Redeeming

by Gabrielle Demonico

  Broken Bear 3

  Redeeming

  By Gabrielle R. Demonico

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.

  ***

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  ***

  “Daniella,” Jett said. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

  “I don’t see any other choice. Do you?”

  Jett shrugged as he leaned back into a kitchen table chair. “I guess not. How do you think they are going to react?”

  “Honestly?” Daniella began. “I have no idea. I mean, it was a shock to me. It blew Billy away as well. I guess until you see it and are around it for a while it doesn’t seem real.”

  “Yeah…” he nodded. “Well, how do you want to do it?”

  “I don’t know… it helps that we’re here at your parents’ house.” Daniella began. “My mom likes them both and they’re just people, like her, you know? Your mom and dad are comfortable with shifters having been around them so much. If anyone will be able to provide my mom and Tricia with some comfort about everything, it’s them.”

  Jett rubbed his chin and exhaled. “Well, for everyone’s sake, I hope that’s true. Is Billy coming?”

  “Yeah, he’s driving them over.” Daniella replied. “When are your parents getting home?”

  Jett glanced at a wall clock in the kitchen. “Won’t be long now… Mom wanted to run to the market and get a few things for supper.”

  “Okay.” Daniella replied.

  She pulled a strand of hair behind her ear, leaned over the kitchen table from a seated position, and propped her head up in the palm of her hand.

  “How is Owen doing? Have you heard anything?”

  “No, not since this morning.” Jett replied as his face darkened. “Even though he’s improving, we don’t have much time at all. There’s no telling when, or if, he will ever emerge from his coma.”

  “I’m so sorry…” Daniella said as she rubbed his hand.

  “Thanks. I’m okay though.” He said. “There’s no sense worrying about it. The doctors are doing all they can. The only thing I can do is focus on what I can control.”

  Although he put on a brave face, Daniella knew Jett hurt. There was no way around it. Owen was the only person who understood him in a way no one else could. In spite of how she felt, however, his eyes didn’t betray any fear he might have. In fact if anything he seemed stoic, purposeful and resolved to see the situation through to the end, whatever that might be.

  “Hey,” he said as he squeezed her hand. “You okay?”

  His words and touch startled her. “Yes… sorry. I was just thinking about Owen and how much I miss him.”

  “I know,” Jett replied. “But try not to think about it too much. That’s the way he would want it, ya know?”

  Daniella shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. It’s…”

  But as she started to speak, the rear door to the kitchen opened and Jett’s folks, Jo and David, walked through.

  “Daniella!” Jo said with excitement in her voice. “Oh, come here and give me a hug.”

  ***

  After they greeted, Daniella and Jett helped his parents with the groceries and before long, she and Jo started to make dinner. As they began to cook, Jett and his father set the table and then went into the living room, presumably for a chat.

  “So how is Jett doing?” Jo asked.

  “He seems to be alright, I guess.” Daniella replied as she glanced towards the living room. “I know he’s concerned but to tell you the truth, I think he’s more worried about Owen than himself.”

  Jo nodded as she prepared the dinner salad. “That’s how he’s always been. His entire life. He takes after his biological father. That man was so concerned about everyone else’s well-being. He was a kind person and a courageous clan member.”

  Daniella nodded. “Jo… I can’t imagine how difficult all of this has been for you and David. I mean, losing Wyatt and then nearly Jett as well. I admire your strength and courage so much.”

  Jo glanced at her. “Thank you, Daniella. That means a lot coming from you. But, as much as I wish I could tell you raising Jett was difficult, it wasn’t. Aside from boyish pranks, I couldn’t have asked for a better son. We’re all devastated by what happened to Wyatt, of course, but no one more so than Jett. Although they weren’t blood, they lived like it which is more than you can say about most true brothers and sisters.”

  Daniella smiled as she chopped up green peppers for the salad. She paused for moment and said, “Why did you and David take Jett? You must have known how dangerous Kane was… is.”

  “We did,” Jo nodded without looking up from her meal prep. “But, fear is no excuse. Jett’s mother was a wonderful woman and my best friend. When his father died there wasn’t much time to do anything except what we did. It was a difficult time. Wyatt was a newborn and we had problems of our own but what’s right is right. We had no choice.”

  “Were you afraid?” Daniella asked.

  “Yes… in the beginning.” Jo nodded. “But as the months turned into years, we assumed Kane more or less decided not to do anything.”

  She paused and exhaled.

  “But… we knew better.” Jo sighed. “We didn’t prepare for it.”

  “What could you have done different?”

  Jo shrugged. “The truth is that we didn’t want to lose Jett. We held on too tight… never let him become who he should be. David and I talked about it all the time over the years but we figured as long as he never shifted, he wasn’t a threat, and Kane would never find out where he was.”

  “Oh, I see.”

  Jo placed the knife down on the cutting board and exhaled. “What we didn’t count on was Kane’s desire for power. As long as Jett lived, the risk to him was very real.”

  “How did Kane even know where to look?”

  Jo shook her head. “I wish I knew. The only thing that saved Jett at all was the fact he’d never shifted. If it wasn’t for that, we could have very easily lost them both that night.”

