Jason - Silverback Redemption

by Raines, Harmony

  However, if it was anything like the need to protect her family, she could understand their willingness to fight for what was theirs.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine – Jason

  Jason had stood up for what he thought was right his whole life. He’d protected those who were too weak to protect themselves against bullies and tyrants of all shapes and sizes.

  But never a dragon shifter, his bear added.

  Nope, never a dragon shifter. Jason stood now between two dragon shifters, both in their human forms, both ready to fight for what they believed was theirs. Treasure.

  And stuck in the middle with him was his mate. The woman he intended to spend the rest of his life with.

  Which meant this had to stop right now.

  The two dragon shifters didn’t break eye contact as he told them to stop. Instead, they stared at each other, the air filled with static electricity as they both hovered on the verge of shifting.

  The treasure, his bear said. They both want their treasure. Maybe threatening to bring the tunnel down so they can’t access it might be a wise move.

  So, we’re back to sacrificing ourselves once more. Jason gave a humorless laugh.

  I don’t intend for us to be on the wrong side of the cave-in, his bear replied.

  If we block that tunnel, whichever side we’re on will be the wrong side, Jason told him.

  You have a point. His bear grumbled and gnashed his teeth, longing to come forth and slap these two dragon shifters around the head and tell them to rein it in.

  That would not exactly be leading by example, would it? Jason asked.

  No, but it would sure feel good. His bear chuckled, despite their desperate position.

  “You’ve come for your treasure,” Lorcan let his hands drop to his sides and uncurled his fists.

  The dragon shifter tilted his head to one side and studied the young man. “You know it’s not your treasure in that cave.” He jabbed a finger in the direction of the concealed entrance.

  “I know some of the treasure doesn’t belong to me.” He held up the ring Nigel had found on the ground. “There’s a bracelet and necklace that match this. Which I presume is yours.”

  Lorcan tossed the ring at the dragon shifter, whose eyes lit up as he reached out and caught the ring in mid-air. A shiver of excitement coursed through him. “You have no idea how hard it was to give up the only piece of my treasure I’ve had for decades.”

  “Why is your treasure mixed up with Lorcan’s?” Shannon asked as the situation seemed to calm a little.

  “Lorcan’s father. Lomax.” The dragon shifter’s lip curled up as he spoke the name. “He took my treasure.” A shudder passed through the shifter. “And to take another dragon’s treasure is a debt that can only be paid with blood.”

  “Why did he take it?” Jason asked. “Why take it and then store it in a cave with his own?”

  “So that I would be driven mad with loss and die, leaving him free to add it to his own.” The dragon shifter gnashed his teeth, his eyes wild. “Or maybe he wanted to pass it on to the child his mate carried in her womb.”

  “So you don’t know why he took it?” Shannon asked. “Is it possible he took it for safekeeping? That he hid it away so it couldn’t have been stolen?”

  “I don’t know. He died before he ever told me why he took it or where it was hidden.” His bottom lip curled up. “When I heard he’d died but his mate carried a child, I knew the only way to get it back was to wait until the boy came of age and could sense his treasure. I was certain his father would have left him a clue as to where it was. And here you are as proof.”

  “He did leave a clue with my mother,” Lorcan replied. “But I don’t think she really knew what the clue meant. She died before I ever got to know her.”

  “I am sorry for your loss.” The dragon shifter lowered his head in respect.

  “Lorcan didn’t know anything about being a dragon shifter until we came to Bear Creek. We didn’t know anything about the treasure,” Shannon said. “It was only when we arrived in town that Lorcan could sense his treasure.”

  “I was so focused on following my ring, the only part of my treasure I had left, that I did not sense the rest until I met you at the sawmill.” The shifter shook his head as if trying to shake water out of his ear. “Now, the sound of my treasure calling to me is so loud in my head, I can hardly think.”

  “Then let’s reunite you with your treasure,” Lorcan suggested. He held out his hand to the dragon shifter. “I’m Lorcan, son of Lomax and Letitia, and this is my mom, Shannon.”

