90

The way she tried to parrot our words was beyond adorable. She spoke gibberish now, but she’d say her first word in no time, and Bryn was convinced it would be some variation of “daddy.” I hoped every day that she was right.

After we hung up, Bryn and I shifted and went out to run. I’d always suspected that Bryn was faster than me if she really sprinted, and I was right. She raced me to the hot springs. Her sleek body darted between the trees with so much grace and speed, she was just a streak of darkness yards ahead of me. It took so much energy just to keep her in sight, and I was content just to watch her.

Of course, she reached the springs ahead of me. We were both panting, though I was more out of breath. “I thought you were tired,” I said.

“I was.” She wore a wolfish smile. “But I had to leave you in the dust just for fun.”

I shifted and pushed my hair out of my face. “‘Fun,’ she says,” I grumbled.

She laughed and also shifted to her human form. The sight of her took my breath a