“I don’t think so. She looks like a wolf, smells like a wolf, and otherwise acts like a wolf, so she’s probably a wolf. I don’t smell any of the scent markers of a Fenerec. The Russians reek of it, so they’re definitely Fenerec, although they have a vastly different culture than we do.”
In a way, I was relieved, although I wondered why Bodwin and his wife had kept wolves as pets, though the animals had been fairly wild. I sipped at my coffee, wondering how I managed to find trouble no matter what I did. “You’re not angry?”
“According to my wife, I was somewhat surly, as I dislike when someone does something better than I do. It’s one of my few faults.” Desmond chuckled and shook his head. “No, I’m not angry with you. You had good reason to be skittish, and you did what you thought was best. Considering you had to take a shot I knew you didn’t want to have to make, I figured you needed space. As such, I took care of your programmer and your SEAL. I’ve settled both of them in Seattle, and Elliot has secured Lane from the military. We have him in a bodyguard role for the moment, but he’ll finish his time of service with the Inquisition, which will be more lucrative and safer for him.”
“How is he taking it?”
“He’s liking it, especially when the local Fenerec and Fenerec-born women realized he’s single and part of my pack. He’s conservative enough to drive the women crazy, and Anthony is having a good time playing the game, too. I suggested if they played hard to get, they would be able to find a good partner. And with Fenerec, it’s absolutely true. The faster a potential mate runs, the more focused the Fenerec or Fenerec-born becomes. That’s essentially how Nicolina got herself into trouble with Richard. Richard ran.”
“Richard ran?”
“He was convinced I’d beat him or worse if he showed any interest in my daughter. Of course, I locked him in my basement for a while for sneaking around rather than just asking. I wouldn’t have said no to them pairing. Essentially, Nicolina wasn’t handling the advances of the Fenerec and Fenerec-born boys her age well. Her sister loved it. So, Richard was my bet for giving Nicolina breathing space. It didn’t work out quite as I’d planned, but there’s no better man for my daughter than Richard, and Alex treats Nicolina’s sister equally well. Alex is Richard’s brother, and he’s keeping things handled in Yellowknife.”
“Think Amber will let me hide behind her?” I muttered.
Desmond chuckled. “As long as you don’t mind Amber circling. I’m hoping you two hit it off, or at the very least, you hit it off enough she’ll accept the ritual.”
“How bad is she really?”
“Bad enough I’m going to teach you how to perform the ritual if needed, and if you panic and perform the ritual, it won’t be the first or the last time, and the Inquisition accounts for that during life-and-death situations. While I’ve told my daughter a few years, the reality is closer to a few months.”
“What’s the diagnosis?”
“Her witchcraft is essentially failing due to her age. Her magic is still intact, but her body is too old and worn to handle the strain. Witchcraft can extend life, but it can do only so much. Fire witches tend to die younger than earth or water witches. Air witches are fairly rare and difficult to identify, so we don’t know as much about them. Fire witches are the most common type. Because she’s so old, her body is shutting down. She also has cancer, but I think the heart strain will kill her long before the cancer does.”
“And becoming one of us will stop this?”
“Correct. And she should remain a witch with full control over her powers once she adapts to being bonded with a wolf. She will light things on fire with disturbing frequency until then, but Elliot has become quite good at manipulating water, as my daughter is very talented at lighting things on fire. I’m not concerned about that. Within a month or two, her age will reverse to her early twenties, back to her prime. She’ll stay in her prime until the end of her lifespan as a Fenerec—and Fenerec can live to become very, very old. We tend to die of unnatural causes, or we’re put down because we’ve gone wild.”
I sighed. “And is she all right with this, really?”
“She believes it isn’t an option for her. She has no idea I’m teaching you how to perform the ritual, although my daughter has been dropping hints about Amber becoming one of us. Nicolina believes Amber is receptive.”
“Is that because Nicolina doesn’t want to lose her witch?”
“No. Nicolina is talented at figuring out if someone means they want to become a Fenerec. But if we wait until the end of the line, she either wants it or doesn’t. The ritual will succeed or fail. All I’m doing is making it so if you stick close to Amber, if it gets to that, you and your wolf can perform the ritual.”
“I feel like I’m getting two versions of the same story, and I’m not sure which form of the story is correct.”
“Dante is an earth witch who enjoys helping other people create families. As such, he probably would prefer if Amber were to be happily mated, and you’re a damned good candidate for Amber.”
“Because I’m not afraid of her.”
“Many are. She’s a very powerful witch, and she has been working within the Inquisition as an enforcer for a long time.”
“And your opinion?”
“You’ll have a hard time finding a better woman, and she’d have a hard time finding a better man, so you’ll find me a very supportive Alpha, and I’ll keep the other ladies focused on Anthony and Lane, as they’re enjoying our courting practices. Your reactions before make it clear you will not. But you like Amber, and you did from the start.”
“She beat up six SEALs, Desmond. At the same time.”
Desmond chuckled and finished his coffee. “That she did. Let’s get you into the pack, and after we see how you react, we’ll decide what we’re going to do about this wild wolf problem plaguing this city.”
Chapter Five
My wolf’s desire to be part of a pack sealed the deal, and while the idea of someone’s teeth near my throat worried me, I accepted it as necessary. The entire process took less than a minute, but it left me beyond exhausted. I didn’t understand how being nipped in the throat and hearing the howls of two wolves in my head could wipe me out, but I staggered to my chair, dropped on it, and struggled to stay awake.
“It’s not uncommon,” Desmond informed me, cleaning my coffee pot and washing the two cups before restoring everything to order. “Normally, I’d have Amber check on you, but I don’t want to tax her witchcraft. It’s what’s keeping her alive. Before you clock out, I do want to teach you how to perform the ritual in case it’s needed. Or, more accurately, my wolf wants to teach your wolf. I can do that through the pack bonds. All you need to do is let your wolf out a little.”
“Let him out?”
“Don’t try to control him at all. When you feel my wolf in the pack bonds, just be. My wolf can then have a chat with your wolf. You’ll feel it more than hear anything, though.” Desmond shrugged. “You might not notice at all. But for the ritual to work, it’s the wolf that needs to do the work. You’ll listen to your wolf—or let him handle it completely. It’s more dangerous to give the wolf full control, but it’s generally okay during the ritual, because the wolf has a job to do and wants to create new pack members. Most wolves settle after performing the ritual.”