Page 16 of Sass Me Again

“I know, but I’m right here by your side, love. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Promise?” she grunted the question through clenched teeth.

“I promise.” Ian wanted to take away the pain for Emily. He would have done anything to ease what she had to go through, but there wasn’t a damn thing that he could do other than stand there, looking like an idiot, telling her to take a deep breath. “Fuck!” he thought to his wolf.

“Uhhhh.”

“Love, look at me. You’ve got this. I know the first change hurts like a motherfucker. I’ve done it. Every shifter has to go through it. But you are the strongest woman I know. Stop fighting it and free yourself. Think of all the times you wanted to run away from all the human bullshit. Think of all the times you wanted to run from your parents and come to me. You are my mate, Emily, and this only proves it. Take that final step—for you—for us.

Emily wanted to scream and cry as each new stabbing pain shot through every inch of her body. She tried to concentrate on the words leaving Ian’s mouth, but the pain kept distracting her and pulling her attention away from him. Her mother’s screeching in the background didn’t help much either.

Another wave of pain and nausea washed over her, crippling her further. “Please help!” she begged the intrusive voice in her mind.

“Listen to your mate. Trust him. Trust me to see this through and protect us. I will not let you down. You are me. I am you.”

The voice was caring, kind, and genuinely seemed as if she wanted the best for them. The image of a beautiful gray wolf with black streaks filled her mind. “So beautiful,” she thought, wanting to reach out and pet the animal’s fur.

Though Emily didn’t know why any of this was happening, she seemed to be getting a pretty good grasp of it based on the commotion surrounding her with her mother. A glance at her mother and a brief moment of clarity allowed a surge of anger to rush through her mind and ignite the blood in her veins.

Fury exploded within her, and with that, the animal who had been suppressed for her entire life was allowed to break free and assume control.

She felt the air around her thicken. Wisps of magic swirled around her body, tickling her with the lightest of touches. The pain she had endured quickly receded, replaced by a strength she had never felt before. Sucking in a deep breath, her lungs filled with more air than she had ever thought possible, giving her a sense of energy and power that excited her. Her mind was clearer than it had ever been. The grass beneath her feet—err, paws—felt soft and supple, not scratchy like when she was barefoot and human.

“Beautiful!”

Ian’s compliment broke through her thoughts. She glanced up at him, and for the first time, she looked at him with a new set of eyes. Emily had always thought that he was the most handsome man she had ever met and considered herself lucky to catch his attention. But now… now it was like she was really seeing him for the first time. His dark, thick hair seemed more vibrant, with streaks of red interwoven through his locks. His baby-blue eyes changed to an electric blue. The light stubble on his jaw appeared thicker, giving him more of a bad-boy feel than ever before, sending heat straight to her core.

She felt the rumble rise from her throat. Her beast wanted her mate and wasn’t going to be shy about it.

“MINE!” the voice sounded in her head, and for once, she agreed.

“Emily!” Her mother’s voice cut through the revelation of how hot her mate was.

She snapped her head to her mother. Her hackles rose and a growl escaped her snout. Emily had never been more furious at her mom than she was at that moment.

“Em. Come on. Let’s get out of here. You can deal with her later,” Ian said.

Emily turned back to face Ian just in time to watch his transformation. Her mind was blown at the sight of him shifting from man to animal. The whole process was short and swift, unlike her screaming and fumbling about. He looked majestic and otherworldly. She’d have to figure out how he shifted so gracefully and without the pain.

“God, you are amazing,” she whispered in her mind.

“As are you.” Ian’s voice filled her mind, startling her.

“What? How is that even possible? Am I hallucinating?”

“Not at all, love. Being able to communicate with your mate telepathically is part of the magic.”

“Can you read my mind?” Panic tore through Emily. That was the last thing she wanted. It wasn’t that she always had bad thoughts or anything like that, but damn. She didn’t want to have to censor her brain for fear of what others might hear—even if it was Ian. That would be way too much work.

“No, I can’t read your thoughts. I can only hear what you say to me. We can also communicate with members of the same pack telepathically,” he explained.

“I can see how that would be pretty handy.”

“Emily! Switch back to human form, now!” Layla shouted.

Emily turned to growl at her mother.

“Follow me,” Ian said and took off through the trees.