Jason - Silverback Redemption Read online

  “None of your friends know?” she asked gently as she leaned down, her head so close to his, her breath tickled his cheek

  He straightened up, not wanting her to see him as weak. As a bear shifter, he was supposed to be strong and in control. “They don’t know,” he confirmed. “For the longest time, I couldn’t bring myself to talk about it. It was like this hole in my soul.”

  “Jason, I’m so sorry.” She reached out for him and pulled him into her arms in the same way she’d comforted Lorcan only minutes earlier.

  Jason closed his eyes and let her warmth and concern flood through him. It wasn’t exactly how he’d pictured their first embrace, but he wasn’t going to push her away.

  Never, his bear said wryly.

  As Jason let the pain and loss flow out of him, he replaced it with happiness and hope. The past was the past. He’d come to terms with what had happened. It wasn’t his fault. Not directly. Yet still, the specter of friends he’d lost had haunted him. Here in his arms was the chance to start again to write a new story, one filled with love and life.

  He squeezed his mate tightly before he stepped back. “We need to keep moving.” He gave her a gentle smile of thanks and then looked behind them to where Lorcan was dragging his heels as he walked down the trail.

  “Are you okay, Lorcan?” Jason asked.

  Lorcan looked up as if he’d woken from a dream. Hurrying forward, he joined Jason and Shannon. “These people we’re going to see...”

  “Yes.” Jason nodded.

  “They’re dragon shifters, aren’t they?”

  Busted, his bear said in Jason’s head.

  And he was right.

  Chapter Ten – Shannon

  “Lorcan!” Shannon placed her hand on her son’s upper arms and shook her head. “Don’t do this.”

  “Don’t do what?” Lorcan asked.

  “Torture yourself,” Shannon replied.

  “I’m not. Am I, Jason?” Lorcan shrugged his mom off as he rounded on Jason. Once more, Shannon could see the other side of her son shimmering beneath the surface. A shiver of apprehension passed through her. What if Jason was right and Lorcan wouldn’t be able to control that secret side of himself when he experienced his first shift?

  What if she lost her son forever? He might change into a dragon and never come back to her. Shannon’s knees buckled and she collapsed to the ground.

  Jason was kneeling next to her in an instant, his face a mask of worry as he cupped her cheek in his hand. “Shannon. Are you okay?”

  She nodded and slid her pack off her shoulders. Unzipping it, she took out her water bottle and took a large gulp of the cool water. “I just need to catch my breath.”

  “Mom.” The anguish in his voice nearly broke her. Adopting Lorcan had been the best thing she’d ever done. But even though his mom had told Shannon that Lorcan was a dragon shifter, she’d never actually believed it. Not really. Not deep down. She’d always assumed it was a figure of speech. Or that Letitia was a little crazy.

  The arrival of the dragon hunter and Lorcan’s mood swings were the first signs that he really might be a dragon shifter. But even so, the thought of the boy she’d raised changing into an actual dragon seemed farfetched and bizarre.

  “Lorcan’s birth mother, Letitia, said he was the last of his kind.” Shannon could barely muster a whisper as she tilted her head and looked at her son.

  “Dragons are very secretive,” Jason said by way of an explanation.

  “Very secretive?” Shannon frowned as she tried to get her head around just what Jason was implying. “They must be since we never see any flying around in the sky. No one’s ever caught a video of them and posted it on social media.”

  “You didn’t think they were real, did you?” Lorcan asked his mom. “You thought it was all in my head.”

  Shannon’s eyes pricked with tears. “I think I hoped it wasn’t real. Just because it was easier. All I ever wanted was for you to lead a normal life.”

  “That’s all any parent wants,” Jason agreed. “So you know shifters are real? But you didn’t think dragon shifters were real?”

  “We had an idea that shifters were real.” Shannon nodded. “At least, we did some research, the dark web, Lorcan called it. There was some talk in a forum that suggested shifters were real. But we’ve never actually seen one...shift. So we didn’t know for sure. Not absolutely sure…” Her voice trailed off.

