Not Quite Human - Book 1 of Werewolves Downunder

Chapter 23

Next morning Kasey woke early as was becoming the norm for her.  She enjoyed listening to the early morning bird calls and as she took up her usual seat on the back porch steps she let her mind wonder back to the previous day.  The night before she had been way too tired to sort through everything that had happened, but now… now she needed to do just that.

She rolled her shoulders and felt a twinge that she put down to the time she spent training with the guys and she called them… her personal Guardians. She knew that they had gone easy on her, but she’d used muscles she didn’t know she had and in ways she’d never done before, so if she was sore she had a right to be.

She thought about Ewan and how he’d shown himself, non-corporeal like an illusion but an illusion couldn’t interact like Ewan did.  She wondered if that was his gift alone or if she might also be able to do it in time.

Kasey sent out her mind and felt Braedon moving around somewhere in the house, he felt agitated which reminded her of how Ewan was just before he left the night before.   She sighed and got up to go speak with him.

On the way in Gilbert asked her what she would like for breakfast.  She said she’d be in Braedon’s office and asked for a couple of toasted cheese, bacon and tomato sandwiches for them to share.  He nodded and turned back to his cooking and she refilled her coffee cup and got one for Braedon before heading to his office.

The door was slightly ajar and she pushed it open with her elbow, both Braedon and Jacob were in the office and when they heard her they stopped speaking and waited for her to enter. “Sorry Jacob I didn’t know you were here,” she handed Braedon his coffee; “I can go get you a cup if you like?”

“It’s okay sweet cheeks, I’m on my way out and Shallana will have coffee ready by now.” Then he patted her on the head and left them alone.

“Gilbert’s bringing in something for us to eat,” she began as she sat in the chair opposite Braedon’s desk, “So,” she continued, “you wanna explain to me what was up with Ewan last night, and please don’t tell me it was brotherly love.”

Braedon looked down into his coffee cup and thought back to the meeting he had the day before with the Pack Elders.  Benjamin the Pack historian had been there and had more than a few things to say about his being mated to a human who was part Fey. 

Benjamin had told stories of the old days when Were’s and Fey co-existed, when Were’s were even granted leave to visit and at times live in the Realm of the Fey.  But over time their co-existence had deteriorated until there was little or no trust between the two races.  He mentioned mating between the two races, claiming it is one of the reason some Were’s have specific traits.

 All Were’s are born gifted in some way, but those with Fey blood in their ancestry were more frequently born with more specific gifts.   Braedon had heard such stories many times and in the past would have laughed off what Benjamin said, but now that he had Kasey he saw that what he’d said was more than possible.

Braedon listened to what Benjamin and the other Elders had to say and he’d asked a few questions too.  He especially looked towards Tamara for answers as she was the oldest of them all.  Tamara was a born healer who had not only taught Jaz, but many others before her.  Some said she had the gift of foresight and that she had helped save the Pack on several occasions during her long life.

Braedon looked up to see Kasey watching him thoughtfully, he pulled back his thoughts, not so much hiding them from her as steering her away from them.  “Your brother is Fey kitten, just as you are and Fey are very protective of their own.”

Kasey frowned, “Their own, you’ve got to be kidding?  I barely know him and he’s suddenly protective?” She shook her head and sipped her coffee.