Page 6 of Saved By the Moonlight (Spicy Teatime Shorts)

Chapter 6

Lily

O n the third day after I was attacked on the roadside, I wake and notice that all of my stab wounds have healed. They haven’t just improved but healed completely.

I can see, smell, and hear everything from miles away. When I move, I can move faster than I should. Not knowing what is wrong with me, I panic and try to talk to Jackson about it.

He explains that he and the pack witch, Ester, used dark magic and shifter blood to save me, and the consequences were unknown until now. They don’t know for certain if the effects will wear off.

Jackson’s hiding something from me, I can tell. It may sound odd, but I can hear his thoughts. He doesn’t think I’m human anymore. And what worries me the most is, he doesn’t seem the least bit bothered by this. I am, though. I have a home and a family and a job to return to.

“Jackson, I have to call the hospital and let them know when I’m coming back to work.”

“You can’t, Lily. You no longer belong in that world, and you are mine.”

I shake my head, stunned at his declaration. “Yours? Look, I appreciate you helping me and all, but I have a life, Jackson. I can’t stay here.”

Jackson walks up to me, grabbing me by the back of my neck. “I know you feel the connection we have. The only reason I waited to tell you this was because you were critically injured. You are my mate, Lily. That means you are mine. Mine to fuck, mine to put my baby into. Mine to keep by my side forever.”

Jackson bends forward and crashes his lips into mine, forcefully invading my mouth with his tongue.

“You will stay here,” he growls before he turns and walks away from me, leaving my mouth hanging open.

He doesn’t know it yet, but I will not be staying here. I have a life to get back to.

“Asshole,” I mutter at his retreating form.

As soon as I’m certain Jackson is far enough away not to hear, I leap from the bed and sprint across the room, experiencing a surreal transformation as my clothes dissolve and my bones twist and snap. The moment I touch the ground, a sharp pain shoots through my legs, leaving me momentarily paralyzed. Glancing downward, my heart pounds as I notice the glimmering white fur coat tightly hugging my body, the sharp claws extending from my fingertips, and an unexpected presence that fills me with unease.

I’m not human anymore.

My heart races and my breath catches in my throat as I stare down in disbelief, my hands trembling. Well, my paws to be exact, since I don’t have hands at the moment.

Overwhelmed by the urge to run, my mind races in a panic, desperately searching for an outlet to sate the feeling of restlessness that consumes me.

A sound behind me has me turning. There Jackson stands with his mouth open and his eyes wide. “Lily, look at you, my beautiful girl. Your wolf is magnificent.”

He walks in circles around me, eyeing my new form with an expression akin to awe.

My heart thumps a staccato beat in my chest, and my breaths come in quick, shallow pants, as my thoughts whirl like a tornado. It’s impossible that I just morphed into an animal . Impossible, right?

Am I losing my mind?

Unable to resist the urge to move any longer, I burst through the door of the cottage and out into the woods, leaving a stunned Jackson in my wake.

Racing through the trees, with the moon shining overhead, I feel the leaves crunch beneath my paws. I quickly become attuned to the sounds of movement within the undergrowth—insects and woodland creatures scurrying around in the otherwise stillness of the night. Soon these sounds become amplified, and I realize I’m not alone out here.

Turning to see who is following me, I spot an enormous wolf keeping pace with me. A male, standing far taller than me, whose eyes sparkle with a beautiful amber color and whose coat is a magnificent gray.

As I watch him, mesmerized, a faint, unidentifiable whisper echoes in my mind. My head swivels, scanning the surroundings, searching for the source of the unusual sound. But then, a realization washes over me— the source is inside me . Suddenly, I feel powerful, like my body and mind are embracing whatever magic is at work here.

“Calm down, my baby wolf. I’m here for you.”

Despite Jackson’s attempt to soothe me, I release a sound similar to a chuff in derision. I’m not scared, just confused. I feel overwhelmed, and I can’t seem to grasp what’s going on.

Regardless of how I feel, I start to run again, and Jackson follows me like an ever-present shadow. Soon, I find myself doubling back and playfully nipping at his legs and flank, as we chase through the undergrowth.

With a warning tone, Jackson barks, “Mate,” and my ears perk up.

How the hell is he talking to me? He’s a goddamn wolf.

How is this possible?

“You turned me into a fucking dog, what do you expect?” My mind sasses back to his as I continue to nip and needle him.

He lets out a frustrated huff, and I watch the warmth of his breath mist in the cool night air.

“Not a dog, Lily, a wolf.”

“Same fucking thing, Jackson. I’m a fucking furry animal all the same. How can I show up at the hospital to work as a nurse with fur?”

“Baby girl,” he cautions, and I can sense the emotional strain in his tone, “I tried to tell you that chapter of your life is closed. You’re mine now, and it’s time I claimed you.”