“No. We were unsuccessful.” Liam answered. Councilor Gina sat back in her chair. Was that… relief on her face?
“Hmm…this is a dilemma.” High Councilor Anton mused. “Do you have any idea who your parents are, child?” I was starting to get annoyed at his reference to me being a child but tried to be good and hide it.
“No. I don’t.” I didn’t feel it was necessary to tell them I had a name for my mother. Clara. Thankfully Cade didn’t chime in either.
“I suppose we should call in our Elder.” Councilman Julian replied almost bored like. “He might have an inkling of what this girl is.”
“Enforcer Carver, have your men escort Elder Nickolas to this chamber.” High Councilor Anton instructed.
“Yes, High Councilor.” Carver strode to the door and spoke to someone on the other side. Silence reigned for ten minutes as we waited for the Elder to show up. I knew I was the only one suffering through the silence since everyone else was using their wolfy senses to hold a private conversation. Would this Elder really be able to tell me what I was? Finally the double doors opened and an older man in his late seventies, shuffled through the door. His eyes scanned the room. As they landed on me they widened in surprise.
“Elder Nickolas.” High Councilor Anton demanded the Elder’s attention. Nickolas shifted his focus to the five Councilors and nodded in greeting.
“You summoned me?” He asked. From my vantage, he sounded a lot stronger than his bearing portrayed. I had a feeling it was an act…but why?
“Yes, we have a bit of a…problem…we were hoping you would clear up.” High Councilor Anton stated. “This girl,” he motioned to me, “isn’t human. But she smells faintly of a wolf. Do you know what she is?”
“Certainly.” He nodded without hesitation. I was surprised by his quick reply.
“And what is she?” High Councilor Anton asked with annoyance.
“A rare latent wolf.” Nickolas replied evenly. My mind blanked at his announcement. A wolf? The looks on the Councilors faces showed a variation of dread, frustration, and hatred. Was I the only one surprised by his statement?
“I’m a what?” I asked, sure I didn’t hear him right.
“A latent, dear.” Nickolas said as he turned toward me and away from the Councilors. “It means your wolf is hidden to you.”
“I thought those were extinct?” Brody chimed in.
“Hence the rare.” Nickolas grinned. I was a wolf? A latent wolf?
“There hasn’t been a latent wolf in years.” Mica commented.
“One hundred and ninety-three to be exact.” Nickolas stated.
“Why now? What does it mean?” Cassie asked.
“Latent wolves were always rare. Some learned to shift while others were never able to obtain their wolf form. If they ever did learn to shift, and were white, their coming usually foretold of great upheaval or change to come.” Nickolas explained. His eyes remained fixed on me during the last part.
“Wait, she can learn to shift?” Cade asked eagerly. I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Cade who was absorbing the information faster than I was.
“Of course. Other shifters have been doing it for years. There’s no reason why Kendra wouldn’t be able to.”
“Elder Nickolas.” High Councilor Anton stated through gritted teeth. I think he was annoyed the conversation was excluding him. “You’re positive she is a latent wolf?”
“Absolutely.” Nickolas replied with confidence as he turned back to the head table.
“Is there any way to know if she will ever shift?” High Councilor Anton asked.
“And what color she would be?” Councilor Cora chimed in.
“Of course not.” Nickolas scoffed. “Her wolf is hidden and she will have to work to make her wolf surface. She may obtain some form of heightened senses from her wolf but that might be all she ever achieves.” He looked back at me. “If we knew who her parents were, then we might have a clue as to what color she would be.”
“I don’t know.” I answered quickly. Nickolas’s eyes narrowed but he didn’t comment.
“Well, then. Is there anything else you need?” Nickolas asked as he turned back to High Councilor Anton.
“No. And least I remind everyone in this room, what was discovered today remains here. No one is to discuss anything about latent wolves beyond this room.” He glared around the room before looking back at Nicolas. “You are dismissed.” He said with a wave of his hand. As Nickolas turned to leave I caught his eye and was surprised when he winked at me before he left the room. Silence reigned for a few seconds while everyone absorbed this new information. I was a wolf! I couldn’t help giving myself a mental high five. How cool what that?
