Worth It - Lisa Oliver Page 0,16
in this apartment, and there’s nowhere safe nearby where I can let him out. I seem to spend most of my time suppressing him, so he doesn’t lash out at someone. It’s not easy. I love my other half, and my senses come alive when I’m walking around on four legs, but there’s nowhere handy here I can shift. My other half is bigger than most for some reason.”
“I can certainly help with finding you somewhere to shift, young tiger,” Ra said. “But first, I have to confess a strong interest in your parentage. Forgive me, if I seem rude, but do you know who your parents are?”
“My mom’s an ordinary tiger shifter, and like most unmated tiger shifters, she only stayed with my biological father for the three days it took for her to fall pregnant with me, so she said.” Paulie looked down at the coverlet. “She never talked about him, but then she never talked about the fathers of any of my half-siblings either. She has no interest in a permanent relationship with anyone.” He couldn’t help how his heart hurt just thinking about his mom, but he didn’t want his friends to see it.
“There’s something about you, sweet thing.” Ra’s voice caused Paulie to look up. The god had a gleam in his eye and the smirk seemed permanent. “I would wager my headdress you’re no ordinary shifter, which means if your mom was normal enough, then your dad was something much more.”
Paulie shook his head. “My dad would have been human. Mom never slept with other shifters, only humans. She always said other shifters were always weird when kids were involved and she didn’t want any of her hookups getting messy – her words, not mine.”
“Hmm…” Ra narrowed his eyes. “I’m sure that was her intention, but I’m almost certain that wasn’t the case with your father. How old did you say you were again?”
“I was twenty-five two weeks ago.” Paulie looked at Wes and Cass, and then back at Ra. “Why is that important? Why is finding out who my father is important? It’s not like he’d even know I exist, and he’s never had anything to do with me before.”
“I’m surprised your friends haven’t told you.” Ra arched his eyebrow at Cass and Wes. “The wolf should’ve sniffed it out, the demon can definitely see it in you. Why haven’t you told him, gentlemen?”
“What Paulie is has no bearing on whether or not we’d help him,” Wes said quickly. “We were sent and more than happy to help, you know that.”
“Yes, well I had my suspicions when ‘you know who’ was so invested in this tiger’s well-being,” Ra countered. “I actually thought ‘you know who’ had a familial interest in the boy, but now I’ve met Paulie, I know his benefactor has different reasons for his concerns, and you haven’t been honest with Paulie about what he is.”
“It’s not like it’s come up.” Cass waved his hands in the air. “How were we to know Paulie didn’t already know…”
“Know what?” Paulie clutched at the bed covers like a life preserver. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know what you mean. I shift. I’m a tiger shifter. What don’t I know? What are you keeping from me?”
“Paulie,” Ra started gently, but Paulie wasn’t listening.
“I was weird enough before, but now you’re telling me I’m something worse?” A rumble of thunder sounded overhead, shocking everyone except Paulie who was close to panic. “I’m a freak, aren’t I? A dangerous freak – a half-breed of some kind. That’s why I don’t fit in and can’t get along with others. Oh, my gods. Was Cass sent to put me down? Am I meant to be dead? Why did you save me if I could hurt someone?”
As his anxiety swept through him, Paulie lost control of his tiger, and for once he welcomed the swift change. The bed creaked alarmingly as the tiger emerged, the big cat stretching out his neck and back muscles, flicking out his tail. Surveying the room, the tiger curled up his lips showing very impressive fangs. A rumble settled in his chest as he noted the brightness of his glow and the shocked looks on Cass and Wes’s faces. Only the shiny being seemed unafraid and the tiger yawned, before eyeing the powerful god.
“You know who I am, don’t you, tiger.” Ra seemed pleased. “You’ve always known you were more powerful than your shifter genetics decreed.”
Meh. The tiger didn’t care