Marilu Mann - Changing Focus

If she didn’t know she could shift, she would go through life with black holes in her memory and the guilt of murder weighing down her future. Worse, she could injure someone if she didn’t know how to stay with her animal self. Shifters who let their animals rule were a danger to all-especially the Packs who wanted to live in secret.

If she refused to take control of her animal and stayed here with him, the local Pack would be well within their rights to order her exterminated for the good of all. As Alpha, even an unofficial Alpha, it would be his job to carry out that order. Micah’s hands fisted tightly as he tried to calm himself. Worrying about things that hadn’t happened, that he wouldn’t allow to happen, wasted precious time.

Then he realized that telling her again that she could become a wolf was futile. He had to show her. He had to use his power and trust that he was doing it for the right reason. He had to protect Olivia from herself.

“Olivia, will you come outside with me? I want to take you back to that clearing. I can prove my words to you there. It’s a special place. It’s where the Pack comes together during a full moon and other special times. It’s where we celebrate and where we play.” He poured everything he could into the request, hoping she would hear the truth and trust him.

Dear God. Go into the woods with a man who apparently isn’t a man? Olivia questioned her sanity even as she nodded her agreement. For whatever reason, she trusted Micah. She’d always known there was something different, something wrong with her. Now here was Micah telling her-no, showing her-that there truly was more to this world than she had dreamed of.

Olivia paused a moment, fighting back a reluctant chuckle. Quoting Shakespeare only reminded her that she did dream of this. Every night she ran wild in her dreams. Wolves at her side. And if she were crazy, then she’d hallucinated the large wolf. She grimaced when she looked at the hardwood floor where a tuft of silver hair lay in mute testimony to the reality of what she tried to deny. Wait a minute.

“That wolf the other night…the one playing in the snow. That was you?”

Micah’s smile warmed her from the inside out as he nodded. “I tried everything I could to get you to come outside. I’ve never felt quite so foolish.”

It hadn’t occurred to her that he might be taking a risk telling her about himself. She took a hesitant step toward him, hating the fear she felt. This was Micah. Yes, she’d only known him a few short days but it felt like so much more. The intensity-that scared her more than his changing into a wolf.

“I’m ready then. I don’t know what to think right now, Micah, but I know that I do trust you. Not sure why, but I do. Let me bundle back up.”

So fast it took her breath away, Micah stood at her side. His lips were warm and soft as he pressed a gentle kiss against her cheek.

“I know you think one of us is insane, but I promise you, neither of us is.”

She didn’t worry about the fact that he stood there while she changed. Hearing his breath speed up made her feel powerful in a way she had never felt before. She took her time slipping into the silk undershirt, even turning to face him when she zipped her jeans up over the silk pants. She could have sworn his tongue was about to loll out of his mouth. With a nod, she headed past him and down the stairs.

“Are we taking the sled?” Olivia went for the most mundane thing she could think of.

He shook his head and handed her a pair of skis. “I’m assuming you know how to cross-country? I know you did that article on it for that New York resort.”

Her head jerked in surprise and he laughed. “Yes, Olivia, I researched you before you came to my property. Here are your poles.”

The trip to the clearing was shorter because they didn’t have to stick to the winding path. Cutting through the trees, they sliced at the snow with skis and poles. Left ski, right pole then right ski, left pole-the kick and glide rhythm was easy to fall into. Olivia had forgotten how much work it was but reveled in the clear, crisp air.

She managed to work up a sweat with the sun warming her up in her layers of clothing. Finally the edge of the opening appeared before them and Olivia kicked her skis in toward one another to snowplow to a stop. Without a word from Micah, Olivia removed her boots from the skis.

“Okay. Now what?” Suddenly she thought about what she was doing. Out in the middle of nowhere with-she looked at Micah and took a deep breath. With a man she knew she could trust. He just smelled right . Shoving her doubts aside, she moved toward him until puffs of her breath caressed his face.

“Are you going to eat me now?”

Micah’s start of laughter elicited an answering one of her own. For a minute they let the silliness of the double entendre ring through the woods. Then Micah’s face tightened as his eyebrows drew together and his lips pursed in. He huffed out a breath as he looked into her eyes.

She marveled at the myriad colors swirling in his eyes. What she had mistaken for brown was more hazel than anything else. Light seemed to flicker in his gaze and Olivia forced herself to look away.

“Olivia, what is about to happen is going to scare you. I’m going to help you change. I’m going to show you what you really are. Are you ready?” He stroked her cheek, sending heat waves to her belly.

At her nod, he unzipped her jacket. “You’re going to need to be naked for this or you’ll ruin your clothes. I promise you won’t come to any harm and you won’t freeze.”

Olivia didn’t hesitate. In for a penny, in for a pound. She followed Micah’s directions, tucking her folded clothes into a tree branch. Despite his assurance, she couldn’t stop a shiver from coursing over her body and she could feel the cold, especially in her bare feet. “Okay, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

He licked his lips as he scanned her body. She noticed a change in his smell and a tightness in his pants. Then he focused intently on her and her whole world shattered. Olivia screamed as her hands begin to twist on their own. Falling to her knees, she begged him to stop but the words didn’t come out right.

Her lips elongated as her jaw jutted forward. Reaching a hand up to feel her face, Olivia cried out when a paw shot up next to her. Only her cry came out as an unearthly howl.

Shuddering, she realized the world looked and smelled incredibly different. The colors were muted into shadows. Scents assaulted her nostrils until she wanted to bury her snout in the snow. Snout? SNOUT!! Olivia jerked her head around to look behind her. A furry rump with a long flowing tail greeted her. Leaping up, Olivia whirled but the tail was gone.

A coughing sound caught her attention. Where Micah had stood was the black and gray wolf. He cautiously approached, bumping her with his nose. She shied away then realized she’d leaped a good ten feet from him. Hey, that’s not bad! Wonder how fast I can run? Before the thought fully left her mind, her feet dug into the snow as she propelled herself forward.

Air whipped around her but didn’t chill her. Olivia opened her mouth to give voice to the joy she felt. This was so very right-this was her right. The sound of pounding paws came from behind her and then Micah pulled up even with her. He shot her what could only be called a wolfy grin and surged forward. Oh no you don’t, fella. I’m built for speed.

You are built for other things too and you’re the most gorgeous she-wolf I’ve ever seen, Liv. Run with me!

Olivia didn’t question his voice in her head nor did she answer it. Instead she poured energy into her run using every bit of muscle she had to gain ground on Micah. Finally she flipped her tail as she passed him. At the next large tree, she flopped down panting to wait for him. He came around the corner at full speed.