“Are you ready, Dawn?” Grange asked with a mixture of nervousness and excitement in his voice. Dawn’s own stomach was being plagued by nervous jitters that nearly made her feel as if she was going to be sick on the forest floor but she held her chin up and nodded as if she wasn’t afraid at all.

“I’m ready.”

“We will leave you alone to shift. We will be out of sight but close. Just accept the wolf and she will come out. Whatever you do remember not to fight against her during the shift.”

Dawn nodded, remembering the intense pain she had felt that day in the bakery when she had been fighting so hard to stop the shift that had been coming.

“You’ll do just fine.” Nickolai assured her, though his voice was emotionless just as it was most of the time.

“Sure she will.” Trig agreed as he nudged her in the ribs with his elbow and his tongue lolled out of his mouth. “She’s one tough broad.”

“Broad?” Grange asked with a raise of his brow and Trig grinned.

“Did I say that? I meant to say a tough alpha female.” Dawn was too nervous to laugh at Trig’s usual antics but she managed a small smile.

“Of course that’s what you meant.” Grange gave Trig and Nickolai both a look that had them backing away and disappearing into the dark forest full of shadows.

“Do we have to do this at night?” Dawn asked Grange as she looked uncertainly at the darkness that seemed to be pressing down on them from all sides.

“Your wolf won’t be bothered by the dark, Dawn, I promise. And yes it is safer for you to shift at night. Especially the first time. There’s less chance that you’ll be seen if you happen to wander too close to humans. But don’t worry, Nickolai, Trig and I will be right there with you once you shift to help keep you in line.”

“I just don’t want to screw this up and disappoint you.” Dawn admitted and Grange smoothed her hair from her face and ran his thumb along her jaw.

“You could never disappoint me, love.” he assured her. Then he kissed her brow tenderly. “I wish there was a way I could make it so you wouldn’t feel pain. Just remember that the more times you make the change, the less it will hurt.”

“I’ll be okay, Grange. I’m tougher than I look.” she promised before raising on her toes and kissing the bottom of his jaw. Grange nodded though he had his doubts about that. Dawn was so soft, so delicate, she didn’t even realize her own fragility.

“You’ll want to take your clothes off before you change.” he stated and then he kissed her lips softly and walked quickly away into the woods, disappearing into the darkness and shadows.

Dawn was trembling as she slid out of her clothes. She hoped that Trig and Nickolai had their heads turned and, knowing Grange’s possessive nature, they did.

She breathed deep, taking in the scents of the surrounding forest. The water of the pool Grange had brought them to for their shifting, the trees, Grange. She could smell Trig and Nickolai as well but Grange’s scent was the strongest.

Then suddenly his scent changed. It became more wild, more dangerous. He had shifted. She could tell. And the wolf in her responded. It fought to get out and at first Dawn panicked at the strange feeling of her body being taken over. She fought against it momentarily and then felt a razor sharp pain in her arms as her bones struggled with their urge to shift and change.

She was afraid. Afraid that if she shifted, if she allowed this change, she would no longer be Dawn. Afraid that as a wolf she would lose what made her herself and become a wild bloodthirsty animal.

She took a deep breath through her nose and focused on Grange’s advice. Go with the change. Accept the wolf.

She felt sweat cover her skin and her stomach turned a little as she blew out her breath and closed her eyes. Accept the wolf.

Dawn felt the changes happening once again but this time she allowed them. She did not fight against them the way she had before. She felt her bones rotating and shifting, cracking as they moved into place.

She fell forward onto her hands and felt fur cover her skin. Suddenly she felt different. She felt free. Scents were even more detailed, sounds more plain to hear.

Dawn opened her eyes and realized with a shock that she could suddenly see. The darkness and the lack of light not bothering her keen eyes in the least.

She stretched out her lean legs and shook her thick soft fur, enjoying the feeling of the night breeze blowing through it. Dawn took a step forward and then jerked her paw back. She held it up and looked at the bottom of it. Paws were much more sensitive than she had thought they would be. She could practically feel the earth moving beneath them as bugs and small rodents burrowed in the ground.

Her ears swiveled to follow every sound around her. The crickets, the owls, the bugs buzzing around her head.

