Forty

I’m not expecting to find Adela sitting with a tranquil expression on her face, as if we aren’t about to have an epic alpha challenge blow up in the next two seconds.

Before I can offer to go get Mack, or suggest that we, you know, run for our lives, she murmurs words so low beneath her breath that I almost miss them. “Pay attention, and close your eyes.”

Closing my eyes right before a battle between two alphas erupts behind me is the absolute last thing I want to do. But I trust Adela enough to do as she says.

As soon as I close my eyes, I feel her tap my head. A sign to pay attention, to focus.

It takes a few seconds because I’m anything but calm right now and my heart is racing as panic kicks in, but eventually I do.

And that’s when I see the thin silvery threads swirling around her. I know there’s physically nothing there. What I’m seeing is her gift, or rather, a physical representation of it.

I track those strong, silvery strands to a soul pulsing with so much red and orange tha