An hour later, the full light of a new day—Wednesday morning, the beginning of Thanksgiving break—lit my room.
Clay, still bloody from the fight, stood with the officers to show them out. They had his written statement and my phone number, since I didn’t plan to stay in the house for a few nights. I’d decided we’d go to the Compound a day early. I’d waited long enough. I had too many questions to answer on my own, and a certain Elder waited for me there. I needed to talk to him.
The police believed we’d experienced a simple break in. Their deduction suited me fine. I could just imagine the line of questioning I would have endured if I’d mentioned the men had broken in to kidnap me. After seeing the second man, I had no doubt that had been their intent.
The front door closed, and I listened to Clay walk through the house and close himself in the bathroom. He needed to wash the dried blood from his face. It had served its purpose and hidden his noticeably advanced healing from the police.
Flipping back the covers, I got out of bed and started to dress. The dizziness and headache that had returned when I fell off the bed had faded while they questioned me.
I finished dressing, grabbed my messenger bag, and began to cram clothes in it. My mind wasn’t on packing so I didn’t treat it anymore gently than Clay or Luke had when they had packed it. How had I felt anything for that man on the floor? It shouldn’t have been possible. Agitation burrowed deep. When I turned toward the door and saw Clay watching me, I dropped my gaze to the floor unable to meet his calm regard. He sighed, stepped aside, and motioned for me to lead.
In the kitchen, Clay had my jacket and shoes waiting. I slipped them on, remembering at the last minute to call Rachel to let her know what had happened. Thankfully, she hadn’t been home. She promised only to come back home with Peter, just to be safe.
Clay didn’t say anything as we got into the car, which was normal, but I sensed his extreme tension. My stomach churned with guilt. However, I didn’t know what to say, so I closed my eyes and tried to nap. Still needing to regain my strength, sleep wasn’t too hard to come by.
Several times, I woke to the sound of him tapping his grey nails against the steering wheel. When I opened my eyes to look at him, I could see his elongated canines. At those times, I wanted to reach over and pat his leg, but I held myself back.
When I woke to see his ears pointed too, I quietly studied him for a few minutes. I knew I was the cause of his agitation. He’d sensed my withdrawal. I hadn’t wanted him to see my confusion. I wanted to talk to Sam first, before saying anything to Clay. But my approach obviously wasn’t the right one. Clay had stuck by me through everything. I needed to trust that he wouldn’t turn away from me after I revealed what had happened.
“Clay...”
He paused his tapping.
“Could you pull over for a minute?”
He glanced at me, lifted a concerned brow, but did as I asked. The tires crunched on the snowy shoulder. He stopped the car then turned toward me.
A sad smile lifted my lips. I hated to see him like this. I tapped my lips. I needed affirmation that we still had our connection, and he needed assurance I was fine.
His tight grip on the steering wheel loosened, and he shook his head in amusement. I held my breath as he leaned toward me.
Clay cradled my face in his hands and kissed me tenderly. I clutched his shirt, dragging him closer. When he opened his mouth to nip my bottom lip, I groaned and willingly let him in. We steamed the windows. My lungs burned for air. Finally, I had to pull away to catch my breath. He wrapped his arms around me and placed small gentle kisses on the top of my head.
His neck hovered in my line of sight. I could give him what he wanted. A quick bite and I wouldn’t need to worry about other potential Mates. I could Claim him as my own. But I didn’t want to hurt him anymore. Physically or emotionally. I pulled back from our make-out session.
Clay gave me one last kiss on the lips then put the car in drive. The smooth, tan skin of his very human ears called my attention, as did his clean, pink nails. He looked content, no longer tapping his fingers while he stared ahead at the snow-covered roads.
I turned away and pretended to sleep, condemning myself for my lie. My hesitation to Claim Clay didn’t stem from a concern that I would hurt him. No, just like Sam said, I selfishly didn’t want to give up my plans.
Deep down, I was unwilling to bend and try to make it work.
* * * *
We arrived at the Compound just as the sun’s last rays sank below the tree-topped horizon. Vehicles crowded the parking area. I didn’t worry though. Holidays always drew a crowd.
