“Holy shit.” The curse escapes from Kyle’s lips.
“We also have certain special abilities,” Sebastian adds. “As you already know.”
The mind reading. The immunity to the cold. The strength.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask them.
“What? Do you think you would have believed us?” Sebastian asks. “Besides, it’s a secret.”
“And yet, you’re telling me now,” I say, crossing my arms, and daring them to dispute it.
“Wait.” Kyle stands in front of me. “You’re not going to kill us, are you? I mean you were the ones who told us. We didn’t ask to know.”
I roll my eyes. Kyle watches too much TV. I hear a snort of laughter in my mind and pretend I didn’t.
“We’re not going to kill you,” Theo promises. “Or hurt you.”
“Then why are you telling us?” I ask, royally peeved now because I suspect where this conversation is going. “Why now? Because I saw your...true forms?”
Sebastian takes another step forward. “Because I believe you’re one of us.”
“What?” I stand up and pretend my knees are steady, that my legs aren’t shaking and that I’m not about to faint. It’s exactly what I’d been avoiding admitting to even myself, but it can no longer be denied. I close my eyes, not wanting to hear the list that I know is coming.
“You heal fast,” Sebastian says. “You can read my mind and I yours, an ability exclusive to Wolves only. You’re strong or you wouldn’t have been able to break out of that cabin.”
Kyle turns to me. “You did all that?”
I shrug. “I broke a window. It’s not like it was a big deal.” Only it was. The drawer did wind up an awful long way from where I threw it.
“And then when we were searching for you,” Theo continues. “You camouflaged yourself, hiding from not only from our sight, but from our sense of smell as well.”
I blink. “I did?”
“You blocked me out, too,” Sebastian adds. “From your mind.”
That I know I did.
“You know I didn’t give you any of these abilities. I couldn’t have,” Sebastian points out. “Despite what you think.”
“Fine. So maybe you didn’t. Maybe I’m special,” I tell them.
“So that’s what you meant,” Kyle says, and his voice seems almost sad. A little wistful, though I have no idea why.
I ignore him. “That doesn’t mean I’m one of you. I’ve never known these abilities until now and I definitely don’t think I can change into anything. I’ve always been just...me.”
“I believe you,” Sebastian says and exchanges glances with Theo. “Primals know what they are from birth, yet you do not. Besides, your smell is not that of a primal. You are human. And yet, you share some of our abilities, which is unheard of until now. I’m curious how, and you have to admit, so are you.”
“No.”
His coal black eyes narrow. Liar.
I step forward. “Didn’t you say you’d find answers? Wasn’t that why you left me behind?”
“Unfortunately, the one I talked to couldn’t give me answers but there may still be someone else who can, one of the last remaining primals in Japan.”
“Japan?” Theo throws him a puzzled look.
“And what makes you so sure this...primal has answers?” I ask.