Chapter Nineteen
Cat didn’t know what she’d expected Killian’s childhood home to look like. Big and warm like his own? Simple and cold? His father wasn’t exactly a welcoming man. The only thought that passed through her when they finally parked in front of it was This is perfect. She hadn’t had a clear mental image of what it should have been, but looking at it, she could picture a tiny Killian running around the dense forest wreaking havoc.
The house wasn’t anything outstanding, but it was beautiful in its own way. The small front porch wrapped around a simple cabin frame with thick gray stone accents. A chimney jutted out of the top with a stream of smoke trickling toward the sky. Trees covered every piece of land surrounding it, hiding the secretive pack of Shifters from prying eyes that lived nearby.
The Stones hadn’t created a whole town like Killian had. Luckily for them, they lived close enough to Chequamegon National Forest and could get away with being wolves. And now, seeing the small community, Cat could understand Killian’s father’s desire to keep the pack small. Too many wolves in one small area could cause an uproar among the human population.
“Are you ready for this?” Killian asked from next to her, and he grasped her hand.
They’d gotten a call a couple of days before from Layla, Killian’s mom. There was a wolf in their pack struggling with his grief. The Shifter had receded into his wolf, too distraught over the loss of his mate. She’d mentioned that Rick, Killian’s father, would have to put him down, but Killian had begged her to wait. He didn’t give her any information but just asked that she wait until he could visit and try to help. Emphasis on the “try.”
Cat sighed but nodded. “Yeah. I don’t think I’m going to get any more so.”
Killian gave her a tight smile, and they got out of the truck. When they knocked on the door, Killian grabbed her hand in his. “You’re going to be fine, little wolf.”
Before she could reply, the door swung open. “Oh, you’re here!” Layla Stone practically squealed, and her eyes, a shade darker than Killian’s, glittered with joy.
“Hey, Mom,” Killian said, and Layla pulled him in for a hug. Cat’s heart throbbed watching a mother dote on her child, and she could have sworn a tear slid down Layla’s cheek, but before she could register it, Layla moved away.
“And you, my sweet, sweet girl.” Cat gasped as the woman wrapped warm, loving arms around her. Cat was used to contact, having been living with Jessica and Kelly for a long time now. But it surprised her that this woman, whom Cat had only met once before, would embrace her so warmly.
“Layla, it’s so great to see you again.”
Layla backed up and patted her gray hair. “Yes, well. I wish it were under better circumstances.”
Cat looked at Killian, and he glanced at her, a grim expression on his face. She’d been telling him for weeks to come visit his family, but he always put it off.
A throat cleared behind Layla, and Rick came into view. It was amazing how much Killian looked like his father, aside from the strong nose he’d inherited from his mother. They could have been twins, even down to the matching no-nonsense expressions gracing their faces.
“Killian. Catrina,” Rick said, nodding.
“Come in, you two. Let me get some food started; you two must be starving—”
They stepped into the house, but Killian interrupted his mother. “We can’t stay for too long, Mom. I’d really like to see Eric.”
Cat bit her lip and looked at the floor, avoiding the shocked and hurt expression on Layla’s face. It would take time for Killian to repair the bond with his family, but it hit Layla the hardest.
“Oh,” Layla whispered but caught herself. “Of course. Rick, why don’t you take them?” Her feet dragged across the floor until she disappeared into the kitchen. A quiet sniffle echoed back at them, and Cat wanted to cry for her.
“She’ll be fine,” Rick assured them gruffly and motioned for them to follow. “You know, Killian, I could have taken care of this myself. No need for you to come up from…where is it?”
Killian shared a glance with Cat before he rolled his eyes. Rick knew very well where they lived. “California.”
“Right, California.”
Rick led them toward the back door, and outside were two doors leading into the ground. Cat’s stomach sank. It reminded her so much of home that she hesitated, even when Rick opened them wide. Killian’s hand grasped hers, and he gave her a questioning glance. She shook her head and followed him down.
