Page 36 of What a Wolf Demands

“Not technically, no.” Her outrage on behalf of his friend made a strange warmth drift through him. She gripped her knife in a tight fist as if she was ready to do battle. He had the oddest urge to cover her hand with his, to take some of the tension from her. Instead, he added, “His folks didn’t know the first thing about Telepaths. Most wolves don’t. It’s a rare Gift.”

She seemed to mull that over. “We don’t have any in Bon Rêve. I’ve actually never met one.” She darted a look at him. “Until now, that is.”

Normally, that kind of reaction made him feel like a science experiment or a carnival sideshow. For a supernatural species, werewolves were absurdly alarmed by those who could speak mind to mind. It was as if their animal half—so dependent on instinct and physical strength—rebelled against a skill based wholly on human speech. The wolf had no use for telepathy, so it discarded it as unnecessary and even suspicious.

That suspicion had followed Dom his whole life. “Sneak” was a common insult—the implication being that he might use his Gift to control or influence another person’s mind without their consent. Such a thing was impossible, but that didn’t stop non-Telepaths from throwing out the accusation.

He didn’t get that vibe from Lily, though. For all her unfamiliarity with his kind, she seemed more curious than frightened. Maybe it was due to her status as a latent. She knew what it meant to be an outcast.

In his mind, he got the impression of his wolf settling on its haunches, a pointed expression on its face. See? It seemed to say. Protect this one.

He sent it an image of him baring his teeth. Maybe the beast would finally take the hint.

“I’m sorry,” Lily said suddenly. “I didn’t mean to insult you.”

Surprise made him forget the wolf. “You didn’t. I don’t know many Telepaths, either.”

“Just Remy?”

“And my parents.”

Understanding lit her eyes. “So that’s why they fostered him.”

Dom nodded. “Telepathy is a Prado family trait. Always has been.” It was actually a source of pride in his family. Most wolves refused to mate Telepaths. His ancestors had seized on this as a way to form alliances with other Telepath families.

A question formed in her gaze. He waited for her to ask, but she looked down, as if suddenly fascinated by the remaining food on her plate.

“You want to ask me something,” he said.

She looked up. The blush was back. Or maybe it had never left. Her freckles stood out against the lush pink. How many did she have? There had to be hundreds, maybe thousands.

Funny how tiny deposits of melanin could be so alluring.

Dammit. He had to stop letting his thoughts venture down that path.

“There’s a story,” she said, her voice hesitant, as if she was reluctant to ask but too curious to hold back. She waved a hand. “It was a silly thing. Something my dad told me about your family. He had a name for it, but I can’t remember it now.”

Ah, there was the distraction he needed. He put his napkin on the table. “So you’ve heard the legend of the Capitoline Wolf.”

“Yes!” She looked like she just won a jackpot. “That’s what he called it.” She flashed a wide smile, and his breath hitched. “My dad loved history. He was a pretty big nerd about it. He’d be so excited to know I met you and talked to you.”

Dom couldn’t help but return her smile. Abruptly, he realized it was the first time he’d seen her genuinely happy. In his mind, his wolf beamed, as if it felt responsible for her delight. Hell, he couldn’t really blame the beast. Part of him wished he could claim credit for making her look like that.

“Is it true?” she asked.

He blinked. Shit. He’d been smiling at her like a fool. “What?”

“The Capitoline Wolf.”

Ah, right. “You mean did my ancestress suckle the founders of Rome?” He shrugged, as always somewhat embarrassed by the story. “I don’t think anyone can say for sure. As you know, we don’t write down our lore.”

“My father always said it was forbidden,” she murmured.

“It is. As a species, we can’t risk our stories falling into human hands. Of course, some legends find their way into the broader world despite our best efforts.”

“Like the she-wolf saving Romulus and Remus.”

“Yes.”

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