Entangled

Chapter 30

"He'll be fine." Seth's told Becky that at least ten times since they dropped Quinn off with his mother for the full-moon night, but she's still not convinced and, in truth, neither is he. He's obviously been away from his son for days at a time, but Becky's rarely been separated from Quinn for more than a few hours. He trusts his mother implicitly and he knows Becky's comfortable with her too, but it still feels strange to have the car seat empty, and when he glances back in the rear-view mirror, he can see Becky reaching over reflexively as if to check on the baby.

"I know. And it's good for him to have time away from us." It sounds like Becky is reciting something Dr. Zaba told her. "I guess I'm just nervous. It's been so long since I've shifted...." She rubs the now-bare spot on her wrist where she had worn her amulet bracelet throughout the pregnancy. Now she has no need to suppress her wolf at the full moon, and Eleyna has given her a clean bill of health. Seth thought being able to work out at Black & Brave again would help ease her anxiety, but it's created new insecurities too.

"You'll be fine," Sasha assures her, reaching back from the front seat. "You can go first or last, or one of us can shift with you. Whichever you like."

Seth purposefully takes them to a new location. After Becky had given birth and she and the baby were stable, he and Eleyna had gone back to their shifting site and made sure there were no traces left behind. Going back wouldn't traumatize Becky, but he doesn't want her mind to be lingering on that night either. It's been months since she was able to transform and he wants her to be able to enjoy it. "It's even a warm night," he remarks, "so that will be good for you." He doubts they'll linger to cuddle and have sex, not with Becky worrying so much, but he hopes she can relax enough to bask in the run.

They set up camp quickly, tucking all their clothes in one bag which Seth tucks up into a tree. When he comes back down, he notices that Becky is just gazing up at the full moon. "What if I can't?" she whispers. "What if I can't shift anymore? What if the pregnancy changed me? What if those amulets did something...?"

Sasha comes over and wraps her arms around Becky, kissing her bare shoulder. "You'll be fine, Becks. Come on. Shift with me." Taking Becky by both hands, Sasha pulls her into the centre of the clearing. "Just relax. Listen to the river. You've got this." Seth watches as they both crouch down, foreheads touching and breathing slow. Sasha's energy changes first, but she does her best to channel it towards Becky, coaxing out her wolf until they're both transforming, a tangle of fur and limbs.

When they've both finished, Becky gives a goofy little hop and bounds over to Seth like a dog who just completed a particular difficult trick. "I missed this face," he murmurs, kissing the top of her head between her ears and ruffling her fur. "Wait for me?"

Becky's head dips in a nod and she goes back to Sasha, the two wolves play fighting as Seth transforms as well. With so much joyous energy nearby, his shift is easy, and it's not long before he's joining their revels, darting into the woods and daring them to follow. He spent most of his teenage years and his twenties transforming alone. Meeting Sasha in NXT had almost been a miracle; when Becky joined them, it was better yet. He had grown so accustomed to their dynamic that the loss of Becky's howl on their runs made him feel clumsy and unsure. Now her voice rings out in the clear night and everything feels right again. His pack is here, complete once more, and the full moon is greeting all of them with delight. Becky runs with joyous abandon, launching herself into the river only to shake off her fur and run along the bank. They tumble over each other and howl and yip, and Seth is nearly dizzy with relief. He never wanted to bring it up, but he had shared some of Becky's worries about her not being able to shift again. Seeing her as a wolf, fierce and free, is incredible.

He and Sasha let Becky control the pace and tone of the run, following her lead, but Seth is still a bit surprised when Becky runs long past midnight. Quinn's safety isn't an issue: he loves spending time with Holly and is quite likely already fast asleep, barely noticing that his parents and beloved auntie aren't there. Part of him had worried about Becky's stamina, wondering if she would be up to a long run after being relegated to human form for so long. Slow? he yips, biting her ear gently to get her attention away from an owl high above.