  Daniella started to ask another question but as she did, she heard David and Jett walk back into the kitchen. The women continued to prepare the meal in silence as they entered.

  “Uh oh,” David began. “What’s going on in here? Why all the long faces?”

  “It’s nothing,” Jo replied. “We were just talking about Jett and Wyatt.”

  “I see…” David said as he took in a seat at the kitchen table.

  As he did, Jett walked up behind Daniella, wrapped his arms around her waist, and hugged her. His head moved down to her neck and he kissed her. An immediate chill ran down her spine and she stopped chopping for a moment.

  “Hey,” Jo began. “Not while she’s got a knife in her hand Jett, now… you go sit.”

  “Yes ma’am…” Jett groaned. Just as he turned to walk away, he snuck one last kiss in against Daniella’s exposed flesh.

  Jett took a seat next to David at the table. He cleared his throat and said, “Mom… Dad… There’s something I need to do. I don’t have much time and it might be the only chance I have.”

  Jo paused for a moment and turned to face him. As she did, David looked at Jett as well.

  “What is it, son?” David asked.

  “Well, I want to go to Wyatt’s grave.” He replied. “I never got to say goodbye to him.”

  Jo wiped her hands on a nearby towel and nodded. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Jett. It was something your
father and I discussed but we weren’t sure if you wanted to do it yet.”

  “I’d be lying if I said I was,” Jett began. “But that doesn’t change the fact I need to do it.”

  David nodded. “Do you want your mother and me to come with you?”

  “I’ll leave that up to you.” Jett replied. “I can go alone or with Daniella if she’s able to do it.”

  Even though it was likely to be an insane week of work for her, there was no way she wanted to let him do this by himself. She placed her knife on the counter and walked over next to Jett.

  “Of course I’ll go with you.” She said as she stood next to him.

  Jett smiled as he looked up at her. “Thank you.”

  “Son,” David began as he placed his hand on Jett’s shoulder. “Your mother and I wouldn’t dream of not being there with you. When you’re ready, we’ll go together… as a family.”

  “Thanks.” Jett replied. Jo sniffled in the background. Daniella walked over to embrace her but as she did, there was a knock at the kitchen door. Jett leaned back in his seat and looked in the direction of the door.

  “They’re here.”

  Just then Sergeant Billy Holder entered with Daniella’s mother, Marilyn, and Daniella’s best friend, Tricia, following close behind. As they came in, everyone greeted them with a mix of handshakes for Billy and hugs for the women.

  “Can I get any of you something to drink before dinner?” Jo asked. She glanced towards some boiling pots on the stove and continued, “It’ll be a few minutes before we’re ready to eat.”

  Billy and Tricia politely refused.

  “No thank you,” Daniella’s mom replied. “Do you need any help with the meal?”

  “Actually, Daniella was helping me and…”

  Marilyn raised her hand and interrupted her. “Say no more… The terms ‘Daniella’ and ‘kitchen’ don’t belong together in any universe I come from.”

  “Hey!” Daniella exclaimed.

  Marilyn winked at her daughter as everyone laughed.

  “Come on,” Jo said to Marilyn. “I’m always happy to have help.” She turned to Jett and said, “Jett, will you and Daniella please set the table? David… I left dessert in the freezer in the garage. Would you bring that in so it can thaw in time for coffee?”

  Their duties assigned, Daniella, Jett and David set out to complete them.

  “Anything Billy and I can help with?” Tricia asked as everyone scattered in different directions.

  “No, just relax and make yourselves comfortable.” Jo replied.

  While Jo and Marilyn prepared the meal, everyone else made small talk until about forty minutes later when dinner was at last ready. The men helped to bring the food to the table and a few minutes later, everyone started to eat.

  “Jett,” Jo began as she looked at her son. “Marilyn tells me you made quite the first impression on her.”

  Jett nodded and smiled. “Yeah,” he said as he swallowed a bite of food. “I suppose I did. Sorry about that, Marilyn. No hard feelings huh?”

  Marilyn chuckled. “As long as Daniella is happy, that’s all I care about. I was concerned since I didn’t know anything about you.”

  “I understand.” He replied. “After all, I had no clue who I was either.”

  “And now?” She asked.

  At her question, Billy glanced at Daniella. Even though he witnessed Owen and Jett’s transformations first hand, he no doubt had questions that lingered in his mind. There was no way he couldn’t. As for Marilyn and Tricia, well, there really wasn’t an easy way to explain anything about who or what Jett was.

  “Let’s just say things are clearer now.” He replied.

  Marilyn nodded but it was obvious to Daniella her questions had only begun.

  “Who is this Owen person?” Marilyn asked. “Does he have something to do with death of your brother?”

  But before Jett could answer, she turned her attention to Billy and said, “And, not that I want you to, but I’m wondering why Jett isn’t in custody?”

  “Um…” Billy began.

  “The answer to both of those questions are related.” Daniella interrupted.

  “What does that mean?” Marilyn asked.

  ***

  “Well, it’s complicated…” Daniella began.

  “I wouldn’t expect anything less at this point, Daniella.” Her mother replied. “I just want the truth about what’s happening. I feel as if it’s being kept from me and as your mother, I don’t appreciate it.”

