Claimed by the Pack

He made a funny throat-slitting motion behind Broderick’s back, trying to tell me to cool it. But I was on a roll.

“Can I feed you after midnight? Get you wet? What about sunlight?” It was merciless, but I didn’t care. “Come to think of it, you both seem like night owls. Do you sleep in dog beds? Walk in circles before lying down?”

“We’re Lycanthropes,” said Broderick, doing his best to ignore me. “Shape-shifters.”

“Shape-shifters…” I repeated. I stopped short of the eye roll.

“Yes.”

It occurred to me suddenly that maybe they were my assignment. That maybe these guys were once a part of the Hallowed Order after all, and something had happened to them. I didn’t know if I was supposed to help them or babysit them. All I knew was Xiomara would be getting an earful.

“Alrighty then,” I said cheerfully. “Let’s see it.”

Broderick blinked suspiciously. “See what?”

“See your Lycanthropy.”

They were staring back at me, so I clapped my hands together theatrically. “Go on, do it, the both of you! I want to see you turn into wolves.”

Damien’s mouth curled into a wry grin. For a split second he looked like he might consider it. Broderick sighed however.

“We can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

The big Scandinavian shook his head slowly. “Sorry, it just doesn’t work that way.”

I was caught staring again, and for a second my guard dropped. God… he looked so much like Alex. Same cheekbones, same jawline. Same military-style hair that I loved running my fingers through, especially in the last few days before haircuts.

And those eyes… ice-blue and piercing. The same eyes Alex looked down at me with. They seemed to hold the same passion, the same ferocity…

“He’s right though,” said Damien. “In order for the change to happen there needs to be some sort of a catalyst. Fear, danger, adrenaline… something primal and urgent. It’s not like we can just turn at will. Not now, anyway.”

There was something more to his last statement, but I didn’t know what. Instead of pursuing it, I let out an exaggerated sigh.

“So you’re wolves, but you can’t prove to me that you’re wolves, so I just have to take your word for it. Sound about right?”

“Yes.”

“How very fucking convenient.”

I was at the end my rope. I’d let them have their say, and they were just toying with me now. Or they were deluded. Or maybe on some level they even believed their own bullshit. Didn’t matter which one really, because my next step was simple:

I needed to talk to Xiomara.

“Hey…”

I turned, and suddenly Damien was standing before me. Despite just having the weirdest conversation ever, his closeness was still reassuring.

“You okay?”

He slid an arm around me, and that was reassuring too. He was still Damien. Still my sexy surfer. For some reason, he just made me feel safe.

“I’m fine,” I assured him.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Shoot.”