Page 24 of Curses and Casualties
I pull my shirt over my head and hand it to her, and she exhales, a smile teasing at the corners of her lips despite her discomfort. “You’re impossible,” she murmurs, but the warmth in her gaze is undeniable.
“Everything all right?” Darius asks, his eyes darting between Georgia and me in question. I guess it’s not every day they get stopped so someone can strip where they stand.
“Just a quick breather,” I reply, already kicking off my boots and unfastening my pants.
“And you need to be naked for that?”
I laugh, the sound rumbling deep in my chest. “Not quite. I’m about to put my fur coat on,” I say, giving him a wink as I drop my pants. Before anyone can question further, the transformation begins, and in an instant, my human form yields to the powerful physique of my wolf.
But here, the shift greets me like a lover—no pain, only power. The forestwantsme to be a wolf. The usual pain is muted, replaced by a strange euphoria. Bones shift and muscles contort in their usual dance, but it settles almost immediately into a comfortable, empowering form.
Yes,Kane purrs.This place knows us. Knows what we are meant to be.
Standing before them, my fur bristles slightly in the cool, misty air. Georgia reaches out, her fingers skimming through my thick fur, a small gesture but one filled with an intimacy that transcends our human forms. “Show off,” she teases, but I can feel her gratitude flowing through our bond.
I nuzzle my snout gently against her hand, the deep rumble in my throat expressing the contentment that words no longer can. As her fingers linger in my fur, I feel the subtle pulse of her heart synchronize with mine. Scarlett and Ethan exchange amused glances at our display, and even Darius can’t help but crack a smile at our antics.
“You are one big motherfucking wolf,” he says with an appreciative nod. My tail sways with a sense of pride at the acknowledgment, and I let out a low, agreeable growl.
Georgia gathers my clothing and stuffs it in our pack. Before she can slide it on her back, Ethan takes it from her and slings it over one shoulder.
“Why don’t you ever strip down and carry me when I get tired?” Ethan teases Scarlett as I lower myself so Georgia can climb on my back.
Scarlett rolls her eyes. “In your dreams, buddy.”
“Every single night,” Ethan mutters under his breath, just loud enough for my enhanced hearing to catch. I catch Scarlett’s cheeks reddening slightly before she turns away, pretending to study the forest path ahead.
Georgia grins as she settles firmly between my shoulder blades, her hands gripping the dense fur tightly.
“Now that’s cool,” Darius says, his voice tinged with genuine awe as he cranes his neck to look up at us.
“I agree,” Amara puts in with a smile. “If it wasn’t for the fated mate part, I’d suggest you became a vessel just so you could carry me like that.”
Amara’s comment sends a ripple of laughter through the group until Scarlett pauses and tilts her head. “Wait. Is Darius human?”
Darius chuckles. “Last time I checked, yes, but don’t let that turn you away. I have other skills that make it worth Amara’s time to keep me around.” He winks at Scarlett, who rolls her eyes but is clearly amused.
“Ready when you are, big guy,” Amara says, nodding toward me.
I let out a soft woof in response, and we all continue our trek with Amara in the lead. Georgia settles more comfortably on my back after a few steps. Her weight is nothing to my wolf form, and I can already sense her relief at being off her feet, along with the sharp pain in her leg fading to a dull ache.
The forest seems to part before us as we move, my powerful strides eating up the distance with ease. Georgia leans into me, her body relaxing as she lets out a heavy sigh.
I feel her thoughts drifting to Luna, and I sense a longing there—a desire to one day experience the freedom of being a wolf instead of a passenger.
It’ll happen for you, love,I project to her.Hopefully sooner than we thought.
She scratches behind my ear in response, a gesture that sends a pleasant shiver down my spine. “Thank you,” she whispers, loud enough for only my wolf ears to hear.
As we continue our journey, the landscape around us begins to shift subtly. The ancient trees grow taller, their branches intertwining overhead to form a dense canopy that filters the sunlight into dreamlike beams. The air becomes thicker, charged with an energy that makes my fur stand on end. I can taste copper on my tongue, feel a pressure against my chest like diving deep underwater. The magic here is so thick it’s almost visible, shimmering at the edges of my vision.
I catch glimpses of movement in the shadows—eyes that gleam gold before disappearing, shapes that are there one moment and gone the next. We’re being watched, assessed.
They circle us,Kane confirms.Testing. Waiting.
The others feel it too, their steps become more cautious, their voices hushed. Even Georgia, secure on my back, tenses slightly, her fingers tightening in my fur. The Úlfhéðnar territory is close, I can feel it in my bones. As we round a bend in the path, the energy in the air intensifies, and I know we’ve reached a crucial point in our journey.
As if in answer to all of our questioning minds, Amara holds up a hand, signaling us to stop. “From here on, we need to be especially cautious. The Úlfhéðnar are... particular about uninvited guests.”
