassment.

He wheezed the barking laugh to a standstill, then trotted up to where she had stopped, stiff-legged in the middle of the meadow. Don’t worry. You’ll learn to control it. I don’t want to hear most of the things my brothers think, so I generally tune them out. But there are times that it’s important or necessary, like on a mission. And it can be… enjoyable, like when I’m with my mate… His own thoughts short-circuited with that idea. Those days with Avery—they were like a dream that happened and then died. She had been slender and beautiful, like Grace, only Avery was an alpha female. She knew who she was and what she wanted, and when they linked thoughts while they made love—

No! He physically shook his head and stumbled back until he nearly fell. Thinking about Avery was a dark hole that would swallow him.

Grace had recoiled from his shouted thought.

He blinked at her, flummoxed about what thought to send next.

He has a mate? Is that why… I should have known… Of course… Her thoughts were a jumble.

My mate is dead. The thought seemed to freeze both of them in a timeless moment. It stretched until he couldn’t bear it any longer. He forced his body to unlock and turn away. He ran across the field toward his clothes.