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A Mate Beyond Their Reach 73
discovery, we get closer to making what you d call impossible a
reality.
Amy gaped at him, while Grant looked skeptical.  I don t know.
We ve been trying to cure the virus forever.
 So I m told, Drew answered steadily.  But it can t hurt for me
to try as well.
There were few people who could face Trent s father in a
conversation without wincing or being intimidated, but Drew held his
own and didn t even blink. Admiration coursed through Trent,
mingling with something even more intense. He d never have thought
love could be born so easily, but mates were made for each other.
Oddly, his mother s next words referred to Val as well.  And the
Judiciary agreed to this?
 Well, here s the second surprise, Trent replied.  Valerius
D Averam is our mate, too.
Awkward silence fell once again, until at last, Grant spoke.  Son,
can I have a word with you in private?
Trent frowned at his father.  Drew can hear whatever you have to
say to me.
 It s all right, Drew said.  If you ll direct us to a waiting room,
we ll stay there.
 Now that would make us poor hosts, Clay said.  We ll show
you around while they have their boring conversation.
Clay and Amy pulled the humans out, and Trent immediately felt
bereft. Val s absence bothered him enough. To be separated from
Drew as well, and so soon, irked him terribly.
As soon as the group was out of earshot, Grant began to speak,
 Two mates, son? And one who is human?
 Look, Dad, I don t understand it either, but I know what I feel.
And I trust Drew will figure out a way for us to be together. He just
needs equipment, scientific stuff, that sort of thing.
 Of course we ll help in any way we can, Marion answered.
 We ll ask him to make a list of what he requires, and we already
74 Scarlet Hyacinth
have a private hospital section here. It won t be difficult. But son, we
have to tell you something before you venture on this road.
His mother looked away, her expression strikingly sad. Grant
hugged her, and she buried her face in his shirt. Trent didn t know
what to do or say. His mother was a rock, the proverbial matriarch.
What could possibly hurt her so much that she would show
vulnerability?
Grant looked into Trent s eyes, and his gaze spoke of the same
pain Marion seemed to experience.  Nobody knows about what we re
about to tell you. It is a secret we ve kept for a long, long time, and
the reason why we ve retreated here and rarely go out into the world.
Trent held his breath, almost reluctant to hear what his parents
meant to tell him.
 We had another mate, Grant continued.  We met her a long
time ago, before you were even born. She was beautiful, delicate, and
sweet, almost like a sprite. Only, she was not a sprite, but a human.
Trent now began to understand his mother s sadness. A human
mate? Val s brother had been in the same situation, and his story
didn t end well.
 What happened? he asked.  Did she turn feral?
Grant shook his head.  We forced ourselves to stay away from
her, for exactly that reason. The time we had together meant so much
to us. We tried to get the Magistrate to help us, to give us a solution.
But the law was the law, and as such, humans must never mingle with
spirit wolves. Back then, we didn t have the influence we do now.
The laws forced us to give her up. It was the only way to keep her
safe.
 I now wonder, Marion said,  if we did the right thing. In her
heart, she knew we should have been together forever. In the end, she
withered away slowly, and we could do nothing to stop it.
Trent was horrified. How hard had it been for his parents to do
this? He couldn t imagine being so brutally separated from either of
his mates.
A Mate Beyond Their Reach 75
Marion wiped her eyes and stepped toward Trent once again. She
took his hands and squeezed them.  We are telling you this now, son,
because you three need to be ready. A lot of time has passed, but our
people have not changed. Tradition rules us, and anger festers in our
hearts. They will harm your mates and tear apart your relationship if
they can. You must be strong.
 We will help you, of course, Grant said.  Perhaps you will
manage what we did not. And perhaps your human will find a way to
figure out the answer to all our questions.
Trent nodded.  Can I tell him about this? he asked his father.  I
have a feeling it s very important.
Marion actually laughed.  We would not expect you to keep
things from your mate. She paused, sobering once more.  I do have a
question, son. Where is your other mate? Why didn t he come with
you?
 He stayed behind to cover our tracks, Trent answered, his heart
heavy as he acknowledged the fact behind the words. Grant s
expression looked glum, and Trent knew what his father meant to say.
 If he doesn t meet us here like he is supposed to, I will go after him.
I will not allow anyone to separate us.
Marion smiled at him.  Good. Now come. There are still many
arrangements to be made. And you still have to explain to me why
your mate has a son and who his friend is.
The inquisitive words might have bothered anyone else, but Trent
sensed the concern behind them. He rolled his eyes.  Don t worry. I ll
explain everything.
76 Scarlet Hyacinth
Chapter Six
A few days later
Valerius shut down his laptop, satisfied with a job well done. The
Turners had been notified of Drew, Paulie, and Dan s supposed
demise. Since they didn t have any other family, the locals in
Tennington stepped up to cover the bills for the funeral ceremony.
Like he always did, Valerius deposited an anonymous donation in the
account of the mayor s office. Drew had done a lot of good as a
pathologist. It could be easily explained.
The documents for the spirit wolves were harder, since it implied
falsifying several records. The ruse would be discovered eventually, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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