Page 57 of Fated to the Feral Wolf

After a long time studying the sigils, she bowed her head. “Goddess, as you have writ, so let it be.”

With a mighty clap, the sigils went up in a burst of dazzling light, and then all fell still.

Brielle’s wolf began to shake, but before I could run forward to bolster her, the change took over. To my surprise, she stayed on her feet for once, swaying drunkenly in the ankle-deep water. Kane was already back in human form, passing her a fresh set of clothing—warmer than the linens provided by the Kodiaks—as we all shifted back to skin.

There was a pile of sweats behind a nearby tree, and as soon as I pulled on my own, I rushed to Brielle’s side. Her hand was cold and clammy as it gripped mine while we waited for Jada to share with us what she’d learned.

When Dirge reached for my other hand, it startled me—but as soon as we exchanged a smile, warmth flooded me.

This wasn’t his fight. He barely knew Bri, and yet here he was at my side, strong and steady. Because she mattered to me. He was a good man, and he was mine. I squeezed his fingertips, and he returned the motion, even the small touch igniting a fire of arousal in my belly.

There were no barriers left between us now, and a massive bed in a private room waiting for us when this was done. All I wanted was to get tangled up with him in it and see how much we’d missed in that dream. I had a feeling the real thing was going to be a thousand times better.

Jada cleared her throat as the last of her mates joined us, now in human form. “The Goddess has spoken, and quite plainly at that.” She gave us a smile that was probably meant to be reassuring, but looked much more concerned than joyful. “You are, in fact, an omega. You have been gifted with great blessings of fertility.”

“I— What?” Brielle spluttered. “As in I’m going to have a lot of babies? That doesn’t?—”

Jada waved her off, and she quickly fell silent. “Omega gifts don’t impact the wielder so directly. Theycan, but you’ll find over the years that you have a measure of control once you learn to use it. The omegas were always meant to bless the packs they were part of, which means that you will bring fertility to those around you. If my senses don’t fail me, you’ve already been at work, whether you realize it or not.” Jada arched an eyebrow as she scanned the rest of our group.

“So, lots of people are going to get pregnant in Pack Blackwater? That’s it?” Brielle’s brows drew down in confusion.

“Not quite. The fertility gift has been held by omegas in the past, and it’s more subtle. You have the power to help wolves get pregnant—a boon in times such as these—but much more importantly, some would say, your presence guarantees maternal safety. You possess the power to fix almost any pregnancy issue, so the wolves in your pack will suffer few to no losses of mothers or babies in your presence. Have you helped any mothers in labor before in your capacity as pack healer?”

“Yes, actually.” I could practically see Brielle’s mind spinning a mile a minute.

“And how did it go?”

“She was in distress, but when I got there, my wolf took over. We were able to repair a tear in her uterus, and it made no sense at the time, but…”

Jada nodded. “That is your gift. If word gets out, you will be sought by every pack, for you hold the key to the salvation of their precious mates. You hold the strength of wolves in the future, the power to bring your kind back from the brink of extinction. But take care, because many will find you a threat.”

Holy shit.Bri had always been good with the pregnant mothers in our home pack, but what she’d done with Gracelyn was next level. If she had the power to fixanything, she wouldn’t just be sought… packs would fightwarsover that kind of power.

“Thank you, Jada,” she whispered, looking up at Kane. His eyes were troubled, and hers seemed to hold the weight of the world.

Jada nodded. “There is more.” When her gaze landed on me, the hair on the back of my neck and down my arms stood on end. “When the Goddess’s light shines, it reveals much. You have a soul bond, but all is not well. It’s fractured, left incomplete.”

Dread filled me as I thought of the painful, unfinished mate marks on my chest.

“It is incredibly dangerous to have a fractured bond. I would advise you to complete your bond as quickly as possible before more damage can be done.”

“What kind of damage?” Dirge asked, stepping forward as if he would shake the details out of her. I put my hand on his shoulder, anchoring him to my side. Her mates were keeping a close watch on him, and I was still unnerved by their ursine eyes.

She shrugged, and he tensed under my touch.

“It’s so rare, not much is known about a fractured bond. Ittakes extreme duress to create one, and it’s very painful if not corrected.”

“Thank you for telling us,” I murmured, even as Dirge turned toward me, a frown marring his handsome face.

She nodded, then sighed. “I must rest now, but you may stay as long as you need.” She gave us all a parting wave, and then her mates led her away into the darkness.

THIRTY-SEVEN

Dirge

“Dirge!” Reed caught my arm before we walked back into the cave. Shay paused, standing between her two friends, clearly holding back a question.

“I’ll be there shortly,” I told her with a soft smile. She nodded, and then headed inside. Gael and Kane would watch over them.

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