Shepherd clenched his jaw. “That’s not part of the deal.”
“I am here to control the situation. You do not know the language of wolves, so you must trust me.”
“He’ll tear him apart.”
“Let’s not be dramatic. Come, little one. There is someone you must meet. This is your new teacher.”
My heart pounded against my rib cage as Hunter circled around the chair, his blue eyes wide and fearful.
When Switch saw him, he whimpered and his ears went flat.
Hunter shuffled up to Viktor and cowered behind him.
The wolf barked and lowered his tail.
“You must not be afraid,” Viktor encouraged him. He reached around and cradled the boy’s head with one hand. “Animals talk to us using their body. You see how his ears are flat and tail is down? He is submitting. With cats, it’s not the same.”
Hunter didn’t seem to have a clue what Viktor meant.
Viktor furrowed his brow. “That is a friendly hello.”
A high-pitched whine sounded, and Switch yelped excitedly.
When Shepherd moved toward them, Switch swung his head and bared his fangs.
Viktor extended his arm, warning the both of us to remain still.
My breath caught when Hunter gathered enough courage to approach the animal.
The wolf crouched and lowered his head. Then he turned it to the side to peer up at the boy. I wasn’t sure that I’d ever seen a wolf smile until that moment.
“Do not be afraid.” Viktor knelt beside the two and stroked Switch’s ear. “You must show him how brave you are, and he will respect you.”
I wasn’t sure if the little kid grasped concepts like respect and submission, but then I considered how Patrick had raised him. He probably knew a lot more about those topics than most kids his age.
Switch’s wolf rolled onto his side, exposing his belly.
When Hunter squatted in front of him and touched his paw, the wolf barked playfully. You could see the joy in his face, and he licked Hunter’s hand and then his neck, making the boy giggle uncontrollably. Switch wiggled to a new position as the two got to know each other.
Hunter ran his fingers over the wolf’s ears and long muzzle, dangerously close to sharp fangs that could rip him apart in seconds.
Meanwhile, Shepherd was sweating bullets. “All right, that’s enough.”
When he moved toward them, Switch launched to his feet and shielded the boy with his body. He bared his fangs at Shepherd, and his tail shot up high.
“Get back!” Viktor shouted.
Hunter shot up and dashed over to Shepherd. He gripped his arm and desperately pulled him toward the wolf. I realized he wanted the two to get along and was acting as a mediator so his new friend would have a trusting relationship with his father.
Smart kid.
The wolf kept snarling, and when Hunter neared it, I realized he had his father’s bravery and perhaps his mother’s wisdom. He let the wolf sniff his palm that still carried Shepherd’s scent. Then he leaned over and touched the wolf’s ear. I wondered if he was using Sensor magic to convey his emotions. Kids his age weren’t supposed to know the hard stuff, but Patrick had started him young. Hunter didn’t talk out loud. When he did speak, it was to whisper in Shepherd’s ear. In many ways, Hunter was like the wolf; they didn’t need words to communicate.
After another moment, he held Shepherd’s hand. I couldn’t see Shepherd’s face but imagined he was as dumbstruck as I was. Christian and Claude were in the dining room, watching through the archways.
“Hold out your hand with the palm up,” Viktor instructed him. “Slowly.”
“I like my fingers. Why don’t you let someone else go first?”
