“Is your wrist too weak to support it?”
Liam smiles, looking at Ramsey as if to say,She’s a keeper.
But no, he’s not keeping me.
But he saved me. We shared that moment.
I don’t have to choose between Ramsey and the wolf.
They’re the same, both mine.
Forever.
“It is,” Liam nods. “Normally, if I wanted to use one paw, I would transform my entire arm and parts of my torso. More commonly, we change our canines, or we can subtly alter our scenting abilities even when in human form. We can harden our bones. Things like that.”
I stare in fascination at it.
“It’s amazing, Liam,” Ramsey says. “Your control.”
“Jo taught me well. And you can do this, Ramsey. Just not….”
Liam glances at me then back at Ramsey.
“What?” I mutter.
Liam ignores me, looking at Mom, and I wonder what I’ve just missed.
Ramsey doesn’t have control...because of me?
I remember how he heaved in the alleyway, his eyes fixated on me, how hot his breath was. And the flaring of his eyes. And he was there that first night.
Liam mentioned scenting ability.
Did Ramseyscentme?
“Ilsa,” Liam says. “You have to look.”
“I can’t,” she whispers.
“Mom, if you don’t want to look it’s okay. But you have to believe it’s happening because it is. We’re in danger. We need to be real about the situation.”
Mom sighs, taking a step back, still with her face averted. Then she makes an effort to turn her head, staring down at the paw, the fur silver like Ramsey’s.
Except nobody is like Ramsey.
Everything about him is too perfect, toomine.
“Oh,” Mom says. “Would you look at that!”
Liam laughs softly. “Quite the sight, isn’t it?”
“Can you move it?” Mom says.
“It’s not a prop.”
She gasps when Liam flexes his what, his toes, fingers? Can a paw have fingers?
“You can touch it,” Liam says. “If you still don’t believe me.”