“Shit…you’re right. But before I do that, let’s talk. This should be a decision we make together.”
“I don’t have a problem with it,” Alex piped up.
“Good to know, sweetheart,” Sawyer smiled.
“I don’t like secrets…my whole life has been one and that’s the worst thing ever.”
“You are right, Alex,” Oracle said. “So, are you ready to find out who you are?”
Chapter 35
“Me?” squeaked Alex. “What do you mean?”
“Yeah, whatdoyou mean, Oracle?” asked Glenn.
“He already knows he’s a dual shifter,” Sawyer said.
“I am…ever since I can remember…I have two animals in me,” Alex said, pointing to his chest. “Please don’t tell me the Fates are going to give me another because I don’t want it. Right now I have four in me with Glenn’s tiger and Sawyer’s wolf so I really don’t need another one. It’s getting a little crowded in there.”
Chuckling, Oracle replied, “No sweetie, no more animals for you.”
“Oh thank goodness,” Alex said, breathing a sigh of relief.
“If it isn’t about who he is, then what is it about?” asked Sawyer.
“You are the result of two different species of shifters who fell in love,” Oracle began.
“How can that be? My brother said it can’t happen,” interrupted Sawyer.
“Normally it cannot,” Oracle said. “Let me start at the beginning. Throughout history, the biggest enemy of paranormals has been hatred…many times disguised and buried under lies…but hatred just the same. Initially, it started when paranormals and humans lived side by side in peace. But that eventually changed when hatred of our abilities took root in humans, driving all of us into hiding. To survive, we came up with paranormal laws restricting our behavior in the presence of humans and we learned how to blend in.
“It was good for a while; particularly for wolf shifters who formed packs and became prosperous. But then a serious problem arose. Fewer and fewer pups were reaching adulthood because we were restricted from seeking medical care outside the paranormal world. The healthcare they had access to back then is not what most packs enjoy today. So, it became a fight for survival, with everyone dedicated to the goal of growing the pack.
“That put the spotlight on gay shifters who, unless their mate was a male omega, could not have pups to enlarge the pack. Unfortunately, that inability caused animosity to spring up from within the shifter world itself against males who loved males.
“In response, gay shifters were shunned, or worse, killed. Hatred grew, threatening to tear our world apart and the High Council, in response to the demands of a small but vocal minority, gave in…passing laws making it illegal for a man to mate with another man. At the time, the High Council thought they were doing the right thing. In hindsight, it only engendered more loathing, as gay shifters struggled to hide their identity.”
“I never read about any of this,” Alex murmured.
“No, dear, this dark history is buried,” Oracle said, before continuing. “It took a long time before the High Council realized the harm they’d caused by giving in to those demands. And after much discussion, including many heated sessions I might add, the laws were rescinded and new ones passed, protecting gay shifters. However, previous to the passing of those laws, many gay shifters had been mated to females; it was the only way to survive. The upside was an increase in the pup population, but at a terrible cost to gay shifters.
“Under the new laws, gay shifters could come out and were free to mate with other men, but that created a new problem…their possible extinction.”
“I don’t understand, why would that happen?” asked Sawyer.
“Because,” Glenn explained, “when a gay shifter mates with a female, genetics dictates some pups will be gay.”
“Exactly, Glenn,” Oracle smiled. “What the High Council had not taken into account is that when gay shifters were forced to mate with females and have pups, the numbers of gay shifters increased.”
“But now, since we don’t have to do that anymore, it’s decreasing,” Alex said.
“That is correct” Oracle said, delighted Alex had been so quick to pick up on her explanation. “The Fates realized, one day, gay shifters would eventually be extinct if they did not find a way to increase their numbers. So, after consulting with the gods, it was decided to create Universal Male Omegas. And you are the first one.”
“He’s the first dual shifter, but not the first male omega,” Glenn pointed out. “So, how does being aUniversalMale omega dual shifter…whatever the hell that is…solve the extinction problem?”
“Before we get to that,” Alex interrupted, anxious to get information about his past from Oracle, “what about my parents? Who were they and why didn’t they want me?”
“Sweetie, they did want you, very much,” Oracle murmured.
