“No. Why would you say that?” We may have fought for space, but it was squishy in there with two babies.
Jack shrugged, but there was no malice in her gaze. She actually grinned.
“Just before you gave birth, Professor Shaw brought me into his office and we had tea and cake. Remember, I told you.”
Rawling’s brows shot up. “Gods, I forgot about that. He doesn’t give just anyone the tea-and-cake treatment.”
“I don’t like tea.”
“I’m not that fussed about it either.” Rawling didn’t look at me but studied the board.
“Awww, look at you two. You both don’t care for tea.”
“Shut it, Jack.” I tried to cover up a yawn. This was a new thing I blamed on donating blood to Rawling.
I rambled on about him telling me this story about a guy who’d pretended to be latent but was really human but the ring he wore made him scent as latent.” I paused, and none of the three would catch my eye.
What the fuckety fuck was going on?
“He made out it was a student years ago, but I was certain he was talking about you, Rawling.”
Again no one said anything, but Phelan edged closer to his mate.
“I am every bit the ass you think I am. I had hundred percent planned on exposing you as human, but then you had the baby and we discovered we were brothers, and it would have reflected poorly on me if the shifter community found out I had a human brother.”
And not just human, but one pretending to be a latent shifter.
“I can always count on you to choose the worst option,” Rawling said.
“You’re such a piece of shit,” Phelan added.
Denying it was pointless.
“Thank you for being honest, I suppose.” Rawling got up. “Your instincts were right.”
“What?”
The door opened, and that fool security guard poked his head in. Phelan told him everything was fine.
“You were human but you’re not, or you were latent but also human?” My brain couldn’t focus on what he was saying.
Rawling shrugged. “I can’t explain it all, but I scented human even though I’m a shifter. The ring protected my humanity from every shifter here." He pulled out four pieces of gold and lay them on his palm. “This wasthatring.”
Wow. A magic ring? I picked up the pieces, running my fingers over the inscription that was too faded to read. I had one like it, but without the inscription. I never wore it, though. I wasn’t a ring-wearing guy. It was at my parents’ house, and I told them that. Apparently, today was Atticus oversharing day
Phelan took the four pieces. “Your parents must have given it to the orphanage when they handed Rawling over.”
“Rawlins must have understood its properties, and that was why he insisted I always wear it.”
“But to do that, he and Charlie must have known who you were. I think that’s conclusive proof.” Jack peered at the four broken pieces.
This was way over my head, and maybe I should speak to my folks. I hadn’t had a detailed conversation with them since Rawling and Phelan’s parents insulted them.
“I hate to admit it but you’ve handled the upheavals in your life better than I could have. I’m not brave like you guys.” This wasn’t like me, but I pressed on. “And as messed up as this sounds, I wish you would stay.”
Rawling huffed dismissively.
What was I doing? I should be encouraging them both to flee.
