"Kearan," I whispered, my heart aching for him.
He placed a tender hand on Grayson's chest, looking deep into his eyes. "Promise me you'll take care of her and bond with her. She needs to be taken care of. Even if we all can't be the ones to do it."
"Of course," Grayson vowed, his voice firm and unwavering.
Kearan hesitated for a moment longer before pressing a chaste kiss to Grayson's cheek, then slipped out of the bedroom without another word.
As the door shut behind him, I couldn't help but feel the pang of loss, wishing I could reach out to him and ease his pain.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and Grayson's brow furrowed with concern. "What's wrong, Parker?"
I sniffled, trying to find the words. "I just wish Kearan would one day open up about what happened to make him so shy and guarded. My heart breaks for whatever he went through, and I want to share his burden, so it's not quite so heavy on his shoulders."
Grayson pulled me close, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. "Someday, Kearan will open up. But until then, I'll make sure to share his burden so he doesn't have to carry it alone."
"Who do you think I'll win over first?" I asked quietly, my thoughts drifting between Kearan and Ryker.
"Only time will tell," Grayson replied softly, a hint of a smile on his lips.
Easy silence filled the space of our conversation as I thought about his words and ten million other things on my mind.
"Would it make you feel better if I told you how we ended up together?" Grayson asked, his eyes searching mine for an answer.
"I'd love to know," I admitted, eager for any insight into their past.
Grayson lay back, tucking one hand behind his head and shoulder while using the other to pull me against his chest. I settled in, resting my chin on one hand as I watched him, mesmerized by his presence.
"After our group was first put together as one of the first three teams of the provisional supernatural division, we weren't exactly thrilled. To be fair, raccoons aren't that popular as shifter animals, and the fact that they managed to find enough to make a versatile team was nothing short of a miracle," Grayson began.
As he spoke, I could see the memories playing out behind his eyes, and I felt a deep connection to him. Not just as one of my mates, but as someone who understood the complexities of our shared world.
"Despite our uncommon bond as raccoon shifters, we didn't get along at first. We were all broken in our own ways," Grayson continued, his voice steady and soothing.
"Kearan and I started becoming friends, but none of us were truly close back then."
"Trux was always trying to prove he was in charge, even when his authority wasn't challenged," Grayson said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Seph was angry and determined to show everyone that she was just as good as they were, if not better."
I felt the tension and strife amongst the team members as he spoke, painting a vivid picture of their early days together. While they all seemed to get along now, there was still considerable conflict. Though I felt like I'd been the cause of that.
"Rhiot was broken and reckless, throwing himself into dangerous situations with no regard for his life." Grayson's smile faded as he continued, "I was mostly okay, but I had a few emotional demons I wrestled with. Kearan was broken as well, his soul and humanity shattered. And then there was Ryker, who was seemingly the most well-adjusted out of the group."
His words stirred up a mix of emotions within me: sympathy for their struggles and admiration for how far they had come since those early days. As Grayson recounted the next part of their story, I couldn't help but cling to every word, eager to learn more about the past that had shaped them.
"During one of our earlier missions, Rhiot did something reckless, and I ended up getting caught in the crossfire. Literally." Grayson's eyes darkened with the memory. "I was covered in second and third-degree burns. The team rescued me from the fireball that remained from the explosion and dragged me to safety."
A chill ran down my spine as I imagined the pain and fear he must have experienced. I squeezed his hand gently, silently offering comfort.
"Grayson," I whispered, my heart aching for him. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."
He offered me a small, reassuring smile. "When I woke up from the coma, there were very few scars left and almost no pain. It took me a while to realize that Kearan had taken my pain away from me."
I gasped, suddenly understanding the significance of the twisted flesh I'd noticed on Kearan's body. "He did that for you?"
"Apparently, there was a special spell Wigi, or shifter healers, knew that could transfer the pain." Grayson nodded, his voice filled with gratitude. "I ended up taking care of Kearan while he healed, and we grew close during the process."
The love and admiration in Grayson's eyes as he spoke of Kearan only deepened my own feelings for them both.
"Grayson," I murmured, tears welling up in my eyes once more, "thank you for sharing this with me."
