Hunters' Shadow (Book one of the Hunter Chronicles)

Chapter Seventy Four

“I bet he did,” Blake muttered. Never had he been so furious than the moment he'd discovered the true nature of Macleiry's intentions. If he hadn't already been dead, Blake would have been relentless in his desire to hunt him down.
 
“He was specifically interested in the medication I prescribed for your headaches,” Doc continued. “Wanted to know if they would play any part in your memories return. I believed they might, and for this I owe you both an apology.”
 
“You don't have anything to – ”
 
Doc raised a pacifying hand. “Oh, I do. I believed that in giving your mind time to heal, your wolf would be able to return of her own volition. It never occurred to me that the pills might have been working against us by suppressing your headaches, which we now know was your wolf trying desperately to break through. Still, as a result of my own miscalculation, Macleiry made one of his own.” Doc reached out and placed a small pill bottle on the table. “He left this behind.”
 
"I forgot to take one the morning I was kidnapped," Hannah remembered. "I was so nervous about meeting them."
 
"Yes. And then Fenrik took you, followed by your uncle. By the time your wolf finally broke free they'd have been entirely out of your system.”
 
“Leaving room for your wolf to wriggle.” Blake murmured.
 
“Then on top of that were the Macleirys themselves. Every detail they revealed had the potential to trigger your memory.” He turned to Blake. “I'm afraid I kept that part to myself rather deliberately. In my defence I was worried that if they knew her memory might be triggered by talking about her past, that they would bombard her too much at once.”
 
To his surprise, Blake smiled. “ If you'd revealed your suspicions, Macleiry may have been inclined to watch what he was saying... or avoid Elmwood altogether, I'm guessing it was just as much of a trigger.”
 
“Yes.” Doc turned back to Hannah. “In all... a perfect storm in the making.”
 
“He would have been furious to discover that he played a such a large part in his own demise,” Hannah murmured. “I find that very... satisfying.”
 
“And her wolf?” Blake asked.
 
“She may never return fully.” Doc advised. “Have you tried shifting again?”
 
Hannah nodded. It had been extremely difficult, and taken several tries before her wolf caught on to what she was trying to do.

“What’s it like?”

“Like standing in front of a mirror, only I'm the reflection and I have no control... I couldn't shift back until she wanted too either.”

He nodded as though it was what he had expected to hear. “Once you're mated Rothan will be able to assist with that.”

Blake frowned. “But Hannah will never be present when she shifts? It will always be her wolf, the... other Hannah?”

Doc pursed his lips. “It's probably better to stop thinking of them as two separate Hannah's.  Their new bond is much closer to a rogues duality than anything else. But no, she'll most likely never have control when in her wolf’s body any more than her wolf will be able to take control in hers.”

“Can you be content with that?” Hannah asked him in a quiet voice, her vulnerability clear. “Mated to a handicapped Luna? Will the pack accept it?”

Rothan growled. They’d better.

Cupping her face gently between his hands, Blake looked deep into Hannah's eyes. “I would have taken you as a mate with no wolf at all, you know that. The pack would have accepted you... they did accept you. Never believe you are lacking in anything important to us. Ever.”

Watching from a distance as Hannah navigated her new position, became Blake’s favourite pastime. Constantly reassuring himself that she was still safe, and poised to head off any difficulties she may face dealing with certain elements of the pack.

You think she needs our help? Rothan had chuckled. They adore her. And those that don't, know better than to make their disappointment known.