Page 27 of His Fate
I shake my head. "Posey has no idea. I believe her mother is human and I don't think she was Hank's true mate."
"So how in the hell were you able to have this conversation without Posey freaking out?" Milos asks with wide eyes. "I mean, if she doesn't know her father is a dragon and then the two of you are flapping your big mouths about all of this in front of her—"
"You couldn't scent him?" Andrej grunts.
I shake my head. "There's an even more unique twist." I slump in my chair and rub my eyes. "Hank is in a wheelchair. He is paralyzed from the waist down and he lost the ability to use the right side of his body as well as the use of his vocal chords."
“You can’t be serious. That sounds extremely similar to a stroke and there is just no way…” He trails off as I simply nod.
"Impossible," Henrich says firmly. "Dragons do not possess the ability to become paralyzed nor do we have potential for other human conditions such as stroke."
Rolling my eyes like an angsty teenager I huff. "I am aware of that. However, Hank is paralyzed, suffers from strokes and has no scent marker indicating he is dragon. And he's aging."
"We all have potential to age, eventually."
"Yes, but he is aging at a humanlike pace. Posey said her dad was forty two when he was injured and he looks like he's in his mid-sixties now."
Henrich shakes his head. "I still don't understand. What kind of injury did he sustain that could possibly cause this?"
"And shouldn't he have been able to shift and heal?" Milos asks with a bewildered look.
"Not if something prevented him from shifting," Andrej grunts and I point to him.
"Exactly. Hank was working a serial murder case when he was stabbed in the spine with a dagger. Posey said it was the perpetrator’s and it looked to be an 'antique' weapon from another country. I would bet my whole hoard on each of those victims being some sort of shifter and that dagger being from one of the old countries—"
"And laced with some sort of poison only debilitating and detectable by shifters!" Henrich pounds his fist into the table. "It's the only way it makes sense!"
"Right." I nod. "And I have a funny feeling that even though the town of Ashland seems to feel like the unsolved case is put to bed despite being unsolved, I wouldn't be shocked if their small shifter population disagrees."
Andrej nods. "Which is why we were invited to the barbecue."
"That you should get ready for," Milos says with a smirk. "I doubt even Krazy Kady wants to see the king in his briefs."
And because I am the king as well as an annoying older and younger brother, I get to my feet, make it to the doorway where I clear my throat to get their attention then drop said briefs to my ankles.
I laugh as they groan and gag their protest then march my naked ass up to my wing to get ready.
Posey would be proud of that.
Ah, my beautiful mate. A beautiful battle that will take a little time to win fully, though ultimately I will win that war with Josephine as my treasure, my equal by my side.
Now if the universe would stop throwing more battles my way long enough for me to do that, I'd be deeply grateful.
Shifter Madness
We exit the Hummer and immediately fall into formation, Andrej in front of me, Milos and Henrich flanking me. This is the only time I've felt it was appropriate to follow our militant guidelines, knowing we are walking into what is clearly a bear den with the possibility of multiple shifters waiting, all with the knowledge that I am king of not only my clan, but of all dragon shifters.
Safety is important right now as we enter the unknown and I'm all the more grateful for my father’s training.
Kady greets us at the door, bowing her head and welcoming us to her home. She introduces us to her husband, Jack, a big barrel of a man who makes it obvious he is a bear with his burly beard and long shaggy locks. He's boisterous and jolly—also bear traits—but shows the utmost respect by averting his smiling eyes and bowing deep enough to offer his neck.
"Highness." Jack smiles brightly. "You bring great honor to our home by granting us the company of you and your kinfolk."
"Kai, please," I say as he rights himself and I shake his hand. "These are my brothers: Andrej, Henrich, and Milos."
They exchange pleasantries before we follow Kady and Jack further into their home, directly into the heart of their den where about ten others are waiting.
"This here is what's left of the shifter population in Ashland, less Grace, of course." Jack smirks, "Sweet little Grace is a big cat—tiger—and she's sick as a dog right now."