Clay grabbed my bag then walked around to open my door for me. Staying close, we walked inside the Compound. Jackets and shoes filled the entry. It meant cramped quarters for the holiday, but I’d done it before.
We went to the apartment I usually stayed in with Sam, but another family with small cubs had commandeered it. After several minutes of knocking on doors, we gave up trying to find an apartment in the main Compound. We turned down a hall I typically didn’t travel—the unMated wing—and found the majority of the dorm quarters also occupied. Several men passed us as we searched. They gave us curious looks as they scented the air. I stayed close to Clay.
Clay and I grabbed the first open dorm room and put our stuff on the twin bed. We would figure out our sleeping arrangements later.
“I need to talk to Sam,” I said once we were back in the hall. Clay nodded and led the way to the main hall.
Charlene and her crew had done a wonderful job decorating the large room. Cornucopias with harvest produce sat on each of the long tables. Several turkeys with feathers made of construction paper hands hung on the walls. The cubs had obviously partaken in crafts while visiting. It amused me that Charlene insisted on celebrating the US holiday while living in Canada. Her extended adopted family didn’t seem to mind. I could hear women laughing in the attached kitchen. Fresh pumpkin pie perfumed the air.
In the midst of all the decorations, I spotted Sam. He sat with his back to me, conversing with several other men at one of the many sitting areas in the main hall. I noticed the weary slope of his shoulders. Part of me—the part that lived with him for so long and thought of him as “grandpa”—wanted to run over and hug him. I ignored that part.
Before he noticed me, I strode over and interrupted their conversation.
“It’s time we talked,” I said, tersely.
He turned toward me with a hesitant smile then quickly nodded to the others, who got up to move to another group.
“Gabby, I didn’t think you’d be up until tomorrow.”
Clay and I shared a glance. The main hall didn’t afford privacy since all the werewolves present would hear me. Then again, very few places in the Compound qualified as private to that degree. Normally, I wouldn’t care who heard me, but I had the mystery of the blue-grey werewolves to solve. I did a quick scan of the room and managed to hold back a wince of pain.
Clay gave an annoyed grunt but gently rubbed my back. He’d become adept at knowing when I used my gift.
In the brief glimpse, I’d noted the sparks all appeared normal. Well, for a werewolf anyway. But it only assured me to a degree. Although I didn’t think Sam responsible for what had happened, I still wondered if he might know something about it.
“We came early because two werewolves tried breaking into my house.” I watched Sam closely as I said it.
“What?” Sam said, giving Clay a sharp look. Sam appeared genuinely upset and concerned.
“He’s still not talking,” I said. I slumped into the chair across from Sam. “I believe their intentions were to kidnap me.”
Clay lowered himself into the chair next to me. He always stayed close, and I couldn’t imagine it any other way. If it hadn’t been for Clay, the men probably would have taken me. What would have happened then? I thought about the blonde man who’d been lying on the floor, and my stomach clenched with worry. My troubled gaze swung to Clay.
Clay met my look with calm, brown eyes. Staring into their depths, a tense breath eased out of me. Sure, I had questions, but I wouldn’t let the answers to any of them affect the tie Clay and I had.
I gave Clay a small worried smile then turned my attention back to Sam. Different colored lights...a pull to another man when it should only happen once...I could come up with the only possible explanation.
“Is there more than one kind of werewolf?” I asked bluntly. Maybe I’d stir up trouble with my public questioning, but I was tired of waiting.
Sam frowned and leaned forward. “Not sure what you mean, exactly.”
Sam watched me closely. I nibbled on my lip and thought back to the original challenger. Physically, he’d looked like any other werewolf. So if Sam didn’t already know about another kind of werewolf, I didn’t think there would be a way for him to differentiate. Then I thought of the last one I saw on the floor.
“When you go fur, what color variations are possible? Different shades of fur, eyes...what about nose, or nails?”
The door to the commons opened, and a few more werewolves drifted in, slowly walking toward other groups. While they progressed across the room, they kept their heads tilted, listening as if already aware of the important conversation occurring in our small group.
“What does this have to do with—”
I held up a hand. “Bear with me, Sam. I need answers to give answers.”
