14

"I don't have any memories of my dad," he said after half his first plate was gone and he opened his second cider. "I have a vague impression of his voice and like a cheesy commercial where there's a frame of a large man with the sun behind him. That man's lifting me up when I was tiny and I felt loved. Really loved like… Really loved."

"Could be completely true or something your brain has pieced together to protect yourself so you have something of him," I said when he didn't continue.

He bobbed his head and shoveled in more food. "She told me it was an accident. That was what everyone said. Even my other relatives, but it was rude to his memory that she moved on so fast and remated that quickly. Others forgave her because she couldn't risk going feral with a young child and she had a higher chance of that because of how deep their love was."

My heart hurt when he snorted.

"She let it slip the first time when I was like five and I yelled at my stepdad for something stupid like kids do," he whispered, his voice sounding hollow. "She said—I'll never forget this. She said, ‘Be grateful I wouldn't let him have his way when he won me from your weak father. You wouldn't be here if I wasn't such a good mother, you stupid brat.'"

I swore under my breath. What a fucking horrid bitch.

He swallowed loudly and met my gaze. "So I know exactly how scarring it is to live in constant fear and terror of your family and homelife. I wasn't beaten like you've mentioned—and I know it's probably worse than you admit. I was smacked around, but that was completely acceptable—expected back then.

"But I was constantly in terror knowing my stepfather—an elder —had wanted me dead before he would mate my mother. She wouldn't allow it but threatened me with it after that day if I stepped a toe out of line. I was constantly in fear knowing she'd let that elder kill my father and supported it with some bullshit that it was fine because he was stronger."

"That explains your deep-rooted hate of elders," I muttered, nodding when he snorted. "How did you get free?"

"My paternal grandma," he answered. "My mom tried to cut me off completely from that side of the family saying I needed to accept my new father and move on, but they weren't having it. They had enough of a name and pull that it would have made issues within the community. So they backed off and I was allowed to see them.

"I was maybe ten when I finally confessed why I didn't want to go back home after spending a weekend with them. I told my grandparents, and while my grandpa didn't believe me, my grandma did. Completely. She'd had questions about the accident, and I learned later that she saw signs on my dad's body of it being a fight, not what the story was.

"But she settled her mate and left it alone until the next time I visited. She told me that she believed me and would get me free. She would save me especially after she didn't save her son from my mom. She apologized that it was all she could do, but the elder was too powerful and we didn't have proof."

"Smart woman to understand that," I commented, internally flinching when I felt deep sadness from him.

Which said a lot since I couldn't get much off of Isaac normally.

"She did extra side jobs and squirreled money away. For years while reminding me that she hadn't forgotten and would save me. The plan was right before I became a man, but then suddenly when I was fifteen she had everything ready. The moment she picked me up for the weekend we took off. She told me everything changed but not what or why."

"What happened? There's no way you left that alone," I pushed when he went quiet.

"My mother signed me up to be a council guard. Lied that I was seventeen and was about to start because a parent is not supposed to be able to force a child into it." He did a double take when I frowned. "Most shifter species—it's for life." He nodded when I dropped my fork. "It's a lifetime service, not retirement. Death on the job or death for betraying them.

"It's total bullshit, and normally for someone they ‘save' young to get out of their circumstances and then they own them. No matter how they learn later that the elders are monsters or—it doesn't matter. You're named rogue if you try to leave. They're given lectures and bullshit about how much was invested in them and all the training they were given—they're treated like dogs."

"Okay, something new to handle like immediately. I'm—the vampires are the only ones I've ever dealt with much on that shit and because Bacchus…"

"Redid the system several hundred years ago," he finished for me, nodding when I did. "Bacchus did away with that system. My mother and stepfather were forcing me into it, and he could get away with that as an elder. Always have me under his thumb and his bitch, so now he could have his kids with my mother, his legitimate ones instead of me, the bastard."

I groaned, loving how that got turned around like Isaac was an affair baby or some bullshit when his parents had been mated. "And I would bet he never said that around your mom?"

He gave me a look that I nailed that.

"What happened to your grandma?" I asked gently.