“I suppose we must discuss her future.” High Councilor Anton sighed.
“What do you mean?” Liam was quick to ask.
“She will need to be monitored. We need to know if her wolf is surfacing and what threat she could pose to our society.”
“Threat?” Mica exclaimed. “She’s just a girl that found out she’s a wolf. She doesn’t understand wolf politics let alone how to call her wolf. She is no threat to anyone.”
“She could be a white wolf.” Councilor Blaine stated.
“She might not too.” Cade stated firmly. “Besides, isn’t that whole doom and gloom just a story? I’ve never heard of a latent white wolf bringing about great change.”
“Learn your history books, boy,” High Councilman Anton growled. “It happened back in the early 1800’s.”
“That is beside the point.” Liam commented. “Kendra just found out she’s a wolf. Latent, yes, but a wolf nonetheless. She has no clue what that means or entails. What would you propose to do with her?”
“She will remain here. Where she can be monitored and observed.”
“Lock her up?” Liam growled. “She has broken no laws. Keeping her here would go against everything we stand for as a Pack.”
“What would you suggest?” Councilor Cora scoffed. “We can’t allow her to run free. Her whereabouts must be monitored.”
“May I speak?” I asked, looking around the room. Cade gripped my hand and gave me a gentle shake of his head but I ignored him.
“What would you have to say?” Councilor Cora asked as she looked down her nose at me.
“I know I don’t understand all of your rules but I would be happy to learn. I want to learn about my heritage that was stolen from me. I would like to be a part of a Pack. Somewhere to call home. I have no wish to bring about any kind of change. I’m just an ordinary girl, trying to make it through graduation.” I shrugged.
“Certainly not a speech of a rebel leader,” Councilor Julian mumbled.
“The McCoy pack would like to adopt Kendra into our fold.” Mica announced. My eyes widened in response and Cade rubbed his thumb over my hand that he was holding in a soothing gesture. “We will look out for her. Teach her our ways. Help her learn what she needs to know as a shifter.” I was stunned at Mica’s offer. Be a part of Cade’s pack? Officially? Would I finally have a place to call home?
“We will of course report her progress back to you, if you wish.” Liam added. High Councilor Anton regarded us before he turned his attention to the other Councilors. A silent conversation seemed to pass between them before he finally rotated back to us.
“Fine. We require quarterly updates on her progress. Leave nothing out.” High Councilor Anton warned.
“We won’t. Reports every quarter.” Liam nodded. Mica turned to me and smiled happily. Cade squeezed my hand and I turned to him and grinned.
“Well, if we are done here.” Councilor Gina replied as she looked scornfully at me. She stood and the rest of us stood out of respect, or habit in our case. Each of the Councilors filed out of the chamber and a collective sigh sounded around the room. Brody was the first to let out a whoop.
“Hell yeah!” He yelled before he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly. “We knew there was something different about you
, but a latent?” He finally let me go and Cade pulled me back into him.
“A latent wolf.” He murmured in my ear. I grinned. I was a wolf!
“Let’s go back to the hotel.” Liam suggested. Carver ushered us through the doors and back to the elevators. We didn’t speak as we rode 54 floors down to the underground garage and piled back into the vehicles. As the High Council Enforcers dropped us off in front of our hotel, bags and all, Carver stopped Liam.
“Elder Nickolas informed me he would like to visit tonight, if you are available.”
“Yes, of course. Any time he wants to stop by. The sooner the better.” Liam agreed.
“I’ll inform him upon my return.” Caver nodded. He glanced my way one more time before he left. Cade ushered me into the hotel behind everyone else and up to our bank of suites on the top floor. I knew Cade’s parents were well off but, this much? The suites had one main room when you first entered for dining and entertaining. I could tell there were at least three bedrooms that branched off from there. Other suites lined the hallway outside where other members of our party would be staying.
