Chapter 1 #2
When his mother found him kneeling on his bed one evening surrounded by the glow, she consulted with their Shaman and then made sure no one else knew.
Hence the “meditating” story. Cody was uneasy about Steel seeing him in the woods the other evening while he was ‘meditating’ but with the drama swirling around Jackson, he hoped he’d forget.
He knelt down in a submissive pose, his hands palms-up on his thighs and closed his eyes.
The glow started slowly, spreading through and around him until his body was encased in it. Then and there, Cody found his answers.
~/~/~/~/~
Jimmy and Mystia arrived for dinner just as Steel came downstairs wearing fresh jeans and a t-shirt. Greeting them with hugs, he asked, “Did you see how much Daniel has grown?”
Mystia smiled, “No, not yet. We were just on our way to see him.”
“Well you won’t believe it. He’s already wearing the next size of clothes.”
“Really? What are you feeding him, steak?” Jimmy asked.
“No, although it would be easier to clean up than formula.”
Bursting into laughter, Jimmy said, “Well, just look at it as practice for his teen years when he starts to drink.”
“He won’t be doing any of that stuff,” growled Steel. “If he does, he’ll be grounded until he’s an old wolf.”
“Sure he will,” chortled Jimmy as they entered the great room together.
The trio walked over to Jackson where he was feeding Daniel. “Babe,” said Steel, “do you know what Jimmy said about our son? I don’t know where he got the idea our son would ever drink too much. Shit, if he does he won’t be allowed outside our home until he’s fifty.”
Jackson laughed. “Well, that’s good because he’ll have company if you keep using bad language in front of him.”
Jimmy guffawed and reached out to take Daniel. “I better feed him the rest of his bottle while you and Steel go talk to Mystia. She’s been on edge all night. It has something to do with that shifter.”
Jackson sighed. Handing Daniel over, he rose and led the way to his study. Once inside, he turned to Mystia and asked, “Do we need Oracle?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll go get my Mom,” Steel said.
Jackson asked Mystia, “Which brother is the man’s Fated Mate?”
Mystia smiled. “Mon petit loulou, how did you know?”
“I didn’t…not really. But I figured it had to be the reason the Fates sent him here.”
Jackson glanced over as Steel and Oracle entered and sat down.
Then he said to Oracle, “Sorry to be abrupt but I’m worried about our sick shifter so let’s cut to the chase. Mystia confirmed the man in our hospital is a Fated Mate of one of my brothers. Which one?”
“Cody.”
Jackson gasped. “Does he know it?”
“Yes, he does,” Oracle said.
“Why hasn’t he said anything to me?” asked Jackson.
“I do not know. Maybe you should speak with him.”
Jackson glanced at his mate and knew this was a whole new set of variables to take into consideration. Speaking with Steel through their mind link, Jackson asked, Why is my brother rejecting his mate?
I don’t know. We need to speak to Cody.
This means Cody will receive his gift from the Fates.
Then Jackson turned to Oracle. “Cody will receive a gift from the Fates when he claims the man…”
“Dylon,” Mystia said. “His name is Dylon.”
“Okay, Cody will receive a gift from the Fates when he claims Dylon. What will it be?” Jackson asked Oracle.
“I cannot tell you until I tell Cody. In order for me to do that, he has to claim his mate and right now he is rejecting Dylon.”
“Steel, would you ask Cody to come and see me?”
~/~/~/~/~
Down in the hospital, Colton was watching the man’s body as it shook and twitched with pain.
There wasn’t much they could do to relieve it other than what they were already doing.
Luckily it was working, and his vitals had become more stable.
But his face—Colton didn’t know how it could heal.
Normally, a wolf could shift to recover from injuries caused by a beating, but his patient wouldn’t be able to do that for quite a while, if at all.
Which left Colton trying to figure out which to use—his natural healing ability or Raphael’s Power.
He’d have to talk to Ian and Jackson about this.
Lying in the hospital bed, Dylon was trapped in a nightmare with no ending. There was nothing he could do to stop the beatings. He tried to cover his face as they pummeled him but unlike the other times, they didn’t stop. Over and over and over.