WeresDigest (13 page)

Chapter
Six

“He’ll live through it fine. The genes from both
parents are meshing well, he should be able to shift. Time will tell,” the
doctors had told them after Thane’s operation.

Within a day and half after their arrival, the
procedure took place, much to everyone’s relief. Things had been so tense since
they left the caverns, Vek felt that a sharp knife couldn’t have cut through it
all. But it was done, his son would grow up to be a full were-shifter. He
couldn’t have wanted any thing more than that right now.

They’d made it into Strank in less than half a day,
where they’d gone straight to Shaja’s and Zi-Den’s home once they took a
travel-cart through the city, most dwellers used to get from one side of the
large metropolis to the other. His home stood tall like the rest of the stone
structures of the large were-city. Once inside,  Zi-Den suggested they take
time to rest and clean up from their journey. A servant in Zi-Den’s household
informed them that Shaja was at the hospital visiting Thane, before he had
shown them to their rooms where they could clean up and rest. It had actually
been the next morning after an early morning repast that Vek saw his old flame
again, after so many years of being away from her.

He and Letha were shown to a small drawing room, where
he figured they occasionally entertained guests or had social gathers, from the
looks of the nicely decorated room. Zi-Den and she rose when the two of them
entered. It was almost as if time stood still when he glanced upon her. A
petite slender woman, she still had long dark blonde hair in her human form.
She viewed him with her lovely and sad brown eyes. He once remembered how they
sparkled but he supposed stress and worry over their son had dulled her once
lively sparkle.

“I’m glad Zi-Den found you and you came, Vek. Thank
you.”

He didn’t near her but nodded. “It came as a bit of a
shock to know we had a child. Zi-Den explained that to me.” He’d noted her
flickering glances at Letha. Zi-Den had obviously told her Letha had
accompanied them on the trek, but had introduced them when the two entered the
room.

“I hope your son is better very soon,” Letha stated
softly, and who had been summing up Shaja.

“Thank you, Letha.” Shaja tightened her hands
together.

“We’ll leave for the hospital shortly and you can meet
with him, Vek,” Zi-Den said.

“I wish to be there for moral support if you do not
mind.”

Vek noticed the furtive glances between Zi-Den and his
wife. “I would not mind her there, if you both will allow it. Letha knows my
medical history better than anyone, should the need arise for anything.”

“There’s no problem with her being there,” Shaja
interjected. “I’m glad all of you had a safe journey here. If you’ll come with
us then, we’ll head out and get you acquainted with Thane and his doctors.”

Hours later he’d talked to the boy, who resembled both
him and Shaja, yet he’d felt awkward around him. And both Zi-Den and Shaja
fawned over the child, as real parents would. Though the boy gave him curios
glances, Vek knew Thane loved the two. An intelligent-looking were-kid, Thane
was aware of the circumstances and his true parentage—Zi-Den had told Vek he’d
been honest with the child. Vek was glad of that.

Maybe he was the biological father, but deep down, he
felt Zi-Den had done a good job of raising the child. He realized it would be
best if that didn’t change. Even feeling this, he wanted to do what he could to
help the child recover from his illness. Within a few more hours then, after
meeting Thane and talking with the doctors, Vek was prepped for the procedure.

He was more than glad Letha had accompanied them to
the hospital.

* * * *

Shaja put a hand on her husband’s shoulder as they stood
looking over their sleeping son. He reached down and squeezed her hand then
turned to pull her into his arms, hugging her tight. She slipped her arms
around him and held on to him dearly.

“They said it was successful and he’d pull through.”
Zi-Den stroked her lush hair. “We can be relieved now, Shaja.”

She leaned back against his arms and looked up at him,
seeing his handsome face had less stress lines upon it. “Yes, dear we can.
Thank you for finding him.”

“Thane and you are worth it. Shall we go home and get
some rest? The doctors want to keep him here for another week just to make sure
he pulls through fine, but I feel all will be good now.”

She caressed his left cheek fondly. “I believe that
with all my heart. Give me a few minutes and I’ll join you back here. I’d like
to check on Vek and thank him if he’s awake.”

He nodded and released her. “I’ll be here.”

She left him to go to Vek’s hospital room. Within five
minutes she was near his door as his room wasn’t far from their son’s. Shaja
was just about to enter the room when she heard voices filtering through the
partial cracked open door. This older wing of the hospital didn’t have the
newer sliding doors. She recognized Vek’s voice and that of the woman her
husband once loved. Curiosity got the better of her and she listened to their
words and the tones of their voices. She could always tell what kind character
a person had by hearing the inflections in a person’s speech patter and tone of
voice.

“He’s a handsome child, Vek. You are lucky…”

“I’m even luckier now,” he interrupted Letha. “I have
you…”

“Shhh, get some rest. We’ll talk later.”

Shaja reached for the door handle and gave it a little
push as she lightly tapped on it. She saw Vek drop his hand from the other
woman’s face, as if he’d been caressing it fondly. Then Letha pulled her hand
out of Vek’s. She glanced at them curiously, not missing their flushed faces
when they saw her enter.

“I hope I’m not intruding…I just wanted to come by to
see how you fared, Vek.”

Letha gave her a wan smile. “I was just leaving. I’ll
check in on you later, Vek.”

Letha nodded a greeting to her and left the hospital
room, which didn’t quite close behind her. Shaja ignored that, thinking nothing
of it as she approached the bed. She gingerly sat down on the edge near his
hip.

“You look a little pale, Vek, but the doctors say all
went well for both of you. Thank you for saving our son’s life.”

“I merely gave him genetic material. The doctors and
your husband are the heroes here. I’m in Zi-Den’s debt for finding me. You two
did wonderful raising him. He’s a good kid.”

