Reclaiming (11 page)

“No!” Owen yelled in her direction. “You leave him be and sit back down.”

Daniella froze in her tracks, unsure of what to do.

The old man glared at her. “I told you… to
sit
. This does not concern you. I’ve already had my fill of looking after your human hide once today. Now do as you’re told.”

“What do you mean… looking after me?” Daniella said.

The old man scoffed at her question. “You suppose a mountain lion would have just let you run off? Now I said… Sit. Down!”

Daniella
’s knees nearly buckled at the implication. As she collapsed into the chair, Owen turned his attention to Jett who’d recovered enough to get back to his knees.

“No one from the clan needs to watch you die, boy.” Owen said as he looked down at Jett. “But die you will if you don’t do exactly as I say. You got that?”

***

Confused, Jett looked up at Owen and said,
“Clan? What?”

“That’s right,” Owen replied. “Your bear clan…”

“So you’re…” Jett uttered.

“What? Like you?” Owen said as he looked down over him. “Is that what you were about to ask?”

Jett nodded as Daniella looked on in utter confusion.

“Yes, in a manner of speaking.” He replied. “And I’m not the only one.”

“What? I’m so confused.” Jett replied.

“Come on,” Owen said to Jett as he snapped his fingers in his direction. “Get up. I’ll explain everything.”

He helped Jett to his feet and they gathered around the table. As they sat, surreal sensations overcame Daniella. In some way, she’d managed to acclimate herself to the notion Jett was, well,
whatever
he was but now to think there was another and maybe many, many more… her vision blurred at the idea of it. The change in her condition did not go unnoticed by Jett.

“Daniella?” He said. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she muttered. “I guess. It’s just a lot to take in all at once.”

Without taking his eyes off the photo album, Owen replied,
“Never easy for humans. At least not in the beginning. The idea of us that is…” He looked up over the book in Daniella’s direction. “Better get her a glass of water.”

Jett nodded, stood
up and walked over to the kitchen to get her a drink. As he returned to the table, he handed the water to Daniella.

“What do you mean by
us
, Owen?” He said.

As Daniella took a sip from the glass, she looked in the old man
’s direction and awaited an explanation.

“Ah!” Owen exclaimed. “Here’s the one I wanted.” He rotated the album back around towards Daniella and Jett and pointed to a photograph of a small group of people. Still in a state of semi-shock, Daniella could only listen as Jett leaned in over the photo for a closer look.

“Recognize anyone in that picture, boy?” Owen asked.

Jett studied the photo for a moment or two and said,
“Yeah, my mom and dad are standing next to each other at the far left.”

“Nope,” Owen said as he shook his head. “Your mother and father are at the
opposite
end.”

“Wait, you mean my birth parents?” Jett asked. “I thought they died.”

“Yes, they did.” Owen replied. “That’s a picture of them together before your birth.”

Curious, Daniella leaned in to get a better look.
“Is that you, Owen? In the middle?” She asked.

“Yep.”

“Who’s next to you?” Jett asked.

“Kane…” Owen replied as he leaned away from the book and slumped in his chair.

Jett looked at Owen and said, “Who’s he?”

“He…” Owen began. “Is the man responsible for Wyatt’s
death. He is also the one who…”

“What!” Jett interrupted as he leapt to his feet in utter rage. “Where is he now? I’ll kill the fucker in his sleep!”

Owen looked at Jett and laughed. “Sit back down, boy.” He said. “You are in no position to deal with Kane.”

“What are you talking about?” Jett replied. “He’s an old man by now, like you!”

“That’s right,” Owen snapped. “And you saw what this old man in front of you was capable of, didn’t you?”

Jett
’s aggressive posture eased as Owen spoke.

“Now I want you to imagine a foe with ten times the strength and no moral limitations on how to wield that power.” Owen said. “
That
, is the adversary you will face in Kane. Now, pay attention.”

Jett stood in a stoic pose for a second or two longer and then sat back down.

After the three of them remained silent for several seconds, Daniella pointed at the picture once again and said, “These people… The ones you say are Jett’s real parents. What happened to them?”

Owen shook his head.
“Damn shame, that. All of it.”

“What do you mean?” Jett asked.

“Well, your father and Kane were once very close. I should know, we all grew up together.” Owen replied as he rubbed his chin. He pulled the picture out of the book and looked at it for a moment.

“Life in the clan back then was simple.” He continued. “You mated with
another shifter, had some offspring and lived to a ripe old age. And in the beginning, that’s the way life seemed like it would go for all of us as well.”

“What happened?” Jett asked.

“Well, clanfolk usually kept to themselves…” Owen began. “We lived on the outskirts of town, educated our own and never looked to bother no one. But times change and we had to adapt.”

“What do you mean?” Daniella asked. “You had to interact with humans more often?”

“Exactly,” Owen said. “About thirty years back, the clan relocated to Fesser’s Grove and for a long time, even that was fine. We all had our mates by then and things were still going well in spite of all the changes. And then, one day, your father’s mate died. Tragic thing that. Out of the blue. No one could figure out why. In any case, your father was alone.”

“That’s so sad…” Daniella said as she clasped Jett’s hand and squeezed it.

Owen nodded. “Yes. I felt bad for my friend. He slipped into depression for a long time afterward.”

“Well, what happened?” Daniella asked. “I mean, obviously he met someone because Jett is here.”

Owen leaned away from the table again. “Oh yes, there were plenty of available females in the clan interested in a strong, young bear like your father.” Owen said. “But him? After he lost his mate, he seemed to lose all interest in females. That is, until he met
your
mother, boy.”

“I don’t understand,” Jett said. “My mother wasn’t part of the clan?”

“Nooo, no she wasn’t.” Owen chuckled with a sarcastic tone.