  “Mom decided that we should keep quiet about the whole thing. Pretend none of it was real. She was worried people would think we were crazy or draw too much attention to ourselves. Don’t paint a target on my back, she told me.” Thankfully, Lorcan’s tone was not accusatory. If Lorcan thought she was ashamed of him, it would have broken Shannon’s heart.

  “Letitia made me promise to keep Lorcan safe. To keep his parentage a secret. She told me that he might be in danger if anyone knew of his existence.” She reached for her son’s hand and held it tight. “I don’t care what you are, it wouldn’t matter the color of your skin or your fur.” Her forehead creased. “Or your scales.”

  Lorcan hugged Shannon. “I love you, Mom.”

  Shannon held Lorcan so tight she thought she might cut off his breathing, but her son was a strong young man and he survived her hugs, just as he’d survived her parenting skills even when he was young and she was totally unprepared for the life-changing experience of being a mom. “You are everything to me, Lor.”

  “We should get moving,” Jason said gruffly as though he hated breaking up their heartfelt hug.

  “Jason’s right,” Lorcan said with incredible maturity. “Time is not on our side.”

  Shannon nodded and Lorcan helped her to her feet under the concerned watchful gaze of Jason. “I’m trusting you with my son.”

  He dipped his head. “I understand that. I also understand how much he means to you. And I promise to protect both of you, with my life if I have to.”

  “Why?” Shannon asked. “Maybe if you could explain why you are willing to help two strangers, it would help me trust you.”

  “Offering to help two strangers isn’t a good enough reason to trust Jason?” Lorcan asked in surprise.

  “Your mom’s right to be suspicious.” Jason inclined his head in the direction of the truck. “Shall we walk and talk?”

  “Sure, I think I can manage that,” even if the look of concern on his face left her breathless. There was so much she needed to know about Jason, so much she wanted to ask. But for now, she needed to focus on how he could help Lorcan.

  “So what is it with you and my mom?” Lorcan came straight to the point as they trudged down the trail.

  “We’re mates,” Jason answered simply.

  “Mates?” Shannon blurted out. “What does that mean?”

  “You didn’t learn about mates when you researched shifters?” Jason asked.

  “Nope.” Lorcan shook his head. “I’m guessing it means you are like boyfriend and girlfriend.”

  “Something like that.” Jason shot Shannon a look that made her go weak at the knees. Only this time she found the strength to keep going. She was the weakest link out here and she needed to prove she was strong, if only to herself.

  “Okay, I don’t think this is an appropriate conversation for the two of you to have when I’m here.” She pointed her finger at them both. “Or even if I wasn’t here.”

  “This is research,” Lorcan told her excitedly. He’d certainly embraced the whole shifter thing. Which was great, since he could do nothing about it. Imagine if he hated the idea of turning into a fire-breathing mythological creature? Now that would have been hard for a mom to handle.

  “No, it’s weird,” Shannon replied hotly. “Not the shifter side of things, but any discussion about me and Jason is for…adults. I mean Jason and me.” Her cheeks flamed at the thought of there even being a chance of a Jason and me.

  “Oh, I don’t mean about you and Jason being mates. I mean all this stuff about shifters I don’t know.�
� Lorcan screwed up his face. “Or, since I am the man of the house right now, am I supposed to give Jason a man-to-man talking to? You know, warn him if he hurts my mom, I’ll set fire to his hair or something?”

  Jason hooted with laughter. “No, you do not.” He waved his finger at Lorcan dismissively. “Your mom is right, having that kind of conversation with you would be too weird. And you don’t have to worry, I’ll never hurt her.”

  “Then I’ll ask what your intentions toward my mother are.” Lorcan stopped walking and placed his hands on his hips.

  “Since when did you start talking like someone out of the bygone years?” Shannon asked her son.

  Lorcan blushed and mumbled something incoherent as he resumed his trek down the mountain.

  “Excuse me?” Shannon asked as she rushed to catch up with her son.

  “I figured that was how a dragon would talk.” He swung his head around. “The hunter said I’d be a dragon shifter when I reached puberty. So I binge-watched a load of dragon films and that’s how they talked.”

