Page 74 of Second Chance Dragon Chief

Curiouser and Curiouser was on the way, so she quickly stopped in. Tam was already showing Chris and Kim the ropes at the shop. Thank God at least that seemed to be settled. Clint was positioned out front.

“Dax have you on guard duty?” It was more an observation than a question.

“Can’t be too careful, Bloom,” he said good-naturedly as he surveyed the street.

Maybe she could trust him? At least with this.

After she got back home, she spent a few hours doing some bookkeeping in the back room and then tidying up the bar. Mack and Wendy both milled about as well doing the day’s normal prep work.

“You all good, sweetheart?” Mack asked her.

“Yeah. Thanks, Mack. Just a lot going on, you know?”

“Don’t I know it. I’m really sorry about Dewey. I know he held a special place for you,” he said as he came over and put a reassuring hand on her back.

“Thanks, Mack. I just want Fae Crossing back like it was. It’s all I have left, you know? You. Wendy. Tam. The Tree. The people. All this drug shit has to end.”

“I know, kiddo. Dax and his crew are on it. Just give them time.”

Time. Relax. Arg.

Then she remembered.

“Hey Mack, can I ask you something?”

“Always.”

“It’s about Dax’s father. Did he have a problem with the fae or something?”

Mack was quiet for a minute, and looked thoughtful.

“Why are you asking this?” Mack finally asked.

“No reason, just some things I’ve heard,” she replied

He was quiet again.

“To talk about Owen you need to understand my generation. Your own father’s generation. We didn’t get coddled. And people weren’t so … um … soft, really? I don’t think people realize it was a different world. My point is you can’t judge someone in the past based on today’s norms.”

“Why do I get the feeling you are about to tell me terrible things,” she said, her mental alarm bells already chiming.

“You want me to tell you about his father, then I will tell you about him. I am just setting the stage. Whether or not you take into account what I am saying is up to you.”

“Fair enough.”

He just looked at her for a second.

“He was not much of a fan of the fae really. But it made sense. Back in his day, in mine, early on really, there was a lot more distrust between shifters and fae. And word has it that Owen caught a lot of that when he worked the security detail for the Council.”

“His father did security for the Fae Council?”

“He did. This was in his youth, back when Dax was just a youngling. Word has it the fae never treated him with much respect. And it seems he returned the favor. There was major friction. Maybe even a scandal you could say.”

“I had no idea,” she said, shocked to learn details her mate had never bothered to share.

Or purposely left out.

“And that’s why I am telling you,” he said, pausing to take a drink of water. “So he was encouraged to give up that job, but a lot in the pack agreed with his take on the fae, and he rose to be Alpha, largely on the back of his outspoken critique of them, particularly of King Tarragon.”

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