My Secret, My Bully, My Mates

I nod and then realize they can't see me. "Okay, can you keep talking, please." I can't hide the desperation in my voice. I need this to be real, even if I have lost my mind, it can be real in my head for as long as possible. It's the only thing that keeps me moving forward.

They each take turns telling me stories, some are stupid and completely made up and others are just what happened at the training compound recently. I tell them about what I see and when I come across a human's scent. It lets me know when I am getting too close to a hiking trail or campground. And as much as I would love to see real people, it's the last thing I need when I am in my wolf form and have a half unconscious person riding on my back.

I finally get to a large body of water that has cut a deep ravine through this section of mountain. I stop and sit letting Jena slide off with a thud.

Rude. A little warning next time." I focus on shifting back, then look at her. She is

keep scooping up handfuls until my stomach hurts. When I look back, Jena still hasn't moved. She is just staring out

place a hand gently on her shoulder and she startles looking at me like she's never seen me before. I don't say a word, words won't help her right now. Her mind has just started processing that she is out and probably the safest she has been in a very long time. The shock is starting to set in. I reach my hand down to her and smile and just wait for her to decide to take it. I won't make any decisions for her. She has to choose to heal and get better, which means she has to choose to trust me out here, like I trusted her in

some water and take a small drink, then she mimics me like a pup trying to do it for the first time. She does the same thing I did at first and just keeps taking in the delicious

back and lets the cool water lap at her feet. I do the same. It is nothing a human would be fit to swim in but the temperature feels great to us. I start to wash at my dirt caked feet and then the exposed portions of my arms and finally my face. Jena does the same. The clean