they were killed by one of us, then their killer should be forced to face our judgment. If they were killed by a normal, we need to know why. It is possible our secret is no longer safe and you know what that could mean for all of us. Hell, Matt, if they really did kill themselves, there has to be a reason and we need to know that. There was no note and nothing in either of their histories to account for suicide actually happening.
“But there’s another reason why I’ll never bear the clan’s marking. When Michael tried to claim me as his mate, only a few members of the clan--my aunt and uncle and a half a dozen others--spoke against it. There were mumblings from others, but only they stood by me and said what he planned was wrong.”
Tears burned my eyes as I remembered the scene. Michael had denounced them as working against the best interest of the clan. He’d reminded the others that I’d be sixteen in a matter of months, close enough to my majority as far as he was concerned to be claimed. I was, he said, the daughter of the previous clan leaders so I must understand the necessity of what he planned.
What I’d understood was that he took what he wanted without concern for the consequences. He felt his position as clan leader entitled him to do whatever he wanted, whether it violated our laws or not. As for violating the laws of the outside world, those obviously didn’t exist in his mind.
When he banished Aunt Jane, Uncle Lou and the others from the clan, he’d shown he didn’t care about anyone or anything except himself. It proved that he would do whatever he wanted, whether it was good for pride and clan or not. And that, I knew, did not bode well for my future.
The night before they left, I’d listened in growing disbelief as Aunt Jane told me I had to run. I had to get as far away from Michael as possible and I had to do it now, before he realized what I was going to do. I couldn’t go back to the house I’d shared with my parents. If there was anything I wanted from there, she’d make sure it found its way to me somehow, probably through friends and family in other clans. But I had to go underground. I couldn’t go to anyone Michael knew was associated with our family. She knew it was a lonely, difficult path she was setting me on but she was afraid it was the only way I’d survive.
I hadn’t questioned her. How could I when she was telling me something I’d already figured out? So, over the next hour we established ways for me to contact my grandparents and others close to the family without giving away my location. Hopefully, it would be enough to keep me safely out of Michael’s hands. Then she’d hugged me, pressed a wad of cash into my hands and told me it was time to go. If God was willing, I’d soon be able to come home, wherever that might be.
Neither of us expected that journey to last as many years as it had.
And I was home. I’d known it--well, my jaguar had--the moment I saw Matt. Now, if he understood . . . .
“Maybe I should excuse myself.” CJ looked uncomfortable, kind of like a kid walking in on her parents in the middle of a very serious discussion.
“No, please. You’re a member of Matt’s home pride as well as of the clan, so you need to know. Besides, I want you to witness something. That way you can confirm the validity of my claim of lineage should anyone question it.”
“Finn?” Matt’s concern was clear when I stood and moved to the counter, reaching for his cell phone.
“Matt, the totem represents my bloodline. My parents may have been clan leaders for the Northern California clan, but neither originated there. My father grew up in Wichita, Kansas. His family has been in Kansas, mainly in the Dodge City and Wichita areas, since shortly after the Civil War. They originally came from Pennsylvania. Their ancestors came from Ireland and Germany for the most part.
“My mother was from Tulsa. Her family has been there for generations. Her maternal
“But there’s another reason why I’ll never bear the clan’s marking. When Michael tried to claim me as his mate, only a few members of the clan--my aunt and uncle and a half a dozen others--spoke against it. There were mumblings from others, but only they stood by me and said what he planned was wrong.”
Tears burned my eyes as I remembered the scene. Michael had denounced them as working against the best interest of the clan. He’d reminded the others that I’d be sixteen in a matter of months, close enough to my majority as far as he was concerned to be claimed. I was, he said, the daughter of the previous clan leaders so I must understand the necessity of what he planned.
What I’d understood was that he took what he wanted without concern for the consequences. He felt his position as clan leader entitled him to do whatever he wanted, whether it violated our laws or not. As for violating the laws of the outside world, those obviously didn’t exist in his mind.
When he banished Aunt Jane, Uncle Lou and the others from the clan, he’d shown he didn’t care about anyone or anything except himself. It proved that he would do whatever he wanted, whether it was good for pride and clan or not. And that, I knew, did not bode well for my future.
The night before they left, I’d listened in growing disbelief as Aunt Jane told me I had to run. I had to get as far away from Michael as possible and I had to do it now, before he realized what I was going to do. I couldn’t go back to the house I’d shared with my parents. If there was anything I wanted from there, she’d make sure it found its way to me somehow, probably through friends and family in other clans. But I had to go underground. I couldn’t go to anyone Michael knew was associated with our family. She knew it was a lonely, difficult path she was setting me on but she was afraid it was the only way I’d survive.
I hadn’t questioned her. How could I when she was telling me something I’d already figured out? So, over the next hour we established ways for me to contact my grandparents and others close to the family without giving away my location. Hopefully, it would be enough to keep me safely out of Michael’s hands. Then she’d hugged me, pressed a wad of cash into my hands and told me it was time to go. If God was willing, I’d soon be able to come home, wherever that might be.
Neither of us expected that journey to last as many years as it had.
And I was home. I’d known it--well, my jaguar had--the moment I saw Matt. Now, if he understood . . . .
“Maybe I should excuse myself.” CJ looked uncomfortable, kind of like a kid walking in on her parents in the middle of a very serious discussion.
“No, please. You’re a member of Matt’s home pride as well as of the clan, so you need to know. Besides, I want you to witness something. That way you can confirm the validity of my claim of lineage should anyone question it.”
“Finn?” Matt’s concern was clear when I stood and moved to the counter, reaching for his cell phone.
“Matt, the totem represents my bloodline. My parents may have been clan leaders for the Northern California clan, but neither originated there. My father grew up in Wichita, Kansas. His family has been in Kansas, mainly in the Dodge City and Wichita areas, since shortly after the Civil War. They originally came from Pennsylvania. Their ancestors came from Ireland and Germany for the most part.
“My mother was from Tulsa. Her family has been there for generations. Her maternal
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