Page 285 of As The Shifter World Turns

“Because as far as I know, the only person besides me who was aware that they were my favorite was…” His voice trailed away.

“Kellan.”

130

THE RETURN

Nate

Judging by the look on Daire’s face, the apology didn’t go over well. Not that I could blame Ryder and Ivor for being pissed. All the stories I’d been told about Kellan had me wondering how Ryder had put up with his shit for so long. Thank Gods they didn’t mate.

Not that it was Daire’s fault he had a dream that was so vivid, he thought it was real life.

“That bad, huh?” I handed my mate an apple cinnamon muffin, one of four that Neil had brought downstairs, knowing how much Daire loved them. As we hadn’t gone out for brunch, Neil had done some baking instead and he told me he’d made far too many muffins for his family. It had me wishing I’d had a close school friend like Neil who I was still in contact with. And Neil being human made it all the more unique.

“More like weird.” He slumped into an armchair and I sat on his lap while he ate the muffin and dropped crumbs on his shirt.

“It was the Kellan thing, right? That must have upset Ryder and Ivor.'' With the stress of the stag shifter’s cancer, chemo and his frail appearance, the family didn’t need any added aggravation.

“Yes and no, but not in the way you think.”

That told me nothing so I waited. Daire would spill the details in his own time.

“It was the macaroons.”

I definitely wasn’t expecting that. Perhaps Ryder was allergic to egg white? Or maybe he didn’t like macaroons. That was a shame because I adored them.

My grizzly mate went on to explain how only Kellan was aware that Ryder loved those macaroons from that particular bakery. “It’s a coincidence, babe. We’ve bought them many times from that place based on a friend’s recommendation. And the bakery isn’t far from here.”

But Daire wasn’t having it. “It’s a sign.”

“Of what? That some of the Sunshine Manor family love macaroons?”

He shook his head. “No. It’s something to do with Kellan.”

I hoped he hadn’t said that to Ryder and Ivor. That would have upset them more than they already were. “Like what?”

“No idea.”

For the rest of the day, Daire didn’t do much except stare out the window and pace the apartment. Eventually he went for a jog, something he used to do with Ryder before the stag shifter got sick. I watched him tear along the sidewalk as he headed for the park. Maybe he’d feel better when he got back having released some of the stress he was bottling up. I was supposed to be editing footage for Micah but I couldn’t concentrate either.

“These are yummy,” I told my mate while nibbling on a muffin as he staggered through the door moaning, covered in sweat that was dripping over his chin. He pulled off his drenched tee and headed for the bathroom. On any other day, I would have joined him because my mate was one sexy beast. But not today.

A roar from the bathroom had me rushing in. “What is it?”

“Kellan!”

I wished he’d stop saying that name. Even Brax would be an improvement on that guy.

“Ryder needs a bone marrow donor.”

I didn’t like the way this conversation was headed and I doubted Ryder would either if my mate repeated it to him. “Mmmm.” As a result of the chemo, Ryder needed a bone marrow transplant. He was on a donor list but so far there’d been no matches.

“What if Kellan’s the one?”

“Please don’t say that to Ivor. He’ll either collapse or hit you.”

Daire stepped out of the shower and I turned it off. He dripped a trail of water into the living room and I raced after him with a towel. “No. Kellan might be Ryder’s bone marrow donor. Maybe that’s why I had the dream. Ivor or Ryder would have dismissed it as a nightmare if it’d happened to them.”

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