“It is,” Nico admitted. “I honestly don’t know. Until a couple months ago, your entire existence was a mystery. I have no idea how strong the Edemas wolves were. Maybe it can fight through the dormancy?”
He must have seen the worried look on my face. He took both my hands into his. “Hey, don’t worry about this. No matter what happens, you aren’t alone.”
“But what if?—”
“If your wolf manages to break free, I will be here. I promised you I would make sure nothing happened to you. That doesn’t just mean Javi and the royals; it means whatever is happening inside you, too. I’ll be there to walk you through it every step of the way. You have my word on that.”
I relaxed, knowing he was right. I could put my faith and trust in him. After everything, he’d proven that time and again. I leaned against him. “Thanks. It’s so scary. Sometimes I don’t even know how to act.”
He wrapped an arm around me. “I’m here. Don’t forget that. When things seem too crazy or weird, always remember, you are not alone.”
We sat there for a long time. The silence wasn’t awkward or strange. We were simply two people who cared for each other, enjoying the night. I stared into the milky whiteness of the moon and let its calming effect pour through my body. It called to me, pulled at me.
Deep in my mind, my wolf growled hungrily.
26
NICO
Maddy’s confession had freaked me out. There was no way I’d let her see how concerned I was about her, though. Something was very wrong. She should not be able to shift. If her blood was as diluted as it was supposed to be, it should have been impossible. Her wolf was so strong. There should have been no way she could actually feel the mental movement of the wolf within her.
I remembered how it felt as a child. The awakening of the wolf, the way it was hungry for release. It really had felt like something was crawling beneath my skin. It was the exact description Maddy had given me. I was worried for her, worried what it all might mean.
I pulled my phone out to text Luis. I needed advice, and he was with the one person who might be able to give me the answers I needed.
Me:I need to talk to Kenneth.
Luis:What’s wrong?
Me:Something’s going on with Maddy. I think she might be on the verge of shifting.
Luis:What???
Me:That’s what it sounds like. What she’s experiencing sounds just like the lead-up to the first shift.
Luis:That shouldn’t be possible.
Me:Exactly why I need to talk to Kenneth.
Luis:He’s out in a village on the outskirts of Oslo. Had a lead about a descendant of a human who’d worked as a servant for Edemas.
Me:Tell him to call me as soon as he gets back. Got it?
Luis:Will do.
The next several hours went by excruciatingly slowly. Maddy was out grocery shopping with Felipe. I really hoped Kenneth would call while she was out. I didn’t want to hide away. That would have been strange and hard to explain. Thankfully, I got a call not long after she’d left.
I answered the phone, almost dropping it in my haste. “Hello? Kenneth?”
“Yeah, it’s me. Luis said you had an issue?”
I sighed, took a breath, and explained everything that was happening with Maddy. Her dreams, the sensations, and feelings. I went into detail about her mood swings, and how she felt like something was inside her. I laid it all out, and once I was done, I waited for Kenneth to tell me what he thought.
“Well, I’d hoped this wouldn’t happen, but I guess we don’t always get what we hoped for.”
I blinked and shook my head. “Wait…what? You expected this?”
“Based on my research, I knew it was a possibility.”
