Prologue - Evan #2
I kicked the ball back into play before raising a brow at Neil. He looked to be a few years older than Reid, perhaps sixteen or seventeen. Definitely one of the oldest out of the kids. “Aye. So what if I did?”
Neil’s nostrils flared. “It’s cheating. You shouldn’t be giving Reid any special treatment. He’s human.”
Alarm bells rang in the back of my mind at the venom in that final word. “What’s being human got to do with anything?”
Doubt flickered in Neil’s eyes. Like all shifters, clans were taught to respect those more powerful and older than them.
Mind you, they were supposed to be taught to defend those weaker.
Everything I’d seen on this pitch suggested that wasn’t the case.
“It’s unnatural. He never should’ve been born. ”
I hid my shock. What kind of kid described another as unnatural? That was a taught belief, not one you were born with. Suddenly I was acutely aware of why neither Logan nor Finlay had mentioned Reid.
They didn’t know he existed. It was the only explanation.
The Clarkson Clan had likely kept Reid hidden, not wanting to be tainted by the supposed shame of siring a human child.
It wasn’t something that would have been an issue in our clan, that much I was certain of. It’d be a surprise, sure. But they’d be protected. I couldn’t imagine Finlay, Calan, or Logan not going out of their way to make certain that the child in question was both safe and happy.
Why wasn’t the same happening here?
“I suggest ye watch yer tone,” I said sharply to Neil. “Are ye not taught to respect your elders here?”
Neil immediately dropped his eyes to the ground. “I didn’t mean no disrespect. Not to ye, anyway.”
“But ye meant to disrespect Reid. A fellow member of yer clan, who you should be protecting and defending. Are ye not taught that either?”
Neil’s face was beet red by this point. I should probably have felt guilty about reprimanding him, but this message was too important. If I could walk away from here knowing Reid had more of a chance of being accepted then I’d be a happy wolf.
“We are,” Neil said stiffly, finally remembering himself. “Forgive me. I spoke out of turn. You’re right. We should look after Reid.”
“Good.” I nodded, satisfied with his response. “Now get yer arse back on the field. You’ve got some goals to score.”
Over the next few days, Reid kept popping up. Whenever I broke away from the delegation, he’d appear at my elbow. The boy certainly wasn’t cowed by the fact that I was a shifter, which made sense given he’d grown up surrounded by them.
I didn’t mind his company. I might’ve escaped the endless meetings for a break, but having Reid chatting at my side was oddly relaxing.
And boy, could he chat.
“Did ye know that there were over fifty types of duck-billed dinosaurs?”
I glanced down at him in bemusement as we strolled through the grounds. “Is that so?”
He nodded emphatically. “Well, that’s how many have been discovered so far. Do you know what they used the duckbill for?”
“Canna say I do.”
His grin widened before he launched into a long list of various theories, covering everything from attracting a mate to felling trees. Once he’d exhausted that topic, he switched seamlessly to comparing them to triceratops, which apparently had existed during the same period.
That was pretty much all I took from the conversation, with Reid whizzing through facts too fast for my brain to process them. He didn’t seem to mind though or need any input from me. He just appeared happy to have someone giving him their full attention.
We rounded a corner and Reid came to a sudden halt. His words stopped mid-sentence as the blood drained from his face.
Standing a few feet away was Clyde, the alpha of the Clarkson Clan.
And Reid’s father. His alpha shifter father.
Clyde’s eyes narrowed in on his son. I didn’t know much about the alpha of the Clarkson Clan, and what I did know, I didn’t like. Seeing how he behaved around his human child would be very telling.
“Reid,” Clyde said slowly, strolling up to us. “What are ye doing, bothering Evan like this? You’re supposed to be in your quarters, not talking his ears off.”
“It’s fine,” I said lightly. “He’s been teaching me about dinosaurs.”
“Hmm,” Clyde said. There was no malice in it, just irritation. It was an expression I was familiar with. Both my parents wore it whenever I’d been caught somewhere I shouldn’t be. Which had been often. “Well, if he does become a nuisance, just let me know. You behave, boy, ye hear?”
Reid nodded, still pale. I eyed him curiously. It didn’t make sense that he was afraid of Clyde. His father’s reaction was mild at worst. Maybe Reid didn’t like breaking the rules. That’d make sense. Especially if he was unsure of his place in the pack. “Of course, Da. I’ll be good as gold.”
Clyde cuffed his son on the shoulder before offering me a short nod. “I’ll see you back inside in ten minutes, yes?”