Sam turned his attention to Clay.
“I already told you, he still isn’t talking. Look, is there another Elder I can talk to? One willing to answer my questions?”
I wanted to take my harsh words back when Sam’s face fell.
The expression cleared after a moment, and he slowly answered. “Fur is like hair and varies just like a human’s. Same with the eyes. We are more like dogs when it comes to our noses. Mostly dark, but we sometimes have unusual markings. Did you see an identifying mark, Gabby?”
I ignored his question. “What about the nails?”
He shrugged. “Shades of grey. Mostly a dark grey.”
“Black?”
“Well, like I said, a dark grey is possible.”
“No. I mean black. A very glossy black you could see your reflection in.”
Sam remained introspectively quiet for a full minute. The intense silence claimed my attention. Looking around, I caught the eyes of a few others in the room before they quickly looked away.
“I don’t think I’ve ever paid that much attention to our claws before. But, no, I don’t believe so.”
I slumped back in my chair, thinking. Everyone in the room watched me, waiting for what I’d say next.
Could there really be another species of werewolf? The sparks I saw indicated the possibility. But if I followed that line of reasoning, did that then mean I was another species of human? Maybe these werewolves just had different abilities. I chewed on my lip for a minute. What about the nail color? Could that small difference carry enough significance to classify two separate species? I was grasping. I needed to grasp. If there were two kinds, it could explain why I had two potential Mates.
Frustrated and still tired from my stunt with Rachel, I scowled and got to the heart of my angst. Sure, I wanted to know what the color differences meant, but I needed to know why I felt what I did when I saw that man unconscious on the floor.
Sam cleared his throat, and I ignored him. Someone spoke softly further back in the room. Others moved restlessly.
So what if I felt the same pull for another guy? It just meant I had a choice. Wasn’t that what I’d wanted all along? Yet, now that I had options, I couldn’t see myself walking away from Clay...not for school, not for a career, and not for some creep who snuck into my house.
I peeked at Clay, unable to hide my turmoil. He reached out, offering his hand. His hair hid his eyes again, making it hard to read him. I looked down at his hand, calloused and so real.
Realization dawned. Clay and I held the answers. I kept my eyes trained on his hand to hide my thoughts. When I’d focused on Luke, I saw the yellow-violet spark. When I’d focused on Rachel, I’d expected to see Peter, but I hadn’t. Human vs. werewolf testing. If I was right about different species and tried the same test with Clay, I foresaw two possibilities. I would see myself as Clay’s Mate or I would see two potential Mates for myself, thus supporting my theory of another werewolf species.
Doubt crept in. What if I didn’t see myself? What if it didn’t work that way, and I saw the werewolf that Clay had knocked out?
I needed to know.
Lacing my fingers through his, I closed my eyes and focused. I held onto my need to find the perfect Mate for Clay and my hope I’d see myself.
The shock jumped from my hand to his, and my vision of the real world narrowed. I held my breath, terrified of the answer. My second sight exploded into existence. Not the great void filled with billions of sparks, but with the vibrant intensity and color of the sun. The white yellow core pulsed, its energy radiating outward, cooling to a molten orange. Hope flooded me as I realized my own spark filled my vision.
The vision closed, and my eyes once again focused on the real world. My hand still rested within Clay’s, but I caught the change in his expression. Clay glared at me. He knew what I’d done, but I couldn’t feel bad about it. Joy filled me. I’d been right. It didn’t answer my question about the variances in sparks, but I didn’t care. It had given me the answer I needed.
I smiled sweetly and leaned over to kiss him lightly on the lips. When our lips touched, something tangible changed. The joy I felt remained, but something else crept in. I pulled back, eyes wide. My heart hammered and my stomach clenched as I stared at him, unable to look away. Mesmerized.
In shock, I realized what I’d done. I’d transferred my pull to him. Only he wasn’t pulling in men. He pulled me in, and the force of it consumed me. He represented a hot fudge sundae to a diet-starved girl. Even knowing that what I felt was a result of my power, I couldn’t ignore it. He was so handsome, so perfect, and so clueless as he continued to scowl at me.
