Page 64 of Fallout
“You’ve really thought of me as pack for that long?” I rub a hand at the base of my throat. I can’t help but feel so small among the wolf shifters. I might be ‘powerful’—at least, according to the dragon king—but one powerful person is nothing compared to a pack of wolf shifters.
Wolf shifters are strong because of the pack. I get that now.
Blaine gives me a sad smile. “Yes, Henley. I really have. I’m sorry that you don’t feel it yet. You’re not a wolf, so you don’t have the same instincts that I do. But one day, you will feel part of the pack.”
“I do sometimes feel like part of the pack,” I admit, playing with the end of my hair. “But then I get left behind on the full moon and it hurts.”
He nods. “I could see that. I would be hurt to be left behind too. But there are members of the pack who don’t shift. They always have a full moon party—you should go.”
“Really?” I perk up at the thought of hanging out with others who can’t shift. “How many members of the pack can’t shift?”
“Close to thirty—some of them are mates of pack members, but some are hybrids,” Blaine explains. “I imagine being a hybrid wolf who can’t shift would be horrible. You’d have the instincts and feel the pull of the moon, but never be able to shift.”
I frown. “Will Parker and I have children like that?”
He shrugs. “It’s possible.” One corner of his lips turns up. “To be honest, I’d rather get the wings. It would be awesome to fly.”
At the mention of flying, I feel a tug in my heart. I haven’t got to fly since we left the dragon’s island. I’m going to have to let my wings out soon or I’ll start to get antsy, but I doubt Parker is going to want me to fly. It’s likely not safe with that other phoenix around. Nobody else in the pack can fly and I’d be unprotected.
The door swings open with a loud thunk. I jump, putting my hand to my racing heart. Parker comes running into the room, his eyes scanning me over from head to toe.
“You’re okay?”
I nod.
He turns to Blaine and narrows his eyes. “Can you not talk to my mate about things before I get the chance to? I don’t want to frighten her.”
“Sorry,” Blaine smirks, not looking repentant in the least. He stands from the couch. “That’s my cue. Bye, Vixen.” He winks at me.
Parker growls at Blaine as he walks from the room. I shake my head at him.
One of these days, he’s going to push Parker too far and Parker will punch him.
Parker comes to sit down beside me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
Parker raises an eyebrow. “I felt you freaking out.”
I nod again, not saying anything. I’m not sure what to say. It feels weird to talk about these kinds of things with Parker. Parker may be my soulmate, but he’s also my teenage boyfriend. Shouldn’t talking about our future scare him?
Parker sighs. “I can still feel you freaking out.”
“Sorry.” I chew on my bottom lip.
“Blaine explained to you that birth control doesn’t work for shifters.” Parker’s eyes flash yellow and I can feel his aggravation.
“Yes.” I pull my knees up to my chest and hug them against me. “Were you going to tell me?”
He shrugs. “You don’t like talking about the future, so I didn’t want to scare you by bringing it up. If we’re up to me, we’d be married already.”
I swallow hard.
Married.
At eighteen.
But… married to my soulmate.