A werewolf's life is a constant battle, but a chance to meet your soulmate eases the trials for most. Trae is happy with the mate he's given, a cute and daring girl who meets all of his expectations, but his brother Leroy... not so much. He is sure...
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Trae was stomping through the forest like an angry bear. I couldn't fault him for it. His conversation with Mae had been difficult to listen to, and I didn't think I could have done any better than he did, but I kept wanting to step in. Mae's reaction was not what I'd expected; I had imagined she'd be confused, but her anger . . . It was sharp and strong, and Trae had suffered the brunt of it.
I waited until we were out of earshot of our soulmates before I called out to him, "Trae. Trae, hey! Calm down."
He gave no response and kept walking.
"Hey, you need to chill. You know what'll happen if you shift like this."
"So what?" he muttered. "As long as I can prove to her that I'm a werewolf, it doesn't matter how I get there. She definitely doesn't care."
"She's upset, Trae. That doesn't mean she doesn't care. If she didn't, she wouldn't be here. Just take a moment."
"I don't have time for a moment. She expects us back in ten minutes. Why are you still here? You just said you didn't want to see me shift. Go away."
"Your funeral." I watched him tramp away before finding a spot of my own.
I waited to make sure no one was coming, then took off my clothes and got down. I wasn't kidding when I said it was best for everyone that they didn't come looking. It was a gruesome sight, yes, but I was most concerned with not being seen like that. When I was shifting, I was stuck between two forms, unable to defend myself or move or do anything. Vulnerable and helpless. I would rather die than have someone watch me while I was in that state.
Once I'd recovered from my shift, which was thankfully uninterrupted, I got up and followed my brother's scent. He still hadn't calmed down, but he was fully shifted, and for the first time in years, he didn't try to jump me. Neither did I. This was not the time for games. Instead, I nudged him. He huffed in response and started moving . . . slowly.
She expects us back in ten minutes, my ass.
If I asked how he felt right now, I'm sure he'd say he wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, but I knew the truth. The hitch in his step said it all. I started moving so he could follow. I would drag him if necessary.
Shaun and Mae were deep in conversation when I reached the edge of the clearing behind the house. They didn't notice me—my paws made no sound and my fur was black—so I watched. Shaun talked a lot with his hands. He seemed excited. Mae was still stiff. She kept glancing to the side, into the trees. At some point, she even seemed to look straight at me. If the sun wasn't setting already, she would've seen me for sure. Trae quietly moved in by my side, and I glanced at him.
He avoided my gaze, ears pulled back.
Okay, if this is how we're gonna do it, we're gonna do it.
