Page 107 of Feral Mates
“That’s exactly what I thought.” Another shiver. Another moment of anger.
Sadly, another tingle of fear.
Mark leaned forward in his seat, his elbows on his thighs and his fingers steepled. “Okay. I think I understand the situation. In order to keep Dr. Blackwell from continuing with his horrific experiments the portal needs to be destroyed.”
“Yes, but there’s another danger. If the portal isn’t destroyed, lifeforms will continue coming into our world and will attach themselves to whatever host they find. Plus, it’s my belief that eventually they’ll be able to develop beings from pictures or even from seeing a movie.”
Now Mark scratched his head. “You’re talking about aliens.”
“Or vampires.” Roman’s voice boomed in the room and for a few seconds, Mark was startled.
“I’m sorry, son, but I’m still struggling with believing you big, strong, healthy-looking men can turn into dangerous wolves at will. Not that I don’t believe Savannah, but you’ve got to admit, a tough thing to swallow.”
Apollo slowly turned his head in my direction. He was seeking my approval.
“Are you sure that’s something you want to see and are ready for?”
“In my days serving my country, as you might imagine, I’ve seen a lot of terrible things. Lions eating soldiers. Starving men resorting to cannibalism. So yeah, I think I can handle just about anything.”
Seconds later, Apollo stood, slowly removing the clothes given to him.
Mark sat back, peering up at him with mild amusement on his face. I understood the story was difficult to believe. Especiallyfor a nonscientist. I was lucky he was so close to my father and knew I had integrity, but how could anyone believe something so crazy without seeing it with their own eyes?
Apollo didn’t make a big deal about shifting. He moved to the center of the room away from the glass table and other furniture before allowing the transformation to take place. I was still in awe. Every. Single. Time.
To me, the process was beautiful and evocative. But I could tell as Mark’s look of amusement drifted to disbelief and then to a flicker of fear why everyone wouldn’t feel the same.
I was an anomaly. Or as my dad used to say, a weirdo.
Why? Because I’d been the kid who’d wanted to learn where everything came from and how. I’d peppered my parents with questions until they’d wanted to lock me in a closet. Now I was benefitting from the dedication.
Or was I just fooling myself?
When Apollo was finished, he cocked his head and dragged his long tongue from one side of his jowl to the other while issuing a slight, yet deep growl.
I couldn’t tell by Mark’s expression if he was terrified or amazed. Maybe a little of both.
What I knew was that I was holding my breath. What I didn’t expect, and I don’t think my wolves did either, was when Mark rose to a standing position. And very slowly moved closer.
“May I?” Mark was asking Apollo if he could touch him.
When Apollo nodded, a light went on in Mark’s eyes.
“He can understand what I’m saying.”
“Yes. That part I haven’t figured out except that it has to do with the lifeforms.” Another moment to breathe a sigh of relief.
Mark took his time as if trying not to startle Apollo, stroking the area between his ears. “Utterly amazing. He’s much larger than a traditional wolf. Weighs more.”
“Yes. We’re all larger specimens,” Kai told him. “But we already were as the alpha wolves.”
“Yet, after the first time shifting, it seemed we increased in weight and in height,” Roman added. “We have all the attributes and strengths of both wolves and humans. And they appear to be expanding every day.”
Mark curled his fingers, giving Apollo a nod like one of respect and acceptance before heading to a bar he had set up in the corner of the room. “I might need that whiskey after all.”
“Do you have a way of helping us destroy the lab?” I hated asking the question. It felt as if I was betraying everything I knew and had worked so hard to achieve, but it was necessary. Not doing so would alter the course of the future and the world.
He poured his drink before saying anything.
