Page 136 of Wolf's Mark

There was something amusing about her chuckle. “Maybe the old timers believe that too. I’m no expert on our lore, but I have heard there are two groups of old families. They were the first and of course, required to mate. Over time, the primal core was disrupted. It had to be. More pups were born than were believed could happen, turning into more hybrid children as the packs decided they wanted nothing to do with Wolfen mentality or rules.”

I took a deep breath, pushing it out through my lips. “The bloodlines were diluted.”

“Yes. That is science.”

“So the natural immune system the Wolfen were born with has been trashed.”

For the first time, she gave me an actual grin. I didn’t think she could smile. “Bingo.”

“But if I’m a wolf, which I still find tough to believe, I’m a hybrid. What good would having pups do?” I couldn’t believe I was using the word ‘pups.’

“According to legend and the great Elders, because you are primal your blood is pure like Jax’s and your pups will be born pure. Don’t shoot the messenger.”

I think I stared at her unblinking for a full minute. “Whoa.”

“Yeah, whoa. But if what I’d told you and find tough to buy is true, you won’t make it to having pups. The werewolves are our one true enemy. We pissed them off a bazillion years go. They want payback.”

Payback. That much I understood.

“One last thing. I know you aren’t certain about Jax and what he thinks about you or what he’s capable of feeling,” she told me.

“Yeah, he refuses to say anything about his emotions, his likes. I know he enjoys our time we spend together, but why can’t he tell me if he thinks I’m the one?”

“You are the one. I assure you of that and it doesn’t have anything to do with the fact you are his mate. I feel that truth in my bones. I’ve known him my entire life. I once thought I was going to marry him, pretending he was my mate. We’re just friends; don’t worry. That’s all we’ve ever been, but with you, he found the way out of his darkness. Just trust your gut with him and open your heart.”

Open my heart.

I’d already done that, becoming fearful it would be smashed into oblivion.

I wasn’t certain I could handle that.

“Come on. Let’s get to work,” I told her. “I have a primal male refusing to be without me.”

As I began the test, I tried not to think about Jax, but he was so electrifying as well as infuriating, I wasn’t working on all cylinders.

CHAPTER 33

Jax

One hour.

Time was almost up.

I’d been pacing the floor in the living room, coming damn close to allowing my beast to crawl out of his lair.

That couldn’t happen with Britney in the house.

So I continued pacing.

And worrying.

And hungering.

“Fuck,” I hissed and headed to the bar. Thankfully, the last time I’d checked on Britney, she’d been taking a much needed nap, falling asleep with her favorite music playing in the background.

I yanked a bottle from the shelf, twisting the cap. It was rotgut whiskey, which was my second choice when my wolf was active.

I’d barely gulped down half the glass when I heard voices heading in my direction. I didn’t need to turn my head to sense Riker had returned with Eliza.

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