Cadon stuffed his hands into his jean pockets. Jeans. They were Levi jeans. Levi being a brand name. So, he was learning. He’d been there a couple of months already.

Humans still looked at him strangely because he couldn’t bring himself to wear a thick coat in the middle of winter. He wasn’t cold though. Not even a little bit. He’d tried wearing one but it was just too stuffy. The others had the same problem. Shifters didn’t feel cold like the humans did and his species was used to not wearing anything at all. Talon hated it just as much as he did. They’d taken to wearing sweaters or lightweight jackets instead. As long as their arms and feet were covered, they mostly got away with it.

Talon.

The male had been acting strangely ever since his return home. He seemed preoccupied, different somehow. Leukos had asked Cadon on several occasions whether he knew if something was wrong. If something had happened.

Cadon had his suspicions, and they were finally confirmed. It was a female. A human female. Of course it was. Why else would Talon request that Cadon check in on her? In the end, Talon was his friend and he’d asked Cadon to check up on this Vicky female and not to tell anyone about it. He, of course, would honor his friend’s wishes. He didn’t fully understand this preoccupation though. Talon was mated, the male’s female might be dead but that didn’t change things. Just as with his own female, whom he had lost thirteen years ago. He halted in his tracks as the memories accosted him. Memories of her smile, her scent, how worried they had been when they found out she was with clutch and then yes…He took a step back, leaning against the wall for support. Memories of her death. He waited a few minutes for his emotions to come back under control. He began walking again, turning the corner and continuing towards the row of apartments.

Cadon stopped in his tracks as he caught sight of her. Shoulders hunched, making her look even smaller than she already was. She favored her left leg. No, make that, she was limping. She was trying not to, but he could see that she was. He noticed that she wasn’t wearing a thick coat, or gloves, or any of the other winter clothing the humans liked to don either. Maybe that’s what made him notice her in the first place. That and the slight swell to her middle. Was the female with child? She was skinny everywhere except for her belly, which was very lightly rounded.

As always, he was mesmerized by the thought of the new life that would be growing inside her. His own species had been denied this basic right to continuation. Pain flared in him all over again.

Then the female looked up and his blood froze before turning fiery hot. Her eye was swollen shut and badly bruised. The coloring ‒ reds and pinks ‒ indicated that she had been beaten not very long ago. Her lip was split, it too was still raw. From experience, he knew that if she so much as gave a half-smile, she would reopen it.

The female pulled a bag behind her. It was on wheels.

She put a splayed hand to her belly. Definitely with child then. Every protective instinct awoke inside him. Logically, he knew it was because of the clutch he had lost. Of the future he had been denied.

It didn’t lessen his need to protect though. Unable to stop himself, he followed behind her. Staying far enough away so as not to startle her. She made her way into an apartment building and slowly ascended the stairs.

Again, he didn’t want to approach and startle her even though everything in him cried out to help her. She clearly needed help. After what felt like an age, she walked down the hallway of the second floor.

Taking the stairs four at a time, he quickly caught up with her and watched as she entered an apartment. Wait just a minute. This was the apartment that he had been sent to by Talon. It fit the male’s description perfectly. He took out the piece of paper from his pocket and sure enough, the symbols matched the ones next to the door she had just entered.

What was this?

Who was this female?