  Shannon’s head jerked backward. “Really?”

  “Really.” He shrugged. “If I’m the last of my kind then I have a tradition to uphold.”

  “You’re not the last of your kind,” Jason confirmed, which ended the conversation between Shannon and Lorcan. “And they don’t talk like that.”

  “So we are going to visit a dragon shifter. Theory confirmed.” Lorcan tripped over a large stone and sent it rolling down the trail as he ran to catch up with Jason. “You said they don’t talk like that.”

  “I did.” Jason’s lips twitched at the corners as he gave Lorcan a sideways glance.

  “So what are they like?” Lorcan’s excitement was palpable and the air around him shimmered like a heat haze on a hot summer’s day.

  “They are like ordinary people. Which is why they fit into society so well. They act and behave like normal everyday people.” That was close to the truth. Although, Fiona didn’t exactly blend in since her forthright attitude and temper sometimes drew unwanted attention.

  “How many are there?” Shannon wanted to pinch herself to prove she wasn’t dreaming this. Or maybe she should pinch Jason to make sure he was telling her the truth.

  “All in good time.” Jason put his hand up to stop the slew of questions Lorcan was about to aim his way. “I don’t mind answering questions about shifters in general, but those dragon specific questions are better answered by someone with plenty of dragon experience.”

  Lorcan’s mouth snapped shut and his eyes flickered back and forth in his head. Shannon smiled despite herself. She knew her son was putting his thoughts in order as he dealt with the idea that he was not the only dragon shifter left in the world.

  “Are we putting the other dragon shifters in danger by visiting them?” Shannon asked Jason.

  He lifted his head and looked around. “I don’t see how. I don’t think you’re being followed. No one is spying on you, so who is to know?”

  “We made sure we weren’t followed when we traveled to Bear Creek. I paid in cash. I even used a false name.” She was certain she’d covered their tracks if the hunters came looking for them.

  “So you’re not named Shannon?” Jason asked.

  “Shannon is my real name. I used my mother’s maiden name.” Perhaps she should have used a completely random made-up name, but she didn’t expect the hunters to come to Bear Creek. Not when they were following her father halfway around the world on a wild goose chase.

  “And my name is Lorcan.” Lorcan rolled his eyes. “Who would come up with a false name like that?”

  “Hey, it’s the name your mother gave you.” Shannon did sympathize with her son. He’d gone through the first years of school life with his peers teasing him over his name. Maybe it was one of the reasons he’d always felt like an outsider. Although, perhaps it was that he truly was an outsider.

  Lorcan didn’t answer as he walked past his mom and made his way down the trail to the truck. Jason gave her a supportive smile before he followed Lorcan. Shannon held back, needing a moment or two alone as the mountains and the world beyond came crowding in on her.

  If what Jason said was true, they were about to go and visit dragon shifters. What if they tried to take Lorcan from her? What if Lorcan decided he would rather be raised by his own kind?

  Letitia had entrusted her son to Shannon’s care, but Lorcan had been a child with no say on the matter. Now he was a teenager on the verge of becoming a powerful shifter. What if he no longer felt an affinity to the normal, everyday woman who had raised him?

  Then there was this whole mates thing with Jason...

  Standing on the mountainside, Shannon suddenly felt very small and insignificant. Yet as she watched her son walk down the trail, his arms swinging at his sides, a fierce need to protect him swept over her. Taking a step forward, she marched down the trail, hurrying to catch up with her son, her temporary moment of panic gone.

  Lorcan might be a dragon shifter but he would always be first and foremost her son. And no one would change that. Not even a dragon.

  Chapter Eleven – Jason

  “So these dragon shifters live in secret in Bear Creek?” Shannon asked as Jason steered the truck up the winding road that led to Fiona’s house.

  “Yes. A few people know about them but only their closest friends.” He glanced sideways at his mate. “It’ll be fine.”

  “You mean I don’t have to worry that they’ll burn me alive if they decide I’m not trustworthy?” Shannon curled her hair around her finger nervously.

