Page 14 of Taming of a Wolf

Jamie laughs nervously. “You’re… serious, aren’t you?”

“No. I’m Anders.” All these words he uses confuse me. I haven’t heard of most of them.

“So, where’re we going?” Jamie inquires, throwing me a playful smile.

That smile does something to me. Makes my heart skip and my stomach lurch, like I’m under attack. But by what?Feelings? Not bloody likely. “Does your chattering ever cease? Keep walking. I’ll tell you when to stop.”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

The gods must be punishing me for failing to overthrow my brother.

Once the distant noise from the streets has faded, I’m confident we’re far enough. The only human scents in the air are stale. A lake reflects the sun, and the park is unnaturally quiet. There should be more birdsong, but I suppose not many birds live in the city. I keep expecting to hear the howling of wolves. The absence of their song only reminds me how far away I truly am.

“Here should work.” I turn to Jamie and find him clutching the furs close, biting his full lower lip. He could make himself bleed. Scowling, I march up to him and reach out, brushing my thumb over his lip to remove it from between his teeth. A lovely flush springs to his cheeks. “Don your furs and get ready.”

“That’s all?” He frowns as he shrugs the furs on over his shoulders.

“Usually, there is an initiation ceremony. You would consume the heart of a wolf you hunted yourself.”

Jamie’s eyes widen. “Oh shit.”

“What?”

“My gran made me try a wolf’s heart once. You’re telling me that was part of this ceremony?”

“Aye.”

Jamie shakes his head wildly. “Why didn’t she just tell me? Why be so cagey about it?”

“She truly told you nothing?”

Jamie screws his eyes shut. “No. Shedid.I just never believed her.She’d tell me stories about how our Scandinavian ancestors had wolf’s blood in their veins and the ability to shapeshift. I thought she was just spiritual or something, so I played along. I accepted her furs, even though I only wore them a few times when I went to see her. I ate a wolf’s heart once. It was gross. But what was I going to do? Insult her beliefs? It made her happy. But still, if I technically did the ceremony without realizing it, why did I never shift?”

“Your wolf lies dormant. All it needs is something to wake it up. As your mate, my presence should be enough.”

Jamie shakes his head. “I don’t even know what that means.”

“You said you’ve heard stories about my kind, haven’t you? Did your grandmother never tell you of mates?”

“Like I said, I never really believed her stories.” The guilt is evident in his scent.

“The stories my people tell always have a lick of truth in them.”

Jamie groans and smacks his forehead. “I feel like such an ass. My grandma was trying to tell me so much about myself, and I just blew her off.”

“Do not hurt yourself.” I cup his cheek in one hand, brushing a thumb over his short, dark beard. “Once you have assumed your true form, you will understand.”

Jamie blinks rapidly. “This is crazy…”

“Just close your eyes and focus on the parts of yourself that have always been there, lurking within you.”

Looking more uncertain than ever, Jamie closes his eyes.

“Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I’m thinking… I really wish I’d had more coffee.”

“Focus!” I snap.

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