day to pull everything together, so you and I are going to disappear for a little while,” Reggie said, clicking on the flashlight. “Peter is the only one who knows where we are, and I don’t think anyone will think to question him.”
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“You’ll see,” Reggie said, taking her hand. “Thanks again,” he called to Peter over his shoulder.
“Yes, thank you,” Janice said, waving to Peter.
“I’ll see you kids in a few days,” he said, climbing back up onto the driver’s seat.
It didn’t take him long to find the trail he was looking for, and soon they were traveling through the forest, the sound of trickling water growing louder until they reached a little bridge where they found a fork in the trail. Janice paused in the middle of the bridge and stood, her face turned up, breathing in and out, then looked over at him and grinned.
“It smells so good out here, clean and fresh,” she said, taking his hand again.
“Peter showed me this place a long time ago, and I’ve been coming here ever since,” he said. “I’ve never brought anyone here, but I used to dream about bringing my mate here when I was just a kid. I had all these crazy fantasies about shifting and running through the woods, just the two of us.”
Janice pulled him to a stop in the middle of the trail, took the flashlight from his hand, and switched it off. “I don’t really think we need this,” she said.
When her eyes began to glow in the darkness and her magic flared to life, his body responded, thrill after thrill washing over him. His magic responded, his instincts flaring to life, the world changing, becoming crisper, clearer as their powers twined and twisted together. He sucked in a huge breath of air, smelling Janice’s softly sweet yet spicy scent floating on the air toward him.
He pulled her into his arms and lowered his mouth to hers, the power of the love between them and their magic making the air around them crackle. When she pulled back from him and looked into his eyes, his body began to throb, but she stepped away from him.
“I haven’t shifted in long time, but I think I still remember how,” she said, holding out her hand. “Shall we make one of your childhood dreams come true?”
Reggie didn’t need to be asked twice, his body vibrating with their shared powers. He took her hand, knowing that this night would change his life. The air around Janice began to shimmer, crackles of electricity filled the air, and then he was looking at a sleek black wolf with her blue eyes. She lifted her head and howled into the sky, and it took only a moment for him to join her.
Janice gave her furry coat a shake, took a few cautious steps, then broke into a run with a yip that echoed through the trees. He soon followed her with an excited yip of his own, his gray fur blending in with the shadows as they dodged trees and climbed up the side of the mountain effortlessly. At the top, Janice paused, looking back down the mountain at the little stream that looked like a shimmering ribbon in the moonlight.
He sat down next to her, nudging her with his shoulder, nuzzling her with his face, happy growls rumbling out of his chest. Janice rubbed up against him, her fur soft against his face, then dropped down into a playful stance. He wasn’t prepared for her to launch herself at him, but soon they were rolling around on the ground like puppies, growls of happiness filling the silence of the night.
When he finally managed to pin her to the ground, he gave her a slobbery kiss, then jumped to his feet and headed back down the mountain. Janice made a wounded noise but sprang up only a second later and followed right behind him. He picked up the trail at the bridge, and only a few minutes later, they topped a rise, and a warm light greeted them. Janice looked over at him, then back over at the cave. The air around her began to shimmer, and then the woman he’d come to love was standing next to him.
***Janice***
Janice stood in the opening of the cave, letting her eyes adjust to the light, then turned to look back at Reggie, who was grinning at her. “I told you I’ve been thinking about this for a long