Page 135 of Wolf's Mark

She’d pushed for me to say anything about how I actually felt about her since her mother’s confession. Maybe in my heart I knew, although I’d always thought I couldn’t care about anyone the way they needed. Perhaps the correct word to use was shouldn’t. I shouldn’t care because I’d been labeled a monster my entire life.

When I didn’t answer right away, as expected, she walked away from me, ensuring she was out of my reach. “One hour. That’s all I’ll need.” Without looking at me again, she walked out of the room.

There was a moment I’d been able to read her mind again, shoving aside all the formulas she had driving her brain.

She’d gone from wishing I’d tell her exactly how I felt to wishing she’d never met me.

Sedona

Low and masculine, every time Jax’s voice dropped to little more than a whisper, I found myself deep in a trance. It wasn’t just his breath I felt sliding across my skin, but his husky and sensual tone that kept me aroused in his presence.

I’d done my best to remain focused on the work, but he made it impossible. He also managed to keep me as unnerved as the work I was doing. Nothing seemed real any longer.

“You’re deep in thought,” Marla said. While we weren’t going to have a tremendous friendship, I’d already grown to respect her work in just two days.

“Yeah, I guess so. I just don’t know what to think any longer.”

“About our work or about Jackson?”

“I guess both.” I tried to laugh but the sound was hollow. “He’s the most infuriating man I’ve ever known.” I moved to see what she was working on, checking my watch since I had no doubt Jax would come storming into the lab, tossing me over his shoulder.

She continued studying the slide she was looking at. “He’s an Alpha wolf. What did you expect? Sunshine and roses? That’s not the Wolfen men.”

“Is that why you’re not involved with anyone?”

Now she lifted her head. I noticed a flash in her eyes that didn’t last very long. She was haunted by an experience. “Did Jax share that with you?”

“He did, but he didn’t give me any details.”

As she moved to the computer, I resumed my place on the other side of the room.

“I was in love once. A wolf I’d gone to college with. We’d talked about getting married. Then he got sick.”

“With what?”

She acted as if she didn’t want to tell me.

“I won’t pry.”

“You should know since most of the wolves are in denial,” she said. “Leukemia. He lost his battle within nine months.”

My mouth dropped open. “But I was told Wolfen couldn’t get sick. Heart disease. That’s what Jax had told me.”

Sighing, she returned to what she was working on. “See? Denial.”

“I don’t understand. Is this the curse?”

“Curse, my ass,” Marla snorted. “I know the council and all the Elders believe it, but the issues are all about genetics and interbreeding.”

It took me a few seconds to comprehend what she was saying. “You mean humans and wolves.” My assumptions had been on the money. What a horrible realization.

“Correct. Think of all the fabulous dog breeds. They used to be immune to cancer and even Lyme disease, but no longer. Their lives are shorter. They suffer like humans. The drugs aren’t the same for them, so veterinarians are still behind the eight ball. I watched my sweet man wither and die. Nine months.”

“That’s why you’re a doctor.”

Her smile was genuine. “Yes. Plus, I wanted to see if I could find cures. First it was cancer, but name a disease or a terrible illness and it’s popping up in the Wolfen.”

“So… I’m supposed to be this queen. Married to the grand poo-bah Alpha male. Am I supposed to be the cure?”

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