Page 36 of Hidden Pain

The girl looked over to her mother who motioned for her to trust Lily. A mother bear always knows what’s best for her cub. Lily had realized that at an early age.

The little girl stepped out of the cage and over to Lily.

“I want you to do something for me. I want you to go to the door of the tent and look out. Then come back in and tell everyone what you see,” Lily said to the girl.

The little girl looked again at her mother who nodded to reassure her daughter. The mother’s voice came into Lily’s head.

“Please don’t hurt her.”

“I promise you I won’t,” Lily replied, and she felt a tear drop down her cheek.

“You were really in here?” the mother bear asked.

Lily nodded.

Kingsley bent down beside her and wiped the tear from her cheek.

“Is everything ok?”

The little girl scooted backward, fearful of the human suddenly in her space. Kingsley immediately retreated and held his hands up.

“I’m sorry. I won’t hurt you. I just wanted to check on Lily. Seeing her cry makes me upset.”

The little girl cocked her head and stared at Kingsley’s damaged hand.

“What happened to your finger?”

Kingsley looked down at his hand. “A nasty man chopped it off when I was trying to save my friends…the ones over there. He pointed to where Teagan and Brayden loitered by the doorway.”

“You’re friends with shifters?”

Kingsley nodded.

“Yes, and I’m in love with two as well,” he told her, pointing at Lily and Hunter.

The little girl laughed.

“Silly. He’s a boy, and so are you. You have to love girls just like my daddy does.”

Kingsley chuckled and reached out to take the little girl’s hand.

“I think I’ll let your mummy and daddy explain when you’re a bit older. Now, shall we go and have a look outside?”

The little girl checked one final time with her mother and then allowed Kingsley to lead her to the door. She popped her head out and gasped.

“Mummy! Daddy!” she shouted, running back inside. “They put them in cages.”

“What?” The little girl’s father prowled in his cage.

“The nasty people. They’re all in cages outside.”

Hunter went to the male bear’s cage.

“We’re here to put a stop to what they’re doing to shifters. I won’t allow Lily’s parents to have died in vain. I want to get you all away from here. There is a representative of the shifter Council outside who’ll take you to Berlin and make sure you’re all checked over and helped. The men who did this will all be tried and judged under shifter law unless Lily wants the ringmaster to deal with herself. That is her right, as far as I’m concerned.”

Lily got to her feet, and the little girl jumped up into her arms and gave her a big cuddle.

“I thought it was what I wanted, but this here is my revenge. Seeing his shifters freed and knowing that the Council will be ten times harder on him than I could ever be. I’d probably kill him in less than a minute, and that’s no punishment for his crimes.”

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