“Well, if she wasn’t part of the clan then that means…” Jett said.

“Your mother was human.” Owen interrupted. “Not a drop of shifter blood in her veins.”

“Humans and shifters can have offspring? How can that be?” Daniella asked.

“They can’t…” Owen said.

“What do you mean?” Jett asked. “I’m here. I’m proof it can be done.”

“Yes,
you
are here, Jett.” Owen said with a hint of melancholy in his voice. “Angelique, your mother, isn’t…” He leaned back in his chair and looked at Jett in silence for several seconds. “She died giving birth to you, boy. You aren’t supposed to exist.”

“What?” Jett replied. “I… I don’t even know what to say. Is that really true?”

“Afraid so son…” Owen replied. “Your mother was an incredible person, strong. She knew what carrying you to term would mean for her. Everyone in the clan did but I never saw anything but a smile on her face. Bravery like that, I’d never encountered the likes of it.”

Jett leaned over the table and placed his head in his hands. Owen stood and walked over to Jett. He placed his large palm on Jett
’s shoulder. In a rare display of empathy he said, “I know it’s a lot to think about but there’s more you need to know, about your father, Dylan.”

Jett sighed and looked up at Owen.
“Fine,” he replied. “Let’s just get it over with.”

Owen nodded and said,
“Even though every shifter in the clan knew mating with non-shifters was a death sentence for the human, we all accepted Angelique. There was only one who didn’t…”

“Kane?” Daniella replied.

“Yes,” Owen said. “And it wasn’t long after your mother passed that…”

“What?” Jett said.

“Well, let’s just say to this day, Kane’s account of your father’s death is regarded with suspicion by most…”

“What do you mean by suspicion?” Jett said. “What happened?”

“No one knows for certain.” Owen replied. “But one thing is for sure and that’s the only one who returned from their hunting trip alive was Kane.”

“Did he?” Daniella asked.

“What?” Owen replied. “Kill Dylan?”

Daniella nodded.

“I think so…” He replied with an exhale. Owen looked at Jett as he spoke, “No proof of it though. Your father was an excellent hunter, the best in the clan and much better than Kane. In the clan, the ability to hunt is second only to the ability to fight. Your father was exceptional. Gifted beyond measure at both. Everyone knew it.”

“I don’t understand…” Jett replied. “If he was so good, how did he die on a hunt?”

“Exactly,” Owen said as he nodded and slapped his knee. “As soon as I heard the word ‘accident’ from Kane’s lips the day he returned… well… the very first thing I did was get you to David and Jo. They left Fesser’s Grove and never returned. They raised you like a son.”

“So you saved my life?” Jett asked.

“Yes,” Owen replied. “I suppose I did. It looks like you both owe me one doesn’t it?”

Daniella and Jett looked at one another and nodded.

“Then my adoptive parents, they are?”

“Human as well. One hundred percent.” Owen replied. “There weren’t many who knew about us. Still that way. But your folks did which is why they were the only ones I could trust.”

“Why did you leave the clan?” Daniella said.

“That was an easy decision,” Owen replied. “Right around the same time I met your adoptive father’s sister. She was human like them, of course. I married her and
we lived here for twenty plus years. We never had any children, obviously. Still, I reckon getting away kept me from being Kane’s next victim. I knew it was time for me to find a new path.”

“I don’t understand,” Jett said. “Why is it my folks never brought us here, told us about you? I didn’t even know my father had a sister.”

“Very, very difficult that. All those decisions.” Owen replied. “But out of respect to your birth mother and the rightful heir to the clan, your father, we all decided it was best to raise you as a human. For a long time that was good enough. That is, until Kane decided it wasn’t.”

“Rightful heir?” Jett said. “What do you mean by that?”

“We’ll talk about it later.” He replied. “Look boy, we don’t have much time. Kane knows you are still alive and he will stop at nothing to…”

He stopped for a moment and crossed his arms at his chest.
“Tell me this…” Owen began. “Have you shifted?”

“If by ‘shifted’, you mean transform into a bear, no, I…” Jett replied. “I mean, yes, maybe.”

“Well, which is it son? Yes or no?”

“I did once… it was under hypnosis and there was another time possibly but I can’t be certain.”

“Shit…” Owen said as he stood. The speed with which he moved tipped his chair over backwards onto the floor. It crashed into the ground with a loud bang.

“There isn’t much time for certain now.” He said as he started to pace back and forth. “Not much at all.”

“Not much time for what?” Jett asked.

The old man disregarded his question.
“No doubt about it, boy. You are young and strong, like your father before you. But… Kane…” The old man reached up to his chin. As he rubbed his palm against the grayed stubble, he exhaled. He looked at Jett and shook his head.

“What?” Jett replied. Concern laced his tone. It was the first time Daniella recalled ever seeing him show any real fear.

“There’s work to be done. That’s all. At least a week of it. We’ll have to hope for the best after that.” Owen said as he waved off the question.

“Work? What are you talking about?” Jett said.

“It doesn’t matter right now. I will explain everything. Tomorrow will be a long day. Get plenty of rest. Don’t do anything to…” The old man narrowed his gaze in Daniella’s direction as he spoke. He looked at Jett once more and continued, “waste energy. If you do, you’ll never keep up.”

“Keep up?” Jett asked. “What does that mean?”

Owen ignored him once again. “We begin at daybreak. Now…” he said as he gestured towards the bedroom, “get some sleep.”

***

Fifteen minutes later, exhausted and bewildered, Jett and Daniella laid together on the small mattress she’d napped on earlier in the day. It was a clear night out. The stars and moon cast a somewhat bright light into the room. The cabin was silent but doubt hung heavy in the air. Jett laid awake and stared at the ceiling.