Page 28 of Fat Betrayed Mate
"Not dangerous, necessarily. But highly unusual, especially knowing you have… prominent human blood, if I remember correctly. With a human grandfather, this isn’t typical at all." Dr. Knowles turns to Maisie with a gentle smile. "Maisie, have you been having any dreams about running or changing shape?"
"Sometimes," Maisie says, swinging her legs. "I dream I'm a wolf with brown fur and black paws. I run really fast through the trees."
"And how do you feel when you wake up from these dreams?"
"Happy. But also sad because I'm not a wolf anymore." Maisie looks at me with those too-bright eyes. "Mama says someday I might be able to shift like her."
"Your mama's right," Dr. Knowles says kindly. "Though usually, these changes happen when kids are older. Can you tell me anything about your daddy? About his family?"
Maisie's face scrunches in concentration. "Mama says he's not around. I don’t know him. But I sometimes think I do.”
The words send ice through my veins. Dr. Knowles glances at me with raised eyebrows, and I force a laugh.
"Children and their imaginations," I say lightly. "She's always been very creative."
"Mm." The healer makes another note. "Fiona, do you know anything about the father's lineage? Strong shifter blood could explain the early manifestation."
"We're not in contact," I reply carefully. "And it was... brief. I don't know much about his family history."
It's not entirely a lie. Thomas and I never discussed the deeper details of his bloodline, though I know the Ennes family has always produced powerful wolves. His father was the last right-hand of the pack, before James took the position, and his grandfather before that. Strong alpha blood runs in his veins—blood that's apparently expressing itself early in our daughter.
"Well," Dr. Knowles says, helping Maisie down from the table, "I'm going to prescribe some mild suppressants to help with the temperature fluctuations. They won't stop manifestation, but they'll make Maisie more comfortable during the process."
"How long will this last?" I ask.
"Hard to say. With early manifestation, the timeline can be unpredictable. Some children experience symptoms for months before their first shift. Others transition much more quickly." She hands me a prescription slip. "I'd like to see her again next week. And Fiona? If her symptoms intensify suddenly—especially if she attempts to shift—bring her in immediately."
My blood runs cold. "She could try to shift? This soon?”
"At her development rate? It's possible. Though extremely rare and potentially dangerous for such a young child." Dr. Knowles' expression grows serious. "Promise me you'll watch her carefully."
"Of course," I manage, taking Maisie's hand. "Thank you, Doctor."
We leave the clinic with more questions than answers and a prescription that feels like a ticking time bomb. Maisie chatters happily about the stethoscope and the colorful charts on the walls, blissfully unaware of my growing panic.
***
"She'll be fine with me," Luna assures me as I drop Maisie off for overnight care the following evening, prior to the second Trial. "Nic's already planning to show her his collection of geological surveys. Something about rock formations and mineral deposits."
"That sounds appropriately boring," I say, kissing Maisie's forehead. "Be good for Luna, Sweet Pea."
"I will, Mama. Are you going camping with Thomas?"
"Something like that." I ruffle her curls, noting they're still warmer than they should be despite the suppressants. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."
Luna walks me to the door, her expression thoughtful. "She's been asking a lot of questions about shifting lately. Very specific questions for someone her age."
"She's curious about everything," I deflect. "Always has been."
Luna's eyes are kind but probing. "Is everything alright, Fiona?"
"Everything's fine," I lie. "Just the usual challenges of raising a precocious child." And then: “She’s four. They all ask a lot of questions.”
Luna smiles. I can tell she doesn’t believe me.”
But as I walk through Silvercreek toward the trial staging area, Luna's words echo in my mind. Maisie is asking personal questions because manifestation is personal—it's her body preparing for changes that shouldn't be happening for years. And every day that passes brings us closer to the moment when her resemblance to Thomas becomes undeniable.
The staging area is quieter than I expected when I arrive. Just a handful of wolves I don’t know checking gear and preparing the transport truck for us. Thomas stands near the vehicle, his expression unreadable when he sees me approach, blonde hair slightly damp from a recent shower. I can’t look him in the eyes.
