Page 189 of His Hungry Wolf

“Yes. Magic is what created creatures like you and me. I like to think of it as secret code to the universe. Fae, like myself, can sometimes hack into it. You might have noticed a difference when you entered the town.”

“You mean the dome or barrier, or whatever it is?”

“It’s a protection spell.”

“What is it protecting you from?” I asked hesitantly.

“There are a lot of things out there that we would prefer to remain hidden from. A lot of things that would sooner kill us than live in peace.”

“You mean like dragons?”

Dr. Tom looked at me suspiciously. “Yes. So you know about dragons?”

“I’ve run into one before. In fact, it’s what led us here.”

“They said you were here looking for someone. So, it was a dragon, huh?”

“That doesn’t surprise you?” I asked after his casual response.

“Very little surprises me anymore. Although, I would say, if you can, you should avoid those types. They’re greedy, hording, fowl tempered things. They would sooner kill someone like you than let you walk away knowing what they are.”

“That sounds like the one I met,” I confirmed. Although, it didn’t describe Cage at all.

“What brought you in contact with it?”

Should I tell him about Cage? Considering what he thought about dragons, maybe it was better if I didn’t.

“Bad luck. So, have you met any people like me before?”

“Wolf shifters? Yes.”

A wave of heat flashed across my body. I felt like I was going to pass out… or shift.

“I thought I was the only one.”

“Why would you think that? Don’t you have a mother or father? Didn’t they have a pack?”

“No. My father is a geneticist. He created me by accident.”

As soon as I said it, a light flicked on behind the older man’s eyes.

“You’re that wolf shifter. The one the world is fascinated by.”

“That would be me,” I said feeling the weight of it.

“You have been a surprise,” he admitted.

“How so?”

“I always thought that if the outside world knew about us, they would come after us with pitch forks. Yet, here you are still alive. There was a time when you wouldn’t have been. It’s not that long ago.”

“Well, it’s not like my life has been easy.”

“I imagine it hasn’t. Wolf shifters have a strong pull to be with others of their kind. They even have what they refer to as fated mates.”

“What’s that?”

“A fated mate is someone they’re uncontrollably bound to. To be apart from them can be anything from unpleasant to incredibly painful for both involved.”