He wiped his eyes and then chugged the rest of his drink before opening another one. "They killed her. She got me on a boat to safety and hid me, gave me money to be safe and a contact that helped me adapt—learn the language—all of it. Then she went back and threw down that she set me free because what they were planning to do was illegal.

"My father's family was already plotting on what to do and how to handle it, but they weren't getting anywhere because the official council records were already changed with my age. Saying I'd changed my mind wouldn't matter as they don't allow that excuse to get out of being a guard, and to say my everything was forged with the knowledge of an elder…"

Would have meant their death.

"Still, they couldn't just murder her because of—" I started to say.

"She accused them of killing my dad publicly," he whispered, nodding when I swore. "She went nuclear and said she'd heard them both admit it when they didn't think she was around and knew it was all a setup to get rid of me and she wasn't going to allow that. She sacrificed herself knowing they would let my running away go then.

"Mom was so—the way grandpa told it was that she was so horrified grandma outed her that she lost her temper and attacked her. Grandma didn't fight back, knowing exactly what she'd started. She let an elder's mate kill her so my mom was shamed and they hurried to cover it all up. I didn't find out until a decade later when I was able to contact Grandpa safely."

"Impressive that he hung on like that after losing his mate given they loved each other," I hedged, not sure if that was the case.

He nodded, staring out at the city. "He hung on to warn me. Once he learned where I was and didn't have eyes on him constantly anymore, he journeyed to me and to tell me all of it. He told me everything and gave me what they had left, including some of my dad's belongings. He faded not long after."

"He hung on to protect you one last time," I comforted.

He scrubbed his hand over his face. "He said it was because he couldn't forgive himself for not believing me when I was a boy. He begged for my forgiveness. He prayed for Grandma's forgiveness every day and for leaving her alone in all of this. I'd never seen him sob like that. He was so… Broken." Isaac wiped tears of pain. "He was so broken, Soraya."

"I'm sorry." I reached over and rubbed my hand over his arm.

That was the moment I decided to use my new power as an elder for something selfish. Seeing him look so broken hurt my heart, and I didn't care if it was over the line.

What his mother and stepfather had done was way, way worse.

"Can we get lost in each other for a bit?" he whispered quietly once we were done eating. "I know it's crass and you're suffering too much. I know that. I wasn't ready to see her and him, and I just—"

"Let's shower off the day," I offered instead, glad when he accepted that. I used my power to clean up and put the rest in the fridge for later. I stood up and extended my hand to him, noting how he took it like a lifeline and let me lead him to my bathroom.

I needed it too. The day—the week… The years had spun me out too far.

He undressed me after I turned on the shower, kissing every inch of my exposed skin before carrying me under the water. I hadn't noticed him getting his clothes off as well, but there he was, gloriously naked.

"You did it," he chuckled, catching on to where my head was. "I was just suddenly naked."

Oh boy, my magic was having some fun on me.

He kissed me softly as his hands mapped out my body. I touched him all over too before dropping to my knees.

Isaac licked his lips as he stared down at me. "My mate knows exactly what I need and I fucking love it."

"I got you, babes," I promised before licking his hard cock. I didn't do much, but I did suck it a bit. They all enjoyed the attempt and desire to please them, not pushing for the full thing or to be aggressive with me.

Not when I was new to it and clearly still had issues with it.

I appreciated the understanding more than they knew. Really, I did.

I washed us and gave him a hand job while his fingers fucked me. I was about to finish when he suddenly lifted me up and lowered me on his dick. It was still too tight of a fit, but I could tell he fucking loved that—loved that I would still let him and trust him.

I nodded that I was with him and he could do what he wanted with me. His eyes about rolled up in his head as he yanked me down as he thrust up. It hurt but not too much and immediately radiated to pleasure as he fucked me stupid. I came after a few more thrusts and cried out his name, begging for more.

And more he gave me.

He leaned my back against the tiles and spread my legs wide as he completely plowed me. I lost count of how many orgasms I had, lost in him .

Isaac growled that he owned me and then I was on my feet, spun around, my hands on the tiles before he shoved his dick back in me. I screamed in pleasure as he fucked me harder and harder.

And then did my ass.

I knew he came at some point. Maybe a few times, but he didn't stop. He just kept going and going.

