Made in Moonlight

Nine

Within an hour, we're all outside the cabin, ready to head into town.

Even here, it's hard to control my senses. I can smell Leyla and Thomas—their smells mixing together, soap, grass and minty toothpaste. I can smell the forest nearby, the animals within it.

Somewhere in the distance, I can smell a hint of gas. We must be closer to the diner than I thought.

It's hard to concentrate on what Leyla and Thomas are saying. My mind is too busy jumping from one scent to another. I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head hard, as if that'll get it out of my system.

Blake comes out last, a lumpy backpack slung over his shoulder.

"What's that for?" I ask.

"Clothes," he replies, dropping the bag onto the grass in front of us. "We can't exactly go into town naked, can we?"

I snort. That would be a sight.

"Let's go, then!" Thomas hollers. He cracks his neck, and, in an instant, his wolf-form appears.

He bares his teeth at us and yips loudly. I imagine he's saying something like, hurry up.

"You're riding on my back," Blake tells me, before turning towards Leyla. "Are you sure you're okay to shift?"

Leyla nods, determined. "I'll keep up. Don't worry."

Blake lifts a brow at her but moves on. Like Thomas, he rolls his shoulders, his eyes falling shut, before he shifts into a wolf.

Standing next to him, I'm reminded of just how big Blake's wolf-form is. Wolves on TV always looked more like large huskies, but here, in person, he's closer to the size of a bear.

I frown. How on earth am I supposed to climb onto his back?

As if reading my mind, he moves closer and almost kneels down, bending his head in a low bow.

"Well," I mutter to myself. "Here I go."

I start by grabbing the fur around his neck. It's just like touching him when he's human. A pleasant burning erupts in my chest, that same exhilarating feeling.

I ignore it, only tightening my grip and attempting to swing a leg over his side. With my movement, Blake dips lower and practically scoops me up, onto his back.

I scream as I'm thrown into the air. My grip on his fur tightens and I pull my chest close to his back.

Blake is still for a moment before he cranes his neck, his eyes meeting my own. He makes a low whine, as if asking if I'm okay.

I nod, releasing a long breath. "I think I've got it."

I squeeze my thighs tight around his sides and push myself upright. It's like riding a horse, but so much worse.

Beside us, Leyla has shifted into her wolf-form too. She was right. Her wolf-form is much smaller than the other two. Blake's huge form dwarfs her and, if I hadn't known better, I would have guessed she was a cub.

Her fur is much darker than the others too, almost black, like her hair color in her human-form. She slinks towards us and yips something at Blake.

Slowly, Blake pulls himself up to a stand and my head sways with the movement. The ground seems so far from up here. My grip tightens.

Standing upright, he barks something to the others, then leans down to grab the backpack between his jaws. Holding it there, he takes off, sprinting towards the woods.

I gasp, ducking my head close to his fur coat, like a jockey on a racehorse. Wind flows over my head, whipping my hair back. We're going so fast; I think the wind might whip me off his back.