Page 14 of The Careless Alpha

I released my death grip on my human form and surrendered to the transformation. It felt less like giving up and more like finally breaking chains I never knew I was wearing. Pain shot through every nerve ending as bones lengthened and muscles reformed.

And then, between one breath and the next, I was a wolf.

I thought my senses were enhanced before, but now my vision sharpened until I could see individual leaves on the oak trees overhead. My hearing exploded with new sensitivity, picking up heartbeats and whispered conversations from across the grove.

I could smell the pack members around the circle, each with their own unique signature. Luna Etta's warm vanilla and cinnamon. Jackson's leather and loyalty.

And Marshall. Oh, Marshall.

I could sense him more clearly now, feel the pull of our mate bond in a way I never had as a human-only. My wolf recognized her mate even without being able to scent him properly - that wouldn't come until I turned eighteen. But the knowledge was there, written into our very souls by the Moon Goddess herself.

He is ours,Sapphire said, her voice in my head warm with satisfaction.But he does not allow it yet.

I knew what she meant. Even with this new connection, I could sense his emotional distance, the way he kept himselfseparate from our bond. Marshall was twenty-two years old and unmated, living his life without consideration for the teenage girl waiting for him to notice her.

This will change,Sapphire growled, determination bleeding through our shared consciousness.We are no longer a child to be ignored.

But even as she spoke, I wondered if anything would really change. Having a wolf didn't make me eighteen. It didn't make me the woman Marshall seemed to want.

"Beautiful," Luna Etta breathed from somewhere above me.

I looked down at myself and saw deep auburn fur that gleamed like copper in the fading sunlight. My wolf form was smaller than I'd expected, built for speed and agility rather than raw power. But I felt strong in a way I never had as a human, like I could run for miles without tiring.

We are beautiful,Sapphire agreed with satisfaction.We are strong. Stronger than they know.

The pack began to cheer, celebrating my successful transformation. I lifted my muzzle to the sky and let out a howl that came from the deepest part of my soul. It was answered immediately by dozens of voices as the pack welcomed their newest adult member.

When the howling died down, Marshall approached me slowly. "Shift back now, Annalise. Let your wolf rest."

The return to human form was easier, like slipping into comfortable clothes. Within moments, I was kneeling naked in the grove, my human body whole and unchanged. Luna Etta immediately wrapped a soft robe around my shoulders, protecting my modesty from the crowd.

"How do you feel?" she asked quietly.

"Different," I said honestly. "Stronger. Like I'm complete."

"That's exactly right." She helped me to my feet, keeping the robe secure around me. "Your wolf is part of you now, forever.Listen to her wisdom, but remember that you are still human too. Both halves make you whole."

The pack pressed forward to offer congratulations, and I found myself surrounded by warm embraces and excited chatter. The older pack members shared stories of their first shifts, while the younger ones asked eager questions about what it felt like.

Through it all, I kept catching glimpses of Marshall watching me from across the grove. There was something different in his expression, a new awareness that made my heart skip. Could he sense the change in me? Feel the strengthening of our mate bond now that my wolf has emerged?

He sees us differently now,Sapphire observed.Good. It is time he learned what he has been ignoring.

Eventually, the crowd began to disperse as families headed home to their dinners and evening routines. I was accepting final congratulations from Elder Maeve when Marshall finally approached.

"Congratulations," he said, his voice carefully neutral. "Your wolf is beautiful."

"Thank you." I looked up at him, hyperaware of his scent and the way his amber eyes seemed to glow in the dusky light. "Sapphire says hello."

His eyebrows rose slightly. "Sapphire?"

"My wolf. She's..." I paused, searching for the right words. "She's protective. And she doesn't like being ignored."

Something flickered in Marshall's expression, there and gone so quickly I might have imagined it. "I'm sure she'll settle in fine. Wolves usually do."

The casual dismissal stung, but I forced myself to smile. "I'm sure she will."

"Marshall!" Scarlett's voice cut through the evening air like a blade. She approached us with her usual confident stride,wearing a tight dress that left little to the imagination as usual. "There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you."