Chasing his Mate

Chapter Ten - The Shift

Knocking on the door woke her the next morning. It was then she shifted and realized he had slipped out in the night. Why did that bother her this much?

She sighed in annoyance when the knocking continued and she finally gave in, getting up. She was surprised when Takota smiled at her when she opened it. Why had he even knocked when she had fallen asleep next to her? For appearances? Likely for Xena, she concluded.

"Come on." He immediately ordered before he grabbed her arm and pulled. She barely had time to shut her door before it was out of reach.

"Where are we going?" She immediately demanded as he led her to his car once again.

"To train. I won't have you defenseless." He immediately explained as she sighed before resting her head against the car window to try and get some more sleep.

"Denali." Takota's voice said before her shoulder was shaking, and she opened her eyes to see the car had stopped in front of a gym.

"I made a deal with the owner last time I was here." He added as she climbed out of the car. She hesitated a moment before she got out and followed him inside.

"Go ahead and change." He said soon as they got inside, he then pointed at a bag sitting on one of the benches.

With a yawn, Denali humored him. Deep down she still wasn't sure about all this. Mom and dad had been mates and look how that had ended.

When she came back into the exercise room, she found him already changed and working out. He immediately smiled when he saw her, then got up and went to her.

"Our training might be a little rough, but if I'm to gentle you won't learn anything." He warned her.

"Okay." She said back hesitantly.

Before his sickness, dad had been teaching her to fight. He claimed he had seen firsthand what could happen to a defenseless female. When he had said it, his eyes had faded as his mind had gone elsewhere. Denali had known he had been thinking of her dad's twin sister she had never met.

She was lost in her thoughts and didn't see movement until it was too late. Takota spun her and she landed on the mat with a grunt.

"Sorry. I started to fast." He answered as he gave her a look of concern and helped her up.

"No. I was just lost in thought." She answered as she took a defensive stance.

"About?" He immediately asked as the two squared off again.

"My Aunt." She admitted as he darted and she dodged, throwing him to the floor this time. He immediately grinned when she did.

"She fell in love with a wolf and despite how dad tried to convince her he was bad for her. She ended up having a drug overdose with him." She explained as he went still and listened.

"Dad never really got over it. He then became determined to teach me to protect myself so that no one could force me to stay in a relationship with abuse." She explained remembering how he was before.

"Dad had convinced her to leave him once, but she went back to him after he showed up at their place when dad was at work." She explained further, sending up a silent thanks that she had been at school when he had shown up.

"I just want to hold you close." He surprised her by saying. Why was she even telling him all this?

When he came for her though, she spun again, and he grunted as he again hit the floor a little too roughly. She then reacted as she pinned him with narrowed eyes as his went wide.

"I told you I don't want your sympathy." She immediately reminded him. His grin only angered her.

"Well, you got it missy. One way or another." He declared as anger flared inside her. With it, came the courage she had felt when she had stood up to Xena.

"There she is." He immediately said in a voice filled with joy, only angering her further.

"Enough with your cryptic bull shit. Speak sense for once." She demanded in a near growl.

"No." He immediately answered as she felt him adjust under her and their positions reversed as he spun her. More anger flared inside her when she tried to move but found herself unable to.

"I can smell your bodies interest." He said moments before she felt him adjust and he took another deep breath next to her hair.

"It's okay. I want you to, but that's not why we are here." He added, embarrassing her that he admitted out loud what she had been trying to hide.

"Let me up." She immediately tried to move again, but when that failed, she grew pissed as all reason deserted her and she bit his arm.

"Almost." Came his answer, but it was clear his wolf self was present by the growl of his voice. Is that what he was after? To rouse his wolf? But why?

"Let go and let us guide you. Then I promise you I will make love to you again." He promised as the idea made her both nervous and anxious.

"Let go." He answered before the air between them began to change. Somehow, she felt it and something inside her responded to it. It scared her and she tried to fight it.

"Let go baby." She heard him whisper again as her vision clouded.

"I'm right here." He promised, but his voice sounded disoriented as the fire that had rose inside her at his promise, consumed her.

Her body was on fire. It bordered between pain and pleasure. She heard a whimper come from her, but she was helpless against the fire.

When the fire faded, she felt different. Her breathing felt different. She still felt his heat of his body against her though and she drew comfort from it.

When his heat moved and cold crept in, she opened her eyes. The world around her looked different. Colors were dulled, but she could see objects themselves more clearly.

When she tried to get up, she let out startled noise as she stumbled and fell. She had barely got over her startlement when she felt a wet object brush her face. She then felt fur and sighed in relief, and she realized it was likely Takota in wolf form. When had he changed? Why had he?

She opened her eyes again and sure enough, she found him hovering above her in wolf form as he watched her. His eyes were a beautiful golden and his pelt a rich black.

She tried to rise again, but this time was more careful. When she tried to stand on two legs, it felt awkward, so she immediately fell back to her hands and knees, fear rising inside her when she realized something was wrong with her.

As soon as the fear rose, she heard a whine and felt him rub her again. It was then she noticed it felt strange when he did. She immediately looked down at herself and a yip escaped her when she saw paws instead of hands.

She had shifted! How? Had mother really done it and she not realized? What would happen now? What would the male wolves do when they found out? Would she be some lab rat? The thought made her whine as she sank to the floor in fear.

"I will protect you. There's nothing to be afraid of." A voice filled the air, making her calm. The other consciousness she felt immediately calmed her at the sound of his voice. Was that her wolf's consciousness? But she didn't have one. No females did.

"Shift back now baby. I hurt I want to make love to you so bad." His voice said, coaxing her and the otherness of her mind to comply. When had he shifted back?

This time she was more aware of the change. Instead of the fire of lust, she felt a different fire. This one was slightly painful as muscle and bone adjusted, but the moment it faded. He was kissing her.

"I love you so much, my mate." He said between kisses as he picked her up. His statement startled her, but he didn't give her time to dwell on it.

This time, he took his time and was gentle with her. Perhaps it was with the awakening of her wolf, but she felt closer to him. Everything was heightened and more intense. Was this the influence of her wolf, or being mates? Denali didn't care as she gave in to him completely. She held nothing back as her took her, both body and soul.