“No, you just want him to be emotionally mature and developed like Eran. I’m not saying Diamond Moonscale didn’t raise him well. I’m just saying he grew up as an only child and was the center of his mother’s world. He probably still sees the world through that lens.”
“Well, he doesn’t have his own gravitational pull, so the world doesn’t actually revolve around him,” I said, snarling.
Dad opened his mouth and shut it again.
“Just say it. I don’t think there’s anything left anyone could say that would hurt my feelings after the last couple of weeks,” I sighed.
“I’ve had to stay off social media,” Dad nodded. “Because I was ready to burn every one of them to the ground. Threats on a playroom?”
“I know,” I nodded and rubbed my forehead. “What did you want to say?”
“It’s not that I want to say it. I just think maybe you need to hear it. I was going to say Beryl’s head is just as messed up as yours right now with the true-mate response. He’s feeling alittle rejected – which is fine even if kids have to come first. He probably feels a bit teamed up on because everyone else on that damn farm would just go and get the rock out of the pond if you asked for help and they don’t see why he won’t and he probably doesn’t even know why he won’t but now I think I also need to say that you’re viewing this through the lens of someone who has been harassed online for months for trying to make the world a better place for kids.”
“I think we all have to prove we’re not assholes every day. Most people do it by just living their lives. Why do you think the rock is such a big deal?”
“Either he’s a city dragon or he hasn’t caught up to the fact that things probably aren’t going as he planned. Lots of alphas think they’ll meet their mates and romp right then and live happily ever after. You come with a kid. You come with a lot of potential foster and adopted kids. You have a big heart and want to put good out into the world. Not everybody understands that,” Dad sighed. “I love Jondi like he’s my own flesh and blood. I love all your kids like that. Beryl probably will if you give him some time.”
I opened my mouth to say I didn’t have time to wait around for him to decide he wanted to be in my life but that was unfair. He knew nothing about my life outside of the little he’d probably picked up here and there.
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think it’s too much to ask. What we don’t know is why he thinks it is. That’s probably an important question to answer. Why don’t you take him some sandwiches and talk it out?” Dad suggested.
“Fine,” I sighed.
“Do you need money?”
“I have my wallet, but thanks,” I grinned.
He was still making sure I had everything I needed despite having been an adult for decades. I wasn’t complaining. I’d be lost without my parents. Having the parents I did was one of the reasons I fostered. Between them, they had an asshole and three people who died because of assholes. Somehow they still raised me and my siblings to turn out okay. We weren’t the largest family around, but we were one of the happiest if you asked me.
Chapter 10
Mori
Moonscale London
The day after Caster barged into my house and beat the shit out of my eyelids while I slept, I baked a cake and knocked on Era’s door. I didn’t have a clue what I was going to say to him because I had planned to keep to myself and not get involved in the lives of others. I certainly didn’t plan on talking spirits or magic with anyone but Caster was an insistent little shit.
I stood between him and Snowy as I waited for my neighbor to answer the door. It took several long minutes before we heard shuffling inside and the door opened a few seconds later.
“Sorry about the….. Cake?” he blinked at me.
Era was a head taller than me and had long hair that currently needed a good brushing. By the looks of him his wolf probably did too. He had green eyes and a sharp jawline.
“I didn’t order a cake,” he shook his head and started to close the door.
“Caster asked me to check on you,” I blurted out the words before I could stop myself.
Era leaned his head out of the door and looked around as if he expected someone to jump out of the bushes and yell ‘boo!’.
“Is this a joke?” he asked. “Dead cats aren’t funny.”
“But they do have a sense of humor!”my wolf chuckled inside his inner sanctum.
“No, I can see spirits. Have been able to my whole life. Yesterday, Caster – Alcaster – woke me up from a nap by slapping my eyelids. He insisted I come and check on you.”
“Yeah, buddy. It wasn’t that hard to put two and two together and figure out my cat died, huh? I’m not giving you any money. Take your cake and shove it where the sun don’t shine.”
“I don’t want your money. I want your cat to leave me alone,” I said, irritation making the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
