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"What's going on?" she hisses, exasperated that she still has to resist the pull to be near him. The closeness in the dark makes that pull even stronger, and she doesn’t have much strength left to resist. Not after that kiss… "Wait, it doesn’t have to do with the shifters, does it?" Her eyes go wide with fear, and her heart skips a beat at the thought. She’s not ready, and Laith certainly isn’t no matter how cool he thinks all of this is.
Kade shakes his head. "No, not that. It’s the Shadowgrace pack. Why did you join?"
Elara rolls her eyes and turns to walk away, not wanting to have this conversation when the answer is obvious, but he grabs her again, her skin on fire when he touches her.
"Seriously, Elara, joining Shadowgrace was the worst thing you could do."
"What was I supposed to do, then?" she asks, glaring at him and yanking her arm away. "You wouldn't tell me anything, and Denzel offered me answers, protection, training. Besides, how am I supposed to know what would happen to me if I did turn him down to join the pack? Wolves are dangerous, and I'm new to this. What choice is there?"
Kade grits his teeth, jaw hardening. He knows he can't refute that. "Look, you're right that I've been an ass, but I've been trying to protect you. And Denzel's pack won't allow you to be what you are. There's no way they'll allow you to use the full extent of your powers when they come to know your true nature."
Elara laughs but then covers her mouth, not wanting her parents to come find them out here like this. Surely, they'll think something much different than talking about magic and werewolves is going on. It's not exactly something she wants them meddling in, and college student or not, that's just the way her mother is.
"My true nature? What exactly is that, anyway? I have no idea what you mean, and you know that. How can I make these decisions when I know nothing?"
The urge to smack him across the face is just as strong as the urge to grab onto him and never let him go. Elara doesn't know how much more of these conflicting emotions she can take.
"Whether I tell you or not isn't going to make a difference. You'll know what your true nature is soon enough," Kade tells her, his face coming close to hers. She can practically taste his breath. His lips are so close. So tantalizing.
"Are you back to being cryptic? What's that supposed to mean?" Elara asks though the conviction isn't there in her tone. Instead, she’s distracted by his closeness. Isn't she too old to be so boy-crazy and hormonal? Or too smart for that matter? She’s never been the type to lose it over a guy, and yet Kade makes her head foggy every time he’s near.
Even though he’s the one who dragged her into this.
"The shifters are planning something," he answers. "When the time comes for them to execute their plan, everyone will know your true nature. Who you truly are. Denzel only agreed to let you in the pack so he could watch over you. They're scared of you."
The thought of anyone, especially Denzel or any of the other powerful wolves she’s recently met being afraid of her, a bumbling fledgling werewolf with powers she knows nothing about, is ludicrous. What could there be to be afraid of? Even if she is something special, she doesn't know anything about it. She certainly can't use it against them.
Then again, maybe that's the point.
She looks over at Kade, trying to decipher if he’s telling the truth. Though she knows she can't fully trust him, there's no hint of deception. "Scared of me? How?"
"Being an alpha, Denzel has formidable senses. He knows you have more power inside you than the pack combined, even if you don't know what to do with it yet. They want to keep you close because they’re wary of you. They want to keep your power contained."
Elara paces a few steps away and then comes back, grabbing her skull in frustration.
"Look," Kade adds softly, "I’m just asking you to be careful."
"Why do you care about me so much, and if you do, why turn me? For once, just tell me the truth."
Elara hates that she’s begging, but what else is left to do?
“I don't have the whole truth, so I can’t give it to you.” He steps closer. “The prophecy has begun."
Elara stills. “The prophecy?”
Kade’s eyes turn dark, his hand reaching out and stroking her cheek. She’s so stunned that she doesn't move to stop him. “It’s the only way to win the war.”
His touch is intoxicating. She wants to believe it’s all because he sired her, but this is something else. Laith doesn't seem to feel this way about her.
She closes her eyes involuntarily, but when she opens them again, Kade's gone.
“Damn it! Shit!” she says, stomping as she comes out from the hedges and heads to the front door again. She feels like a fool. There are too many sides to this war, and she doesn't know whose she’s supposed to be on.
Something deep inside tells her that Kade was telling the truth about the shifters and whatever big plans they had for the war and her. What if he’s right about the pack?
Elara hopes she’s doing the right thing by joining Shadowgrace, especially now that Laith’s said yes, but she isn't sure.
What will be the consequence of her mistake if Kade’s right?