“Everyone sit down. I’ll order room service for lunch and we can talk about…everything.” Liam instructed. We congregated around the massive table that sat close to sixteen. For those that couldn’t sit at the table, they took up seats at the built in bar. A buzz of conversation flowed around the room with everyone throwing me curious glances every now and then. Not that I could blame them. Being the harbinger of doom is not something to be taken lightly. If I was a white wolf, of course. Or could shift at all for that matter.
“You doing okay?” Cade asked from his seat beside me. He was holding my hand and rubbing his thumb back and forth over my skin.
“Yeah. Just taking a while to sink in.”
“I bet.” He smiled. “At least we know what you are.”
“I’m a wolf.” I smiled, happy to have something within my grasp.
“But how long will it take for your wolf to surface?” Brody asked over all the conversation. Everyone else quieted down, but no one had an answer.
“That’s something we will ask Elder Nickolas once he arrives.” Liam stated. “We will have to keep things quite since we technically aren’t supposed to discuss things but we need answers. There are so many questions we need answered and I hope Nickolas has the information.” When lunch arrived, everyone dug in, especially Brody. You’d think he hadn’t eaten for days the way he shoveled food in his mouth.
“Can you believe it, Kendra?” Cassie asked from across the table. “You are actually a wolf. No wonder you fit so well into our group.”
“Yeah, who’d have thought?” I answered.
“Good thing Bree found you that day.” Hunter praised Bree sitting beside him at the bar. Bree blushed at his compliment.
“It wasn’t like she was lost.” Bree giggled.
“Just staring at all the masculine beauty over here.” Brody smirked and Cade let off a soft growl in displeasure. I laughed and shook my head.
“Nah, she was already checking out Cade.” Cassie said, and now it was my turn to blush. “She even asked me if I was his girlfriend.” Cassie scrunched up her noise before laughing along with everyone else.
“You noticed me then?” Cade whispered beside me.
“How couldn’t I? You don’t exactly blend in.” I teased.
“I was glad when Bree confronted you. It gave me an excuse to walk over and be closer to you.” Cade confessed.
“You weren’t even looking at me. How could you know I was there?”
“I knew you were there.” Cade replied. “My wolf was scratching at me then to go investigate and see who you were.”
“Does your wolf do that a lot?” I asked, curious.
“More than you know.” Was his cryptic reply. Before I could ask what he meant, there was a knock at the door. Liam stood up and walked over to open it. I was surprised to see Nickolas so soon after our meeting. Carver followed him in but spoke to someone outside to stay there. More guards?
“Nickolas,” Mica greeted pleasantly as she approached and shook his hand. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had time to sit and chat.”
“Indeed it has, my dear.” Nickolas looked pleased to see Mica. His eyes scanned the crowd before they landed on me. “Kendra.”
“Elder Nickolas.” I greeted with a nod.
“Come over here and let me look at you.” Nickolas instructed. I stood up and walked toward him. I noticed that Cade matched me step for step. Nickolas eyed Cade but didn’t comment on my shadow. I stopped in front of him as his eyes scanned me. “I never thought I’d see the day.”
“What day?” I asked.
“The day when a latent white wolf would change the course of shifter history.”
“I’m sorry?” I asked, nonplussed.
“How do you know she’s white?” Cade asked at the same time.
“I don’t have to see her wolf to know she will be.” Nickolas stated.
“But you told the High Council you didn’t know if I was or not.” I protested.
“Let’s just say what the High Council doesn’t know, will be better for you. They find out you’re a white wolf, things could go downhill fast.” He looked back at Cade. “To answer your question, I’ve been the Elder for many years. I know she’s a white wolf because I’ve done my research. It is my job to keep the records of all shifter history.” He sighed before he added, “Even if the current leadership does not want records on ‘lesser’ shifters.”
“You mean shifters besides wolves?” I asked.
“Yes.” He nodded sadly.
“Was there something in the history books about traits of a white wolf? To recognize their coming?” Liam asked.
