if he
could still see the image in his mind. The smile didn't last. "A few
months after that, my father lost his job. He started drinking, then gambling.
In the end, we lost everything and we had to move to this hole in the wall
apartment. I missed the big yard, but by then, I just wanted us to be a family
again, for Mommy and Daddy to smile like they used to. And then, one day, I
woke up and my dad was gone. Mom never explained it to me. He just left and
never came back. I was so afraid, but she said that day that she'd always be
there for me, that it was the two of us against the world now, and she'd never
fail me."
"A few years went by, and everything settled down a
little. We were poor, but I studied hard and got a scholarship to ease on my
mom's expenses. Things seemed to be looking up. I was wary when my mom started
dating again, but I figured, she had a chance to be happy, right?"
An ominous feeling niggled at the back of Saul's mind, and he
could feel Gavin's sadness and anxiety echoing through their half-formed bond.
He squeezed Gavin's hands harder in a silent gesture of support. It seemed to
work, because Gavin continued with his story.
"I was fifteen when she got into a serious relationship.
The guy was a real-estate agent and, at first, he seemed nice enough. He even
asked her to marry him. But that very same night, just after we celebrated
their engagement, he came into my room and tried to... You know."
Saul's breath caught and his vision began to dim around the
edges. Just the thought of someone hurting Gavin like that made him want to rip
that person to shreds. Hatred rose within him, hot and angry—a human's fury
coupled with the instincts of the wolf.
"Just give me his name and I'll make sure he pays the
price."
Gavin shook his head. "No, I don't want that. I'm just
telling you the story because it's important for you to understand me." He
paused slightly. "Although, it would help if you held me."
Saul gladly did that. Gavin crawled into his lap, and Saul
held him close, giving Gavin time to gather his thoughts. "Anyway, long
story short, he didn't succeed," Gavin said. "I went to my mother and
told her about it, but he accused me of trying to seduce him and she believed
him. In the end, I left, and I've been on my own ever since. I put myself
through college, where I met Jessie, and we found work together through one of
our previous professors. My mom did eventually marry the asshole and they had
kids together, but she divorced him. But all that's in the past. I just wanted
to tell you this. I always wanted the family I had with my parents once, but I
knew it was only a dream. I became a guidance councilor because I realized I'd
likely never have children of my own—not even adopted ones. But now, I have a
shot at fulfilling my dream. I can't give that up."
Saul said nothing. Gavin's tale moved him to the core, but it
also just made him even more protective of the other man. He had to admit that
he wanted to have a family with Gavin too. He wanted it so badly he ached. His
wolf could already feel the connection with the unborn baby. But the fear of
losing Gavin remained just as poignant as before, or maybe even more so.
Before he could even try to argue with Gavin, though, his
mate took a deep breath and approached an entirely different topic. "Now,
listen. The two of us agreed once that we'd take it slow. That didn't work out,
and I need you to be perfectly honest with me if you want us to get a second
chance. Who, and what are you exactly?"
Saul froze. He hadn't expected Gavin to ask that, which, in
hindsight, had been stupid. Of course Gavin had questions. He seemed to have
accepted the pregnancy thing, which was remarkable given that Saul himself
still had problems with it. Nevertheless, Saul owed him an explanation.
Releasing Gavin, he left the bed and stood. "I think
it's probably best that I show you. Just promise you won't freak out, all
right? Remember that, no matter what shape I
could still see the image in his mind. The smile didn't last. "A few
months after that, my father lost his job. He started drinking, then gambling.
In the end, we lost everything and we had to move to this hole in the wall
apartment. I missed the big yard, but by then, I just wanted us to be a family
again, for Mommy and Daddy to smile like they used to. And then, one day, I
woke up and my dad was gone. Mom never explained it to me. He just left and
never came back. I was so afraid, but she said that day that she'd always be
there for me, that it was the two of us against the world now, and she'd never
fail me."
"A few years went by, and everything settled down a
little. We were poor, but I studied hard and got a scholarship to ease on my
mom's expenses. Things seemed to be looking up. I was wary when my mom started
dating again, but I figured, she had a chance to be happy, right?"
An ominous feeling niggled at the back of Saul's mind, and he
could feel Gavin's sadness and anxiety echoing through their half-formed bond.
He squeezed Gavin's hands harder in a silent gesture of support. It seemed to
work, because Gavin continued with his story.
"I was fifteen when she got into a serious relationship.
The guy was a real-estate agent and, at first, he seemed nice enough. He even
asked her to marry him. But that very same night, just after we celebrated
their engagement, he came into my room and tried to... You know."
Saul's breath caught and his vision began to dim around the
edges. Just the thought of someone hurting Gavin like that made him want to rip
that person to shreds. Hatred rose within him, hot and angry—a human's fury
coupled with the instincts of the wolf.
"Just give me his name and I'll make sure he pays the
price."
Gavin shook his head. "No, I don't want that. I'm just
telling you the story because it's important for you to understand me." He
paused slightly. "Although, it would help if you held me."
Saul gladly did that. Gavin crawled into his lap, and Saul
held him close, giving Gavin time to gather his thoughts. "Anyway, long
story short, he didn't succeed," Gavin said. "I went to my mother and
told her about it, but he accused me of trying to seduce him and she believed
him. In the end, I left, and I've been on my own ever since. I put myself
through college, where I met Jessie, and we found work together through one of
our previous professors. My mom did eventually marry the asshole and they had
kids together, but she divorced him. But all that's in the past. I just wanted
to tell you this. I always wanted the family I had with my parents once, but I
knew it was only a dream. I became a guidance councilor because I realized I'd
likely never have children of my own—not even adopted ones. But now, I have a
shot at fulfilling my dream. I can't give that up."
Saul said nothing. Gavin's tale moved him to the core, but it
also just made him even more protective of the other man. He had to admit that
he wanted to have a family with Gavin too. He wanted it so badly he ached. His
wolf could already feel the connection with the unborn baby. But the fear of
losing Gavin remained just as poignant as before, or maybe even more so.
Before he could even try to argue with Gavin, though, his
mate took a deep breath and approached an entirely different topic. "Now,
listen. The two of us agreed once that we'd take it slow. That didn't work out,
and I need you to be perfectly honest with me if you want us to get a second
chance. Who, and what are you exactly?"
Saul froze. He hadn't expected Gavin to ask that, which, in
hindsight, had been stupid. Of course Gavin had questions. He seemed to have
accepted the pregnancy thing, which was remarkable given that Saul himself
still had problems with it. Nevertheless, Saul owed him an explanation.
Releasing Gavin, he left the bed and stood. "I think
it's probably best that I show you. Just promise you won't freak out, all
right? Remember that, no matter what shape I
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