by Khloe Wren
"Where to start... I guess I should really check a couple things to make sure we have it right. Adele, what was your mother's name? And when did she migrate to Australia from France?"
"Her name was Fleur Petit and she migrated in May, 1989. Why? What has that got to do with anything?"
"Your father. He is one of us, and he's been searching for you and your mother since before you were born."
Adele looked at Jake in shock. Her father? Remi Baudin, the man who had irrevocably broken her mother's heart had been looking for her?
"I don't believe you. He left my mother and broke her heart. When he found out about me, he literally ran from her."
"Yes, he did run, but not for the reasons you think."
Adele looked up to the door as a new deep voice floated over the room. What she saw stole her breath. A Tibetan Monk stood in her doorway, dressed traditionally in red and gold robing. He would only be five foot two at the most, but he had a strong aura of power and wisdom. This was a man whose presence alone commanded respect. His skin was a dark tan color. His dark hair was trimmed close to his skull, and his face was serious but friendly. He looked like he couldn't be much older than twenty, but his eyes held the wisdom of an old man. Who the hell was this man who seemed to know what they were talking about?
Jake spoke words she couldn't even begin to understand to the newcomer then bowed slightly. So apparently, Jake knew who this guy was. She looked over to Dominic whose mouth hung loosely open and his face looked awestruck. She gently nudged Dominic with her elbow to get his attention and cocked an eyebrow in question. He looked down at her and smiled.
"It's okay, Adele. This is Choden Sangye. He is the original shifter, and he's like our guru."
The original shifter? Guru? Adele's head began pounding and she buried her head into Dominic's chest as she became totally overwhelmed.
"Jake, my brother, have you not begun educating your newest cub? I fear we have overwhelmed the child."
"Choden, I was just starting to explain. Perhaps you would like to take over; you tell our history so much clearer than I."
"Yes, I believe starting with our history would be a good place to begin. We will get to her father's story later, I think. Jake, would you be so kind as to find me a seat. We are going to be here for some time." Adele lifted her head from Dominic's chest as she heard Jake bring a chair close to the bed. Before Choden sat down, he picked up her left hand, resting his forehead against the back of it for a moment before speaking in quiet words she didn't understand. She felt a wave of energy roll through her body and mind leaving peace and comfort in its wake.
"Now, my child, let me tell you a story or two." He cleared his throat before he continued.
"This story starts long ago with the monks who lived high in the mountains of Tibet. The monks were bonded with the snow leopards. The men would provide shelter and medical aid and in return ,the snow leopards offered the monks protection from those who would harm them. It was a relationship that worked well and benefited both man and beast.
"In the 1750's an elderly monk had started to become concerned for the snow leopards. Their numbers were declining rapidly from hunters who sought out their beautiful and thick pelts. Together with his prodigy, a young boy who he had taken under his wing, they researched ways in which they could help protect the snow leopards.
"In 1759 they finally had everything they needed to conduct the magic that would hopefully save their friends and protectors. They had found a way to join together a man and a beast. Thus enabling the beast to shift to a man and the man to shift to a beast, enabling both to better protect themselves and others they held dear.
"Now the young monk had an extremely close bond with a young male snow leopard, and they both gladly volunteered to be joined. Late at night, under the darkness of a new moon, the elder monk cast the magic upon the younger man and beast. A ball of blue electric energy formed around both the man and the beast before they were raised in the air and merged into one. Upon the energy fading, the beast was revealed and the man had disappeared. The beast raised his head and roared to the sky. As he did, the blue ball of energy returned over him and he flashed into a man.
"Now, that isn't the end of the story. You see the monks didn't realize that Halley's Comet had passed over them just as they were casting the magic. The comet strengthened the magic, and along with the newly created shifter, a pair of mated shifters were conceived on each of the world's seven continents that night. The magic continues to stay with Halley's comet, and each time it passes back over the earth, a new mated pair is conceived on each continent."
Adele could hardly believe what she was hearing, but then she could. It explained so much, but also bought on more questions.
"Can I ask you a question?" She wanted to ask, but she didn't want to offend the wise--apparently very old--man before her.
"Yes, my child, ask as many as you like. It is important that you understand."
"Are shifters immortal?" She wasn't sure how she felt about maybe living forever.
"I am the only one who is immortal. All other shifters have a human life cycle. Shifters do live longer than most humans as they don't get sick as humans do. Most shifters live well past one hundred years."
"How did you find out about what the comet did?"
"Now, that was a little embarrassing. We had no idea about the comet until later. I was fifteen when I was transformed, so shifters stay solely in their human form until their fifteenth birthdays. When they shift for the first time, it is under the rising moon on the night of their birthday. So, fifteen years after we cast the magic, we started hearing reports from all over the world of sightings of snow leopards where they shouldn't have been. The two in Tibet came to us to seek advice and we helped them learn their skills and establish a Leap. I then took a small group of monks on a worldwide search. As we found each one, we helped them find their mate then set up a Leap on each continent. It took many years. With the other three passings of the comet, the Alpha of each Continental Leap has conducted the search to find the Lost Ones."
