quadrival (fxmxfxm poly)

CHAPTER 3

CLEO's POV
The dinner was merry and buzzing with energy. Kynan's family settled in and Kynan had a bright grin brandished across his face with rosy cheeks. He caught my eyes, and I tilted my head in question. Understanding my silent words, his breath hitched and he nods soundly. Jolting my head, I stood and he swiftly followed.
'Run?' A mixture of voices rippled through the link to me, all excited and fidgeting. I chuckled and nodded my head.
Everyone moved out of the house efficiently. Outside, the sun was an hours away from setting, bathing the land in orange. In the distance, crashing waves could be heard and a mixture of browns and greens surrounded the house, the majestic bush. 
As soon as we were all out of the door, some of the pack began running and stripping, not wanting to rip their clothes in the shift. Soon enough, 30ish wolves stood surrounding Kynan and I - his family watching from the porch. Kynan was looking around in awe, his eyes landing on each wolf and growing in size. Everyone was a variety of colours; some brown, some black, some white, some grey, some blonde, some mottled, some spotted, some patched. They were all beautiful. Finally having the freedom to shift in a large space was incredible. The previous laws prohibited any wolf from shifting anywhere except in their own adequebtly fenced property. For someone living in the country - it wouldn't seem too bad, except for the fencing issue. However, growing up in the suburbs, I had to be extremely careful. Very few wolves live in the city for this very reason. Any shift out of the permitted areas, was reason for immediate commission to the correctional centre. So, it was one of my greatest pleasures to watch each of our wolves finally find relief in their shift, rather than the anxiety and fear associated with it previously. The euphoric feeling overshadowed by consuming thoughts: what if someone sees me? How much time do I have? Are the fences high enough? Is that a helicopter? Every time I saw them like this  - free, happy - I wanted to cry. Maybe later.
Looking a Kynan, he still looked around in amazement.
"Are you happy to shift here with everyone? Or would you like-" he cut me off enthusiastically.
"Here." He turned to me, his smile so bright I almost had to squint my eyes. A mirroring smile took over my expression.
"Off you go then." After my words, he immediately got to taking his clothes off. I chucked and a few of the surrounding wolves chuffed in amusement. Leaving his boxers on, he looked around the group smiling once more before beginning to shift.
In no-time, a dark brown wolf with speckled white dots took his place. Stretching while looking around, Kynan's tail began to wag. Kynan shook his fur out dreamily, the movement contagious to the others. As soon as his wolf spotted me, the large wolf was bounding towards me. I laughed as he playfully pounced on me and began nuzzling. My instincts hummed within me. I scratched behind his ears and he eventually pulled me up. I took time to admire his form before delving in a more proper examination. My hands moved along his back, down his legs and around his head and neck, searching for any injuries or lasting tenderness or abnormalities. Kynan's tail swished softly and the purr sound returned. Finding no obvious marring, I stood taking off my clothes. Standing there in my undergarments, I rolled my shoulders forward. In the single fluid movement, I swapped two legs for four, a nose for a snout and skin for red fur. In juxtaposition to my human form circumstances, as a wolf, I towered over everyone in the pack. As I stood to my full height, Kynan's jaw dropped comically and I could hear gasps from his nearby family. Shifting was like letting out a breath you've held for so long you didn't even know you were holding. The only way I could describe it is total relief. And after
I shook out my fur and walked, with a slight limp, towards Kynan who was frozen. I made a chuff sound similar to a chuckle when he finally broke from his stupor and bounded towards me once again. He yipped and pranced around me. I nudged his head with my own and he froze once again. Succumbing to my instincts, I started to rub all over Kynan body, bathing him in the packs scent; in my scent. I ran my neck along his side, his back and the tops of his legs before moving to stand in front of him again. Glancing into his dark eyes, I crouched, moved forward and rubbed my neck onto his neck and the top of his head; signalling him as one of the pack. If he was in his human form, I'm positive he would be blushing, but his instincts spurred his satisfaction. All the others wolves looked on in pride.
Shoving him playfully, I let out a howl and began running, my pack following me swiftly.