Page 11 of Banishing Regrets

“I know,” he replied, and then they both fell silent as the situation on the television continued to evolve.

“Can you tell us anything about your initial findings?” the female reporter questioned.

“I can, and it’s not good news, I’m afraid. The genetic make-up of this specimen is no different to that of a human. We still have several tests to undertake, but there is nothing evident, at present, to indicate how the shifter is able to change into an animal,” the doctor responded, a stern expression on his face.

Kas heard an audible gasp from the reporter.

“But surely they can’t be the same as us. How would we be able to tell who is dangerous and who isn’t? Everyday we’ll be taking our lives into our own hands just by leaving the house. These wild animals could attack us at any point.” The reporter’s voice sounded panicked, but Kas suspected some of what she said was intended to induce chaos and create better news headlines.

“They could.” The doctor turned to look back at the body now dissected into numerous parts. “These creatures are incredibly dangerous. And they are brutal. This was one of their own kind, and she had been violated and abused before she was violently killed.”

The reporter gasped again. Kas could see she was dressed in a tight skirt suit with caked on make-up. She clearly wasn’t interested in serious investigative journalism. She was in the job to become famous and this was her big break, covering the biggest news story to ever hit the human world. It sickened him almost as much as the sight of the torn apart body of Lynx on the examination table.

He felt a desperate need to get away.

He wanted to go and live as a polar bear for the foreseeable future.

Except that wasn’t an option. His path was laid out for him as alpha. He needed to stay and support his pack. They were all married now, and some had children. These events would change all their futures forever.

He got to his feet, letting go of Jane’s hand as he did.

“Kas?” Jane stood up beside him, and taking his hand again, she said, “You aren’t alone in this. I’m here.”

He couldn’t stop his free hand from moving as if he wasn’t controlling it. He reached up and gently stroked down Jane’s cheek.

“I know. You’ve always been here for me, Jane.”

His heart beat fast. He needed to leave the room. Maybe it was time for Jane to return to Death Valley. She would be safer there than with the shifters. He’d talk to Brayden later.

“I mean it, Kas. I’m not going anywhere. This affects my son, my daughter-in-law, and my grandson now, but more importantly, it affects a lot of other people I care about, including you. That was the first thing I learned from Heath when I came here: the loving and caring nature of shifters. You aren’t the monsters they talk about on the television. The doctors, the reporters, and all those who attack anyone they believe may or may not be a shifter—they are the real monsters. We will get through this. Please don’t shut me out, because you know I’m human,” Jane pleaded with him.

“I shut you out a long time ago. I’ve regretted it ever since. I won’t do that again.” He exhaled deeply. “You have my promise.”

“Thank you. I need it. I need to have hope that one day everything will be all right because all I can see is bleakness at the moment.”

“I don’t honestly know what the future will bring, at this point, other than war. But I give you my word we’ll work our way toward it together…as a pack.”

Kas felt guilty the moment those last words left his lips. He knew Jane was talking about a future for them as a couple. He couldn’t give her that reassurance, though. He couldn’t open his heart, because it scared him too much. He was still resigned to being alone for life, and his brother’s actions were only serving to reinforce that belief.

Kas sighed. “I better go and see what the shifter council is doing about Lynx.”

Without looking back, he walked away silently.

Seven

“How are you feeling?”Jane cradled baby Heath in her arms while Selene relaxed on the bed.

Her daughter-in-law looked tired. Jane knew that caring for a newborn could do that, but she couldn’t help feeling that the bags under Selene’s eyes were a sign of something else. This worried Jane. Selene wasn’t just a daughter-in-law to her, she was pretty much her daughter. Jane had been the first person to find Selene after she’d been reincarnated as a multi-shifter.

“Not too bad. Heath is actually a really good baby. He feeds a lot during the day and only once at night. I think I’m probably getting more sleep now than before.” Selene gave a halfhearted chuckle.

“Thank goodness for that. Brayden was a nightmare for the first few months. He just wanted to feed all the time. I half wished I could turn into a cat so I could just lie on my side and let him feed from me whenever he wanted.” Jane laughed. She rocked Heath as he slept. “He looks so much like Brayden as a baby. When his hair comes in, it wouldn’t surprise me if he has his father’s little white tufts.”

“I hope he does. I love them on Brayden. They give him a distinguished look.”

“They do,” Jane agreed as she looked down at Heath. Then reaching over with her free hand, the one on which the baby wasn’t resting heavily, she stroked down his nose. Heath murmured a sound of contentment. “I always wanted a big family when I was younger. I dreamed of a little team of kids running around my feet. I think that’ll always be one of my biggest regrets, not having more children. Losing Heath so young devastated me, and it just didn’t feel right to find someone else.”

“I can’t imagine how hard it must have been.” Selene sat up on the bed, a look of concern on her face. Jane smiled at her to reassure the multi-shifter she was all right.

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