Reed (Nano Wolves #4) - Donna McDonald Page 0,13

hard. Do you expect me to talk to other eight-year-olds? Or someone who’s a teenager?” Stewart asked with a snort. If his legs grew any longer or bigger, he’d be busting out of the pants he’d worn here. So far his parents hadn’t noticed his recent growth, but once they were no longer focused on bears, they would. It was the downside of having two government agents for parents. “I don’t even know what age I am.”

Katarina stopped and fisted a hand on her hip. “Did we not discuss the wisdom of accepting your destiny? You are growing like special werewolf. Deal with it.”

“We discussed my destiny, but not the specifics,” Stewart admitted as he kicked a rock. “Talking with an adult is very different from talking to humans closer to my body’s alleged age—whatever that is, at any given moment.”

“You whine like the four-year-old you were last week. Wolf up, boy.”

Stewart burst out laughing. He was eight last week, not four. But it was still funny. “Wolf up? Is that a Russian saying?”

Katarina grinned. “No. That is Katarina saying.”

They wandered by a group of teenagers who were hanging out. A blonde with blue eyes and a long braid running down her back to her waist waved at Stewart, who immediately ducked his head and pretended he hadn’t seen her greeting.

Sighing, Katarina grabbed the boy by the arm and forced him to go with her as they headed toward the snickering and giggling teens.

“Privet vsem vam. My name is Katarina Volkov. This is Stewart Longfeather.”

“Dobro pozhalovat' v nash dom,” the pretty blonde replied with her gaze fixed solidly on Stewart.

Katarina’s mouth quirked at both corners. The girl had welcomed them in decent Russian, but she knew all that effort was not for her but to impress the handsome yet too-quiet boy at her side. “Bol'shoye spasibo. Your Russian is good. We are happy to find such a warm welcome here.”

“Thank you. Mom and Dad studied abroad in St. Petersburg before I was born. They happily passed along what they learned because that’s what they do. It wasn’t much,” the blonde said as she reluctantly moved her gaze back to Katarina. “My name is Terra spelled like terrain. Dad said he was in a weird place when he helped Mom name me. My older brother’s name is Brett.”

Katarina smiled at the girl. “We were taking a walk. We did not get tour earlier. Now everyone too busy.”

“No problem. This place is not that big. I can show you around,” Terra said, rising from her seat.

Katarina lifted an eyebrow when the others grumbled at the girl’s leaving. So much for this off-the-grid experiment, she thought.

Perhaps it proved something about resource sustainability, but that was all.

Humans were social animals every bit as much as werewolves—or normal wolves, in her opinion. Humans also formed their little packs, and always one turned out to be the leader. She imagined Terra’s newly formed breasts, shiny blonde braid, and muscular legs had much to do with her current occupancy of the leader role.

The three of them set off walking with Terra choosing to walk beside Stewart who was nearly her height.

“Are both of you wolf shifters?” Terra asked.

She was once again looking at Stewart, who still seemed unable to speak. Their childish drama had Katarina rolling her eyes.

“Yes, but I am natural wolf. Stewart is created wolf like Brandi. She and Gareth are Stewart’s parents.”

“Awesome,” Terra said happily with a genuine smile lighting her face. “Brandi and Gareth saved my Dad and now he’s a bear—like a GIANT bear. He’s huge when he shifts.”

“They’re not my actual parents. I’m adopted,” Stewart blurted out.

Terra chuckled. “They’re like the coolest people I’ve ever met. Lucky you to get adopted by them.”

Katarina elbowed the boy until he yelped. “See? It is like I said.”

Stewart rubbed his side. “Okay—I wasn’t disagreeing.” He finally looked at the girl. “Did you hear me disagreeing?”

“Nope,” Terra confirmed, grinning at him. “Are you some kind of geek? Because you sound way too smart to be someone normal. And you’re barely talking. I don’t mind quiet people, but everyone sort of had a bet going on about you when you climbed out of the plane. I went with geek.”

Stewart sighed and shook his head.

“He is very smart,” Katarina declared, putting all the passion she could muster into her voice.

Stewart glared at Katarina before looking at Terra. “I’m not really smart. Well, I am smart, but not that smart. I’m just…”

“Always curious?” Terra suggested.

“Always,” Stewart admitted.

“Me too,”