Shifters and Partners 9 - Trey's Partner by Shiloh Hollis

Author:Shiloh Hollis
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

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It was easier to sleep than I thought it would be. He had the decency not to say "I told you so," but he did grin rather smugly when we woke up, and then gave me a quick ear rub before I was awake enough to move away from him.

I gave myself a shake, feeling refreshed by the sleep, although I missed the smell of home, of clean mountain air and other wolves.

When I shifted back, we got moving. We stopped at a diner for a huge breakfast, and didn't bother talking to each other. I had the feeling all day that he was keeping an eye on me. I couldn't be too annoyed. It was his job, after all, just like it was mine to watch his back.

It took three days of travel to reach his mountain by truck. Three days of incredible strain for me, travelling through new areas and seeing new things, sleeping in strange places with strange smells every night, and eating somewhere different for each meal.

I felt like I was constantly tensed for something to happen, waiting, on edge. He was calm, but it wasn't enough to make me mellow. Pretty soon, the things he said or didn't say were making me snappish and hostile, taking offense easily. He refused to get irritated back at me, and either just ignored it or (worse) was amused.

Sometimes he was even annoyingly affectionate, as if that was going to cheer me up. He'd give me a little shove, or reach up and scrub my hair with his hand before I could dodge away from him. I always glowered at him when he did this, but he'd just laugh and look proud of himself for catching me off-guard.

When we finally got to his mountain, I felt like I could breathe again.

"That's the cabin," he said, pointing to a small wooden home tucked against the hillside. "I live there, and—"

Guard the surrounding mountains, I know, I know. I ignored him, already stripping off clothes. I needed to go for a run — now.

He looked startled for an instant, then he relaxed. "I'll see you when you get back. I'll have something cooking. Don't get lost!" he called after me teasingly.

I was already running, in my wolf form, so it was too late to yell something back or give him the middle finger.

I ran.

I began to feel better, using up some of the energy, fighting off some of the constant strain I'd been under. The inner tightness, tension, and snappishness began to wear down. His mountains were cool, clean, happy. I was going to feel good here, I could already tell.

I located a stream and drank my fill, then lay down panting to have a little rest. The quiet settled around me, and I soaked in the sounds of this mountain forest, similar to my own home and yet unique. I didn't know it all like the back of my hand; yet wilderness, and mountainside calm, were home to me in a deep way, and a balm to my soul.

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