Chapter 64
Chapter 64: Sutton
He’ll be here, Nova assured me as I paced the penthouse.
The sun had already set. Tarrah, Jaden, and Max would be there any minute to head out to the clearing. And Lucas still wasn’t home. I knew he was on the way. He’d been giving me periodic updates on where he was but the last I heard from him was a few hours ago.
Lucas being away had been harder than I expected. The nightmares came back the first night and I didn’t sleep well after. Not to mention, I just missed him. I missed him in a way I didn’t think I could miss another person.
Still, dealing with those feelings with him gone gave me time to think and work through some things. I thought more about what Tarrah had said. It helped me change my perspective on what I’d been through. Nova was there with me, too. It was strange to say that I’d gotten close to something that was a part of me, but that’s what had happened.
I wanted to share all of it with Lucas.
‘He’s here. Nova said excitedly.
The elevator dinged immediately after. I rushed over, throwing my arms around his neck as my lips slammed into his. His arms instantly tightened around me, lifting me from the floor as he walked into the apartment. I felt tension drain from his body as he stepped further inside.
“Goddess… I missed you,” he growled.
Nova purred in my mind with satisfaction. I felt heat bloom in my core. Lucas pressed his lips firmly to mine again, pushing me back until I hit the couch. Then he pulled away with a frustrated grunt.
“Jaden said they’re waiting for us downstairs,” he said. “I’m sorry I’m cutting it so close. I was delayed more than I expected.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “You’re here. You made it back. That’s all I care about.”
He smiled weakly but it quickly faded. I felt the tension start to build in his shoulders again as he rested his forehead against mine. He was stressed. I started to say something but he suddenly perked up. As if he was shaking off whatever was worrying him.
“Come on, babe,” he said, kissing my nose. “I want to that wolf of yours.”
I let him take my hand and pull me towards the elevator, my own excitement rekindled. I could still sense his anxiety beneath the surface, but his eagerness was genuine. We both needed something good. We both needed tonight.
I started to feel the pressure as the elevator descended. Despite their reassurances that it could take time, I knew everyone would be disappointed if I wasn’t able to shift. Lucas squeezed my hand.
“You’re getting nervous,” he commented. “Are you worried about the pain?”
Nova and I had talked about what the first few shifts would be like. The first was always the most painful. I knew it would hurt. But she assured me it wouldn’t last. Once she took over, it would all go away. I believed her and honestly, I wasn’t afraid of pain. I’d been through enough to know I could get through it. At least this pain had a purpose. It would be more than worth it.
“No, it’s not that,” I replied honestly.
Lucas reached over and pressed the button that stopped the elevator. Turning to me, he hooked a finger under my chin and lifted my face to look
at him.
“You know I have all the faith in the world in you, Sutton?” he stated. “In my eyes, there’s nothing you can’t do when you put your mind to it. If you tell me you’re ready, I will believe you without question or hesitation. But the same goes for if you’re not. There is no benefit in rushing this. If you are not ready, I will send everyone away. I will make the excuses and we will go back upstairs right now. So, tell me are you ready to try to shift?”
My heart swelled with his words, but there was still a waiver of doubt in my gut.
‘We’re ready, Sutton,‘ Nova spoke to me. ‘We can do this.”
Their assurance was all I needed. I smiled and nodded.
“I’m ready.”
—
He kissed me one more time before making the elevator move again. When the doors opened, Tarrah, Jaden, and Max were waiting right outside. Tarrah came straight over to give me an excited hug.
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3:41 PM
Chapter 64
“We’ve been keeping the halls clear,” Jaden said. “So we can avoid any onlookers tonight. But we should get going before people start getting too
curious.”
Normally, a wolf’s first shift was a whole event for family and friends to attend. Since we were trying to avoid having to explain why I had never shifted before, we wanted to keep this as private as possible. I still struggled with it a little. Not wanting to feel like I was hiding things from the pack. But I understood the value of that privacy and was ultimately grateful for it.
We started to make our way outside. Tarrah started to share her experience of her first shift which led to the others offering theirs as well. They exchanged stories about their wolves and their adolescence all the way outside. Keeping me distracted and amused until we made it to the clearing within the packhouse grounds.
The glade was completely lit with moonlight. The pale blue hue of the night illuminated every inch. Ending only at the shadows of the trees. I instinctively stepped out to bask in the light. What was once my only solace now felt like a new beginning as I felt it tickle along my skin.
The night was warm. Spring was finally here. Making everything feel as if it was falling into place. Just as it was supposed to. I felt Nova come forward. Her form taking shape as a shadow in my mind. The haze only obscuring her features now.
‘It’s time, Sutton,‘
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