“Of course. You see, that was one of the traits of a white wolf. They could foretell the future.” He whispered conspiratorially before leaning back. “Of course, that trait takes years to develop if it ever does at all.” I resisted a glance at Cade. I hoped he wasn’t giving anything away either. “The last white wolf made a prophecy about a new era. One that would be led by a woman. A latent white wolf. She would endure loss at a young age, hardship growing up, until her seventeenth year. At which point she would find her place in the world.” He paused before he studied me. “Does that sound familiar at all, dear?” I nodded, unable to find my voice.
“That could be anyone.” Cade stated firmly. “It doesn’t mean Kendra is the fabled white wolf.”
“How many wolf latents do you know?” Nickolas asked with raised eyebrows. Cade didn’t answer. “None. Because there haven’t been any since the last one died in the early 1800’s.”
“You mentioned other shifters have latents. Why are wolves so rare?” Mica asked.
“The High Council would have you believe because wolves are stronger. Their genes always produce strong wolves that can shift.” He glanced at me before he added, “They believe a latent wolf is an affront to their perfect society.”
“The hell it is.” Cade growled as he pulled me closer to him.
“I would agree with you.” Nickolas stated. “I think they are more concerned with the prophecy associated with latent wolves than anything else.”
“Can you explain what being a latent means?” I asked. These were details I needed to know.
“Certainly.” He gestured to the couches beside the table and asked, “Would you mind if I sit? I’m not as young as I used to be.”
“Oh, yeah! Sorry.” I stated as I followed him to the couch. Cade again sat beside me and Liam and Mica joined us. We had the full attention of everyone else, which was good if I was truly going to be adopted into their Pack, they needed to know what Nickolas knew.
“A latent is a shifter whose animal is hidden. Unattainable, at least at the moment. It may take years to coax your wolf to the surface before you are able to shift.”
“How would I go about doing that?”
“Some of what you already do.” Nickolas replied. “Keep
company with other shifters. Your wolf will crave those similar to you and it will help her find her way. You may also have to find something that centers you, so you can focus and feel the wolf inside.”
“Wow. So, there’s like a whole other being hidden inside me?”
“Yes, of course. You will have to learn to work together. Other born shifters have years to recognize their wolf and learn to work together before they shift.”
“But Cade shifted when he was two.” I pointed out, remembering an earlier conversation with Cade.
“Alphas always shift early because their wolf nature is inherent to them. Very natural.” I looked over to Cade to see him grinning smugly.
“Showoff.” I muttered.
“I just do what comes natural, babe.” Cade whispered in my ear. He turned to Nickolas before he asked, “Can latents have lifemates?” The question caught me off guard but I waited with baited breath for Nickolas’s answer.
“All shifters have lifemates. The key is the term shifting. Until a latent finds his or her animal, the individual will not be able to identify their lifemate. Their inner beast, so to speak, is key to that bond.”
“So until I learn to shift, I won’t know if I have a lifemate or not.” I asked Nicolas, but turned my head to look at Cade sadly.
“It is possible to feel a bond, before the time of your shift.” Nickolas stated. “Shifters who approach their eighteenth birthday have been known to want to spend more time with an individual to later find out that shifter was their lifemate.”
“Like us.” Hunter said and pulled Bree closer to him. She smiled up at him in return.
“May I ask where your parents…,” Nickolas paused, unsure how to ask the question. I made it easy for him.
“I don’t know who or where they are. I was left on a church doorstep when I was two.”
“Was anything left with you?” Nickolas asked. “A note, perhaps?” I hesitated to answer, looked at Cade, who looked to Liam. Liam raised a questioning brow at Nickolas.
“I should note,” Nickolas added before I could decide to answer his question, “that for the record, Enforcer Carver and I have never been…pleased, with the current leadership. We do as they instruct as it is our duty, however, there are times when we are forced to be…creative, in how an order is carried out.” Liam and Mica chuckled at Nickolas’s explanation.
HIDDEN (Hidden Trilogy Book 1) Page 21