devil wolf?”
Yana shrugged. “Devil wolf is what all bears call Stewart. They bow to him like prince.”
Katarina’s eyes widened. “This I must see.”
“Devil wolf boy is very handsome, sister. He does not look like his mother or father. With golden hair and blue eyes, he looks like an avenging angel.”
“Stewart is adopted child. Do not look with lust at that one. He is young child still, no matter what his body has become.”
They walked down a small hallway. In the room, a boy sat at a girl’s side. He was reading from a book while the girl smiled tiredly at him.
Yana giggled softly behind her as Katarina leaned against the doorjamb and crossed her arms. “I come to meet devil wolf and all I see is boy who wishes to be wolf. Where is this alarming creature everyone talks about?”
Stewart grinned and closed the book. “Dad told me they were bringing you back. I’m glad you got away from the bad guys.”
“Da. Me too.” Katarina unfolded her arms and walked to the bed. The girl scooted over so she could sit. She patted the girl’s leg, then lifted a hand and put it on Stewart’s shoulder. “You did good, Stewart Longfeather. Many grown wolves would have faltered. Be proud you did not.”
Stewart nodded. “I’m not a wolf. I’m something else.”
Katarina stood. “I am wolf who has hugged many bears today. I am not afraid. Show me this thing you are. We will face your beast together.”
Stewart sighed. “I can’t. I haven’t been able to shift again. I don’t know why.”
Katarina returned to her perch on the bed. “Your body still recovers. It is like that for all the first time. Do not worry. Your inner beast will return. Beast is sleeping to get stronger.”
Stewart stood and walked to hug the Russian alpha. “Thank you for everything.”
Katarina patted Stewart’s back like his mother probably would if she were here. “Your mother is here in town meeting with bears. Your father stopped to get your siblings.”
“Oh, great,” Stewart said, sighing in resignation. He sat back down in his seat and covered his face. “They’re going to hate me.”
“For being devil wolf?”
“No,” Stewart said. “For rushing ahead of them. Waylon said I looked about eighteen now. The main wolf healer here agreed with him.”
“And how is head keeping up with growth?” Katarina asked, pointing to her temple.
Stewart knew he could be honest with her. “I feel confused all the time. I don’t feel as grown up as I look.”
“That is good news for you,” Katarina said.
“Good news?”
She nodded. “Confusion means your mind works very hard. When confusion leaves, you will know yourself again. This is also wolf thing. So no worrying for a while.”
Stewart nodded as he thought about it. He hoped Katarina was right. His senses went on full alert as Kent walked boldly into the room with Aggie trailing behind him. Stewart stayed where he was and waited for them to speak.
Aggie walked by Kent and smiled at Stewart. “You grew up to be very handsome.”
“Thank you—I think,” Stewart replied, laughing when his sister hugged his arm.
Aggie stared back at the girl in the bed, who was boldly staring at her. “Is this the girl you’re trying to save?”
Stewart nodded against his sister’s head. She was still so tiny. “Her name is Terra, spelled like Terrain. She’s getting a little better every day. Your cure is working, but slowly.”
Aggie giggled. “I found something else that might help, but I need to talk to her healer first.”
“That would be Waylon. He’s a bear,” Stewart said.
Aggie gasped. “One of your bears? The ones you saw in your vision? The ones Mom and Dad rescued?”
Stewart nodded. “Waylon’s nice. You’ll like him. He’s very smart. He was an EMT studying to be a doctor when he was human. He knows lots of things about helping people heal.”
Yana cleared her throat. “I can take smart little sister to see bear healer. I know where Waylon hides from wolves.”
Aggie giggled at Yana’s story. She looked at Kent and narrowed her eyes. “Don’t glare at me, Kent. You know I have to help them.”
Kent sighed and stared at the wall. “Okay, but I don’t like this. We’ve all been apart too long. Things need to get back to normal soon.”
Aggie patted her bossy brother’s shoulder as she passed by him to leave. “You can’t control the world. Remember what Dad said on the drive here. We each have to find our independence.”
“I remember,” Kent said with a growl.