I groaned inwardly. I’d much rather hang out with Reid and learn more dinosaur facts. Sadly, that wasn’t why Finlay had sent me here. “Aye. I’ll be right there.”
The instant Clyde vanished, Reid’s timid demeanour dropped. He kicked at the gravel with a scowl. “I wish you didn’t have to go to the meetings.”
I sighed and ruffled his hair. “Me too, buddy. Tell you what, why don’t you sit with me at dinner? You can teach me about the rarest dinosaur you know about. How does that sound?”
“Awesome.” He bounced on his toes, excitement lighting him up from within. “I’m gonna go and make notes.”
With that, he was sprinting off in the direction of the house. I shook my head with a wry chuckle. God knew what I’d let myself in for. It had to be better than the meetings though. More interesting, that was for sure.
Dragging my feet across the gravel, I braced myself for another round of diplomacy.
You can do this, Evan. No fucking up.
Eventually, the final day rolled around.
The hours of interminable meetings were done.
The treaties had been signed and I was leaving with terms I was certain Finn would be happy with.
All I had to do now was say goodbye to Reid.
He’d made me promise to find him today before I left.
It was no great hardship—he’d been a godsend this week.
The conversations I’d had with him had kept me sane during all the politics and backstabbing.
I wasn’t sure what I’d learned about diplomacy, but I was leaving with a greater than expected knowledge of dinosaurs.
When Reid didn’t appear during the morning, I decided to track him down. I found him in one of the common rooms, surrounded by the other kids.
Something settled in me at seeing him with his peers. As I’d hoped, they’d taken him into their circle. That was better. I could leave here knowing Reid wouldn’t be lonely anymore.
Reid looked up and my stomach flipped. His left eye was black.
I was before him in a second, crouching low. “Hey, buddy, what happened?”
His chin dropped to his chest. “I fell out of a tree.”
Shit. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”
“Just my wrist,” he mumbled.
I frowned down at his covered arm, aware that everyone was watching us. “Can I see?”
He nodded and I gently pulled back his sleeve. Purple bruises encircled his wrist. “Sh—sugar, Reid. You must’ve really fallen hard.”
“He did,” Neil piped up. “We told him not to climb up there, but he didn’t listen.”
“That’s right,” the girl beside him added. “He knows not to climb up them. He’s only human, after all. But he thinks he can do everything we can.”
Reid’s face was flaming now. He ducked his head to his chest again. “I know. It’s my fault. It always is.”
Pity washed over me. It had to be hard being only human among shifters. He could try to keep up with them, but he’d find his limits long before they did. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“I’m fine,” Reid said flatly. He wasn’t meeting my eyes, but I imagined that was because he was embarrassed. Poor kid just wanted to be like everyone else in a place where he was destined to be different.
“Good,” I said, patting his shoulder and standing up. “Well, it’s been great to meet you all. Remember: play nicely, and pack comes first.”
Neil tried to hide his eye-roll, blushing when he realised I’d caught him. I glared at him as I spoke, my voice stern. “Especially those of you who are older. Yer setting an example to the others. Don’t forget that.”
Fuck, who even was I? I wasn’t a parent, and here I was trying to pass on advice to the next generation. Ma would have a fit of hysterics if she could see me now.
Well, if it helped Reid feel happier in his home then I’d feel better walking away. No kid deserved to feel lonely, especially not in a clan as big as the Clarksons’.
I gave them all a cheery wave and headed for the door.
I just needed to grab my bag from the guest room I’d occupied and I’d be on my way.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t shift and run home thanks to the amount of stuff I’d had to bring.
The whole experience had been an exhausting, frustrating, and inconvenient way to spend my time.
I was glad I’d done it, just for the opportunity to represent the clan…
but I’d be happy if I wasn’t asked to do it again any time soon.
My mind was far away, back home with my own clan, when I heard a thin voice call my name. I turned, confused, to see Reid scurrying along the corridor towards me. “Something wrong, Reid?”
“Umm…” He was wringing his hands and bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Can I ask you something, Ev?”
His shortening of my name had me smiling. “Of course, little dude. What’s up?”
“Can I go with you?”
I was so stunned by his question that I could do nothing but stare at him. “What?”
“To your clan.” His face reddened. “Can I come and live there?”
He had to be joking, right? Was this just a funny thing kids did?
“Please,” he whispered, his big blue eyes meeting mine. “Take me with you. Take me away and keep me safe.”