AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, it sure as hell sounded like it!” I shot back, my insecurities roaring to life.
For a moment, Remy remained silent. When he spoke his casual confidence was gone. Good, he deserved to feel like I did.
“Please, help me understand what I said that hurt you,” Remy said painfully.
As much as I wanted to be angry at him, his vulnerability quickly extinguished my fire. I could see his wolf as an image made of light standing where he stood. With its ears back, it seemed hurt by my words. It appeared to care more about what I thought than Remy did.
What did that mean? Did a shifter’s wolf reflect what the human thought or did the animal have a mind of their own?
Either way, my new abilities had given me insight into a side of Remy I’d never seen before. It made me fall for him more. I hated myself for it.
With melting resistance, I looked up into his soft eyes. Pushing down a lump in my throat, I realized that I was about to tell him something I had never shared with anyone.
“You don’t know this about me because I’ve never said it aloud before, but I know that I’m basically Hil’s pet. He was lonely and needed a friend so your family went to the poor people’s pound and found me.”
“What?” Remy said feigning shock.
“Don’t deny it. I know what other people think when they see me with Hil or you. I don’t dress like your family does. I don’t look like you do. I don’t fit in,” I admitted, my voice shaking.
“Occasionally, I let myself believe I might truly have a place in your world, that I could be someone you genuinely care about. But every time I come crashing back to reality, feeling like nothing more than a token poor, black friend you all keep around for laughs.”
Remy listened, his eyes never leaving mine. When I was done, he didn’t know what to say. I didn’t think there was anything he could say. I knew I was right no matter how devastated his wolf looked.
But when his gaze hit to the floor, he found his voice and quiet confidence.
“Dillon, I want to share something with you. It’s something my father once told me back before I shifted for the first time. I don’t know if you know this about me but I was a late shifter. Because my mother is human, I believed that I hadn’t inherited the ability to shift. But one day my father took me aside and said, “When you embrace your true self, you’ll be rewarded.” A few days later, I took you and Hil to the carnival, Hil ended up in that bad spot and my wolf came out. I had embraced who I was and I was able to rescue my brother.”
I looked at him, a small part of me daring to hope that maybe he wasn’t just talking about how to access supernatural abilities. That maybe he was talking about us.
“Embracing one’s self is never easy, and it can be terrifying,” Remy continued. “But… perhaps your background and experiences aren’t your weaknesses but your strengths. I can assure you that no one in my family has ever seen you like you’ve described. And I, for one, think there’s so much more to you than you give yourself credit for. So to hear how you think of me, and yourself, breaks my heart,” he said nearly in tears.
Lost in the words of the man I had been in love with for so long, I brushed against an idea that was tantalizingly just out of reach. My heart pounded at the prospect. Could there be strength in the things I had run from for so long? I didn’t think so. But, still, what if? What would that mean for me? What would that look like?
“I…”
“What?” he asked when I didn’t continue.
No, I couldn’t do this. “Remy, I…”
Hearing my tone, he cut me off.
“Dillon, look, I can’t pretend to know what it was like being you. I’m white. I’m rich. I’m incredibly good-looking,” he said drawing my attention to the brief return of his cocky smirk. “My point is that I don’t know what it’s like to be you, but I’d like to. And, I was sincere about you creating a community outreach center for me and my family.
“I admit that I didn’t think of it until I was forced to. I would have been completely content to just have you show up every day so I could look at you,” he said with a smile.
“Remy,” I began not able to take his flirting now that I knew he didn’t have feelings for me.
“Consider it,” he said lightly taking my bicep in his large hand. “Think about how much good you could do. Please, just do that. Will you do that?”
I considered his offer for a moment. It wasn’t a bad one. And someone like me creating it would be a hell of a lot better than if he or Hil acted like the great white saviors.
“I’ll consider it,” I told him wondering if I was making a mistake by even doing that.
Remy’s smile beamed. “Brilliant. Also, think about where you would put the place. It could help you make your decision.”
“You mean, it could help me decide to do the thing you want me to do?” I asked snidely.
“Of course,” he replied with equal measure. Letting his smirk fade, he added, “But seriously Dillon, I want you to do what feels right to you. Despite what you think, I really care about you. I would do anything to make you happy.”
