Jackson rested his hand on Steel’s arm, calming him while he addressed Oracle. “I know there must be a very good reason why you didn’t tell me about this.”
“I am in possession of a great deal of knowledge but it is under the control of the Fates as to when and where I amallowed to disclose it. I am sorry, but that is the part of being an Oracle that is the hardest.”
“Bro, please don’t get angry at her,” begged Cody, “Because you’d have to be angry with me too. The information I possess is for my use alone. That’s why Mom made sure no one else knew about me. She was afraid I’d be tortured for my knowledge if it was found out.”
Jackson stared at his brother, the pain evident on Cody’s face. He finally realized the tremendous burden his brother must live with—just as painful as for Oracle to know she had the power within her to protect the ones she loved, but couldn’t. “I’m not angry at either you or Oracle, just sad about your burdens.” Turning to Dylon, he asked, “Are you satisfied the Blackwood Pack and, more specifically your mate, weren’t responsible of the massacre of the Fox River Pack?”
“Yes. But I have one more question.”
“Go ahead.”
“When I told you I wasn’t on the tape, you said we would come back to that. Why?”
Mystia answered him, “Because it was you. You came to my mate’s gas station and lied about knowing Jackson. You were about to beat Jimmy up when I appeared. I used several spells, first to immobilize you, another forcing you to answer my questions and then finally, one to make you forget everything.”
Dylon’s eyes widened as he listened to the woman. “You did that to me?”
“Yes.”
“You’re the cause of me being beaten nearly to death? Do you have any idea how it felt? How my parents wouldfeel if I died?” Dylon was enraged and shook off Cody’s hand on his arm. He wanted nothing more than to leave and go home—away from these fucked-up people and their war.
Mystia answered coldly. “About the same, I guess, as how Jackson and his brothers felt when they found out their parents and six younger siblings had been killed. Why don’t you ask Cody how he felt as he suffered with the knowledge something terrible was going to happen to his family but couldn’t do anything about it? Ask him how he felt when he found out his world was gone. Ask him how he had to feel the pain twice. Go ahead. If you are going to condemn me for helping these boys, one who was pregnant with a pup, you had better get the whole story. Isn’t that what your father would say?”
Dylon looked at his mate’s stricken face and tears tracked down his cheeks. He saw a bottomless well of pain in Cody’s eyes causing his wolf to howl at the knowledge their mate was hurting.Fuck! What the hell is the matter with me?He got off the hospital bed and wrapped his arms around his mate, breathing in the smells of home.How could I be so selfish as to hurt the gift I was given by the Fates? My father would skin me alive if he ever found out I was so thoughtless as to cause my mate pain.
“Shush.ma moitié,I’m sorry.” Dylon said as he held Cody, offering comfort to ease his pain. He was ashamed he’d thought only of himself and knew he needed to do better to be worthy of his mate. They stood together for a long time as Dylon listened to his mate’s sobs until they finally subsided with only an occasional hitch in Cody’s breathing. “Are you all right,ma moitié?”
Cody rested his head on his mate’s shoulder and nuzzled Dylon’s neck inhaling the calming scents of orange blossoms, honeysuckle and woody cedar musk. Hestayed within the safe harbor of his mate’s embrace and felt his body relax for the first time since the massacre. His wolf was lying down but still watchful. He felt so peaceful—a feeling he couldn’t ever remember having before. No longer was he worried about someone finding out what he was. Now Jackson knew and so did his mate—and Dylon was still here. He hadn’t left Cody.Could it be true? Has Dylon accepted me for what I am?The need to know the answer was too strong to ignore and he pulled back from Dylon’s arms.
Looking at his mate’s beautiful face, he asked, “Do you accept me as your mate even though I have…have...”
“The ability of foresight?”
“You know what it is?”
“Yes, I do and I think it’s amazing the Fates gave me such a special mate.”
“But I’m like a carnival sideshow. Either they’d scoff at what I’d say or they would want to use me. I can’t win.”
“Ma moitié,I believe in you. I’m amazed at your strength. Don’t you know only very special shifters are given this ability? And that is what you are. Do you know what I thought when I was coming out of my coma?”
“No, what?”
“I was over the moon to discover I had a mate. I didn’t care what you looked like or who you were, my wolf and I were in heaven knowing we finally had a mate. And then to discover how gorgeous you are and your foresight ability, I was beside myself with joy. I’m sorry I behaved so badly that I hurt you. I promise it will never happen again.”
Cody examined his mate’s face and found what he was searching for—the truth of Dylon’s words. He smiled,thankful for the first time since discovering he had a Fated Mate. Glancing around the hospital room, he saw they were alone.
“They left a while back,” Dylon said. “Although, I think there are two guards outside the door, if I’m not mistaken.”
Cody chuckled. “Yeah, Steel would’ve insisted. He’s always been like that but more so since Daniel was born.”
Dylon reached for his mate’s hand and led him over to the small couch in the hospital room. After settling his mate next to him, he said, “Tell me about your, I mean, our pack. Jackson’s the Alpha and your brother, right?”
“Yes, he just had Daniel…”
“Wait, you have an Omega leading your pack?”
“No, Ian is an Omega.”
