Chapter 65

Olivia’s POV

My vision was gray around the edges when the pressure on my chest suddenly vanished. I gasped, cool air rushing into my starved lungs as I gulped it down greedily. For a split second I was so grateful I didn’t even bother wondering what happened.

Then my vision cleared, and as I watched Elroy’s form blur around the edges I understood what was going on. He was shifting.

Shifting was when a wolf was most vulnerable, which was why shifting publicly during my Luna ceremony had such a large impact, because for a split second it meant we were deaf, blind, and immobile. It also meant that Elroy lost access to his aura. However, it wouldn’t last long.

I tried to push myself up on shaking arms, but my limbs wouldn’t cooperate with me and I had mere seconds before that aura came back full force. I would be helpless as soon as it did, and I’d been a breath away from passing out before. I knew somewhere inside of me that if I had to go through that again, I wouldn’t survive.

But Elroy was running entirely on instinct. Hed given in to panic, and I knew I couldn’t get through to him with logic or reason. So I followed my instinct too and released my scent. If anything was going to break through the haze, it was that.

Please work, I begged. Please understand.

I projected feelings of calm, of safety, pouring everything I had into my scent without tipping over into triggering my own aura. It was a delicate balance, but I had to try. If I couldn't get through to Elroy now...

I couldn’t let that fear into my scent, though, or I’d trigger him again. I focused on the moments in my life I felt the happiest, like coming off the stage at my first dance recital or the afternoons in the garden with my parents. Elroy completed his shift.

I braced myself, but the howling pressure of Elroy’s aura didn’t immediately return. Oh, thank the Goddess, it’s working! "That's it," I murmured soothingly, knowing he couldn’t understand the words in the state he was in, “come back to me, Elroy.”

Elroy's massive wolf form lunged forward, making me jerk my already hyper-tense muscles, but instead of attacking he pressed his cold, wet nose at the juncture of my neck. I held perfectly still, hardly daring to breathe as he took in my scent.

"That's right," I whispered, relief washing over me as I felt no return of his crushing aura. "It's just me. We’re safe."

Elroy whined softly, his breath humid where he sniffed over me in worry. His tail was wagging low, ears pinned back, every part of his body language screaming concern and hope. I managed to lift my arms and ran my fingers through his thick fur, desperate to keep him calm.

"That’s it," I murmured, my eyes darting to Fay's motionless form across the room. My heart clenched. "Stay with me, Elroy."

Elroy’s huge form, done with its cursory inspection, laid down and scooted right up against me. He kept snuffling under my chin, scenting me nearly frantically, but all that mattered to me was that he was keeping his aura under lock and key.

I wrapped my arm around him, pulling him closer to me, and even though I did it for his benefit I couldn’t say it didn’t settle me too. We’d been apart so long, not just from this abduction but from the seemingly endless days of silence and tension, and having him warm and real against me soothed a deep hurt. I needed the comfort so badly I didn’t even try to fight it.

His wolf was beautiful.

I couldn’t help but marvel at him as I sunk my fingers into his midnight-black fur, taking in the form I’d only ever seen once before. I hadn’t really been looking at the time either, too thrilled with my own successful shift, but looking at him now? He was magnificent.

His strong jawline became a sharp snout, his broad back turned into a powerful shoulder girdle and sturdy haunches, and his eyes—oh, Goddess, his eyes!. Most wolves had brown or gold eyes in wolf form, but him keeping his initial eye color made him look more regal, more intelligent. Something about seeing that electric blue framed by endless black was just…different.

He was nothing short of breathtaking.

I turned my head around the hut, straining my eyes for any sign of movement from Fay. She had managed to untie me before succumbing to Elroy’s aura, but from this angle I couldn’t see if her chest was rising and falling or not. I didn’t want to startle Elroy, or remind her that she was there, but…

"Fay?" I called out softly. No response.

Fear bubbled up in my chest. What if she wasn't breathing? What if Elroy's aura had been too much? I tried to steady my racing thoughts, but panic clawed at the edges of my mind.

Suddenly, Elroy's wet nose was under my chin, his sapphire eyes searching mine intently. I realized some of my worry must have seeped into my scent.

"It's okay," I said, forcing a smile and focusing on projecting calm once more. "Everything's fine."

But even as I eliminated the concern from my scent, the fear continued to churn inside me. I couldn't see if Fay was breathing, and if she wasn't—

If she wasn't, what was I going to do?