N. Walters - Legacy Found

And she wouldn’t be here to see it.

She heard a wolf howl in the distance and her heart stuttered. The mournful sound made her soul ache. It was the sound of a creature in pain.

It was James.

All the beatings she’d endured. The rapes. The pain. The long, lonely years with no hope. Nothing hurt her as badly as the thought of James in pain.

She came to a halt, her feet refusing to take another step forward. Her wolf howled and fought for release. She knew James was her mate. Wanted him with her entire being.

What was she doing?

She loved James.

It was as simple and as complicated as that. A little more than a week ago, she would have said it was impossible for her to ever love a man. Then James had walked into the diner where she’d worked and changed her life forever.

Had changed her.

In a few short days, she’d found her family, come to understand her heritage and taken the first real steps toward healing the wounds of the past.

James had risked his life for her. He had never offered any recriminations for bringing the wrath of the hunters down on his pack. All he’d ever done was offer her support.

He was letting her go because he knew it was what she wanted.

“Shelley?” Isaiah peered down at her, concern etched on his face.

“I can’t do this.” She took a step away. Her back hit a tree and she stared wildly around, her belongings clutched tight in her arms.

“Do what?” His voice was gentle. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

There was so much love. So much understanding. All of them had given her so much and she’d all but thrown it back in their faces with her need to stand on her own two feet.

But that was wrong.

Wolves were pack animals. She’d been alone far too long, cut off from her kind and her family. If she ever wanted to fully heal, she’d have to embrace who and what she truly was.

She licked her dry lips. Her heart beat so hard and wild she knew her brother could probably hear it.

Isaiah hooked his arm around Meredith and smiled. “Don’t be afraid to go after what you want. We’re all here for you. If things don’t work out here, you’re always welcome in Chicago.”

“And we want you to come for a visit, even if you don’t stay,” Meredith added. “I want you to meet my pack, my family.”

Their continued generosity astounded her.

As though he could read her mind, Isaiah cupped her face in his hands and leaned down. “We’re family. It doesn’t matter if your name is Rachel or Shelley. You’re my sister and I want you to be happy.”

A low sob was torn from somewhere deep within her and she flung herself into his arms. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, brokenly. “Sorry I disobeyed you that day and got caught.”

The guilt had been eating at her. She’d disobeyed the rules about going out alone and had caused nothing but grief and hardship for her family.

His arms tightened around her. Then she felt Meredith’s arms enclose her as well.

“It wasn’t your fault.” His voice was fierce. “Do you understand me? It was those fucking hunters.” Isaiah pulled back and glared at her. “We all broke rules as pups. That’s part of growing. Learning. But none of us paid. Not like you did.” He brushed away the tears from her face as another howl echoed across the air.

“Go.” He pushed her away. “Go to him. Tell him how you feel.”

She gave a watery laugh. “Is it that obvious?”

“Only to those of us who love you both.” Meredith’s words comforted her. They loved her.

Shelley knew what she had to do.

She thrust her two bags of belongings at her brother. “Can you take this back for me?”

He smiled. “Yeah, I’ll make sure your things are safe.”

Shelley knew he understood what a big deal it was for her to leave her few belongings with him. Ducking behind a bush, she began to yank at her sweater and jeans. Meredith was beside her a few seconds later, gathering and folding clothing. “I’ll make sure you’re clothing gets back to James’s house.” Leaning forward, she kissed Shelley’s cheek. “Go for it, honey.”

Naked, Shelley stood and took a deep breath. She barely felt the chill of the spring air or the damp ground beneath her feet. She hadn’t willingly changed in decades. It happened around the time she went into heat, but that was involuntary and she’d fought it with all her might.

This was different. For the first time in her life she wanted to shift into her wolf.

Closing her eyes, she embraced the wilder part of herself. Primal. Instinctual. She reached for it. Welcomed it. Her wolf howled. The sheer happiness and acceptance of that part of herself rushed through her. The wolf held no grudge against being imprisoned all these years. It understood survival.

But now it was time to live. Freely. As she was meant to.

Her bones cracked and reformed as she fell to her hands and knees. The moss was soft against her skin as she threw back her head and let it happen. Fur covered her skin. Her facial features shifted, her jaw elongating.

When it was done, the world appeared different. Sharper. More detailed. Her hearing was always good, but this was even better. She lifted her nose and sniffed the air. The earthy smell of the ground mixed with the tangy pine needles. She scented a squirrel in the tree to her left and the perfume of an early flower off to her right. The wind ruffled her fur as she watched a beetle climb up a tree trunk.

It was incredible.

“You’re beautiful.” Isaiah dropped to his knees beside her and held out his hand. She trotted forward and nuzzled his palm. His fingers rubbed through her thick fur. “I’m so proud of you.”

A howl sounded in the distance and she swung her head around. James was out there. Alone.

“Go,” her brother urged her.

Giving no further thought to her belongings, she darted off into the underbrush. She trusted her family. She trusted James.

Shelley savored that feeling as she jumped over a fallen log and under yet another. A creek trickled off to her right, but she ignored it. Exploring could wait for another time. She had to find James.

As urgent as her mission was, she couldn’t help but experience the exhilaration coursing through her veins. She felt more alive than she ever had. Whole.

She finally understood that she and the wolf were one. Not separate.

Her paws made little sound as she raced over the soft ground. Moss, pine needles and dead leaves carpeted the forest floor, cushioning her steps. The sun came through the trees, painting the world with dark and light.

Shelley paused, raised her head and sniffed the air. He was close.

Instinct made her lift her head and open her mouth. What emerged was a long, baleful howl. She needed James with her. Now.

The air around her thickened. She sensed him before she saw him. Like a silvery ghost, the gray wolf emerged from behind a thick clump of trees.

Her entire body quivered. She bent her back legs, ready for action.

James erupted with no warning. Turning on her hind legs, Shelley darted off. Some instinct told her to run. To make him catch her.

It wasn’t fear making her heart beat faster, filling her veins with pure exhilaration. It was desire. Love. Need.

He was gaining on her. She pushed hard, but was no match for the large male wolf chasing her.

He pounced, taking her down easily. They rolled across the mossy ground, a tangle of limbs and fur. He stood over her, his hackles raised, a snarl on his face.

Shelley lay beneath him, panting hard, totally submissive.

She loved him. She’d hurt him. This was her way of telling him without words.

He leaned down and caught the slack skin of her neck between his teeth. She didn’t flinch away. Instead, she arched her neck, offering him her complete trust.