Chapter 102

Chapter 102
As we finished dinner in the dining room, Amy spoke up. “Alright future luna, it’s time to say goodbye to your alpha until tomorrow morning. You’re staying with me tonight.”

“Very funny, Ames, but Grimm already told me that’s not true,” I said, laughing as Amy stuck her tongue out at Grimm.

“Okay, okay, but remember you’re getting ready at Seraphina’s tomorrow so he doesn’t see you in your beautiful dress until the ceremony.”

“Yes, I will be there before lunch,” I promised.

With that, Amy and Ryder bid us goodnight and went on their way.

“How about a run before bed?” Grimm suggested. I know he could feel the anxiousness about tomorrow building in me all day.

“That sounds perfect,” I agreed.

Hand in hand, we left the dining room and made out way to the entrance to the woodlands path as the last of the sun’s light faded into twilight. I looked up as we walked, feeling the cooling breeze of the summertime brushing over my skin, seeing the bats flit about above our heads, searching for their dinner. Immediately, I felt more relaxed.

“This is my favorite time of the year,” I said, listening to the frogs chirping in the distance, and crickets silencing their song as they heard our approach.

We reached the cover of the trees where a bench was set for storing clothes during shifted runs. Without hesitation, I kicked off my sandals and pulled my tank top over my head, then shimmied out of my denim shorts and panties. Without waiting for Grimm to follow suit, I shucked my bra and swiftly shifted, letting Tala take over.

She sprung forward, just as excited about a run in the summer twilight as I was, shaking out her fur and leaning forward into a deep stretch.

Hearing paws padding close, she turned as Kieran’s head rubbed against hers, marking her with his scent as he nuzzled. With a light nip at his cheek, Tala pushed forward and took off in a run, knowing her mate was following close on her heels.

The two wolves ran through the woods, leaping over fallen trees, splashing through the shallows of the stream, weaving in and out of branches until they were panting and the stars had blossomed in the sky.

We found ourselves in the clearing we had gone to when I shifted for the first time. Tala laid down on the lush carpet of grass and moss for a rest from their exercise.

I love this spot, I said to Grimm in the link as Kieran laid down next to us.

Me too. I also love that spot over there, he replied, indicating to the place where he took me against a tree that day. Tala and I both rolled our eyes at our mate. Grimm chuckled in the link and Kieran nuzzled closer.

Are you feeling calmer about tomorrow and the future now? He asked.

Yeah, I am. Much calmer, I replied honestly. The run and connecting with nature in wolf form really had settled my nerves. Maybe letting Tala out, letting her remind me of the power we held in wolf form and that I wasn’t facing the unknown alone, had been the reassurance I needed.

No maybe, that’s definitely what it was and you should remember that next time you’re about to freak out, Tala said to me.

You could have told me instead of letting me figure it out on my own! I countered.

Where’s the fun in that? She replied.

Ready to head back? It’s getting late, Grimm said, interrupting my minor argument with my wolf.

Tala nodded our reply and we both rose, falling into a trot next to Kieran as he led us the short way back down the path to where we left our clothes.

We shifted back and re-dressed. I pulled Grimm into a tight hug before we started back towards home.

“Thank you,” I said, my voice muffled slightly against his chest.

“You never have to thank me for going on a run with you,” he replied, his arms wrapping around me, but not as tightly as I was squeezing him.

“No, I mean for everything. For putting up with the craziness that seems to follow me and for knowing what I need to calm me down, even when I don’t. For being the best mate ever.”

Grimm pulled away, but so he could lean down and kiss me softly.

“Little mate, do you not even realize that you do the same for me every day?”

We stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms and staring into each others eyes in a sappy way, until the little love spell captivating us was broken by a angry roll of thunder in the distance.

“I didn’t think we were getting rain tonight,” Grimm frowned.

“I hope it doesn’t mess up the decorations that have been set up for tomorrow,” I said, “We should get inside before the rain starts,” I urged as another roll of thunder sounded.