  “Who is also my mate,” Jason added with a meaningful glare.

  The dragon shifter burst out laughing. “You are a fierce one, bear shifter. You would even take on a dragon to protect your mate. But do not worry, I would not come between a bear and his mate.”

  “Good.” Shannon stepped forward. “And that goes for between a mother and her son and her father.” She jabbed her finger at the dragon shifter as he shook Lorcan’s hand.

  “I’m sorry I came to your house, but I was desperate. I was afraid Lorcan might want all the treasure for himself.” He bowed his head. “I am Kelos.”

  “Well, Kelos,” Shannon huffed. “We’d better go and dig out this tunnel, again, and get you your treasure. The rest of us would like to get on with our lives.”

  “You know, Kelos. Out of everyone here, my daughter is probably the fiercest,” Nigel told the dragon shifter as they walked to the cave. “You should think twice before you threaten a child again.”

  “I hope to never threaten a child, or anyone else, again.” He paused on the threshold of the cave. “There were times I lost faith. Times I couldn’t hold onto the belief that I would ever find my treasure. I thought it was lost forever.”

  “Well, I hope you can channel some of that relief into clearing the tunnel at the back of the cave,” Jason told Kelos as he grabbed the flashlight out of his pack and shone the light around the cave.

  “It’s through there?” Kelos asked as he strode across the cave floor, dodging any rocks and boulders in his way.

  “Yes,” Lorcan answered as he followed Kelos. “Although, I don’t know how we are going to tell which is your treasure and which is mine.”

  Kelos looked over his shoulder at Lorcan as he reached the blocked tunnel. The other Silverback Saviors had done a good job of filling it in, but Jason suspected it wouldn’t take long to dig it back out. “We pick each piece up and make a pile for you and a pile for me.”

  “Each piece?” Shannon asked. “There is a lot of treasure in the cave beyond this one.”

  “And I have dreamed of holding each piece in my hand every night as I go to sleep,” Kelos said wistfully.

  “Well, today your dream will come true,” Jason told the dragon shifter. He shot a smile at Shannon who covered her mouth with her hand as she stifled a laugh.

  “Just as your dreams came true when you met your mate,” Kelos said, his voice as wistful as when he spoke of his treasure.

  “You never met your mate, Kelos?” Jason asked.

  “No, she has eluded me.” He shook his head before he inhaled deeply and said, “So, my treasure…” He rubbed his hands together and began to pull out the stones that had been piled up in the tunnel entrance.

  “My father filled this tunnel in completely,” Lorcan said as he helped Kelos. “He brought the stone in from outside to fill it. I think he was trying to hide the treasure and keep it safe.”

  “Safe from whom?” Kelos asked, the implication clear.

  “Maybe he really was trying to keep your treasure safe.” Lorcan swallowed hard. “Do you know how he…died?”

  Kelos stopped working for a moment and turned to face the boy. “I heard he died protecting a mother and her unborn child from thieves.”

  “So he died a hero?” Lorcan’s eyes lit up in hope his father was a good man after all.

  Kelos nodded. “Your father was a hero.” His jaw tightened as he looked at the boy.
“And he would have been so very proud of you, my friend.”

  Lorcan sighed, his breath shuddering through his body. “I wish I’d known him.”

  “He was a good man.” Kelos furrowed his brow and then went back to digging.

  Whether Kelos spoke the truth about Lomax, Jason couldn’t say for sure, the dragon shifter was a difficult character to read. But whether it was the truth or a bending of the truth, it was what Lorcan needed to hear, perhaps what he’d wanted to hear his whole life.

  As the last of the rocks tumbled forward, the two dragon shifters scrambled over the rubble and disappeared into the darkness leaving Jason, Shannon and Nigel staring after them. Then, as suddenly as he’d disappeared, Lorcan was back. “Come on, Grandpa. I want to show you my treasure.”

  Nigel reached out for Lorcan’s hand and the young dragon shifter led him into the darkness.

  Jason pointed the beam of light into the tunnel. “Shall we?” He reached for his mate’s hand and she threaded her fingers through his.

