“Are you sure that you don’t have any kind of sight?” Kira folds her arms over her chest but she’s shaking.
A flash of red and orange lights up her eyes so quick I might have missed it if I blinked. She’s going to shift soon, and I just pray it’s not at the worst possible time. We need Kira the demigoddess to get into Hephaestus’ forge. The fire wolf will be a complication we don’t know how to deal with. Except for maybe Greyson.
“Your wolf is fighting to get out, isn’t she?” Greyson whispers. “You can’t hold her back or it could cause problems once she does force a shift for the first time.”
Kira nods. “I can’t let her out yet. There’s too much at stake.”
“You grew up around shifters. You know the consequences if your wolf doesn’t trust you to let her roam freely.” Greyson leans back against the wall.
“Yes, I am aware, but I’m the only one who can go inside the forge and get the hammer. She just has to wait a little longer.”
Draven stiffens. “What consequences?”
“It’s nothing. I won’t let that happen, plus she hasn’t even been with me a day. I have time before she could possibly force a shift.” Kira turns away.
“No. I didn’t ask forbullshit that won’t happenanswers. I need to know what could happen if you don’t let her out, Kira. Greyson sounds serious so tell me what I’m missing here.”
“She could…” Greyson trails off as Kira shoots him a glare. “You need to tell him the risks, Kira, because no matter how long it’s been since she surfaced, it’s a real possibility based on how powerful she is.”
“Fine. If a wolf doesn’t trust their human counterpart to allow them out when they need it, the wolf is likely to take over and refuse to shift back,” Kira mumbles.
“How long?” Draven says between clenched teeth.
“Until someone more dominant than her forces the change.” Greyson pushes off the wall. “And seeing how there are no other fire wolves, I doubt there will be a shifter alive who can.”
“Outside. Right the fuck now, Kira. If what he’s saying is true, she may never allow you to shift back if you don’t do it now.” Draven’s hands clench into fists. “I’m not losing you to your wolf.”
“We can’t do this now, Draven. What if she burns down the forest or something?” Kira’s shoulders slump.
“The forest will be fine, young one. I protect all the things in the wilds. You need to do this now or you could destroy everything. You have a destiny to fulfill that your wolf doesn’t care about. She will let the world burn if you don’t show her the respect she deserves.” Pan grips her arm and they both vanish from the shop.
16
“Where did they go?” I ask, scanning the shop.
“Did he take her outside to shift?” Draven turns on his heel and races out the door of the back room.
There’s a muffledoofas I follow close behind, only to find him tangled up in climbing gear on the floor. “You can’t run through here the way it is. It’s a hazard.”
“I don’t want to miss her shifting for the first time.” Draven shoves at the ropes around his ankles.
“Well, this isn’t how you get a front row seat,” Raven snickers. “Let me help you.”
We untangle the cords around him and pull him out of the mess before making our way out of the shop and into the clearing. Pan stands with his back to us, arms folded over his chest as he watches a struggling Kira shake like a leaf.
“I don’t know if I can do this without an alpha,” Kira says.
“I’m here.” Greyson jogs over to where Kira is standing. “I have helped many pups shift for the first time. I can help.”
“I’m not a pup,” she growls.
“I wasn’t calling you a pup, just explaining that I know what to do,” Greyson says patiently. “Now close your eyes and reach out to the wolf with your mind.”
“Okay. She wants to come out,” Kira says. “What do I do? I was never allowed to participate in any of this because no one sensed I had a wolf.”
“Your pack were a bunch of assholes,” I snarl.
“That may be, but we aren’t discussing pack dynamics right now.” Greyson glares over his shoulder at me.