His fingers still twined through mine, but I needed more from him. I needed an affirmation of us as a pair. I wanted to touch his face and smell his skin. I wanted to hold him tight and never let go.
With speed I never imagined I possessed, I moved from my seat to his, straddled his lap, and leaned my forehead against his. He grunted in surprise, but otherwise didn’t move.
Breathing in deeply, I smelled the soap he’d used and closed my eyes. His hair tickled my nose. I pressed my lips to the tip of his nose. My heart twisted painfully. His hand came up, lightly resting on my side. It heated my ribs. The contact of each finger branded me. Better, but not enough. My mind kept chanting “more.” I opened my eyes and smiled.
Forgetting our audience, I ran my hands through his hair and pulled back to kiss his exposed forehead. His cautious brown eyes met mine. I lost myself in their depths for several moments as I recalled the first time I saw them. On his driver’s license. I needed more from him. No more hiding from each other.
I tilted my head and kissed his cheek. The whiskers abraded my lips, but I didn’t mind. I moved lower, finding his lips. He didn’t resist me, but didn’t join in as he had in the car. I frowned slightly. A stab of doubt pierced my heart. This didn’t feel right, yet. He still hid from me.
Nudging his jaw with my nose, I made room to nuzzle his neck. My lips skimmed his smooth skin. His pulse jumped under my mouth. Finally, he reacted. Both his hands came up, holding my sides, kneading me, encouraging. My breath quickened, and my heart hammered. Yes! This was right.
Something took possession of me. With one hand, I gripped his hair and tugged it. He tilted his head to the side and exposed his neck, giving in willingly. My eyes traced his neck where his pulse skipped erratically. The beat matched my own. I couldn’t look away from that clean-shaven spot. I recalled when he had started shaving it. He’d known I would need to see it. For this. I kissed it lightly and felt him shudder. Before the shudder ended, I bit him hard on the same spot. Hard enough to draw blood.
The taste of his blood on my tongue broke the hold he had on me and created a new one somewhere deep inside. I pulled back slightly to look at the small marks I’d left. They had already begun to heal.
The pull he had on me and the euphoria of the moment faded as the horror of what I’d just done washed over me.
Clay stared at me in stunned silence...versus his everyday silence. Behind me, someone moved and called attention to the fact that we still had an audience. A Claiming typically occurred in private.
A deep blush seized my cheeks, and embarrassed tears began to gather. I wiped the blood from my mouth with a shaky hand. I didn’t regret Claiming him, but wished we could have talked first. I needed reassurance. Would this mean I’d have to quit school? Would he want me to live in the woods with him? If he did, I owed it to him to try after everything he’d done for me.
Then, a really ugly question floated to the surface. Had I just forced him?
Panic bloomed in my chest. Before I could scramble off his lap, he reached up and gently stroked my hair. I froze, hands braced on his chest for stability, ready to flee.
“I’ve been waiting for that since the moment I saw you,” he said in a deep and husky voice. He sounded like a midnight radio DJ.
Hearing his perfect voice ignited my temper. Now, he could talk? I scowled at him. The man had the audacity to laugh then scoop me up in his arms.
The room around us erupted in cheers, and I hid my blazing face in his chest, my thoughts a confused jumble. I felt him walk, but didn’t have the courage to look up to meet the faces of the people who’d witnessed our Claiming. The sounds of cheering faded as he moved out of the commons. My tears of embarrassment dried before they spilled over.
Part of me couldn’t wait to get him alone and yell at him for not talking to me for so long. Another part of me wanted to skip talking altogether and get back to the kissing part. And yet another part of me wanted to ask his thoughts about my gifts and the lights I saw.
When he carried me into our little room and set me on my feet after closing the door, I did none of those things. I stood mere inches from him still too stunned, and very unsure, to do anything but stare. Where would we live? How would we support ourselves? What about my education? His job? Was he upset I bit him under the influence? Should I tell him about the other wolf? Did he have ideas about the weird colored lights?
I trembled. He no longer smiled, but his eyes still twinkled.
“Why?” My high, strained voice made me sound like a child. I cleared my throat and tried again. “Why wait until now to talk?” Apparently, my curiosity had won.
