"It is if she’s a Shadewolf," I said. "They can have more than one mate, but she can only mark one, the one chosen by the Moon Goddess as her true fated mate. If she makes a wrong choice, then our world stands a great risk that you cannot imagine, and for the rest," I let the sentence hang.
We all knew what ’the rest’ meant.
"Wait!" Rhett interrupted, leaning forward. "Didn’t you just say she was a Direwolf earlier? When we saw her shift?"
I nodded, running a hand through my hair in frustration. "That’s the most confusing part. Everything I saw tonight—her size, her hooves, the white marking on her chest, even the red patches, those are Direwolf traits, and that should be impossible."
"How is it impossible?" Kael asked. "Having a Shadewolf doesn’t mean you cannot be any other thing? Don’t they say people who have Shadewolves when their wolves finally manifest, they can become anything?"
"Yes," I nodded, "but a Direwolf?"
"It could be her ascended form," Rhett said with a shrug. "The Shadewolf signs were true, but they were only part of her real nature. So now that she has shifted, her wolf is a Direwolf. Being a Shadewolf is just a state right?"
"I don’t know," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "In any case, if she’s a Direwolf, it means she can bond with up to three Alphas at once, and each bond would be equal and unbreakable."
Both boys fell silent as if they were processing the information.
"So if she’s a Direwolf," Rhett said slowly, "that would explain why we’re all equally drawn to her."
"It would," I agreed. "But it would also make her dangerous to certain people. Direwolves were called ’Alpha-makers’ because their offspring were destined for power. There are people who would kill to possess someone like that, and others who would kill to prevent such power from existing."
"That’s why her father wanted to trade her away," Kael said suddenly, "He knew what she was."
"I don’t think so," I shook my head. "Alpha Silas knew from birth that Charis had a Shadewolf. He couldn’t possibly know her ascended form would be a Direwolf either."
"But can she be both?" Kael asked. "Shadewolf and Direwolf?"
I was about to respond when the bathroom door opened and Charis came out, wrapped in nothing but a white robe, her damp hair clinging to her shoulders. The steam from the shower was still evaporating from her body, making her more enticing.
Zair pushed against my skin, urging me to claim his mate. From the way the boys had gone quiet, too, I knew we all had similar thoughts.
When she noticed our stares, her fingers tightened on the robe’s tie as she gave us a wary look.
"You’re so beautiful, Charis," Kael rose to his feet. "I always thought you were beautiful; I still think you are."
She rolled her eyes, moving to Kael’s wardrobe and throwing over her shoulders. "Since I don’t have any of my clothes here, can I borrow some of yours for tonight alone?"
"Take anything you want," Kael called after her. "Do you need help?"
"No!" Charis shook her head. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ Novᴇ(l)Fɪre .ɴᴇt
She rifled through Kael’s wardrobe for a few minutes before selecting a matching PJs set. She ignored us and walked into the bathroom again to change. A few minutes later, she emerged, wearing the black PJs set.
Her nipples were peeking from the oversized shirt, and I imagined running my tongue around them.
She came to stand in front of us, hands akimbo as she stared at us.
"I know this is new for Kael and Rhett," she started, "and I’m too tired to understand why I have three of you as my mate. So, let’s get through tonight and tomorrow, we’ll figure it out."
"I agree," Rhett nodded, rising to his feet again, then going to stand next to Charis. "Since we’re four and there are two beds in the room, how about I take one with Charis and both of you can take the other one."
"This is my room," Kael said quietly, "Don’t I get to choose first?"
"Guys!" Charis snapped her fingers in front of the brawling boys. "I haven’t accepted to be your mate yet, no one has a claim to me, besides, Rhett and Kael, especially, you, Kael," she pointed at him. "Both of you have been awful to me for the past few days. You think suddenly having a mate bond would dramatically change things overnight?"
"I know I deceived you all in the beginning, but I wish I had other options. When I ran away from the house, I had no idea what I was doing; I only wanted to leave. It’s okay to judge me for my choices, but..."
"I’m sorry, Charis..." Kael came forward, interrupting her. "I acted like a coward, that’s because I didn’t understand these feelings, and they were so overwhelming. I’m not even mad at you for not telling me..."
"That’s because you think you can now explore your sexual fantasies with me," Charis fired at him. "You took care of me, Kael, and you showed me care, love and tenderness, but when I needed you most, you deserted me because you were worried, loving a boy could ruin your reputation."
"Far from it, Charis..." Kael tried to say.
"Please!" Charis raised her hand to stop him. "I don’t want to hear, at least not tonight. My head’s pounding. Can I get some rest?" Her eyes flicked through our faces.
"Rhyme," she continued, then paused with a sigh. "That’s the name of my wolf, by the way. "Rhyme wants us to stay together, and that we will, but can I get your word that three of you would behave?"
Rhett lowered his gaze, and Kael looked elsewhere.
"I mean it, guys," Charis said with a sigh again. "I know the mate bond would rage through you so much for the first few days to the extent that you may have no control over it, plus it doesn’t help that I’ll be here, but I need to sleep and I don’t want to be woken with a kiss, please."
Rhett sucked in a deep breath and nodded. "Fine, I’ll try my best."
She turned to Kael. "I don’t know, Charis," he sighed. "It was difficult resisting you as Eamon..."
"You are disciplined, Kael," Charis said impatiently. "You have more self-control than I’ve seen in anyone. I’m just asking for a night."
Kael wanted to say something, but he decided against it and just nodded, muttering. "Fine, I’ll try my best."
"Good," Charis sighed and came to where I was. "I’ll share the other bed with Slater tonight, and that’s because I trust him and I know he will control himself. Again, don’t assume having a mate bond means automatic acceptance. I have to accept you for it to be potent, so don’t overstep your boundaries."
Neither boy said anything as Charis slipped her hand into mine and urged me quietly. "Let’s go to bed."
As we crossed to the other side of the room to the other bed, which was Charis’s bed when she lived with Kael, I turned and felt a pang of pity for the boys.
Both had miserable expressions on their faces.