“What do I have to do with it?”
“Cuz when I meet my Fated Mate, my powers grow to full strength. I know you love me but…”
“Mo anan cara,I think it’s time we talk about what you are. Is that what you were going to say?”
Kieran lowered his eyes and bit his lower lip, because now that the time had come, he was frightened about how his mate would react. Up until now, he could pretend he was just a normal wolf shifter who fell in love with his mate and they’d live happily ever after, but that wasn’t necessarily how it would be. The sooner he faced it, the sooner the last, little doubt would become dust and fly away—or he would once again face rejection. Kieran opened his eyes just as a knocking sound echoed through the room.
Logan called out, “Come in!”
Thomas entered with Oracle behind him. “Sir, you have a visitor and she insisted on following me up here. Do you want me to show her to the downstairs sitting room?”
Logan felt Kieran stiffen in his lap and felt his apprehension. “Kieran, do you want Oracle present while we talk?” he said in a very low voice.
“Yes,” came the whispered response.
“Thanks Thomas, but that won’t be necessary. Hello Oracle, won’t you join us?” Oracle’s gentle smile graced her face as she glided into the room and sat opposite them, setting a small bag at her feet. As Thomas backed out of the room, Logan said, “Please see that we are not disturbed. I’ll let you know if we need anything.”
“Certainly, sir,” Thomas said as he left the room and closed the door.
Logan glanced at his mate and then at Oracle. “I assume you are here to tell me about my gift from the Fates.”
“Yes, I am, but I am also here for Kieran.”
“For me? Why?” asked Kieran.
“To tell you the story of your birth, why you were selected by the Fates, answer any questions you may have and to support you in any way needed,” said Oracle.
“I know the story of my birth.”
“I am afraid not, Kieran. You know the story your parents told you, but it was based on their limited knowledge,” said Oracle.
“Mo anan cara,do you want to hear the story, or would you prefer not to know,” asked Logan.
“Please, I want to.”
Logan then said, “Oracle, if you would.”
“Kieran’s birth parents were Irish wolf shifters and Fated Mates, and very much in love. To their dismay, they remained childless, but they had each other and by all accounts were very happy as they worked their little plot of land for many years. But your birth mother continued praying to the gods, the Fates, anyone who might help her conceive a pup.
“She held on to her hope for a long time and, just as she was about to lose the last of it, the Fates granted her wish and your mother became pregnant with you. While your parents were overjoyed and looked forward to your birth so very much, there were dark forces in play that eventually found their way to Ireland.”
“What were the dark forces?” Kieran quietly asked, enthralled with the story.
“There were a group of humans whose self-appointed mission in life was to destroy all wolf shifters. They developed a virus which would weaken a wolf shifter until he was unable to survive. They used meat…a staple of wolf shifters…to spread the virus and they started in Ireland.”
“Is that what happened to my parents…my birth parents?” asked Kieran.
“Yes, your father lived long enough to see you born and it was the happiest day of his life. He named you Kieran because of your dark hair.”
“My wolf is black.”
Oracle nodded, “Yes, a true contradiction.”
“What do you mean by that, Oracle?” asked Logan.
“I cannot tell you as that is under Kieran’s control.”
“Oh, for goodness sake, she means I’m an Omega wolf shifter, Logan,” said Kieran.
