Liam hesitated, his brows furrowing. “Wait, what do you mean, ‘there’s no harm in trying’? What’s your plan?”
I gave him a sidelong glance as we continued through the trees. “We’re going to shift.”
His steps faltered. “Shift? Into wolves?”
“Yes,” I said simply, scanning the path ahead. “We’ll cover more ground, track faster, and hunt better in that form.”
Liam hesitated for a moment, his brows still knit in uncertainty. Then, to my surprise, a sly grin spread across his face. “You know what? I think I’ll like that.”
Before I could respond, he stepped back, shaking out his arms as though loosening up for a race. His grin widened, the unease melting from his expression. “Last to hunt is a loser.”
I blinked at him, momentarily taken aback by the sudden shift in his demeanor. “Oh, you’re on,” I said, matching his grin. “But you’d better keep up.”
Liam closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as he summoned the wolf inside him. His transformation was smoother this time, his confidence helping to guide the process. His muscles rippled as fur sprouted along his body, his frame shifting seamlessly into his wolf form.
When he opened his eyes, they gleamed with a golden light, a mischievous challenge clear in his gaze. With a flick of his tail, he lunged into the forest, his paws silent against the earth.
I didn’t hesitate. The spell came quickly, my body responding as if it knew exactly what to do. Moments later, I was back on all fours, the rush of the transformation still buzzing through me. I bolted after Liam, the thrill of the chase making my heart race.
He was fast-faster than I’d expected. His sandy coat blurred through the trees as he darted ahead, weaving between the trunks with an ease that hinted at untapped potential. I pushed myself harder, my paws pounding the forest floor as I gained on him.
“You call that speed?” I teased through our mental link, grinning inwardly. “I’ve seen turtles move faster.”
Liam let out a playful growl, glancing back at me with his tongue lolling out in a wolfish grin. “Catch me if you can, loser!”
We sprinted through the woods, the cool night air rushing past us as we moved in tandem, weaving and dodging through the trees. The scents of the forest were alive around us-the crisp pine, the damp earth, and finally, the unmistakable scent of prey.
Liam skidded to a halt ahead of me, his nose lifting to the air. “There. To the left.”
I followed his gaze, catching the scent of a small herd of deer grazing in a clearing. Without needing to exchange words, we both crouched low, moving silently toward the edge of the trees. My pulse quickened as I watched the deer, their ears flicking occasionally but unaware of the predators stalking them.
“You take point,” I whispered through the link, glancing at Liam. “Think you’re up for it?”
His golden eyes gleamed with excitement. “Watch and learn.”
Before I could respond, he darted forward, his movements precise and fluid. He circled wide, cutting off the herd’s escape route and driving them toward me. The deer bolted in a panic, their hooves thundering against the ground. I lunged toward the nearest one, my jaws snapping at its hind legs to slow it down.
Liam was there in an instant, his speed and strength surprising me once again. He leapt onto the deer, his teeth sinking into its neck in a clean, decisive strike. The deer collapsed, its struggles ceasing as Liam stood over it, panting but victorious.
He glanced at me, his tail wagging slightly. “Guess that makes you the loser.”
I rolled my eyes, stepping closer to nudge him with my snout. “Fine. But don’t let it go to your head.”
Once we were sure the deer was secured, we dragged it to a nearby clearing, ensuring we were close enough to the house to carry it the rest of the way once we shifted back.
Liam’s wolf form shook out his fur, his golden eyes glinting with amusement as he glanced at me. “Ready to head back? Or should I give you a head start since, you know, loser and all?”
I narrowed my wolfish gaze at him. “Keep it up, Liam. I’ll remember this when we’re human again.”
He barked a laugh through our link, then stepped back, his body already beginning the transformation. I could feel the shift coming over me, the spell’s energy easing my return to human form.
The world settled into sharper focus as I straightened up on two legs, the cool night air brushing against my skin. That’s when I realized it-the clothes we’d been wearing were shredded and barely hanging on from the transformation.
As the transformation completed, I instinctively crossed my arms over my chest, realizing the extent of the damage to my clothes-or rather, what was left of them. A shiver ran down my spine as the cool night air brushed against my bare skin.
I glanced over at Liam, about to say something, only to freeze. He stood there, looking just as disheveled as me, his shirt completely gone and his pants barely holding on by a thread. His chest and abs were fully exposed, his toned muscles illuminated by the moonlight.
Liam’s eyes widened the moment he noticed me staring-or maybe when he realized I wasn’t exactly clothed either. “Oh, uh…” he stammered, his voice pitched slightly higher than usual. He immediately spun around, raising a hand to shield his face. “Wow, okay, I wasn’t prepared for this.”
A sharp, embarrassed laugh escaped me, and I turned my back to him as well. “You think I was?!” I shot back, trying to keep the heat from rushing all the way to my ears. “I forgot this happens when we shift!”
Liam cleared his throat awkwardly. “Yeah, well… maybe next time we should, uh, bring spare clothes? Just a thought.”
I risked a glance over my shoulder, only to catch him sneaking a peek at me at the same time. Both of us yelped, spinning back around so fast I nearly tripped over my feet.
“This is so awkward,” I muttered under my breath, clutching the tattered remains of Liam’s jacket tighter around me.
“I second that,” Liam agreed, his voice strained as he attempted to maintain some level of composure. “But hey, on the bright side… at least we caught the deer?”
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation. “Yeah, great. Let’s just focus on getting it back to the house, okay?”
“Good idea,” Liam said quickly, his tone full of forced cheer as he turned back to grab the deer. He hoisted it over his shoulder with ease, carefully avoiding looking in my direction.