Page 95 of Wolf's Mark

I couldn’t blame all humans for the massacres from years before. Fear was a powerful instigator.

Now the Wolfen could have something to fear.

I started a fire in the main fireplace, sensing her return a few minutes later.

“A spectacular place. Every inch,” she said in a quiet voice.

“I’m glad you feel comfortable here.”

“I’m curious. Do werewolves only come out at night?”

Answering her meant perpetuating the terror she felt, but there was no other choice. She wouldn’t allow me to get by with her not hearing everything possible.

“As I mentioned before, werewolves are entirely different than depicted in movies. Does the full moon affect them? My mother would tell you that their rage increases. Other than that, no. They don’t automatically shift. As far as I know, darkness doesn’t affect them either, but that’s a question for the Elders.”

“Elders of the Wolfen?”

“Yes.”

“How old are you?”

How could I not laugh? “Older than you think. Let’s go with that and no, we do not live forever. Our metabolisms are simply different. We are immune to most human diseases, but we have some of our own.” The information was repetitive, but at least I was offering her some details.

“Why do you think I’m your mate?” Sedona was seriously asking me. Telling her now could be disastrous, especially without anyproof. “How would you know? A sense of smell, a heavier desire? Better sex?”

“Why don’t we discuss that later?”

“I need to know, Jax. You’re aware I can’t tolerate being kept in the dark.”

My exhale sounded exaggerated even to me. “There is a sense of knowing deep inside every wolf, a hunger that burns so deeply within that the beast can barely function because of the raging desire. There is also an innate need to protect against every evil, including mankind. Scents are different. The touch more powerful. But our senses are dull from lack of use. I wasn’t certain the first night I met you, but my entire being required keeping you protected.”

Sedona sighed. “That’s almost romantic. But how can a human be considered a mate? You’re required to build a family with a wolf to strengthen your numbers and your senses. If we had a child, he or she wouldn’t be a wolf.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.” She was getting too close to the truth and I was not eager for her to discover something that would rock her entire world. Perhaps even sending her spiraling to the point she ran far away. But she had no idea that she could never get away from me. Once discovered, she belonged to me.

“Answer me, Jax. What else? I can feel you’re holding back and I can’t stand it. Tell me.”

I closed my eyes. There was no perfect way of sharing the news. There was nothing I could say that would soften the blow.

Not. One. Thing.

A deep growl erupted from my core.

“Because you have some wolf in you.”

CHAPTER 24

Jax

Sedona took a deep breath and held it. As she’d done so many times before, she searched my eyes for the truth.

Was it her version of the truth? I wasn’t certain.

However, she wasn’t as stunned as I thought she’d be.

“Part wolf,” she repeated.

I nodded. There was nothing else to say at this point. I felt a part of her going numb, but another part, the brilliant side of her mind, was calculating and forming questions, making rationalizations that her psyche could handle.

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