The basement was open and welcoming; unlike what someone would expect. It was almost like a business, with carpeted floors, painted walls, and rooms with closed doors. Somewhere nearby a wolf whined, and Cat knew that was where they headed. She fought the urge to grab the Faol Geal because she didn’t want to draw attention to it yet.
What they found waiting for them behind one of the closed doors didn’t surprise her. It had been built for one thing only: containing a wild Shifter. The walls and floors were all concrete, and the door had a small window that a person could see through. In the farthest corner of the room, a wolf lay curled in a ball, but its eyes were on the door.
Killian cursed. “Poor Eric.”
Rick nodded next to them, a movement Cat barely caught out of her peripheral vision. “Yeah. His mate, Cheryl, had decided to go for a long run, and a hunter got her. That was weeks ago, son. I don’t think he’s coming back from this one.”
“Kids?” Killian asked.
Rick sighed. “Yeah. A six-year-old girl. Your mom and I have been watching her.”
Cat’s heart went out to the little girl. To lose both parents at such a young age was indescribable. Something she had experienced firsthand. Cat grabbed the handle and twisted, but Rick stopped her.
“You don’t want to do that. Eric isn’t exactly in a nice mood lately.”
“Cat, let me go first,” Killian said, ignoring his father’s warning.
Cat shook her head and glared at him. He would push this, and she would fight back. Or he could just give in now. “This is what I’m here for, Killian. I go in.”
Rick glanced between the two of them in confusion. Killian sighed, but his gaze bounced toward her.
“Fine. But if you can’t handle it, I come in there. Do you understand?”
Cat smiled and nodded, even though she knew in her heart she would do her best to make sure he didn’t come in. This was her job. The Faol Geal had chosen her, and she would risk her life to save the Shifters in need.
Cat stepped into the room, and the door immediately shut behind her. Eric’s cold brown eyes glared at her, and his head lifted off his paws. His ears perked up, and a quiet growl rumbled out of his chest. Cat swallowed, fingering the necklace. It was one thing to help Emery when she was unconscious or during a training session. But to help an almost entirely feral Shifter?
There was no point in talking to him. Eric wasn’t there. Within the cold stare was only wolf. So Cat crouched down, which only interested the angry wolf more. It stood up slowly, the hairs on its back rising as it growled. Cat continued to stare at it, even as she gripped the Faol Geal in her fingers. When the wolf took its first step, she released the magic.
Finding Eric was so much harder than finding Emery. She didn’t know Eric, and it seemed to affect her ability to penetrate into the deep recesses of his mind. Not to mention his wolf was strong, stubborn, and ready to rip anyone and everyone to pieces. But there he was, curled in a ball, surrounded by darkness. Tears poured out of his eyes, and he gasped in overwhelming pain.
Cat wanted to cry for him. His pain echoed in her own heart, and she reached out to touch his figure. She wanted to comfort him, bring him peace in a time when he was feeling nothing but anguish. His barrier wasn’t as hard as Emery’s since his pain was still fresh. It wasn’t toughened by years of denial. She broke through with the magic, unleashing every comforting emotion she could muster. Joy, love, compassion—it all poured over his crippled body until the darkness was pushed away. All that was left was a man at peace, and Cat retreated.
When she came to, it was to find Eric kneeling in front of her. He was nude, and shaggy dark hair framed his dirty face. Tearstains trickled down his face, but he stared at Cat in wonder.
“What did you do to me?” he whispered, touching his face where the tears were.
“I saved you,” Cat answered, relieved that he was okay. “Now you can grieve the right way, Eric. With your daughter.”
Eric’s lip trembled. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“What was that?” Rick’s muffled voice said to Killian.
“That,” Killian said, “is our future. It’s the future of all Shifters.”
Cat wrapped her arms around Eric’s shoulders and allowed him to cry. She might have given him momentary peace, but he’d still need to grieve. At least for now she’d been able to give him a chance to do it. To live with his daughter. To give his daughter another chance at a family.
And that was the future of all Shifters.