Page 41 of Talk Howly to Me

Sloane's chin lifted with the kind of stubborn determination that made Kozue's heart race. "Yes, I'm ready to learn. I need to be able to handle myself in this world."

The simple declaration hit Kozue unexpectedly hard, warmth flooding his chest and temporarily drowning out his earlier hurt and confusion. She wasn't just talking about surviving—she was talking about belonging. About choosing to be part of their world, their pack, their lives.

She wants to stay, he realized, the thought cutting through his emotional turmoil like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. She wants to protect not just herself, but us. Our people.

Ronan's expression softened almost imperceptibly, and Kozue knew his best friend was having the same realization. Whatever complicated dynamics existed between the three of them, Sloane had just made it clear she was choosing them—all of them—over the safety of running away.

Both men nodded in unison, a moment of perfect understanding passing between them despite the tension that had been simmering since the bathroom incident. Ronan began methodically removing his dark sweater, his movements quick and efficient. The fabric hit the ground, revealing the powerful musculature of his chest and shoulders—the body of an Alpha who'd spent years preparing for exactly this kind of threat.

Next came his jeans, then his boxers, until he stood completely naked before them with the kind of unselfconscious confidence that came from a lifetime of shifting between forms. Kozue had seen Ronan shift thousands of times, but watching Sloane's reaction—the way her hazel eyes widened slightly before she forced her gaze to remain respectfully focused on his face—sent an unexpected spike of awareness through him.

She's ours, his wolf reminded him firmly. Both of ours. The bond doesn't diminish when it's shared—it grows stronger.

Kozue and Sloane stepped back to give Ronan space for the transformation, positioning themselves at the edge of the combat mats. Sloane's breathing had quickened slightly, whether from anticipation or attraction, Kozue couldn't tell. But the determined set of her shoulders never wavered.

"Ready?" Ronan asked, his voice carrying the edge of something primal as his wolf began stirring closer to the surface.

Sloane nodded once, sharp and decisive. "Let's do this."

The transformation began with a sound Kozue had heard countless times—the sharp crack of bones realigning and the wet snap of joints reshaping themselves into something entirely different. Ronan's powerful frame shuddered as his muscles expanded beneath his skin, sinew stretching and reforming with primal efficiency.

Then dark fur erupted across his chest and shoulders like spilled ink spreading through water, the black coat gleaming with an almost blue undertone as it cascaded down his arms and legs. His face elongated, his jaw stretching into a muzzle lined with razor-sharp teeth, while his piercing blue eyes remained unchanged—still intelligent, still unmistakably Ronan, but now housed in the body of an apex predator.

Within moments, the man Kozue had known since childhood was gone, replaced by the massive black wolf that stood nearly four feet at the shoulder. Every line of Ronan's wolf spoke of lethal grace and controlled power, from the broad chest that housed a heart built for endurance to the powerful haunches that could launch him twenty feet in a single bound.

Sloane's hazel eyes widened as she took in the magnificent creature before her, her fighter's instincts clearly cataloging every detail even as something deeper—something that had nothing to do with tactics—stirred in her expression.

"He's even more beautiful and powerful than I remember," she said softly, her voice carrying a note of reverence that made Kozue's chest tight.

She stepped closer to Ronan's wolf with the kind of fearless confidence that had probably kept her alive in underground fighting rings. Her bare feet moved silently across the padded training mats as she approached, one hand extended in a gesture that was both cautious and inviting.

Ronan's wolf remained perfectly still, allowing her to close the distance between them until her fingers brushed against the thick fur of his muzzle. The massive predator's eyes drifted closed at her touch, a rumble of contentment vibrating through his chest that Kozue felt in his own bones. Watching his mate touch his best friend's face with such gentle reverence sent an unexpected spike of longing through Kozue.

Soon, he promised the restless wolf stirring beneath his skin. She'll touch us like that soon.

"Alright, Sloane," Kozue said, his voice carrying the kind of authority he rarely used outside of pack business. "Step back and get into a fighting stance."

She immediately obeyed his command, her body flowing into a balanced position—feet planted shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands raised and ready. Every line of her form spoke of years of training and natural athletic ability.

Ronan's wolf began to prowl in a slow circle around her, his massive paws silent on the training mats as he moved with the grace of a born predator. His blue eyes never left her face, studying her with the same focused intensity Kozue had seen him use when evaluating potential threats to the pack.

But Sloane didn't flinch. She kept her gaze locked on Ronan's wolf, tracking his movement with the kind of unwavering focus that separated good fighters from great ones. Her breathing remained steady and controlled, even as nearly three hundred pounds of apex predator stalked around her like she was prey.

Damn, Kozue thought, admiration flooding through him. She really was born for this world.

"Now," Kozue continued, positioning himself where he could observe both of them clearly, "when he lunges at you, you're going to fake left but dodge right. Use that momentum to your advantage—turn back and pounce on his back. Once you're on his back, use your weight to pull him down."

Sloane nodded once. "Got it."

"Remember, Ronan won't be using his full strength, so if this were a real attacker, you'd have to move much quicker. Speed and surprise are your best weapons against a wolf."

Without warning, Ronan's wolf exploded into motion, his powerful hindquarters launching him forward in a blur of black fur and gleaming teeth. But Sloane was ready for him. She feinted left exactly as Kozue had instructed, then spun right with the kind of liquid grace that made Kozue's wolf rumble with appreciation.

She used her momentum to vault onto Ronan's back, her strong thighs clamping around his ribcage as her arms wrapped around his thick neck. The massive wolf stumbled slightly under her unexpected weight, then allowed himself to be pulled down to the training mats with a theatrical growl that made Kozue grin despite the seriousness of their situation.

"Perfect," Kozue said, pride coloring his voice as he watched Sloane maintain her position atop Ronan's wolf. "That was textbook execution."

Ronan's wolf lay on his back, his blue eyes bright with what Kozue recognized as approval. Sloane straddled his chest, her position giving her complete control over the supposedly defeated predator.