“Then why did they abandon me?”
“Your parents sought to protect you once they discovered you were a dual shifter…”
“By leaving him alone to fend for himself in New York City?” asked Sawyer, his voice tinged with sarcasm. “I’m sorry, but I can’t see how anyone could ever do that.”
“Do you know who my parents are? I know my father died but what about my mother? Where is she?” asked Alex.
“Your ‘mother’ was a male Omega, a fox shifter, who fell deeply in love with your father, an alpha dragon shifter. They lived together, delighted that they had found each other. Knowing that they were different species, neither of them ever expected your Omega dad to become pregnant, because up till that time, it had never happened. It was believed to be a way to insure the survival of a species; otherwise, the baby would be a hybrid of the two animals.”
“Like I’d be a combination of a fox and a dragon,” Alex asked.
“Yes, exactly. That is why it would never occur,” replied Oracle.
“Wait, what does this have to do with my mate’s parents abandoning him?” asked Sawyer.
“That was never their intention,” Oracle said. “Your parents were surprised and overcome with joy when they found out Jean-Luc, your Omega fox dad, was pregnant, but along with that, came fear of what would happen if it were found out. So, they told no one, never registered your birth, and hid you from everyone. At first, your parents were relieved when you shifted into a dragon, erasing one fear of what your animal would look like. But the next time, when you shifted into a fox…and a rare one at that…your parents decided it was no longer safe for you where they lived, so your Omega dad fled to New York with you.”
“Where is he?” asked Alex, “because I don’t remember him at all.”
“He died when you were three,” Oracle said, quietly.
“No-o-o-o,” cried Alex as his fingers covered his mouth.
“Who killed him?” growled Glenn, vowing he’d find and kill the asshole who took his mate’s father away from him.
“No one did,” Oracle said softly. “It was an accident. On the day he died, Jean-Luc decided to run a quick errand while Alex was napping, so he left him with the nanny. Your dad was on his way home, when a truck driver lost control of his vehicle after suffering a heart attack. Jean-Luc was struck and died instantly.”
“No-no-no-no!” sobbed Alex, tears streaming down his face.
Gathering his mate up in his arms, Sawyer pulled Alex onto his lap, holding him tight to his chest while Glenn rubbed his back soothingly. Together, the three of them huddled, two offering support and comfort to their mate who desperately needed it.
Memories came flooding back to Alex. Now he could put a face to the person who hugged him when he was in need of one, rocking him before bedtime, and he could finally hear his dad’s laughter and teasing during the many tickle sessions they’d have. His mind was overwhelmed with long forgotten images, bringing forth more sorrow for everything he lost that day. Now it made sense, all of itmade sense, but that knowledge did not help relieve the pain of his dad’s death.
Looking at the three of them, Oracle knew the Fates picked the perfect mates for a very special shifter. Love, concern and an overwhelming need to ease Alex’s pain was clearly evident as Sawyer and Glenn sat beside their mate, unwilling to let him suffer alone.
When Alex’s tears slowed down, and his sobs turned into occasional hitches of his breath, he looked at Sawyer. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“No need to be, sweetheart. We’ve got you…take as long as you need,” Sawyer murmured.
“Our mate is right, buttercup,” Glenn said, softly, his voice rough from his emotions. “We’re here for you…now and forever. You aren’t alone anymore.”
Nodding, Alex brushed the last tears from his face, then taking a deep shuddering breath, said to Oracle, “What happened after my dad died…I remember the nanny…she dropped me off at school, but I never saw her again.”
“What about his other father…the dragon? Surely he knew what happened?” asked Sawyer.
“Yes…he did, but after Alex was born, circumstances changed, preventing his father from claiming him. Trust me when I say he was devastated when he could not bring Alex home.”
“Why the fuck not?” asked Glenn.
“Someone found out about him and threatened to turn his father into the dragon authorities. His father knew if that happened, he would be removed from him and killed for being a threat to the dragon world. So he made thedecision to keep Alex in New York, hidden away from the paranormal world in order to keep him safe,” Oracle said, softly.
“Who was it?” growled Glenn. “Who was the sonofabitch who blackmailed my mate’s father?”
Reaching out, Alex grabbed Glenn’s hand. “It doesn’t matter anymore, love. My father is dead and it’s too late to change what happened.”
“Your mate is right, Glenn,” said Oracle. “It does not matter anymore because the person who was blackmailing Alex’s father is dead.”
“Well, that’s good,” Sawyer said.
