Page 43 of Fennick’s Fortune (Sentinels of Apollo #2)

The Sentinels, minus Fennick, had returned Hadar’s body to his family.

They explained what happened and why Hadar was killed.

They didn’t hide anything, not even the fact that I was the one to do it.

On the walk home after the fight, I demanded that Fen tell them to inform Hadar’s family of the truth and not to place the blame on Fennick.

If he didn’t, I would go to them myself and tell them that instant. He’d done as I demanded.

I felt rotten all night and cried on and off.

I hated that a life had to be ended for something so stupid.

Fen was a sweetheart, and he kept me company even though I remained silent for long bouts of time.

He held me, talked when needed, listened, and let me soak him in my tears.

I had no appetite, but I was prodded until I ate.

Fennick cared for me like no other ever had.

We met as a united group three days after Hadar’s death.

We followed the practice of most shifters, which was to burn the bodies so there was nothing left behind to attract undue attention.

We didn’t want to chance a human coming across something or digging up a body and finding it.

The reason was that when we died, the bone structure wasn’t entirely human.

It was why many didn’t go to human doctors when living, though it wasn’t notable then.

No one wanted to take a chance. We either healed alone or, if you were lucky, you had a shifter doctor nearby to care for you.

The cremation was done within twenty-four hours of death if possible.

We’d left the family to dispose of him privately.

Those who had traveled with the group attended. I stayed away.

This meeting was to discuss the party. The Sentinels had offered to postpone the New Year’s Eve celebration for another time.

The main reason for it was so that the others in Asa’s group and I could meet our fellow shifters in the area.

I told them it was too important to postpone.

Even if some of us were less than party-ready, it was necessary to move forward.

I was shocked when the most unlikely ally came forward to back me.

He was the last person I thought would do it.

Asa declared that we would go through with the celebration.

He publicly hugged me and said he had no ill will toward me for what I did.

Asa voiced that he had suspected that Hadar was afflicted with mate mania before his death.

That’s when his family discovered that Hadar wasn’t the only one who had it.

There were a couple of people back in their family tree who suffered from it as well.

Only Asa knew that and hadn’t told his children about it.

We’d offered all the support we could to Asa and the rest of his family and those from the group who were suffering from shock.

With the decision to proceed out of the way, we continued with the preparations.

I refused to mope around and let the work fall to everyone else.

It was happening at our house, as Fennick insisted on calling his place.

I wanted it to be amazing and go off without a hitch.

We would put on a happy face and pretend that what happened less than a week ago with Hadar hadn’t changed things.

Life continued, and shifters tended to be more pragmatic about life and death than humans.

It didn’t mean that we didn’t care for people or life as much, just that we saw it through a different lens.

The house was decorated for Christmas. Fen had done a tree at the beginning of December, and I’d helped him spruce the rest of the house up more after I moved there, and in the past few days.

Providing hors d’oeuvres simplified matters.

The bigger focus was on the drinks and the fireworks that the guys insisted we have.

I left that to them. I made sure the house was cleaned, with Fen’s assistance.

Even though it had been a short while since we met the Sentinels, I felt as if I had been a part of their lives for months.

Brax, Cerys, and Twyla came over early to help ensure nothing was missed.

The guests would start arriving at seven that evening.

That was the official start time. There was no official end time.

Asa’s people would arrive before seven to ensure everyone was there when the other guests arrived.

The first of them to arrive were Trevor, Thea, and Royal.

Ten minutes after them, it was Gunnar with his three houseguests.

Bruce and Nico immediately followed them, and then Keir, Banner, Asa, and his family were the final ones to arrive.

The remainder of our guests showed up from seven to seven thirty.

I was introduced first since Fennick and I were the hosts and answered the door each time.

I met the cheval mallet first. His name was Roan.

I’d never met one. They were said to be very rare.

He appeared to be in his sixties, which meant he had to be very old.

I wondered if I could ask him his age later. Roan had Old World charm.

