“Calm down,” Bren said.
His father’s face went a new blood-pressure-spiking shade of red. “You did not just tell me to calm down.”
“I know you’re upset, but yelling at Tyler isn’t –”
“Shut up!” His father was nearly apoplectic with rage. “You will shut up and listen to what I have to say for once in your goddamn life, Bren!”
“Fine,” Bren spat. “Say what you need to say. Tyler, go to your room and pack a suitcase.”
“No!” his father shouted. “He stays right here. You know, I expected this type of shit behaviour from you, Bren. You’ve spent your entire life pushing back against me, defying every rule I ever gave you. I knew that bitch in your apartment was a shifter, the second I saw her. You’ll do anything to poke at me, to make me look like an idiot, and to get under my skin. Even if it means you have to fuck a shifter.”
He laughed bitterly. “But getting a goddamn dragon to fuck you just to stick it to me? Brilliant, you asshole.”
“It has nothing to do with you,” Bren said. “I don’t know how many ways I can say this – but I don’t think of you at all. None of the decisions I make in my life ever take you into consideration.”
“That’s pretty fucking obvious,” Robert said.
“You haven’t earned that consideration,” Bren said.
“You don’t care about anyone but yourself,” his father said.
“You’re wrong,” Bren said. “I care about Tyler and -”
His father’s gaze swung to Tyler the moment Bren said his name. “You know, I might have expected this from Bren, he’s been a disappointment his entire life, but you?” Robert shook his head. “I had dreams for you, Tyler. Dreams that you fucking destroyed because you’re as selfish as your brother. It’s bad enough that the entire goddamn city knows my son is sticking his dick in another man’s asshole, but a shifter? You’ve ruined my career. Is that what you wanted? To destroy the one thing I loved?”
Fresh tears spilled down Tyler’s cheeks. “Dad, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean -”
“It’s too late for apologies,” his father said. “You’re sick in the head, Tyler. You need help. What you’re doing isn’t normal. Do you understand that?”
Tyler staggered back, his face the colour of old porridge. His own anger a fiery inferno raging through him, Bren stomped forward and shoved his father up against the island. He grabbed him by the collar, shaking him roughly and snarling, “Shut the fuck up!”
“Bren, don’t!” Tyler shouted.
“Don’t you say another fucking word,” Bren said to his father. His hands still fisted in Robert’s collar, he said, “Tyler, go and pack a suitcase. Right now.”
“Bren…”
“Go, Tyler. Now.”
He could barely hear his younger brother’s footsteps fading down the hallway over the blood pounding in his ears.
“Let go of me.”
For the first time in his life, Bren heard fear in his father’s voice. He released him, stepping back and taking a deep breath as Robert straightened his shirt. “How dare you speak to me that way. I am still your father and -”
“I said, shut the fuck up,” Bren’s voice was low and deliberate. “You’re going to keep your mouth shut and listen to what I have to say. If you don’t, I will handcuff you to the chair and gag you with a fucking towel.”
His father took a step back. “You’ve lost your mind.”
“Do you have any idea the impact your words have on Tyler?”
“He’s sick!” his father snapped. “He’s sick and he needs help.”
“No, he doesn’t!” Bren roared. “He is a perfectly normal teenage boy who was just outed in front of the whole goddamn world! He needs our support and our love right now, not accusations that he’s sick or that he’s ruined your career. For once in your miserable life, can you look past your own needs and do the right thing? Tyler needs you. He needs you to step up to the plate as a goddamn father and support him. Tell this fucking city and the rest of the world, that you love him and support him and his choices, no matter what that does to your career. He needs you, Dad. Don’t let him down like you let me and Mom down.”
His father shook his head. “I haven’t let anyone down. You think I’m a terrible father, but maybe I’m just not willing to settle for anything less than the best from my children. It isn’t my fault you and Tyler are too weak to meet my expectations. I set the bar low for you and even lower for Tyler and both of you repeatedly disappoint me. You ask for support from me, but neither of you show an ounce of support or respect for what I’m trying to achieve.”
