damned time. I’ve often wondered what it would take for you to confront the woman you’ve followed around like a pup for the last twenty years.”
She noticed the faint blush that rose in Braedyn’s cheeks when he glanced away from her.
“And your wolf has finally chosen a mate, I see.” Elan smiled, looking at her. “He’s been pretty picky,” he said in an exaggerated whisper.
Braedyn rolled his eyes while his younger brother received the joy of ribbing him in front of her.
Elan frowned and took a step closer to her, an expression of surprise in his eyes. “Her wolf’s already awakened?”
“Yes, which will make her transformation tonight much easier.”
Casey turned from them and knelt by the fire, reaching out her hands to receive its warmth. She stared into the flames, the questions she needed to ask about tonight flooded her mind.
* * * *
Braedyn watched from the corner of his eye as Casey knelt to gather warmth from the fire. “She was only protecting herself, Elan.”
“I know. Not many Were’s could take Tala on, but your human managed even while severely injured.” He glanced over at her a moment. “Does she even understand what’s going to happen? How this will change her life?”
Braedyn’s jaw tensed. “Not entirely. Casey didn’t have a clue until last night when she caught me shifting from wolf to man. I couldn’t find a delicate way of telling her. As it was, she took it far better than I could have given her credit. Her fever lasted three days, and since the wolf’s awakening last night, her wounds have completely healed.”
Elan’s brows furrowed. “Before transformation?”
Braedyn nodded, also unsure of why Casey’s healing was so rapid. “I’ve neither seen hide nor hair of a rescue team. Have you heard anything?”
“Jazzy Massengill called and asked if we could send a few Were’s out this way. They are snowed in and can’t make it for a few days yet. He said her father is very impatient to find her.”
“I know Jazzy will try his best to hold her father at bay while he can. He’s helped keep our secret for years. I just hope the old ranger can manage to hold the Maynard’s off until she’s through this first lunar cycle.”
“I don’t know big brother, you of all people know how protective over his young her father is. I don’t think some snow will keep him from trying to find her, do you?”
“No, and that’s what worries me.” He watched Casey toss more kindling onto the fire and reach her hands out the receive the warmth. “I hadn’t wanted to chance taking her back to the Run while she was injured. Now, I’d like to wait until this lunar cycle is behind her. I need her to feel confident in herself before I bring her home. You know how some of the women in the pack will respond to my choosing a mate.”
“You are asking an awful lot with little time, Braedyn.” Elan sighed. “I’ll see what I can do. I’ll explain most of it to Jazzy and see if he can manage to hold her family up for a few more days.”
“Thank you, Elan.”
“I’m just glad you’re all right.” With another glance at Casey, Elan smiled. “I’ll tell Mother you’re well, and you should return in a few more days.”
“Thank you, again.” Braedyn held his hand out to his younger brother, and when Elan took it, pulled him into a brotherly embrace.
With a few pats on his brother’s back, Elan pulled away. Grinning, he stepped back, changed into his wolf, and ran off into the snow.
* * * *
Casey stood and looked after the wolf darting into the trees surrounding them. She’d missed the shift and wondered if his change was beautiful like his older brother’s. Dusting off her hands, she turned to Braedyn.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
She thrust her hands into her parka. “I’m not sure. I’m scared and confused.”
He nodded. “I know, it will take time for you to be free of both those worries.”
She furrowed her brows and looked in his eyes.
She noticed the faint blush that rose in Braedyn’s cheeks when he glanced away from her.
“And your wolf has finally chosen a mate, I see.” Elan smiled, looking at her. “He’s been pretty picky,” he said in an exaggerated whisper.
Braedyn rolled his eyes while his younger brother received the joy of ribbing him in front of her.
Elan frowned and took a step closer to her, an expression of surprise in his eyes. “Her wolf’s already awakened?”
“Yes, which will make her transformation tonight much easier.”
Casey turned from them and knelt by the fire, reaching out her hands to receive its warmth. She stared into the flames, the questions she needed to ask about tonight flooded her mind.
* * * *
Braedyn watched from the corner of his eye as Casey knelt to gather warmth from the fire. “She was only protecting herself, Elan.”
“I know. Not many Were’s could take Tala on, but your human managed even while severely injured.” He glanced over at her a moment. “Does she even understand what’s going to happen? How this will change her life?”
Braedyn’s jaw tensed. “Not entirely. Casey didn’t have a clue until last night when she caught me shifting from wolf to man. I couldn’t find a delicate way of telling her. As it was, she took it far better than I could have given her credit. Her fever lasted three days, and since the wolf’s awakening last night, her wounds have completely healed.”
Elan’s brows furrowed. “Before transformation?”
Braedyn nodded, also unsure of why Casey’s healing was so rapid. “I’ve neither seen hide nor hair of a rescue team. Have you heard anything?”
“Jazzy Massengill called and asked if we could send a few Were’s out this way. They are snowed in and can’t make it for a few days yet. He said her father is very impatient to find her.”
“I know Jazzy will try his best to hold her father at bay while he can. He’s helped keep our secret for years. I just hope the old ranger can manage to hold the Maynard’s off until she’s through this first lunar cycle.”
“I don’t know big brother, you of all people know how protective over his young her father is. I don’t think some snow will keep him from trying to find her, do you?”
“No, and that’s what worries me.” He watched Casey toss more kindling onto the fire and reach her hands out the receive the warmth. “I hadn’t wanted to chance taking her back to the Run while she was injured. Now, I’d like to wait until this lunar cycle is behind her. I need her to feel confident in herself before I bring her home. You know how some of the women in the pack will respond to my choosing a mate.”
“You are asking an awful lot with little time, Braedyn.” Elan sighed. “I’ll see what I can do. I’ll explain most of it to Jazzy and see if he can manage to hold her family up for a few more days.”
“Thank you, Elan.”
“I’m just glad you’re all right.” With another glance at Casey, Elan smiled. “I’ll tell Mother you’re well, and you should return in a few more days.”
“Thank you, again.” Braedyn held his hand out to his younger brother, and when Elan took it, pulled him into a brotherly embrace.
With a few pats on his brother’s back, Elan pulled away. Grinning, he stepped back, changed into his wolf, and ran off into the snow.
* * * *
Casey stood and looked after the wolf darting into the trees surrounding them. She’d missed the shift and wondered if his change was beautiful like his older brother’s. Dusting off her hands, she turned to Braedyn.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
She thrust her hands into her parka. “I’m not sure. I’m scared and confused.”
He nodded. “I know, it will take time for you to be free of both those worries.”
She furrowed her brows and looked in his eyes.
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