Claiming The Alpha (Wild Obsession #2)(13)
Author: Adriana Hunter

Her hands were changing, the fingers contracting, the palms growing larger against his, her soft skin turning into the pads of a wolf paw. Her nails clawed against him, raking over his own leathery-skinned paw.

She was still looking at him, her eyes still Nikki, the last human part of her. She lifted her head, opened her mouth and a sound forced its way between her lips. It was somewhere between a scream and a bark, and then, as the scream was taken over by a pure howl, she dropped to her knees.

His own pain intensified and Jax threw his head back, releasing his own howl. He dropped on all fours and lifted his head.

Across from him, standing on the carpet was the most beautiful wolf he had ever seen, sable fur touched with fire, amber and ruby highlights winking in the soft light.

*

The pain was unbearable and she thought she was going to pass out. She wanted to scream, cry out, do something, but nothing worked. The bones in her arms and legs, her spine, everything was pulling, shifting, becoming something else. The rushing sound in her head grew louder, blocking out Jax’s words, blocking out her own thoughts. The only thing she registered was pain, intense and all-consuming. She threw her head back, her throat working convulsively.

There was a sound, sounds, screams and barks and then a howl. It grew louder and she was dimly aware it was coming from her own mouth. The pain was too much and she fell, dropping to the carpet, expecting…

It was gone. The noise, the pain…the unendurable pain. Gone. She felt…amazing. There was no other word for it. There was a brief instant where she wondered if she had died, but she felt far too alive for that.

She was looking at Jax’s room from a skewed perspective, shapes recognizable but different, somehow. Things were gray, but sharp and clear, clearer than they ever had been.

Nikki drew in a breath and blinked in surprise. Everything smelled, the air even had a scent. She wrinkled her muzzle, trying to take it all in.

There was a noise beside her and she turned. Jax. She recognized him instantly, the silky black coat and those beautiful silver eyes. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but the only noise she heard were her own whimpers and whining. She shook her head again.

But then he rubbed against her, his body warm, sleek and powerful. He led her down the stairs, through the darkened house and outside.

And then, in the moonlight, everything was perfect. It was just them, the two of them. And beneath the moon, they ran.