is to have a tracking device on the truck. I have no doubt I can lose them after dark, but not if they have a means to tail us from a distance.”
Kendra sat in the SUV, her stomach roiling. That odd heat returned, causing her to sweat. She shook her head as though telling herself to stop would deter the animal waiting inside her from making another appearance. She didn’t know how she knew that the burning in her stomach preceded the wolf that was now a part of her, she just did.
“Hurry, Galen. I’m going to change and I’ll have an audience if I do it here. This was a busy parking lot. People came and went into the store and its adjacent restaurant as though they were the only stores in town. Perhaps they were. She had no idea.
“We’re clear. There was a small device inside the back bumper, but I sniffed it out.”
She’d been about to ask him how he found it when she realized the man had literally sniffed the thing out. He said he could turn into a wolf. Apparently, that meant he had a good nose, too.
“Good.” She panted. The action reminded her of the time she had been a Lamaze coach when her neighbor’s husband was overseas. “Because I think I’m about to change into a dog again.”
“You’re not a dog. You’re a wolf.” Galen shook his head. “I sometimes wonder if the doctor has a serum for the other species of shifters he held prisoner in his original lab.”
“What do you mean?” Hee hee hoo, hee hee hoo. She counted her breaths.
“As I told you before, there are other types of shifters, such as bears, mountain lions, jaguars.” He shrugged. “I’m not sure how many others there are out there.”
“Great. Should I be glad I don’t turn into a snake or something worse, like a spider?” Kendra shuddered. She hated spiders. At least wolves were regal animals she admired.
Galen shook his head and chuckled. “I’ve never heard of spider shifters, even in legend, but I suppose that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”
“I didn’t need to hear that, you know.” She panted again as she stared through the side window. “Should I take off the seatbelt? I don’t want to get hung up in it afterward.”
“Take it off and get into the back seat.” Galen reached over to release the belt when she tried and failed. “Climb into the back and lie down. At least people won’t be able to see you that way. And remember to reach for your wolf. It will hurt less.”
Kendra fumbled free of the belt and climbed between the bucket seats and into the back. She stayed on the floor between the two captain’s chairs and did as Galen instructed. She embraced the pain and reached for the wolf she now knew lived inside her.
Pain rocketed through her like a shot. She felt the bones in her arms and legs changing shape, her muscles shortening and growing stronger. Thick hair sprung out on her arms and legs. Before she knew it, she was a wolf once again. Everything seemed distorted with her wolf’s vision and she wrinkled her nose at the strong acrid scent of car exhaust.
It didn’t hurt as much this time!
“I told you it wouldn’t.”
How did he know what I was thinking?
“We have a common mental thread through which we all can communicate when we have shifted.”
That’s kind of cool, I suppose. She stood up and looked out the window.
It is very cool. Humans can’t hear us if we use this form of communication. You can speak to me like this at will, whether you’re in your human or your wolf form.
That was good to know. That’s how you knew what I was thinking the first time you helped me, isn’t it?
Yes.
Good grief, she’d have to learn to compartmentalize her thoughts. She didn’t need anyone knowing what she thought about everything. No one needed to know who she thought was attractive or just what people she couldn’t stand but her.
Kendra sat down before lowering herself the rest of the way to the floor to rest her head on her front legs. Bone deep exhaustion held her in
Kendra sat in the SUV, her stomach roiling. That odd heat returned, causing her to sweat. She shook her head as though telling herself to stop would deter the animal waiting inside her from making another appearance. She didn’t know how she knew that the burning in her stomach preceded the wolf that was now a part of her, she just did.
“Hurry, Galen. I’m going to change and I’ll have an audience if I do it here. This was a busy parking lot. People came and went into the store and its adjacent restaurant as though they were the only stores in town. Perhaps they were. She had no idea.
“We’re clear. There was a small device inside the back bumper, but I sniffed it out.”
She’d been about to ask him how he found it when she realized the man had literally sniffed the thing out. He said he could turn into a wolf. Apparently, that meant he had a good nose, too.
“Good.” She panted. The action reminded her of the time she had been a Lamaze coach when her neighbor’s husband was overseas. “Because I think I’m about to change into a dog again.”
“You’re not a dog. You’re a wolf.” Galen shook his head. “I sometimes wonder if the doctor has a serum for the other species of shifters he held prisoner in his original lab.”
“What do you mean?” Hee hee hoo, hee hee hoo. She counted her breaths.
“As I told you before, there are other types of shifters, such as bears, mountain lions, jaguars.” He shrugged. “I’m not sure how many others there are out there.”
“Great. Should I be glad I don’t turn into a snake or something worse, like a spider?” Kendra shuddered. She hated spiders. At least wolves were regal animals she admired.
Galen shook his head and chuckled. “I’ve never heard of spider shifters, even in legend, but I suppose that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”
“I didn’t need to hear that, you know.” She panted again as she stared through the side window. “Should I take off the seatbelt? I don’t want to get hung up in it afterward.”
“Take it off and get into the back seat.” Galen reached over to release the belt when she tried and failed. “Climb into the back and lie down. At least people won’t be able to see you that way. And remember to reach for your wolf. It will hurt less.”
Kendra fumbled free of the belt and climbed between the bucket seats and into the back. She stayed on the floor between the two captain’s chairs and did as Galen instructed. She embraced the pain and reached for the wolf she now knew lived inside her.
Pain rocketed through her like a shot. She felt the bones in her arms and legs changing shape, her muscles shortening and growing stronger. Thick hair sprung out on her arms and legs. Before she knew it, she was a wolf once again. Everything seemed distorted with her wolf’s vision and she wrinkled her nose at the strong acrid scent of car exhaust.
It didn’t hurt as much this time!
“I told you it wouldn’t.”
How did he know what I was thinking?
“We have a common mental thread through which we all can communicate when we have shifted.”
That’s kind of cool, I suppose. She stood up and looked out the window.
It is very cool. Humans can’t hear us if we use this form of communication. You can speak to me like this at will, whether you’re in your human or your wolf form.
That was good to know. That’s how you knew what I was thinking the first time you helped me, isn’t it?
Yes.
Good grief, she’d have to learn to compartmentalize her thoughts. She didn’t need anyone knowing what she thought about everything. No one needed to know who she thought was attractive or just what people she couldn’t stand but her.
Kendra sat down before lowering herself the rest of the way to the floor to rest her head on her front legs. Bone deep exhaustion held her in
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