The cosmos were never willing.
“Look. For all I know, this is some trick and you’re playing with me to get information and then when you have what you want, you’ll rip me to shreds,” she stated matter-of-factly. “And then kill my family as if they were gravy.”
“Do I look like a guy who wants to hurt anyone?” He batted his lashes like he’d seen Coral do many times when she’d been a child.
“Looks can be deceiving. If we opened the dictionary and turned to the definition of sexy, you’d be the description.” She covered his mouth with the palm of her hand. “We’d probably also find you under cunning.”
He brushed his lips against her soft skin.
She yanked her hand back. “Really? You’re a pig.”
“No. I’m a Wolfairy, and you said I was sexy, and you are irresistible.”
“Oh please. Start resisting. Trust me, it’s possible.” She rolled her eyes. “Nothing worse than a conceited werewolf who thinks he’s a new creature.”
“I don’t think. I know.” He liked feisty women. Or at least, he liked this one. “And come on. You’re into me.”
“Finding you attractive doesn’t mean anything other than I’ve got eyes. A dead woman would want to sink their fangs into you just because you’re eye candy.” She flashed a big grin. The kind little girls did right before they stuck their tongue out.
If she did that, he’d have to catch it with his tongue.
Gently, he took her by the wrist, setting her hand on the table. “You were attracted to me when I was a smelly, unruly wolf.”
“What? I was not.” She glanced between him and the picture.
In the painting, his dark coat had fluffed out, protecting him from the cold. Snowflakes dotted the sky. Her white wolf image had drawn so close to him that her fur tangled with his.
“You see it here too.” He tapped the canvas.
“Well, there you’re all cleaned up. Not like you were when we dragged you into this cabin. I thought I’d die from the stench. And you looked like you’d seen your last sunrise.”
“That’s funny because I distinctly remember a strong connection between us a few moons ago and at that time, you thought I wanted to hurt you or my Wolfairy family.”
She shook her head. “How can you be a Wolfairy? The Legend says the new creature will be formed at the first union of the princess and the wolf. There is nothing in any of my research that explains you except for Norse and perhaps the boy who didn’t exist, but I can’t confirm that yet with what I have so far.”
“Why don’t you tell me about everything you’ve uncovered so far,” he asked, inhaling her peach scent. God, he could get used to waking up to that every day. Then again, he’d been smelling death for years, so anything would be a welcome change of pace.
“My family has been through one attack after another. I won’t allow it to happen again, so I’m not giving you anything until I know for sure I can trust you.”
He shrugged. He might not understand some things, but the connection they had formed couldn’t be denied, even if she tried. The longer they spent time alone together, the faster she’d accept it and he could get on with filling his destiny. “Do you think these books will help you?”
“Yes.” She tapped the paper with her pencil. “But since you seem to know everything, why don’t you fill me in on all the missing pieces?” She pursed her lips in a mocking gesture.
He frowned. “I don’t know the history. My knowledge only comes from what I experienced as a wolf, and that wasn’t much. Where I got most of my knowledge was from being inside Coral.” He pointed to the vase where Norse had been trapped. “Once Norse left Coral’s body, I could smell him and knew I needed to find him.”
“Let me get this straight.” She shifted in her seat, tucking one foot under her adorable ass. “You remember all your time in both places?”
“I don’t know about all my time since I’ve traveled from one human sister to another until Coral was born. As far as the wolf goes, well, that was a very lonely experience, and I was losing my mind not being able to communicate with anyone.”
She pushed one of the books aside and pulled out a small, bound leather notebook. “We found this when we were trying to help Coral get Norse out of her before she went bonkers. Read this section.”
“His name is Dayton. He almost lived long ago in a faraway land. He could have been a happy boy, spreading joy and sunshine throughout the world. His spirit is kind and loving.
But Dayton is the boy who will never exist. He won’t sprinkle his kind of magic on those in need. He won’t be able to heal the sick or make the sad laugh. Dayton, the boy who never existed, will have only one purpose now. Some might think it trickery. Others might think it innocent. And others will brush off the boy who never existed as exactly that.
However, there will be one, and she’ll see the boy for what he really was and while she will only be able to unlock the man, she will spread the joy of the boy who never existed through a vessel so great, sealing the fate of all who helped bring the boy to a man. Dayton, the man, will live in this land, and he will seal our fate.”
He set the book in his lap. “So, I’m the boy. Is Coral the one
