Wolf's Hunger (Mafia Monsters #5) - Atlas Rose Page 0,39
this earth. She was born with a chromosomal abnormality known as Down Syndrome. Mom and Dad found out before they had her, and even though the doctors warned them she could be born with some severe abnormalities and might not even survive the birth, they chose to have her anyway. It turned out she’s a fighter, probably would’ve refused the abortion procedure and marched out of my mother’s womb and kicked the doctor in the nuts anyway. That’s just how she is.”
Phantom was dumbstruck.
But I knew Walker. I knew the way she operated, the way she talked and kept talking, turning this way and that, lifting her hand to brush her hair and giving a loud sigh. She was drawing the Wolf in to her, making him focus on her and her words.
She was weaving her own magic and, as I caught the spark of a connection in the young Wolf’s gaze, I knew to trust her. My pain in the ass Doc knew what she was doing.
“So she survived, thrived even, and became the best little sister I could ever have hoped for. But as time passed, we found out she was deaf. I mean, my constant nagging probably hadn’t helped the situation, maybe she turned deaf because of it, I dunno. But while my parents were devastated with the news, I wasn’t. I knew who she was, even at three years old. I knew she was a fighter, knew she’d never give up. Any obstacle to her would be seen as a challenge. So that’s how I looked at it, as a challenge. And seeing as how I was quite a few years older, well, I just decided to learn sign language.” I took a step away as she lifted her hands, but turned back as she continued. “We spoke like this, and before long it became as natural as speaking without our mouths. So what I’m trying to tell you is that there is a way to communicate, just in a different way you never expected.”
Phantom stayed for a second longer, until he was sure the young male wasn’t going to tear her throat out, before be followed me out into the darkness.
“What are we going to do with them?” Mojin enquired.
“I’ll stay behind.” Church stepped out of the darkness and strode toward us. “You can be there and back before we know it, and maybe by then they’ll be ready to leave.”
“Are you sure?” Phantom cocked his head.
“You sure?” I echoed, not liking how that sounded at all. “I can stay.”
“No.” Phantom shook his head. “I’m not risking you being here a moment longer than you need to be. Church will come with the others.” He lifted his gaze to the stars that sparkled faintly in the sky. “We need to leave now.”
Why the damn hurry?
A chilling whisper crept across my skin as Phantom opened the back door to the Explorer for me and waited. Arran and Vitold were there in an instant, climbing into the back seat from the other side. Vitold leaned out across the seat and peered at me through the open door. “You coming, lyubovnik?”
I didn’t know what that meant, but from the glint of desire in his eyes, I had a fair idea. I took one last look over my shoulder at Church and the dark interior of the cavern before I turned and went to the SUV.
The Explorer started with a growl, and even though this had been our first real place in solitude together, I wasn’t upset to leave it, just the same. I felt a restlessness, one I feared would stay with me. Only my Wolves felt safe to me now…all of them. I climbed in, then Phantom closed the door behind me and slipped into the front passenger’s seat. We were moving almost before I knew it, the headlights cutting through the trees as we drove forward and started the trip to wherever we were headed.
I pulled the seatbelt around me, leaving Vitold to clasp it closed. He met my gaze, then leaned close to kiss me. “It’ll all be alright, just you wait and see.”
Up and up we went, winding around to come out onto the same dirt road we came in on. Moonlight spilled into the cabin of the four-wheel drive, splashing across my arm as we traded the gravel road for asphalt. But instead of turning back toward Crown City, we headed further west.
Vitold grasped my hand, clutching it tight as we picked up