As it did, the bear dropped back down onto all fours and looked back over its shoulder at Daniella. For a split second, she thought she swapped one predator for another and readied herself to take the leap once again. But the bear growled, turned away from her and started to walk off. To her left, Daniella saw Jett and the dogs make their way up the hill. He stopped in place when he saw the bear and aimed the shotgun at it.
“Jett, no!” Daniella screamed. “Don’t… it saved me. Let it go!”
The bear looked in Jett’s direction and roared. The dogs barked at the immense animal but nothing more. After several tense moments, Jett lowered the weapon and the bear continued into the trees until it disappeared from sight just as the mountain lion had. As it did, Jett ran the rest of the way back up to where Daniella stood.
“Jesus, are you okay?” He said as he arrived and hugged her.
“Yes, I think so.”
“What happened?”
As they walked down from the ledge and back onto the trail, Daniella recounted the events of the past few minutes.
“Daniella,” Jett began. “Owen told us not to wander off without the dogs or the gun. What were you thinking?”
“I don’t know. I wound up over here somehow, I’m sorry.”
“Hmm, it’s alright, I guess. Are you hurt at all?”
“No, I don’t think so.” She said.
“Okay, let’s get back to the house.”
Max and Amigo ran along ahead of them as they followed the trail back to the cabin. Daniella’s hands continued to shake as she walked, the adrenaline fresh in her veins. As they entered the house, Owen emerged from his bedroom.
“Taking a walk?” He asked.
“Uh, hardly…” Daniella replied. Jett helped her to sit down on the couch in the living room.
He turned back to Owen and said, “Mountain lion got after her. I went running towards them with the dogs. By the time I reached her, a bear chased it off.”
“A bear?” Owen said. “Did you…?”
“No, I didn’t have to shoot it.” He replied. “It wandered off in the same direction as the mountain lion.”
Owen looked at Daniella. “Well, I suppose you learned your lesson, didn’t you?”
Daniella nodded. She exhaled a deep breath and replied, “Yeah and not one I ever want to learn again.”
“See to it then,” Owen replied. “You can’t go through life expecting to be rescued. You know?”
“Yes,” she said. “I’m sorry about that. I’ll never put myself in that situation again.”
Owen nodded. “Well then,” he said. “I’ll get supper going. You two make yourselves comfortable.”
Over the next hour Daniella’s nerves started to settle. That was the closest thing she’d ever had to a near death experience and she had no desire to ever repeat it. As Owen prepared their meal he told them stories about the near misses he had over the years. Daniella wasn’t sure if he did it to make her feel better or not but it did.
***
“So Owen,” Jett began as they ate dinner a couple of hours later. “How is it that you know my folks?”
“Knew ‘em from when we both lived in Fesser’s Grove,” he replied. “Long time ago… We were a close bunch back then.” He said as his voice drifted off.
Daniella and Jett exchanged glances across the table.
“We?” Jett asked. “You… and my folks?”
“Yes,” Owen said. “Kane, too.”
“Kane?” Jett replied. “I don’t remember my parents talking about anyone named Kane before to me.”
“No, I don’t suppose you would.” Owen replied. “That was for the best. At least it was then.”
Jett swallowed another mouthful of food. “What do you mean?”
“Hmm?” The old man replied. “Oh, it’s nothing. By the way, I was sorry to hear about their boy, Wyatt. Terrible thing that.”
Daniella reached over and rubbed Jett’s shoulder.
Jett smiled at her and said, “Thanks Owen. Losing anyone is never easy but losing my brother, well, anyway thanks.”
Owen looked at Jett. “Your brother?” He said. “They didn’t tell you, did they boy?”
“Tell me? Tell me what?” Jett replied. “What are you talking about?”
The old man’s spoon clanked against the empty bowl. He stood from the table and started to head back into the kitchen. Before he did, he turned to Jett.
“Wyatt…” he said as he picked a bit of food from between his teeth, “wasn’t your brother.”
Jett laughed. “What? You’re crazy old man.”