“Because you’re trying to suppress and control the paranormal,” Bren said. “You’re a racist and neither Tyler nor I will -”
“I am doing what’s best for us!” his father shouted. “The paranormal are a threat to our existence. You’re a cop! You see the harm they afflict on humans every day and you still want to give them the same basic rights as humans. How can you be so naive? So weak?”
“Believing everyone deserves equal treatment is not a weakness,” Bren said. “Tyler needs you. Can you be there for him or not?”
His father lifted his chin, the familiar stubborn look landing on his face. “I love you and your brother, but I will not accept nor support Tyler’s failings. Because I love him.”
“That isn’t love, Dad,” Bren said. “And if you think it is, then we have nothing left to say to each other.”
He turned around. Tyler was standing in the doorway, a small suitcase in one hand and his backpack flung over his shoulder. “Bren?”
“Let’s go, Tyler.”
He and Tyler headed toward the front door, his father trailing behind them. Tyler stopped with his hand on the doorknob when his father said, “If you leave now, don’t bother coming back. Either of you.”
Bren stared at the key in his hand before tossing it at his father’s feet. “Goodbye, Dad.”
* * *
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Bren.” Tyler swiped at the tears on his cheeks as Bren drove away from their father’s apartment.
“Buddy, stop. You have nothing to be sorry about,” Bren said. “You haven’t done anything wrong. Do you understand?”
“I’ve ruined Dad’s career,” Tyler whispered.
“No, you haven’t. He’ll figure out a way to spin this whole thing. He’ll come out smelling like a rose, just like he always does.”
“They kicked me and Corey out of school,” Tyler said. “The principal called us into the office and told us we needed to take the rest of the week off. Said that there were too many reporters at the school because of us. He made us leave. The reporters were everywhere.”
“Yeah, I saw,” Bren said grimly.
“This guy – he said his name was Davis and he was from the security firm you hired – got us to his car and he drove Corey home and then took me home. If it hadn’t been for him, Corey and I…”
“Trust me,” Bren reached across and squeezed Tyler’s leg, “your school will be getting a goddamn earful from me about how they handled this.”
“Dad doesn’t want me to come back home.” Tyler’s voice caught in his throat.
“You can live with me, Ty,” Bren said.
“But you’re dating Kaida and I don’t want to wreck that.”
Bren frowned at him. “You won’t. Kaida likes you a lot. And even if she didn’t, you are what matters to me. You will always come first, buddy.”
Tyler sniffed loudly before staring out the window. “What about the rest of my stuff?”
“Dad will go into the office tomorrow, I’m sure. While he’s gone, we’ll use your key to go back and get the rest of your things. Okay?”
“Okay. I’m sorry, Bren.”
“Again, you don’t need to be sorry. I’m sorry all of this is happening to you.”
Tyler’s phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket. He read the screen before looking up at Bren. “It’s Corey. His foster famil
y is really mad at him because he didn’t tell them he’s a shifter. He’s locked in his room and his foster dad is threatening to break down the door and kick his ass. We gotta help him.”
Bren flicked the switches that turned on the lights and the siren on his car and stepped on the gas. “Hold on, Tyler.”
* * *
Bren had barely hit the answer button on his steering wheel when Kaida’s voice, frantic with worry, filled the car. “Bren, where are you?”
“I’m with Corey and Tyler. We just picked up Corey from his foster home.”
“Are they okay?” Kaida asked.
“My dad kicked me out and Corey’s foster dad tried to kick his ass, but, yeah, we’re okay,” Tyler said.
“Oh, mostoirín,” Kaida’s voice turned grave. “I’m sorry.”
“Thanks,” Tyler said.
“Are you with your clan?” Bren asked.
“No, I’m still at your place. I fell back asleep after you left. I was getting ready to leave when Elora came by and told me what was going on.”
“Okay. I’m about ten minutes away. Sit tight, all right?”
“See you soon,” she said.
