Chapter Forty-Nine Hers

"Sorry, after the sex glow wore off, my brain conjured an image of naked me riding your wolf form through the forest," I explained. "Like an X-rated version of Princess Mononoke."

Ollie burst out laughing, which caused me to laugh even harder. When we calmed down, he pulled me off him and grabbed a towel from his bathroom to clean me first, then himself. Ollie glanced at me with a mischievous but nervous glint in his eye.

"I, um... don't know about being naked, as my pack is at the training grounds nearby, but you can ride me in my wolf form." His cheeks, ears, and the back of his neck turned red. Ollie quickly mumbled, "It has to be cleared by Tally first. I mean, if you want to."

My jaw dropped, "Wait. Are you serious?"

Ollie's blush seemed to deepen, and he moved off the bed toward the closet, pulling out some clothes and returning to the bedside, "I mean... I've never done it before, but I don't mind trying. Besides, I love being between your thighs."

I jumped out of bed, ignoring the aches, pains, and Ollie's concerned look, and launched myself into his arms, capturing his mouth with mine. A loud knock at the door has me jumping out of his arms. A playful smirk leaps to Ollie's face as he walks over to the door, opening it slightly, and I barely make out a feminine voice. Ollie glances at me, says hold on, then closes the door gently. He grabs something from his closet, sauntering to where I stood. I let out a breath; I didn't realize I was holding until Ollie skillfully draped a soft robe around my body. I'm impressed by his dexterity as he expertly ties the robe together. I almost moan, watching his fingers move. Ollie's lips quirks up when I look up at his face. "Tally is here to check on you."

I felt the panic surface, "You aren't leaving, right?"

Ollie's face softens, and he cups my jaw, "I will do whatever you want. If I stay or go is your choice."

"Stay." I plead, and he nods, then moves to open the door. Tally makes her way inside, and fear grips my throat. The last time I saw her, she was Mother and Dr. Cunningham's nurse. She was the catalyst for Ollie telling me the truth, and I'm unsure if I should thank her or cuss her out. Tally gives me the first genuine smile, and I'm taken aback. "OH! Thank goodness! Alpha, I was so worried about her!"

She abruptly drops her bag and grips me into a tight hug. "I wish I had known sooner!"

My body was stiff, and I glanced at Ollie, who stood nearby with a polite smile. Tally pulled back and held me by my shoulders, "Alright, let's double-check your vitals."

When I get the all-clear from Tally with a small warning to take it easy for a while, Ollie escorts her to the door. I glance at him expectantly. he just stares back at me with amusement. "Get dressed. I'll take you for a ride."

I squealed, quickly pulled my activewear clothes from my suitcase in the corner, and dressed. I turned toward Ollie and check his fine body out. He wore athletic pants and a t-shirt with a logo on the sleeve/pant ends. How did I get so lucky? I walked over to him and ran my fingers over the strange patch. I wondered what designer this was.

"Enchantment patch. It's so my clothes stay intact when I shift. That way, I'm not naked when I shift back."

I pouted, "Bummer. I love it when you are naked."

Ollie chuckled and kissed my forehead, pulling me flush against him. My curiosity made me wonder, "Why don't you wear clothes with that patch all the time?"

Ollie put his chin on the top of my head, holding me close. "They take a lot of resources to make, and gods are in short supply these days. All thanks to my father."

I thought about what that meant. There were reasons my father kept this part of our lives from me, and the rarity of my gift was one of them. I put those thoughts into a box for later. I pushed back away from Ollie and giddily said, "I'm ready. Should we head downstairs---"

Ollie grabbed my hand and turned while yanking me on his back. Instantly, I heard the familiar sizzle and cracking sound as Ollie transformed into his wolf-form below me. I gripped his body beneath my thighs and grasped the long hair at the nape of his neck. I mentally thanked Mother for the years of horseback riding lessons. Wolf-Ollie bounced from one foot to the other, testing my hold on him before he burst forward. We sprinted through the open French doors and leaped off the balcony. My scream was cut short when we landed heavily on the ground. Wolf-Ollie turned his head to ensure I was okay, then howled before taking off in a trot.

I awkwardly laughed as I got used to riding this massive wolf, but I spurred his sides once I understood his movements. Wolf-Ollie snarled but obliged me. He took off into the woods at a full sprint. I felt the raw power of this form beneath my thighs, the wind smashing against my face, and I heard the whooshing of the world as it whizzed by. I couldn't stop smiling because this was as close to natural freedom as I'd ever been. Behind me, I caught a glimpse of a dark shape and pressed myself into Wolf-Ollie's back. I called out to him to let him know what I saw. Wolf-Ollie howled beneath me and abruptly turned to go back the way we came. Instantly, four wolves appeared, two on each side, with Wolf-Ollie leading. I felt the panic rise in my throat. But Wolf-Ollie picked up speed, leaving the others in his black misty dust.

Wolf-Ollie suddenly came to a halt, shifting instantly beneath me until I was on Ollie like a backpack. I laughed when he gave me a wolfish smirk but stopped when four wolves crashed through the tree line.

All four shift before me into Neal, Finn, Hugo, and Aurora. She laughed, running straight for us, and stopped before Ollie. He glared at her, but she quickly grinned at me, "My turn to chill with Luna!"

My stomach grumbled, and Ollie smiled at me, "Food first!"