need to sniff them but don’t want to say why. Trust us. You’re a wolf.”
Keil nodded in agreement and Robyn shifted in her chair to stare out the window. A tidal wave of emotions swept over her. The ability to turn into a wolf.
Who wouldn’t want to be able to do that? It was the stuff of fairy tales and escape literature everywhere.
It also cal ed to something deep inside her that had felt cooped up and trapped for many years. While she enjoyed her job at the bakery, and she loved her
brother, she was never completely happy unless she was somewhere out in nature—skiing or hiking or canoeing.
Maybe this was the reason.
Robyn pushed the notepad at TJ. How come I’ve never turned furry?
TJ wrinkled up his nose and considered for a minute. “Keil? Ideas?”
Keil’s hand stroked down her arm and she bit back a moan. Oh man, that felt good. Her skin itched to be touched, and as much as she needed to find
answers, she needed to jump Keil more. The attraction that had begun last night, causing her to lose al sense and sleep in the man’s arms, it seemed to
be growing.
Concentrate. She needed to concentrate on the cool idea that she might actual y be able to turn into a wolf.
“Robyn,” Keil said. “Ful -blood wolves like us are born with the genes to be able to shift, but they’re turned off in newborns until triggered. Kind of like
they’re dormant. For some reason your genes must have never been switched on.”
A trigger?
Keil nodded. “Yeah. It’s a hormone and newborns get it from their mom’s milk.”
Robyn’s stomach fel . It more than fel , it leapt off the edge of Mount Logan and plummeted into the depths of the nearest crevasse.
The possibility that she was a magical being had excited her. Seeing TJ change had woken something inside her, ful of joy and freedom, and a deep
happiness she’d been missing al her life. Now it was slipping out of her reach and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She pushed away from the
table and grabbed her coat, fighting back the tears as she rushed outside. She saw Keil rise to his feet, but she ignored his outstretched hand.
Damn, it wasn’t fair.
She managed to get her coat done up before the tears fel . She stood gazing over the lake, arms wrapped tightly around her torso as her eyes wel ed up
and overflowed. The bright sunshine around her did nothing to lighten the spot of darkness she felt at the loss of something she’d wanted. Something she
hadn’t realized she’d wanted so much.
Robyn felt him approaching. Gentle arms slipped around her torso and pul ed her back into his body, supporting her. Holding her loose enough she could
escape if she wanted, but close enough to let her feel his concern.
Another sob escaped before she could stop it, and Keil turned her and gathered her up against him like she was a child. She wrapped her arms around
his neck, buried her face in his coat and let the misery release.
Her heart hurt.
Slowly, feeling his strength, feeling the comfort he offered, the pain eased. Keil’s hand ran over her hair, and she remembered him touching her like that
last night. He must think she was some kind of emotional yo-yo, running hot then cold. She took a deep breath and sniffed hard, pul ing away from his
embrace.
Keil reached a hand to cup her face. He wiped away a tear with his thumb. “I’m not sure what’s wrong, but I think I’ve guessed a bit. Did something
happen to your mom when you were born?”
Robyn nodded. She patted her pockets searching for tissue when Keil handed her a clean hankie. It took a minute to get herself back together, Keil
politely ignoring her runny nose and wet face until she felt presentable.
She flicked glances up at him as he stood waiting for her. He gazed over the lake, his strong body like a pil ar of granite. What was it about this man that
fascinated her? He turned to see if she was ready and held a hand to her. Robyn grasped his warm fingers, enjoying the