Shawn reached for her hand and he squeezed it."If anyone knows how tough you've had it, it's me.You're not some poor little rich girl, El.You've never been like that.Some things, sure you had it easy.But in others, no way.At least now you have answers.We can make sense of a lot of things that we could never understand."
She frowned, and asked, "Like what?"
He shrugged."Like your mother.The weird relationship you have with her.And I know you think your dad doesn't like you, and that he is more obsessed about your money than anything else, but he isn't.He's obsessed with you."He tutted."Don't shake your head at me," he chided."You haven't heard him, haven't seen his reactions to the things that happen to you.I'm not saying you have a healthy relationship, because quite clearly you don't.I'm just saying that his behavior makes more sense now."
"I don't understand your reasoning.With her, yes.But him?No way."
"That's because you're being stubborn," Marc told her gently."But Shawn is right.This new information changes everything.Like, why you've been under threat of abduction more than anybody else in your family."
She blinked at him."You think the Pantera are behind it?"
Shawn frowned."Wow, you really have been thinking, haven't you?"
She rolled her eyes."I do have a brain, you know."
"Yeah, but never thought you'd think down that particular route.Self-protection has never been your thing."It was his turn to roll his eyes at her."It's like pulling teeth trying to get you to train sometimes."
Marc's brows rose."What kind of training?"
The curiosity in his voice had her nose wrinkling."Don't get too excited.I might literally be Catwoman, but I don't have Halle Berry's moves."
Shawn snorted."Yeah, I can confirm that."
She shoved him in the side."Hey!"
He grinned."Since when have I been good for your ego?Nothing's changed just because everything between us has changed," he teased.
Huffing, she shot Marc a look."I'm not that bad.Just… I hate it."
"She doesn't like the idea of hurting me," Shawn informed him, snorting again as though the very concept was impossible.
She scowled at him."If we did normal training, I wouldn't mind.You want me to do things that would hurt if I did them right," she complained."If I kick you in the balls, even by accident how bad do you think that will make me feel?"
"You wear a strap, don't you?"Marc demanded, horror in his voice.
Shawn sniffed."Of course.It still doesn't help."
She pouted."I'm feeling picked on."
"Better than self-piteous," Shawn slipped in.
"Jesus, you're right, you’re so good for my ego.Anyway, we are getting off topic."
Marc chuckled."You're half right," he conceded."So, a little bit of back story so that things make a touch more sense, okay?"
"Go for it," El prompted.
"I'm not sure how much you know about shifters, Shawn, so I'm just going to go from the beginning."
"That's for the best.I know some shit, but only from combat situations.Nothing about shifter history or anything like that."
"Okay, so the Triad thing isn't unique to Lions.It's a feline thing.The trouble is, Lions are more fertile.Probably the most fertile group.Do you remember when Santiago showed you the picture of Jamie's graduating class?"he asked her.When she nodded, he continued, "Well, you'll also remember how there were no women.Now, the Pantera are very insular.They have a school on their land and they are taught on-site.Whereas Lions are taught to integrate with humans early on.His generation probably had very few women born to it.The ones who were, were probably homeschooled.So, women are precious to all shifter races, but to the Pantera?They are priceless."
She blinked."Seriously?"
His nod was grim."Seriously.The Triad was born out of necessity.There have always been more men than women, and if you ask a lot of people, they'll say it was the Mother's intervention.I don't know if that's true, I just know that the Triad bond is very special.It gives us a chance at having a woman of our own when numbers dictate otherwise."
"But why?You can mate with humans.That particular pool never runs dry.We are the opposite, after all."Pain slashed her.She cleared her throat."Humans have the opposite.More women than men."
