Page 22 of Shifter and the Succubus (The Pack #1)

Sabrina drove the rental car along the country roads, taking in the rolling hills and the snow still dotting the landscape.

Winter in Wisconsin held on much longer than Ohio, so she was glad she’d packed her heavy coat.

Even though it would have been easier for Jason to drive since he knew his way around, they weren’t sure what triggered his changes and didn’t want to risk it happening while he drove.

Misha had handled the travel details for the plane, car, and accommodations.

He’d rented a small house close to Jason’s parents as well instead of a hotel, again leaning toward solitude for Jason.

She worried she had said too much to him on the plane.

Not because she regretted finally telling him that she liked him, that she had wanted to explore a future with him before they discovered he was shifter, but because her revelations were so close to his discussion with his parents.

Sabrina wanted to protect him, but she couldn’t shield him from whatever his parents would or wouldn’t tell him.

She looked over at him. Other than periodically spouting directions, he’d been quiet.

More than likely thinking through his upcoming conversation with his parents.

It would be awkward enough without her being smack-dab in the middle of it.

It was bad enough that his parents had never met her and knew nothing about her.

They were going to make assumptions, and she didn’t know how to dissuade them without telling them too much.

Pinpricks of energy shot from him the closer they got to his parents.

“Are you okay?”

Jason sighed. “Yeah.”

“You haven’t seen your parents in a while.

Maybe spend some time with them first before you start asking questions.

When you decide it’s time, I can make myself scarce.

Go into another room and let you talk.” And she would keep her senses open so she could help him if he started to change.

She wasn’t sure how they would explain that away to his parents, however.

Jason nodded. “It might make it easier to talk to them.”

They lapsed into silence again for another ten minutes until Jason’s energy spiked and he spoke up. “Turn right on that drive.”

Sabrina turned and pulled down the lane. A white farmhouse with a metal roof greeted them first with two large barns sitting farther back from the house. Fencing surrounded the back pasture where a small group of cows stood. Sabrina parked next to a well-worn truck and turned off the ignition.

“You ready?”

Jason looked at his watch. “They should be finishing the second milking for the day. Mom will be getting dinner ready.”

“Do you want me to wait in the car?”

Jason shook his head. “I would get an earful from Mom if I left you sitting in the car.”

Jason led the way to a side door. They walked into a mudroom, and Jason kicked off his shoes and Sabrina followed suit before hanging up their coats on hooks.

“Mom?”

Something clattered farther inside the house, and the sound of footsteps rushed toward them.

Jason’s mom greeted them before they made it out of the mudroom.

When she caught sight of her son, she gasped and then wrapped her arms around him.

She was tall and lean with dark hair that she had pulled back from her face in a low ponytail.

“Jason! I’m so happy to see you. Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?”

“Thought I would surprise you. Is Dad in the milking parlor?”

“Yes. He should be inside any minute.”

Jason stepped to the side since Sabrina had been mostly blocked by him. “Mom, this is my friend, Sabrina. Sabrina, this is Lidia.”

For a split second Lidia’s eyes widened and her energy pulsed in surprise, but just as quickly she schooled her expression. “Nice to meet you, Sabrina.” She looked between Jason and then Sabrina for a moment before smiling. “Where are my manners? Come on in.”

The mudroom opened to a charming country kitchen that held a large farm table.

And smelled amazing with a pot of something bubbling on the stove.

Lidia picked up a spoon lying on the counter and set it in the sink before wiping up the counter with a towel.

“I made a mess of things when I heard you call out to me. I have a pot of vegetable stew. The biscuits will be out of the oven in a few minutes.”

Jason groaned and Lidia laughed. “I know how you like my biscuits. If you would have told me you were coming, I would have made all your favorites.”

“It was a spur-of-the-moment thing, Mom. It’s been too long since I’ve been home.”

Lidia’s eyes glistened before she blinked and walked to the stove to turn off the heat under the stew. “I’m just glad you’re here.”

The mudroom door squeaked before someone stepped inside the house.

After a few seconds a sock-clad man wearing jeans and a Henley shirt walked into the room.

He had salt-and-pepper hair and his skin had seen a lot of sun over the years.

His eyes lit up when he caught sight of Jason, and he enveloped him in a hug.

Not a backslap bro hug, but a full-on hug that made Sabrina like him immediately.

“This is a nice surprise,” his father said.

They released each other, and Jason introduced Sabrina to Carter. Lidia finished with the dinner preparations, and after they had all washed up, they sat down at the table and started eating.

The stew was a perfect meal for the cold weather, and the biscuits were warm and flaky and the butter homemade.

