she was fighting the urge to close the distance between them. Her fingers clenched tight as she turned away. “I can feel her. She’s me, but she’s separate. And she’s not confused.”
“Good.” Too many new wolves went nuts from the sudden shift in sensory input, not to mention the lifelong implications—the transformation was irreversible, those changes unavoidable. Adjusting was hellish, and some people couldn’t do it at all.
If Eden was one of them…
It didn’t bear consideration. Jay would have had to end her misery, and how the hell would he explain that to Zack? To Eden’s father?
How would he handle it himself?
She cleared her throat. “Am I supposed to want to sniff you?”
“If you want to check me out.” Only shit, that sounded like an invitation. “You’re going to want to test other wolves. That’s unavoidable.”
Silence. Eden edged closer, as if she couldn’t help herself, her gaze fixed on his throat. “If you don’t want me to, I think you better run or lock me in the bathroom or something.”
“Yeah? Well, I’m going to do neither,” he answered. “I wish we had a couple of days for you to hide away from the world and deal with this, but we don’t. We’ve got to get you solid on your feet and head back out to the farm.”
She moved in a rush, slamming against his chest and burying her face in his throat with a distressed whimper. Her fingers dug into his shoulders in a painful grip that only eased after her first gasping breath.
Jay wrapped his arms around her, already regretting his blunt words. “Hey, you’re okay. You’re fine, Eden. Just fine.”
“I know.” The words sounded more frustrated than scared, but the nervous energy pulsing just under her skin didn’t fade. “I don’t have time to fall apart. I need to be stronger.” She dragged in another breath. “Why do you smell so safe?”
“Because I’m strong. Because you know me already.”
“Because I trust you?” She turned her cheek to his shoulder with a sigh. “Tell me I can do this, and I promise to believe you.”
That much, at least, was easy. “I’ve seen people way weaker than you handle this. You can do it, no doubt at all.”
“Okay.” She eased out of his arms and glanced down at her bare legs. “I need food and clothes, and then we should get back out to the farm.”
“Your clothes are in the bathroom.” He dragged his gaze away from her legs and focused his mind on something else. “I made breakfast. You’ve probably already figured out what.”
She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “Bacon and eggs? And coffee. Oh, thank God.”
“Real cream too. I hate that powdered stuff.” He gestured to the door. “I’ll be in the kitchen, okay?”
She offered him a shy smile. “I’m fine. I have to be, right?”
“You’re fine, Eden.” He didn’t have to dig deep to put the force of his conviction behind the words. “You’re perfect.”
“I bet you say that to all the women who sleep under your bed.”
“Only the ones who blush as pretty as you.” Then, before he could get himself into big trouble, he ducked out of the room.
The vehicles from Memphis were gone.
Jay pulled his truck to a stop in front of the farmhouse. “You think they parked the other cars out back?”
“Probably. Zack knows all about nosy neighbors.”
They’d have to come up with a more permanent solution—once Jay knew what the hell was going on. “Hang on. It’s an old truck, so I’ll have to come and let you out.” He climbed out and hurried around to open her door.
Eden slipped off the seat and stood next to him for a moment, her body tense as she took in the farm with her newly awakened senses. The front door slammed open, and she stumbled back against the truck.
Zack strode out the door and jumped the porch steps, landing a dozen yards in front of them. His nostrils flared as he stared at Eden. “What in—” His teeth snapped together as he found Jay’s gaze, but the question remained, even if Zack seemed unwilling to frighten Eden by voicing it.
“Her bite healed right after we left,” Jay told him quietly. “She shifted last night. I don’t know how or why.”
“Fucking hell.” Zack ran both hands through his hair. “God, Eden, I’m sorry—”
“No.” She straightened and gave Zack a stubborn look bristling with untamed challenge. “We’re not doing this. It happened, it’s over. Now we’re going to go inside and discuss what’s going