Okay, wow. She was no longer fifteen and she couldn't remember anything remarkable about her fifteenth birthday.
"So, why didn't I shift until last night? I'm pretty sure my mother never shifted."
"Your mother was wholly human. It is quite common for shifters to have human mates, especially the males. There has always been more male shifters born than female. Shifter DNA is strong and usually children of a shifter-human mating are full shifters, but sometimes the human DNA is the stronger and the child remains human. I can only guess that with all the trauma you have suffered in the last weeks, your shifter DNA began to surface and combined with the magic from the mating it pushed through to the forefront causing you to shift."
"Dominic explained how the whole mating thing works, and how it's predestined. How could my father leave my mother if they were mates? I don't understand how he could walk away. I mean, when I first met Dominic, I tried to push him away but couldn't do it."
"Ah, good questions, my child, very good questions. I believe you and your father have much to discuss when he arrives. As you know, a male does not dream of his mate until after she turns twenty-one. Your father met and fell in love with your mother when she was seventeen. Remi foolishly didn't seek advice; he instead crept around to see your mother, keeping it a secret. It was only when she told him about the pregnancy that he came to his Alpha to seek advice and help. So, he did indeed leave your mother, running away. He was scared and frightened of what he had done, as he didn't know if she was his mate. He went straight to his Alpha for advice. His Alpha told him he should have come sooner, as he could have put his mind to ease earlier. Your mother, Fleur, was indeed his mate.
"He hurried back to return to her side, full of hope, prepared to tell her everything about him being a shifter and start their mated life together. But when he returned, your mother was gone. Your grandparents had sent her away and refused to tell Remi anything
of where she had gone. The Leap monitored the family, waiting for them to contact Fleur but they never did, not even after your birth. Remi was beside himself with grief. Once your mother turned twenty-one, he started dreaming of her, and as soon as you were born, he dreamt of you. He has been a shell of a man since; haunted by the one foolish choice that has robbed him of so much."
"Does he know that my mother is gone?" Adele had tears streaming down her face; her grandparents had a lot to answer for. Her mother hadn't wanted to leave, and now to find out Remi didn't want her to leave either. How different her mother's life could have been!
"Yes, child, he knows of her passing. The day of her death was the final dream he had of her. He now solely dreams of you."
"You said we had a lot to discuss when he arrives. Are you saying he's coming here?"
"You understand correctly. As we speak he is in a plane flying toward you. He should be here tomorrow morning, assuming there are no delays in his flight plan."
Adele didn't know what to think. Her mind was overwhelmed with all the information she had received. She clung to Dominic as she tried to sort through it all. She had a father who loved her, who was coming to meet her.
"You will need some time to think about all that has happened, my child. Jake will take me to his home where I will stay. Do not hesitate to contact me if you require any more answers. I understand you have taken on the protection of a child, Kelly, who is also staying with Jake and Sophie?"
"Uh, yes, I have. Kelly is like a daughter to me. I would do anything for her."
"As you have already quite clearly demonstrated, child, you are a worthy future Alpha-mate. Strong, compassionate and protective. You will do well. Now, Jake, please take me to meet this special young lady who has helped bring about all these wonderful occurrences."
As Jake walked out with Choden, Adele curled into Dominic's embrace and cried into his chest. She was just so overwhelmed with everything, and she needed to take the edge off before she could sit back and begin to process it all.
Epilogue
Six months later...
After waiting in the car for what felt like hours, Conner headed into the hairdressers to see what was taking so long. He understood it was Adele's wedding day, and the girls wanted to look nice, but seriously? How long did it take to have your hair put up? He pushed open the front door and nearly plowed into a wheel chair. The young woman in the chair was quietly moving across the entrance. With her head down and shoulders slumped forward, her long straight white-blonde hair covered her face which prevented her from seeing him. She quickly apologized for getting in his way, which shocked him as it was him who had come barreling into her path, not the other way around. He had just begun to tell her not to worry about it and that he too was sorry when a sharp high pitch voice assaulted his ears. The girl before him visibly cringed before she raised her head to look at the tall thin middle aged woman who'd just screeched at her. The second Conner saw her face, his instincts went into overdrive. The girl wasn't much younger than him, but her emerald green eyes shone with sorrow.
"Tina, leave young Mr. White alone! You know better than to talk to customers. Now return out the back this instant and get on with those books like you should be doing. They won't do themselves, you know." She grabbed Tina's chair and quickly wheeled her out of sight. Once they were behind the back curtain, he heard some muffled noises but couldn't make out what was going on. He started to march toward the doorway when he heard his mother call out to him. In the time he took to look over at his mother, the older woman came back out from behind the curtain. He turned toward her with hard eyes, staring her down.
"Who was that girl? Why is she in a wheel chair?"
The woman looked down her nose at him. "Tina is no one you need to concern yourself with Mr. White. Now, I believe your mother, future sister-in-law and niece are ready to go." She marched off toward his mother, Adele and Kelly.