When my legs gave out, he simply shut off the water and carried me to the counter. He sat me on it, spread my thighs wide, and went back to screwing my pussy like he owned it.

His lips and tongue were just as desperate. He ate me up completely, fisting my hair and holding me to him as he did my ass with his other hand.

I felt him finish again, but he just kept fucking me.

He ripped his lips away from mine and stopped thrusting, his croc moving behind his eyes. "Say you will let me—" He shook his head, clearly trying to get his animal to back off. "Promise we will mate. One day. Promise you will bear my children and we will be a family."

I swallowed loudly. "I hope we will mate. I don't know I can ever be a mother, but if I can, I have no issue with being the mother of your children."

He growled and I knew it was at his crocodile. "That's more than enough. Stop pushing our mate when she is just as wounded. Be better to her or we don't deserve her! She's not an animal."

He seemed at an impasse with his croc, so I said the only thing I knew worked with shifters.

"Isaac, practice getting me pregnant," I begged.

His eyes went wide, almost feral but in a good way, and then he went back to screwing me until I passed out.

Again.

Shit, this damn croc really knew how to treat me right.

I woke when I felt something off.

No, someone was there who shouldn't be.

I was clean and Isaac was still sleeping, so he wasn't alerted to anything wrong. I used my power to dress and get out of bed, freezing to scan with my magic.

Michelle. She was on my balcony.

I swallowed a sigh. Of course, Brax didn't think to put all my blocking protections onto his present.

Trusting fool.

I went out there and put us in a bubble so we didn't wake Isaac.

"I apologize for the intrusion," she whispered, not looking at me as she tried to wipe her tears. She lifted the charm I gave her to mute her power. "I'm wearing it so you felt safe. I'm not here to—"

"I know," I accepted, feeling how upset she was. "I've done it many times where I don't even realize where I'm going or what I'm doing, but I'm suddenly somewhere that I clearly felt safe at or no one would think to look for me."

She bobbed her head. "That. That's what I thought. No one would look for me here, and everyone is looking for me. Some to yell at me for not doing more. Some to lecture me that I didn't speak sooner. Most to just ask questions or demand change—what comes next."

"I really am not a fan of the sexism among the angels," I grumbled.

"It was hidden better until recently," she said after a moment. "I'm not stupid. I knew it was there, but… I was shocked how many outrightly started talking back against me when that was…" She shook her head.

"Do you want to talk or simply sit here safely and be lost in your thoughts?" I asked after several minutes.

She opened her mouth but then closed it before trying a few more times.

I chuckled and was about to leave when her hand shot out and she grabbed my arm.

"I wish to bounce—I think I know my vote for what happens. Bounce it off you? Yes, that is how it's said?"

"Yeah, bounce the idea off me," I confirmed. "You want to get some dessert and talk?"

"Yes, yes, that is what I want," she rasped, new tears filling her eyes. "How can you be so much nicer to me when you have so many more reasons to hate me than my own siblings?"

"Because they're at the eye of this storm with you. This time I would give them a bit of a pass. It's their sibling who was wrongfully accused and sentenced to a hell he didn't deserve. They're angry and—they get a bit of a pass. They have even less control and less of a say than you do."

She swallowed loudly, seeming to settle with that. "I would like to visit that—Cups of Love. That one. With all the cake cups and variety. That is what I would really like, Sister." She seemed destroyed when she looked at me. "You remind me of her. The way you make so much seem easy and that you are so sure of the answer. One of my sisters helped me understand—"

"You hated me for making you think of her when it hurts so much," I accepted, nodding when she did. "I feel that way sometimes when I see twins. I never knew mine—he was never even born, but I feel the pain of… I understand to some degree."

"Yes, yes, you do," she accepted.

We went to that place, and luckily it was open with the time difference and the customer they'd just served left.

"Do you have any orders coming to be picked up, love?" I asked the woman behind the counter. I smiled when she shook her head. "Could I buy the rest of your everything and you close early? We need a bit of a quiet place to talk, and I have a lot of people who could use some treats after what they've been going through."

