Chapter Eighteen

Theron stood, still holding me, and settled me on my feet. "I'm still not sure whether to thank you for coming in, but you're right. Minx is going through enough right now. She doesn't need to deal with any kind of academic problems on top of it all."

"We heard she had an episode in the dining room."

"You heard?" I cringed a little inside. "Everyone must be talking about me, huh? Do they think I'm a freak?"

"No!" Grim insisted then shrugged. "Maybe a few do. But they all matured into their wolves when they were eleven or twelve, and they probably barely remember."

"Also," Bodhi put in, "it's said that late shifting is much harder on you physically. I've never known a latent who actually came into their wolf at your age, but that's what we were taught in class."

"Oh, sure, first I set fires, then I'll probably die halfway into wolf form and leave a bizarre-looking corpse."

"Oh no. Dead shifters always end up in human form again, I've heard," Grim said.

My jaw dropped. I stared at the man of few words who'd just said something I didn't want to hear.

"Not helping, Grim," Theron said. "Now, if you can manage not to upset our mate further, I think you have class with her this morning."

Grim flushed. "I'm sorry. I was trying to be reassuring. Let's go, Minx."

I reached for the tray, but Theron picked it up and waved us off. "Don't want to be late."

Bodhi walked with us until we reached his first class then winked at me and disappeared inside. "Have a good day, Minx."

"You, too." Was it weird that having him say that made me feel like I would have one? "He's a nice guy," I told Grim.

"Yes." We walked on a bit, then he asked, "How long has the fire thing been going on?"

"I am not sure because I didn't know it was me until my locker burned and my parents told me it was. But not long."

"We've only heard of the ancients having the power of the elements. And they were blessed by witches." He apparently was more talkative when it was just us.

"It's awful, isn't it? I don't know what might happen. What if I hurt someone?" I swallowed hard. "What if I hurt one of you?"

"We'll figure it out." He patted my arm. "Don't worry, okay? You're coming into your own and will have lots to deal with on the way. We're here to help. And this is the right place to be with resources as well. It will all be fine." He opened the door to our classroom. "After you."

I was on time, thank goodness, and went through the day, class after class, with one or the other of the guys and sometimes Stevie in with me. I felt so behind, in all my subjects, even though I was only entering a few weeks into the term, but they all had their whole lives soaking up what it meant to be a wolf shifter.

I was picking up an afternoon coffee at a little kiosk that operated most of the day and evening when my phone rang, and I dragged it out of my pocket and glanced at the screen. "Hi, Mom."

"Minx, it's Mom." Which was why I had said, "Hi, Mom," but since she always did this, I let it slide. "Is this a good time to talk?"

"Sure. Is everything all right? Is Dad okay?"

"We're fine, baby. And how is school?" Her words were just generic, but a hint of anxiety in her tone showed her true concern.

"I haven't burned it down, if that's what you are asking."

"Oh good." She paused. "Listen, I got a call from someone asking about you. How old you are, where you are… They didn't give me a name, just hung up when I didn't answer their questions. You haven't been approached by any strangers, have you?"

"Considering I'm new here, most people are strangers, but not like that, no. Why? Should I be worried?"

"Oh no." False cheer—not a good sign. "So, any sign of your wolf yet?"

"No, Mom. And from what I'm learning, latents don't always pan out. I might never have a wolf." Just random, uncontrolled fire.

"Think positive, Minx. Reach deep down and try to find her. She's in there somewhere."

I wanted to say if that's what she and Dad thought, why did they try to make me live so human. But I didn't think it would do much good. "Mom, how old were you the first time?" A human would have been asking about sex with a question like that, and it would probably have been weird to address it to a parent. But I was learning how different shifters were from others.

"Ten." I heard her sigh. "I know that's very early."

"And Dad?"

A long pause before she said, "We'll have to ask him, but it's not really relevant."

"Girls don't take after their dads in these things?"

"I'm not sure."

This conversation wasn't going anywhere. "Mom, how do you know if you meet your mate?" Growing up the way I had, I'd never expected to have one at all—and I wasn't ready to tell Mom I thought I had three.

"Oh, I don't know. You just do, I suppose. But it's not always what the stories claim. Fated mates don't always end up together forever, Minx."

"Mom, I—"

"I have a business call coming in. Let's talk soon, okay? Love you, baby." And she was gone.

Had I struck a nerve? Were my parents having troubles?