Page 19 of Runaway Wolf
“Why are you still single?” she teased, as she closed the car and they began to walk back up the walkway.
“My wolf never settled, I guess.”
She let him lead the way through the pathway of storefronts.
“So what do you think about the offer?” he asked.
“Big dick?” She gave him side-eye. “I’d probably have to see it first.”
“No!” He chuckled. “I mean, our road trips.”
“Oh, yeah.” She butted him with her hip. “I think I could be persuaded.”
“Are you just saying that because of the dick?”
“Maybe.”
Then he got serious. “I heard you, you know.”
“Heard what?”
“Your call with your dad. You stuck up for your sister.”
“How did you hear?” She’d moved clear across the store.
“Our hearing is better than humans.”
“All of you?”
He nodded. “Pretty much, though there are differences. Some types of shifters have a better sense of smell. Some can turn humans, others can’t.”
“That’s not widely known.”
He shrugged. “We just tell those we’re close to.”
“Thank you for trusting me,” she whispered.
He gave her a slight smile. “I didn’t mean to listen in. But it made my wolf curious.”
“It’s okay.”
“You think your dad deliberately signed Turn Limitations into law?”
“He knew Penny was dating Noah. He still signed it. He can’t deny that he didn’t know what it meant for people because his own daughter was in the thick of it. He had to research it fully, know that not everyone survives the change, you know? How can you still sign something when you’re possibly putting your own child to death?”
“Maybe he didn’t have a choice?”
She nodded. “Yes, I think he had pressure on him. You see, this passes here, and more states will follow. Maybe it’ll become a federal law. And I know my dad has a senate seat on his horizon. But you know what? He doesn’t have to become a senator. If someone offered to put me in line for the candidacy and said the caveat was to put your child at risk? The job isn’t worth it.”
“There’s another problem they’re ignoring. The public isn’t well aware of it so it’s been kept quiet. When someone is forcibly changed? It’s not a quick process. If Penny survives the change, it will take years—and a whole pack—to tame the wolf. The animal wants the body, it doesn’t want to work together with the existing human. It’s why rogues are put to death. If they change someone, there’s little to no chance that they can help that person transition. A feral shifter is the stuff of horror movies. Werewolf nightmares. If your sister’s wolf breaks away? It’ll hunt a human. She’ll wipe out an entire town for dominance. And when that happens? As soon as the wolf gives up the skin, your human police will lock her up. You know how rumors start. The world will begin hunting all shifters, determined to wipe us out of existence on the off chance that someone will go crazy and hunt down humans.”
“Oh, my God. No. I don’t remember ever learning that changing isn’t a matter of getting bit and waking up a civilized shifter the next day. Surely my father doesn’t—”
“That’s what Penny went back to confront him on during the shifter protests. She wanted to make the details known. Your father refused and signed the bill anyway.”
“She didn’t tell me.”
“She might eventually. But then again, if she doesn’t survive? That’s a lot for a little sister to go through. Maybe she didn’t want you to blame anyone for that. Not because she’s protecting your parents, but because she wants you to be able to heal.”