As he turned to follow, he heard a small sob come from behind the curtain. He was so going to come back here and help Tina, but not until after the wedding. If he did anything to muck up this day, he wouldn't be around long enough to help anyone. His father had given him strict instructions last night. If he valued his life and having all his body parts attached and in working order, he was to chauffeur the women wherever they needed to go, with no questions and no issues. His father had told him no male had ever survived messing with a bride on her wedding day.
He strode over to his mother first, giving her a light kiss on the cheek and telling her she looked beautiful. He then moved towards Adele. His brother was one lucky man. She looked sensational, glowing with happiness and he gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"You look stunning, Adele, truly radiant." He then turned his attention to Kelly, the sweet child had really blossomed in the last six months. She was growing more confident every day, and today, she looked lovely with her black curls artfully arranged on the top of her head.
"And you, little lady, are going to be the belle of the ball, and you're not even in your dress yet. You better save a dance for your Uncle Conner tonight." She blushed and giggled. He loved making the kid smile.
"Sure, Uncle Conner, I'll save you a dance."
"Well, if we're all done here, how about we head off? I do believe you ladies only have an hour before the photographer will be arriving."
Ha, that got them moving. Within ten minutes, they were driving out to his parents' house to finish getting ready.
~ * ~
Adele stood inside the marquee where the reception would be held later. She was waiting for everyone to get seated so she could walk down the isle to Dominic. She was so nervous. She tugged at her dress, pulling the strapless top up a little. She loved her dress; it was made from vintage white lace. It was fitted around the bust then flared out slightly from its empire waist and the full skirt finished just above the ground so the toes of her shoes showed when she walked. She glanced around the marquee at the others. She couldn't hold back her chuckle when she saw Kit fussing at her dress again. Getting that woman in a dress was a miracle no one had managed before--or so she'd been told. Kit had tried to talk Adele into letting her wear the tux and being their best man, but Conner had refused to wear the dress so that switch wasn't happening. Although, the argument between Kit and Conner had been highly entertaining.
Kit looked up and caught Adele laughing at her. She instantly stopped fussing, smiled a big plastic smile and did a big showy curtsy just to be a smart-ass. Shaking her head, Adele turned toward Kelly. She looked gorgeous. She had put on some weight since the rescue and now had a healthy happy glow to her. Her black curls had been partially tamed into an up-do that looked amazing and elegant, especially with her dress. Both Kit and Kelly wore the same style, the shop had described it as a 'Chic Scoop Neckline Grape Chiffon Satin Tea-Length Dress,' a retro looking garment that complimented her vintage lace beautifully. The deep grape color suited both girls well, and the one inch heels they each wore looked awesome as well--getting Kit into those puppies was another entertaining day she would never forget.
Hearing someone approach from behind her drew her attention; it was her father coming to get them. Adele smiled as joy spread through her. Remi had moved to Tassie four months ago to be nearer to her, and she was loving being able to get to know him, even though her heart ached for all the lost years they could have had, especially the years that her mother had still been alive. Both her parents had suffered greatly over the years. Remi asked her lots of questions about her mother, and they'd even gone back to the mainland to visit her grave last month. That had been very emotional for both of them.
She couldn't believe how much her life had changed in the last twelve months. She had started out so heartbreaking alone, no family or friends. Now, just twelve months later she had a father, a daughter, a mate and husband and a whole heap of friends and extended family. She had to be the luckiest woman alive.
"Daughter, you look amazing. Dominic
is one very lucky man. They are ready for you. Shall we?" He held his arm out to her and she slid her arm through his. Together they started walking toward the doorway with Kit and Kelly in front of them.
"You know, Dad, you look very dashing yourself in that tux." She was trying to keep things light because if they started getting sentimental, she would be in tears and ruin her make-up.
She peeked around the edge of the marquee as Kelly and Kit expertly walked up the isle holding their small bouquets of deep purple and white roses. She gripped her own slightly larger bouquet a little tighter as the music indicated it was time for her to walk down the aisle to her mate. Remi leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before they headed out the doorway.
~ * ~
Dominic was a jumble of emotions as he waited for Adele; he was happy, excited, nervous and a little scared. Both Kelly and Kit had looked stunning and elegant as they had come down the aisle. The boys had given Kit hell about the fact she had to wear a dress, but they were all silently watching her in shock now; who knew she'd scrub up so nicely when put in a dress? His heart had melted when he'd watched Kelly walk toward him up the aisle. Gone was the lost hurting little girl, and a confident glowingly happy young teenager was in her place. He already loved her as if she were his biological daughter; she and Adele both completed his world. He stood up a little straighter as everyone stood. His beautiful mate was on her way to be by his side, his palms began to sweat from the nervous energy floating through him.
He could hear everyone's ohhs and ahhs as Adele passed them, then finally she was in his line of sight. She took his breath away. She was spectacular. Her hair was in loose waves except for a small section on each side that had been pulled back, and there were tiny little flowers woven all through it. Her strapless dress fitted her perfectly, the lace looking as elegant as she did wearing it. Her father proudly walked beside her. Dominic was so glad they had found Remi; Adele had been hurting at the rejection from her unknown father. To know that he hadn't rejected her, that he'd in fact spent years looking for her had helped heal her wounded heart and lessened the ache she'd suffered since loosing her mother.
