“No, you wouldn’t.You think that right now, but you are the most powerful supernatural walking the Earth right now, hand-chosen by our Mother to unite the supernatural beings of this world.You’ll be a legend.”
“I’ll be dead, while my child goes on to live the same crazy life I have.I don’t want it for me, and I certainly don’t want it for her.I want to be with my mates, and run my charities, and maybe one day have kids who will get to grow up and choose their own way in the world.Simple.I want a simple life.”
“I tried to give it to you,” her mother murmured.
El looked at her mother, really looked at her for the first time.She looked tired, and much to El’s surprise, she looked sincere.
Chapter 28
Shawn
El’s fatherwas waiting for them at the compound when they arrived back with his mother.Shawn was irritated to find that Claudia hadn’t managed to arrive yet.His mother looked and sounded terrible.He didn’t care what harming a healer meant for him; he was going to kill whichever one had put done this to his mother.
He didn’t follow the rest of the men to Ryan’s office.Instead, he turned and headed to his room.He laid his mom down on his bed as gently as he could.
“Thank you,” she sputtered.
“Can I get you anything, mom?Can you eat or drink in this state?”
“Water?”she asked, apparently she wasn’t even sure what she was going to be capable of handling.
He nodded and rushed to the kitchen.He got her a bottle of water from the fridge and then decided to grab a yogurt he saw there as well.
“Okay, mom I got some water.I brought some yogurt back as well if you want to try that.”
Since she was stuck lying on her side, Shawn had to hold the water bottle at a funny angle, and then he tipped it up easily to see if she was able to swallow.He felt like cheering when she took the first drink.He kept giving her the water until she finally pulled her lips from the bottle.
“Do you want to try the yogurt?”
“Wait,” she replied.
“Okay.I’m going to go speak with El’s father for a minute, but I’ll be right back.”
He pulled up Marcus’ number on his cell phone and then placed it in her hand, so all she had to do was hit the button to call.
“All you have to do is press down with your thumb, and you’ll call Marcus.I’ll be here in seconds.”
She smiled and dipped her head just a bit.He kissed her forehead and reluctantly left to go see what was going on with El’s father.
“Persia?The bakery woman?That’s impossible,” El’s father scoffed.
“We don’t know what kind of magic Willow or any of these other guardians are capable of.It’s very likely she has her true identity hidden.”
El’s father fell silent as he slumped down on the couch.He put his head in his hands.Shawn knew he was trying to absorb everything he had just heard.Shawn wasn’t sure it was even possible to absorb all of the crazy shit that had been happening for the past several months.Hell, he had shifted into a giant panther the other day.El could shift to both a panther and a lion, and now she was somewhere being held against her will by her best friend turned mom.The more he thought it all out, the crazier he felt.He couldn’t imagine how El was feeling, and he was furious that they weren’t there to help her as she learned who Persia was.
“I wonder if there is a way to figure out who the other Guardians are?Maybe if we can track them down, we could possibly find where they’re keeping El,” Trip thought out loud.
“That’s a good idea,” Marcus said, turning to look at Shawn.
Shawn knew they were hoping to ask his mother for more information.He wasn’t against it because he knew they needed it, but Claudia still hadn’t shown up, and if his mother was going to help, she needed to be healthy.
“I know my mom was brought here to be a source of information, and I’m all for it, but I need her healthy to do that.She’s old, and I don’t know how long she can stand to be bound the way she is and live.Where is Claudia?”he asked Trip.
Trip pulled his phone out and called Claudia again, but she must not have answered because Trip left her a voicemail.
“Are there any other healers here?”Shawn asked.
“We have some, but none as strong and knowledgeable as Claudia,” Trip answered.
