Read Online The Trials of Gregg by Stephani Hecht - Free Book Online
Authors: Stephani Hecht
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couldn’t mean what John thought.
“What were they selling them for?” he still asked to make sure.
“For food,” Gregg said, confirming John’s worst fear.
“That is so sick and wrong.” John took in a shaking breath. “I don’t know if I’m cut out for this whole shifter world.”
Gregg gave him the tiniest of smiles. “Sorry, but you were born a shifter, and this is where you belong. Although, you’re not alone in your thinking. There hasn’t been a day when all of us haven’t wished we’d been born human. It would certainly make our lives a lot easier.”
“All I can think about are those poor slaves back there and what would have happened to them if we hadn’t gotten here in time.”
John still was horrified at the idea of trading a living person as a food source. It was just so twisted and demented that it made him want to punch the nearest wall. Not that it would do any good or solve the problem, but it would get some of John’s rage out.
“But we did get there in time, and that’s all that matters,” Gregg said. “Plus they’re now getting the medical attention they needed so badly. So it’s a win for us today. Look at it that way.”
John took in a deep breath as he rolled Gregg’s words around in his head for a while. Finally, John accepted Gregg’s view. While the captives might have suffered greatly, at least they’d made it out alive, and now thanks to the coalition, they had a great future to look forward to. That had to count for something.
“You’ve been a great mentor,” John said.
When Gregg started to blush and duck his head, just like always whenever given a compliment, John reached out and tucked a couple of his fingers under Gregg’s chin. Now Gregg had no choice but to maintain eye contact.
“Why can’t you take a compliment?” John asked.
Gregg let out a tiny sigh. “Let’s just say I haven’t had very many come my way.”
There was a flicker of pain that passed through Gregg’s eyes. It was so brief that John almost missed it. But there was no denying the fact. It had been there.
“Somebody has hurt you. Haven’t they?” John asked.
“If you’re asking if anybody has ever hit me, then the answer is no.”
Gregg was dodging the question a bit, and John damn well knew it. He could see the guilt that was stamped in Gregg’s big, brown eyes.
“Have you ever heard the expression that sometimes words can hurt more than any physical blow?” John asked.
When Gregg nipped on his bottom lip and shook his head, John knew he was on the right track. He recalled Gregg saying that he only lived with his sister and father, and since a teenage girl wasn’t capable of this kind of damage, so that only left one candidate.
“How long has your father been verbally abusing you?” John demanded.
Gregg tried to turn away, but John still had a firm grip on his chin. Gregg had no choice but to answer the question. “My dad drinks…a lot. I’m sure he doesn’t mean half of what he says.”
Rage filled John at the thought of anybody making Gregg think less of himself or hurting him in any way. In all of his life, John had never met a kinder, gentler person than Gregg. So the verbal slurs must be hitting him hard. It made John want to hunt down Gregg’s father and rip out his tongue, then beat the man with it. If for nothing else, then because he wouldn’t be able to hurt Gregg again.
“You really need to let go of my face,” Gregg said. “We’re supposed to be on guard duty.”
John did, but it was with great reluctance. If he could have at the moment, he would have wrapped Gregg in a tight embrace and told him that he would find some way to protect him from the world. John turned around and returned his attention to the field in front of him, but he continued with his questions.
“Have you told anybody about the way your father treats you?” John asked.
“No, just Tiffy knows, and that’s because she lives there.”
“Does he treat Tiffy
“What were they selling them for?” he still asked to make sure.
“For food,” Gregg said, confirming John’s worst fear.
“That is so sick and wrong.” John took in a shaking breath. “I don’t know if I’m cut out for this whole shifter world.”
Gregg gave him the tiniest of smiles. “Sorry, but you were born a shifter, and this is where you belong. Although, you’re not alone in your thinking. There hasn’t been a day when all of us haven’t wished we’d been born human. It would certainly make our lives a lot easier.”
“All I can think about are those poor slaves back there and what would have happened to them if we hadn’t gotten here in time.”
John still was horrified at the idea of trading a living person as a food source. It was just so twisted and demented that it made him want to punch the nearest wall. Not that it would do any good or solve the problem, but it would get some of John’s rage out.
“But we did get there in time, and that’s all that matters,” Gregg said. “Plus they’re now getting the medical attention they needed so badly. So it’s a win for us today. Look at it that way.”
John took in a deep breath as he rolled Gregg’s words around in his head for a while. Finally, John accepted Gregg’s view. While the captives might have suffered greatly, at least they’d made it out alive, and now thanks to the coalition, they had a great future to look forward to. That had to count for something.
“You’ve been a great mentor,” John said.
When Gregg started to blush and duck his head, just like always whenever given a compliment, John reached out and tucked a couple of his fingers under Gregg’s chin. Now Gregg had no choice but to maintain eye contact.
“Why can’t you take a compliment?” John asked.
Gregg let out a tiny sigh. “Let’s just say I haven’t had very many come my way.”
There was a flicker of pain that passed through Gregg’s eyes. It was so brief that John almost missed it. But there was no denying the fact. It had been there.
“Somebody has hurt you. Haven’t they?” John asked.
“If you’re asking if anybody has ever hit me, then the answer is no.”
Gregg was dodging the question a bit, and John damn well knew it. He could see the guilt that was stamped in Gregg’s big, brown eyes.
“Have you ever heard the expression that sometimes words can hurt more than any physical blow?” John asked.
When Gregg nipped on his bottom lip and shook his head, John knew he was on the right track. He recalled Gregg saying that he only lived with his sister and father, and since a teenage girl wasn’t capable of this kind of damage, so that only left one candidate.
“How long has your father been verbally abusing you?” John demanded.
Gregg tried to turn away, but John still had a firm grip on his chin. Gregg had no choice but to answer the question. “My dad drinks…a lot. I’m sure he doesn’t mean half of what he says.”
Rage filled John at the thought of anybody making Gregg think less of himself or hurting him in any way. In all of his life, John had never met a kinder, gentler person than Gregg. So the verbal slurs must be hitting him hard. It made John want to hunt down Gregg’s father and rip out his tongue, then beat the man with it. If for nothing else, then because he wouldn’t be able to hurt Gregg again.
“You really need to let go of my face,” Gregg said. “We’re supposed to be on guard duty.”
John did, but it was with great reluctance. If he could have at the moment, he would have wrapped Gregg in a tight embrace and told him that he would find some way to protect him from the world. John turned around and returned his attention to the field in front of him, but he continued with his questions.
“Have you told anybody about the way your father treats you?” John asked.
“No, just Tiffy knows, and that’s because she lives there.”
“Does he treat Tiffy
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