He disconnected the call and took a right, heading toward his place. He was tempted to turn his siren and lights on again, but instead took a few calming breaths and drove the speed limit.
“You should have arrested Corey’s foster dad,” Tyler said. “He tried to hurt him.”
“No,” Corey said before squeezing Tyler’s hand. “I didn’t want him arrested.”
Bren stared at him in the rear-view mirror. “As soon as we get to my place, we’ll get in touch with your social worker and let him know what happened. Okay?”
“Yeah, okay,” Corey said.
“Then what?” Tyler asked.
“Group home, probably,” Corey replied. “There aren’t many foster families that’ll take kids my age.”
“Bren,” Tyler stared worriedly at him. “He can stay with us, right?”
“We’ll talk to the social worker, buddy. He may have to go to a group home temporarily, but we’ll figure something out. I promise.”
“It’s fine,” Corey said. “You don’t have to take me in.”
“Corey -”
Corey squeezed Tyler’s hand. “I’m not your brother’s responsibility. Don’t worry about it, everything will be fine.”
They pulled into Bren’s parking spot and he shut the SUV off before opening the back hatch. Corey and Tyler grabbed their suitcases and backpacks and followed him across the parking lot toward his apartment building.
“Maybe we can ask them to let you temporarily stay with us until they find a foster home,” Tyler said. “Maybe -”
“Shit!” Bren stopped, holding his arms out. “Back, you guys. Back to the car.”
“What’s going on?” Tyler glanced up as a crowd of people darted out of the lobby of his building. “Are those…reporters?”
“Yes. Back to the car. Now!” Bren whipped around and then cursed angrily when he caught sight of the crowd running up behind them. In seconds, they were surrounded by a horde of reporters, all of them shoving microphones into their faces and shouting questions.
“Bren!” Kaida was fighting her way through the crowd of people toward them. There was a moment of perfect silence as the reporters realized who she was, before questions were screamed at them again.
“Bren!” Kaida hooked her arm around his waist as cameras flashed. The lights were blinding, and they covered their face with their arms.
“We need to go,” Bren said.
“How long have you been dating?” A woman, her long dark hair in a ponytail, thrust a microphone into Bren’s face. “Is your relationship with your father on the rocks because of this?”
Bren shoved the microphone away. “No comment. Excuse us, please. We have no comment. Let us pass.”
“Bren!” Tyler’s voice was scared. He and Corey had been surrounded by reporters and Bren could barely see him.
“Tyler!” he shouted.
The air was heating up and he turned toward Kaida. Her face was pale, and smoke was drifting from her nostrils as she glared at the humans surrounding them.
Shit. Any minute she was gonna flash fry them.
“Kaida!” He cupped her face, ignoring the flash of cameras going off around them, and made her look at him. “Honey, it’s okay. Don’t shift and don’t breathe fire.”
“Too close,” she growled out. “Too close to my mate.”
Her voice was the voice of her dragon and a shiver went down his spine. She was closer to losing control than he thought.
“I’m okay,” he said. “Don’t shift, honey.”
“Tell them to leave,” Kaida growled.
The woman standing closest to Kaida made a small squeal of panic and backed away when more smoke emerged from Kaida’s mouth. Bren didn’t think it was his imagination that Kaida’s body was getting bigger or that her skin was taking on a shimmery blue tinge.
“Kaida, don’t,” he said.
“Bren!” Tyler shouted. “Bren, help us!”
Fuck! His heart thumping against his sternum, Bren grabbed Kaida’s arm. It was like touching the side of a hot woodstove and he dropped her arm, shaking his hand out.
“Kaida, please, you need to -”
“MOVE!” The deep voice rang out, reminding Bren of ancient gods casting down fire and brimstone on unsuspecting humans.
The crowd of people froze, and the voice shouted again. “Get the fuck out of here! All of you!”
The man from Bishop’s birthday party – Bren searched his memory, Hudson, his name was Hudson and he was a polar bear shifter – was striding toward them. The very ground seemed to shake beneath his feet as he scowled menacingly at the reporters surrounding Tyler and Corey.
