I hear the rustle of his clothes as he tugs them off, then he clears his throat.
“Ready?”he asks.
“I think?”
I look at him, careful to keep my eyes on his face.He nods.Then he shifts.
It’s beautiful.Terrifying.Powerful.
And it happens so quickly.
One second, he’s on two feet, and then a giant wolf is standing in the living room with me.
I gape as I stare at the giant animal.My mind struggles to process what just happened.I mean, I knew he was going to do this, but it’s another thing to see it up close and in person.
The wolf steps closer, and I jerk back instinctively.My heart races, but when he steps forward again, I reach out and sink my fingers into his soft fur.
“Whoa,” I whisper reverently.
The wolf grumbles, and I smile at the familiar sound.I’ve heard Abe make that sound, too.
A moment later, the wolf steps back, and he shifts again.When Abe is standing before me, he gives me a hopeful smile.I return it weakly, then push to my feet as he pulls his clothes back on.
“I need a shower,” I blurt.
“I’ll show you where it is.”
As I trail him down the hall, my thoughts whirl.
I know he hasn’t said anything yet, hasn’t put any pressure on me, but he will one day.He’s going to ask me to be his fated mate, and I need to decide if that’s what I want for my future.
And I need to do it soon.
SEVEN
Abe
I tellmyself I’m giving her space.That I’m being respectful.That hovering outside the bathroom door like a guard dog istotally normalunder the circumstances.I’m just trying to make sure that she’s okay.
My wolf calls bullshit.
You really want me to leave right now?What if she gets dizzy and falls in there,I growl at him.
What if she touches herself and moans our name?he counters.
I bite back a groan at that mental image.
She’s not going to do that, I tell him.She barely knows us, and she’s been through a traumatic situation.
Her body knows that we belong together.
I shake my head.Her mind doesn’t.
Not yet.Get in there and explain it to her,my wolf snaps.
Yeah, that’s a great idea.I’ll just burst into the bathroom while she’s naked and soapy and?—
Bite her,my wolf interrupts.