Chapter 204

I watched Toya settle. “Good.” Her answer startled me a bit.

“Good?”

She nodded. “I was worried you were going to say yes.”

I laughed. “Why?”

“I don’t trust her. Never have. But I thought she was already your friend when she came over with us, but when I saw you didn’t know her, I was thrown.” Toya picked at her nails. “My wolf doesn’t trust her.”

I laughed. “Neither does mine.” I settled into my new couch, and I felt a content-filled purr work its way up from my chest. I had to shake my head and push up off the couch before I embarrassed myself even more.

Toya stood with a groan. “Is there anything else coming today?” We both looked around the room and stared at the new couch and loveseat. Both were a soft grey that was over-plush. I knew as soon as I saw them with Sterling, I needed them.

I shook my head. “The chair was on backorder.” I smiled when I thought of my reading chair. It was a double-wide seat with a soft plush cover. That one really made Nix want to purr.

Just the idea of curling up with a book as Rowan made dinner... Another purr worked its way out, and I froze. What the hell was I thinking?

Rowan is not mine. Not now… maybe ever.

I needed to pull away from these thoughts before I hurt myself even more than I already was. I felt tears spring to my eyes, and I looked at Toya.

“Hey… are you alright?” She came to my side, and I shook my head.

“I fucked up.” I answered honestly for the first time since everything happened between me and Rowan.

“Talk to me.” I pulled her back to the couch, and I unloaded.

“I’m going to tell you everything. But you can’t tell anyone.” I clenched my fists. “I trust you, and so do my wolves.” I looked up at her and watched her register my words.

“Your wolves?” Her mouth dropped open. “Like more than one wolf?”

“I have a secret… multiple secrets.” She nodded. “I need your oath that you won’t tell another soul. I haven’t even told my best friend yet, but I need someone here to help me, and I trust you the most.”

I watched multiple emotions fly across her face. It was hard to tell with her dark complexion, but she looked a little pale. “Okay. I, Toya Argara from the Malawi pack, promise to keep everything you are about to tell me between us. I won’t share this with anyone, even under torture or command, until you release my oath.” I waited until the words sunk in and nodded.

“Thank you.” I smiled and waved my hand.

“You have become my closest friend here, Amy. We may have best friends back home, but here you are, mine.”

“I feel the same way.” I smiled and then shook my head. “I don’t know how much of my pack’s history your father knew, but I have to explain it.” She settled back, and I could tell I had her full attention. “The first werewolf was made in the Agora, a patch of land that a witch held dear. Her son, her only child, was attacked by the local wolves. Their alpha had been killed by humans, and they attacked the first one they saw. The witch found her boy and called on her goddess, the three-faced goddess, and begged for his life. But it was the Moon Goddess who gave him back to her. Changed. He held the spark for power, and wolves, and he passed that down to his son, and it continued until you get to me. A werewolf descended from the Moon Goddess’s first, and a witch.” Toya’s eyes were enormous.

“Holy shit, you are from the first family?”

I just nodded and looked away. “Lycans are a different breed, descended from the Moon Goddess herself. Did you know that?” Toya nodded. “It’s a little weird to think of that because Lycans mated with other Lycans.”

“There were two lines.” Toya interrupted me. I looked up in confusion.

“What?”

“Other gods saw the blessing the Moon Goddess gave to the Lycans and approached her. They created their own line of Lycans and wolves so that breeding wouldn’t become an issue.” Toya twirled a ring on her finger that I just noticed. “The goddess Nut, of the sky in Egypt, was the first to make the request, but not the last.” Toya looked over at me. “That is where my line falls from—the first wolves in Egypt. But all lines that came after know of the first family.” She grabbed my hands. “But why bring up the Lycans?”

“Because, I’m Lycan.” I huffed out a sigh. “I’m Lycan, wolf, and witch, all rolled up into one tiny package.” She stared at me for a long time. I nudged her. “Say something!”