  “Do you think Kelos was telling the truth about Lomax?” Shannon whispered.

  “Does it matter?” Jason asked. “All that’s left of Lomax is memories. For Lorcan, it is the truth. A truth I think he needed to hear.”

  “So you think Kelos is a good guy?” Shannon tugged at Jason’s hand and he stopped walking and turned to face her. The sides of the tunnel closed in on them and his bear urged him to keep moving and get out of the tight space.

  “We’ve seen how Lorcan behaves when he’s around his treasure. I’m sure Kelos has been driven halfway to crazy searching for it all of these years.” Jason leaned forward and kissed Shannon’s cheek. “I don’t think he meant any harm.”

  She leaned her head against his and sighed. “A threat was the easy option.”

  “If he thought Lomax had truly stolen his treasure then he had every reason to believe he might never get it back. Imagine if he met his mate and had no way to provide for them or no treasure to pass on to his children.” Jason’s mouth tugged up at one corner. “I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt, judge him on his behavior now, rather than his past.”

  “A fresh start.” Shannon smiled up at him and cupped his face in her free hand. “For all of us.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything more in my whole life.” He laughed and shook his head. “With all this going on, I don’t think I’ve actually had time to process what’s happened.”

  “You have a mate.” She tilted her head to one side. “I hope that’s okay. Because I have gotten quite used to the idea of keeping you around.”

  “Oh, have you?” He leaned forward and kissed her lips. “And I’ve gotten very used to you being around.”

  “Good, because I’m not going anywhere. Bear Creek feels like home and I want Lorcan to grow up surrounded by people who understand him.” She looked up at the roof of the tunnel. “He belongs in these mountains.”

  “Mom!” Lorcan called out.

  “We should go.” She pecked Jason’s cheek and he had to summon all of his willpower not to turn away from the treasure cave and drag his mate off somewhere where they could be alone. Where he could show her just how much he had gotten used to having her around.

  “Ah, light!” Nigel said as Jason and Shannon reached them. “Now I can see the treasure.”

  “Who needs to see it?” Kelos asked as he picked up a piece of treasure and cradled it in his palm. “I can feel it.” He held up the gem to Lorcan. “This is mine.”

  Lorcan held out his hand and Kelos threw the gem to him. A big red ruby arced over the rest of the treasure pile and Lorcan caught it with ease.

  The young dragon shifter held it in his hand for a moment before he nodded and threw it back to Kelos. “It’s yours.” He bent down and picked up another jewel. “This is yours, too.”

  “This is the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen.” Nigel walked around the edge of the large piles of gold and jewels. “And this has been sitting here for years and no one knew?”

  “Yes. Lorcan sensed it when we came to town, but it took us days to actually pinpoint its location.” Shannon leaned into Jason. “Jason and his friends helped dig out the tunnel. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

  Lorcan stopped picking up his treasure and crossed the cave to his mom. “I’d like to do something for them. To say thank you.”

  “I’m sure we can think of something,” Jason said. “But honestly, they will just be happy that things worked out okay for you and your mom.”

  “I could give them some of my treasure,” Lorcan suggested.

  “You know what they would probably like?” Jason asked.

  Lorcan looked down at the gold bracelet in his hand. “This?”

  “No.” Jason laughed and shook his head. “One thing you will have to learn, young dragon shifter,” Jason said as he slipped his arm around Lorcan’s shoulder, “is that gold and jewels are not the most important thing in the world.”

  “Really?” Kelos asked, but there was a hint of humor in his voice.

  “Really.” Shannon shot him a reproving look but Kelos was already staring at the pile of gold and jewels once more, the other people in the cave forgotten to him.

  “Family. That’s what’s important,” Lorcan said as he hugged his mom. “Thank you.”

  “You are welcome.” She let go of Jason and hugged her son tightly. “And thank you. For coming into my life and teaching me what it’s like to be a mom. You are the most precious gift anyone could ever have.”