Owen walked away from him. “Might be. Plenty of folks would agree with you around here about that. Even so, you ain’t got a blood brother and that’s a fact.”
Jett shot to his feet. “You’re wrong!” He exclaimed. “My parents adopted both of us when we were young. We were infants… from Fesser’s Grove.”
Owen placed his bowl down on the kitchen counter and turned back to Jett. “Half true.”
“What?” Jett scoffed. “You aren’t making any sense at all.”
Owen looked at Jett and chuckled. He rubbed his hands together and walked past them towards the far side of the room. As he did, Jett challenged the old man’s earlier statement.
“What proof do you have anyway?” Jett demanded.
Owen didn’t reply. Instead he seemed preoccupied with the contents of a box on the floor.
Jett grew impatient. “Hey, hello?” He said. “I am talking to you… If you are going to say things like that about me and my family, don’t you think you need to be able to back it up?”
Owen remained unresponsive and focused on his task.
Daniella sensed Jett’s budding disgust. “Jett, please, don’t…”
“Don’t what Daniella?” Jett snapped. “I’m not gonna sit here and let him say shit like that to me.”
As Jett’s emotional state flared further, Owen started to hum while he scoured the contents of yet another box.
“You know what? Fuck this.” Jett said as he stood from the table. “What the hell am I doing here? Come on, Daniella, let’s get out of here. I don’t need his help.”
“Jett, wait…” Daniella said.
“Big mistake boy…” Owen replied with his back towards them.
“Why is it a big mistake?” Jett said as he waived his hands dismissively in Owen’s direction. “Why the hell am I listening to you anyway? This is bullshit. We need to go, now, Daniella. I have to find out who killed my brother and end this whole thing. I don’t why my folks sent me here but it’s a huge waste of time.”
The old man grabbed a thick photo album from the box. As he stood he said, “You discovered something about yourself, didn’t you?”
“Huh? What you are you talking about now?” Jett said.
The old man turned back towards them. His once warm blue eyes seemed dark, almost black… and ominous. He clutched the photo album in his hand and started to walk towards them.
“You…” He said as he stared at Jett. “You’ve got a secret… don’t you son?” As he finished, he walked right up to Jett and stopped a few inches from his face. Daniella’s eyes widened as she looked on in disbelief. The thick tension in the air set her hair on end.
“Get out my face you crazy old coot.” Jett said. “You may be my elder but if you don’t back off, I’ll lay you out.”
Without breaking eye contact, the old man tossed the dusty photo album on the table.
“Do it.” Owen said.
“What?” Jett scoffed. “I would kill you.”
“And I’m right here telling you to do it.” Owen replied. A smirk came to his face. “Unless… you don’t have it in you.”
“Don’t have it in me?” Jett replied. A split second later, a smile broke across Jett’s face and almost as quick, the smile turned it into unbridled laughter. “You’re insane…”
But no sooner had Jett begun to roar in delight than the old man moved at him in a b
lur. In less than a second, he snatched Jett by the throat and crushed him against a nearby wall. The movement was so fast and violent that Daniella had no time to think, let alone react. The next thing she knew, she turned to see Owen held Jett a foot off the ground.
Around Jett’s neck was an immense brown bear paw. Three inch long claws hovered about his exposed flesh. Daniella recoiled in disbelief as Jett dangled helpless less than five feet away. Jett flailed against the power of the old man yet every movement he made only tightened the grip upon him. As Jett gagged for air, Owen cocked his head to one side. His eyelids drew narrow as he held a man one third his age and twice his size off the floor with ease.
Daniella couldn’t speak.
“You think this is some kind of joke, boy? A game?” He said as he choked Jett even harder.
Jett gasped for breath but couldn’t reply.
“If you do, it’s best you leave here now.” He released his grip and Jett hit the floor with a heavy thud. Outside on the porch, Max and Amigo yelped at the sudden commotion. As Jett writhed in place, he choked and gagged. Daniella scrambled to her feet to help him.
