love bites

Chapter 24 ~ Part two

Copyright 2013 Joanna Bock All Rights Reserved

Chapter 24 ~Part two

“Shayla is different__” Anton began. Jace rolled his eyes before saying to Anton, “Wow you don’t say__” A growl interrupted him before Anton held his hand out to stop his son from reacting. “Jace, I understand this has been a very turbulent few days for you, in fact I understand it has probably been the strangest days of your life.” Jace mumbled sarcastically to himself. “Understatement”

“Understatement__ ah yes I could agree with that.”

Anton stood from the seats and paced the floor. “Shayla isn’t bitten.” He blurted out. He stopped turning back to Jace and Shayla. He stared at her for the longest time before he added. “Jaralynn is her mother__ and I__ I am her father.”

Shayla gasped shaking her head. “No. No I have a mother and a father they love me! I wasn’t__ I’m not adopted, I have photos of my first birthday. And__ And. Shayla burst into tears.

Jace cradled her in his arms; he gently kissed her head soothing her with gentle sounds of reassurance.

“I think it might be true baby__ When you disappeared Bianca went to your house, She found out you were adopted then. She went to Amy to But__ She tried to tell me, but I didn’t care; I heard Amy’s name and shut her out, I was so caught up in finding you, I never thought to ask you if you already knew. I mean you never mentioned it so I wondered but__ Oh god baby I am so sorry, I could have made this easier, and I failed you.” Shayla pulled away from him enough to look into his eyes. She shook her head and trailed her fingers over his face.

“No babe, you could never fail me.”

“Did you not wonder why she would mark you. Why it is that you didn’t mark her before she claimed you as her mate.” It was the first time Jaralynn had spoken since they had entered the room into her overwhelming welcome.

“I guess I have, but I was more concerned by the fact she turned on a new moon, the fact it was her birthday would have worked if she had turned eighteen but__ Do girls shift at seventeen?” Jace had so many questions, but he figured one at a time was the best way to get any answers at all.

“The story is long Jace, but if anyone deserves the answers it is Shayla.” Jaralynn continued. “A she-wolf is rare in our lines now. I am one of three sisters before you were born Shayla. There are now three including you. My mother passed when I was a child. Then one of my two sisters, Arlee was taken by those who hunted us__ I was with child when she died__ You Shayla. I could not bare the same fate for you, not after losing a sister. So I hid you. My other sister lost her mate before she had a child; she never fell for another, which is simply normal in our kind. We mate for life. Sheena left us along time ago, after her mate died. I never stopped loving you Shayla. It was nearly two weeks before I was strong enough emotionally to give you to the humans; I clung to you, shutting myself away from the world, knowing all the time the longer I held you the more risk I brought upon you.

You were so small and Donald and Jenny were such sweet people, they had tried so much for another child, after Max. They__” Jaralynn shook her head. “It is not my story to tell. Jenny agreed to my conditions so I gave her you. It was the only way to protect you.”

“But we only moved here when I was thirteen how could you__?” Shayla paused. Jace suspected she was having trouble forming the question. It didn’t matter Jaralynn understood. “One of the conditions was they must leave until you were grown, your teen years were to be spent within our territory. As for the answer to Jace’s question, all wolves pure born shift on the new moon of their eighteenth birthday lunar cycle. And so did you Shayla. In order to hide you it was agreed you would be a year younger than your true age, you were such a tiny baby__ it wasn’t hard to let you turn one, twice. Your true first birthday was the last time I saw__ Jaralynn closed her eyes without finishing. “You were so beautiful.” She added in a whisper. Jace watched quietly as Jaralynn began to cry. Anton went to her, holding her as he rubbed his hand over her back. He stared over her shoulder at Shayla. He smiled yet Jace could see he was in pain. His eyes closed before he turned his attentions back to his mate.