Her mouth fell open and she blinked at me for a full minute before she shook herself out of it. "Yes, of course, Elder Devil. We can—you don't have to buy it all because…"

"Oh, love," I whispered as I caught the thoughts. "I will buy the order. I'm sorry you're being bullied and hassled. Your wares are lovely. I'll give you the number of our coordinator who handles the recommendations I give and the social media… Things. I adored everything I tried here last time."

Tears filled her eyes. "That would be amazing. This place has always been my dream. It's not a cupcake shop. It's different, and I wasn't trying—I didn't know it was the sheriff's wife who owned that place."

Assholes. Absolute assholes.

Instead of supporting another female-owned business and accepting there were enough treats to always go around, the bitch was using her influence to hurt this new shop. And commit fraud which was so over the line it wasn't funny. Someone associated with the sheriff's wife placed a huge order and didn't come pick it up.

The number was even disconnected, and when they went to run the credit card number left for the order, it was stolen and the machine told her to cut it up. So it was a completely fake order and knowingly done to make her waste tons of product when they were already spreading rumors and more about the store to hurt its business.

Fury filled me as I heard more and more about what was going on.

"Close up and feed my friend whatever she wants while I go get you a bit of justice, love," I told her as I made my black card appear and gave it to her.

"Thank you," she rasped. "I'll start boxing up more to take to your coven."

Perfect.

I teleported to outside of the cupcake shop that was fucking with the woman I'd just been speaking with and called Fern. She was the coordinator who helped Remy handle all of the crazy with the restaurants and who I put my stamp of approval and magic on.

I smiled evilly as I was right and this place had asked for us to review them. I walked right into the shop like I owned the place. "I understand, darling. I'm here now since it was on the list and I needed some treats for a meeting. I'll try a few and let you know before deciding if I get more or Helen can hit a normal spot."

I thanked her and hung up, smiling at the young lass behind the counter.

"Umm, I need to call my boss," she whispered.

"That's fine, but first I want to order a couple of cupcakes to try now," I told her. I pushed when she hesitated. "Or I could not review your wares at all and make it clear you weren't going to sell me the same cupcakes you would everyone else?"

I picked a vanilla and strawberry shortcake to eat there, smirking as the girl hurried to call her boss the moment I was done paying. The magic I used helped me hear the bitch demand the girl keep me there until she arrived and she was only a few minutes away.

I took a bite of the first cupcake and didn't even have to fake my reaction. It was dry as fuck and the buttercream so over sugared it was ridiculous. And I liked normal American buttercream.

How could you fuck up such an easy frosting recipe?

I glanced around and saw they had some drinks in a side refrigerator and bought a bottle of water. I had another small bite and rolled my eyes before having some of the water. Then I tried the second one and actually spat it back out. It wasn't that bad, but I wanted her to witness that.

The woman who had to be the owner came whipping into the parking lot and was out of her vehicle seconds later. I picked up the cupcakes and walked over to the garbage as I pulled out my phone. I waited until she was opening the door before connecting back to Fern.

"Sorry to bug you, love, but you can post that this place failed?" I said as I tossed the cupcakes. "They're horrid and—"

"I beg your pardon?" the shrill woman demanded behind me.

I turned and acted like I had no clue who she was or what was going on, glancing around a bit. "Am I in your way somehow?"

"Did you just say my cupcakes are horrid?" she seethed.

"Are you the owner of this place?" I checked.

"Yes, and I think you have—"

"The plain cupcake is dry and the frosting is a disaster," I told her. "The strawberry shortcake is cheap pound cake and canned pie filling, not even freshly made or with fresh strawberries. It's gross especially for how much you're charging. Please make sure that's part of our review, Fern." I thanked her and hung up.

The bitch was sputtering and ready to murder me from the look in her eyes.

"There is always a bigger fish to take you down a peg," I purred as I leaned into the woman. "You think you're hot shit targeting that lovely cake cup shop, but how about if someone targets your shitty cupcakes? How will you feel about that then? And I'm not even committing fraud to do it and hiding behind my partner's badge."

I smirked at her as I moved away, steam practically coming out of her ears. Then I teleported back to Michelle, glad when she was happily eating and seemed in a better state of mind.

Plus, she had a really good idea on how to handle the whole situation with her family. Lovely.