Page 52 of Mated in Darkness

And something in the back of my mind clicked.

“The serum,” I said, and looked over at my father.

Reed, fully clothed, shook his head. “We need to talk to Kade.”

The Alpha of the Redwood Pack would know, and Riaz should know as well.

“What serum?” Jason asked, before his eyes widened. “Thatserum.”

“Yes. That serum.”

The serum that the humans had made a few years ago to try to make a werewolf of their own.

But werewolves weren’t science; they weren’t shifters who could be turned with chemicals.

There might be enzymes involved, an actual physical transition.

The serum tried to use science when it was magic that caused the shifter to become who they were.

My cousin’s mate was one of those who had survived. I had thought he was the only one who had survived, and only because the serum hadn’t truly worked, it had been the Talon Pack who had saved him.

And when we explained this to Jason, he scowled and pulled out his phone. “I have to look at my notes, but this isn’t good.”

I looked at my family, at the Starlight Pack, and shook my head.

“No, it isn’t good.”

Because if that thing was from the serum, it had to be a new amalgamation of chemicals. A new try. And I had a feeling if we weren’t careful, if we didn’t catch whoever was doing this, it would only be the beginning.

The beginning that screamed of death.

Chapter 20

Jason

My wolf pacedbeneath my skin, not wanting out but wanting answers. It was odd to have this new life, this new strength within me that I didn’t understand. I could pick up a suitcase with just my pinky that once I’d have to grunt over. My strength was increasing day by day, my senses nearly overwhelming. And yet, my wolf was oddly calm. Not aggressive, not pushing at others. Rather, it could soothe me with all of these extra senses and awareness around me.

I wasn’t sure if this was how mating and turning into a wolf was supposed to go, but here I was, and this was my life.

It was odd, and yet it was mine.

I needed to figure out what I was supposed to do next.

What I wanted to do next, though, had nothing to do with my wolf, nothing to do with my mate, other than protecting them both.

“You’re scowling. Do you want to talk about it?” Reed asked as he leaned against the doorway. I stood in my lab, frowning over the results from underneath Kaylee’s nails.

“Talk about what?” I asked, scowling.

“Your first hunt. You didn’t get a chance to decompress most of what you went through.”

I looked up at Kaylee’s father and shook my head. “There’s not much to say. I changed into a wolf, I shifted, and here I am.” There was more, but I wasn’t sure when I’d be ready to find my answers. I was an analytical man, or at least I had been. Reconciling those two parts of myself wouldn’t be easy, but I’d need time to do so, and I wasn’t ready yet. Even with the gentle yet steel-spined wolf at my side.

Reed smiled softly as if reading my thoughts. “Here you are. I have to say, compared to how some of my family members turned into wolves, sometimes not of their own choosing, you’re handling this far better than I would have.”

“You were born a wolf, weren’t you?”

“I was. Over two centuries ago.”

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