Chapter Fifty-Six

KEYARA

Luca left them alone with one last parting smile, and she wondered if he was gathering the pack to let them know the outcome of the council meeting.

Many of the higher-ranking members already knew what to expect from the meeting, since Ash and Luca had already approached them about defecting as well.

They returned to Ash’s quarters and picked out a couple of changes of clothes. She chose sturdy items, knowing she would have little use for the finer attire he had procured for her camping in the woods.

Ash assured her they would be able to retrieve anything they needed at a later date.

They packed the clothes away with their few personal belongings. She had only the portrait and necklace she had arrived with, but Ash tucked a few items from the shelf into his bags as well.

He went to the desk by the bed and opened the top drawer, pulling out a substantial-sized money bag. She could hear the jingling of coins inside as he slipped it in with the rest of his belongings.

She raised an eyebrow at him speculatively. “Stealing pack funds?” she asked, half joking.

He smiled wryly at her as he buckled the bag closed. “I have a modest amount of my own wealth as well, Key, unrelated to the pack,” he told her. “Don’t worry, we won’t starve.”

She could tell she had wounded his pride slightly with her joking accusation. She walked to him quickly, cupping the side of his face and standing on her toes to press a quick kiss to his lips.

“I’m not worried, Ash,” she assured him.

He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, giving her another long kiss before throwing his packed bag over his shoulder. He stepped away from her and gave a long, sweeping glance around the room, lost in thought.

She watched him carefully, knowing what it was like to have to say goodbye to the only home you had ever known, and she wanted to give him a moment to feel whatever it was he needed to feel.

He suddenly met her eyes, all traces of sadness gone. He smiled lovingly at her, the skin around his eyes wrinkling at the gesture.

“Ready?” he asked her.

She wrapped an arm around his waist, picking up her own bag and slinging it over her shoulder. “Ready.”

ASH

It was not as difficult to say goodbye to his home as he had thought it would be. Knowing he would be with Keyara was enough to soften the blow of leaving the pack.

Their bond had gotten so much stronger since her transformation, and he knew home would be wherever they could be together.

They made their way through the halls quickly, not wanting to run into any remaining council members. He knew he would see many of his friends in just a few short days, and goodbyes were unnecessary.

When they reached the changing room, it was empty. He leaned against the wall and watched Key slip off her dark-blue dress, folding it neatly.

She had gained some of her lost weight back since the stress of her transformation, and he was pleased to see her hip bones were not as prominent as they had been. She was starting to look healthy again.

When she had packed her dress away and strapped the pack to her body, she turned to face him, raising an eyebrow when she saw he was still fully clothed.

He pulled her to his chest, running his hand up and down her bare back, feeling her shiver at his touch. “I love you,” he told her.

She smiled and kissed him lightly. “I love you, too, Ash,” she responded. “Now take off your clothes, and let’s get out of here,” she growled lightly.

She pushed away from him, turning to shift into her wolf. He took a moment to admire her, then undressed, packing his clothes away and positioning his own pack into place.

He shifted quickly and gave the back of Key’s legs a soft nudge.

~“Race you,”~ he said playfully.

~“You got it,” ~she responded, and took off at a run, bursting through the gate into the sunlight.

The light sparkled off the snow on the ground, and he stayed on her heels through the forest path until they reached the edge of the trail where it began to wind along the side of the mountain.

He nipped playfully at her tail as they slowed to a walk, needing to watch their footing on the path ahead.

~“You let me win,”~ she said accusingly.

He huffed in amusement, following behind her on the mountain trail. They spoke very little after that, watching their footing on the rocks dusted with snow and ice.

Several hours later, they reached the bottom of the mountain, and the path smoothed out, and grass and dirt replaced the jagged rocks.

He broke into a run, flying past her. He heard her paws thundering behind him, trying to catch up, but he was larger and faster. He made sure not to get too far ahead but did not let her pass him.

He finally skidded to a stop when the barn came into sight, turning to face her and nuzzling her neck, breathing her in. She was panting, her wolf tongue out of her mouth and pulsing with each labored breath.

~“I knew you let me win before,”~ she said, nuzzling him back.

He changed into his human form, and she rested her furry chin on his shoulder. He scratched her ears, rubbing the soft fur, and she let out a pleased hum.

“Let’s get dressed,” he told her out loud. “I need to tell Emily what happened. Luca said we could stay here tonight, but we need to be gone tomorrow like we promised the council.”

He turned around and took off his pack, finding his clothes and dressing quickly. He could feel her phasing behind him and heard the rustling of her own clothes.

They joined hands and walked toward Rolph and Emily’s cabin, going to break the news.