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“You must try until we know what we are dealing with,” he spat, taking a gulp of his drink.
“And what if I can’t? She draws on me every minute of the day. When I’m near her I feel stronger, more alive. When I’m no longer close, my hunger becomes insatiable.” I dropped my gaze to his shaking hand before looking at my own. Even at this moment, the longing was almost too much to bear, the beast yearning to breach the surface. What the hell wasn’t he telling me? “You mated with a human, Father.”
He walked away in a stilted manner, moving toward one of his massive bookshelves. He was searching for a book. “The truth is that I was a fool, Max, and my love for your mother could have cost me everything.”
“Are you suggesting that I am not allowed to mate with her?”
“I’m telling you that if you turn her, she could die. We are born into what we are, Max, not turned as in some terrifying ghost story. I am also telling you that if you fully mate with a human and especially if you turn her then you will never be accepted as the alpha.”
But you were.I thought about what he was saying and shook my head. “That’s a chance I am willing to take.”
Blackhawk shook his head once again, tugging on one of his ancient books, the very one he’d taught lessons to me from. The book I’d shunned when I’d reached my teenage years. “You burn deeply with a hunger that I haven’t seen in you before. You should read the various marked passages, my son. They will be important in your upcoming leadership and with the decisions that you make.”
“You already sensed that I’d discovered a mate even before I did. What aren’t you telling me?” I wasn’t shocked. My father was far more powerful than anyone truly realized. He was also the keeper of the peace, a man who’d encouraged harmonious living amongst humans from as long ago as I could remember. I understood his concerns.
But not about Kathleen.
Death.
I’d already sworn to protect her with my life.
He had a faraway look in his eyes as he headed back in my direction, the book firmly placed in his grip. “I know many things, my son. My father once told me that knowledge is the key to our survival. My perceptions are very strong at this point. Be certain of what you learn, Max. If this woman is your mate, then the curse that was foretold centuries before has been unearthed. That would explain the rogue wolf and the anger burning within the Nightwalkers. If that is the case, you can expect blood to run in the streets of Denver. I should have seen this coming. I should have warned you.”
I glared at the gilded book, the musty smell of it assaulting my senses. “What the hell are you talking about? You believe the attacks will continue.” The term curse had been tossed around along with the various untrue stories about werewolves.
“The attacks will continue because the hunger pangs will grow within this wolf to the point nothing will stop him. There is the foretelling of a curse placed on our kind. In truth, I didn’t believe in what I was told as a child, but now, I’m not so certain.” He took several deep breaths, his hand shaking even more as he took another gulp of his drink. I’d never seen my father this way. He was always in control, always providing answers.
“A curse.”
“Yes…” he hissed, elongating the single word. “We’ve evolved so far, our lives joyful. Now this.”
“What will I find in this book?”
He moved toward the couch, sitting down with difficulty. “There is an ancient burial ground that is not to be disturbed by anyone. If the location is destroyed, the wrath of every pack will be set forth, the beginning of the end. Our kind will return to their primal state, hunting and feasting on humans.”
“The end of our kind?”
He lifted his head. “Or humans. The ultimate fight for control.”
I realized at that moment that whatever I might read in the ancient journal could change the course of history. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Lead, my son. You are the future. You must come back to the community. It is vital that your presence is known. There are so many who respect you.” My father’s imploring voice was haunting.
The future. I was beginning to believe that there would be no future, but I knew he was right. Above all, my people needed to trust in their environment and their leaders. They had the right to feel safe. I would find a way to fulfill my commitment on both regards. The decision weighed heavily on my mind. “I will return within twenty-four hours, but it will be on my terms. I will fulfill my duties as a law enforcement officer first and foremost.”
My father’s face flushed with relief. “Understood. That makes an old man very happy, my son. We will have many things to discuss when you return.”
“I gotta go, Pops, and give me some time to see what I can find.” I polished off the drink before heading to the door. A damn curse. I prayed to God that this was just an ugly fairytale and that we merely had a basic murderer in our midst. When he spoke again, they were words that would remain with me for some time.
“One piece of advice. If this woman is your mate, Maximillian, you must not turn her, but you do need to protect her at all costs. She could be the key to our survival.”
CHAPTER6
Max
Survival.
Protection.
