Cody chuckled. “I remember thinking how brazen you were, insisting I free them all.”
“Yeah, I guess I was, but I didn’t have any choice. The auction was a few days away and I was freaking out wondering how I was going to stop it.”
“But you did,” Cody said, softly. “You saved everyone. I haven’t told you this yet, but you know, the day we returned the prisoners to their families, every single shifter told us how wonderfully you treated them and how they wouldn’t have made it without you.”
With red cheeks, Kieran bowed his head, embarrassed at Cody’s compliments. He hadn’t done it for any other reason except to help someone in need. It was so little really, an extra piece of bread, a kind word or a soothing of the spirit. It was all he could offer, so he did. None of the shifters or the younglings deserved the treatment Arald dished out, so he was glad to hear that the little he did, helped them.
Cody put two fingers under Kieran’s chin and raised his face. “Never be embarrassed at what you do to help a fellow shifter, Kieran. That’s your purpose here on earth. Be proud of who you are and your abilities. That was the hardest thing I ever had to learn.”
“But it was so little, Cody. Nothing like what you or Dylon did. You got all of us out and reunited families. That’s much more than I did.”
“Not true, Kieran, did you ever wonder how many shifters would have survived the brutal treatment if you weren’t there to give them what you did? How do you think Theo and Norman would’ve fared? And what about the babies? Who would have kept them safe? You made it possible for Dylon and me to mount a rescue mission instead of a recovery operation. Don’t ever underestimate the power you have, Kieran.”
Listening to Cody’s words was a balm to his heart. He knew everyone thought the mental luggage he carried resulted from what he’d suffered, but they were wrong—it was his failure to do more for everyone else suffering from Arald’s cruelty. Smiling softly, he said, “It seems you’re doing my job now.”
Chuckling, Cody said, “Yes, I guess I am. But you need to listen to me because I’ve been where you are. Come on, let’s sit. I have some more questions.”
When they were settled, Kieran said, “Okay, shoot. What do you want to know?”
“I can’t figure out why your parents sold you? They had to know what you are…didn’t they?”
Kieran sighed before answering, “No, they didn’t. See I wasn’t their natural born pup. My father found me in a field under an ancient oak tree that grew near the Hill of Tara in Ireland. They couldn’t have pups so when Da found me, he took it as a sign from the Fates their prayers had been answered. Before I shifted the first time, a very old Shaman joined my pack and promised the Alpha wealth and prosperity in exchange for a member of his choice to train in the ways of Shamanism. The Alpha,who was a greedy bastard, agreed. Everyone in the pack lined up to meet our new Shaman. My Ma was holding me and when she approached him, he pointed at me and said ‘I pick this one’. My parents were opposed to it until the Alpha promised them a portion of the wealth. I spent my childhood living with the Shaman, cut off from everyone else in the pack.”
“Everyone? Even your parents? What about friends? Did you get to play?”
Shaking his head, Kieran continued, “I never saw my parents again until I was eighteen. My childhood was spent learning about my powers and how to use them. Playing was out of the question as no one was allowed near me. I know it sounds lonely, but I grew up knowing I was loved by the Shaman.”
“So why did he return you to your parents?”
“He didn’t, actually. After he died, my parents asked the Alpha to return me to them and he granted their request. They saw an opportunity to obtain more riches by marrying me off to the Alpha’s daughter. And you know how that ended up.”
“Yup,” said Cody. “They sold you to make up for the money they lost when you told them you were gay.”
“You got it. Fucking assholes!”
“Norman told me you slept in a four by four-foot cage every night?”
“Norman has a big mouth…but, yeah, every night I was locked away in a cage in Arald’s bedroom. He thought it was funny and used to show me off to visitors. He’s another asshole.”
“But he let you free during the day.”
“Not at first, but when he got the great idea of auctioning off shifters, he decided I should earn my keep by taking care of his ‘merchandise’.”
“And that’s how you met Theo and Norman, right? Were they the first friends you ever had?”
Kieran nodded. “Theo was in bad shape the first time I saw him. And Norm wasn’t too far behind. It took me a while before they would trust me, but when they finally did, I felt like I’d found a leprechaun’s pot of gold.”
Chuckling, Cody said, “I know that feeling. It’s how I felt when Dylon and I finally claimed each other. I couldn’t live without him nor would I want to. He’s my everything.”
Kieran’s eyes grew dreamy as he stared off in the distance, wondering how it would feel to have someone to love you with every cell of their body. Then Logan popped into his head and his cock started to harden.Oh shit!Kieran shifted in his seat, trying to will his erection down. Changing the subject seemed like the best idea before Cody noticed and started to ask questions. “What about you? Are you enjoying being a father to Jake and Jessica?” It was a lame question, but it was all his bloodless brain could come up with at the moment, and after watching Cody’s face brighten at the mention of his twins, Kieran knew he picked the right topic.
“Oh, my gods, yes,” said Cody. “Did I tell you Jessica was first to shift a part of her body? She did her ears! Jake followed quickly, and I think those two are always going to be competing with each other. Thank goodness some of my younger siblings were girls because at least I have some idea how to handle a daughter. Dylon on the other hand has allowed Jessica to be the boss and he does anything she wants. I’m waiting for the day when he hasto tell her ‘no’…sure don’t want to be within hearing distance when that happens.”
Giggling, Kieran pictured the little princess throwing a temper tantrum when she discovered even her daddy had limits. “I’d love to see how Dylon handles that but only if my ears are plugged.”
“Dylon’s on his way back here and he already knows everything we’ve talked about. He did ask me if your parents, Alpha or anyone else in your old pack know about your powers. You told me your parents didn’t know but what about the others?”
“No, no one knew. The Shaman never allowed anyone to see me including my parents. Ditto for the Alpha and the other pack members. I never shifted in front of my parents or pack members either.”
