Excerpt Continued…

“You. Are. Not. Going. Into. That. Cavern.” He bit out each word.

For a moment, the silence in the room was thick. Then Tehya exploded. “How do you expect to get into the cave? Walk right in the front door?”

“I’ll take the passage you created with your magic!” he snapped, missing the look of surprise on her parents’ faces.

“Hah! No, you won’t. When we left, I touched the wall thanking Mother Earth for sheltering us. I asked her to erase all traces of our passage. The earth reverted to how it was before I showed up. The tunnels are gone.”

“Then I’ll take you back there, let you touch the damn dirt and you can get your wolf butt back here!”

This time it was Jefferson and Naomi who exploded.

“What?!”

“Magic?”

“Wolf? Tehya, explain what he’s saying!”

Tehya’s head dropped. She played with the backpack in her lap. Jason sat back in his chair with a smug look on his face and Naomi began circling the table. Everyone waited for Tehya to speak.

Franco felt Naomi’s hand on his shoulder as if in sympathy. Surprisingly, he felt a wonderful warmth and happiness seep into his bones. Everything would work out fine.

“Mother!” Tehya said sharply.

Franco returned to being upset when Naomi moved away. Before he could question what just happened, Jefferson broke the silence.

“Who is Sasha?”

Tehya didn’t answer so Franco asked a question of his own. “When you came into the cave why did you say, ‘I should kill you where you sleep, wolf?”

“Daddy!” Tehya exclaimed in horror.

Franco reached out to cover her hands with his. “If we had a daughter and I found her the way he discovered us, I might be tempted to kill first and ask questions later, Tehya. I don’t blame him.”

Franco watched her eyes widen, her hands go to her stomach in a protective gesture and he fought to keep his expression from revealing his shock.

Shit! They hadn’t used any protection last night, something impossible to do in wolf form anyway. Once they returned to their human forms, they were so hungry for each other he never considered slowing down long enough to put on a condom.

Not now. He would deal with that later.

When he looked away from Tehya he caught Naomi’s eye and realized she knew exactly where his and Tehya’s thoughts went. She raised one eyebrow and allowed a half-smile to touch her lips.

Thank god and goddess Jefferson had no clue.

“I called you wolf because, well…” Tehya’s father looked at her, then back at Franco with a question blazing in his eyes. He didn’t know if his daughter knew Franco’s secret.

“You said wolf because you somehow realized I carry one inside me.”

As Franco said the words, Jefferson watched his daughter for her reaction to the statement. He seemed puzzled when she didn’t react.

“How is it you know of my wolf, but don’t know about Tehya’s?”

“What?” both Naomi and Jefferson exclaimed again.

Franco noticed Jason wasn’t surprised.

Tehya sighed. “The wolf came to me as a spirit totem.”

“Which is convenient, since my wolf has claimed her as his mate. And so, have I.”

“Are you telling us you have a wolf spirit totem, too?” Naomi asked.

“Nah, I’m just your garden-variety werewolf,” Franco replied.

Tehya rolled her eyes at his comment and turned her attention back to her family. “My spirit wolf is called Sasha.” She didn’t add a lot of detail.

“How long?” Naomi asked.

“Since I was twelve.”

“Why haven’t you told us?” Naomi asked. Both she and Jefferson looked hurt.

“You’ve excluded me from the family secrets! I only know what I’ve been able to piece together by listening at doors and snooping around.” She waved her hand at her father. “Dad goes out into a field and makes lightning. I’ve seen him do it.”

Before her father could answer, she glared at her mother. “You touch souls—sensing goodness or evil. Did either of you bother telling me? No. I had to discover all this on my own. I still don’t know why we even have magical powers.”

Franco realized Naomi was touching his soul when she put her hand on his shoulder. He squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. What had she seen?

Jason began to speak. “In a normal Native American family, animal totems act as guides throughout your life. They’re used to help us get in touch with our feelings, to grow emotionally and spiritually. We can pray for a specific animal to guide us, or a certain animal may come to us because of our need. The wolf is a teacher and a pathfinder. His presence signifies a person needs help or guidance in his or her life. Fortunate enough to be visited by the wolf, you would go on to teach others many of life’s lessons. He can also be helpful in building personal strength, teaching us to value our inner voice.”

He paused for a moment to study Tehya. “As you’ve noticed, in this family spirit totems are much more.”

Tehya couldn’t stop the snort of laughter.