  “You’ve raised a child that wasn’t your own and kept his secret. I don’t think they have to worry about trusting you.” Jason turned the steering wheel and drove around a tight bend. When he straightened the truck, the road opened up revealing a house that had been extended and enlarged over recent years. “Welcome to the dragons’ lair.”

  “Not the most comforting of phrases.” Shannon turned away from Jason, her troubled gaze resting on Lorcan. “Ready?”

  “Sure.” He didn’t sound too certain.

  “If you’re not, we can always just turn around and go back down the mountain.” Shannon’s voice held more than a hint of hope.

  “No. I want to meet them.” He nodded and opened the truck door. He hesitated for a single moment before he slipped out of the truck and landed on the ground. Taking a step forward, he shut the truck door before straightening his back, his stance strong and confident, but thankfully not challenging,

  “It’ll be okay,” Jason assured his mate.

  We hope, his bear said unhelpfully. Fiona might not take kindly to you bringing Lorcan to her house if there are hunters out there looking for them.

  What else are we supposed to do? Jason asked, although guilt crept into his mind and took a firm hold of him. What if history repeated itself and brought death and destruction down on the dragons? By bringing Lorcan here, Jason was asking the dragons to put themselves in danger. And that could end in disaster.

  “Jason?” The front door of the dragons’ lair, which looked like any other house nestled into the mountain slopes, swung open and Fiona stood in the doorway, her eyes fixed on Lorcan. “What can I do for you?”

  “We need your help.” Jason held his hand out toward Lorcan. “Specifically, Lorcan needs your help.”

  “Does he?” Fiona’s eyes narrowed as she stepped onto the wraparound porch and stalked across the freshly painted wood. “And why do you think I can help him?”

  “He’s a dragon shifter.” There was no point in trying to hide it. Fiona already knew the boy was a dragon shifter. Her senses were more acute than any other shifter Jason knew. Perhaps that was why she’d stayed alive and undiscovered for so long.

  “So he is.” Her skin shimmered as she walked slowly down the porch steps toward them. She bristled with a mixture of excitement and curiosity. Each step she took, her powerful personality seemed to bear down on them as if she could crush them with just a look from
her gleaming green eyes.

  He’d never seen her like this. She was mesmerizing and magnificent.

  And terrifying, his bear added.

  Lorcan’s nostrils flared and his dragon writhed beneath his skin as if about to burst out, but then backed off under the stern gaze of Fiona. His sense of self-preservation overpowered his youthful need to prove himself. “You’re a dragon shifter, too?”

  Fiona inclined her head. “Did Jason tell you that or can you sense me?”

  “I can sense you.” Lorcan’s face flushed with excitement. “I can feel your presence.” He held up his hands. “I can’t explain it.”

  “Don’t even try.” Fiona stopped ten paces away from Lorcan and stared at him. “Where did you come from?” Her head swiveled around, and her green-glowing eyes rested on Shannon. “You’re his mother?”

  Shannon shook her head although it cost her a lot. “Not his biological mother. I met her… I met Letitia when she was pregnant. When she got sick, she asked me to adopt Lorcan and look after him. I don’t know who his father is. Letitia said he died before Lorcan was born.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. Any knowledge of dragon shifters is more precious than my most valuable gems.” Fiona stepped backward and held out her arm. “We should go inside.” She looked up, her eyes scanning the surrounding area as if expecting an ambush.

  “I wouldn’t have brought them to you if I didn’t think it was safe,” Jason told Fiona.

  “I know, but we can’t be too careful.” Her lips were a thin line of worry as she backtracked toward the house and ushered them inside. “Prying eyes are everywhere.”

  Lorcan hurried forward and Shannon followed, a little reluctantly. Jason brought up the rear and took one last look around, sending his senses to their absolute limit before he stepped inside the house and shut the door behind him.

  “Coffee?” Fiona took them through to the kitchen where Harlan was seated at the table, a newspaper spread out before him. “We have visitors.”

  “So I see.” A tight smile spread across his face. “Come in and sit down.”