Why We Do It

After dinner, the family gathered on couches by the fire. Rhett gently rubbed Hazel’s back while she swayed side to side and smiled. Rhett had never had a real family. After his father's death, his mother had pitted him and his brother against each other. As soon as he was old enough, he ran away from her. Their relationship was pretty strained after that.

Sitting here by the fire with everyone felt good and comfortable.

Hazel was right about Daniel. He was obsessed with Rosemary. He touched her whenever possible, even if it was only to move her hair away. The only times he ever really smiled were when he looked at her.

“So, if you don’t mind,tell me how all of you met,” said Rhett.

“I fell for this handsome man the first time I ever saw him,” Rosemary said as she grabbed Daniel's chin and kissed him. Rhett loved the dichotomy of the couple. Daniel is dark and gloomy while Rosemary was like a giant Care Bear. He wondered how two such different people met. “My father brought him here from Earth. He had been injured so I took care of him and I guess the rest,as they say, is history.”

Hazel warned Rhett in his mind that there was more to that story, but now was not the time.

“And what about you, Thorin?” asked Rhett.

Thorin smiled and said, “I was born on Earth, as well. In Savannah, to be specific. My sister was murdered and then 50 years later she shows up at my door looking just as she did the day she died.”

“Holy shit,” said Rhett.

“Holy shit,”Thorin agreed. “She and her husband had been cursed to relive their murders over and over again. We figured out how to break the curse, but not before my sister was murdered again. Haldir, Ben and I came here to find her. So, as we were going to the North Woods, we stopped here to deliver a message, and I saw this beautiful lady,” he said as he wrapped his arm around Sigrid.

“Did you end up finding your sister?” asked Rhett.

“Yes, yes, we did. She and Ben live in the city at North Woods. Ben also happens to be a distant cousin of Daniel's.”

Rhett asked, “Ben’s the Lycan?”

Thorin said, “Half Lycan, his father was an Alpha. His mother is a witch.”

“Their daughter is the one married to Jacob Hexom?” asked Rhett.

“Yes,” said Thorin.

“Does Ben shift?” asked Rhett.

“No, he never has, although he has some Lycan tendencies. You know, he’s Daniel’s blood, they’re a lot alike in the power they share. But, after all that happened with my sister, the trauma of it all, he just wanted to live a simple life with her in a little cottage. They're very happy there.”

“Yeah, I bet he does,” said Rhett. “That’s terrible. Did they get the guy who cursed them?”

Thorin said, “Yes we sorted it all out. The last time she di… the last time it happened," Thorin said with tears in his eyes, “ my sister set a trap for him. She knew she and her daughter were going to be killed anyway, so she lured the warlock into her house. Haldir, Ben and I misted to her right as he struck the two of them down. We trapped him there, and we...we killed him.”

“He killed their baby too,” asked Rhett.

Thorin nodded. “Three times, I found my sister and nieces dead bodies.”

Daniel spoke, “This is why we do things the way we do here, Rhett. We can’t let those things happen. Whatever it takes.”

Rhett looked at Hazel and put his hand on her belly and said, “Yeah, I understand.”

When they got to their bedroom that night, Rhett shut the door and asked, “What did you want to tell me sweetheart?”

Hazel sat on the bed, took a deep breath and said, “My grandfather was a military leader on Earth, quite a nasty one. He was nearly killed and my grandmother's father rescued him. My grandmother she… she had been raped and was pregnant when Daniel met her. He took this castle for her and my mother so that they would be royalty, so no one would ever dare look down on them. The man who did it came here and my grandfather killed him in quite a horrible way. That’s it, that’s the whole story.”

Rhett looked at Hazel and said, “Your mother isn’t Daniel’s daughter?”

“My grandfather doesn’t see it that way. He’s the only father she’s ever known, he claimed my grandmother when she was still pregnant. He loves them both very much. Listen, we all know the truth here, but we don’t say it...ever.”

Rhett sat beside her and said, “I’m liking Daniel more and more.”

“I told you, he loves his family. There’s absolutely nothing he won’t do Rhett. I know what he made you do earlier,” said Hazel.

Rhett shook his head, “He didn’t make me do that baby. It just had to be done. If it had been my territory back home, I wouldn’t have hesitated to do the same thing.”

Hazel nodded, “About last night Rhett. You know I’m going to work on this. I know all you’ve given up for me and I want you to know how much I appreciate it all. I’m not going to let you down.”

Rhett put his arms around Hazel, “I know that. I do. Sometimes I just worry about things. I need to think about all the possible problems so I can think of all the possible solutions. You know what I’m saying? It’s just now you know what’s going on in there. I can’t turn it off, it’s just how I’m made. Just like what’s going on with you sweetheart.”

“I get that Rhett, I’ll work on trying to give you your privacy back a bit,” said Hazel.

Rhett stood up and put his arms around Hazel’s shoulders, “I kind of like that you can read my mind sweetheart, do you know what I’m thinking right now?”

She ran her hand up between his legs and felt his hard cock. “I have a good idea Rhett. That doesn’t take a psychic to figure out.”