Chapter 4
Fionn became silent as Oracle’s words filtered through his mind and he felt uncontrollable anger rising within him. “No matter what happened, my mother and I didn’t deserve to be treated the way he treated us.”
“You are right, Fionn,” Oracle said quietly. “I am in total agreement with you. Your father’s actions toward your mother might be understandable in light of the unwanted pregnancy, but what he did to you…no, you did not deserve that at all.”
“Did he want Alex to have my hoard?”
“No, Alex has no need of a hoard. When Jean-Luc and Alex went to New York, Artur set up a trust fund for Jean-Luc so if anything happened to him, his mate and son would be taken care of. When Jean-Luc died, the trust was transferred to Alex.”
“I’m missing something here,” Hunter said. “How could Artur love Alex so much and Fionn so little? They were both his sons.”
“A combination of several things. As the years passed, Alex became Jean-Luc in Arthur’s mind and he was driven to protect Alex no matter what the cost. At the same time, his mind saw Fionn as the reason he could not be with Alex. Does it make sense to a sane person? No, of course not, but by the end of his life, Artur was no longer well. Eideard’s constant threats to expose Alex, the loneliness and overwhelming sadness at the loss of his Fated Mate, the lack of contact with Alex…all eventually eroded whatever goodness had been within him. Evil found a foothold in his soul, urging him on to make terrible decisions.”
“Like when he tried to kill Fionn,” Kieran murmured.
“Yes, by that time, his mind was so twisted, he viewed his ideas and actions as totally justified, and it did not help that Eideard was urging him on.”
“Brian once told Loganand me Artur was sick,” Kieran said.
“It is true…he needed help, but yet, there was no one to give it to him,” said Oracle.
Thinking about his father, Fionn suddenly remembered something his mother told him. “If my father was gay, why did my mother tell me he hated me because I was?”
“During an argument between your parents, in which your mother complained about his treatment of you, Artur used it to justify why he spent so little time with you,” Oracle explained. “It was one of many falsehoods your father told your mother.”
“My mother said there were no gay dragons other than me,” Fionn muttered.
“Pet,” Hunter said, “being gay was a crime when she grew up.” No male dragon in his right mind would ever reveal he was gay back then, and since your father never told her about himself, she believed she was telling you the truth.”
“Hunter is correct,” Oracle nodded. “And though the procreation law had been rescinded, your mother was probably not aware of it. Given the homophobic language Eideard used whenever he visited your home, your mother never brought up the subject with your father, believing he felt the same way as his brother. In fact, your father went along with his brother’s rants, just to find some peace that had been so elusive since Jean-Luc died.”
It was all too much. Leaning his head on Hunter’s shoulder, Fionn was exhausted. Instead of Oracle making things clearer in his mind, he was more confused than ever. Suddenly, he felt several bursts of love coming from his mate and Kieran that helped calm him. Then, remembering something else that was bugging him. he looked at Oracle. “Why have you told me all this? Why does it matter if I know Alex is my half-brother? Nothing I’ve heard today changes anything about the fact that my father treated me and my mother horribly.”
Oracle knew Fionn’s reasoning had some merit. She was silent for a moment, thinking before replying. “Like you, Alex carries a heavy burden. He is a dual-shifter, as rare as your white dragon. And while the gods have tasked you with saving the dragons from annihilation, Alex is tasked with saving species of shifters who are on the brink of extinction.
“Your father was wrong to keep Alex hidden away, isolated and alone, without even one parent to give him the love he so desperately wanted and needed. You, on the other hand, had a mother who loved you unconditionally, though no matter how hard she tried, could never change your father’s hatred for you.
“The sad part is that your mother would have welcomed Alex into the family had she only been given the chance. And if that had happened, Artur would not have spent night after night drinking, Eideard would not have learned Alex’s secret and, more importantly, your father’s lapse into mental illness would probably not have occurred. Neither of you deserved the childhood you ended up with but now, as adults, the Fates want to give you and Alex a chance to be brothers…something you both wished for when you were young.”
“Does Alex know what my father did to me?” asked Fionn.
“No. All I told him is he has a half-brother,” Oracle said.
Fionn remained silent, unsure about what to say or do next. Did he want to open that door, taking a risk, just to have a brother? Or was it better to pass on the Fates’ offer. After all, he already had a mate who was everything he ever wanted…and more than he ever knew he needed.
“Maybe it would be helpful if you told us more about Alex,” Hunter said, listening to his mate’s thoughts.
Nodding, Oracle said, “Alex was very young when his omega father was killed…his memories of that time are only flashes of images and voices. He was raised by a nanny until he was old enough for boarding school where he remained alone until he graduated. Never allowed to leave for holidays or summer recess, it amounted to a thirteen-year prison sentence. When he graduated, he thought he would finally be free, but Artur once again stepped in. Fearful his son would slip up and reveal his dual animals, he leased an apartment for him where he was kept under the watchful eyes of servants who restricted his movements. Unable to go anywhere without his father’s approval, Alex spent more years virtually alone, feeling unwanted by anyone.”
“That’s horrible,” exclaimed Quin.
“It would first appear that way to you or me,” agreed Oracle, “but Alex was resilient. While at boarding school, he spent hours in the library, learning about the world he was not allowed to see, made friends with some compassionate teachers, and later, when he was confined to the apartment, spent hours watching movies. But eventually, he reached a point where the restrictions were intolerable and he began to plan his escape.”
“Was he able to do it?” asked Quin.
“No…it was not necessary because after his father died, he was free, and could do whatever he wanted to.” Turning to Fionn, Oracle said, “You were not the only one who benefited from your father’s death.”
“So my father did a number on him, too,” mused Fionn.
