Chapter 19

The gentle knock at my door pulled me away from the window where I'd been watching the mysterious shadows moving through Ken Jungle. My heart raced, wondering which of the brothers had come to my cottage at this late hour.

"Who is it?" I called, drawing my robe tighter around me.

"It's Devin," came the calm, measured voice from the other side.

I hesitated only a moment before unlocking the door. Devin stood on my porch, moonlight silvering his dark hair. Unlike earlier when I'd encountered Carl, Devin's presence brought a sense of reassurance rather than intimidation.

"May I come in?" he asked, his intelligent eyes studying my face.

I stepped aside to let him enter, noticing how he moved with that same inhuman grace I'd seen in all the brothers. The scent of pine and something distinctly wild followed him in.

"I wanted to check on you," he said once I'd closed the door. "You handled yourself remarkably well with Carl earlier."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You saw that?"

"No, but word travels fast between us." Devin settled into the armchair across from my couch. "I'm impressed by your composure. Most humans would have revealed everything in their panic."

I sank onto the couch, tucking my feet beneath me. "I almost did. He's... intimidating."

"That's putting it mildly," Devin replied with a half-smile. "Carl has that effect on everyone, not just humans. But you maintained our agreement and didn't expose what you know. That was smart."

His praise warmed me unexpectedly. "I wasn't sure he couldn't just... I don't know, read my mind or something."

"We can communicate telepathically with each other, but reading human thoughts? No." Devin leaned forward, his expression growing serious. "Lina, I realize how overwhelming this must be for you. One day you're a regular FaunaSphere employee researching wolf behavior, and the next you discover those behaviors apply to your colleagues in ways you never imagined."

"That's one way to put it," I said with a nervous laugh. "I keep thinking I'll wake up and find this was all some bizarre dream."

Devin's gaze was sympathetic but unwavering. "It's not a dream. And I want to apologize for how you've been brought into this. Ara should never have completed the mating bond without properly explaining what it meant."

The mention of Ara and what had happened between us made heat rise to my cheeks. "About that... I still don't fully understand what this 'mating' involves."

"That's exactly the problem," Devin said, his voice carrying a hint of disdain. "Ara acted impulsively, as always. He's the youngest of us and tends to leap before looking."

I traced the rim of my empty teacup with my finger. "So what should he have told me?"

"Everything," Devin replied simply. "About our nature, our traditions, and most importantly, what it means to be mated to not just one, but four werewolves."

My stomach fluttered at his directness. "And what does it mean?"

"For one thing, it's permanent. The bond can never be broken once it's formed." Devin watched my reaction carefully. "Each of us will develop a different connection with you, reflecting our individual natures."

"And..." I hesitated, unsure how to phrase my question. "The physical aspect?"

A small smile touched Devin's lips. "Each of us will be drawn to you differently in that regard as well. Ara is passionate and impulsive. Carl, when he finally accepts the bond, is dominant and intense."

"And you?" The question slipped out before I could stop it.

"Barry and I are twins," he said, his voice dropping slightly. "Our bond with you is... unique. To fully mate with either of us means mating with both."

It took me a moment to process his meaning. "You mean... together? At the same time?"

He nodded, watching me closely. "Yes. Barry and I have individual relationships with you, but the completion of our bond would involve both of us simultaneously."

I felt my face flame as understanding dawned. "Oh."

"Don't let that frighten you," Devin said quickly. "Everything happens on your terms, Lina. We would never force anything you're not comfortable with."

I nodded, trying to absorb this new information. The idea was shocking, but I couldn't deny the flutter of curiosity—even excitement—it stirred within me.

"Why weren't you afraid when you saw Barry transform?" Devin asked suddenly, changing the subject.

The question made me pause. "I was shocked, certainly. But I’ve once learned from my job that one couldn’t run with his back left in front of a wolf. I understand their behavior better than most humans. When Barry approached me in wolf form, I knew running would trigger a chase response."

Devin's expression was impressed. "Most humans would have panicked. Your knowledge probably saved you from a dangerous situation."

"I feel safe with all of you," I admitted. "Except Carl. With him, I feel... I don't know. He makes me feel like I'm in danger, but not exactly in a bad way. Does that make any sense?"

"More than you realize," Devin replied thoughtfully. "Carl is our Alpha. He carries more responsibility than the rest of us. His resistance to the bond comes from his position, not from any dislike of you personally."

I nodded, processing this. "I guess I need to be patient with him."

"We all do," Devin said with a wry smile. Then his head tilted slightly, as if listening to something I couldn't hear. His expression changed, becoming more guarded.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Ara," he said simply. "He knows I'm here. He's not happy about it."

"Can he... hear us?"

"No, but we can sense each other's locations and communicate telepathically when we choose to." Devin stood, moving toward the door with that fluid grace. "I should go before he decides to come investigate personally."

Disappointment washed over me. I'd enjoyed Devin's calm presence and clear explanations. "Do you have to?"

He paused at the door, looking back at me with an intensity that made my breath catch. "For now, yes. But Lina?"

"Yes?"

"I'll come back. Soon." His golden eyes held mine for a long moment. "And next time, perhaps we can explore more... practical aspects of what I've explained tonight."

With that promise hanging in the air between us, Devin slipped out into the moonlight, leaving me alone with thoughts that would surely keep me awake until dawn.