Page 80 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
Noah rocked back on his heels and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. “Phew, thanks, buddy. I thought I’d lost my best boxing trainee.”
When Ro gave a small giggle, I relaxed.
Noah tilted his head up at me. “I mean it, Zoey. I’d never direct it at either of you.”
I nodded, trying to push away the image of this kind man turning into a monster like George.
“Sometimes, my wolf’s strength is a lot to handle,” Noah admitted. “Maybe it’s time you met him. It might help you understand.”
“Meet your wolf?” The words tasted like fear and curiosity on my tongue.
“I’m not going to lie to you Zoey,” he said, resigned. “My wolf’s big. He might appear intimidating, but remember, he is an extension of me. I would never harm you or Ro. We are both here to protect you. We’ll always prioritize your safety above all else.”
I exhaled slowly, the knot in my stomach loosening ever so slightly. I’d already put so much of my trust into Noah, and I could give him a little more.
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll meet your wolf.”
21
NOAH
I’d never been this nervous, not since the first time I shifted in front of the pack. It was a rite of passage for every shifter to show off their wolf to the pack, but now... now it felt like a confession, revealing a part of myself that could change everything between us.
“Zoey...” I tried to explain, but the words got stuck, fear lodging in my throat. What if she saw me as a beast that was too large, too dangerous?
I strained to read her expression, searching for some hint of understanding, some glimmer of trust. But she kept it carefully shuttered. I needed her to see beyond the size, beyond the strength, to the man who would lay down his life to protect hers.
If she couldn’t, if she recoiled from me...
No, I wouldn’t let my mind travel that path. I only prayed that when I revealed my wolf, she’d remember who I was at my core.
Easy,I murmured to the restless wolf, feeling him churning beneath my skin, eager for release. He paced, a caged presence in my mind that strained against the confines of my humanform. I sensed his frustration, his need to be seen, but I cautioned him with a mental nudge.
No sudden moves. She’s important.
The wolf huffed in resigned acceptance as I exhaled slowly, steeling myself for what came next. I faced Zoey and Roland, who waited expectantly on the porch, silhouettes framed by the fading light. Her posture was rigid, her head tilted in anticipation and a hint of fear. Ro, a shifter child, seemed excited to see me shift, though I could tell he was trying to hold it together for his mother.
“Remember what I told you,” I said as my heart thundered in my ears. “You’re safe with me. Always.” I held her gaze, willing her to see the sincerity in mine, to understand the depth behind my words.
I surrendered to the shift. Skin rippled, bones contorted, muscles swelled, my body capitulating to its true nature under the silvered cloak of twilight. And just like that, I was no longer standing before them as Noah the human, but as Noah the wolf.
The world sharpened, details etching themselves into my consciousness with a clarity that was near painful. Colors weren’t as vibrant, yet somehow they were more meaningful, holding a depth and texture I couldn’t appreciate in human form.
Zoey stood before me, her beauty amplified through this new lens, leaving me momentarily breathless.
I inhaled deeply, drawing in the scents around me—the earthiness of the soil, the lingering warmth of the day, and beneath it all, the unmistakable tang of fear. It emanated from both of them. Roland’s fear dissipated quickly, replaced with curiosity and excitement. Zoey’s, however, remained, and I regretted being the one who caused it.
“Whoa, how fast can you run? Can you jump over the fence?” Roland’s questions were as rapid as machine-gun fire.
I couldn’t reply, my human voice replaced with growls and huffs. But he didn’t seem to notice. Or, perhaps in his excitement, he didn’t care.
“Do you eat, like, a whole deer? How do you fight? Show me your teeth!”
I could only sit there, tongue lolling out slightly, as his enthusiasm washed over me. It was endearing, and under different circumstances, I might have laughed. But my gaze wasn’t on Roland. It was locked on Zoey.
She was motionless, save for the subtle rise and fall of her chest. Her warm, polished-amber eyes had turned dull. Murky fear filled them as she watched me, the scent of it clinging to her like morning dew on grass. She was struggling to find the man she knew in the beast in front of her, and I was afraid she wouldn’t be able to.
A divide appeared between us, like a widening chasm, and it was impossible for me to cross it in my current state. I wanted to say her name, ease her fears, let her know it was still me, but all that emerged was a low whine.
