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“I do and you are my last. Born under the December full moon, you are like me.”
“Like you?” They both had black hair, odd green-gold eyes, and physiques larger than average, but Reardon didn’t know anything about Zian McDade. How could anyone know if they were alike?
They were strangers.
“Close your eyes,” Zian said.
Reardon shook his head and immediately regretted it. His stomach pitched and he was certain anything he’d ever eaten was on its way out.
“Trust me, lad.” Zian put his hands on Reardon’s shoulders and suddenly the woods stopped spinning. “Close your eyes.”
Reardon did as he’d been told, still not sure he should trust Zian. The man had discarded his mother. What made Reardon think he wouldn’t do the same to him? Alike or not, this man hadn’t been a true father. He wasn’t family. He was just a strange man who’d brought him out into the woods while he was ill. Not a stellar start to a father-son relationship.
As he stood there with his eyes closed, an image flashed into his mind. An image of a great black wolf with eyes like his own—eyes also like Zian’s. Reardon was scared at first. The beastie looked capable of tearing him to bits, but as it ran closer, its muscular legs rippling beneath that shiny black coat, he had the undeniable sense that he… that heknewthis wolf.
“You see it, lad, don’t you?” Zian’s voice was calm.
Reardon cleared his throat, but his voice was still scratchy. “Aye.”
“It is your wolf form, Reardon. Let it come to you.”
“Wolf form? I-I don’t understand.” He started to open his eyes, but Zian’s voice stopped him.
“Keep your eyes closed. Accept your fate, and I will guide you.”
Reardon’sheart pounded against his ribs as the huge black wolf approached at a frightening speed. What would the beast do when it reached him?
He didn’t want to know.
Opening his eyes, he stumbled back when the wolf disappeared.
Zian let out a growl—one that hadn’t sounded quite human. “You are more like me than you know. I didn’t let it reach me either.”
“What would happen if it did?” Would the wolf bite him? Would it become a part of him? Would he die? He had so many questions.
“You would have had a smooth transition.” With a sympathetic expression on his face, Zian turned and walked deeper into the woods. “Now you’ll have to follow me.”
Reardon considered climbing into Zian’s wagon and going back home, but he didn’t think he could make the journey. He still felt weak, as if his insides wanted to become his outsides. He’d been with Zian for hours now and the man hadn’t hurt him. That didn’t mean Reardon trusted him, but he didn’tnottrust the man either.
His feet moved in Zian’s direction. Soon a clearing came into view. In the center, a huge stone slab was illuminated by the full moon’s light. Around the stone, several large men stood, their faces grim and the shadows making them appear ghastly.
“Is he why you’ve called the brethren?” one of the men asked.
“Aye. He’s my son. He’s one of us.” Zian put a hand on Reardon’s shoulder. “He opened his eyes.”
Curses had colored the night air while the men shook their heads. Reardon had never heard such language.
“Why give us the option when most of us are not able to keep our eyes closed?” another man asked.
“Flidae likes her fun,” Zian said. “Let’s initiate the lad ourselves. He’s got the fever now.”
Before Reardon had time to react, the men were on him, dragging him to the stone slab, tying him down, chanting. He struggled against them, but there were too many of them and they were too strong.
Then the chanting changed to snarls.
“Hey, Alator.”
Reardon’s entire wolf body jumped at the sound of Meredith’s voice. He turned his head to see her walking toward her car in the driveway.