  Tricia nodded and said, “Ditto…”

  They had a point even if it wasn’t accurate. And besides, filling them in was the whole reason they were there in the first place. Daniella figured she may as well get it over with as soon as possible so she sat forward in her chair and began.

  “Well…” she said.

  “No, Daniella…” Jett interrupted. “I’ll do it. It’s my responsibility.”

  Daniella looked at him for a moment. His expression remained unchanged. He meant it.

  “Okay…” she said as she nodded.

  Jett looked away from her and turned his attention toward Marilyn and Tricia.

  “All I ask is that you let me finish before you say anything.” He said. “Just hear me out.”

  The women looked at one another and shook their heads in agreement.

  “Good,” Jett said as he leaned back in his chair. “Let’s get started.”

  With that, for the next thirty minutes or so Jett explained his world, including everything that was at stake with Kane, as best he could. The initial reaction of the women was predictably incredulous. After all, it was hard not to be. Daniella knew that from firsthand experience. But as he continued and it became clear that, in fact, this was not a bizarre fantasy their moods turned dark and laced with concern. As Jett finished his thoughts, the women turned and looked at each other once again.

  After a few seconds of hesitation, Marilyn was the first to break their silence. Using her index finger, she pointed to everyone else at the table except Tricia and said, “You all knew about this?”

  A smattering of ‘yesses’ and head nods followed her question.

  “Billy?” She scoffed. “Even you?”

  “Yeah,” he said as he nodded. “Of course, I found out by accident when I shot Owen.”

  “Wait, that old man…” she began. “He’s one of these… what are they called again?”

  “Shifters…” Daniella replied.

  “Yeah, he’s a… shifter… as well?”

  Billy nodded. “Apparently…”

  She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms at her chest. She sat in silence for several moments and appeared to have difficulty coming to grips with all of it.

  “No, no, no…” Marilyn said as she at last shook her head. “This is just… not possible. I don’t know what’s going on here or what this is all about but a human cannot turn into a bear.”

  “Mom…” Daniella said. “It’s true.”

  To Daniella’s disbelief, Tricia remained speechless.

  Daniella exhaled. She turned towards Jett. “Can you show her?”

  “Are you sure?” Jett asked. “I don’t want to frighten them.”

  “Daniella,” Billy interjected. “I have to agree with Jett. I don’t think this is such a good idea.”

  “Well, do you have a better one?” She replied. “Look, we are running out of time and everyone here needs to be on the same page. Those two…” she said as she gestured towards her mother and Tricia. “… have no clue what this is all about. We don’t have any choice.”

  The two men looked at one another and shrugged.

  “Alright…” Jett replied with a deep exhale. He turned his attention to Marilyn and Tricia. “I want you to understand I am in total control of what you are about to see. You have nothing to be concerned about, okay?”

  The two women leaned a bit closer to one another and nodded in nervous agreement. Marilyn clutched at Tricia’s left han
d with her right and as she did, she squeezed the color out of it almost right away.

  Jett cleared his throat and stood from the table. He removed his shirt, tossed it onto the back of his chair, and sat back down. He extended his right arm across the table and flexed it. As he did, a rumble emerged from deep within his throat. As the sound passed between his lips a distinctive growl filled the air. Marilyn and Tricia recoiled at the noise. It wasn’t something a human could do.

  He took a deep breath and looked up toward the ceiling. As his held fell back, his right arm started to flex and twitch. A second, louder bellow came from him as his arm pulsed and swelled to nearly twice its size. At the same time, its shape started to change from the familiar form of a human arm to a rounded, powerful appendage. A rapid burst of thick, brown fur emerged from it and within seconds covered his arm all the way around. His head fell forward and he made eye contact with the women. As he did, the final piece of his partial transformation appeared in the form of large paw, easily the size of a catcher’s mitt.

  Gasps of fright and awe emitted from the lips of both women as Jett held it in the air for a moment before he placed it in the center of the table. As it came to rest, the long grayish claws scraped against the wood finish. There was little question they were real. With eyes as wide as moons, they looked at the paw, each other, and then back at Jett who stared at them… expressionless.

  “Go ahead…” Jett said after a few seconds of silence. “Touch it.”

  “I…” Marilyn began. “No, I… I can’t. I’m sorry.”

  “No problem.” He said. “Tricia?”

  Tricia made a quick circle around the table with her eyes until at last they locked with Daniella’s.

  “It’s okay, really.” Daniella said to her.

  Tricia nodded and swallowed hard. “Um, oh… okay.” She brought her right hand up from her lap while Marilyn maintained a death grip on her left. As she made her way towards it, the tips of her fingers shook. While Jett waited for her, his paw remained motionless. She reached for it and placed her hand on top of it, albeit gently at first.

  Her fingertips explored the thick fur and dipped beneath it in spots as she moved around the top of the paw. While she continued to touch it, she moved from the top of it down towards the claws. As she did, Jett lifted it up ever so slightly, exposing the thick, black pads underneath. For several more seconds, she continued to explore it until she withdrew her hand and placed in her lap once more.