Paul and Luke were insistent that I should learn to practice shifting. So, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest floor, Paul led me deeper into the woods.

"Remember, Dana," Paul said, turning to face me, "Lucille will recognize you better in your wolf form. Her instincts and yours are stronger that way. It's best to practice first."

I nodded, swallowing hard. It made sense, but the idea of shifting on a whim terrified me. What if I couldn't control it? What if I harmed Paul?

"Trust me, Dana," Paul reassured, sensing my hesitation. "Your instincts are strong too, especially when it comes to danger. You'll be able to protect yourself and those around you now."

"But what if I... bite you?" The thought had been haunting me for days, ever since I realized how close I'd come to biting him before—not knowing what that even meant to want to. Never in my life had I had the urge to bite a boyfriend, and I was scared of the impulse.

"You won't," he insisted, his eyes locked onto mine, full of confidence. "You're stronger than that, and you'll recognize me because I would now recognize you. I have faith in you."

Paul came to a halt, checked we were alone, and gave me a rundown of what to expect because I hadn't remembered what had happened the last time.

The last time... Jesus. I had shifted in front of Antoine and surprised the shit out of us both.

With a deep breath, I tried to let go of my fears and focused on the sensation of shifting. I closed my eyes, concentrating on my inner wolf, willing it to emerge. To my frustration, absolutely nothing happened.

"I'm broken, Paul. This is pointless. What if it was a one-time thing?"

"Try again." You need to tap into the other part of yourself that calls to you. Do you hear it?"

I frowned. "No. And I want to point out that I never did before."

"It's okay." He reached out and cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing against my skin. "Don't force it. Let it come naturally. I saw you do this once before. You remember that whole trust thing we spoke of—well now is the show me don't tell me time."

"But what if I—."

He cut me off by leaning in and pressing his lips to mine in a tender kiss. Our mouths moved together, slow and soft at first, but quickly I allowed it to grow more intense.

Within less than a minute, all I could focus on was him. My heart raced and blood pulsed through my veins like wildfire. Like the last interaction we'd had lately of this variety, I didn't know how to stop.

And then, without warning, I felt it – the shift.

I pulled away from Paul, gasping as my bones began to rearrange themselves, my muscles stretching and contracting. It was painful, but also somehow...exhilarating. A current zapped through me, lighting sparks that threatened to set every cell in my body ablaze.

I tried to get my bearings—Paul, the rustling trees, the—oh, my god... Falling to my knees, I remembered why I was here, and why I was doing this which set the final fire inside.

Once the transformation was complete, I stood on four legs, my senses heightened, and my entire world changed.

The first thing I did was look down at my legs—all for of them, and then to Paul in utter shock. It had worked, but how?

He smiled, looking down at me with pride. "Strong emotions seem to be your trigger. You just needed a little push." He winked.

As I looked back dumbfounded, my newfound wolf instincts surged within me. I had never felt power like this before; raw, unadulterated primal power. As a woman who had never faired well with any of these before it was a turning point.

The boy had been right all along, and now, together, we were one step closer to finding Lucille and bringing her home.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Paul's voice echoed in my mind. "You've done it, Dana. You look simply... you look simply... Oh, fuck no..."

Before I could respond, Paul shifted into his wolf form also, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Paul, are you okay?"

"Dana... you need to move...now."

My ears pricked up in alarm. "What, why?"

His canines elongated further and a thirst began to cloud within his eyes that made my hind legs back up but my instincts were not worried.

Unsure what could possibly be wrong I pleaded with my eyes for him to offer an answer.

"Because I can't control the urge to..."

"The urge to what..."

He lunged forward pinning me by my throat with his teeth.

He growled.

"Paul!" I growled back, baring my teeth, struggling against his grip. "What are you doing?"

For a moment I questioned whether Paul was capable of snapping my neck. No one would be around if his primal instincts got the better of him. I shook my head; Paul maybe not but his wolf I wasn't sure about.

The tips of his teeth bored down on me; never hard enough to elicit pain, but more of a command.

Afraid to move, but strangely not minding the feel of his authority over me, I spoke to him again.

"Hey...are we okay? Do I need to worry?."

He retreated, releasing me immediately.

Paul swallowed hard and I caught the movement in his throat.

"Sorry...I... I don't know what came over me. It doesn't make sense. I'm not an Alpha and neither are you."

"What do you mean?"

"I tried to claim you. I got carried away. Claiming a mate is only possible for an Alpha," he pointed out. "A beta like me can't do that. But fuck, Dana, the impulse to try was just...there." he said, his ears flattening against his head in embarrassment. "Instincts took over. You're just... so fucking beautiful."

"Don't worry. I'm okay."

"Good. I mean, that's great news."

An air of silence proceeded.

"So, ready for a run?" Paul asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement and a desperate need to change the subject.

I imagined I smiled wide, nodding, following after him. As we raced through the forest together, I marveled at the newfound freedom offered by my wolf form.

The wind rushed through my fur, carrying the scents of damp earth, pine needles, and something else I couldn't quite place – a hint of fresh rain mixed with the faintest trace of Paul's scent. The sensation was intoxicating, filling me with a sense of belonging that I had never experienced before.

A sense of time in wolf form is hard to judge. But, I'm willing to bet by the appearance of the moon that we ran for miles, always close, always in sync.

"We need to focus on shifting back now. I've had my taste of being a wolf, and it's time I return to my human form. I need to know I can."

"Of course," Paul agreed, his thoughts tinged with disappointment. "Just let yourself relax and think about your human body. It should come naturally, like before."

The moon cast a silvery glow over the woods, making the leaves above our heads shimmer like stars.

"Paul, I'm worried about shifting back," I admitted. "What if I can't control it?"

He looked at me with understanding. "You will, Dana. Just like you controlled it when we kissed."

"Right. " I remembered the intensity of that moment and the way it had unlocked my ability to shift at will. "That was... powerful."

"Very," he agreed, his eyes momentarily clouding with desire before he shook off the memory. "But right now, let's focus on getting you back to your human form."

"Okay," I sighed, trying to push aside my lingering fears. Focusing on the sense of trust and safety I found in Paul, I concentrated on returning to my human form. The sensation of shifting washed over me once again, my bones rearranging themselves as I returned to my human form. When it was over, I looked up at Paul, who had shifted back as well.

"See?" Paul said gently, helping me up from the ground. "You did it. You're in control."

"Thanks to you," I whispered, hugging him.

"Sorry again," he said quietly, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from my face. "I didn't mean to scare you or anything."

"It's alright," I assured him, wrapping my arms around him in a hug.

As we stood there, embracing each other beneath the fading light of the sun, I couldn't help but wonder why I felt the urge to bite him in the same way he'd tried to do to me. Was it possible that my instincts were trying to tell me something?

From my elbows and every other joint in my body began to scream in protest. The energy and power that had flowed through me minutes before now left my human form drained, exhausted, and ready to collapse.

"It's a side effect of her first full shift. It will happen for a while until both of your forms are more aligned and in sync. For now, you need rest," Paul said, slinging an arm around my shoulder and guiding me back toward the cabin.

I yawned. "What will you do?"

"I'll sleep after the pack meeting. Tomorrow morning, I'll need to go with Paul to check on the shop and Dad, but I'll be there when you wake up. Promise."