He gets on his knees in front of us.

"I called for Owen and North, they should be here soon. Are you okay?"

I can't answer his question like this and I have some of my own.

Gathering the strength needed, our body shudders and shakes as we shift.

Once finished, I curl my knees up in front of me, covering myself as best I can. I lay my cheek on my knee and wrap my arms around my legs.

He has no qualms about being naked, but I'm still getting used to the idea. His eyes respectfully never leave my face though.

"Is Finn okay?" I whisper. Tears start to form.

He swallows and I see his own eyes get misty. "He's great. You cured him... when you turned him into a shifter."

"You figured it out then."

"Finn did. He seems to think it's pretty cool."

"I'm sorry... I'm still learning about my wolf and she knew she could save him. I didn't have a chance to stop her." A tear escapes. "I shouldn't have tried to heal him without your permission either. It could have gone badly."

"Yes, it could have, but it didn't. I think we can move on from that now." He covers one of my hands with his. "I'm forever grateful to you, to your wolf, for healing him. For giving him a long life that he never would have had." He uses the pad of his thumb on his other hand to wipe away my tear.

I give him a weak smile, "You're welcome."

He grins at me then narrows his eyes. "Now are you okay physically? You seem to have drained your energy. Your electricity is weak."

I lift my heavy head and nod. "Soon after I left, we could barely keep going. I don't know what's wrong with me."

My heartbeat picks up. I can't take anymore surprises. Not today.

"I think it's just a combination of things, Sang. You just had your awakening, discovered your abilities and used them, then shifted. You've simply done too much. Sean said your ancestors would get weak after using their abilities for a bit. You simply went overboard." He grins handsomely again. "You need a break."

I give him a wry smile. "That's what I was trying to accomplish."

"Yeah... " He chuckles. "You also managed to get Owen rather worked up. I don't think I've ever seen him so worried and flustered before."

My eyes get big. "Am I in trouble?"

He opens his mouth to answer when we both feel the familiar electricity as a large black and a large multicolored wolf run up to us.

North and Owen both shift mid step.

I divert my eyes from where they naturally want to look and instead look into the eyes of two very angry shifters.

Ethan stands. "Take it easy. She's okay, just completely drained her energy as Sean said."

Owen doesn't take his eyes off me. "Thank you, Ethan. You should go back to the house and let everyone know she's been found and is okay."

"What are you doing?" Ethan asks.

"I'm taking her to the cave... to rest."

Ethan gives me an almost sympathetic look. "I want your wolf to know I'm sorry, for hitting her."

I nod and try to hug myself tighter with my spaghetti arms as he shifts and takes off.

"I'm going to the cave, too," North insists.

Owen doesn't argue. "Go ahead of us and get a fire started."

"What about Sang?"

"I'll bring her."

North watches me a moment longer then shifts and heads to the cave.

I dare to look up at the obviously irritated alpha. "Am I in trouble?"

His jaw twitches as he scoops me up.

I automatically put my noodly arms around his neck as he straightens, my breast pressing to his chest.

Bare skin to bare skin.

His nostrils flare and his eyes go black.

"You have no idea."

Although exhaustion has taken over my body, my mind is now on full alert at his words.

"Why am I in trouble? Is it because I turned Finn into a shifter? Because I bit him?"

"No."

That's all he gives me for an answer. It's completely unsatisfying. "What is it then?" I don't know why I'm pushing for more. Maybe my wolf's stubborn personality is rubbing off.

"I'll explain when we get to the cave."

The cave. What is going to happen when we get there? And North's there, too. Waiting. I take a moment to contemplate my predicament. I'm naked, he's naked, and he's taking me to their cave. My god my life's become a bad harlequin romance.

I've never been kissed and I'm naked in a naked hot guy's arms. How is this all happening to me?

Now that I'm more awake, I can't dwell on anything but us being naked and I automatically squirm the bit I can with how weak I am.

His black eyes glare at mine, "Don't do that."

I can't decide where to look. When I look at his face, I'm embarrassed. When I look down, I see my naked body and I'm embarrassed. When I look straight ahead, all my senses are focused on where we touch as my body sways with his every stride. Our chests, my arms around his neck, his arms behind my back and under my thighs... I'm no longer embarrassed, I'm something else.

My eyes start to warm and his grip on me tightens as I hear a low growl and feel it vibrate from his chest against my breast.

"Focus on something else," he demands.

Oh god. He knows what I was thinking? How?

Mortified, I try to think about anything else. I focus on the sounds of the leaves crinkling under his footsteps, the birds singing above, the stream flowing nearby. My eyes flit around and finally land on his throat. That seems to be a safe place to look.

I examine the dark whiskers, his tan skin, his Adam's apple, the hollow spot below it...

He mutters a curse and quickens his pace.

Owen

I can't get to the damn cave fast enough.

Having North there is a good thing. God knows what I would do if we were alone. That's a lie, I know what I would do. I only have so much control. I try of focus on anything other than her sweet body pressed up against mine and in my arms. When she wiggled I just about lost it. I keep lifting her higher as something of mine lifts higher as well.

I turn my thoughts to her taking off and not telling anyone. So many different things could have happened to her. Cole and his pack could be back, a random hiker or hunter could have found her... I know without a doubt I'd kill anyone who tried to hurt her. I almost went after Ethan when he hit her, but I also understood he wasn't himself at the moment.

I haven't known her long, but I'm drawn to her and need to protect her.

To make her mine.

Not just because of what she is, but who she is.

A sweet, kind, caring and beautiful young woman. One who accepted our world and what we are before knowing she's a part of it too.

Add to that the fact that I could claim a mate now, at my young age, and never worry about her aging and dying long before I do...

It was never a possibility before her.

I know she wants me physically. I can sense it, smell it. But I need her to want me as much as I do her.

I'm not ignorant though. I know that if I feel this way, my brothers do too. Silas declared her his the first moment he saw her. I've seen how the others look at her.

We all want her for ourselves.

That's a complication I haven't figured out how to solve yet.

I can smell the fire North has going. I feel both relieved and like I want to take off with her back to the forest and keep her to myself.

We're there.