She reached out and patted his arm. “I had always
hoped Zi would find you. We had people searching a long time. He took care of
me just as he promised he would to you.”

He let out a sigh, searching her face. It was as if he
were looking for answers to things. She had to know what those questions were,
for he was sure she had the answers to them.

“I…um, well expect you’ll want to keep seeing him
now.”

“If you and Zi-Den allow that, I’d like that, Shaja.
Does he know?”

She nodded. “We told him from the onset when he first
started getting ill and we explained what was going on. We’d always meant to
tell him though, Vek. He is your son too. I think it would be good for him to
get to know you.”

He patted her hand. “I’d like that. But there’s
something you should know.”

She smiled warmly down at him. “You’re not in love
with me any longer.” Shaja grinned when his eyes widened. She’d taken him by
surprise. “I am a strong empath, like she is. Though she hides her feelings
well, more than others can. She’s very territorial towards you and as you are
towards her. I didn’t miss the sparks between her and you when I came in here.
You’re in love with her. Right?”

He sighed and nodded. “Think I have been for a long
time, Shaja. I’m sorry. What we had was special in our own way, for us. I’ll
never regret that or us having produced Thane. Like Zi-Den, I gave in to our
society, not feeling I was good enough for you. He’s a good friend by taking
care of you all these years and marrying you.”

“He had been a great husband and father, Vek. We’ve
grown very close. Perhaps in the long run of things, it all worked out.”

“I’ll be damned. You two are in love with each other.”

“Yes, it just happened. I’m glad you’re not angry.”

“Never with you, Shaja. I wish you both to be happy.”

“Thank you for coming here. I think we’ve laid our old
ghosts to rest.”

“Perhaps easier than either of us anticipated.”

“Now there’s only one thing to find out.”

He patted her hand affectionately as a brother might
and did not miss her slight worry. “You’re afraid she has some old feelings for
Zi-Den left.”

She nodded. “She’s everything I’m not, Vek. Zi’s tried
hard to forget her, what they use to have. I know how much he cares for me and
loves Thane.”

“Then be assured in that, Shaja. You are a good woman,
and still as lovely as when I first knew you.”

“Thank you for being here for our son.” She finished
saying what was on her mind though. She had to ask the one question she’d
dreaded since knowing Zi-Den’s old love had shown up with them. “Why did she
come with you here, Vek?”

“To put her own ghosts to rest. Just as you and I
have.” Shaja truly wanted to believe that. Zi-Den had professed his heart to
her, but still she worried.

“Let them talk. Just as you and I have. Sit here with
me and tell me about Thane. I want to know everything about him before I
leave.”

“Leave?” she squeaked out.

“Shaja, I want you and Zi-Den to finish raising him. I
want to be there for him, in his life, but Zi-Den is the only true father he’s
known. I won’t take that from Thane. Just let me be part of his life. Do you
think he’ll go for that? Both of them I mean.”

She sighed deeply and smiled. “I think that can be
arranged. Thanks, Vek. I think things will work out for you too.” She gave his
hand a reassuring hug. “And for me. Now let me tell you about how that son of
ours first came howling into this world…”

* * * *

Zi-Den softly stroked the dark haired child’s head for
a moment then leaned over and kissed the sleeping boy’s forehead. He tucked his
son in and stood fully back up when he heard the door slightly creak open. The
fine hairs on his human form tingled when he felt her presence. For a split
second time stood still for him. He sniffed her earthy scent and it calmed him.
That’s what had startled him. Sweet flowers of lavender and chamomile had been
what he’d become accustomed to, and learned to love very deeply. Shaja’s scent.

Letha came closer towards the bed glancing from him to
his son and back again. He waited for her to speak first. For long moments
silence sliced through the room.

“He looks like both of them. You’re a good person for
standing by the boy and Shaja.” Her lovely eyes were keen. They always had
been. Had there been a wistful tone in her voice? “He could pass as your own
though, your colors are similar, so are your scents.”

Those were not words he’d been expecting and the soft
smile on her face made him know she was aware of that fact. “You’re not angry
with me any longer?”

She let out a low sigh. “No. I don’t think I have been
for some time. I think seeing you again was the shock I needed to put my life
in perspective. Perhaps I was angry for a time but no longer. Seeing you with
Shaja made me realize it too. What we had is long gone, Zi-Den.”

“Thank you, Letha. I lived with regret with what I did
to you for a long time. I can’t take it back and I never meant to hurt you, to
be such a coward…to…”

She made a shushing sound and put a finger to his lips
to stop his words. “You are not a coward. I don’t think I ever thought you were
really. Just angry over what this city, this society did to us, to Vek and
Shaja. He let her go as you did me, to give her a chance at life. As you did
for me. I found what was right for me, Zi-Den. I just came back to affirm that.
My life is back in Auck. I’ll have fond memories of you, but no more anger.
We’ve all grown up, got on with our lives. Let old ghosts rest. Love your
family and be happy.”

“Thank you, Letha. I wish the same for you too. I hope
you let him love you as much as I do Shaja. As much as I hope she comes to love
me some day.”

“Shaja loves you deeply. What you two have is so much
deeper than you and I could have reached, Zi-Den. Never doubt that. Be happy.”

She reached out and squeezed his shoulder but didn’t
get any more intimate or near him. Like another were female wouldn’t when she
knows a man is mated to another were female. He searched her eyes and knew she
meant her words.

Zi-Den patted her hand then stood back a step. “I want
to…”

“It will work out. You are right to let them talk, to
let Thane and Vek come to know each other. He’s not angry with you.”

He tilted his head to one side. “You always seemed to
know more than you always let on, Letha. You’re more intuitive than most.”