Next came the panther couple who had a child.

Jonah and his mate, Lilith, were parents to a five-year-old girl named Ivory.

They shyly said hello when we were introduced.

Ivory became excited when she discovered she wouldn’t be the only child here.

She, Shiloh, and Simon instantly hit it off.

We ensured that we had some toys and games that would appeal to them, along with movies.

The next to arrive were the mated pair of Kitsunes.

They were another shifter species I hadn’t ever met.

The male was Daiki, and his wife was Kasumi.

This meant that the Bhaers were the last to arrive. They gave me warm smiles under the watchful eye of my mate. And they congratulated us on our official mating. Not wanting there to be any residual hard feelings after the night at Pour Decisions, I gave each of them a hug.

It was a little strained at first. Even though the Sentinels knew all the town shifters, there was a large group of us to introduce and begin becoming familiar with and hopefully friends with them.

As time wore on, I thought the night had been progressing well.

Everyone seemed to be talking and enjoying themselves.

We ensured the town shifters didn’t stick in one group and Asa’s in another.

A big help in preventing this was the Sentinels and Bhaers mingling and taking one or the other with them.

There was a lot of sharing about where people were from and where they grew up.

I knew I’d be asked, and I had to have an answer ready.

Fen and I had talked about it, and he told me not to do anything I wasn’t comfortable with.

My instinct would be to deflect or lie. However, I planned to live here for many years.

I needed to be honest with those within our hidden community to do that.

I was seated with Roan, Fen, Daiki, Katsumi, Cooper, and Keir.

Katsumi and Daiki had just finished telling where they’d grown up.

They were from Nagano, Japan, though they hadn’t met until they were adults.

Roan was originally from St. Nazaire, France.

Keir was from Ireland, though his accent was gone after all these years, like Roan’s was.

Cooper’s family had always been in California, Arizona, and Nevada.

When everyone’s gazes settled on me, I knew the time had come.

“I’m originally from North Dakota. My mother is deceased, and my father isn’t a part of my life.

When I was a teenager, I moved to live with a couple in South Dakota.

They took me in when I had no one else to turn to.

Unfortunately, I lost Ernie and Peaches when I was eighteen.

I’ve spent the past twelve years roaming a large part of the western half of the States.

I’m a nature photographer, so I do a lot of traveling for that reason.

When I’m not working as a freelance photographer, I try to work with more established photographers who need assistance with their studios.

I don’t mind either type of work, but being out in nature is my favorite. ”

“Oh, do you mean you take those breathtaking photographs we see in some of the top nature magazines?” Katsumi asked in awe.

“I have. Sometimes, I capture wildlife that is hard for others to get. When that happens, I can sell those to the bigger magazines.”

“You said you’re from North Dakota. May I ask, what was your mother?” Roan asked suddenly. His question caught me by surprise. What did he mean?

“What do you mean? What was she?”

“As in what other than a bear shifter? Or was it your father who was mixed?”

I stared at him, not knowing what to say. I had no clue what he was talking about.

“Roan, Akiva doesn’t know much about either side of her family. She didn’t have a typical or pleasant upbringing. And why are you asking her if one of her parents was mixed? How could they be?” Fennick asked. His arm was around me, holding me close for comfort.

“I don’t mean to offend. Please don’t take it that way. But I ask because it’s clear to me that you’re not one hundred percent bear. There’s something else in your blood.” He paused before continuing. “Where’s Nico?” he asked.

Fen must’ve called his friend, because we glanced around to find Nico making his way over to us. He sat down on the other side of me.

“Just the man we want. I asked Akiva which of her parents is something other than a pure bear. I can sense it, but not what. I know that as a vampire, you can read minds. Have you ever read her thoughts, with permission of course, or caught a glimpse that would reveal what her heritage is?” Roan asked.

Nico looked from Roan to Fen and then to me. He was wondering what to reveal, so I nodded.