“You’re more than welcome to come, you know.” Kane seemed to be trying to let Marla know that all was forgiven.
“No, that’s okay. You two have fun.”
“All right.” He shrugged and stood, extending his hand to Elise. “Are you ready?”
“Well, I should help with the cleanup first...” She hesitated looking at the table laden with dishes.
“Elise, go and spend time with your mate! I’ll help with this.” Marla made a shooing motion at the couple.
“Thanks, Marla. I appreciate that.” Elise smiled at Marla, while her brain raced trying to figure out if an alien had somehow abducted the other woman. It was certainly a turnabout from the woman she’d first met, but maybe the incident with Ryne had brought her to her senses.
“No problem. That’s what friends are for and besides, I know how much you enjoy being out in the woods.”
Kane ruffled Marla’s hair by way of thanks and tugged at Elise’s arm, leading her outside.
*****
A blue-black dome arched overhead dotted with twinkling white lights and the occasional grey shadow of a cloud as it drifted slowly across the night sky. There was still enough illumination from the crescent moon to allow Kane and Elise to see easily as they crossed the lawn towards the woods. Good night vision was one of the bonuses of being a werewolf, Elise thought as she easily stepped over a large stick that would have likely tripped anyone with less acute eyesight.
The night was extremely quiet. Frost had killed off all the insect life, so there were no comforting chirps or fluttering wings to fill the silence, just the soft sound of their feet moving across the ground. Elise felt the familiar frisson of unease as she walked beside her mate. It was just the two of them and silence lay heavily between them. She darted a glance at Kane curious if he felt it too, but he seemed lost in thought. Should she start a conversation? A number of trivial topics crossed her mind and were quickly dismissed as too cliché. Inwardly, she growled in frustration. Once again, it was being brought home to her that she only had a physical relationship with Kane. Tightening her lips, she resolved to try and build some depth into their life together.
Pausing at the edge of the tree line, Kane cocked his head and listened carefully, then sniffed, testing the scents that drifted by. As she waited for Kane to finish checking the area, Elise acknowledged the crispness of the air. It bit at her nose, cooling her cheeks, ears, and fingertips. She didn’t mind the temperature however. It was yet another one of the perks of her wolf-like genetics.
“The patrols have been here recently.” Kane announced. “The area is secure, so we can safely run.” With that he shifted into the form of a sleek black wolf and Elise quickly followed suit.
The change to wolf form always made Elise feel exhilarated. Her senses were heightened and she could feel the latent strength of her muscles. Stretching first her front legs and then her back, she raised her muzzle to the sky, squinting up at the moon and sniffing the air. An exciting blend of scents assaulted her brain: other wolves, plant life, rabbits and squirrels, but most importantly, Kane.
There was something about being in wolf form that made their bond seem stronger and hope fluttered inside her. Maybe this was what they needed—the chance to do things together just for fun, to let their inner wolves get to know each other. Already instinct was kicking in and Elise couldn’t resist rubbing against Kane and licking at his face.
For his part, Kane seemed equally affected. He nuzzled her then began sniffing at her from head to toe. His interest in her tail had her sidestepping away though. His attentions made her skittish. Her heat cycle was almost upon her and his wolf would be acutely sensitive to the fact. If he hadn’t been so tired this past week, he likely would have noticed sooner, even in human form.
Finishing his inspection, Kane yipped at her to follow and soon they were off, loping through the woods. Unlike the previous time they had run together, Elise let Kane take the lead. This was his territory and for all that she had explored some of it with Julia, she knew her mental map of the land was not yet sufficient to lead a midnight run.
Kane kept a leisurely pace at first but once they reached a well-beaten path, picked up speed. Joyfully, Elise followed, happily stretching her muscles and pushing the limits of her speed. This was what she needed; the thrill of running with her mate, of being with him and experiencing nature together. Trees and shrubs flashed past as they gracefully moved in tandem, matching each other stride for stride. The sound of their paws hitting the ground, combined with their panting, created a rhythmic overture that echoed through the otherwise quiet woods.