Patrick has opted for his human form, too. He’s my only companion at that moment. Hunter travels in his family’s carriage with his Grandpa Floyd, and what a wuss.
He may be a wuss, but he’s still my mate. I chose him for myself since he earned my affection.
I havetwomates, and the pack still has yet to know. The three of us have rarely had time together, and that’s going to have to change very, very soon.
The global gathering will host thousands upon thousands of wolves, but I’m sure we can find a moment to breathe.
I shiver. I have never been to a global gathering. I was never allowed as the pack dud, but now look at me, traveling along with the convoy.
I really have gone up in the world.
“Don’t be nervous, Ylfa. The other packs will love you, I’m sure.”
Patrick places a warm hand on my shoulder, and I smile. His ocean blue eyes catch me off guard. He’s ditched the glasses now. Not that he ever really needed them, but the last thing he wants to do is walk around the gathering with a big bullseye tacked on his head.
The other packs would tear him apart.
Patrick may have gained respect in our smaller pack, but he still has a long way to go with the packs of the world.
I reach up, placing my own hand on his. “Right back at ya. They’ll adore you, Patrick. Maybe you will find other bookworms...”
Said bookworm’s eyes flash at the prospect, and he holds his head high, confidence swelling right through him as I feel it in our bond.
“Maybe. I can’t be the only wolf in this world who loves books. There has to be others. We can’t all be brawn and muscle. We have intellect for a reason.”
I chew my lip. There will be games hosted at the gathering, yet no games involving books.
Well, not that I know of.
Regardless, I’m sure Paddy would win a game of “Who can read the most books,” in a heartbeat.
Wolves seldom read. I think the hatred of books stems from the fact that most books we come across were written by humans. The majority of wolves have no interest in science or literature. In fact, they tend to use books as tinder, and it’s heart-breaking...
There truly is a lot to be learned from our human predecessors.
I’ve not failed to notice the Holy Bible Paddy secretly keeps on his person, which he proclaims is for research purposes. No one’s had any particular qualms about him hoarding books before, but tensions have been extremely high ever since the attack.
He still has the golden cross that he took off the body of a dead woman. I don’t exactly condone the grave robbing, but he told me he had a connection with the human female. She hesitated when she placed the knife at his throat.
She had cried and asked,“Why do you have to look so much like him?”
Who did Paddy resemble for her to hesitate? A friend? A lover? A family member?
That poor woman... She must have been in so much pain.
Well, wherever she is now, I hope she’s at peace.
Brent had been the one to take her down in the end, and Patrick is still pissed at him for that. The beta had saved his life, but Paddy had almost gotten through to that woman.
Why fight them when we could just sit them down and talk?
My eyes fall on Raven’s cage. Patrick follows my gaze, and the same regret shines in his ocean blues.
Poor human. Stolen away from everyone she knows and loves. She’s probably wondering when her days will be up.
How long are we going to keep her alive?
She’s our leverage, according to Alpha Graeme—our bargain against the humans. She’s their so-calledchosen one, after all. They won’t want any harm to come to her.