Suddenly she heard a twig snap to her left and her head whipped around toward the sound. She saw Grange step out of the bushes, his black fur shining in the moonlight. He was an impressive sight.

All power. The alpha. Her mate.

Their eyes locked and if Dawn had ever once had any doubts about his feelings for her they were gone now.

As wolves all pretenses were gone. Gone was the human capabilities to hide emotions and fake their feelings. Wolves were real. They were true and pure. Dawn saw nothing but love, respect and admiration in Grange’s golden eyes as he looked at her. This was her mate. Her one and only. Just as she was his.

She walked to him and he surprised her by wagging his tail and letting out a yip before rubbing his body against hers. She returned the gesture and Grange touched his mouth to hers, before nuzzling his snout into her neck.

Trig came bounding out of the bushes, a blur of tawny fur dashing through the night, just before jumping on Dawn and tackling her to the ground.

Dawn growled loudly and snapped at the younger wolf as she jumped to her feet and Trig lowered his head, dragging his belly on the ground as he approached her.

Dawn wasn’t sure why she had bitten him. The wolf had seemed to think that was the appropriate response to such an attack by a beta. Dawn looked at Grange and saw that he seemed to approve of how she had handled Trig.

She rolled her eyes at him and then yipped and leapt over Trig’s back, grabbing his tail and giving it a yank before releasing it and letting out a snort. Trig let out a canine laugh and the two of them began to circle one another, jumping forward and nipping playfully at each others flanks.

Dawn grew bored with the game after a time and looked back over to see that Grange and Nickolai were sitting side by side watching them with mild forms of amusement shining in their eyes.

Suddenly Dawn wanted to run. She wanted to run for miles with the wind in her fur and the scenery soaring past her. Grange seemed to sense her desire and he tossed his head before taking off into the woods.

Dawn let out a short howl of excitement and then followed after him.

The four wolves ran as one. Dodging trees, leaping over logs and splashing through rivers and streams.

Dawn had never felt so free. So at peace. There was something about this. Being together with her pack and just running through the night that made her soul feel lighter. Purer.

A scent reached her nose and she stopped, skidding in the slick leaves. Grange, Trig and Nickolai stopped as well and raised their noses to scent the air. Dawn wasn’t certain what she smelled but she knew it was food. Prey.

She shook her head. She wasn’t some kind of animal!

She shook out her fur and realized that, yes, yes she was. And the wolf in her wanted to hunt. Grange tossed his head, let out a growl of anticipation and then took off, leading the pack through the woods. He let out a yip and Trig and Nickolai broke away in opposite directions but Dawn stayed with her mate.

The scent grew stronger and then Dawn nearly howled with excitement when she saw the large elk up ahead. It was a bull, a lone bull, with no other herd members to warn it or offer any protection.

Dawn wanted to race ahead of Grange but he nipped at her side and had her falling back into step alongside him.

The elks head raised suddenly and he froze for several long seconds before kicking up his heels and running as if his very life depended on it, and Dawn knew that it did.

She was running on pure instinct now as she chased after the packs prey. Their meal.

She watched with shock as Nickolai and Trig materialized out of the shadows on either side of the bull and penned him in, just as Grange’s long, muscular body shot through the air and took the bull by the neck.

The beast staggered under Grange’s weight and that was all it took before Dawn was leaping on its back to help bring it down. Together the pack ended the elks life and began to feast.

They ate until they were so full they were nearly bursting and then Grange led them to a small stream to clean their fur. They made their way back to the clearing by the pool where they had first shifted and then they collapsed on the ground in a pile of very full, worn out, content wolves.

Dawn snuggled up against Grange and he laid his head over her neck. Dawn was happy and content. This was where she belonged. This was what she had been born to be.

***

The sing song whistles of the morning birds brought Dawn from her peaceful dreams of running through the woods and splashing through rivers beside Grange. His thick black fur was shining in the sunlight and his muscular body was stretching out long and lean.

Dawn yawned and shifted her body, snuggling up closer to Grange’s warm skin. Grange was naked? Dawn stiffened as a breeze blew over her own bare skin. She was naked?