“No!” Owen yelled in her direction. “You leave him be and sit back down.”
Daniella froze in her tracks, unsure of what to do.
The old man glared at her. “I told you… to sit. This does not concern you. I’ve already had my fill of looking after your human hide once today. Now do as you’re told.”
“What do you mean… looking after me?” Daniella said.
The old man scoffed at her question. “You suppose a mountain lion would have just let you run off? Now I said… Sit. Down!”
Daniella’s knees nearly buckled at the implication. As she collapsed into the chair, Owen turned his attention to Jett who’d recovered enough to get back to his knees.
“No one from the clan needs to watch you die, boy.” Owen said as he looked down at Jett. “But die you will if you don’t do exactly as I say. You got that?”
***
Confused, Jett looked up at Owen and said, “Clan? What?”
“That’s right,” Owen replied. “Your bear clan…”
“So you’re…” Jett uttered.
“What? Like you?” Owen said as he looked down over him. “Is that what you were about to ask?”
Jett nodded as Daniella looked on in utter confusion.
“Yes, in a manner of speaking.” He replied. “And I’m not the only one.”
“What? I’m so confused.” Jett replied.
“Come on,” Owen said to Jett as he snapped his fingers in his direction. “Get up. I’ll explain everything.”
He helped Jett to his feet and they gathered around the table. As they sat, surreal sensations overcame Daniella. In some way, she’d managed to acclimate herself to the notion Jett was, well, whatever he was but now to think there was another and maybe many, many more… her vision blurred at the idea of it. The change in her condition did not go unnoticed by Jett.
“Daniella?” He said. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” she muttered. “I guess. It’s just a lot to take in all at once.”
Without taking his eyes off the photo album, Owen replied, “Never easy for humans. At least not in the beginning. The idea of us that is…” He looked up over the book in Daniella’s direction. “Better get her a glass of water.”
Jett nodded, stood up and walked over to the kitchen to get her a drink. As he returned to the table, he handed the water to Daniella.
“What do you mean by us, Owen?” He said.
As Daniella took a sip from the glass, she looked in the old man’s direction and awaited an explanation.
“Ah!” Owen exclaimed. “Here’s the one I wanted.” He rotated the album back around towards Daniella and Jett and pointed to a photograph of a small group of people. Still in a state of semi-shock, Daniella could only listen as Jett leaned in over the photo for a closer look.
“Recognize anyone in that picture, boy?” Owen asked.
Jett studied the photo for a moment or two and said, “Yeah, my mom and dad are standing next to each other at the far left.”
“Nope,” Owen said as he shook his head. “Your mother and father are at the opposite end.”
“Wait, you mean my birth parents?” Jett asked. “I thought they died.”
“Yes, they did.” Owen replied. “That’s a picture of them together before your birth.”
Curious, Daniella leaned in to get a better look. “Is that you, Owen? In the middle?” She asked.
“Yep.”
“Who’s next to you?” Jett asked.
“Kane…” Owen replied as he leaned away from the book and slumped in his chair.
Jett looked at Owen and said, “Who’s he?”
“He…” Owen began. “Is the man responsible for Wyatt’s death. He is also the one who…”
“What!” Jett interrupted as he leapt to his feet in utter rage. “Where is he now? I’ll kill the fucker in his sleep!”
Owen looked at Jett and laughed. “Sit back down, boy.” He said. “You are in no position to deal with Kane.”
“What are you talking about?” Jett replied. “He’s an old man by now, like you!”
“That’s right,” Owen snapped. “And you saw what this old man in front of you was capable of, didn’t you?”
Jett’s aggressive posture eased as Owen spoke.
“Now I want you to imagine a foe with ten times the strength and no moral limitations on how to wield that power.” Owen said. “That, is the adversary you will face in Kane. Now, pay attention.”
Jett stood in a stoic pose for a second or two longer and then sat back down.
After the three of them remained silent for several seconds, Daniella pointed at the picture once again and said, “These people… The ones you say are Jett’s real parents. What happened to them?”