He quietly studied me for a moment then opened his arms. I didn’t hesitate, but stepped right into them. I needed his comfort. He tucked me against his chest and gave me his explanation in a simple, heart-melting way.
“If I’d spoken, even just one word, I would have never been able to hold back what I feel for you. You would have run.”
I remembered the day he’d plopped down on the towel next to Rachel. Had he arrived any other way, I would have tried to kick him out. If that wouldn’t have worked, I would have...run. Even then, he’d known me. I hadn’t been ready for any monumental life changes then and wasn’t sure if I was now.
I pulled back and met his gaze.
“Can I finally get answers from you now? You’ll keep talking?”
He smiled at me and nodded. Well, he’d never be a chatterbox.
“Do you think I’m right about the—”
With sudden seriousness, he interrupted me. “Now’s not the time. We’ll talk later.”
“No way, we’re talking now. If not about that, then something else. I’ve waited over six months to hear your voice.”
He didn’t look too motivated to talk, yet.
“You owe me. I bit you.” It sounded a little backwards, but he smiled for a moment before the look turned puzzled.
“How are you feeling?”
His question gave me pause. Where were the waves of backlash? Shouldn’t I feel sick or something by now?
“Good, actually.” I’d felt great since I bit him.
Curious, I stretched my awareness. Two of the waves had already hit me, but I hadn’t felt a thing.
“It’s weird, but I don’t feel sick.” No backlash. Did that mean I would no longer have a pull on men? The idea excited me. I tried pushing my sight further, and it worked.
In Clay’s arms, I focused easily, seeing things I’d missed before. The humans dominated the majority of the space while the werewolves claimed an insignificant portion. Far to the east, a large gathering of blue-grey werewolves hid among the humans. I stayed focused on their group, concerned. If they congregated together, they understood their difference.
“I think we need a safe place to talk.” Although werewolves tried to respect each other’s privacy, I didn’t want to chance anyone overhearing what we needed to discuss.
Clay nodded, but glanced at the door without moving. I followed his gaze and my shoulders slumped as I looked at the wood panel. I had a good idea who hovered outside. He’d given me my answers and now wanted his own.
I slipped from Clay’s arms and yanked the door open. As I expected Sam leaned against the wall opposite the door. Waiting. Probably listening, too.
“Sam, since we don’t have any privacy, we’d like to use the conference room. There are a few things we need to discuss.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Sam said, motioning for me to lead.
“Clay and I, Sam,” I clarified as I stepped from the room. “I don’t have any answers for you.”
“Gabby—”
“No. Now it’s your turn to be bossed around and told what to do. I did what you wanted and Claimed one of you. Lay off.” My stomach churned, and a little fear crept in. Talking to Sam like that was like poking a bear with a stick. Though he’d never given me reason to fear him, he could rip my head off in a blink. I never forgot that.
Sam didn’t say anything behind me, but continued to follow me. I didn’t turn around to look but knew Clay followed Sam. I needed to stop baiting Sam and smelling like fear. It didn’t help any of us.
I opened the door to the soundproofed conference room and turned to face Sam. He’d schooled his features to appear perfectly calm and blank, but his spark glowed like a fanned ember.
“Sam, I’m trying to do what’s best for me, Clay, and the pack. There’s a lot I haven’t told you, things I haven’t told Clay. Give me some time to sort everything out. I need to make sure your goals mesh with mine before I can fully confide in you.” He looked hurt by my words, but I didn’t regret them. I was trying to be honest and give him what information I could to help explain my behavior.
He studied my face for a long moment then stood back and let Clay join me in the room. “I’ll be here.”
I nodded and gently closed the door. I’d figured he would wait.
When I turned to Clay, I found him watching me. He looked puzzled. Probably trying to figure out what I hadn’t told him. He knew so much already. But what would he think about my reaction to the man who’d broken into our house?
I rubbed my hand through my hair. “I’m not sure where to start.”
He pulled me into his arms. “Anywhere. I’ll listen.”
He always did. I smiled and started with the easiest thing. “I can see everything, Clay. Without pain.” I pulled out of his arms and continued to look. “Even without touching you, there’s no pain. I can see so much more than before. Why?”