“Move,” his low voice was a deep growl, “before I make you move.”
The reporters backed away. From somewhere in the crowd, a camera flashed, and Hudson bared his teeth and let loose with an angry growl.
“You guys, swear to God, I’ll do my best to hold the big guy back, but he’s got a real short temper.” Ronin peered around Hudson’s big body. “I can’t be responsible for the bloodshed if you keep pissing him off.”
He stepped around Hudson and grinned at the reporters. “I know what you’re thinking. He’s Canadian, they’re super nice, they’re always polite, they’re too full of cheese and gravy to be angry. But that’s where you’re wrong.”
He leaned forward and said in a conspiratorial whisper to the reporters closest to him. “I’ve seen Big White rip the spine right out of a dude because he mocked his love of Canadian bacon.”
When the reporters stared silently at him, Ronin laughed and turned to Tyler and Corey. “Boys. It’s good to see you again. Staying out of trouble, I see. C’mon over here with me and the big guy.”
As Tyler and Corey moved toward Ronin and Hudson, there was another growl. Relief swept through Bren. Bishop, Mal close behind him, was pushing through the reporters that surrounded him and Kaida. Kaida was still vibrating beside him, smoke leaking out of her nostrils at an alarming rate and her eyes glowing brightly.
“Kaida.” Bishop pushed past him and took Kaida’s arm. If it burned his hand, he made no indication. “Kaida, look at me.”
She turned her gaze upward. “I will kill them all, my bear.”
“No, you won’t,” he said. “Control your dragon.”
“They’re too close to my mate. I must protect him.”
“He can protect himself,” Bishop said. “He’s strong for a human, remember?”
She turned her gaze toward Bren, and he smiled reassuringly despite the way his skin prickled with fear that Kaida would shift and kill the reporters. “He’s right. I’m fine, honey. I don’t need help.”
To his relief, Kaida’s body relaxed and returned to its normal size. Her skin lost the shimmery blue colour and the glow in her eyes faded. She took his hand. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
“Time to go,” Mal said. “There are more reporters arriving.”
“Jesus, what a shit show,” Bishop growled as he shoved aside some reporters. “Get out of my way, assholes.”
“Holy shit,” Bren said as more and more reporters piled out of cars and vans. “What the hell is happening?”
“You two are the flavour of the month,” Ronin shouted from where he and Hudson were standing protectively next to Tyler and Corey. “I can totally see why – you make a hella cute couple.”
“We won’t get them back to Bren’s apartment without Kaida losing her shit,” Bishop said.
“I’m fine,” Kaida growled.
“No, you’re not,” Bishop said. “You’re about ten seconds from roasting them alive.”
Mal scanned over the crowd of shouting reporters. “Willow’s car is closer than the apartment building. You, Hudson, and Ronin hold the crowd back as best you can, while I get them to her. She can take them to my parents’ place. They won’t look for them there.”
“They’ll just follow us,” Bren said as the reporters, keeping a close eye on both Hudson and Kaida, started to shuffle forward again.
“You haven’t seen Willow drive,” Mal said. “Let’s go. Hudson, clear us a path to Willow’s car, would you?”
Bren winced when Hudson opened his mouth and roared deafeningly. Tyler and Corey cringed, and Ronin pushed them toward Bren and the others. The reporters screamed and stumbled back, clapping their hands over their ears, as Hudson stalked toward them.
“Fucking hell, it’s like magic,” Ronin shouted as he followed the big polar bear shifter. “We have got to hire this guy full time.”
“Ronin, help Bishop and Hudson keep the crowd back,” Mal said as he pushed Tyler and Corey through the opening. He took Tyler’s suitcase and Corey’s backpack. “Move, boys. Quick.”
Bren took Kaida’s hand and they squeezed their way through the narrow path that had opened up. Bishop brought up the rear, pushing back against the tide of reporters as they tried to follow.
The Dragon's Mate (Shifters Series Book 7) Page 29