Page 18 of Fated to the Warrior Wolf

“Brielle?”

“Yeah?”

“Is it possible to do a DNA test without hurting a baby?” Her forehead wrinkled at the question, so I hastily added. “Beforethey’re born?”

Shock replaced the confusion, and she cast an unreadable look at Kane before answering me. “Yes, of course. A simple blood test from the pregnant mother and the prospective father is all you need for shifters. No harm whatsoever, but Gael, if you’re asking about Leigh’s baby…”

“Don’t worry, I won’t put you in the middle,” I said, quickly rising from the chair, eager to avoid an awkward conversation. She was probably going to try to reassure me, but she hadn’t heard what Leigh had admitted. “I just wanted to know if it was possible, so thank you. I’ll leave you two to your night.”

I didn’t let myself think about my cowardice as I ran from a tiny little she-wolf and the accusing glare she leveled on my back. I escaped into the deserted hallway, heading for my silent, empty room.

ELEVEN

Leigh

The giant sleigh bed in my borrowed room was fancier than anything I’d ever slept in, and I kind of loved it.

Okay, so I completely loved it. The dark wood was smooth under my fingertips, gracefully curving in hand-carved lines, and the mattress was like a cloud. I’d fallen asleep within minutes of settling in earlier, skipping out on the tour. Brielle and Olivia had been excited about the clinic, but I was sure I could find the gym just fine on my own.

Something had woken me, though. Probably just unfamiliar-house sounds—a castle as old as this had to have some quirks, right?

It was pitch-dark outside, the outdoor lights of the castle snuffed out after ten p.m. so you could see the stars without interference. I got up to pee, then loitered in front of the window, enjoying the view of velvet darkness spattered with twinkling crystal stars.

You couldn’t see them this well back in Texas, and we’d stayed so busy in Alaska that I’d never taken the time.

But now I found myself thinking too much as I stared out at the natural beauty of the night.

A creak in the hallway interrupted the moment, but I ignored it until I heard a second, then a third. Was someone out there?

My stomach rumbled angrily, the sound loud in the quiet room. Maybe they were going to find the kitchen, and I could tag along?

But when I peeked out into the hall, Olivia was wearing a floor-length nightgown, complete with neck and sleeve ruffles—that must have been a loaner, and I tried not to chuckle at the ridiculous sight—but her distant look and glazed eyes struck me as odd. Was she sleepwalking?

“Olivia?” I whispered, not wanting to spook her. She turned my way and waved, but kept walking slowly toward the end of the hallway where the rooms dead-ended at the giant suite that used to belong to Kane’s parents.

“Are you okay?” I asked, stepping fully into the hall. I didn’t know her well yet, but she seemed nice enough. This was odd.

“I think so, I just couldn’t sleep. I’m getting a weird feeling.” She tucked a loose chunk of red hair behind her ear, pressing her lips together as she continued down the hall, steps slow and uncertain.

“Uh, what kind of weird feeling? Do I need to call one of the guys, or… ?” I wasn’t sure what to say, but I was drawn to follow her, my wolf’s curiosity piqued and my rumbling stomach temporarily forgotten.

“I don’t think so? It’s probably nothing.” She stopped walking when her palm rested on one of the big, carved double doors of the suite. She shook her head lightly and backtracked, stopping at the last door in the hallway before the suite.

I watched with silent interest, scratching at the stupid bandage still on my palm. It was a sensorynightmare. I wanted it off, but when I’d looked under the edge earlier, my damn palm was still glowing.

She twisted the glass knob on the door, poking her head into make sure the room was empty before slipping inside. I followed her, too curious to do anything else at this point. I didn’t feel like she was up to anything sketchy, but there was something in the air, something I couldn’t put my finger on.

Moonlight from the window cast soft beams on the floor, the view from this room of the mountain range behind the castle barely visible as a dark line against the night sky.

Olivia crossed the room at that same slow, steady speed until she froze, spinning suddenly toward a chair against the wall. A soft gasp left her lips as she crouched down, scanning the floor in the darkness. A quick inspection of the wall next to me showed a light switch, so I said, “Watch your eyes,” as I flipped it on.

She blinked a few times at the sudden light, but then reached out and picked something up off the floor.

It was an empty vial, small enough to be enclosed in her fist, the stopper missing. But inside was a single green drop of liquid. It sparkled with magic, and even from a few feet away, I could sense it, now that I was focusing on it.

How the hell had she known it was here from down the hall?

Her eyes glazed over as she stared down at the vial, and I stepped forward, concerned. When I reached her side, she spoke, the words low and flat as if she was in some sort of trance or sleepwalking.

---