What Lies Beneath His Pelt?

CHAPTER 16: HEART-TO-HEART

It took me some time to convince her to stay. When she finally agreed, she was still alert.

We followed him into the forest where he led us into a cave. The entrance was barred with an energy barrier and those who do not have the ability to see energy would only see a closed entryway. He chanted and there was a whoosh.

We entered. He managed to transform the inside of the cave into a cozy kitchen and sleeping area with shelves and tables built into the cave walls. There was a feeling of warmth as water left my skin and clothing. When I checked, I was indeed dry.

"Huh. Seeing you without ears and tail is not as weird as seeing them sprout out of you." Ciara's sleepy voice came as she tiptoed in front of me. She rubbed my ears. There was an electrifying moment and I was like putty in her hands-soft, submissive, and vulnerable.

Before I knew it, my tail wagged and I leaned against her touch. It was short-lived, however, when her strokes became slow. She fell forward, snoring.

"I see your mate has used up most of her energy. Come lay her here." He mused as he led me to the bed that had fur pelts covering it. Hearing him say that made me warm inside.

"Yeah. She's a feisty one." I replied as I laid her down gently and used another pelt to keep her warm.

"Indeed. She reminds me of your mom." I straightened and tackled him with a bearhug. I closed my eyes and relished the feeling of my dad's solid body.

I don't care if this is a dream or what, I'm just happy I got to do this again.

"Hey, champ. How have you been?" He asked as he ruffled my hair.

"I missed you. Grandpa is terrible." I sobbed. He hugged me tighter.

"I'm sorry for leaving you."

I didn't ask why. I didn't shout at him. I just stayed in the moment and he didn't say anything else. After a few minutes, we broke off from the hug and helped him prepare food.

"Dad, is everything I'm experiencing right now real?" I asked as he poured me a cup of tea from a bamboo tube he had cut and smoothed out.

"I can't answer that, son. I have been living here ever since I died the second time...” he used air quotes when he said died, "...and like I said earlier, I am as lost as you are." He mused as he looked down at his hands and his shoulders slumped. The second time?

"The second time?"

"Yes. After the water swallowed me, I woke up in Salishi without any of my memories. I fell in love with another woman. When my third son after you was abducted and I got killed in a car accident, I was sent here. I only remembered all my memories when I came here, so I apologize."

"I have siblings?"

He nodded. "Yes, but I don't know where they are now and what happened. It would have been amazing if you had met them."

"Did you look for a way out?"

He nodded as he scratched his arm and continued, head still down, "Every time I leave through the other edge, I find myself back in the meadow. There isn't anyone around us well…"

"That was why you were glad when we came, right?"

"Yes. Your mate is beautiful but you have to be careful, Calum." He started as he looked me straight in the eye. I noticed that his eyes glowed red.

"She is not who you think she is."

"What does that mean? You were comfortable around her earlier."

"Son, there's a difference between being comfortable around her and being polite."

I was about to argue when the ground rumbled and my grandfather's familiar scent of expensive perfume infiltrated my nostrils.

My dad straightened and I noticed the tension on his shoulders. When I looked outside, I saw my grandfather making his way towards the cave entrance.

"Calum, take her and leave. NOW! He must not know you're here." He mused. At once, intricate red lines appeared on his skin and the empowering scent of sulfur covered the entire cave. I knew it would mask our scents.

"Why are you leaving me again?" I shouted, but I still walked towards the bed.

He looked back at me and a sad smile appeared on his face once again.

"I'm sorry. I love you, Calum, and I will always protect you, even if it means staying away from you."

I looked at him one last time before I grabbed Ciara and carried her bridal style.

"I hope one day we'll see each other again. I love you, dad." I replied as tears once again streamed through my eyes.

"Until then." And then I began chanting once again.