Page 94 of Fighting Her Wolves

“You are so brave, darlin’,” I coo.

“You're going to be a beautiful wolf,” River says. “Let her in, cupcake.”

I have never turned a human before; I relied on my instincts and the stories of others. Since we were young, we have been taught the process of turning your mate if they are human and what is supposed to happen. The outcome will not depend on us but on Ava. It is startling the changes that will occur inside her body and welcoming an animal to share it. She will have to accept her wolf. They will have to work out the communication that will develop between them.

Ava’s skin dots with sweat. A wolf's body runs hot. Her temperature is adjusting. Her hands press into my skin. She takes one hand from me to grab onto River’s thigh. His fearful eyes reach out to me.

“This is normal,” I assure him softly. River is equal to me, but he still looks to his Alpha. “She is fine.”

“You’re sure?” he asks, shaky.

“Yes.” I nod. “Ava, accept the wolf.” I hold my hand to her throat, feeling her accelerated pulse. “The wolf will guide you back to us.”

“Cupcake, I love you. You do what you have to do to get through,” River says.

Her eyes are closed and fluttering beneath her lids. From what I understand, the change is very personal to each individual. The way your wolf speaks to you is customed to you, unique. I wonder at the magic going on within her.

“Kerian, she’s shaking,” River says weakly.

“Have faith; she will be fine.”

I hope she fights for her life, and her wolf like she fought in the games.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ava

My eyes open, and I see nothing but white. I look down at myself. I’m wearing River’s shirt, and Kerian’s cuffs are on. My brain is fuzzy, but I remember when the burning started, I was completely naked.

I look around me. There’s nothing there. The bed is gone. My mates are gone.

“They are never gone,” a woman's soft voice says.

I whip back around and find myself looking into the brown eyes of a wolf. She is the same color as my hair. I frown at her. She can’t be the one talking.

“Yes, I can,” she chuckles. I jump back.

“What the hell? How are you doing that?” I ask, freaked out.

“The same way you are speaking to me,” she says.

“This must be a dream. I was with my mates, they bit me, and I fell asleep.”

“You know better,” she admonishes.

Great, I’m being lectured by a dream wolf.

“Not lectured. I’m not a dream.”

“This can’t be real,” I whisper.

“Ava, you know it is. You are changing. You are me.” The wolf comes closer. Her coat is shiny and reminds me of almonds. “Thank you.”

“How are you doing that? How are you in my head?”

The same way I am in yours.

No fucking way. I heard that in my head. “Can we talk out loud?”

---