“Now I know why Jason moaned when you mentioned biscuits. They are perfect. And the homemade butter is wonderful.”

Lidia smiled. “You have a good palate if you recognized it was homemade.”

Sabrina couldn’t exactly tell her that she had eaten homemade butter for centuries before it was mass-produced. “My grandmother used to churn butter.”

Lidia nodded. “I use a small machine to churn it, since I don’t have time to do it old-school.”

“I would do the same if I had a fresh milk supply,” Sabrina said.

Jason set down his fork. “How are things going with the farm, Dad?”

“As good as can be expected. With so many people switching to soy, almond, and oat milk, we took a hit. We’ve sold off some of the herd and have been working on a diversification plan.”

“We?”

Lidia and Carter exchanged a look before Carter continued. “Craig is working with us now.”

Jason stiffened in his seat, his energy spiking again. “Really?”

Lidia placed her hand on Jason’s arm. “Sweetheart. We needed to start thinking about the future.”

Sabrina watched the interplay, knowing there was some sort of unhappy backstory she wasn’t aware of.

“I’m glad to hear you have help,” Jason said half-heartedly.

“I’ve always had farm hands to help out, but Craig has really stepped up. I wanted to talk to you about it, but I didn’t think it was a conversation to have over the phone.”

Jason nodded. “I understand. I haven’t been home, and you need to keep the business running.”

Carter frowned. “You know that I would give you the farm in a heartbeat if you wanted it.”

“I know, Dad. But it isn’t what I’m meant to do. I’m glad that Craig is a part of the business.”

Lidia looked between her son and husband with so much love that Sabrina felt like she was intruding on their moment. “How is your job going?” his mother asked. “I’m still a little unclear of what you do exactly.”

Jason popped the last of his biscuit into his mouth and chewed for a moment before replying. “I work for a detective agency now.”

“That isn’t code for a hired mercenary, is it?” his father asked.

Jason smiled. “No. We investigate things and sometimes do some bodyguard work.”

Lidia offered Jason another biscuit and pushed a small jar of honey his way. She turned to Sabrina. “Jason always likes to finish his meal with a biscuit with honey poured over it. Calls it his dessert. So how did you two meet?”

Sabrina kept her smile to herself. She had wondered how long it would take Lidia to interrogate her. “Through Jason’s work. I’ve done some consulting work for them.”

“She’s a doctor,” Jason volunteered.

Lidia’s gaze tightened on her. “What sort of doctor?”

“Emergency room and general medicine.” She decided not to bring up the ME portion of her job. Too many questions surrounding that.

They finished their dinner with some more small talk and quickly cleared the table before settling in the living room. Sabrina could tell by the tension radiating from Jason that he was gearing up to talk to his parents.

Sabrina went to stand. “I think I might get a breath of fresh air.”

Jason laid his hand on her arm, halting her motion. “You don’t have to go outside.”

“Are you sure?”

He nodded.

She bit her lip to stop from asking the questions for him. He needed to do this on his own.

Lidia watched their interchange closely. “If there is something you want to tell us, Jason Scott Watson, you might as well get to it.”

Jason swallowed. “I do. And I don’t know how to break it to you easy other than to just say it. I know I’m adopted.”

Lidia gasped and her energy pushed out in jagged pinpricks.

“Please don’t deny it. My blood type is A negative, and since neither you nor Dad are type A, I can’t be your child.”

“You are my son in all ways that matter,” Carter growled.

“I know, Dad.”

Lidia’s eyes narrowed at Sabrina. “Did you help him come to this conclusion?”

Jason shook his head. “No. I figured it out a while ago.”

“Is that why you stopped coming home?” Carter asked.

Jason flinched. “I just didn’t understand why you hadn’t told me I was adopted. Why keep it a secret from me?”

Lidia reached out her hand, and Jason walked over and sat down between his parents on the couch.

Sabrina could imagine that they had done that when he was little, his support system from both sides.

They wrapped their arms around him and held him for a few moments.

Their energy wrapped around him as well. As did their love.

Lidia sat back after a moment and placed her hand on Jason’s cheek. “We’ll explain it to you, sweetheart. Give me a moment to go get something that might help with the conversation.”

She stood and walked behind the couch and down a hallway. Carter still had his arm wrapped around Jason’s shoulder. Since they were facing away from the hall, Sabrina saw Lidia return first. She held something down at her side, and it only took her a moment to swing the shotgun up to her shoulder.

Lidia pointed it at Sabrina. “What are you?”

Sabrina’s breath caught in her throat. This was not how she thought the family reunion would go. Especially when she looked over at Jason and his eyes started to glow.