Page 11 of Scar Bonds: The Scars That Bind Us

It wasn’t that he was hurting for money. While he might have told the wolf shifter he’d met on Friday that he was working to pay the rent - and that was true to a point because his wages were paid into the same account the rent came out of - he wasn’t without means. He couldnotwork. But Senan had always believed he should do something with his days, and non-paras worked for social and financial benefits. It’s what people did, and the fae did not.

Maybe I was washing dishes as another form of penance, he thought.Maybe I’m punishing myself for a crime I didn’t evencommit. Perhaps I need to rethink my whole life here on Earth, although it wasn’t like Senan had any other option, like living on a different realm anymore.

He could have moved away from the state, the scene of where the incident happened. The Shifter Council didn’t tell him he couldn’t move, or restrict where he lived in any way. But there was a spark of tenacity in Senan as well. In his head he felt that it was enough that the wolf shifter had taken away his looks, his right to be on the fae realm, his position on the Fae Court and his chance of ever being viewed as “normal” again, so why should he lose his house as well?

So Senan had stayed, and eventually, he’d found himself a job. That had taken two years for him to get the hang of being interviewed and having a resume. But once he had the job, he’d enjoyed the work. He’d even made a few friends. Living as a human in a lot of ways was so much easier than trying to keep up the superficial pretense of “life is always wonderful” which the fae seemed to insist on.

When he was working with non-paras he learned about their daily struggles, about Aisha’s studying and her string of boyfriends – none of whom lasted very long. Brennan was a ladies man who would be happy on Fridays and usually despondent by Monday morning because he’d done something silly, and the lady had left him. There was Wyatt’s discomfort and anxieties that his friends would gently tease him about, but they were so supportive of him as a group as well.

Senan adored Gabby, who just took him in and declared him a friend from day one, never caring who Senan might have been aside from the way he presented himself on the job. She was genuinely a good person who just liked him, and for Senan, that was a true gift.She would never back down or run away from a wolf shifter,he thought with a grin.

So caught up in the endless loop of his mind, it took a moment for Senan to realize somebody was banging really loudly on his front door. His heart jumped to his throat – what if it was one of the wolf shifters? It didn’t matter which one. Senan wasn’t ready to face either of them.

His shoulders sagged in relief as he heard Gabby yelling through the door. “You’d better open this door, Senan. Jeffrey told me you’re sick and you’re never sick. Let me in, or I’m going to call the police to do a welfare check on you.”

Groaning, Senan rolled off the couch, trying to muster enough magic to at least put his wings away. But nothing was working. As the pounding got louder, Senan resigned himself to the fact he was going to lose his friend as well.One look at me and she’ll know I’ve lied to her from day one.

Stumbling over to the door, he unlocked it and opened it, letting Gabby push her way inside as he staggered his way back to the couch, plonking his butt down and burying his face in his hands.

“Oh, my gods, Senan, what happened to you?” Gabby sounded genuinely worried. Looking up Senan could see that concern on her face. She was wearing one of her most colorful outfits - a bright blue Hawaiian shirt of some kind that fell over her ample frame and knee-length bright yellow bike shorts. On her feet, she had her favorite rainbow crocs, festooned with dozens of little dangles that people seemed to enjoy decorating their footwear with. In other words, she looked like typical after-work Gabby.

“What do you mean what happened? Can’t you see? Don’t you see?” Senan flicked his wings for emphasis. “I haven’t got the magic left to hide me anymore.”

To his shock and horror, he burst into tears, and he buried his face in his hands again, half expecting to hear the slam of his front door as Gabby left him to his misery and shame. Secondslater, he found his face cupped in gentle hands that weren’t his own.

“How the hell am I meant to hug you with those wings in the way?” Gabby said. “Are they like... like how far down your back do they go? I’ve never hugged a person with actual wings before, and I want to hug you, you silly fool, because you clearly look like you need one. But those wings keep flapping at me, and I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Oh, Gabby.” Senan leaned forward resting his head on her shoulder, his tears falling even faster in the face of her kindness. “I don’t think I can do this anymore. I can’t hide who I am anymore, and I’m scared.”

Chapter Nine

“You’re not angry at me?” The tears had been shed, and the entire story from wolf one to wolf two had been told in halting sentences. Gabby made it so easy for Senan to spill it all, listening the way she did. Now, wrung out emotionally, and cradling the mug of tea Gabby had made for them both, Senan needed the reassurance that Gabby’s friendship hadn’t changed.

Leaning back against the couch, Gabby shook her head, and then she pointed at his wings, which were still flapping about the way they did. “I’ve got nothing to be angry about. I can see why hiding your wings at work makes perfect sense. If you think about some of the table layouts where we’re expected to serve, I mean, half the time I can’t get my generous booty into those spaces, so I can see those wings would be a real hassle. And the shirts – wearing those drab shirts Jeffrey insists on. Has he got an option for those with wings? I don’t think so.”

“I never asked. Jeffrey doesn’t know about this.” Senan flicked a hand at his fae state. “I’m still the same person inside. What I look like might change for work, but I’m still me.”

“Sort of like a rather elaborate Halloween costume.” Gabby laughed. “No wonder you never wanted to dress up for the company parties.”

“You tried to make me wear a wolf shifter costume,” Senan reminded his friend, although he felt so much better knowing Gabby didn’t hate him even after learning his secret.

“Yes, that business with the shifters is a concern. I understand why you never wanted to work a para event now.” Frowning, Gabby tapped her nails on the mug she was holding. “This is me, coming from a non-para perspective, and you can shoot me down or tell me it’s none of my business, but is there any chanceeither one of these shifters is your mate? Paras seem to think they’re a big deal, for some reason and I’ve heard that meeting a mate can make them act out of character.”

“Meeting a fated mate is a big deal.” Senan thought about how to explain one of the central goals of a paranormal’s life. “Paranormals have such long life spans. The Fates, those people we believe weave the fabric of life, pair a paranormal with another person to help combat the loneliness that a long life span can cause.”

“You mean you’re going to have to watch me die one day,” Gabby said bluntly.

“Not for decades, I’m sure,” Senan said quickly. He had no idea how old Gabby was, but he imagined she was in her late twenties. “But yes, eventually, unless you end up with a paranormal mate, in which case when you’re claimed, you’d live as long as they would. But otherwise, yes, when you’re old and gray and sitting in your rocking chair complaining about the youth of the day, I won’t look any different than I do now.”

“Hmm. I hadn’t thought about that side of things before.” Gabby wrinkled her nose. “That would suck.”

“It does.” Senan didn’t even want to think about it. That was a situation any paranormal with non-para friends had to deal with at some point in their lives. “But with regards to mates, the Fates match us with someone that is supposedly perfect for us in every way. Not someone the same as us, but a person who complements us. I think the reason why it’s a big deal for the paranormal community, is that the bond between a mated pair is so intense.”

“Heaps of hot sex every day?” Gabby wiggled her eyebrows up and down as she grinned. “That would be fun.”

“You would be thinking that.” Senan chuckled at her expression. Gabby had a wonderful appetite for all aspects of life. “But yes, seeing as you said it, really intense and amazing sex,so I’ve heard. But that mate would also be protective, always put your needs first, and will always be on your side. They never cheat, they can’t lie to you about anything, and you become the most important person in your mate’s world. And vice-versa of course.”

“Hmm. That saves a lot of messing around I suppose.” Gabby sipped from her mug. “But what if you don’t like that person these Fates of yours think is perfect for you? What do you do then?”

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