HIDDEN (Hidden Trilogy Book 1) (23 page)

“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.

“Nickolas is a dear friend to my old pack,” Mica assured Liam.  “He would never put us in danger.” 

“This is information we do not want going back to the High Council.”  Liam looked to Nickolas and then to Carver.  “I will have your word that this information will not leave this room.”

“I swear.”  Nickolas answered.

“Not a word.”  Carver answered. Liam nodded for me to answer the question.

“A note was left with me saying it was safer for me to stay away.  The note was signed by Clara, my mother.”  I explained. 

“No last name?  No father’s name?” 

“No.”

“Where did your last name come from then?”

“The church assigned me a last name.”

“Hmm…well this is a mystery.”  Nickolas mused.  “I will need to check the records to see if I can find some information, if that’s all right with you, dear.”

“Yes, please do.  I would really like to know who they were.”

“I will start straight away upon my return.” 

“I also have this,” I said as I pulled my necklace from my shirt.  I unhooked it from around my neck and handed it toward Nickolas. 

“From your parents?”  Nickolas asked, as he flipped the ovals over in his hand, searching.

“I don’t know.  The one with the wolf was left with me when I was little.  The other is from Cade.  ”

“If there was an encryption then we would have better luck.  But seeing as it is blank,” he sighed and handed it back to me.  “I’m afraid it won’t do me much good.”

“Okay.  I thought I’d try.”  I reclosed the chain around my neck and hid it under my shirt. 

“Is there a way we can get a hold of you?  In case we have more questions?”  Cade asked. 

“Enforcer Carver will notify me if you need something.”  Nickolas waved his hand as he stood up to leave.  “He is my grandson after all.”  He smiled at our shocked faces, before confiding, “It’s the only reason the High Council keeps us around.  Good noses run in the family.  Besides, I’ve no love for modern technology.  Always changing and some new gadget coming out every year.  How is one supposed to keep up?”  I followed him to the door as he turned around.  “I would like to hear from you every now and then, if you don’t mind, dear.”

“No, not at all.  Thank you for all your help.”  I smiled. 

“My pleasure.”  He smiled.  I couldn’t help the urge to hug him so I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his middle.  “Ah, such a sweet girl.”  He returned my hug and kissed the top of my head in a fatherly fashion before he backed up.  “Enjoy your stay in Dallas.”

“Thank you, again.”  Liam added, as he ushered Nickolas and Carver out the door.  We turned back to the table with lunch.  The group broke up into small groups and discussed the new development.  I was more than happy to cuddle up to Cade on the couch and close my eyes.  Nothing could be done at that moment.  Hopefully more information would be forthcoming in the near future.  For now, I was content with the fact that I knew what I was.  The rest I would deal with another day. 

The next few days, we spent sightseeing and going to the art expo so I had something to report to Steve and Nicole.  I had some time to think about being a latent and knew there were other shifters I should contact, if only I knew how.  They might be able to help me bring my wolf to the surface since latents were more common in their groups.  Then again, did I want to become what everyone was afraid of?  What if Nicolas was right and I was a white wolf?  What changes were in store for our future then? 

***

We were visiting the last section of the art expo before boarding the private jet to take us home.  Cade walked beside me while Cassie and Brody looked at something at one of the booths a couple steps behind us.  Hunter and Bree decided to do some sightseeing elsewhere with their parents on our last day.  Liam and Mica were with Brody’s parents somewhere nearby, probably with a host of Enforcers surrounding them.  I knew I needed to bring up the subject of talking with other shifters, but I wasn’t sure how Cade would take it. 
My guess was not good, not good at all.
 

“Cade, I need to ask you something.”  I glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention to our conversation. 

“What’s that?”  His eyes looked down at me from one of the paintings we were looking at. 

“Nickolas mentioned that other shifters have latents.  I was thinking I need to talk to them to-“

“No.  Absolutely not.”  Cade cut me off with a firm shake of his head. 
So, I guess I wasn’t too far off on his reaction.
  “You don’t need anything from them.  We will figure out how to bring your wolf to the surface on our own.”

“Why are you so against me asking them?”  I asked frustrated. 

“They are dangerous.  They aren’t as in control of their animals as we are.  Plus, wolves and other shifters don’t mix.”

“But don’t you see that is the problem?”  I asked.  “Why can’t you work together?  At least talk to each other.  They would be a huge help in this instance since they have experience dealing with latents.”

“No.  I forbid you from talking to them.”  Cade was turning all Alpha wolf on me but I wasn’t going to turn belly up for him. 

“Excuse me?”  I raised my hands to my hips to emphasize my point.  “You can’t forbid me to do anything.  I have a mind of my own.  You’ll be leaving soon for Enforcer Training.  You won’t be around to watch over me.”  Cade squared off with me.