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I can tell this is still her house. Her scent is weak on the air, but it’s here.
Now that I’ve decided I must speak to her, I do not like the thought of leaving, but I cannot creep around out here and simply hope her closest neighbours will not notice me.
As Scratch told me before, I’m hard to miss.
I look around, trying to decide if I should return to the forest, or pick a route through town and come back after I’ve dealt with Nightshade’s Alpha.
My ears prick up when I hear talking. The sound of my mother’s voice is nearby, but not close enough to tell me she’s coming around to the back yard.
I can’t pick out her words, and I can’t hear any responses.
A light goes on inside the cabin. I move away from the window, slinking down to a crouch by the side of the back door. I listen carefully, and I hear two sets of footsteps. There’s still a creaky floorboard in the kitchen, by the stove.
No voices, not yet, but I’m sure I’ll find out who she’s with soon.
Chapter Eleven
Lita
Alinaisn’tkiddingaboutmaking me pray with her the moment we get home. She never jokes about our Goddess. I know there’s no escaping it, so I simply do what she does, minus saying the words out loud. We take matches and candles from the kitchen into the living room and sit down next to each other on the couch.
She turns to me and says, “Say every word of Artemis’ prayer inside your head, Lita.”
I nod, knowing what she wants me to do, and fully intending to do it.
She doesn’t need to worry about that.
I know she really believes in the power of prayer.
I don’t feel the same way about them, but I respect her faith.
She takes my hands in hers once our candles are lit.
When she bows her head, I do the same, closing my eyes.
I play the prayer over in my head, thanking our Goddess for everything we have in my thoughts, while I know Alina is saying those words out loud.
I run through most of it without feeling much of anything other than mild agitation that might not get the chance to go into the forest tonight.
When it comes to the parts about seeking Artemis for her guidance and feeling her wolf when we need her most, I start to feel something switching inside me.
It’s like a light going on.
My wolf rises to the surface, carried on a wave of instinct, and my eyes blink open.
The room is bathed in the golden glow of my eyes.
I don’t think my enhanced sight has ever felt this strong.
It’s so bright I have to squint a little to see properly.
Alina opens her eyes and squints back at me.
I let go of her hands and get to my feet, not feeling conscious of making the choice to stand up.
The urge to shift washes over me like a tidal wave. I start stripping out of my clothes, and I can feel the rumbling growl of my wolf in my chest, vibrating like crazy.
“Lita …” Alina warns, trailing off with a hint of awe in her expression.
