He dropped his hand.
I took a step back, though I wanted nothing more than to press myself against him. Things were changing, and at the worst possible time. I felt pulled in a million different directions.
He understood. He smiled sadly at me. “I have things to say to you, Gordo. So many things. Things you might not be ready to hear. But I will mean every word of them. If it gets to the point where I start to go feral—”
I shook my head furiously. “No. No, I won’t let that happen. I won’t—”
“I know,” he said gently. “I know you won’t. But sometimes things happen that we don’t expect. Like finding a boy with magic in his skin who is everything.” He closed his eyes. “Or losing my mind.”
My hands curled into fists at my sides. “If this is my father, then there has to be a way to reverse it. I’ll find it. I’ve—”
“It’s already begun.”
I took a step back, eyes wide and wet. “What?”
“Carter.”
“What about Carter?”
“He’s… it took him a while. To come out of his shift. It was harder for him than it should have been.”
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Did he hurt anyone?”
“No, though he did snap at Robbie for getting too close to Kelly. Ox was able to get between them in time.”
“Why is it happening so fast? Michelle said—”
“Even if we could believe a single word she said, it could be any number of things. It could be the coming moon. Or the stress on the body because of the shift. The anger toward the hunters. Or Michelle could be lying to us about how long it takes.”
I didn’t want to know the answer, but I had to ask. “And you?”
He looked away. “It’s… there. It’s quiet. But it’s there. I can feel it.” He shrugged awkwardly as he let out a shuddering breath. “I don’t want it to happen, Gordo. I don’t want to lose this. This tether.” His smile was shaky. “It’s the only part of you that’s ever been mine.”
There were days before, long days, where the very thought of this wolf standing before me filled me with rage. I would have given anything to never hear the Bennett name again. To leave the world of wolves behind and try to forget that they had done the same to me.
But now I was only filled with anguish. With remorse.
I had wasted time. So much time.
I took a step toward him.
He never looked away.
He inhaled as our knees bumped together.
His eyes glittered in the dark.
I pressed my forehead against his.
His fingers trailed along my arms.
He exhaled.
I inhaled.
It would be so easy. Now. Here, at the end. To take what he was offering. What he’d always offered.
His breath was hot against my lips as I—