Chapter Six

Once Everett left out the back door, silence descended. Brinnah hugged herself as she wrestled with the idea of joining him on a run. Her wolf whimpered, echoing through her mind. She wanted to go, wanted to shuck their skin and run free. Only the rules ingrained from birth made her hesitate. Women were subservient. Women were excluded from political, social, and economic positions within the pack. They had no voice. They were oppressed, to the point where only their male family members were allowed to speak for them. It's what made females like her, Maggie, and Kadie pariahs. They had no males to protect them.

So, that's why she stood there, fighting against what she'd been taught her whole life. Hands clenching and relaxing as she thought about how she'd be punished for going against an alpha command. Only to remind herself that she was no longer beholden to her old alpha. That life was gone. It was done, and she was here in Sheridan, Colorado, starting a new life.

Here, she had a voice. Here, she had choices. And she chose to run with Everett.

She peeled off her clothes, folding them neatly on a bench in the mudroom, next to Everett's. Naked, she opened the door and stepped onto the deck. She saw Everett's wolf at the tree line, staring at her with his head cocked. Taking a deep breath, she let her wolf take her skin, transforming into a petite rose-colored animal. Away from human constraints, she padded down the stairs to join Everett. His wolf was dark grey, with white interspersed through his face, chest, and paws. A wonderfully magnificent creature.

Everett's wolf watched her as she joined him, and when she did, he leaned over and licked her muzzle. She whimpered, sitting back on her haunches. Everett yipped at her and trotted away. When she didn't follow, he came back and nipped her hind quarters. That got her moving, and when he took off running, she followed. With each strike of her paws upon the earth, something loosened inside her. Her blood pumped and her heart raced with excitement. It had been so long since her wolf had been set free, that she was almost giddy with exhilaration. Everett raced around trees, down ravines, and up the other side. She followed, not as fast since she wasn't used to running, but kept up as best she could. What she lacked in quickness, she made up for in enthusiasm.

Time had no meaning. It could've been minutes or hours. Stretching her legs, running full speed through the forest, this was heaven. The distinct resinous scent of pine lay crisp and refreshing in the air. Old trees, damp moss, and rich dirt created a slightly musty odor along the needle-covered floor. The sun played peek-a-boo through the branches, warming her coat, as she ran next to Everett. He had slowed his gait to match hers, as they chased and jumped on one another. He was particularly fond of frenetic zoomies, dashing away at a dizzying speed before circling back to headbutt her or play-bite her haunches.

They came to a pond, a beautiful respite deep in the woods, and slowed to a trot. She walked to the water's edge to drink, and Everett flopped down in a patch of white clover. Bees buzzed around the small flowers. Dragonflies skimmed across the water. For a moment, they were the only two creatures in the world, and it was heavenly. How had she gone through her whole life not connecting to her wolf like this? How had she allowed herself to be a shadow? Always hanging around the peripheral of the pack, thinking she wasn't good enough to be part of it. Brainwashed, not only by the alpha but by the entire social hierarchy of the Moondust wolves.

Brinnah trotted over and flopped down next to Everett. Her tongue hung out as she panted. What would make it truly a perfect moment was if her belly was being scratched. Then Everett shimmied and his wolf disappeared as his skin emerged. As if he'd read her mind, he trailed his fingers up and down her exposed stomach.

"Why don't you shift back, baby?" he murmured.

Did she want to? What was so wrong living as a wolf? Running, chasing rabbits, rolling around in the grass. No one to mentally abuse you. No one to put you down. She could live in freedom, away from all the bullshit and pain.

"Come on, baby," Everett coerced. "You're safe."

Was she? Her wolf eyes took him in, studying him. Although the wolf and the human were one, each had their own thoughts and personality. Her human self believed Everett, and she trusted him. But her wolf was another matter. Her wolf was angry she'd been hidden for years, basically abandoned, and she was loathe to give up her fur and turn back. She gave a low growl, flopping her head back down and closing her eyes.

She didn't want to be human.

Being human was agonizing.

"Hey, Brinnah's wolf," he said, stroking down her flank. "I bet you're thinking you can't trust me, but we're not like any of those assholes you lived with. I'd never keep you locked up from shifting."

Give me back our skin, she thought.

I like running free, her wolf thought back. Trust our mate?

Seemed like her wolf didn't claim Vadin either. She recognized Everett as her mate.

Yes. Trust our mate.

Her fur retracted, withdrawing back into skin. Her bones rearranged, snapping and cracking back into human. In a matter of seconds, Brinnah had shifted back. Aware that she was naked, she rolled over onto her stomach, giving herself a modicum of modesty. Shifters weren't inherently shy, and nudity was as natural as breathing. However, she wasn't used to being naked around a man.

"Did your she-wolf want to stay?"

"Yes," she replied. "She isn't used to running free for fun, and she rather liked it."

"When did you allow your wolf out?"

"I didn't," she said. "Women aren't allowed unless they're mated, and since I wasn't, I spent my adult life suppressing her."