She felt an arm wrap around her and nearly let out a scream when she realized it couldn’t be Grange’s because his arm was already wrapped securely around her waist.

She took a breath and caught Trig’s scent. Trig?! She glanced over her shoulder and saw him behind her and realized with heart stopping shock that he too was naked and snuggled close to her and Nickolai was curled up at her feet, also appearing to be naked!

“Grange!” she whispered harshly as she looked back over at his face. His blue eyes instantly flew open and a satisfied, lazy smile came over his face.

“Good morning.” he replied sleepily.

“Grange…. We’re naked.” Grange’s eyes roamed down the front of her body which was pressed close to his own and his smile grew.

“Yes we are.”

“So are they!” Dawn exclaimed, doing her best to keep her voice down in her horror. Grange glanced at Trig and Nickolai and shrugged.

“We’re always naked when we shift back, Dawn. To us, nudity is normal.”

“There are two naked men curled up to your wife and you call that normal?!” Dawn hissed. Grange glanced down at Trig’s arm wrapped around Dawn’s waist and his lip curled back with a low snarl. He grabbed Trig’s wrist and threw his arm off of her, causing Trig to whimper in his sleep and then flop over onto his other side.

“Better?” Grange whispered as he smoothed Dawn’s hair from her face and kissed her brow. Dawn sighed and snuggled closer to him.

Being naked around Grange had gotten easier but the thought of being naked around Trig and Nickolai still made her uncomfortable. It didn’t matter how many times Grange told her that it was normal, her human side wasn’t buying it. Though she figured that given enough time she would probably become more accepting of the idea.

“I would rather have some clothes on.” she stated. Grange grumbled under his breath and pulled away from her. He had been enjoying holding her in his arms and wasn’t happy to have that interrupted, especially over something as trivial as modesty.

He felt Dawn’s eyes on him (she certainly didn’t seem to mind his nudity, he though with a smile) as he walked over to her folded clothes and grabbed up her dress and underclothes. He made his way back to her and motioned for her to stand up.

He saw her glance nervously at Trig and Nickolai and he sighed.

“They will not look at you.” he assured her, knowing they would hear him as well. Dawn stood up and Grange began to help her slip into her clothes, enjoying the feel of her skin beneath his fingertips.

“How did I do last night?” Dawn asked as he laced up her underclothes. Grange smiled proudly.

“You’re an old pro.” he replied. “I’ve never seen anyone change so fluidly their first time or take to being a wolf so naturally.” Grange saw her face light up at his praise.

“I was born to be a wolf.” Dawn replied honestly and Grange chuckled.

“Is that so?”

“Yes.” Dawn replied matter of factly as she stepped into her dress and Grange slid the soft gingham fabric up her body. “I was born to be your mate, wasn’t I? Which means I was born to be a wolf.”

“Her logic makes perfect sense to me.” Trig said with a lopsided grin as he rolled over onto his stomach and looked at them.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to look.” Grange stated and Trig let out a bark of laughter.

“She’s dressed.” he pointed out. Dawn noticed that Nickolai had gotten to his feet and was stepping into his pants.

“How did you enjoy your first night as a wolf?” Nickolai asked as he buttoned his trousers. Dawn smiled happily.

“I loved it!” she exclaimed. “I want to do it again. Tonight.” she added hopefully as she looked at Grange. Grange shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

“You’ll be too tired.” he assured her and Dawn scoffed.

“I’m not tired!” she argued. As a matter of fact she felt very energized. Grange pulled her close.

“You will be. Give it a few hours. The change takes a lot out of your body and it will catch up with you. You are still new to this and need to give your body time.”

“You’re bossy.” Dawn stated with a pout and Trig bounced to his feet and patted her on the head.

“Well he is the alpha.” Trig stated and Grange raised his brow nad looked Trig up and down.

“That much is obvious.” he drawled slowly. Dawn just shook her head.

“Since Nickolai is the only one dressed, I’ll let him start to lead me back home. I have to get to town and open up the bakery. I have a few bread deliveries I have to make.” Nickolai nodded and Dawn fell in step beside him.

“Whenever you two are done comparing your anatomies you are welcome to join us.” Dawn called back over her shoulder and she heard Nickolai chuckling beside her.