“It’s our link.”
“Wait. I thought the link happened when...” I didn’t really want to bring that up. We’d moved a little fast with the Claiming, and I didn’t want to seem overly eager about the Mating. No mixed signals.
He read my hesitation and quirked a smile. “The full link happens after the Mating is completed. With the Claiming we have a more limited version of that connection.” His smile faded, and he looked at me sincerely. “It can still be broken. If there’s another potential Mate out there...by biting him, you can break our bond and create one with him.”
My jaw dropped. I couldn’t believe he’d said all those words. I hoped he didn’t say that potential Mate part because he thought I still doubted us.
“Don’t use up your word quota for the day.” He grinned, and I stuck out my tongue before getting serious again.
“Clay, I won’t be biting anyone else. Ever. But I do have something to tell you. When those wolves attacked...the second one...” I trailed off, trying to find the right words. I didn’t want to hurt him. This should qualify as the best day for us. Would telling him turn it into the worst? He nudged me as he often did when in his fur. It made me smile sadly as I admitted the truth.
“I felt the same pull with him as I do with you. I don’t understand why that would happen. Sam said just one. Experiencing that with someone else confused me and made me feel horrible, like I cheated on you.”
He sighed and shook his head, smiling softly at me. “I saw what happened. It worried me, but the kiss in the car helped me understand how you feel. Don’t worry about it.”
He’d known all along? His impatient finger tapping made more sense now.
I met his eyes and smiled back. His easy acceptance of everything that’d happened finished melting my heart.
“I love you.” My admission took me by surprise.
I didn’t see him move. He embraced me again, crushing me in a spinning hug. The room twirled around us at a dizzying speed, and I didn’t attempt to focus on it. Instead, I looked down at Clay’s face. He wore a huge smile. I grinned back and noted his canines were normal for the first time ever.
“Oh!” I squirmed to get down, excited at the size of his teeth. He grudgingly released me. “Please can we get rid of the beard?” Yes, I hopped from foot to foot like a kid begging for cotton candy. I wanted to see him just once without facial hair. If he wanted to grow it back, I wouldn’t mind. I’d fallen in love with him as he was, after all.
He nodded, laughing at me.
“And I still want to get my degree. Can we stay where we are until then?”
Before he could say anything, his eyes shifted to the door. My joy-filled smile faded. I still needed to figure out what made Elder Joshua different from other werewolves. No doubt, it related to me in some way. Why else would I be able to see the colors? For a moment, I thought about my mom and all the questions I would ask her if she still lived.
I stepped closer to Clay and laid my head against his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist. “Everyone I’ve ever loved this way I’ve lost,” I said, recalling my earliest memories of my mom and grandma. I hugged him close. “Don’t let me down.”
“I won’t. You’re stuck with me forever,” he whispered as he held me close.
I pulled back enough to meet his eyes and knew without a doubt I’d found the perfect man. He would stand by me. Always.
I kissed his lips, wishing we had time to be just Gabby and Clay, the newly engaged couple. Then, I smiled. We would have time. Eventually. Like he said, he wasn’t going anywhere, and neither was I.
Something chirped behind me. It took a second chirp for me to recognize the sound of my own phone. I groaned at the interruption, but pulled back from Clay’s warm embrace, not quite leaving it, to pluck the phone from my back pocket. Luke’s number flashed on the screen.
As soon as I hit “talk,” Luke spoke in a rush without waiting for my greeting.
“Gabby, I have a problem,” he shouted over the roar of an engine. Something popped loudly in the background. Luke swore. The phone went dead.
The three-second conversation left me speechless. I pulled the phone away from my ear to look at it. What the hell was going on? Safe in Clay’s arms, I stretched my senses and searched for Luke. I found a yellow-violet spark and a lone blue-green spark—Luke...and the other spark like me—swarmed by blue-grey sparks.
“Clay, I don’t think I have a choice anymore. Something’s happening to Luke. The other werewolves are all around him. We need to get Sam.” I turned to look at the door. “I don’t know who to trust.”
Clay nodded and leaned his forehead against mine. “I’ll stand with you, always.”