"Never?" he fumed. "Fuck. That's absolute blasphemy. We are blessed with our dual nature from the High Luna herself. Your old pack pisses me off more and more every time I hear about them. If you'd like, we can run every day."

She smiled. "We'll see how it goes. I've got a job to find."

"I understand your need for independence, but please feel free to ask me for anything."

"I will."

He glanced toward the sky. "Night is coming. Let's head back and we can make dinner. Maybe watch a movie if you'd like."

"Yeah," she replied softly. "I'd like that."

****

She had no idea when was the last time she'd seen a movie. Ten years? Fifteen? Some type of animated show during a trade trip to one of the other packs. They'd wanted the children to keep quiet so of course the parents plopped them down in front of the screen. She had been transfixed and begged for a TV of her own, but she'd not been allowed. The only person who had a television in the Moondust Pack was the alpha, and he only invited males over for beer and poker night. As well as watching the latest superhero movie.

The film Everett picked out was about a high school boy who turned into a werewolf and played basketball. It was a funny movie but she wondered if that's how humans thought shifters were—self-centered and obsessed with popularity.

When the movie ended, she stretched.

"Did you like it?" Everett asked.

"Yes," she replied, yawning. "But is that really how humans think we act?"

"Humans have no idea shifters exist, so they make up stories. Werewolves are mostly considered horror, so there's a lot of that genre."

"Oh, I don't think I'd like horror, but I'm curious now."

"We can pick out a few for another night, and if you think they're too scary we can turn it off."

"All right." She stood. "I think I'm going to bed."

"Good idea." He rose and held out his hand. She took it. "Tomorrow we'll go into town and see what type of job you'd like to have."

"Thank you," she said quietly.

He ran the back of his hand down her cheek. "As a male, and your mate, I have a desire to take care of you. But I get it. You've been suppressed your whole life, and I understand you must have a need for something of your own."

She covered his hand on her cheek with her own. "Thank you."

He gripped her hand and kissed her knuckles. "Of course, my love. Pleasant dreams."

Brinnah nodded and headed for the stairs. Everett's gaze followed her until she disappeared from view. And that night, she dreamed of him and a future she hoped to have.

The smell of bacon and pancakes teased her awake the next morning. She stretched, enjoying the feel of the soft sheets against her skin. Stifling a yawn, Brinnah opened her eyes. Sunlight streamed through the narrow slits of the blinds, highlighting dust motes floating in the air. Rising, she gathered her things for the bathroom to get the day started.

As she walked down the stairs toward the delicious scents, she heard Everett on the phone.

"…And you burned the carcass? Uh-huh. We need to keep an eye out for other animals who might've been bit by that lion. What? Yeah, I can stop by. I'm taking my mate into town to show her around."

She smiled, liking the word "mate" on his lips. Her wolf purred, a smug little thing who lowered her front legs while lifting her back, until her little rump was in the air. Brinnah blinked. She was … presenting! The little hussy wanted her mate to mount her. Claim her. Desire rocked through her body and her pussy grew slick. She put a hand on the wall to steady herself and calm down.

"Brinnah?"

She blinked, mentally told her wolf to calm down, and smiled. "Yes?"

"Breakfast is ready." He held out a cup of coffee.

His nostrils flared as he got a whiff of her, and embarrassment consumed her. Her cheeks grew warm, and she quickly took the mug of coffee.

"Of course," she said and cleared her throat. Sitting down at the table, Everett brought over a plate with pancakes, bacon, toast, and cheesy eggs. Her mouth watered. "Oh my God, this is heavenly."

"Thank you," he said. "Brinnah, it's okay to be aroused around me. I'm in a constant state of hardness around you."

"You are?" she asked.

He nodded. "It's normal. And I probably won't allow unmated men around you. It's not you. It's my wolf."

"I understand." She smiled. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For rewriting what I thought mates were." She took a deep breath. "I didn't really have good role models."

She didn't have to go into details. Everett reached over and took hold of her hand, squeezing it gently in understanding. They ate a few minutes in silence and before long she was licking her lips and sipping her coffee. After breakfast, they put the dishes in the dishwasher before leaving to go find herself a job.

"We can stop by Jericho's office first," Everett said. "See if he has any lead on a job you might like."

"Okay," she replied.

"Any thought on what you'd like to do?"

"No. Maybe something with books or herbs. I like both."

"Herbs? I heard you say something to Doc."

She nodded. "I taught myself how herbs work medicinally. For all our work, us unmated females are only given a stipend of food, wood, and a few other necessary things. If we want more, we must work more. The pack library had a book about homeopathic medicine, so I taught myself."

"Have I told you how much I dislike your old pack?" His hands tightened on the steering wheel. "Instead of Jericho, I think we should stop by Savannah's."

"Doc mentioned her."

"She's an herbologist specializing in shifter physiology, obviously."

"Oh, I would love to meet her."

"It's settled then."