Mated

Sick of Running

Chapter Thirty-Five "Sick of Running"

Lyric could feel the panic rising in her as she spoke, but she tried to not show it. Kieran needed to understand that she was going to do this, with or without him at this point. Her mate gave her a most puzzled look and set his tea aside.

"Why all of the sudden the urge to protect us?" he asked, his green eyes studying her.

"I'm sick of running from myself," she said, tilting her chin up in hopes of seeming more dominant and in control. "It's time to grow up."

"I can't convince you to slow this down?" he asked, giving her a somewhat sad look.

"No, I'm sorry," she said.

"I can't say I'm happy about it, but I will support your decision," he said, grabbing his tea and drinking it. "Let's try to get more sleep."

She nodded and trailed him to the bedroom, casting a disgusted look at the moose head on the wall of the living room. They crawled into bed and were both asleep within minutes.

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Lyric stood in the unfamiliar woods, knowing that no one was around for acres, and hesitantly took off her clothes. She didn't want to keep ruining clothes if she was going to be training. She cast a glace back to the still sleepy Kieran, who gave her a devilish smile before nodding his head in assurance. She sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Yes, her wolf growled soft in the back of her head.

She had never given her wolf control before, even fighting it on the full moon so she didn't know how to go about letting her out. After several long minutes with her eyes closed she decided to try visualization. She let her mind go blank before calling up the image of a wolf in a cage and her standing before it with the key. She mentally walked forward and slid the key in the lock; the wolf in the cage went berserk. Her eyes flashed open and she glanced down. Still human, still naked.

"I don't know how to do this!" she cried out in frustration. "I've never willingly given her control!"

"Just breathe and keep trying whatever it was you were doing," Kieran called. "It was working, I think."

With another deep breath, she let her eyes slide shut, and immediately found herself face to face with a red wolf in her mind's eye. Lyric felt her physical body twitch in surprise.

It's simple, the wolf growled in her head. You hand me the control. You don't uncage me like some wild beast. We become one and we run.

Lyric nodded her head and started the visualization process again. This time, she was standing in front of her wolf form, and she went to the giant red animal. She extended a hand, running it along the soft fur and whispered, "I want to share control with you." She gasped as she felt the shift starting, first that intolerable itch, then the breaking of bones.

Lyric looked around the unfamiliar woods, testing the air, and looked behind her when she smelled fear. Kieran. He was staring at her, mouth agape, and seemed to be either impressed or scared by her. She sat and cocked her head to one side, trying to beckon him over mentally. He seemed to get the hint and went to her slowly, carefully, and was soon standing before her. She hated seeing him in this weaker form, but knew to respect him. He was her mate and her Alpha.

"Well," he sighed, looking down at her. "I dunno about you but I could go for a run. I just know I can't keep up with you like this. If I call to you will you come back?"