“It’s kicking!” I laughed, tears blurring my vision. “It’s the first time I’ve ever felt it move. Even when it shifted the last time, I didn’t feel it. Probably because the wolf is too small. But in all those months, I never felt the baby—not once! Milly said everything was fine, but I was so worried.”
“May I?” He moved his hand near mine and then knelt before me. His smile widened when it kicked again. “It’s the quickening.”
I traced my fingers over my rounded belly. “I’m still undecided if I’m keeping it.”
He flicked his eyes up. “Because of how it was conceived?”
I nodded.
“It must be a tough decision.” He stood up. “At least we know it likes my cake.”
I chuckled softly.
“Why did the labs choose you? Or was it a random abduction?”
“It was intentional. I was hired to do a private performance and shifted by accident. He put a collar on me, and that’s all I remember. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it since, and I’m certain that my former manager betrayed me. He was manipulative and booking me for events I didn’t agree to. When the work slowed down, I fired him and ventured out on my own. I think that spiteful little man wasn’t happy unless he made one last dollar off me. He was theonlyone who knew my secret.”
The lines deepened between his eyebrows. “What secret?”
I worried my lip.
Should I tell him?
“Tak and Hope know, but I haven’t told the rest of my packmates. I’ve had two wolves inside me ever since my first change. Two different spirit wolves, so it’s the three of us.”
He didn’t appear surprised. “It’s hard to be as old as I am without having seen the impossible. Some of those anomalies in the early days are how certain Breeds evolved. What some might call a defect, others see as a desirable trait.” He held my gaze. “Two wolves with separate identities is extraordinary. The fates chose you, and because your light shines brighter, there will always be those who covet your gifts.”
“I don’t think it’s my gifts most men covet.” I strolled across the kitchen to the large glass door. “Everyone in my life has used me for one reason or another.”
He sighed. “What about your parents? One reason I admire Shifters is their bond with family.”
I gazed outside at the puffy clouds. “I had a nice childhood, but we didn’t live in a pack. Everything was fine until I went through my first change.” The thought made me sad, and I crossed my arms. “My mother treated me like a monster. She was convinced that the only way I could have two wolves was if I was originally a twin. Late one evening, I overheard them speaking privately about it. My mother called me a baby killer. She said I stole my sibling’s spirit in the womb, and that’s why they were never born.”
“That’s preposterous.”
“My parents rejected me, and I left home. The only jobs I could get were waitressing in a few Breed clubs. When Marilyn Monroe got her big break and became a sensation, people stopped me on the street all the time. No kidding. Then a performance club hired me as a novelty. They had lookalike celebrities seating people. Eventually I mustered enough courage to perform. I couldn’t sing a note, but I still remember how good it felt that first night when the audience cheered and applauded. After that, she became my idol, and I wanted to be her. Such a silly dream.”
“It’s not silly to admire someone who has more than you. She had fame, success, and opportunities.”
“Well, after she died, that’s when I really began making money. But eventually it attracted parasites. In some ways, we lived similar lives. I was lonely and didn’t trust anyone. People treated me like a dumb blonde. On the other hand, I always got the best tables and never paid for my drinks. There was so much good mixed with the bad.”
“Did you ever consider doing something else?”
“Gosh no. The money was too good. So was the lifestyle.” I turned away and padded through the house with Atticus. “Iwouldn’t trade my life now for the world. My pack is wonderful, and I love them dearly. In the beginning, I chose them for protection. But now it’s hard to imagine life without them.”
“I’m certain they feel the same about you.”
“I don’t have much to offer.”
“You don’t think the goodness inside you is an admirable quality?”
“Being kind doesn’t pay the bills. You have to understand that I lost all my money. I need them more than they need me. Without a pack, I’m nothing.”
Atticus stopped me in front of a magnificent painting of war. “Money and power don’t make a person more valuable than the next. It just gives them… privileges others don’t have.”
“Like this house?”
A smile touched his lips. “Yes, like this house. If your Packmaster is doing all this to protect you, maybe you should think about why he values your life so much. You’re not seeing your worth the way others do. You can’t put a dollar amount on compassion, friendship, and love.”
