“At first I had this dream that my real father might find me. But eventually I gave up on that idea. I’d shift alone and always shift back alone. And then one day, when I shifted back, a stranger was with me. He insisted I come with him to Rivergate. He introduced me to Artemis, and she took me under her wing. The rest is, as they say, history.”
“Who was the man?”
Selene smiled. “Your brother Silas. He’d been out working a case and shifted outside the grounds. His wolf found me.”
“Silas?” Jason shifted his narrowed gaze toward the window.
“Afterward, Artemis asked me to join Fireborn since I had no claim to any pack. I accepted and decided soon after that I wanted to be just like Artemis. Besides your brother, she is the only person on this earth I ever fully trusted. The only one I do trust with my life and my soul.”
Jason gave her a pitying glance. “You had a rough start.”
“It made me value relationships and the role of the goddess in our lives. Finding a home with Fireborn pack made me believe I was destined to follow in Artemis’s footsteps.”
“You aspire to be the pack priestess.”
“All acolytes do.”
“Some more than others.” He tilted his head.
“There are some who quit early on, but I’ve been doing this for almost three years now and it’s the first time I’ve felt fully connected to anything. Artemis thinks I may be the one to take over her role when she retires.”
Jason selected another piece of burger and brought it to his mouth on his own. She didn’t miss that the tremble was gone. He was already getting stronger now that the food and the tea had had a chance to enter his system.
“You’re doing better. I told you that you were hungry,” she said.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Something else? I feel like I’m giving you my life history.”
“You said I wasn’t the first man you’d seen naked.”
“You’re not.”
“When you say you did things to survive…”
Selene sighed. He was going to make her say it. “I had sex in exchange for things, to survive. Sometimes by choice. Sometimes by force. Never a good experience. I don’t like to talk about it.”
Jason growled.
“It was a long time ago.” She lowered her chin and stared at him.
His brows knit, and he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Selene. I almost forced myself on you the other night. I was out of control. It must have been terrifying, especially considering your past.” He leaned toward her, his gaze locking with hers. “I’d never hurt you. Not intentionally.”
For a long time, she simply stared at him, sizing him up. “I know.” She took a bite of her own burger, more certain than ever that her words were true. “Now I’ve answered your questions. You need to answer mine.”
“I thought I did. What other questions could you have?”
Selene nodded. “I feel like I don’t have the full story.”
Jason glanced toward the balcony. “Come outside with me?”
“Jason…”
“I’ll tell you. Just help me outside. If I eat another bite, I’m going to pop. I haven’t seen the sun in four days.”
She stood and helped him to the balcony, although he barely leaned on her. She had the sense he could have made it on his own. A warm breeze circled her shoulders as she lowered him onto one of the sling-back chairs.
“Do you want me to get you a blanket?” she asked. It was a cold spring day.
