“Had no fucking idea,” I said, continuing to stroke Willow’s body, pet her head, rub an ear, her belly. Stroking all of her to let her know I was here, that it was okay. “The pain from being shot must have triggered it.”
“The wound’s already closing up,” Boyd commented.
I looked down, saw that it was no longer bleeding.
“I’ll help her shift back.” I looked down at Willow on the ground. “Right, angel? I’ll help you when it’s time. You heal faster in wolf form, though, so we’ll give it a little longer. Then you can call your boss, and we’ll get this mess here sorted out.”
“Got a blanket in your truck?” I asked Boyd. Willow’s clothes were in bloody tatters beneath her. The last thing I wanted was for her to feel self-conscious after she shifted back… naked.
“I’ll get it,” Audrey offered, starting to stand.
Boyd set a hand on her shoulder, keeping her from getting to her feet. “No. You stay here. I’ll get it.”
“I’m not an expert on shifter healing, but she’ll be fine, right?” Audrey looked to me.
I nodded. “Yes. I’d say… oh, there it is.” The bullet was starting to emerge from the wound, and she whimpered. If I wasn’t used to seeing this kind of healing, it would have been weird the way a wolf’s body expelled foreign objects.
Willow whimpered but went silent as the bullet slid from her and onto the packed dirt floor.
Boyd returned, and I took the blanket from him. “Come on, darlin’,” he said to Audrey. He held out his hand, and she took it, rising. “Let’s give them a little privacy. We’ll go get some clothes for her. Let us know how she wants to play this. Audrey can be her doctor if she needs to go to the hospital. She’s used to fake injuries.” He gave Audrey a wink.
They walked off as I checked Willow’s wound. It wasn’t fully healed, but she could shift back now.
“All right, angel. It’s time. I know you’re scared ‘cause this is all new, but we shifters do this all the time. You’ll just have to catch up. To shift back, you need to close your eyes and think. Think about your human body. How you stand on two feet. Your gorgeous red locks.” I grinned. “Even between your luscious thighs. Think human, and you’ll just shift.”
I continued to stroke her as she stared at me. Blinked.
“Close your eyes now. That’s it. It’s no big deal. Relax and just let it happen.”
She finally closed her eyes, and I waited. I remembered my first shift, how weird it had been. Scary, too. Once I was back in human form and knew I couldn’t be stuck as a wolf, it came easier. I just had to get her to shift back this once, and I’d be able to guide her through the rest of being a shifter.
“Shift,” I commanded, putting an alpha push into the words.
She responded. The familiar sounds happened, and she shifted back. I sighed in relief, a little worried she might not be able to do it. She was probably twice as old as one normally was for a first shift. In fact, I’d never known someone whose first shift came so late.
“There’s my angel. Lie still, and the pain will lessen.” She sat up slowly, and I pulled her onto my lap, cradling her carefully and wrapping the blanket up around her. “I guess we now know where you’re from, huh?”
“Rob… oh my God. That was… I mean, did I just—”
“Turn into a wolf?” I finished for her. “I assume you didn’t know.”
She shook her head, her hair brushing my bare chest. “I was an orphan. I’ve been in foster care my whole life. I didn’t know anything about my biological parents. But, God, this explains things. My sense of smell was always… far too keen. I prefer the outdoors. My instincts are good. I like to run.”
“I like to look at you when you run.” I thought of her in those tiny shorts. “I like to run better in wolf form. Now you can go with me.”
“It was fate, then wasn’t it?” she murmured. “You and I?”
I smiled, cradling her face. “Definitely fate.” And that was the honest truth. I wouldn’t have cared if she wasn’t a shifter, but now we had more to share. More to understand about each other.
“I know who you are, Willow. You’re mine. But if you want to find your family, it’ll be easier now. We just have to find your home pack. Ginger wolves are rare. It shouldn’t be too hard. Although I hope you’ll stay here with me. To be my alpha mate.”
She studied my face. “Can’t argue with fate, can I?” She smiled.
I kissed her—gently—because she was still weak. And we had to deal with a dead body and probably a whole bunch of federal agents. Later, I’d kiss her thoroughly. I’d kiss her all fucking night long.