The chick was weird, but right then, Mackenna would take all the support she could get. “Thank you,” she said, raising her voice loud enough to be heard over the drone of conversation. “I promise this won’t take long.” Silence fell over the group as their focus on her intensified. “Just…maybe back up a little.”
“Mack, you’re starting to worry me,” Roux said. “What’s going on?”
Retreating off the patio, she made sure to stay within the glow cast by the porch lights. She received a few raised eyebrows when she began stripping out of her clothes, but even the humans were accustomed to nudity at that point in their new lives. Cade cursed under his breath and stepped sideways to try to shield her from their view. Then, he must have realized that defeated the purpose, because he cursed even louder as he shuffled back out of the way.
Crouching on the ground, Mackenna looked into the small crowd, searching each of their faces until her gaze landed on Roux again. “Don’t freak out, okay?”
Growing and changing into a beast eight times her normal size was no easy feat. It didn’t hurt exactly, but she’d always hated the pressure it created in her ears that blocked out all sounds except for the roaring of her own blood.
It wasn’t the cracking, popping, and contorting mess she’d witnessed from virus-riddled shifters. Her transition flowed over her like water, realigning bones, lengthening muscles, and redesigning the very fabric of her being. The entire process took only seconds, and when she’d completed the change, she rose to her full height and shook her massive shoulders to settle her fur just the way she liked it.
And everyone freaked right the fuck out.
Expressions were harder to read in her wolf form, but thankfully, she could still rely on her other senses. She lowered her head and sniffed the air, relieved when she didn’t detect anger in their scents.
They also didn’t appear afraid as they rushed off the patio toward her, their voices rising and coalescing into a barely intelligible din of noise.
“Oh, my god.”
“Holy crap!”
“She’s immune?”
“She’s a wolf.”
“She’s a huge wolf.”
“You can shift? Why didn’t you tell us?”
“What does this mean?”
On and on, it went, every word tumbling over the last and into the next. Too many sounds. Too many smells. Too many feelings.
“This is incredible,” Rhys breathed.
There was so much pain in his voice, so much longing. He was close now, closer than anyone else, his hand reaching out toward her face.
Mackenna held perfectly still. She didn’t exactly want him to touch her, but she didn’t want to frighten him, either. Besides, he honestly didn’t seem to have any idea what he was doing. His gaze held hers, but his eyes were dazed and unfocused, and he seemed to be moving on complete instinct.
Cade, on the other hand, had no such reservations. Catching the male by the wrist, he placed his other hand in the center of Rhys’ chest, halting him in his tracks.
“Back up, brother.” He didn’t sound angry, but nor did he sound in the mood to argue. “It’s not a fucking petting zoo.”
Rhys blinked, and while Mackenna couldn’t see the blood rush into his cheeks, she smelled it. The werewolf ducked his head sheepishly and took a measured step back as he mumbled an apology.
Roux’s eyes rounded comically as she stared up at Mackenna. As one of the only humans in the group, she seemed to be having the hardest time comprehending what she was seeing.
“Is that normal?” Her voice came out hushed. “Is she supposed to be that big?” She jerked around to stare at Rhys. “Do you get that big?”
Rhys shook his head. “No. Definitely not.”
She turned to Deidra. “You?”
“Nope. Not even close.”
If Mackenna could have frowned, she would have. She’d never been part of a pack, and she’d never seen another werewolf shift besides her mother. Since her mom looked exactly like her, right down to the color of her fur, she hadn’t considered her size abnormal.
Seeing everyone’s reactions now, especially Rhys and Deidra, that clearly wasn’t the case.
“A demon wolf,” Deidra said, and she sounded awestruck rather than afraid or disgusted. “I thought they were just stories.” When she noticed everyone’s blank stares, she elaborated, “Hellhounds.”
Luca’s sharp laughter rang through the night. “A demon wolf? Really?”
“Stop it.” After giving him a censuring glare and a swat to the arm, Abby stepped off the patio, her posture calm and relaxed. “She is no hellhound.” She reached her hand out but stopped far short of actually touching Mackenna. “May I?”
Still eager for an ally in all the chaos, Mackenna whimpered as she lowered her head and pressed her nose to the female’s palm. Her skin was warm and soft, and it smelled of soap and…cheese. Apparently, she’d been snacking before everyone had been asked to meet outside.
“She is a Primus Wolf,” Abby said as she stroked the ruff of fur that encircled Mackenna’s neck. “The first wolves. The Primus are the origins of the species. They were fierce warriors, protectors of kings and queens. All modern werewolves are descended from them.” She pulled her hand away and let out a musical little laugh. “Isn’t she magnificent?”
Mackenna didn’t feel magnificent. She felt like a bug under a magnifying glass. How could she be something and not know it? Abby had to be wrong. Her mother had taught her a lot about being a werewolf. Well, she had taught her a lot about how to hide the fact that she was a werewolf. Surely, she would have told her if she was descended from some ancient line responsible for the creation of the entire species.
“I thought the Primus
