He cupped her face and kissed her lips. Her heart was calm. He believed in his soul she was right. She was so certain. “I’m going to lift you out of the tub and set you on your feet. Don’t fight it. Sometimes it helps to close your eyes and take a deep breath. Let your wolf come to the surface. Before you know it, you’ll be on all fours. I’ll climb out behind you and be right next to you the entire time, okay?”
“Yes, Daddy.” She reached with her tiny hands to press them to his cheeks. “I’m not scared.”
He smiled. “My brave girl.” One more kiss. “Ready?”
“Yes.”
He grabbed her around the waist, and in one swift move, lifted her off his cock and over the side of the tub to set her on her feet. He kept one hand on her hip to be sure she didn’t slip and fall, but she took a step back out of his reach, closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and let the shimmer of the shift take over.
Before he could move to get out of the tub, his gorgeous mate was on all fours in the middle of the bathroom.
Fuck, she was stunning. Her fur was the same nearly black color of her human hair. She was most definitely not huge like Khloe. In fact, she was kind of small.
She also wasn’t scared. He could scent her calm in the air. She drew in a deep breath through her nostrils and let it out of her snout. As she lowered to sit on her haunches, Gavin climbed out of the tub.
He never released her gaze. His heart swelled as he fell deeper in love with her. Peace washed through him. She was perfect. There had been no need to worry. He had a million questions, and there would be rough waters ahead, but her wolf was stunning and flawless.
Without taking his gaze off hers, he snagged a towel so he could dry off. When he finished, he started to wrap it around his hips.
His mate snarled, baring her teeth before she lurched forward, grabbed the edge of the towel with her teeth, and yanked it to the floor.
Gavin laughed. Apparently she didn’t like the idea of him covering his cock.
She tipped her head to one side and stared at his erection for a long time as if memorizing it for later. She’d seen it before. She would see it a million times in their lives. But for some reason it fascinated her now.
He stood still, letting her look. He doubted he would ever be able to deny her anything. He’d climb a tree to the very top if she wanted him to pick her a specific apple.
After a while, she lifted one paw and nudged the towel on the floor toward him.
He chuckled as he bent to pick it up. “Oh, may I cover my cock now, my queen?” he joked.
Her eyes were a deep blue similar to those of her human side, and his sassy mate rolled those eyes before tipping her head back and howling. As she did so, she must have startled herself because she fell over backward and had to scramble to roll onto her paws to get her balance.
Gavin reached out and stroked her fur. “So soft. You’re the most gorgeous wolf I’ve ever laid eyes on, Little mate of mine.”
Molly tipped her head to one side and rubbed her snout against his palm.
“Are you ready to shift back, Little one?”
She scrambled out of his reach, growling, baring her teeth again as if he’d suggested she leap off a cliff.
He furrowed his brows. “Okay. Take your time. No rush.” Tugging the towel free from his hips, he dropped it to the floor again and used his foot to mop up the water. Maybe his cock would entice her to shift back.
It did not, however. She simply moved around so he could continue sopping up the water. She even boldly turned and pranced out of the bathroom.
He followed her, surprised when she bounded onto the bed, spun around in circles, and finally dropped down into a little ball, setting her jaw on her front paws.
He couldn’t keep from smiling at her. “Do you think you’re going to sleep in wolf form, naughty girl?”
She sighed heavily and settled deeper.
He set a knee on the edge of the bed and leaned close to her. “Newsflash, Little mate, there’s no chance in hell you’re going to sleep on this bed in wolf form.”
She peered over the edge and looked around.
“Oh no you don’t, Baby girl. You’re not sleeping anywhere in wolf form. You’re going to shift back, and I’m going to hold your sexy human body in my arms in this bed. Every night of our lives.”
She snarled and resumed her position. Such a defiant, naughty girl.
