Hunting Human - Amanda E. Alvarez [101]
“How old were you when you changed?” she asked, scooting closer to him.
“Fifteen. I was supposed to wait until I was sixteen, but Chase came along so Dad let me take the bite a year early.”
“Chase, he’s adopted isn’t he?”
“Yes,” Braden confirmed, toying with the edge of the bedspread.
“He’s one of the kids you told me about, isn’t he? One of the ones the Bolveks turned.”
“He’s my brother, Beth.” He searched her face for a long moment. “He was eleven when my father found him.” He turned his head toward the door. “Sometimes I wonder if he realizes how completely we’ve assimilated him into this family, but he’s as much my brother as Caleb is. He’d never hurt you.”
She gently squeezed his knee. “I didn’t mean it like that. But sometimes I’ve noticed that he holds himself apart…Or is particularly respectful or deferential, especially around your father. I’d wondered,” she admitted.
“We don’t talk much about Chase’s circumstances before he came here,” he offered, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation.
“Okay. Next question.”
“Shoot.”
“What about the legends? Are any of those true?”
“Specifically?”
“Silver bullets?” All the ridiculous things she’d read online over the years crowded her mind.
“Nah. Regular ones work just fine. But we do heal faster than most people. No one’s sure why,” he said, trailing fingers along her calf, never breaking eye contact.
“Um, what about… mates…” God, she could feel the blood rushing to her face. “Is that true? Is that why you can’t seem to stop touching me, even when you aren’t aware of it?” she asked, half embarrassed, half pleased to see him wince and jerk his fingers away.
“We don’t mate for life, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“But…” She prompted.
“But, some of us believe that the part of us that is wolf responds more strongly to some people. It seems to be particularly potent when our kind falls into bed with each other. No one is sure why. It doesn’t happen very often.”
“Why not?” She watched, amused, as he picked as his fingernails, keeping his hands occupied and away from her.
“Because you are so rare.” He caught her gaze and said seriously, “You and Lucy are the only female werewolves I’ve ever met, though I know of at least a half dozen.”
“How many werewolves are there?”
“Thousands. But for most, it’s a life they chose. It tends to appeal more to men than to women. It makes you coveted with most werewolves. Hell, more than a few have approached my father about courting Lucy.”
“I bet she loves that.” Beth laughed.
“She handles it well. And they always leave disappointed. Next question?”
“In the dressing room, Markko mentioned your family by name. I know you explained the history between your families, but you’d also mentioned a mythology. What is it?” That question had settled in the back of her mind, but as she grew more comfortable she found her curiosity grew as well.
“As the story goes, a thousand years ago, two brothers fought a war over land and people. The younger one was defeated and ostracized. According to the story, he beseeched Odin to grant him the power to avenge his honor and defeat his brother. Odin sent his emissaries, a pair of wolves, and gifted him with the bite. He was the first werewolf. According to the legends he turned the men still loyal to him and led devastating raids against the villages of his brother’s kingdom. When his brother found out what was happening, he prayed to Odin to give him the power to stop his brother. He was the second werewolf. But there was a price attached. According to mythology, Odin desired a war that would last the ages. The two lines were destined to fight with each other until one extinguished the other. That’s never happened.” His fingers slid back and forth across the back of her hand.
“You’re saying that your family and Markko’s are direct descendants? That sounds…well, crazy.”
“About as crazy as werewolves in general, right?”
“Yeah.” She let her fingers unfurl so he could continue tracing idle patterns on her palm.
“I know. But that’s the story. For