In The Shadows - Fan Fiction Version by Katydids

Age Is Just A Number

I stare at the picture in shock.

Gently, I brush my finger over the face of my father on the fragile page. It's definitely him. I know it without at doubt. He's a combination of his parents. Although the picture doesn't show color, I know her eyes are the same green as mine and my dad's.

I whisper the only word I can get out, "How?"

"How can it be him, three hundred years ago?"

I nod, my eyes fixated on the page.

"We grow old, and we die. It just takes us longer than it does humans."

My head snaps up. "He was 43, I mean that's what he said. That he was born January fifth, nineteen seventy-one."

Owen watches me. "He was born January fifth, sixteen seventy-one. He was three hundred and forty-three."

"How old are you?"

He gives me a small smile. "I'm twenty, so is Sean. The others are all seventeen, except for Gabe who's sixteen."

I feel a bit of relief in knowing they aren't hundreds of years older than me. "How long do you live for?"

"Generally, about four hundred years. We look to be in our twenties during most of our lives, then age as humans do the last seventy or so."

"So he would have aged with my mother?"

"Yes."

"Did.....do you think he has had other wives, families?" The thought makes me ill.

"No. Male shifters only have one mate during their lives. Your mother was his."

He sighs. "Being a shifter, especially once females stopped being born, can be a lonely life. Some in the past were fortunate enough to find a female shifter as a mate. Most others though, had human mates. Some would wait toward the end of their lives so as to live and die with them. Others fell in love early in life with a human and once she died, never mated again. The one solace being in any children they may have produced...........Some packs, chose to live their lives differently, all sharing one female shifter to love and have as their mate for their entire lives."

Maybe I should be shocked by that, but it's nothing compared to other things I've just learned.

I carefully close the book. "I need some time to myself, to think about this."

Owen gets up. "Of course. You may take the book with you. It will answer a lot of your questions."

I stand as well and so do Kota and Mr. Taylor. I cradle the book to my chest. "Thank you," I say softly. I feel like I'm going to fall apart at any moment.

Owen reaches his finger under my chin, lifting it so my eyes meet his gaze, "Sang, I don't think your Mom knows. Now's not the time to tell her either, we have a lot to figure out and talk about first."

I don't have words to say and just look at his perfect face. His eyes go dark and the pad of his thumb tenderly rubs across my chin, just below my bottom lip. The electricity is thick, and comforting, and terrifying at the same time, now that I know why I feel it. There's a barely audible growl from Kota's direction but Owen ignores it. I can't and turn my head, releasing his caress and look at Kota. His eyes have gone black too as he stares at Owen.

Mr. Taylor breaks the tension. "I'll walk you home, Sang. We'll keep your late night escapade from your family for now."

I follow him out the door, leaving Owen and Kota to work out whatever their problem is.

I have plenty of my own.