  “Family is important,” Jason agreed. “But also it’s important to live your life. To enjoy new experiences and push yourself to be better and do better. Not just for you but for those around you, those who might not be as lucky as you.” He waved his hand at the treasure. “This is something most people will never see in their lifetime, let alone own. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be every bit as happy. Life is about building experiences that you can look back on and smile about.”

  “I understand,” Lorcan said. “I’m still the same person I was before I found this treasure. I want to move it to Harlan’s vault and then I want to go back to being me.”

  “You would abandon your dragon wings?” Kelos asked.

  “Not abandon. I’ll fly over the mountains, but I want to enjoy my life. Our new life, here in Bear Creek.” He looked up at his mom. “This is where we’re staying, right? Because I don’t think a bear belongs anywhere other than in the mountains.” He turned his attention to Jason. “Do you have something for my mom?”

  “Do I?” Jason frowned. “Oh, yes, I do.” He plunged his hand in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Opening it up, he inserted his finger inside and hooked it around the ring Lorcan had given him.

  “What’s this?” Shannon asked, her eyes flicking back and forth between her son and her mate.

  “This is me proposing.” Jason dropped to one knee and took hold of Shannon’s hand. “Shannon, will you do me the greatest honor and agree to be my wife?”

  “I will.” Her eyes filled with tears as he slid the ring onto her finger. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Lorcan chose it. He gave it to me. Thankfully, it was his to give,” Jason said.

  “I would have let you keep it even if it was not,” Kelos told them. He’d left his treasure hunt and joined the others. “Congratulations.” He kissed Shannon on the cheek and Jason had to hold onto his bear to stop him from leaping out and batting the dragon shifter away from his bride-to-be.

  “Congratulations, Shannon.” Nigel hugged his daughter tightly. “Your mother would be so proud of the woman you have grown into.”

  “I wish she was here,” Shannon said.

  “They are all with us,” Kelos said, his hand over his heart. “They might not be here in body, but they are always with you in spirit.”

  “They are,” Shannon agreed as she took Jason’s hand. “All of the people from our past live on in our memories.”

  “They
do.” Jason nodded and thought of all the people he’d known throughout his life. Some were people he’d lost, some who were still his friends even to this day.

  “And we should honor them by living the best life we can,” Nigel said. “But we will never forget them.”

  “Will you walk me down the aisle, Dad?” Shannon asked.

  “It would be my honor,” Nigel answered. “I couldn’t ask for a better man to give you away to.”

  “Hey, you’re not giving me away,” Shannon replied.

  “Yes, he is,” Kelos said mischievously. “In some of the places I’ve visited, your father would expect at least four camels and maybe a couple of donkeys for his daughter’s hand in marriage. But your father is giving you away for free.”

  “You do know we could’ve just taken all of your treasure,” Shannon said in response.

  “I take it back,” Kelos bowed his head.

  “Thank you,” Shannon answered.

  “With a tongue like that I suspect your father might only get three camels and a couple of donkeys.” Kelos backed away laughing as Shannon’s expression clouded. “It was a joke.” He bent down and picked up a diamond encrusted tiara. “Mine.”

  Lorcan stalked over to Kelos, his expression unreadable as he reached out and touched the tiara. “Yours.”

  Kelos moved fast, in a blink of an eye he was by Shannon’s side. “My joke was in bad taste. The events of the day have left my sense of politeness and good taste elsewhere. So, please accept this as an early wedding gift from a grateful dragon.”

  “Kelos, you don’t have to give me anything,” Shannon replied. “I’m not offended.”

  “You have a generous spirit and a good heart.” He offered her the tiara once more. “I’d like you to have it. Lomax was my friend and I am grateful to you for raising his son.”

  “Thank you.” Shannon accepted the gift. The light from the flashlight reflected off the tears in her eyes. “But I think that Lomax and Letitia have already given me the best gift ever.”

  Lorcan went to his mom and hugged her tight. His life could have been so very different if his mother and father had raised him. So too could Jason’s. However, circumstances had led them all here to this moment in time when a bear shifter finally won the hand of his mate and two dragon shifters claimed their treasure. Even if it was one item at a time.