Owen shook his head. “Damn shame, that. All of it.”
“What do you mean?” Jett asked.
“Well, your father and Kane were once very close. I should know, we all grew up together.” Owen replied as he rubbed his chin. He pulled the picture out of the book and looked at it for a moment.
“Life in the clan back then was simple.” He continued. “You mated with another shifter, had some offspring and lived to a ripe old age. And in the beginning, that’s the way life seemed like it would go for all of us as well.”
“What happened?” Jett asked.
“Well, clanfolk usually kept to themselves…” Owen began. “We lived on the outskirts of town, educated our own and never looked to bother no one. But times change and we had to adapt.”
“What do you mean?” Daniella asked. “You had to interact with humans more often?”
“Exactly,” Owen said. “About thirty years back, the clan relocated to Fesser’s Grove and for a long time, even that was fine. We all had our mates by then and things were still going well in spite of all the changes. And then, one day, your father’s mate died. Tragic thing that. Out of the blue. No one could figure out why. In any case, your father was alone.”
“That’s so sad…” Daniella said as she clasped Jett’s hand and squeezed it.
Owen nodded. “Yes. I felt bad for my friend. He slipped into depression for a long time afterward.”
“Well, what happened?” Daniella asked. “I mean, obviously he met someone because Jett is here.”
Owen leaned away from the table again. “Oh yes, there were plenty of available females in the clan interested in a strong, young bear like your father.” Owen said. “But him? After he lost his mate, he seemed to lose all interest in females. That is, until he met your mother, boy.”
“I don’t understand,” Jett said. “My mother wasn’t part of the clan?”
“Nooo, no she wasn’t.” Owen chuckled with a sarcastic tone.
“Well, if she wasn’t part of the clan then that means…” Jett said.
“Your mother was human.” Owen interrupted. “Not a dro
p of shifter blood in her veins.”
“Humans and shifters can have offspring? How can that be?” Daniella asked.
“They can’t…” Owen said.
“What do you mean?” Jett asked. “I’m here. I’m proof it can be done.”
“Yes, you are here, Jett.” Owen said with a hint of melancholy in his voice. “Angelique, your mother, isn’t…” He leaned back in his chair and looked at Jett in silence for several seconds. “She died giving birth to you, boy. You aren’t supposed to exist.”
“What?” Jett replied. “I… I don’t even know what to say. Is that really true?”
“Afraid so son…” Owen replied. “Your mother was an incredible person, strong. She knew what carrying you to term would mean for her. Everyone in the clan did but I never saw anything but a smile on her face. Bravery like that, I’d never encountered the likes of it.”
Jett leaned over the table and placed his head in his hands. Owen stood and walked over to Jett. He placed his large palm on Jett’s shoulder. In a rare display of empathy he said, “I know it’s a lot to think about but there’s more you need to know, about your father, Dylan.”
Jett sighed and looked up at Owen. “Fine,” he replied. “Let’s just get it over with.”
Owen nodded and said, “Even though every shifter in the clan knew mating with non-shifters was a death sentence for the human, we all accepted Angelique. There was only one who didn’t…”
“Kane?” Daniella replied.
“Yes,” Owen said. “And it wasn’t long after your mother passed that…”
“What?” Jett said.
“Well, let’s just say to this day, Kane’s account of your father’s death is regarded with suspicion by most…”
“What do you mean by suspicion?” Jett said. “What happened?”
“No one knows for certain.” Owen replied. “But one thing is for sure and that’s the only one who returned from their hunting trip alive was Kane.”
“Did he?” Daniella asked.
“What?” Owen replied. “Kill Dylan?”
Daniella nodded.
“I think so…” He replied with an exhale. Owen looked at Jett as he spoke, “No proof of it though. Your father was an excellent hunter, the best in the clan and much better than Kane. In the clan, the ability to hunt is second only to the ability to fight. Your father was exceptional. Gifted beyond measure at both. Everyone knew it.”
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