abilities.” He smiled at me, but it looked strained. “We can talk to our partners in our dreams.” Turning back to face Dad, he continued. “We’re stronger, and more healthy, and when we find our Mates—our life partners—we’re faithful and devoted.”
It was Mum’s turn to stand. She went to embrace Dad. “Sounds like Levi is describing you, my love.”
“Wait. What do you mean? Werewolf ?” I had to be dreaming again. Werewolves didn’t exist outside of horror books and movies.
Levi gave me a ghost of a smile. “It’s very different. And if it’s any consolation, I would’ve spared you finding out like this. I planned to tell you when we’d got to know each other better. When you trusted me.”
My mind raced, but kept coming back to one freaky-ass word. Werewolf. I had werewolves in my family? I gazed at Dad, imagining he looked different. “Are you one?”
“No.” He snapped the word out, but then hesitated. “My taid was a half-breed. He had premonitions. He knew the hunters were coming, and that’s why he left. He thought he could avert the vision he’d seen, but he was wrong.”
“It just happened later than he thought,” whispered Mum.
“I hoped Jessie would find a nice young man one day. I never expected her to bring one of them home.”
“It’s probably because of Jessie’s bloodline that she could hear me.” Levi stuffed both hands in his pockets, and came to stare down at me. “I thought you were my Mate.” He stumbled over the words, and then swallowed hard. “I must have been mistaken.”
Chapter Sixteen
Levi’s face was pale, his eyes unnaturally bright. There was no trace of his seductive smile, and his face was completely blank of emotion. He looked numb. Dragging both hands through his hair, he gazed down at me. “I’m sorry, Jess.” A muscle flicked in his cheek, but otherwise he could have been a statue. “I’d better go.”
“I can still give you that ride to the station if you want it.” On the surface, Dad’s offer was polite, but his hostility was only thinly covered.
Mum made a little surprised noise. “You can’t be heading out now. There won’t be any trains.”
“I’m wolf,” Levi murmured. “I’ll be fine.” His eyes continued to eat at me, and the intensity finally broke through my shock.
“You’re leaving? Right now?” He gave a little nod. “But there’s so much I don’t understand. We haven’t even talked yet.” I didn’t dare look at Dad, but I had the stupid notion that if Levi walked out now, I’d never see him again. “And this is Manchester.” I improvised rapidly. “It’s not safe for you to hang around the streets.”
His eyebrows lifted a fraction. “Are you suggesting I can’t look after myself?”
“No, I’m suggesting you’re tired and jet-lagged.” His eyes darkened. “And you don’t have anywhere to go.”
Levi ducked his head, and then reached out to touch my cheek. “Goodbye, Jess.”
I couldn’t watch him walk out. I grabbed his hand and clung to it like a lifeline in a rough sea. “Wait. Don’t leave.” He hesitated and I tried again. “Just stay tonight. Please .”
“Family means everything. It’s not right for me to come between you and your parents.”
He didn’t sound as sure of himself, and so I appealed to Dad. “You said he could stay the night. That invitation still stands, doesn’t it?”
Mum nudged Dad in the ribs. “Yes, it does. And right now, your father and I are going out. He promised we’d go late night shopping.”
“I don’t think I did.” He sounded indignant.
“Maybe I dreamed it, but that’s what we’re doing.” Mum gave me a quick hug. “We’ll be a couple of hours. Plenty of time for you to talk.”
****
I dug into the kitchen cupboard and found a bottle of Dad’s single malt. Grabbing a couple of glasses, I headed back to the living room and found Levi examining the tiny wolves on the Christmas tree.
“Don’t know
It was Mum’s turn to stand. She went to embrace Dad. “Sounds like Levi is describing you, my love.”
“Wait. What do you mean? Werewolf ?” I had to be dreaming again. Werewolves didn’t exist outside of horror books and movies.
Levi gave me a ghost of a smile. “It’s very different. And if it’s any consolation, I would’ve spared you finding out like this. I planned to tell you when we’d got to know each other better. When you trusted me.”
My mind raced, but kept coming back to one freaky-ass word. Werewolf. I had werewolves in my family? I gazed at Dad, imagining he looked different. “Are you one?”
“No.” He snapped the word out, but then hesitated. “My taid was a half-breed. He had premonitions. He knew the hunters were coming, and that’s why he left. He thought he could avert the vision he’d seen, but he was wrong.”
“It just happened later than he thought,” whispered Mum.
“I hoped Jessie would find a nice young man one day. I never expected her to bring one of them home.”
“It’s probably because of Jessie’s bloodline that she could hear me.” Levi stuffed both hands in his pockets, and came to stare down at me. “I thought you were my Mate.” He stumbled over the words, and then swallowed hard. “I must have been mistaken.”
Chapter Sixteen
Levi’s face was pale, his eyes unnaturally bright. There was no trace of his seductive smile, and his face was completely blank of emotion. He looked numb. Dragging both hands through his hair, he gazed down at me. “I’m sorry, Jess.” A muscle flicked in his cheek, but otherwise he could have been a statue. “I’d better go.”
“I can still give you that ride to the station if you want it.” On the surface, Dad’s offer was polite, but his hostility was only thinly covered.
Mum made a little surprised noise. “You can’t be heading out now. There won’t be any trains.”
“I’m wolf,” Levi murmured. “I’ll be fine.” His eyes continued to eat at me, and the intensity finally broke through my shock.
“You’re leaving? Right now?” He gave a little nod. “But there’s so much I don’t understand. We haven’t even talked yet.” I didn’t dare look at Dad, but I had the stupid notion that if Levi walked out now, I’d never see him again. “And this is Manchester.” I improvised rapidly. “It’s not safe for you to hang around the streets.”
His eyebrows lifted a fraction. “Are you suggesting I can’t look after myself?”
“No, I’m suggesting you’re tired and jet-lagged.” His eyes darkened. “And you don’t have anywhere to go.”
Levi ducked his head, and then reached out to touch my cheek. “Goodbye, Jess.”
I couldn’t watch him walk out. I grabbed his hand and clung to it like a lifeline in a rough sea. “Wait. Don’t leave.” He hesitated and I tried again. “Just stay tonight. Please .”
“Family means everything. It’s not right for me to come between you and your parents.”
He didn’t sound as sure of himself, and so I appealed to Dad. “You said he could stay the night. That invitation still stands, doesn’t it?”
Mum nudged Dad in the ribs. “Yes, it does. And right now, your father and I are going out. He promised we’d go late night shopping.”
“I don’t think I did.” He sounded indignant.
“Maybe I dreamed it, but that’s what we’re doing.” Mum gave me a quick hug. “We’ll be a couple of hours. Plenty of time for you to talk.”
****
I dug into the kitchen cupboard and found a bottle of Dad’s single malt. Grabbing a couple of glasses, I headed back to the living room and found Levi examining the tiny wolves on the Christmas tree.
“Don’t know
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