Page 18 of Orlando
Orlando shrugged.“I wouldn’t, but you’re not anyone else.You know what a mate means to a shifter.”Orlando took a chance and reached his fingers out for Parsley to sniff.It was always touch-and-go with cats.Some of them freaked out because Orlando was a jaguar shifter, while others loved him for the same reason.Luckily, it seemed like Parsley was part of that second group because, after delicately sniffing Orlando’s fingers for a moment, he rubbed his cheek against them.
Liam looked delighted.“He likes you.”
“I’m sure I’ll like him, too.We have to go, though.You should go pack so we can head out.Take only the essentials for now.I can always come back here to pick up whatever you missed.”
Liam’s smile vanished.Orlando wanted to put it back on his lips, but how could he?There wasn’t much for his mate to smile about right now.Yes, they’d met, but the council was trying to kill Liam, and it would be complicated to get them to stop.Orlando couldn’t just call one of the council members and ask them to reconsider.It would be like calling the president or something.He had faith that Kennedy and the rest of their friends would eventually clear things up, but how long would it take?What would Liam do in the meantime?
“I have a few questions before I pack,” Liam said as he gently put down the cat.
Orlando had expected the questions.He wasn’t looking forward to them, but he wasn’t going to lie to his mate.Whatever Liam wanted to know, Orlando would tell him.“I’m listening.”
“You’ve mentioned the council assassins several times.Are they what I think they are?I mean, I know you’ve already explained it, but I have a hard time wrapping my mind around that.”
“I understand, but I’m not lying to you.The council assassins are people who were specifically trained to kill for the council.Sometimes, the council doesn’t have any other way to deal with people.The bad guys are often smart enough to avoid paying for what they do.”
Liam nodded.“That goes for humans, too.It doesn’t mean the government kills them.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Liam blinked.“They don’t, do they?”
“I don’t know, Liam.I can only tell you that shifters who go down the wrong road are even worse.They can turn into animals and kill and hurt people.We’re not only talking about shifters, either.Some humans have made it their life goal to profit off shifters and hurt them.The council has been dealing with kidnappings, murders, auctions, and everything else you can imagine.I remember a few years ago, they saved a group of children who were being sold and bought by humans who wanted exotic pets.There was nothing the council could do to stop the people responsible because they were too smart and didn’t leave proof anywhere, and the human authorities didn’t care because the victims were shifters and the perpetrators human.”
“So the council killed the guy.”
Orlando nodded.“They did, and our children have been safer since then.Unfortunately, there are many more monsters out there.I’m not saying that killing them is the perfect solution, but in some cases, it’s the only one that makes sense.”
Liam wrapped his arms around himself.It made him look smaller, which wasn’t something Orlando had thought possible.Liam was bigger than him, but he looked vulnerable.
“I don’t know what to think of this,” Liam said.“I’m not one of those people.I’ve never hurt anyone.”
“I know, and I’m sure this will end up being a mistake.The hit has nothing to do with you.”
“Why am I the one being hunted, then?”
Orlando wished there was more he could do, but apart from protecting his mate, he could only wait.“I’m sorry this is happening to you, and I promise I’m doing everything I can to fix it.”
“It shouldn’t be your job.”
“Itismy job.You’re my mate.”
Liam shook his head.“What I mean is that if the council is going to order people killed, they shouldn’t make mistakes.What would’ve happened if you hadn’t been there this morning?Cynthia would have killed me, and the council would’ve been satisfied until they realized she’d killed the wrong guy.She would have been sent to kill the right one, but I would’ve still been dead.My mother would have lost her only son.Mistakes can’t be made in this kind of situation.”
Orlando felt powerless.“I agree.Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do about it.I’m not a council member.I’m not even close to any of them, which is why I had to contact other people to look into it.I’m doing everything I can.”
“I wasn’t blaming you.”Liam hesitated.“But you’re one of them, aren’t you?You’re a council assassin.”
Orlando swallowed.He wanted to deny all of it and promise that he wasn’t, and it wouldn’t even be a lie.Hewasn’ta council assassin.He didn’t even work for the council.
But he had before, and he couldn’t lie to his mate.He didn’t know what would happen between them, considering the circumstances, but Liam deserved to know everything.“I’m not an assassin,” Orlando explained.“But I trained as one.My goal was to become one.”
Liam slowly nodded.“But you’re not.”
“I couldn’t go through with it.Once I was done with the training, I decided it wasn’t for me.I know how Cynthia was trained, though.I know how she works, and I can guess what she’s going to do.”
“It could have been you, though.”
It could have been.If Orlando had stayed with the council, he might have been sent to kill his own mate.
