N. Walters - Quinn's Quest

My eyes , she thought.

No, our eyes .

There was no difference. They were one and the same. Part of one another. Her muscles rippled and she jerked back, as though she could separate from the wolf and run away from this part of herself.

Fear ripped through her, but she quickly controlled it.

She could do this. She would do this.

Taking another deep breath, she focused on her wolf, on that other part of herself. Between one heartbeat and the next her hands began to change. Her fingers shortened and her nails lengthened.

She panted hard, desperately trying not to panic, accepting the change. Willing it to happen.

She bent over at the waist as her bones cracked and reformed. She should have been horrified by what was happening to her body, but instead was more intrigued by the entire process. It didn’t hurt. Not really. It seemed more normal than she’d imagined it would, like contorting herself into a particularly difficult yoga pose. The strangeness of it filtered through her brain even as her instincts took over and just did what needed to be done. She could feel her body actually contorting and taking on a new shape.

It happened so quickly she barely had time to begin to study the sensations rocketing through her before it was over. She was a wolf. Her new body was thickly muscled, compact and very strong.

The texture of her skin had changed. The cool air of the room no longer bothered her. Why would it? She had a thick coat of brown fur to keep her warm.

A warm muzzle rubbed against her jaw and she opened her eyes. Everything looked different. Sharper. Quinn was staring at her, concern in his pale blue eyes.

She was panting hard. Her tongue lolling out of her mouth. How unladylike was that? The thought made her laugh, but it sounded more like a chuff than a laugh. It was such a human reaction. And she was no longer totally human.

She glanced down at her forelegs, wishing she could see more of herself. Quinn circled her, sniffing her flanks, pausing between her back legs. He was sniffing her butt. She whirled around and nipped at him.

He growled and pounced on top of her, bringing her down to the floor and clamping his powerful jaws around her throat. He didn’t break the skin, didn’t hurt her, but he was certainly asserting his dominance. She growled back to let him know she wasn’t pleased.

He released her and licked at her muzzle as if in mute apology. He was fighting his wolf instincts as much as she was. She licked him back to let him know everything was okay between them.

Wolf kisses , she thought. And it made her smile.

This was so strange, yet it somehow felt right. She rolled up onto her paws and began to pace around the room. What she really wanted to do was run. But that wasn’t safe in a big city like Chicago. Maybe they could take a trip to the country sometime soon so she could test her legs. She longed to race through the woods with Quinn by her side, feeling the wind flowing over her fur.

Quinn shifted and she watched the procedure happen in reverse. Bones cracked, lengthened and reformed. His fur receded. His jaw shortened and his hands reappeared.

He was as comfortable naked as he was fully dressed and even more imposing, as if this was his natural state. He put his hands on his hips and stared at her.

She fought the urge to duck her head. She was strong and proud. She could do what she had to do and walk away when the time came.

Yes, she loved Quinn. That much was obvious to her. As impossible as it should have been in such a short time, it had still happened. There was no way she’d hold him to this mating if it wasn’t what he wanted. She wouldn’t repay his kindness, concern and understanding in that way.

“You are so beautiful.” He went down on his knees in front of her. She glided forward, feeling incredibly graceful. He rubbed his hands over her muzzle and jaw and along her head. His fingers were rough as they sifted through her fur. She shivered, craving his touch.

“Wait here.” He rose and went to the bathroom. He returned a moment later with a handheld shaving mirror. He held it down low. “Look at yourself. See how incredible you are.”

Bethany stared at the reflection of the wolf in the mirror. She looked exactly as she’d thought she would, exactly as she’d seen herself in her mind. The eyes that stared back belonged to her, but everything else was different. It was mind-blowing to look at the image in the mirror and know it was her.

Her fur was several shades of medium to light brown. Nothing special. Not like Quinn’s coloring. She wouldn’t have minded a cool blond streak or a flash of brown. But still, she thought she looked good. The hell with good. She was a freaking wolf. How cool was that.

Her body was extremely different, more compact and sturdy than her human form. She was stronger, her senses ramped up to amazing heights. She could hear traffic on the street, smell the chicken Teague was frying in the kitchen several stories below. It was almost overwhelming.

She turned one way and then another, trying to get a better view in the mirror. Quinn’s chuckle brought her back around. If she’d been in her human form, she knew she’d be blushing. As it was, she was still disconcerted.

“You look gorgeous,” he reassured her. “All sleek and supple muscle.” His voice grew deeper with each word he spoke. “How about you change back so I can show you just how beautiful I think you are?”

She shivered with growing desire. Knowing she’d never be able to shift with him staring at her, she closed her eyes. It was easier this time. She simply allowed the change to wash over her. It was natural and easy and a part of her. She and the wolf were one and the same.

The floor was cool beneath her bare butt. Her limbs felt more unwieldy, less powerful, even though she knew she was much stronger than the average human. Even more so now that she’d made her first change.

She blinked and closed her eyes again, slightly woozy at the sudden transition. The sights, smells and sounds faded back to a manageable level, but they were still more intense than they’d been before she’d changed. It seemed her transition had changed both her forms—human and wolf—making her more powerful in every way.

Adrenaline pumped through her body. Joy flooded her veins. “I did it.” She opened her eyes to find Quinn smiling down at her.

“You certainly did.” He said it as though he’d never had a doubt in the world. His faith in her made her heart swell. “Come here.” He reached down and helped her stand.

They were face-to-face, stomach-to-stomach. His erection prodded her belly. The heat from his body enveloped her. He took her hand and led her back to the bed.

He pulled down the covers and lay back on the mattress. “I took you, claimed you as my mate. Now it’s your turn to claim me.”

Bethany licked her lips. Oh, how she wanted this man. He was everything she’d ever wanted in a boyfriend, husband or mate. Whatever the name was didn’t matter. Quinn was loyal, honest, strong, intelligent and handsome as sin. He was also stubborn and relentless.

She was under no illusions that he was perfect. But then again, she didn’t want perfect. She wouldn’t be able to live up to that standard. She was as flawed as the next person.

All she’d ever wanted was someone to love and accept her. Quinn accepted her and cared for her, but long-lasting, forever love didn’t seem to be in the cards. After all, he’d already talked about letting her go, not the words of a man who was in love. But that was okay. She’d never regret their time together. And who knew, maybe he’d have a change of heart. No matter what happened between them, she decided she would have no regrets.