Before things escalated, Noah handed his pendant to Slade. “Keep this for me?” He dropped to the floor on his side. During the full moon, he didn’t so much will himself to become a wolf as stop willing himself to be human.
Soon he sat on his haunches, staring up at Slade.
“Damn. Your eyes stay the same color blue.” Slade held out a hand. His fingers trembled. “Can I touch?”
No one ever touched Noah in wolf form except Paul and the hunters. He eased forward.
Slade smiled, burying his fingers in Noah’s fur. “You’re so soft!” He dropped his hand onto his lap.
Noah headbutted the hand for more pets.
Slade laughed and obliged. “Okay. Let me get a few pics.” He pulled out his cellphone.
Noah stuck out his tongue, crossing his eyes.
“So, you’re still in there? The human part of you?”
Noah nodded. After a few pictures, Slade put on the collar. “Not too tight?”
Noah shook his head and trotted expectantly to the door.
Slade opened the door. Together they stepped out into the night.
Noah registered Slade’s presence long after he’d lost visual. Safe. He felt safe, roaming trails, climbing a rise, throwing his head back to howl. Distant wolves answered him.
What a glorious night! In the trees, owls hooted. Foxes lurked nearby.
A stream offered a place to drink. Occasionally, he stopped, homing in on Slade’s presence. Distant, but there. Scents teased Noah’s nose, demanding exploration. He’d nothing to fear, not with Slade nearby. As night gave way to dawn, Noah dragged himself back to the cabin, feeling the safest he had in wolf form since Paul left. Slade had left the door open for Noah to nose his way inside.
Slade lay asleep on the couch, a sketch pad on the coffee table, open to a line drawing of Noah’s wolf.
Noah stuck his cold nose against Slade’s hand.
“What the fuck, I…” Slade jumped, then glowered. “That wasn’t very nice.”
Noah sneezed, lolling his tongue out; wolf speak for “let’s play.”
“Why you…” Slade grabbed Noah, turning him on the floor.
Noah gave Slade a light nip and danced away. They wrestled, mock battled, the kind of behavior expected from pups. Fun! The sort of behavior Noah missed out on. He stayed gentle, cautious of his powerful jaws and sharp teeth.
Slade used his fingers, delivering pinches instead of bites.
The sun had risen fully by the time they yawned more than they played. They settled on Slade’s bed, man and wolf, for a nap. Returning to human form might break the mood. Noah stayed wolf.
He was getting way too close to this human.
And encounters with humans never ended well.
Chapter Nineteen
Sladefellasleepcuddlinga fur blanket and woke brushing bare skin, his arms wrapped tightly around a sleeping Noah.
Noah, who’d been a wolf, now a man. A lost soul denied love, touch, and the human experience. Werewolf he might be, but he still possessed a human side.
A human side starved for affection.
He’s important,Judith said.