Silver-White (The Great North Woods Pack #1) by Shawn Underhill Read Free Book Online Page B

down at his
granddaughter’s anxious face. “Don’t worry, my dear, being a wolf isn’t all
serious business; it’s foremost a gift.”
    “Okay,” she muttered.
    “No, Red.” He leaned closer. “This is a
lot, I know, but understand me clearly. This is a wonderful day, a wonderful
time, the springtime of a great new life; be glad in it. You’ve come through
the hardest part brilliantly; you have only the best left ahead of you now—to
make the first full shift, which is a literal explosion of vitality nothing
short of rebirth. This night you will experience wonders you
will hardly believe. You will feel things truer, deeper than you ever thought
possible. And you will run like you have never run before; the north wind
itself will envy your speed.”
    Evie smiled nervously. The same cool
tingle she’d felt from seeing the wolf on the mantel rippled through her once again.
“Okay,” she breathed.
    “That’s better,” he said, motioning her
toward the house. “Come now, our magic goes only so far; we must eat to have
strength for the night.”

 
 
 

 
 
 
    -4-

 
 
    Dinner was not over when the first wave
of family arrived. There had been time to discuss very little after the
conversation on the porch.
    When Uncle Earl and Aunt Ruth entered
with Matthew and Erica, Evie jumped from her chair at the table to meet them. Of
all her cousins, Erica and Matthew she’d always been closest with. Erica was
only eight months older, and for a long time now the two had considered
themselves as best friends rather than relatives. Matthew was several years
older, and even though he was a boy he had always paid Evie much attention. He was big and rough and loud, but he
loved his family, and had a sense of humor that never failed to keep Evie, or
most who knew him, entertained.
    After being hugged warmly by her uncle,
Aunt Ruth commenced to fussing over Evie’s height and hair—as if she hadn’t
seen her niece in five years. She ended the greeting with warm, almost giddy congratulations.
    “Thanks,” Evie forced herself to say. She
had no sooner escaped the awkward fuss when she was crushed by Matthew’s heavy
arms. He was bigger than ever now.
    “It’s good to see you, Bama brat.”
    “Ugh,” Evie complained with a laugh. “Easy
on me, you mountain man! Are you on roids or what?”
    Matthew laughed loudly as he released
her. “Yeah, that’s it, I’m on the juice. You crack me up, Red.”
    “Maybe we shouldn’t call her Red anymore,”
Erica said from her brother’s side. She stepped forward, hugged Evie
mechanically, and stepped back. “Who did your hair?”
    Evie had been smiling while she hugged
Erica. But as she stepped back and saw her cousin’s expression, after the
lackluster hug, she realized the sharp edge of her comment—a cut she hadn’t expected.
Just days before the two had been talking and joking as usual via text. “What?”
    “Don’t mind her,” Matthew said. He
leaned forward as if he was about to whisper a secret, and then spoke loudly
anyway. “She’s got her undies all bunched up because the attention’s on you now.
Just ignore it.”
    Erica glared at her brother, her already
dark eyes darkening further with anger. “No I am not jealous.” Then she looked
at Evie. “I was surprised to see your hair, that’s all. I am glad to see you.”
    Matthew whistled loudly in regard to
Evie’s hair; then said, “Yeah, yeah, it’s time to lighten the mood. Let’s hear
the magic words, Red. It’s been too long.”
    Evie’s mood shot straight from perplexed
to embarrassed, and she felt her cheeks warming as a memory returned to her.
The magic words were an old family joke. “No, I will not say that .”
    “Come on, Evie,” Uncle Earl said from
across the room. “It wouldn’t be a proper visit without the magic words.”
    Evie sighed. The chatter had all ceased.
All eyes were on her now. “Fine,” she mumbled under her breath, remembering the
day a large bug had