Page 33 of Father of the Wolf

As the strained voice rolled through her mind, Hope looked at Athair and saw the predator within him. She saw the struggle as he fought to maintain control. She needed to help him if she could. “I’ll try.” She caught his gaze and held it for a moment. This was an opportunity to find out about the one who’d attacked her. “I want to tell you about what happened to me almost a month ago. Maybe you can help me sort out what I saw.” She hesitated.

“What happened?”

“I was attacked by one of your kind.” She went on to explain what she recalled about the attack and the newscast about the girl’s body. “Tell me again that it wasn’t you.” She studied his every reaction.

“It was not I.”

“You don’t think I imagined it, do you?”

“No, probably not.” He met her gaze with an open, honest expression that made her want to believe him.

“Are many of your kind killers? Is that normal or maybe they were outlaws?” Was he the only nice werewolf, or was the one who’d attacked her the outlier? She hoped most of them were like Athair, because he would be more trustworthy if he was part of an honorable group.

“I really don’t know. My clan has not stayed in contact with others for several centuries. Valàfrn were not like that in the past, but times do change. I hope they have not changed that much.”

“So, they were outlaws, then? What about the ones in your family?”

“Just like your kind, we have individual personalities. Some are easily corrupted by the power we control. My clan is bound by honor. None would do such crimes.”

“Do you have police to stop them?”

“Once we had the Shadomàn, who watched for clan members who could bring harm to all.”

“Do they still exist?” Shadomàn sounded strange and mysterious, fitting for the ones who would be werewolves hunting werewolves.

“Not that I know of, but the Shadomàn were outside the clan so as to remain objective.”

“Objective? Oh, in case they had to go after someone they knew.”

“Yes. They might be called to kill someone they knew and loved, perhaps a friend or relative.”

They might have to kill someone they loved? How horrible. But who else would be strong enough to fight magic except those who held the same powers? For the sake of the Warren police, Hope sincerely wished for a few Shadomàn to be hunting the ones who’d attacked her and killed the other woman.

“Tell me about your family.” Athair interrupted her musing. Family is important.

“I live with my grandmother, Ella. I have been with her since my parents died.” Hope remembered the day Granny had picked her up from the hospital and brought her and her wheelchair home. She’d felt so old and used up. Her days filled with quiet dread, and her nights with dark nightmares. Granny had let her be for a while, and then forced her to meet visitors who came by, most of whom she didn’t remember. But a few had been different and nearly pulled her back awake.

“How did your parents die?” Athair tugged her back from her dark thoughts.

“In a car accident. The same one in which I was injured. My two younger brothers died, too.” It was possible now to say the words, but they still hurt so much.

“I am very sorry. That must have been hard for you.” His soothing empathy eased around her like a gentle hug.

The caress from his mind to hers offered something no other person ever had. It offered guilt-free sympathy that she was forced to accept. Knowing that he wasn’t judging her in any way released those horrible memories, allowing her to talk about that time without choking on the pain. “I was sixteen. It was a long time ago, right after I passed my driver’s exam.”

“You must pass an exam to drive a wagon? So many things are different.”

She stared at him in astonishment. “I suppose you don’t know how to drive a car?”

“My clan has stayed to ourselves since shortly after we moved to this continent. I saw many strange new things while in the Bear Clan, and even more here in your home. Only my younger brother, Sgrios, has gone out and brought back stories about your world.”

“Why were you so isolated?” She could not imagine a group of people living apart from the world for so many centuries.

“My brothers and I felt it was too dangerous to live among your kind. I believe now that we made a terrible mistake. One for which our children will be forced to pay. They have lost so much. I wish I could give it all back to them, but perhaps they will have that chance now.”

His thoughts humbled Hope. She could see that their discussion of his family had helped keep him distracted from his wild nature. And it was certainly easier for her to talk about than the loss of her own family.

“I think I would like your family.” The words slipped out and surprised her. Meeting Athair had changed her whole outlook when it came to werewolves.

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