Page 41 of Enter the Lair

Marie shook her head.“No.That was me.I was embarrassed and angry.Not at your father, at myself.I asked Galen to wait until you boys were adults before we told them.Then, when you were, there seemed no reason to dredge up painful memories.We didn’t think you needed that burden.”

Galen put his arm around his wife.“I could have pushed to tell them.I didn’t.”

Marie put her hand on Galen’s face gently.“There is no I, Galen.There is only us.”

Devon felt the love his father had for his mother.It was absolute.He hoped he could inspire the same devotion in his own mate.

“You see why I love her so much,” Galen said smiling.

“Yes.I do.”

Devon handed Galen the bag he had been holding.“I brought you this.I made it for you a long time ago.I should have given it to you sooner.”

Galen unwrapped a wood carving polished to a smooth glossy finish.His eyes widened when he saw the details.His fingers brushed over the delicate lines of his and Marie’s face immortalized in wood.Eight Cougars of various ages sat, playing or laying, at their feet.The cats were perfect replicas of him and his brothers.Marie’s hand rested on Talen’s ears.

“Oh, Devon.”Marie hugged him again with tears in her eyes.“I knew you were talented like your father, but this...”

Devon felt his father’s sense of pride.Although all the brothers had their strengths.Devon was the only carver.He made furniture as well, though he’d never confided that to his family.

Galen looked at his teary wife.“It’s time.”

Marie nodded smiling.“It is.”

Galen put his hand on Devon’s shoulder.“Devon, I want you to partner with me in the furniture business.Once you learn everything.You’ll take over.”

Devon was shocked.“What?”

“You’re the only one with the ability to make the customized orders.We have a business manager to take care of the monetary details, but you will eventually oversee those as well.”

Devon knew that a shifter offloading his responsibilities was a bad sign.“You love sculpting, making furniture.Why would you want to give that up?”

“I’m not giving it up.I’m just cutting back.You’ll help me with the specialized orders.The demand is so high right now I can’t keep up.Once you can handle them on your own, I will retire.”

“You’re a shifter in your prime.What do you plan to do?”

Marie put her hand on Devon’s face gently.“Sweetheart, we’re not in our prime anymore.Your father and I started aging a few years ago.You know how our life cycle works.We knew that you and your brothers would start mating.Our time is coming to an end, but not before we have at least a dozen cubs at our feet.”

“No,” Devon said harshly.He had just gotten his parents back.Now they were dying.

Galen linked his fingers with his mates.“Devon, aging isn’t a death sentence.We have a good thirty years to see our grandbabies born and into their early years.Having the opportunity to grow old with the woman you love.To watch your children, grow and become better men than you.These things are a reward, not a penalty.Mother nature keeps a balance.Due to my brothers being killed I had more children than most.She has been kind to me.”

Devon heard every word as the truth.He had forgotten his father had lost most of his family.He’d never considered that Mother Nature had intervened by ensuring those cougars were replaced.

He swallowed hard.“Do any of the others know?”

“No.I’ll tell them soon, but I want to give Talen time to focus on his new mate, his new babies, and those ridiculously cute puppies.”

Devon smiled.“I won’t say anything.I’ll start helping you with the special orders as soon as we get Racheal back.I’m concerned Sarah will do something on her own if we don’t.”

“Understood.Hunter, Luca, and Liam are tracking Kallan’s men as we speak.They are hoping that wherever his military force is holed up will be the same place, he is keeping the doctor.”

“Makes sense.This operation seems to be his primary goal.He has a lot of money, but research is expensive.Someone should be checking out his other businesses.He has to be funneling money from them.If we follow his money, we will eventually find him.”

Galen rubbed his chin.“That’s an excellent idea.Get Dylan and Nicholas to coordinate with Cade’s brother Garrett in the Canadian lair.He’s a genius.He takes care of the monetary exchanges we don’t want tracking back to us.”

Devon knew Galen had to take precautions to protect the lair.Some of those precautions attracted undue attention.

“I don’t want Sarah involved in the rescue.”